In what many deem a stroke of political genius, President Trump served today as Grand Marshal of the Daytona 500 NASCAR race. He vowed to take a lap in the armored presidential limousine serving as a pace car, and did. Here are two short videos that show some of the action:
President @realDonaldTrump gives the starting command at the 62nd Daytona 500. pic.twitter.com/yDPx8inN4R
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) February 16, 2020
President @realDonaldTrump takes a few laps around Daytona International Speedway. pic.twitter.com/H2shfXbqYk
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 16, 2020
As you would expect, the president got an enthusiastic reception from the crowd of up to 200,000. NASCAR is famously patriotic, and Trump is a patriotic president. That may turn out to be the most fundamental difference between Trump and his Democratic opponent in November.
In 1972, I was discussing the upcoming presidential election with a friend from college. Both of us were on the left at the time, but my friend summed up the race succinctly: “Nixon is going to win because he is for America, and McGovern is against America.” It depends somewhat on who wins the Democratic nomination, but essentially the same dynamic will be on display this year.
PAUL ADDS: The good news is that Americans are still for America. The bad news is that Americans aren’t as for America as they were in 1972.
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