I've been thinking and thinking. Can't find an answer.

[CatWoman]

Why do YOU think Trump's inauguration audience was so small?

[Tommy_Carcetti]

1. Just look at his hands.

Explains everything.

[CatWoman]

2. come on be serious

didn't he draw large crowds while on the campaign trail?

what happened to them?

[Blanks]

7. The campaign crowds were a media creation too...

Just like the footage of the Iraqi people dragging down the statue of Saddam. They had tight shots and people bunched in around him.

People didn't show up to the inauguration because they were advised against it to prevent 'normalizing' his presidency.

Now, I will say that Spicer may have had a point that the internet crowd may have been bigger than they are given credit for, I don't know how difficult that is to account for and I haven't seen Jon Karl refute it on GMA. Obviously, the photos of the crowds at the Washington Monument were smaller within 2 minutes of each other (the Obama 2009 vs Trump 2017 photos) but it was cold that day.

What we need to get to eventually is that it's not the crowd size that matters, it is the lie.

We had a president impeached because he lied. I say we stick to the fact that the president lied about the crowd size.

[CatWoman]

13. I got into a fight on Facebook with a Trumpbot

I posted a picture that Katy Tur posted from the live feed of the inauguration route.

Empty bleachers everywhere.

This idiot had the nerve to comment "fake news".

I responded with several pics comparing Obama's inauguration to Trump's.

She still kept calling them fake.

[bdamomma]

24. you know

the only thing which is FAKE is him.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

11. They were large, but never as large as he claimed.

Key example: One of his first big outdoor events was in Mobile, Alabama at the city's football stadium, Ladd Peebles Stadium.

The stadium has a listed capacity of 33,471.

Trump originally had planned for an indoor rally, but additional demand required a larger venue so the football stadium was chosen.

Now, when they held the rally, they put the stage at the far end of one of the stadium's end zones. The seats behind Trump were all filled up, as were the seats along the sidelines at the end of the field.

The tight shot of the stage made it look like the stadium was packed:



However, when you looked out the other way, the stands towards the opposite end were completely empty:



So the stadium was really just half full, meaning there were probably about 15,000-17,000 or so people actually in attendance. But because he was cleared for over 33,000 people at the stadium, that's what Trump reported it as. And he made the point over and over and over again as if over 30,000 actually showed up, which they didn't.

But regarding the inaugural, the subdued crowd has a lot to do with the fact that Trump's approval as President-Elect was in the 30%-40% range in most polls, which is astonishing because that's when he should be the most popular. He never bothered uniting the country behind him so there was a lack of enthusiasm for him from anyone who wasn't a fervent fan of his. Also consider the fact he lost the popular vote and the nagging questions about his relationship with Russia, and there was a high amount of people who didn't consider him legitimate at all. Finally, other than the fact he's a lunatic who threatens the country, there was no great historical significance behind his inaugural like there was with Obama's. He's just one of 43 other white guys to be elected President.

[CatWoman]

15. very good post, Tommy

thanks

[madokie]

3. Because a lot of water ran under that bridge between nov 8 and jan 20

most anyone who is honest with him/herself has come to the conclusion that the man/cretin is NUTS and unfit for the office

Thats what I think

[CatWoman]

4. you think people saw through him that fast?

[madokie]

20. I think some have

otherwise he'd be on cloud nine instead of in the dumpster
All I know for sure is he is as crazy as anyone I've ever known and I've known a few crazies in my day

But that 30 percent will never see through him and his batshit loony toons so they can be just written off as crazies just like him

[nolabear]

5. Honestly. I think:

1. People who voted for him voted for a man who they were told would do everything for them. They don't think they have the power to do things themselves to make their lives better (and often they're right for all kinds of reasons, many psychological). They aren't the kind to go to great lengths to travel to an inauguration.

2. Buyer's remorse. There is a certain "Oh SHIT" factor.

3. Paranoia about DC and the fear that has been instilled in them about terrorists and black people. They're afraid that something bad would happen to them.

4. The "movement" isn't a movement. It's a hostile takeover. Now that we libtards have been put in our places they don't actually give two fucks about any causes or convictions. They can slap one another on the back and pretend they won and go back to doing...nothing.

Likely there are many more reasons but that's a start.

[jehop61]

6. It's expensive

to travel to Washington. Most couldn't afford Inaugural balls and DC hotels. Rally's were close to home and no expenses incurred. Regular folks can't afford that.

[LaydeeBug]

8. Unemplyment was higher when Obama took office. They found their way there then. nt

[Phentex]

9. That's what I think as well...

the people who need jobs aren't going to have money to spend on hotels and airfare. And I think there were a lot of closet racists who voted and they weren't going to spend their money to let the world know they were idiots.

[Rex]

10. They were all at home watching NASCAR.

Hard to say really, since we will never know actual voting numbers due to privacy laws I think maybe the GOP cheated and not near as many people voted for Donny Tinyhands as we are led to believe.

[ismnotwasm]

12. He is not a popular president

He won really, because millions of eligle voters choose not to vote for either candidate, not because he had some groundswell of support. He's personally embarrassing to anyone who isn't a bigot, or disturbed or possibly ignorant in some crucial way. I have not met one Trump supporter who isn't touched by at least one of those three things.

[MountCleaners]

14. Well the weather was bad, but...

if people were really enthusiastic about Trump, they'd tolerate it.

[CatWoman]

16. by all accounts, this was the warmest inaugural day Washington has seen for some time

[logosoco]

17. "THEY" will say it is because they have jobs...

but that is a pretty damn stupid reply! A lot of people actually have jobs. That did not stop folks from marching the following day.

I think it was small because even though they voted for him, they are really ashamed of him being president. (okay, that is thinking with MY brain, but that's what i came up with when seeing this question). They don't want to own it, already.

[Deb]

18. I live among these people

They are scared to death of terrorists. They don't fly or go to crowded places, no kidding.

[Generator]

19. It takes money to get there

And yeah all those rural people from all over aren't poor-but even I wasn't going to pay to go the women's march in D.C. Take time off work etc. And to do that you have to really be committed-the women's marchers were. Trumpers not so much. Voting against Hillary and the hated liberals was a lot easier for them. The couple Trump voters I know don't like him-they just couldn't vote for Hillary. Which is bullshit and I still say fuck them.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

21. His favorability wasn't good even on election night, but...

also, to be fair, it's not like he got many votes in the DC area.

His rural supporters needed to travel there.



Yes, the picture was a joke.

[CatWoman]

23. lol

i instantly thought Granny, Jeb, Jethro and Elly Mae

[2naSalit]

22. Nobody was willing to pay them like the

protesters were paid...

[alarimer]

25. Trump is not even trying to be President of everyone

Even Bush and Reagan paid at least lip service to the idea that they were President of all of us. There was no rally tour of just the states they won; no inaugural address that was just a warmed-over campaign speech. Reagan and Bush may have done things that were contrary to the interest of many, if not most people, but they both followed accepted norms of governing. Trump does not do that and I fear no other Republican ever will again if he gets away with it.

[blm]

26. Ran out of Viagra

.

[tenderfoot]

27. Because no one really likes or supports him

eom

[Iggo]

28. Nobody likes him.

[LeftInTX]

29. Most of his voters don't live close to DC.

They are also older.

Seriously, I wouldn't find going to an inauguration appealing. It looks like a big headache. I would just rather watch it on TV.

Caveat: The crowd size doesn't say a whole lot about his popularity.

[HughBeaumont]

30. Some aren't looking at another factor:

How many PROTESTERS vs Supporters attended.

The people who attended Barack Obama's first and second Inauguration were likely a high percentage of supporters. I don't think I saw one anti-Obama banner unless it was the anti-choice people.

At the 2005 Bush Inauguration and the 2017 Trump Inauguration, I would say it was 7-10 protesters for every 1-2 supporters. In our immediate area on the parade route, it wasn't even close. We occupied 5th through 7th Street (Navy Memorial area) and those assholes heard it when their closed-window limos passed by.

If we're solely going by JUST people who supported him, that attendance number dwindles even more.

[alllove]

31. Nothing historic about it

It was the same crowds the Bushes and Clinton had .

President Obamas was a historic event where young people who attended will be able to tell their grandkids
I was there for that.

[Motown_Johnny]

32. Low approval means low attendance. n/t

[jmg257]

33. For trump - I am surprised at how many people were actually there...

All week heard DC was 'bracing for a million people but mostly protesters', made us apprehensive and we walked too much, but we had no issues taking the metro Friday AM or evening, walking around the capitol and around the parade route etc except some crowding when the inauguration actually dumped.




Definitely more people moving for the marches.

Anyway, a few hundred thousand people is nothing compared to the crowds for Pres Obama.
Guess people just aren't that enthusiastic, though those who WERE there seemed were pretty pumped.

[CatWoman]

34. the second is a very nice pic

[jmg257]

35. Thanks! I posted some of the march, but my darn camera died way too early in the AM on Saturday.

[haele]

36. Hi Catwoman! My take - a significant number of his voters were intellectually lazy.

The rural teapartier types don't tend to travel except on weekends or holidays - even if they could afford it.
The middle class Chamber of Commerce types don't like to go outside of their big fish in small pond environment unless there's a payoff for them, and were probably perfectly happy watching the inauguration on the DVR and would call that "participation".

If there were parades and parties within 50 miles of both these types of groups, they'd gladly participate, but unless they're well off or required to travel for business or family, conservatives don't go very far from home if they can at all help it. There'll be all sorts of excuses - work, family, money...but in the end, they would rather not go too far from where they feel comfortable.
It's the nature of Conservatism and those who feel the need to always submit to a "stronger" authority - lack of curiosity plus fear of the different/unknown.

Liberals, however - if they feel the urge to go out and do something new because something is important to them, they will find a way to get out to where they need to be and participate in some tangible manner.

Haele

[ismnotwasm]

38. Oh fuck no.

All those Trumpsters are on FIRE for Trump--unless their lazy asses just couldn't be bothered to go---Trump had the votes of millions of racist pricks. More than a paltry couple hundred thousand could afford to go. I think they were too ashamed by their support of a disgusting freak.

[WillowTree]

39. Why does anyone on either side care? Really, why?

Few things I can think of as being less relevant to anything other than playing "My Dad's bigger than your Dad" like a 5 year old.

WHO CARES?

[Runningdawg]

40. They couldn't take their guns

[lpbk2713]

41. It proves not that many people like him or voted for him.

And no one wants to make an intensive investigation into the
stolen election because the (R)s have all the power now.

[robbob]

42. Here's a question I have:

Last edited Fri Jan 27, 2017, 04:44 PM - Edit history (1)

Surprised it hasn't been used by Spicer to explain the small crowds (oh wait, the crowds were Huuuuge!!!!):

The day of the inauguration there were many posts here cheering on protesters who had chained themselves together at security checkpoints, and were blocking other entry points. So when I heard the turn out was small and the stands were empty, my first though was, oh well, I guess the protesters succeeded in blocking entry to the event.

Anyone know now if the protesters were part of the small turnout? If they were, I'm shocked tRump hasn't pointed a finger at them yet...