In 2016, just before the election, I had an off-the-record conversation with several journalists in my capacity as the Communications Director at the RNC. I shared various potential paths to victory for President Trump. Most of the journalists were skeptical because they had limited exposure to Trump supporters within their Acela corridor bubble. They believed what their colleagues wrote and said on MSNBC and never personally experienced what was really happening on the ground.
Their surprise was all over their faces as the results unfolded, and Trump emerged victorious over Hillary Clinton on election night 2016.
The journalists’ lack of understanding of Trump supporters hindered their ability to grasp how a campaign strategy involving large rallies and tweets could lead to an election victory. In a meeting with senior NBC executives after the election, they admitted they had “missed it.” They sought to correct it by establishing “pop-up bureaus” beyond the normal metropolitan areas of the country (read: liberal cities where they all live) they currently had bureaus. While that’s a cute idea, flying into Des Moines to grab a pork on a stick at the state fair isn’t exactly gaining a real understanding of a good chunk of the electorate.
I personally witnessed this connection between Trump and his supporters at the rallies I attended. These individuals resonated deeply with his message in a way I hadn’t seen in my almost thirty years of campaign work. Many attendees went to multiple rallies, arriving early and even waiting in the rain overnight just to catch a glimpse of Trump and be able to say they had been there. In the past, we had to cajole attendees into going to a rally, now a simple tweet from Trump would yield thousands of voters.
Today, I launched a new project, a documentary called “Trump’s Front Row Joes,” in which a production crew and I spent time with members of the group known as the “Front Row Joes.” The Joes are a group of people who have attended countless Trump rallies and, as the name suggests, almost always are in the front row. They are our neighbors, co-workers and friends who are deeply patriotic but often feel forgotten by the people who run our institutions and government.
RACINE, WISCONSIN – JUNE 18: Guests attend a campaign rally hosted by Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump at Festival Park on June 18, 2024 in Racine, Wisconsin. This is Trump’s third visit to Wisconsin, a key swing state in 2024. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Over the past two years, we have engaged in lengthy conversations spending time with them. I now have an even greater appreciation of how under-reported-on this group is and how it contributes to the media’s overall misunderstanding of Trump supporters.
In the film, viewers are introduced to Rick, who tragically lost his daughter to fentanyl poisoning. The following day, he received a heartfelt letter signed by President Trump offering condolences. This experience stood in stark contrast to Rick’s concerns about President Biden’s border policies, which he blames for allowing the drugs to flow into our communities. Trump’s empathy, which I’ve both witnessed and experienced first-hand, is something the legacy left-wing media will never acknowledge.
Another Front Row Joe we met was Mark, who lost his job in entertainment for refusing to wear “Black Lives Matter” gear. After losing opportunities based on his political beliefs and watching the Left’s efforts to force him to conform, the more he came to appreciate President Trump’s America First policies and agenda.
Viewers also meet Betty, who supported Trump from the day he came down the escalator in 2016. She began knocking doors for Trump in 2016 and was spit on and had eggs thrown at her for simply campaigning for him. The greater the resistance to Trump, the greater her resolve grew.
Whether you love or hate Trump, it’s obvious that the movement he started in 2015 is truly historic. No other figure from either party in modern American history has come close to leading a movement like this. In the documentary, person after person (including President Trump himself) likens what he started to the super fans of a rock band, and they are right.
Until they start doing so (I wouldn’t hold your breath), you’ll have to continue to seek out independent media to get the full story.
“Trump’s Front Row Joes” is available for streaming now at www.FrontRowJoes.movie.
Sean Spicer is the host of the Sean Spicer Show and Executive Producer of “Trump’s Front Row Joe’s.” He served as President Trump’s press secretary and communications director in 2017.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller.
