On the streets of Washington D.C. this morning, the vibe is joy
By Guy Page
What’s it like being a Donald Trump supporter in Washington D.C. today?
“It’s like a Trump rally everywhere you go,” Rachel Costey Stringer told VDC by phone this morning.
Stringer is the Chittenden County GOP Committeewoman to the state GOP committee. She was a candidate for national committeewoman this spring and attended the National Republican Convention as a delegate this August.
A Waterbury native and registered nurse who lives in Colchester with her husband Steve, she has been a longtime, fervent supporter of Donald Trump, as evidenced by her endorsement for 2020 national convention delegate by the MAGA-VT committee, which listed her among those ‘who worked the hardest for the Trump Campaign….who worked the sign waves,the phone banks, the petition signing, the fair booths and organize the rallies.”
They’ve walked 6-8 miles every day this blustery weekend, seeing the sights, meeting other people wearing MAGA hats, stopping and praying with complete strangers.
The vibe on the streets of Washington D.C. is joy. Talking with Stringer by phone, I hear a shofar, the ram’s horn that the Hebrews of old blew to proclaim the year of Jubiliee. Nehemiah ordered the shofar blown to gather the troops: “In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”
There’s also a strong police presence. “I have never seen so much security,” Stringer said. National Guard are metro police are everywhere. In fact police from all over the country are everywhere. Earlier the Stringers saw 100 police officers from Texas.
At no point on their long walks have they seen any counter-protests. No sign of Antifa. Just lots of MAGA hats.
Stringer said she understands moving the inaugural inside if it will help keep President Trump and VP Vance safe. The couple hopes to get into the Capital One arena to watch the inaugural, but said that people have been camped outside all night, so they’re not hopeful. But they will watch it, somewhere, and then get ready for the Liberty Ball tonight, an event scheduled by the inaugural committee and to which they have tickets. (Yes, Rachel has a gown, and Steve has rented a tux.)