It was an eventful day at the Iowa State Fair today, as several candidates for president made appearances, including the two frontrunners, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Also stumping at the fair Saturday were Rick Santorum, Lincoln Chafee, and Bernie Sanders.
Some lucky children in Iowa got to ride in Donald Trump’s 7-million-dollar Sikorsky helicopter, even though fair officials declined to allow the Republican frontrunner to use event grounds for the thrill rides.
The Donald was able to secure a nearby parking lot where he parked the luxury “Trump-copter.”
Trump promised the kids rides — so the kids got rides.
“Does anyone want to take a ride?” he gleefully asked children in the parking lot upon his arrival, dressed in a suit and a bright red cap that read, “Make America Great Again” — Trump’s oft-repeated slogan.
According to the Washington Post, there was only enough fuel to fly for an hour so not everyone got a chopper ride.
“@russcrook: @jimwaterson @Peggynoonannyc Giving kids free rides. Actually, brilliant.” Yes. And merry and fun in the way of old politics.
— Peggy Noonan (@Peggynoonannyc) August 15, 2015
Donald Trump is needlessly circling Iowa State Fair at low level in a helicopter with TRUMP on the side. AM… https://t.co/bJEkaG4XEg
— Jim Waterson (@jimwaterson) August 15, 2015
The chopper circled the fairgrounds while Hillary was making her rounds. She reportedly stayed for around 90 minutes (not bad considering today’s heat), and partially consumed pork chop on a stick.
Trump made a grand entrance to the fair in a golf cart.
Via Twitchy:
1:47p, Trump escapes in a golf cart surrounded by more than a dozen security officers, waving at Iowans pic.twitter.com/2mgD8QiOD1
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) August 15, 2015
Trump mobbed walking into the Fair. “My crowd is 10 times Hillary’s,” he brags. pic.twitter.com/4b3TgXH74C
— Eli Stokols (@EliStokols) August 15, 2015
An Iowa political reporter tweeted that the “Donald Trump State Fair Scrum” was “one of the craziest things” he’d ever seen in #IACaucus politics.
The Trump campaign had told reporters that the candidate would be making his way to the Agriculture Building to check out the IA State Fair’s famous “Butter Cow,” so the building was filled to the rafters with Trump fans. That’s where I was.
Still waiting for #Trump at IA state fair. I’m told Hillary came thru here at about 11:30 and it wasn’t this crowded pic.twitter.com/HpztEhtgyC
— Nice Deb (@NiceDeb) August 15, 2015
Unfortunately, the building was too full. There was literally nowhere for the candidate to walk and his security didn’t let him come inside.
#Trump never came to Ag building by the butter cow as promised.There are a lot of disappointed Trumpets, leaving now. pic.twitter.com/SdKFE381IF
— Nice Deb (@NiceDeb) August 15, 2015
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