Trump arrives at Daytona 500, sets off raucous celebration

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By JENNA FRYER

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump made a dramatic entrance at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, setting off a raucous celebration at the famed NASCAR track.

Thousands cheered as Air Force One performed a flyover and landed at Daytona International Airport a few hundred yards behind the track. Trump’s motorcade arrived a few minutes later, prompting another loud ovation. Both entrances were broadcast on giant video boards around the superspeedway.

At least a dozen drivers were escorted from the pre-race meeting to a private introduction with Trump.

“I got to meet the president! How cool is that?” driver Aric Almirola said.



Air Force One touches down at the Daytona Beach International's Airport as seen from Daytona International Speedway as President Donald Trump makes his arrival to attend the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race, Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/David Graham)


Read more: https://apnews.com/fd528bdb917e0a6f5a3d1c4cd74d80a5

[mr_lebowski]

1. Is Jenna Fryer on Trump's Campaign team?

Would you care for a bib, ma'am?

It helps with the drool ...

[Dennis Donovan]

2. This is being treated as an official event - you and I are paying for this nonsense

Link to tweet

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. So how much did that little stunt cost us taxpayers?

[jayschool2013]

4. Reality Show America

[magicarpet]

54. Public Relations Stunt pResidency....

Come see your pResident with testosterone oozing from every pore.

[olegramps]

58. Unfortunately, its an event dominated by racists who are cheering the leader of the pack.

Trump is just a another demagogue who shares the same attributes as Hitler. In Germany it was the Jews who were the blame for German's failures, today its the Blacks and Hispanics. The White racists are dominated by the lower educated people who have failed to equip themselves to thrive in today's economy and blame their plight on the minorities who will soon be the majority. Trump is their man and he has proven it by giving the highest civilian honor to one of the most powerful disseminators of racism in our times.

They are going to be caught in a two edged sword; no talents to survive and soon to in the minority. Also it is not surprising the many of these people have been convinced by religious charlatans that the end of the world is at hand. It is nothing new. Their ilk have been predicting it as being emanate for the last 2,000 years.

[llashram]

68. this is the truth

thanks olegramps. Nuremburg rally all ready for his lowness to appear at...

[ewagner]

64. Exactly

The entire Trump residency has been a made-for-tv event

[MontanaFarmer]

5. Until fairly recently, I watched and followed nascar to some degree.

For a period earlier in my life, i was a fairly avid fan. Trump, and the sport's fellating of him, cured me of it awhile ago, but I'd still nominally pay attention to my favorite driver. No more. Fuck that nonsense. There are innumerable other reasons not to watch (climate implications both direct and represented by the companies involved), the corporate kowtowing, poorer racing in recent years, the military hero worship, to name a few. But this takes it. Not another dime or eyeball from me, and they can ill afford to lose more fans.

[Wuddles440]

17. I too used to casually follow it...

but it really became so nauseatingly politicized when Shub was in office that I totally lost interest and it's only gotten worse (if that's even possible) since Il Douche's reign of terror.

[maddogesq]

18. I liked it as a kid.

All the old school guys like Petty, less complicated rules...

It’s too corporate and over-produced now.

And yes, the racing was better. A bump draft was a bump draft...

[pangaia]

50. What the hell is it with car racing in a circle.

I mean, these guys can't even turn RIGHT !!!!

[HarlanPepper]

70. It's actually in the middle of a long fade

Overall popularity has been in decline for several years now.

[TheFourthMind]

6. The disease touches down in Daytona. I bet not one of the dozen+ drivers noted wins the race. n/t

[mahina]

7. Idiocracy

Come to life

For now but not for long.

[NickB79]

8. Is it supposed to look like a methed-out trailer park in the foreground??

I can hear the banjos from here.

[paleotn]

10. Yes.

[SergeStorms]

11. Can you smell....

the noxious chemicals wafting through the air as the Meth Cooks in all those trailers perform 21 beaker salutes in Trump's "honor"? I bet all of the "Bikers for Trump" were represented as well. The thing is, Trump and his soft-pornstar wife wouldn't piss on their backs if they were on fire, but these morons think Trump is on their side and looking out for them.

[paleotn]

9. We've now decended into Putin land.

Next, there will be photo shops of shirtless Trump riding horse back.

November can't come soon enough. Then we'll know if America is back to normal or it's time for articles of secession.

I won't comment on NASCAR...I won't, I won''t.

[bluestarone]

12. Your so right!

Bunch of SICK FUCKS!!!

[napi21]

40. DT SHIRTLESS??? AUKKKK-gotta het my barf bag! N/T

[AllaN01Bear]

13. yes we are paying for this tooth and nail. humbug.

i hate nascar and i hate it even more now. this was the things aquittal victory lap. nearly lost my lunch. as one poster stated , " novembember cant come any sooner .

[Traildogbob]

14. NASCAR has a purpose

Where do you think they procure the liquid to brew Bud, Bud Lite and all Bush beers. Collection tanks from NASCAR track urinals. Besides the recenue to fossil fuel Giants to entertain knuckle draggers fascinated with hours of left turns. Oh shit!! Do they realize all those left turns will make them gay?

[rockfordfile]

15. This is not late breaking News. Why is DU allowing this to be posted? Fox News like

[Talitha]

35. + 1

[RandiFan1290]

60. Great question!

[mountain grammy]

16. Put his fat ass in a race car

[Evolve Dammit]

20. Now that would be entertaining

[Kali]

19. ...

[Evolve Dammit]

21. This president impersonator is a reality show con man. That's it. The minions love it. Sad.

[LawnKorn]

22. Taxpayer funded campaign stunt.

Trump is spinning up the good old boys to vote for him. Little does Trump know, most of them are not intelligent enough to register to vote.

[Backseat Driver]

23. LOL - Everything he touches...

Rain delay has plagued Daytona so far today...only 19 laps completed before the raindrops kept a'fallin' on his head.

[spike jones]

24. Are the words Car and Auto redundant in NASCAR?

National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing

[Blue_playwright]

27. "Stock car" modifies Auto so it's ok... nt

[FloridaBlues]

25. He's working Florida hard, thousands of Floridian's attend

This will not be an easy state to win no matter who the Dem candidate is running

[C_U_L8R]

26. How much did this vanity boondoggle cost us???

The campaign better be footing the bill or Congress should raise holy hell.

[JohnnyRingo]

28. I believe Aric Almirola is the Mexican driver

I recall a clip from last year where fans threw beer cans at him and called out racist names as he walked past the grandstands. I'm glad he was so thrilled to meet the president.

[House of Roberts]

33. Daniel Suarez is who you are thinking of.

.

[JohnnyRingo]

37. I trust you're right.

Explains why I couldn't find the vid.

It's NASCAR though. I'm sure someone hates him for not being a Merican.

[democratisphere]

29. drumpf will do anything for attention. A lot of NASCAR fans

are his supporters. Hate the association.

[Blue_playwright]

30. It is kinda cool how close the airport is...

I didn’t realize it was in spitting distance. AF1 Landing like that was pretty badass. But, Trump stepping out of it kinda ruins it all...

[bucolic_frolic]

31. What do you expect from people who are not bored by cars driving around in circles?

Dullards, all of 'em!

[kimbutgar]

69. I watched it once years ago after 5 minutes I was bored watching the cars go round and round

Kind of idiotic and boring. Just didn’t see the attraction. Drag racing is more interesting.

[EveHammond13]

32. ass

[House of Roberts]

34. Well, after Squint and the Meat Puppet II left,

it started raining and they just postponed the race until tomorrow. So, by showing up, he delayed the start and they didn't get in hardly any racing.

[maxrandb]

42. If our MSM did what they did in 2016

they'd show us 24/7 video of the rain falling on the racetrack with "breaking News-cars about to go around in circles".

Of course, all the Donnie Shit for Brains NASCAR asshats would be glued to the TV with drool pooling around their feet.

Shit! If an empty podium was "Breaking News" in 2016 because the orange asspickle was about to fart in our general direction, then an empty rainsoaked track is surely "Breaking News" in 2020.

[riversedge]

72. Karma

[47of74]

36. I fucking hate him.

[bdamomma]

38. a fucking con artist

is nothing but a cult leader.

wait until he goes after them. sad, very sad, what our country is going through.

[napi21]

39. Jes** Chr***! I knew he was a damn showoff, but this is beyond even MY immagination!

I can't believe his pilot OR the FAA ok'd flying that low over thousands of people!!!!

[Evolve Dammit]

41. Anything NASCAR related is a huge GOP event. Daytona is probably the biggest in racist land

[sinkingfeeling]

43. Why is this happening? I remember when President Bill Clinton

came home to Fayetteville to attend a University of Arkansas basketball game. Air Force One had to land at Springdale due to runway length. I went and waited at a rope line to shake his hand. No speeches. Then he sat with my alderman at the game. There weren't jumbotrons nor yelling, cheering crowds. We all just went about the thing normally.

[nwduke]

44. What's it about???

ME - ME - ME!

[LudwigPastorius]

45. Trump, once again, pandering to the "very fine people" that make up his base.

[docgee]

47. That's photoshopped. There was no rebel or dufus flag on the pole.

If you meant it as a joke, you should say so.

[LudwigPastorius]

51. The picture is real, but it's from a couple of years ago.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2017/08/19/confederate-flag-still-important-symbol-nascar-fans/583320001/

The relevant point remains, there are a good number of Trump supporters (and yes, even racists) who are fans of motor sports

[groundloop]

52. Those morons just don't get the irony of the redneck flag flying next to an American flag

[docgee]

55. Ok thanks. I didn't think about it being an old pic.

[durablend]

46. Apparently was postponed until Monday because of rain

Once again proving everything Trump touches turns to shit

[docgee]

48. I was there today.

Tickets were free. I went since I've never been. There really wasn't as much cheering for trump as I expected. I thought I would be choking back vomit at the virtual fellating you see cult members give him, but there weren't as many cult members as I expected. Most people where I was sitting had a either a polite clapping or no response at all when he showed up.

[groundloop]

53. Hmmmm.... the press is certainly telling a different story (surprise surprise)

According to what I've seen on the local news here there were 100,000 people there who were ready to give tRump a blow job.

(I happened to be driving down I-95 near Daytona as AF-1 was taking off - pretty sure he didn't see but he was thoroughly flipped off by everyone in our car)

[docgee]

56. Haha that's funny. I always take a middle finger selfie when passing a building with his name on it

[cstanleytech]

49. Another clown had people cheering for him in Germany back in the 30's and we all know how that

turned out for their country.

[Pachamama]

62. +1000000

And the people cheered....

[GoneOffShore]

57. Distraction and more distraction

[vercetti2021]

59. Let's take it as it is.

Number one is NASCAR I've been to these races before. The majority of the demographic is a bunch of meth head morons. It's a heavily geared towards conservatives because it's literally a car driving in a circle. It's simple-minded crap that doesn't take much brain power to figure out. Like a child with a fidget spinner

[Brainfodder]

61. Another tax payer funded rally?

I saw his interview....

[trusty elf]

63. ...

[slater71]

65. Sure he loves this. The people can not escape his campaign photo op.

They are a captive audience just like Bush used the troops as a captive audience.

[YOHABLO]

67. Here's another fly over of interest.

you can start at 2:50 if need be:

[link:

?t=3m|

[yuiyoshida]

71. "I got to meet the President, how Cool is that? "

On a "Cool" meter its not...You got to meet a would-be tin-pot Dictator, with delusions of grandeur.