I'm not Alone
You don't get the intensity of a Rally in the media, which is why Trump is invariably underestimated by news followers. Only those who have been there, immersed in his aura, will be taken in by his perfectly constructed and often hour-long shows, where a slew of intercessors and the sophisticated music whip up to the moment of the Rally: the speech by Trump himself. The frenzy reaches a climax. The audience realizes: I'm not Alone.
Mehring knows of Democrats who went to such a Rally with care, knowing that they would fall completely under his spell and even vote for Trump. But the people Trump appeals to are not hardcore Democrats; they are either his hardcore fans or the group this election is all about: the doubters in the Swing States. 'He doesn't need to go all over the country,' Mehring says. 'By very specifically picking your Rallies, you can make a lot of impact and win the election.'
Music is the Glue
In playing to the masses, aided by a light and music show, content takes a back seat. 'That's ratio, for Trump not important, he can say what he wants, he knows it's the way he can conquer the Hearts & Minds of his audience.'
'Music is the Glue,' Mehring said of the major role of music at the Rallies. 'That has long been true of every presidential candidate. Up until the 1930s, songs were composed specifically for the Rallies; now it's always recorded music, with a candidate often committing to a Key Song. For Trump, since 2016, this has been Lee Greenwood's God Bless the USA, the anthem he often deploys at openings and closings as a symbol of patriotism and national pride. Mehring points to the lyrics (see box) with which he manages to evoke a moral and divine element. “It energizes the crowd, whips up, and inspires them to uphold the values that Trump emphasizes in his speeches.
Masterclass from Trump
Anyone not yet convinced of the power of his rhetoric should take note of Trump's return on Oct. 5 to the site of the attack, Butler, Pennsylvania, according to Mehring. “A master class in misusing music to manipulate a mass audience. A tenor first performed the Ave Maria, commemorating the attack and celebrating the alleged divine intervention that would have saved Trump. The crowd erupted into the national anthem, underscoring Mehring's view of the great emotional effect of such a Rally, using music as a weapon. “Very powerful, but also potentially manipulative and dangerous, in its influence on emotion, rather than reason.
And I'd gladly stand up /
Next to you and defend her still today /
Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land /
God bless the USA
