Donald Trump Autographs Baby At Rally, Promises He Will Never Swear Again [Photos]
More and more, it seems like anything goes at a Donald Trump rally. Dust-ups, throw-downs, off-color humor, and even a live elephant have featured prominently at various and sundry Trump-affiliated events ever since the billionaire launched his campaign last year. Perhaps in an attempt to make the scene a bit more family friendly, Trump is showing a lighter side in his public appearances as the South Carolina primaries loom on the horizon.
Trump, who frequently chats with fans and autographs memorabilia during his public appearances, made the unusual gesture of autographing a baby at a rally in Baton Rouge on Thursday evening. As reported by CNN, the child was passed through the crowd to Trump, who then signed the child’s hand with a Sharpie.
Donald Trump signed a baby Trump fan at a rally. Really. (VIDEO) https://t.co/8TmNAIFuRV pic.twitter.com/rmQmbE4xHD
— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) February 12, 2016
Esquire Magazine jokingly commented that Trump went “full Ricky Bobby” with that gesture, suggesting the move was reminiscent of a scene from the NASCAR-themed comedy Talladega Nights.
It’s worth noting that in addition to an outrageously pomped-up “faux hawk” hairdo, the baby was also sporting a sequined pacifier emblazoned with a portrait of the real estate mogul-turned-politician.
This is a baby wearing a Donald Trump pacifier at his Baton Rouge rally. pic.twitter.com/u9yoxiNnpb
— Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) February 12, 2016
Earlier in the evening, implicitly acknowledging complaints regarding some of the vulgar language he has used while on the campaign trail, Donald Trump told supporters that he was turning over a new leaf with regard to his vocabulary. New Orleans paper the Times-Picaynne transcribed highlights of Trump’s speech before the 11,000 person crowd.
“I won’t use foul language. I’m just not going to do it… I’ll never do it again actually, and I’ll never even copy what somebody asks me to say.”
The Blaze, which is run by Glenn Beck, who is decidedly opposed to Donald Trump’s aspirations for high office, was quick to point out that the candidate lapsed back into some degree of coarse language shortly after swearing off public use of profanity. Writer Mike Opelka noted that just 30 minutes after he uttered the pledge, Trump told supporters, “I just hope you don’t believe their crap! Because it’s all crap!” He later referred to Mitt Romneys loss in the 2012 race, recalling that his reaction to the outcome was, “Damn it, I’m going to do it myself!”
At least some of the most recent hubbub over Donald Trump’s affinity for vernacular terminology is fallout from his use of a profane slang term to describe GOP rival Ted Cruz. Trump has also used some unconventional verbiage in his descriptions of how he would handle ISIS if elected president.
“ISIS is making a tremendous amount of money because of the oil that they took away, they have some in Syria, they have some in Iraq, I would bomb the s**t out of them… I would just bomb those suckers, and that’s right, I’d blow up the pipes, I’d blow up the refineries, I’d blow up ever single inch, there would be nothing left.”
A poll by the Blaze indicated that almost 60 percent of respondents feel that Donald Trump’s use of foul language is not “presidential.” Those figures do not appear in step with national polling data or state primary polls, most of which show Donald Trump with a respectable lead over the likes of Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and others in the field.
[Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images]
