"GOD, GUNS & TRUMP"
"IMPEACH THIS" [with Trump pointing two middle fingers]
"WHO'S YOUR DADDY -- TRUMP -- Make America Great Again"
"IF YOU DON'T LIKE -- TRUMP" Make America Great Again -- THEN YOU PROBABLY WON'T LIKE ME"
The most snarky, which one campaign vendor hawked as their "X-rated" shirt, said, "TRUMP -- 2020 -- f*ck YOUR FEELINGS."
That last one was a sight to behold. Forget those dusty Iowan values of respect, dignity and service. At the Trump rally, the biggest applause lines were the ones where Trump boasted or bragged of triumphs by vanquishing foes. You've heard it all before and will again. Trump and his supporters were real patriots. They were victorious. They were winners because others are losers. Their adversaries were worthy of mockery, were less than deserving, and on and on. And for $20 ("credit is okay, but we like cash"), you can spread the word.
What can 24 hours in Iowa tell you about 2020's whirlwind? A lot. Callahan's Iowan values seemed like a deer that would soon be caught in the headlights of Trump's loud, cynical and sadistic marketing. Nothing about Trump's GOP is conservative, especially his marketing. It is designed to incite and be noticed.
Perhaps 8,000 or 9,000 people attended Trump's indoor arena rally and outdoor overflow-crowd video screen section, according to various estimates. Only 150 were at one of Mayor Pete's Thursday events. But I did ask Trump's campaign vendors what they thought of the turnout at Des Moines' Drake University.
Intriguingly, more than one said that it was weak, compared to other states. One wondered aloud if the GOP would lose Iowa. They shrugged and said they were heading to New Hampshire next. I didn't see hordes buying up the wares, but I didn't stick around for a final assessment as the crowd left. I'd seen enough.
Twenty-four hours in Iowa can be revealing. At Democratic events, many people said they were still weighing choices. But if they are weighing who is best suited to take on Trump, they might consider how their choice would respond to his latest campaign merchandise. The 2020 campaign isn't heading into the gutter. It's already there.
This article was produced by Voting Booth, a project of the Independent Media Institute.
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