Election 2020

MAGA DUD: Pro-Trump Event Aiming for 10,000 Attendees Sees Barely a Tenth of That

It was billed as the WeCANAct Liberty Conference, and the organizers told local media they hoped 10,000 people would attend. But as many of us already know, hope can and does frequently lead to disappointment. Because 10,000 actually translated into only 1000 people on the first day of last weekend’s event held in Utah, The Salt Lake Tribune and RollingStone report.

Gen. Michael Flynn, who fell from grace as an advisor to former President Donald Trump, was called a headliner of the anti-vax, pro-Trump religious extravaganza that fell flatter than a pancake. It bears echoes of a similar conference held in September that also fell pancake flat.

The website for WeCANAct Liberty Conference crowed that “thousands of people will attend this large conference,” but you’d never guess that by looking at the hordes of empty chairs all over the arena, as you can see in this photo by the Tribune’s political correspondent Bryan Schott in the tweet below:

In his story for the Tribune, Schott estimated 800-1000 people showed up to hear right-wing nutjobs, conspiracy nutters, and religious whackjobs. As you might expect there was lots of misinformation to be had  — on COVID, QAnon, communism, and of course, that now worn-out favorite — evidence-free allegations of election fraud.

Then there are others, like right-wing podcast host Clay Clark who asserted that the CDC “made the Covid-19 virus” and pushed hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin as treatments for the virus. Well, we know Trump was promoting hydroxychloroquine, so there’s that. But the FDA has cautioned about the use of either of these medications to fight or prevent COVID.

Flynn makes claims that are no less idiotic. He’s claimed that the government is somehow hiding the vaccine in salad dressing. When he took the stage Friday night, he went full-on nutter.

“The FDA ought to be abolished,” noted Flynn. This, from a man who plead guilty to lying to the FBI and was later pardoned by Trump.

And of course, Flynn leaned on the anti-vaccine nonsense and exhorted audience members not to let the government vaccinate their kids.

“My faith and my health. I don’t want the government messing around with those two things, and they are trying,” he said. “They’re gonna shut our churches down, and they’re gonna tell you you’re gonna get mandated to do this … mandated to do that,” then launched into a story where he claimed these guys are giving kids the vaccine unbeknownst to their parents.”

“Presumably, Flynn was talking about the government but he wasn’t specific,” Rolling Stone reports. “The FDA has not yet authorized vaccines for children ages 5-11, although outside advisors to the agency are scheduled to discuss it next week.”

“You’ve been warned! Don’t let ’em!’ Flynn told the attendees.

meet the author

Megan has lived in California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida and she currently lives in Central America. Living in these places has informed her writing on politics, science, and history. She is currently owned by 15 cats and 3 dogs and regularly owns Trump supporters when she has the opportunity. She can be found on Twitter at https://twitter.com/GaiaLibra and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/politicalsaurus

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