This is the HUFFPOST headline:
India Welcomes Trump With Pageantry, Praise And Protests: More than 100,000 people gave Trump the biggest rally crowd of his political career. Elsewhere, protesters railed against his visit to India.
Calling it a Trump rally is a misnomer, it was really just a big show, presumably it was free, which attracted 100,000 Indians. Why not? It was the biggest show in town which featured the man who the world is making a huge fuss over, and musicians on camels and a musical medley of Bollywood hits. You didn’t have to be a Trump fan to attend, let alone a big supporter of Narendra Modi.
More than 100,000 people packed the world’s largest cricket stadium in Modi’s home state to give Trump the biggest rally crowd of his political career. The event was the pinnacle of the day’s enviable trio of presidential photo-ops, and was sandwiched between Trump’s visits to a former home of independence leader Mohandas Gandhi and a planned tour of the famed Taj Mahal.
Here’s what jumped out at me in the HUFFPOST story:
The boisterous scene featured musicians on camels and a musical medley of Bollywood hits and Trump’s campaign rally playlist, including numerous Elton John songs that seemed to puzzle most of the crowd.
Hmmm, I puzzled to myself, wasn't Elton John one of the artists who tried to stop Trump from using their songs? This was easy enough to confirm:
.
Pissed-off victim No. 5: Elton John
It’s well-documented the extent of Trump’s fascination with Elton John, so much so that the singer getting name-dropped by Trump at one of his rallies is pretty much the norm at this point. It must add insult to injury knowing John is a noted Trump detractor who publicly denounced his songs being used in the Trumpian orbit, which came to light when the then-presidential hopeful would frequently use “Rocket Man” and “Tiny Dancer” as warm-up music for his campaign rallies — although John noted he had nothing but pleasant interactions with the man in the past. “I’m British. I’ve met Donald Trump, he was very nice to me, it’s nothing personal, his political views are his own, mine are very different, I’m not a Republican in a million years,” John said, before laying down a truly exquisite burn. “Why not ask Ted fucking Nugent? Or one of those fucking country stars? They’ll do it for you.” John would later go on to quickly deny Trump’s request to perform at his inauguration. America’s Got Talent contestant Jackie Evancho performed instead.
Trump is a mishmash of nauseating hypocrisy. Consider this (also from HUFFPOST):
His first stop was Gandhi’s home, where Trump donned a prayer shawl and removed his shoes to create the incongruous image of a grandiose president quietly walking through the humble ashram. He inspected the spinning wheel used by the famed pacifist and looked at a statue of monkeys representing Gandhi’s mantra of “See no evil, Hear no evil, Speak no evil” before departing for a far more boisterous setting: the mega-rally at the world’s largest cricket stadium.
Gandhi isn’t around to comment and even if he was I doubt he would say anything. After all that wouldn't be the Gandhian thing to do.
Vomitous irony abounds wherever Trump goes.
Consider that Trump also stopped off to visit the actual Taj Mahal, after which his failed Atlantic City casino was named and modeled, on the outside at least.
How Trump's Taj Mahal Casino Went From '8th Wonder of the World' to Closure After Years of Losses: A construction company owner who worked on the casino said Trump didn't pay him. ABC News
This is how The Washington Post put it today in
Trump Once Had His Own Taj Mahal:
The similarities between Trump’s Taj and the original end at the white exteriors. Trump’s version had red neon signs, multiple white-and-gold domes and murals depicting elephants.
Unlike the original Taj, which attracts millions of visitors every year, Trump’s Taj was not a hit. Within a year, the Trump Taj Mahal filed for bankruptcy. In 2009, Trump sold his stake in the casino, although the property continued to use his name. The Taj never recovered and was sold to Hard Rock International in 2017 for a paltry four cents on the dollar.
By the end, the Trump Taj Mahal had lost all its sheen and was liquidated. The company sold off everything, from furnishings to gigantic chandeliers, at an auction starting at $375.
Not enough gag inducing irony for you? The Taj Mahal is considered to be the jewel of Muslim art in India. Remember Trump’s demonization of Muslim and his xenophobic Muslim ban which began when he signed an Executive Order that banned foreign nationals from seven predominantly Muslim countries from visiting the country for 90 days on Jan. 27, 2017? See US House panel advances bill to repeal Trump's travel ban, Feb. 12, 2020 Al Jazeera
While India is primarily a Hindu country, its Muslim population is growing. See 5 facts about religion in India
But what does Trump care about any of this when he is getting publicity where it counts to him while getting his pebbles off in from of cheering crowds?
Related:
Trump's 'America First' quest meets its match in India
President Donald Trump may have finally met his protectionist match with India, a giant country that is reluctant to give the White House even a small trade victory.
India rolls out the MAGA carpet for Trump
Trump and Modi even exited the stage to The Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” Trump’s closing song at rallies since his 2016 campaign…
The Rolling Stones has repeatedly ask Trump to stop playing their music, but obviously have had no success in getting him to do so.
The survey — poll — comments: Trump obviously loves to appear before adoring crowds. The largest crowd I ever addressed was during the anti-war protests which escalated dramatically after the Kent State killings. Michigan State University was one of the centers for campus protests and strikes. So out of curiosity what is the largest group you have ever addressed in a formal meeting of some sort where you were a featured speaker or performed in front of?
Update: If you’re one of the 15 so far who has appeared before 1000 people how about sharing your experience.