With all the negativity swirling around American politics and the 2024 race beginning to heat up, former President and GOP primary front-runner Donald Trump granted Fox News hosts — and a weary nation — a moment of levity over an ice-cold treat when he dropped by an Iowa Dairy Queen after a campaign speech on Friday.
“Everybody wants a Blizzard,” Trump told the Dairy Queen cashier. “What the hell is a Blizzard?”
Trump asked the cashier to “take care of the people,” who greeted him with cheers of “U.S.A.!” and said, “We’ll do the Blizzard thing.”
It was enough to crack up the crew of “Fox & Friends Weekend” on Saturday.
(Video: Fox News)
According to co-host Will Cain, there was an “internal debate” at Fox News “about whether or not he does, in fact, know, ‘What’s a Blizzard?'”
“He didn’t know what it was!” exclaimed co-host Carly Shimkus, as Pete Hegseth noted that he was passing out spoons to the adoring crowd.
“Everyone gets a Blizzard,” Hegseth said. “He’s handing out spoons. You get a spoon! And you get a spoon!”
“I wish I was there,” Shimkus stated.
It was exactly the kind of viral moment that has cemented Trump’s place in the hearts of his legion of loyal supporters.
“Do you remember… He’s jump-shotting paper towels out in Puerto Rico, throwing hats. I mean, doing things that most people wouldn’t feel like a presidential candidate would do,” Hegseth recalled. “But it shows a connection to people and makes people feel a connection to him.”
“Honestly, this truly is where the former president shines,” replied Shimkus, “because he does create these moments and he makes everybody in that room feel special.”
Even after Trump was indicted in Florida, she noted, he was able to turn it into a crowd-pleasing moment.
“After the indictment when he was down in Florida, remember, he went to the Cuban restaurant and said, ‘Free food! Free food for everyone!'” she said. “So he just knows how to deal with people, and he knows how to, you know, keep the spotlight on him.”
Trump spoils CNN’s coverage with festive post-court visit to famous Cuban eatery and Jake Tapper is NOT happy https://t.co/I6yM99zsKu via @BIZPACReview
— BPR based (@DumpstrFireNews) June 14, 2023
Compare that to the response President Joe Biden received last year when he dropped by an Oregon Baskin Robbins and discussed the economy while devouring an ice cream cone.
As Secret Service stood at attention in a nearly empty store, Biden told a reporter that the U.S. “economy is strong as hell,” before blaming the rest of the world for the inflation that was swallowing Americans whole.
“I’m not concerned about the strength of the dollar. I’m concerned about the rest of the world,” Biden said. “Does that make sense?”
The photo-op was dubbed a “meme come to life” and the President was accused of being “out of touch.”
A ‘meme brought to life’: ‘Out of touch’ Biden declares economy ‘strong as hell’ while devouring ice cream https://t.co/ftkZYSUCaV pic.twitter.com/bRARmVhgeg
— BizPac Review (@BIZPACReview) October 16, 2022
No, those “relatable moments” over ice cream aren’t as easy to manufacture as one might think.
According to Shimkus, the magic comes from Trump’s personality.
“People who do know him — I know that you’ve both met him many times — but they do say that he really does make you feel special when you meet him in person,” she said. “And that’s why there is a level of loyalty around him in the polls.”
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Melissa Fine is the former executive editor of Casino Player, Strictly Slots, and Poker
Digest magazines. She is a UCLA graduate, news junkie, and dedicated Stargate SG-
1 fan. Melissa currently lives with her dog and two cats in a tiny town in the Sierra
Nevada foothills.
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