If you're a fan or hater, chances are we still want to keep up with what the President of the United States is up to.
The journalists who provide this information follow Trump around the globe and document the speeches he gives and appearances he makes. Recently I was given the amazing opportunity to join them as I represented my college paper at a rally for the campaign of Governor Henry McMaster.
Here are eight things I learned while wearing by Secret Service authorized press pass.
You’ll be there all day.
Despite the fact the speeches will only go on for an hour, two tops, the journalists have to get to the venue hours and hours in advance. On top of getting our gear cleared by the Secret Service, it's important to start interviewing before the event even starts. In my case, I was already unloading our bags at 12, even though the first speaker wasn't set to go on until 6.
Get ready to rub elbows with some familiar faces.
Like him or not, everyone is interested in what the President does. Every major news channel, radio station and paper wants to get a shot and a quote from the president. While I was already excited to be in the same place as some of the local TV anchors, some of who I've watched for years, nothing made the hours of waiting more worth it than to turn around and see the White House Correspondent for CNN. It's really inspiring to know everyone from the local student newspaper to a major networker reporter were all gathered in the same place, with the same purpose.
Journalists wear Sketchers.
As I mentioned before, covering a presidential speech requires an entire day of preparation. Standing and moving for that long requires proper footwear, not heels or other dress shoes. It's unnecessary anyway; the camera never shows you from the waist down. The viewer would never know it, but underneath the tailored suits are usually tennis shoes. Many of the gathered journalists wear nice shoes that almost seem to be dress shoes, but even the most well-respected reporter can dress like a dad and pair his or her suits with white Skechers. I was surprised to know even the most well-respected people in the room were rocking their best Gap 20% off footwear. They were also likely the most comfortable person in the room.
The signs aren’t usually made by the people who hold them.
In the background of every presidential speech, regardless of the president or party they behind, avid supporters wave signs seemed to be made with their own paper and markers. This usually isn't true, and simply is bad PR. The team behind the president has a strict message it is trying to send and they need every aspect of their presentation to be perfected. Instead of letting the public display a sign that could be controversial or opposing of the president, or really a candidate's platform, aids will hand out 'homemade' signs to be waved instead.
I stood beside the volunteer handing out such signs, and many ended up on the broadcasts of the event, just as they were planned to.
There’s more chanting here than during sorority recruitment.
Every campaign has a slogan; something that sticks in people's heads and makes them remember your message and your name. Some slogans really stick. "Make America Great Again" is one of them. It's an iconic phrase that was adorned on shirts, signs and especially hats all across the venue. Above all, people were chanting it. The phrase was one thing everyone in attendance knew and supported, and chanting it allowed them to connect with one another. There were other famous phrases, but this was the most common one repeated.
Those in attendance had hours to wait before Trump and McMaster were set to show up, so many passed the time by chanting some of the common slogans thrown around by Trump himself. If you thought a sorority house during recruitment was intense, a gym full of Trump supporters is even louder and more energetic.
You don’t wear your press pass to the bathroom.
President Trump has had a long and difficult relationship with the media. While he is a fan of Fox News, many other sources are shamed by the president and his supporters. Even during his speech, Trump turned the energized crowd towards the collection of media in the back of the room and attacked the "fake news."
Harsh words and insults were thrown towards us. The veterans of political journalism hardly batted an eye, but as a first timer, I was overwhelmed by the hundreds of people shouting my way. One of the professional journalists saw this and gave me a tip I'll always remember: Don't wear your press pass to the bathroom. No one wants to be called "fake news" while you're trying to pee.
McMaster who? Everyone is here for Trump.
The whole event was to campaign for McMaster, but I hardly heard his name uttered through the night. When asked why they wanted to attend, everyone I asked said it was to see the President. No one mentioned the Governor. While this may seem disheartening for McMaster, it was actually to his benefit. The audience wanted to see and listen to Trump, but during his digs at Hillary and promises to cut taxes, he threw in small anecdotes about Henry McMaster being a loyal ally and friend.
Trump's most dedicated supporters needed only Trump telling them to in order to go vote for McMaster in the next day's election, but even the more mild fans heard the benefits of McMaster Trump mentioned. As expected, McMaster won his election, and this is likely thanks to his support from the President.
Trump won’t speak for long.
After all of this, the screaming, the waiting and the intense emotions on both sides, Trump finally comes out to a roar of applause. He stands at the podium and begins his speech, covering the same points expected of him; North Korea, the wall, small businesses and Hillary Clinton. 45 minutes later the event is over. After almost eight hours of anticipation, Trump finishes and goes back to his caravan to be escorted to the airport. All of this was for less than an hour of speaking.
I think this above all else shows how infatuated a section of the American public is with President Trump, and their love is so strong they'll stand in a high school gym for hours to just get a glimpse and a few words from their beloved president.