Trump makes case to GOP insiders amid chaotic protest scene
ASSOCIATED PRESS
A Trump supporter clashes with protesters outside a rally for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, Thursday, April 28, 2016 in Costa Mesa, Calif.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Police officers take into custody a man who was protesting Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump outside of the Hyatt Regency hotel during the California Republican Party 2016 Convention in Burlingame, Calif., today.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Police officers take into custody a man who was protesting Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump outside of the Hyatt Regency hotel during the California Republican Party 2016 convention in Burlingame, Calif., today.
BURLINGAME, Calif. » Donald Trump took his outsider campaign to the inner sanctum of California’s Republican party today, making his case directly to the GOP’s state convention even as angry demonstrators shadowed him.
Trump spoke for about 30 minutes in a basement banquet hall in this town just outside San Francisco. It was the sort of small-scale interaction with party activists and donors that he has generally eschewed for grander rallies. Trump made his pitch as the nominating calendar moves toward its end game in the nation’s most populous and diverse state — which, with 172 delegates at stake on June 7, could decide the GOP presidential nomination.
The billionaire front-runner told Republicans they needed to come together after their divisive primary but also delivered a warning.
“There has to be unity in our party,” Trump said. “Would I win — can I win — without it? I think so, to be honest with you, because they’re going to be voting for me” — and not the party, he added.
Trump supporters snapped up tickets to the luncheon and cheered heartily for their candidate from a ring of tables around the perimeter of the ballroom. But Trump’s speech got an icier reception from the party veterans and donors who sat just beneath the stage, separated from the rest of the room by a rope.
“We all listened politely,” said Gregory Gandrud, an activist and donor from Santa Barbara County who backs Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
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Kasich speaks to the convention this evening, and Sen. Ted Cruz and his new vice presidential pick, Carly Fiorina, address it Saturday. All three candidates are looking to galvanize supporters, sway undecided party members or poach from rival campaigns. “It’s going to be a free-for-all,” predicted the state party vice chairman, Harmeet Dhillon.
That label clearly applied to Trump’s rally Thursday night in the Pacific Amphitheatre in Orange County.
Protests that stayed mostly peaceful during the event grew in size and anger afterward. Police in riot gear and on horseback pushed the crowd back and away from the arena; one Trump supporter had his face bloodied in a scuffle as he tried to drive away. One man jumped on a police car, leaving its front and rear windows smashed and the top dented, and other protesters sprayed graffiti on a police car and the venue’s marquee.
About 20 people were arrested, said the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
In Burlingame on Friday, hundreds of demonstrators pushed to the front doors of the Hyatt Regency before being moved back by police in riot gear. Some protesters infiltrated the hotel building and hung a giant banner reading, “Stop Hate.”
The Secret Service led Trump in through a rear entrance to the hotel. Trump joked that he “felt like I was crossing the border.”
Trump’s remaining rivals can’t beat him in what’s left of the primary season. Their only hope is to deny him a majority of delegates heading into the July convention and wrestle for the prize in multiple ballots there.
But questions persist among Republicans — nationally and in California — about Trump’s electability in the fall and his conservative credentials. The demonstrations showed how polarizing Trump can be, especially in a state where Republicans have failed to attract growing immigrant populations. Trump is viewed warily by two camps here — those who want to grow the party and those who view some of Trump’s positions as betrayals of the conservative movement.
The convention crowd defies expectation in a state known as a Democratic fortress. There have been pushes toward moderation, but the group leans conservative and favors calls for free markets, tax cuts and shrinking the size of government. It’s also socially conservative: The state party’s platform defines marriage as between a man and a woman, and wants the Supreme Court’s affirmation of abortion rights reversed.
Trump has spoken favorably about Planned Parenthood, which provides abortion services. He has warned against cutting Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, often targets for conservatives who want to slow government spending. While he will likely spend much of the next few weeks in the state, he’s unlikely to be back during the general election, when California would return to its reliably Democratic status.
Still, Trump was a popular draw at a brief VIP reception, where he posed for pictures with party stalwarts. He later joked about having mud and dirt smeared all over him from his unorthodox entrance, and many in the banquet hall laughed heartily.
Henri Houdre was thrilled to see Trump live. “We see him as that alpha kid in high school with the leather jacket and slicked-back hair who everybody wants to be,” said Houdre, an 18-year-old college student from San Francisco.
Trump’s call to unity resonated with some. “That’s the thing every Republican needs to keep in mind, that we’re the same team,” said Kevin Krick, the Bay Area regional vice chairman for the party.
Kersti Buchanan, 70, a retired translator and party activist from Mendocino County who backs John Kasich, was shocked at all of Trump’s supporters — and by the candidate’s speech itself.
“He’s probably the most narcissistic person I’ve ever listened to,” Buchanan said. “It was fairly shocking to see this many people who are eating it all up.”
28 responses to “Trump makes case to GOP insiders amid chaotic protest scene”
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It is soo obvious who the real haters are.
If not already we’ll see Mexican Flags right under our Stars and Stripes on school Flag Poles. Amnesty and Illegal imigration from Mexico is showing it’s colors, they want to change the Country from what it’s supposed to be. We are seeing Racists trying to instill their will over the US, these racists Mexicans waving Mexico’s Flag have no respect and are only thinking of themselves. Well, you know what I’m thinking for the good of US citizens as a whole not by racial lines
hiliar’s brown shirts in action again. just as they did in the last century, each event escalates their boldness and violence with the intention of shutting down opposition and free speech.
The subamericans are protesting the cleanup of the USA. They want their lawlessness to be allowed and tear down the country further with liberal politics. Immigration from Mexico will make us a horrible country like Mexico. Why do you think Mexico is so horrible? No other reason than the Mexicans themselves – collectively .
What part of illegal the Liberal Americans don’t understand? They’re bleeding our systems, time too get America back from these Liberals.
Wonder why SA is exposing O’s liberal base.
Liberals believe in freedom of speech, as long as they agree with it. Otherwise, you’re a racist/bigot/fascist etc.
Send them all back to Mexico. Make em realize what they got in the Good Ole US of A. They don’t know how good they have it here.
A picture is worth a thousand words as the photo indicates. By far the majority of demonstrators/protestor in the picture appear to be Latinos?
worried immigrants
O’s secret army?
Have you been to California lately? The state’s population is at least half mexican. I wonder how many are there illegally. It’s impossible to deport 11 million mexicans without huge changes in immigration laws.
It would be easier to remove any incentive for them to come in the first place. If they can’t work, go to school, get a license, rent a home or get public welfare or medical benefits – most will leave all on their own.
Latinos, keep it up. The more you protest helps Trump. People are DisGusTed with politicians and protesters. Love it or leave it.
Should be obvious to all that the trouble makers are the left wing loons that now so populate our cities, especially in Callfornia where illegals now dominate.
Fearless Leader said he wanted to transform America, he just didn’t specify into what.
You don’t listen much do you ?
Mahalo O for creating this atmosphere.
Construir esa pared.
Dónde está Waldo?
Close. More like Where’s “Wall-Don”
In viewing the HEADLINE-PHOTO; it is apparent that the majority of these people are immigrants and/or ILLEGAL’s… Also, many of them appear to need serious DENTAL WORK. Barry needs to get on it–where’s there free dentistry? Maybe Barry’s Uncle George could underwrite UNCLE SAM?
Trump does appeal to some interesting slivers of the demographic pie … I’m in a peace piece at the other side of the plate.
You need to re-look at the term “sliver” after you follow his approval ratings. You’ll then realize that your side of the plate is the lonely side holding the cooked broccoli.
Really? you still think Trump can win in a general election after insulting women, latinos, blacks and gay people? I don’t think there’s enough straight white folks left to carry him to victory, even if they all vote for him. He doesn’t even have a slight chance of winning but it’s been entertaining as hell to watch him campaign for office.
Even if you hate Trump you should vote for him and write to your politicians to enforce the laws because 20+ million LaRaza Mexican illegals and unthinkable millions more if you count anchor babies are all going to vote Democratic and for Hilary to destroy our country and turn it into a Tijuana, Mexico slum. And we all know how loving and caring Mexicans are towards their very own people in Mexico! haaaaa
If we hate Trump why would we ever vote for the guy? He is dividing America and it will only get worse if he is elected president. EEEwwww, what a thought, President Trump?
This isn’t usual for a Trump rally. It won’t get any better if Trump is elected, you will see more protests against a president than you’ve seen in the past 35 years
Trump will make them show their green cards or the are otta here. TRUMP 2016