# 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:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2024, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/41 "2024-05-26T14:10:33Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > 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. Yep, even in bizarre ways like his pandemic press conferences getting record ratings. Umm…, having to even have press conferences about a disaster you mismanaged and suggesting bleach as a treatment isn’t really a great thing. And this: [Trump brags that he earned CBS their highest TV ratings since ‘the World Trade Center came down’](https://theweek.com/speedreads/694238/trump-brags-that-earned-cbs-highest-tv-ratings-since-world-trade-center-came-down) > President Trump bragged he helped CBS’s _Face the Nation_ news program earn its highest television ratings since the September 11 World Trade Center attacks during [an incredible interview with _The Associated Press_](https://apnews.com/c810d7de280a47e88848b0ac74690c83/Transcript-of-AP-interview-with-Trump?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=AP_Politics) published Sunday evening. Trump called the achievement a “tremendous advantage.” > > “It’s interesting,” Trump said. “I have, seem to get very high ratings … You know, Chris Wallace had 9.2 million people, it’s the highest in the history of the show. I have all the ratings for all those morning shows. When I go, they go double, triple. Chris Wallace, _look back during the Army-Navy football game, I did his show that morning_.” > [my italics] Didn’t Chris Wallace host _Fox News Sunday_ back then? College football is played on Saturdays. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2024, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/42 "2024-05-26T14:15:50Z")
I _get_ it, but … seeing the analogy that equates MAGA rally attendees with DeadHeads makes my molars ache. ---
**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, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/43 "2024-05-26T14:48:31Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > 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. Some of these people have taken to wearing diapers and t-shirts that read “Real Men Wear Diapers.” In a way, Trump reminds me of Paul Muad’dib in that they both had a cult of fantatic followers but neither one had full control over it. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2024, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/44 "2024-05-26T16:08:27Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > Yep, even in bizarre ways like his pandemic press conferences getting record ratings. Umm…, having to even have press conferences about a disaster you mismanaged and suggesting bleach as a treatment isn’t really a great thing. My neighbor is such a fecking loser. I get way, WAY more attention than him. Why I was on the evening news of ALL major networks! And all I had to do was crash my car into a busload of nuns. I’m obviously the best on my block! ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2024, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/45 "2024-05-26T18:30:10Z")
He told the Libertarian Party they should nominate him if they want to win. For some reason telling Libertarians what to do didn’t work very well. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2024, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/46 "2024-05-26T18:43:29Z")
Libertarians were pissed because trump brought in a gaggle of his MAGAts to sit up front in seats reserved for the Ls at their own convention. Noise makers were confiscated at the door, but it’s too bad they didn’t sneak in some whistles. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2024, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/47 "2024-05-26T19:57:20Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > For some reason telling Libertarians what to do didn’t work very well. OK, thank you. 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2024, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/48 "2024-05-26T20:01:10Z")
I’m a bit perplexed by the apparent antipathy of the Libertarians toward Donald Trump. ISTM that they both passionately _want it all_, but neither wants to pay for it. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2024, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/49 "2024-05-26T20:05:08Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > Libertarians toward Donald Trump And librarians don’t ever have to deal with him. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2024, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/50 "2024-05-26T21:12:10Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > 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. We know he can sit in a truck. [![](https://i0.wp.com/hyperallergic-newspack.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2018/09/Trump-Tank-1460-720x480.jpg?resize=720%2C480&quality=95&ssl=1) ](https://i0.wp.com/hyperallergic-newspack.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2018/09/Trump-Tank-1460-720x480.jpg?resize=720%2C480&quality=95&ssl=1) ---
**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 26, 2024, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/51 "2024-05-26T21:35:59Z")
What even is that? I don’t think that’s an AI picture. It looks like an inflatable? Meant to be part of a parade float, or something? Is it meant to be flattering towards Trump, or insulting? ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2024, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052/52 "2024-05-26T23:24:05Z")
I’m guessing a float for some parade protesting American militarism. ETA: Its a satirical art project by the Syrian equivalent of Banksy. > **[Trump tank by secretive and satirical Syrian artist rolls through Beirut](https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/art/trump-tank-by-secretive-and-satirical-syrian-artist-rolls-through-beirut-1.775763)** > > The tank has been described by the artist as 'on the cusp of entertainment and terror, similar to Trump’s political persona, which could be seen as amusing at times but has also subjected so many minorities to the fears of an uncertain future' [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-trump-drawing-such-small-crowds-or-is-he/1002052.md?page=2)