“We’ve never had an empty seat, and we certainly won’t in Oklahoma.”
—Donald Trump, on Friday, in breathless anticipation of his Tulsa rally.
[Photo of massive crowd, disguised as empty (blue) seats]
“My father’s rally just ignited a passion for our America First movement — the likes of which I have never seen before. That’s why Republican Whip Steve Scalise and I are teaming up to offer ALL PATRIOTS a 500% match to stand with the President.”
—Donald Trump Jr. in a shameless email solicitation for contributions that popped up in my in-box this morning. [“Never seen before”? Donnie, you’re whistling past the graveyard in using Tulsa as your launch pad—and voters in Louisiana’s 1st Congressional District should remember Scalise’s fealty to Trump on Nov. 3.
“There is not a more successful political strategy in the history of American politics than the southern strategy, this ideal of pitting poor whites against African Americans and tribalizing our politics. When Trump says he’s going to give you back your country, he’s playing to that racial animosity and fear.”
—Cornell Belcher, a Democratic pollster, on Trump’s effort to build support among his white middle class base by pitting whites against African Americans and Hispanics.
“I think you have a lot of people out there who should have been more aware of what was happening around them, the systemic racism that exists in this country. I think those white, suburban, independent women are a vital swing vote, and I don’t think they are going to like what they’re hearing.”
—Christina Reynolds, vice president of communications at Emily’s List, on how moderate suburban women have begun to question what they understood about race and racism four years ago.
Louisiana Voice 
The involvement of Steve Scalise in this whole mess makes me think the new civil war in our country (which I hope never comes, but fear nonetheless) could begin with a battle between Jefferson and Orleans parishes. I hope enough of us are awake enough on election day to vote Donald Trump out, but fear the damage he has done to our unity will not be immediately healed and will only begin to be when we (all across America) vote people like all our congressional delegation except Richmond out.
Stephen, I don’t think we had true unity—just a case of “ignorance is bliss,” by a large portion of our society that was pleasantly (& conveniently) unaware of how subjugated people felt subjugated by implicit and explicit discrimination and disparities in opportunities throughout our country. Out of sight, out if mind for many & others were straight-up racist/classist/sexist & others just didn’t realize how his/her behavior made others feel unwelcome or not part of the group. That’s just my take on it. We’re all a work in progress and I am working daily on my fairness/open-mindedness/biases “To-Do List” every day & yet ironically the more work I do, the more I realize how much more I have to add to my list……
I’m pretty sure the arena in Tulsa was packed. It was just the angle of the camera lens that made the crowd look small — just like at the Inauguration back in 2017. It must have been the same photographers….
The Trump family lies. Day in. Day out. Everyday. Big lies. Bigger lies. Huge lies. Piling up lies. Rocky Mountain high lies as in “…if you would have seen this ramp, it was like an ice skating rink. It was long and steep and slippery. And I was wearing leather shoes.” (Mr. Bone Spurs gets nervous and shaky when he gets near the military). And then lies, and lies, and lies some more about anything and everything. And then his supporters (even when they see those blue empty seats with their own eyes) believe those lies. As W. C. Fields said, “Never trust a man who doesn’t drink.” And what the heck, one more: “Ignorance lies not in the things you don’t know, but in the things you know that ain’t so.” – Will Rogers