Not everyone is happy Republican Presidential contender Donald Trump will be attending today’s college football game between Alabama and Georgia. The University of Alabama group called UA Student Democrats is holding an anti-Trump tailgate to voice their opposition to the former President’s presence on campus, and his candidacy in general.
“Donald Trump is not welcome here,” said UA Student Democrats President Braden Vick .”I think that's been proven in the election results on campus. For the past seven years, there's been 23 races where Democrats and Republicans have competed on campus. Every single one of them has been won by the Democratic Party. So I think that's a pretty good indication of how this campus actually feels about the former president and his party.”
Vick and members of his group set up a tent on the University of Alabama greenspace known as the “quad.” Along with traditional tailgate menu of BBQ, the UA Student Democrats plan to serve up buttons, t-shirts, and ballcaps supporting the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. The anti-Trump tailgate tent will be nestled among dozens of other tailgaters, most of whom are more likely to be supporters of Trump.
“Oh, we're expecting it,” said Braden Vick of UA Student Democrats, “And we are prepared for all eventualities. And we are going to be that beacon of light here on campus. We know that there'll be a bunch of people out here trying to be as belligerent as possible. We're going to be here. We're going to stay calm, we're going to stay focused, and we're going to win.”
This isn’t the first time Donald Trump has attended an Alabama college football game. In 2018, while in the White House, he watched the Crimson Tide defeat Georgia at the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta during the 2018 National Championship game. Tide fans may recall that victory, which was marked by the so called “Tua bomb,” where quarterback Tua Tagavailoa threw a touchdown pass, in overtime, to freshman receiver DeVonta Smith to win the game.
Trump wasn’t well received by the crowd, either.
There was heavy rainfall the day of the game, and fans were kept outside during the extra security checks by the Secret Service prior to kickoff. Attendees, many of whom where soaked to the skin, boo-ed President Trump during his arrival for the National Anthem. APR news reported the game nationally for NPR.
The next year, Trump flew to Tuscaloosa for the game between Alabama and the Louisiana State University Tigers at Bryant-Denny Stadium. He and first lady Melania Trump watched from a skybox, while critics of the President gathered at nearby Monnish Park for selfies with the inflatable “Trump Baby” balloon. APR News reported this event for NPR as well.
Trump was reportedly invited today’s Alabama/Georgia game by oil executive and entrepreneur Ric Mayers. Published reports say the candidate will dine on a menu of McDonald Filet-O-Fish sandwiches, stadium dogs, Domino’s Pizza, and diet Coke during the event. Braden Vick of UA Student Democrats bristles at the notion of today’s game “being about” Trump.
“Obviously, it's going to be such a chaotic environment, but that's what we live for here at the University of Alabama, tens of thousands of people crawling on here to party and celebrate Alabama football, because that's what we're supposed to be here for, right?” Vick said. “I mean, it shouldn't be marred by a former President in orange…tangerine coming out here, trying to ruin the party and make it his own campaign rally. That's what we're opposing.”
Minnesota Governor, and Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz will be attending today’s rivalry college football game between Minnesota and Michigan. NPR has invited APR news to report “live” nationally on both events during Weekend Edition Sunday tomorrow. Click below to listen again to APR’s coverage on NPR following news of the retirement of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban.
