jimnyc
01-08-2016, 12:00 PM
BURLINGTON, Vt. — Donald J. Trump touched down in one of America’s most progressive cities Thursday night, bringing the bombastic message that has captivated Republican voters into the backyard of a Democratic opponent, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
The visit came as the billionaire real estate mogul has made a point of broadening his focus beyond the early primary states, showcasing his popularity with packed rallies from Mississippi to Massachusetts, and now Vermont — a onetime Republican bastion that is now one of the most solid liberal states in the nation.
The choice of venue seemed curious to some, but Thursday’s rally served multiple purposes for the Trump campaign: needling Mr. Sanders in his own neighborhood; garnering attention in nearby New Hampshire, which holds the nation’s first primary next month; and showing that the candidate can attract big crowds in a Democratic haven.
“They’re afraid to come up here because it has a tendency to be a little bit liberal, a little bit rough,” Mr. Trump said of his Republican rivals. “When you look at the candidates, I’m like the only one.”
A circuslike atmosphere greeted Mr. Trump as many more people tried to get into the event than the Flynn Center for Performing Arts could hold. A brass band played as demonstrators protested outside, and many waited hours to get into the rally, with organizers turning away activists who said they supported Mr. Sanders.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/08/us/politics/overflow-crowd-for-donald-trump-in-bernie-sanderss-backyard.html
The visit came as the billionaire real estate mogul has made a point of broadening his focus beyond the early primary states, showcasing his popularity with packed rallies from Mississippi to Massachusetts, and now Vermont — a onetime Republican bastion that is now one of the most solid liberal states in the nation.
The choice of venue seemed curious to some, but Thursday’s rally served multiple purposes for the Trump campaign: needling Mr. Sanders in his own neighborhood; garnering attention in nearby New Hampshire, which holds the nation’s first primary next month; and showing that the candidate can attract big crowds in a Democratic haven.
“They’re afraid to come up here because it has a tendency to be a little bit liberal, a little bit rough,” Mr. Trump said of his Republican rivals. “When you look at the candidates, I’m like the only one.”
A circuslike atmosphere greeted Mr. Trump as many more people tried to get into the event than the Flynn Center for Performing Arts could hold. A brass band played as demonstrators protested outside, and many waited hours to get into the rally, with organizers turning away activists who said they supported Mr. Sanders.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/08/us/politics/overflow-crowd-for-donald-trump-in-bernie-sanderss-backyard.html