President Trump at Pensacola rally: 'Get out and vote for Roy Moore'

President Donald Trump encouraged his Alabama supporters attending a rally in Pensacola, Fla., Friday to vote for Republican Roy Moore in Tuesday's U.S. Senate election.

"We cannot afford, for the future of this country, we cannot afford to lose this seat in the very, very close United States Senate," Trump said, devoting three minutes of this 76-minute speech to the Senate election. "So get out and vote for Roy Moore."

Trump criticized Democrat Doug Jones, Moore's opponent, by calling him a "total puppet" for Democratic leaders in the House and Senate, and claimed that Moore was needed to help back the White House's political agenda.

The president also took a shot at a celebrity attorney Gloria Allred for holding a news conference earlier in the day in her Atlanta office to defend one of Moore's accusers, Beverly Young Nelson.

Allred provided reporters a report from a forensic document expert that shows Moore, who is accused of sexual misconduct with teenage girls decades ago, had signed Nelson's 1977 high school yearbook.

But Allred and Nelson also admitted that Nelson added notes next to Moore's signature, a claim which Moore's supporters have seized on.

"I have to say this, and did you see what happened today with the yearbook?" Trump said. "There was a little mistake made. She started writing things in the yearbook."

He added, "Gloria Allred, anytime you see her, you know something is wrong."

Trump also spoke in support of Judeo-Christian religious liberty, family values, and mentioned "God" on more than one occasion. All are staples of Moore's campaign and political career.

The president got one of his loudest cheers of the night for suggesting a repeal of the Johnson Amendment, the 1954 federal law that allows for churches to lose their tax-exempt status if they engage in political activity. The repeal was initially in the tax reform legislation, but it was removed from the version which passed the Senate.

"Study that up, it's a big thing," Trump said. "A lot of people are happy about that."

Moore, on Twitter, posted quotes of Trump's statements in which "American doesn't worship government. We worship God."

'Christmas present'

The president's speech political event and hit on some of his favorite campaign-style rallying points including the economy, boosts in military spending, renegotiated trade pacts, reassessed relationships with foreign powers, and boasts about his victory last year over Democrat Hillary Clinton. There were chants of "USA," "Build the wall" and "Lock her up" -- all which were common during his campaign for the presidency in 2015 and 2016.

Trump also compared his efforts at deregulation to Abraham Lincoln, the nation's 16th president. He said his administration has gotten more legislation approved since Harry Truman.

He praised his past campaign crowds at rallies leading up this presidential win last year. He said his 2015 crowd at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile drew "49,000," which marked the first time such a large crowd estimate was provided for that event, which is viewed as an early high-water mark in his campaign. The stadium has a maximum capacity of 50,000.

The Trump campaign previously claimed that more than 30,000 people attended that rally, while others have said the crowd was more around 15,000.

Trump drew a near capacity crowd in Pensacola. With Christmas wreaths as a backdrop, and "Merry Christmas" signs hung throughout the arena, Trump said he could "think of no better Christmas present for the American people" than getting his tax reform legislation approved. Two variations of the legislation have been approved in the House and Senate, and a conference committee has been assigned to hammer out the details

"Hopefully we'll have that approval and you'll be paying a lot less tax," Trump said.

Trump also criticized the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the Paris Climate accord as poor deals in need of renegotiating. He mocked the anti-Trump "resistance" movement and Arnold Schwarzenegger's ratings on "The Celebrity Apprentice," linked the stock market's successes directly to his administration and blasted the city of Chicago for its gun violence.

The president also claimed America government is a "rigged system," with "a lot of sickness in some of our institutions."

That comment drew a Twitter rebuke from Republican Arizona Senator and frequent Trump critic Jeff Flake.

'Pins and needles'

But it was Trump's ringing endorsement of Moore's candidacy that encouraged Pete Grove to drive 370 miles from his home near Florence to Pensacola. Grove said he was spending the night inside his van, just so he could see what the president had to say about the former judge.

"The main mission is to make sure Alabama stays red," said Grover, who supported U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks of Huntsville during the Aug. 15 Republican primary, but has become a Moore fan ever since. "I'll be sitting on pins and needles on Tuesday. The way they corrupted this election, it's not about policy. It's personal."

Trump's visit to the Florida Panhandle occurred 25 miles east of the Alabama border. Moore did not attend the rally, and his campaign spokesman said that the former Alabama State Supreme Court chief justice likely wasn't watching because he was making last-minute phone calls to supporters and religious leaders, though the ex-judge's Twitter account suggests he was keeping tabs of what the president said.

The rally occurred as Moore has seen a boost in polling days before the election, despite lingering effects of nine women who have come forward to accuse him of inappropriate behavior with teen girls decades ago.

Trump didn't talk about the scandal, which first surfaced in a Nov. 9 Washington Post article. The president also did not mention Minnesota Sen. Al Franken's announcement Thursday that he is resigning amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

Trump, himself, has been accused by multiple women of sexual misconduct. He didn't address any of the scandals that have led to a host of resignations and firings of media, political and entertainment celebrities -- all men -- newly accused of sexual wrongdoing by women who've been emboldened to speak up.

Moore has denied any wrongdoing, even as national Republicans initially requested the ex-judge drop out of the race and withheld money from his campaign.

In recent days, Republicans like Senate Leader Mitch McConnell have acquiesced, and have said the decision is up to the Alabama voters. Alabama's senior Sen. Richard Shelby, however, has told reporters he did not vote for Moore and instead, voted for a Republican write-in candidate.

'Greatest deplorables'

Alabama politics aside, the atmosphere inside and outside the Bay Center had all the appearances of a touring rock concert. Trump flags, t-shirts, and sweaters were sold by vendors walking around the downtown arena. The hottest selling item was a $15 red, white and blue stocking with "Trump" and "USA" written on it.

Lee and Jessica Rigdon bought two of them. Their 7-year-old son, Jaren wore one of them to keep his head warm while the family stood outside the downtown arena.

"We have been fans of the new president for quite a while," said Lee Rigdon, attending his first rally. "I would like to be able to see in person the president who is making such a mark on the world right now."

Trump supporters bundled up and stood in line for more than two hours to get inside the arena, home to a minor league hockey team. It was an unusually cold afternoon along the Gulf Coast, with winter weather advisories posted throughout the region.

Vickie Pickreign of Pace, Fla., didn't mind. She was among friends.

"There is a camaraderie with Trump supporters," she said, unconcerned about the cold blast. She then referenced a nickname first mentioned by Clinton during the 2016 presidential election, and subsequently mocked by Trump. "We can be deplorables. We are the greatest deplorables there ever was."

Not everyone was pro-Trump. A handful of protesters arrived early, holding signs protesting Trump and Moore.

Among them was Jonathan Peacock of Pensacola. He held a sign mocking Trump's approval rating, which is hovering in 30s.

"I have been listening to this president for the last year and anything he's done seems to get worst every time he opens his mouth," said Peacock. "It drove me over the edge was his endorsement of Roy Moore. We have senators and House members resigning over sex allegations, but we have a president in the Oval Office who won't resign and he's been accused of the same thing.

Said Peacock," With Roy Moore, what he's accused of, that's too much."

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