Donald Trump 's rally at the James A. Rhodes arena at the University of Akronactually got going about an hour earlier than scheduled -- a sign, he says, of the excitement surrounding his campaign.
“There’s something going on,” Donald Trump said as he took the stage at the James A. Rhodes Arena oat the University of Akron well in advance of the scheduled start of his campaign address. “The seats are full,” he noted. “Why wait?”
“Whether it’s here or in Pennsylvania or Virginia or in Florida, I go to the arenas. I start an hour, I start two hours early. And the places are packed outside.
"I can start early because they’ll fill up hours before I’m supposed to be there. There is an enthusiasm that’s going on that nobody has ever seen before. There is something going on.”
Like a wrestler trying a reversal, he’s telling supporters that despite polls showing Hillary Clinton ahead the presidential race, the swelling of support everywhere he goes will carry him to the White House.
Immediately after the rally, Diane and Tom Cistone of Stow said they agree. “I thought it was inspiring. I think he’s sincere, I really do. ... I think the polls are skewed. I think he’s doing well.”
But, along with his highlighted messages of enthusiasm and a winning spirit, Trump tapped well-known campaign themes.
Like his claims that bad trade deals and a failure to stick up for American interests in the global economy have cost the country, and Ohio in particular, jobs and prosperity.
“The era of economic surrender, which is what we’ve been doing for so long, is over. A new era, of real American greatness is ready to begin if I get elected president."
It was the message Vicky Paster of Cuyahoga Falls and John Anthony, visiting from Louisiana, hoped to hear.
“He delivered everything I anticipated he would. He stays on message. And, with a little bit more politeness this time. But, everything he says is true and I think he is the true change-agent candidate if we don’t want the same old same old. So Trump has my vote. Trump is what this country needs right now. He’s everything this country deserves. And he has my vote.”
The hard edge Donald Trump wasn’t left out. He again accused Hillary Clinton of corruption, calling for a special prosecutor to investigate her tenure as Secretary of State for criminal activity. And he said she serves only her own interests and the interests of her financial supporters.
Donald Trump’s upbeat theme of the evening also didn’t cause him to back away from his controversial stands of the past.
“We’re gonna build the wall, folks. We’re going to build the wall. Don’t worry. That wall will go up so fast, your head will spin. And you’ll say, ‘He meant it.' It’ll go up so fast it will make your head spin. And you know what else I mean? Mexico is going to pay for the wall.
But, in the end, it was the upbeat message that Donald Trump seemed to want most to impart in Akron, as he repeated time and again how the turnouts and the enthusiasm at his rallies are compelling indicators that he can win.
“I actually think we’re going to win big. There’s something going on. There’s something going on.”
