Trump Rally Draws 11,400 New Yorkers To Make America ‘Win Again’ While Cruz Attacks ‘New York Values’

Presidential hopeful Donald Trump’s rally in upstate New York drew an overflow crowd of 11,400 packing the First Niagara Center arena in Buffalo to listen to his “make America win again” speech and shout down two dozen protesters who slunk away after a brief appearance. It was his Monday rally before the Tuesday polls on April 19, whereby he is expected to win by a big margin.

Trump read a written statement at the rally on how the attacks on September 11, 2001 brought out “New York values” that rival Ted Cruz has been dismissing. According to NBC, the real estate billionaire who suggested the possibility of Cruz coming in third at the New York polls made this assessment of the voting climate.

“No New Yorker can vote for Ted Cruz, and no New Yorker can vote for Kasich.”

A Yahoo! News interview of New Yorkers brought forth varied comments to add to a general consensus of Trump. The questions were directed at people in their natural environment, away from rally fever.

Lloyd Knecht, 59, of Birmingham, a shrinking town where IBM started over a hundred years ago, shared his thoughts about rally king Trump. As the owner of a heating and air conditioning company that employs 30 people, Knecht expressed the viewpoint of a small-time capitalist.

“I don’t think he’s the Hitler everyone puts him out to be, I really truly don’t and as a New Yorker I grew up with the guy.”

At the other side of the spectrum was Christopher Love, a union member who has lived in Birmingham for 42 years, working in the construction trade. He saw his hometown’s descent from a “valley of opportunity” to a “ghost town” where young people either leave or get hooked on heroin. Sporting a Trump 2016 trucker’s cap, he seemed to be one of those who would rally around “make America great again”. Love gave his two-cents worth.

“We’ve got to do something different. What we’ve been doing the last 30 years isn’t working.”

Similarly, The Sidney Morning Herald compiled other New Yorkers’ comments on Trump and gave indications whether or not they would rally behind what he preaches.

Frank Manzo, 51, who works for a commercial moving company, called Trump a New Yorker who is bold in some ways and honest. Suggesting he would rally for the GOP frontrunner’s push against terrorism, Manzo gave his reason why.

“Everybody rolls all over us because we’re not tough. They take our hostages and torture us. If somebody’s going to come in here and bomb this ferry, there should be consequences. Trump will stop it.”

Margaret Power, 52, works in construction and is building the set for a fashion exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She told her SMH interviewer that she trusts Trump because he’s not like the other politicians who rally behind their donors first before common interests. Describing the real estate magnate as “steering himself” she gave this opinion.

“Trump is very tough, real hard, and that’s what we need. It’s time to stop pussy-footing around…He’s done a lot for New York City. He’s involved in great projects. He’s a stand-up guy. Great quality. He’s done more than most mayors, and it shows.”

To 33-year-old construction worker Joe Berardi, Trump is just the man who as president, would rally up jobs for unemployed and underemployed Americans.

“He’ll be good for guys like me.”

At Trump’s Buffalo rally, he repeated such familiar lines as bringing jobs back to the country so that America can “win” again. He also denounced the “rigged” Republican delegate system, “not meant for a guy like me, who’s not taking any money from these special interests.”

Trump’s parting shot against Ted Cruz at the rally was to define “New York values” for the senator.

“Every small act of kindness, every great act of courage, those are New York values.”

[Photo by Matthew Cavanaugh/Getty Images]