Trump Trumps Rivals at GOP Gala

By MICHAEL ODMARK

Presidential candidates Ted Cruz and John Kasich struggled to follow Donald Trump at the New York State Republican Gala on Thursday night.

“I love the Grand Hyatt,” said Trump about the event’s venue, the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. “I built it.” (He actually renovated it)

Trump refrained from giving a typical stump speech, instead postulating about his numerous improvements to New York’s skyline. Departing from his usual practice, he read from notes, perhaps showcasing the “more presidential” Trump that his family has been urging him to present.

“Who the hell wants to talk about politics all the time?” asked Trump, who was met with near constant applause. One particularly rowdy woman was yelling and waving her cloth napkin. “I’m not sure she’s serious,” Trump said. “[But] I know she’s not a protester.”

Demonstrators from Black Lives Matter and other activist groups mobbed the entrance to the luxury hotel, chanting things like “Donald Trump has got to go!” The chaotic scene delayed the event’s start time.

“These are paid protestors,” Trump speculated, citing the quality of their signs as evidence. “If they were real protestors, those signs would be made in the basement.”

After braggadocious remarks on his improvements to the city, Trump settled into prepared comments extolling New York Values. He listed the strength and power of the city’s police and fire departments, the “straight talk” of the city’s citizens, and the city’s energy. “If Jeb Bush moved here, he’d have a lot more energy,” he joked. “He should move to New York!”

It became clear as Kasich took the stage that the boisterous crowd was mostly there for Trump. Many turned their attention to their meals, or began conversations among themselves as the Ohio Governor criticized the tactics of his opponent.

“If you feed on negative attitudes, you’ll have negative ratings,” he said. “I’m going to leave Cleveland as the nominee, whether you believe it or not.”

New York Governor George Pataki officially endorsed Kasich earlier that evening.
“I haven’t built any buildings in New York City,” said Cruz, whose speech, the last of the evening, was all but drowned out by the apparently uninterested crowd. “But I’ve spent my entire life defending the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.”

Cruz then laid out the three major facets of his campaign: jobs, freedom and security. He emphasized his plans to repeal “every word of Obamacare,” to institute a flat tax, and go after ISIS.

“If you seek to kill innocent Americans,” Cruz said. “We are coming to kill you.”
Cruz’s bold remarks were applauded by only a handful of loyal listeners, while the rest of the crowd had either exited the banquet hall or moved on to dessert.

In spite of the resistance outside, Trump remained the event’s star, gloating about his millions of votes over his opponents. He joked that if New York doesn’t come through for him, he “might move to the South.”