Trump fumes that 'lamestream media' is downsizing rally crowds in pre-Thanksgiving rant
Former President Donald Trump wrote Wednesday a tour-de-force rant about his power to draw a crowd — and hit out at reports from the “Lamestream Media” that his crowds are dwindling and venues shrinking.
“Many times when I’m making a Speech, which are always sold out with lots of people not being able to get into the Arena or Venue, the Fake News will watch people come down from the rafters (bad seats) onto the floor,” Trump explained.
“As soon as this happens, the Lamestream Media starts taking pictures of these once fully occupied areas and seats, and then come out with a story — ’Trump Arena wasn’t full’ or, ‘Trump didn’t have a Sellout’ — When they know that is not true.”
Trump might have been referring to a Newsweek report of empty seats at a Nov. 8 rally in Florida where the former president boasted he spoke in front of “tens of thousands.”
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The venue, according to Newsweek, only held about 5,000 people. He was subsequently "brutally mocked."
Or he might have referenced MSNBC’s video of his CPAC speech in March that disputed his assertion the room was “packed.”
If Trump’s pre-Thanksgiving Day diatribe did not reflect a holiday spirit, it did include a small iota of gratitude: that he feels the American people owe him.
“We’re selling a product people want — AMERICAN GREATNESS!” Trump declared. “This is a Movement like none other, and the Failing Media should get on board now.”
CNN notes Trump has long been obsessed with crowd size, and took a guess as to why.
"In Trump’s version of his life, he is the smartest, funniest, best-looking, most popular person on the planet," writes Chris Cillizza.
"Empty seats in an arena represent visual evidence that Trump may not, ultimately, be as great as he thinks he is."