Picture this: A crowd of almost 100,000 on the beach in Wildwood, New Jersey, watches patiently as an artist standing on a giant stage furiously paints an American flag to the tune of "America The Beautiful."
As the music crescendos to the last "sea to shining sea," the artist puts his finishing touch on the flag and then begins to peel something off the painting, revealing the familiar hair and then the face and body of former President Donald Trump, wearing a collared, pullover shirt with the number "47" emblazoned on the chest.
The crowd goes wild.
Watch:
Part 2. The Performance. pic.twitter.com/rpivDfLlOt
— Scott LoBaido (@ScottLoBaido) May 12, 2024
It was only one scene of a raucous rally where Trump predicted victory in New Jersey and an expansion of his electoral map, declaring, "We're going to win the state of New Jersey."
Speaking before an audience that city spokeswoman Lisa Fagan estimated at between 80,000 to 100,000, according to The Associated Press, Trump attacked President Joe Biden on the economy and immigration. He labeled Biden the "worst president that we've ever had" and vowed to "throw out Bidenomics" if elected, according to Fox News.
"The Biden price hikes are continuing to drain over $1,000 from the typical New Jersey family budget every single month," Trump said, according to Fox.
He cited rising costs for groceries, gas and other goods.
Despite the legal clouds surrounding Trump's current criminal trial in Manhattan and other charges in Georgia and at the federal level, Trump's supporters gathering on the Jersey Shore remained supportive. Many sported "Never Surrender" shirts and "Make America Great Again" hats at what New Jersey Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew called the largest political rally in the Garden State's history, according to WCAU-TV.
The man who created the painting, Scott LoBaido, a Staten Island, New York, artist known for his patriotic works celebrating the American flag, has gained national attention in recent years as one of former Trump's most visible supporters in the nation's largest city, according to a short 2020 profile in The New Yorker.
LoBaido says he has driven all over the country, painting his interpretation of the American flag for free on buildings from grain elevators to Main Street storefronts, the New Yorker reported. He said he has painted at least three in each state, according to the profile.
LoBaido went viral last year when he chucked pizzas at New York City Hall, shouting, "Give us pizza or give us death!," after the city announced a crackdown on restaurants with older pizza ovens to reduce carbon emissions, according to Fox News.
He also has a line of Trump portraits, similar to the one he revealed during the rally in New Jersey, that he sells on his website.
It must have been a thrill of a lifetime for LoBaido to have his pro-Trump artwork featured at such a major political event for the presumptive 2024 Republican nominee.
But it was just a single moment during an event that celebrated love of country and support without apology for the former president.
LoBaido later posted that the picture he painted was taken by the Trump team for the president.
Early Birthday gift to Donald J Trump. pic.twitter.com/xAQ28jlkEQ
— Scott LoBaido (@ScottLoBaido) May 12, 2024
The enthusiasm and excitement reported at Trump's unbelievably large rallies, even in a deep blue state like New Jersey, reveals the unmatched support for the former president despite his legal troubles and every attempt of the establishment media to throw mud at his campaign.
There can be no doubt where Trump supporters stand.
Performance?? This was a masterclass in awsumness!! Epic stuff! 🇺🇸❤️
— krustykrane (@krustykrane) May 12, 2024
I could watch this all day ♥️🇺🇸♥️🇺🇸♥️🇺🇸
— NaniX (@AzNani11) May 12, 2024
The shoulder-to-shoulder patriotism evidenced in the rally showed a people united in their support for their chosen candidate -- a very different picture from the Democrats who are holding together their base with scare tactics and nightmare scenarios with the orange boogeyman.
The 2024 election will be a referendum on whether love trumps fear, and the former president seems confident that it will.
