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WILKES-BARRE TWP. — Barry Brecker stood in line Monday at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza wearing his Donald Trump for President shirt and extolling the virtues of the man who he truly believes will “make America great again.”
Brecker, 60 of Schuylkill County, is a field service engineer for a manufacturing company, and he said Trump is what America needs and it needs him now.
“We are on the decline,” Brecker said. “People are being killed in in our major cities. It’s like a war zone. We need law and order restored and Trump will do that.”
Asked how he felt about the recent release of audio tapes of Trump using vulgar, denigrating terms for women 12 years ago, Brecker dismissed them.
“Those comments are irrelevant now,” he said. “It is what Trump said — locker room talk.”
A woman nearby agreed, saying if you go back 12 years, you will find something embarrassing in every person’s past.
Brecker also noted the number of women in line waiting to see and hear Trump speak.
“So much is fabricated by the media,” he said. “People are smarter now. The Internet has awakened and educated the masses. This will be a revolution, not an election.”
Brecker said nothing will change his mind on Trump.
“Absolutely, I’m voting for him,” he said. “Everybody will be shocked on Election Day when Trump wins.”
Like most of the more than 9,000 people who attended Monday’s rally, Brecker said he doesn’t believe the polls that show Democrat Hillary Clinton with a comfortable lead over Trump — some show her with a double-digit percentage margin.
“Polls can be made to show you what you want,” Brecker said. “The poll that will be taken on Nov. 8 will show a Trump landslide.”
Nina Carpenetti, 29 of Wilkes-Barre, said Clinton will make America worse for people. Like many others, she dismissed Trump’s comments that were released Friday.
“Trump can say things,” she said. “(Clinton) has a record of doing bad things.”
Carpenetti said Trump has a realistic chance of winning.
“All these people you see here tonight will vote,” she said. “(Clinton) doesn’t get this kind of enthusiasm.”
Sharon Lewis sat quietly on a bench watching the long line of Trump supporters grow to the thousands.
Lewis, 70 of Vestal, New York. indicated where she stands rather simply.
“I like what he says,” Lewis said, blocking the sun from her eyes. “We desperately need change in America and he will bring change.”
Asked if she liked what Trump said recently about women, Lewis smiled.
“I forgive him,” she said. “I believe in second chances. Overall, he has the best answers for the country.”
Lewis was one of thousands of women who turned out Monday to see and hear Trump speak on the day after the second presidential debate. Depending on which news source you look at, most claim Democrat Hillary Clinton fared better, but you couldn’t convince any of the people in line at the arena of that.
“I can’t get mired in all that stuff,” Lewis said of the debate fallout. “As far as what he reportedly said on that bus, it can’t compare to what Hillary has done.”
Tracy Aumick, 45 of Sweet Valley, Desiree Grendzinski, 44 of Shavertown, and Amanda Aumick, 25 of Forty Fort, were waiting for Trump to get to the stage. All three said they could care less about Trump’s remarks about women that he made 12 years ago.
“Do you think us women don’t talk?” Tracy Aumick asked. “And what does that have to do with being president?”
The three women agreed that Trump will win, discounting national polls that suggest a Clinton victory in November.
“Look around here,” Tracy Aumick said. “This is part of the silent majority that believes Trump is the change we need.”
Grendzinski said America is tired of “career politicians,” like Clinton.
“And these people will vote,” she said. “If they will take time to come out tonight, they will take the time to vote.”
