Anyone at Trump’s MSG rally could see there were no Nazis – just ordinary Americans ready for positive change

If you can’t hit em, smear em — and anyone who is voting for them.

That’s nan prevailing motto of nan panicked Dems, who are projecting Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally done immoderate evil Nazi funhouse mirror.

During its sum of nan event, MSNBC grautitiously spliced successful disgusting footage of nan 1939 Nazi rally that took spot successful MSG. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez called it a “mini January 6 rally” and Tim Walz said there’s “a nonstop parallel” to nan 1939 rally.

These were deluded dispatches from their couches. I cognize because I covered nan arena from some extracurricular and wrong nan World’s Most Famous Arena.

This Hitler fever dream was nary surprise. When nan rally was announced, New York State legislator Brad Hoylman-Sigal shamelessly tweeted nan gathering was a “disastrous determination by Madison Square Garden that will endanger nan nationalist information of New Yorkers and has nan imaginable to incite wide violence.” He “demanded” nan Garden cancel to “keep our metropolis safe.”

Safe from whom, he didn’t opportunity but nan accusation was clear: Republicans and Trump voters were convulsive thugs.

I had ne'er been to a governmental rally, and while I thin right, I don’t see myself MAGA. 

But erstwhile thing of consequence happens astatine MSG, whether it’s a concert, assemblage hoops, nan Rangers aliases UFC, I want to beryllium location – moreover if Hoylman-Sigal said it would beryllium bad news.

Hey, I lived done nan summertime of 2020 riots and each nan continuing chaos present since nan October 7 attacks successful Israel. I wanted to spot what benignant of punch those fascist MAGA meanies have.

Well people, I person news: nan expected ‘Nazis’ and ‘fascists’ person gone soft. 

The crowd was arsenic ethnically divers arsenic a Bennetton ad, if a Bennetton advertisement featured loads of belief Jews (again, not skilled astatine doing Nazi stuff).

All of these alleged deplorables, immoderate from arsenic acold distant arsenic Florida and others caller Democrat defectors, waited patiently successful statement for much than 4 hours. In tight quarters. Everyone was polite, considerate and patient. No 1 complained. I’ve been connected rowdier lines astatine Chipotle.

It was Magapalooza, a reddish washed anti warfare show – minus nan narcotics and booze.

Where was nan unit Hoylman-Sigal promised? On Monday, location were nary reports of unrest aliases convulsive altercations.

During our agelong hold to participate nan building, Elmwood Park, New Jersey resident Robert Purvey and his woman Beverly, welcomed me.

“This is nan heartbeat [of nan movement],” he told me, motioning to nan crowd astir us. I had mistakenly assumed he besides was pinch nan 2 women adjacent to him. But they had conscionable met. “That’s nan vibe astatine Trump rallies. Everyone becomes instant friends,” he said.

I made that correction a lot. It became difficult to discern who came pinch who. Everyone seemed to beryllium pinch each other. They were bonded by their vexation pinch our existent administration, their desire for safety, information and a little costs of living. Most said that Trump, pinch his communal consciousness and tell-it-like-it-is, approach, was nan 1 who could deliver.

I met sisters Chickie Piazza and Susan Santangelo, who grew up connected Thompson Street successful Soho, a fewer doors from wherever I lived for 15 years. They were astir my mother’s property and we had group successful common. They instantly took maine nether their helping for illustration I was their own.

Piazza, who lives successful Greenwich Village, said she’d beryllium okay if she didn’t make it into nan arena. “It was conscionable awesome to spot each these reddish hats successful Midtown Manhattan.”

But we sewage successful — albeit astir 2 hours late.

The spot was filled pinch earthy energy, excitement and precocious camp.

Until yesterday, I had assumed that I’d ne'er spot Hulk Hogan – past his premier and retired – locomotion onto nan level astatine MSG to “Real American.” By a MAGA miracle, location he was, clad successful a feather boa, flexing and riling up nan crowd. It was ridiculous. It was also, awesome.

If nan near claims joy, nan correct has fun. Lots of it.

The speakers I heard ranged from bizarre to smart to blockbuster. Support for Israel was met pinch thunderous applause.

Vivek Ramaswamy was a force. Byron Donalds showed his prima powerfulness and JD Vance charmed nan 20,000 positive pinch his folksy wit. Elon had nan assemblage connected their feet.

And Trump blew nan tile disconnected arsenic he walked retired to Lee Greenwood singing, “Proud to beryllium an American.”

The crowd was amped up for illustration it was conflict nighttime astatine MSG – and for them, it was. That was nan unoffical rally theme: invoking Trump’s celebrated telephone to “fight” aft he was changeable successful nan receptor backmost successful July.

But to quote nan Hulkster: “I don’t spot nary stinkin’ Nazis here.”

Just passionate, peaceful, mostly mediate people group hoping for a amended life fo themselves – and their families.

People nan Democrats utilized to invited pinch unfastened arms.