# Why is Trump drawing such small crowds? (or is he?) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [May 25, 2024, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052 "2024-05-25T10:35:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2024, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/21 "2024-05-25T16:06:57Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > There does appear to be some MAGAts who follow Trump around like he’s the Grateful Dead or Phish. With a Dead show, you got a unique experience every time. Trump’s a broken record: "Witch hunt…, stolen election/fraud…, big strong men with tears in their eyes…, nobody’s ever seen…, Biden is the worst President in history…, it’s so unfair, and so on. Occasionally, there’s some new red meat like “poisoning the blood of our country”. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2024, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/22 "2024-05-25T16:42:15Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > Maybe it’s the polls that are fucked up. We know from testimony from David Pecker that there are ways to adjust an algorithm. There are polls designed to find out the facts and there are polls designed to tell the customer what he wants to hear. Ask yourself which kind of poll Trump would want. ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2024, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/23 "2024-05-25T18:24:18Z")
Does anybody know historically what the crowd sizes are for political rallies? I know one of the fake photos being passed around by MAGA is an Obama rally (you can see Obama clearly in the photo). Is 3000 a lot historically at this point in a campaign (May of an election year) or is it, in fact, quite small? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2024, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/24 "2024-05-25T20:28:58Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > [Obvious Herman’s Hermits/Trump joke here] 🎶 I’m Donald the 45th I am… 🎶 ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2024, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/25 "2024-05-25T20:32:18Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Ask yourself which kind of poll Trump would want “Do you want a poll question that glorfies The Great Leader Trump (peace be unto him), or one that supports a pedophile Democrat?” ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2024, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/26 "2024-05-25T21:25:32Z")
Crowds aren’t really a good indicator of popularity. I recall reading that in 1988 Michael Dukakis spent the last weekend of the campaign doing rallies coast to coast, early morning to late night, and at every stop he found large, enthusiastic crowds. Dukakis was buried by George H.W. Bush, who was almost as bad a campaigner as Dukakis. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2024, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/27 "2024-05-25T22:15:48Z")
Heck, I went to a huge rally for Walter Mondale in 1984. But we know what happened. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2024, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/28 "2024-05-25T22:26:39Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > He’s also not traveling to Trump friendly locations. He’s stuck in New York for the duration of his trial. Not as big an effect as you’d think. There are probably more Trump supporters in New York City than there are in any similar-sized area anywhere else in the country. Sure, it’s a small percentage, but there’s more of everyone in New York City. I wonder if his own lies are working against him. If his supporters only see his claims for crowd sizes, they might think “Wow, that’s going to be jam packed, sounds like standing room only! And imagine the lines at the restrooms! Besides, with that many folks going, he doesn’t need little old me there”. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2024, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/29 "2024-05-25T22:28:13Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > Dukakis was buried by George H.W. Bush, who was almost as bad a campaigner as Dukakis. I was going to suggest Trump take some photos of himself in a tank like Dukakis did. But then it crossed my mind that Trump wouldn’t be able to fit in the tank. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2024, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/30 "2024-05-26T01:38:56Z")
Plus, it might aggravate his bone spurs. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2024, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/31 "2024-05-26T03:26:13Z")
I don’t know which Trump thread this best fits, but Rubber Chicken Guy is my hero. (See the video.) > **[Trump ends speech to 'mostly boos' after going 'off prompter' and 'making fun...](https://www.rawstory.com/trump-ends-speech-mostly-boos/)** > > Donald Trump continued to needle the Libertarian Party as he sought their votes on Saturday, resulting in him ending his speech to very loud boos. > > Trump took the stage to "thunderous" boos, and ended his speech in a similar fashion this... ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2024, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/32 "2024-05-26T03:26:46Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > Crowds aren’t really a good indicator of popularity. It’s not just an issue of how big are the crowds, it’s a combination of factors. Both Trump and Trump supporters make a big issue of crowd size as an indicator of popularity, so they are motivated to make them as big as possible. And they did that the last two elections. It’s a self-supporting system. But now, despite that attitude, and what we saw the last two times, he’s struggling to get a decent crowd. It’s that **change** in his supporter’s behavior which is the real key. They’re not coming out in droves any more, and it’s worth asking why that is. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2024, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/33 "2024-05-26T04:25:28Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > It’s not just an issue of how big are the crowds, it’s a combination of factors. Both Trump and Trump supporters make a big issue of crowd size as an indicator of popularity, so they are motivated to make them as big as possible. In other words, it’s polls, and it’s crowd size. To put it slightly differently, it’s ratings. Remember, Trump was a TV host, to whom ratings are everything. To Trump, there is no other way to measure popularity other than ratings; or in his current circumstances, polls and crowd sizes. And of course, his supporters believe that too. “Trump’s polling great!” and “Did you see the size of that rally crowd?” and so on. Usually followed by, “CNN has lousy ratings; don’t know how they stay in business,” as if they’re TV executives. I get the feeling that if Trump didn’t put so much emphasis on ratings, however he defines them, neither would they. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2024, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/34 "2024-05-26T04:41:09Z")
> [@BeepKillBeep](#): > > People are willing to say they support Trump, but don’t want to be seen in public supporting him. I’m going to change this up a bit. From what I’ve seen, Trump supporters live in an “all-Trump-all-the-time” bubble, consisting of friends, neighbours, co-workers, relatives, and so on; and all of whom are madly supporting Trump. Or they claim to. But deep down, they may harbour doubts or they just plain don’t plan to vote for him once of the privacy of the voting booth. They dare not share their doubts with others in the bubble, because that would invite ostracism. Hey, if I was in New York and was offered a ticket to a Yankees game, I’d go. And being surrounded by Yankees fans in the stadium, I’d cheer for the Yankees, and we’d all get along just fine. Meanwhile, I don’t mention that I’m really a Blue Jays fan. I can go along to get along. That’s what could be happening here. Trump supporters, surrounded by other Trump supporters, don’t necessarily like the “home team,” but they go along to get along with their friends and neighbours and relatives and co-workers in the bubble. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2024, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/35 "2024-05-26T11:08:24Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > They dare not share their doubts with others in the bubble, because that would invite ostracism. Very 1984, somehow. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2024, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/36 "2024-05-26T12:14:20Z")
The crowd size may just be a sign that some of these nasty people are crawling back under their rocks. I hope it’s because they are finally seeing him for who he really is. He’s out there begging the libertarians to join him and not being cheered in his efforts. I think he knows he doesn’t have the numbers anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2024, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/37 "2024-05-26T12:44:54Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > crowd size may just be a sign that some of these nasty people are crawling back under their rocks Or that they are short on funds and attention span to keep going to these non-events to hear the same old song and dance and to buy the overpriced merchandise they pedal. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2024, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/38 "2024-05-26T12:55:15Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > But deep down, they may harbour doubts or they just plain don’t plan to vote for him once of the privacy of the voting booth. They dare not share their doubts with others in the bubble, because that would invite ostracism. We’ve seen MAGATs turn against dyed-in-the-wool Republican politicians for the sin of not supporting Donald Trump multiple times. Liz Cheney probably agrees with 90% of what the MAGA base says they want but because she didn’t buy Trump’s baloney she was pilloried and primaried. My MAGA mother thinks Nikki Haley is a Democrat. And that behavior has trickled down to MAGA Republicans among themselves. When I was still a Republican, back when I had hopes the party would come to their senses, when I voiced criticism of Trump it was made clear I had no place among them. I was a RINO. At least for me, being a Republican wasn’t my whole life. Rejection from them didn’t mean rejection from all my friends and family members. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2024, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/39 "2024-05-26T13:03:32Z")
I don’t think anyone’s mentioned that he’s getting less coherent, and does appear to be in the early stages of dementia. My WAG is that his Deadhead-like followers would stop wanting to be reminded of this, so some of them stop following him around, and he’s more dependent on local followers to fill up seats. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2024, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/40 "2024-05-26T13:05:45Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > it’s like going to a Herman’s Hermits concernt. He’s welcome to become a hermit anytime he wants. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052.md?page=3)