Trump's trip thrills county officials
Two county officials traveled south Thursday to interact with the 45th president of the United States.
Sheriff Mike Slupe went to Pittsburgh International Airport and Mark Gordon, the county's chief of economic development and planning, attended the speech given by President Donald Trump in Coraopolis.
Both men were able to get pretty close to Trump.
Slupe was invited to greet Trump at the airport, where Air Force One landed in the early afternoon.
“It was an honor to be invited,” a thrilled Slupe said later in the day.
Once the presidential aircraft stopped, Slupe was swept up in the enthusiasm of the crowd.
“To watch Air Force One taxi around was an awesome sight,” Slupe said. “He came out of the plane and there was an immediate thunderous roar of the crowd of about 200.”
He said Trump approached the chilly crowd and made a few quick remarks before taking his time to shake the outstretched hands he could reach and wave to those deeper in the crowd that he couldn't.
“He made his way to where I was standing, and I hollered out his name and asked him 'Will you sign my hat?' and he did,” Slupe said. “It is a 'Make America Great Again' hat.”
He said the people in the diverse crowd were very positive, and Trump took his time in the freezing, breezy weather to interact with as many as possible.
“For me, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I hope I never forget,” Slupe said. “He was so gracious. It was awesome.”
Gordon landed the invitation to hear Trump's speech at H&K Equipment in Coraopolis, where he was delighted to discover he had been seated in the second row.
He said 500 guests and an army of Secret Service agents heard the president give a rousing speech in support of his tax reform plan as well as Rick Saccone, the Republican candidate for the 18th Congressional District vacated by Tim Murphy.“I would use one word to describe the atmosphere and that was one of enthusiasm,” Gordon said. “It was a very positive experience.”He said Trump spoke for about 45 minutes and mentioned U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-3rd, as well as a decorated veteran from Allegheny County who served in Iraq.Trump also mentioned several area businesses that will benefit from his tax plan in the form of bonuses for their employees, including H&K Equipment.“His remarks were obviously centered around making America great again and how that is going,” Gordon said.He said Trump highlighted low unemployment generally and in specific ethnic groups and the stock market gains to make his point.“In his speech, he said it's not that he's anti-global or anti-trade, he just wants to make sure that American businesses and people come first ahead of other nations,” Gordon said. “He said in this economy, there is work for all who want to find it.”Gordon, who heard George H.W. Bush speak when he was president, was thrilled to be invited to the event Thursday.“I thought it was a wonderful experience,” Gordon said. “Very inspirational and optimistic.”
