- Title: 'It's shameful' - supporters back Trump at rally after impeachment vote
- Date: 19th December 2019
- Summary: BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, UNITED STATES (DECEMBER 18, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WHO COULDN'T GET IN TO ARENA WATCHING BIG SCREEN SHOWING U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP GIVING SPEECH BIG SCREEN SHOWING TRUMP TALKING ABOUT IMPEACHMENT AND PEOPLE WATCHING COUPLE WATCHING TRUMP PEOPLE WATCHING TRUMP PEOPLE LEAVING RALLY (SOUNDBITE) (English) SARAH HUNTER, 56, LIVES IN LYNCHBURG, TENNESSEE, WORKS IN REAL ESTATE, SAYING: "I think it's terrible that they would waste our taxpayer money and all our voter rights. It's terrible." (SOUNDBITE) (English) DOLORES OLIVER, 66, LIVES IN LANSING, MICHIGAN, RETIRED, SAYING: "It's shameful. He doesn't deserve it. That's all I can say." (SOUNDBITE) (English) GARY SIGOURNEY, 46, LIVES IN UNION CITY, MICHIGAN, WORKS AT WALMART DISTRIBUTION CENTER, SAYING: "I think it's a load of crap myself. I don't agree with it at all. Work with the guy, get things done. This bickering back and forth and playing these childish games - we're better than that." (SOUNDBITE) (English) CAZZI TUPPER, 53, LIVES IN BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, CAREGIVER, SAYING: "I think it's horrible. I think it's horrible. I think that it's because of who he is that they impeached him. They went way too fast, way too fast with it." (SOUNDBITE) (English) HALEN KLINE, 17, LIVES IN BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, STUDENT, SAYING: "Well, I don't understand how they're going to impeach him when there's no crime that was committed." (SOUNDBITE) (English) LAUREN WHYTE, 16, LIVES IN BATTLE CREEK,MICHIGAN, STUDENT, SAYING: "And when he's done some of the most successful things a president has ever done for us." ROLAND RUBY COMING OUT OF RALLY IN WHEELCHAIR (SOUNDBITE) (English) ROLAND RUBY, 69, RETIRED, LIVES IN KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN, SAYING: "Ever since the guy came down the escalator, they've been out to get him. And I can't understand it. It's like they're trying to kill the goose that laid the golden egg." PEOPLE COMING OUT OF RALLY (SOUNDBITE) (English) SANDRA BOWER, 61, LIVES IN CLINTON TOWNSHIP, MICHIGAN, VOLUNTEER DIRECTOR OF A NONPROFIT, SAYING: "I just think it's insane. Insane. I personally read the transcript. I heard with my own ears what (House Intelligence Chairman Adam) Schiff quoted him saying in the transcript. He read a total bunch of lies." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE LEAVING RALLY ILLUMINATED SIGN READING 'IMPEACHED' AT ANTI-TRUMP RALLY EARLIER IN THE DAY PROTESTER HOLDING SIGN READING 'DUMP TRUMP' PROTESTER HOLDING SIGN READING 'IMPEACH AND REMOVE' CAR DRIVING PAST PROTESTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHERYL LESSIN, 74, LIVES IN CLEVELAND, OHIO, WORKS AS A NURSE, SAYING: "Even if the Senate were to impeach Trump, which is highly unlikely, the basis in which the impeachment is happening is simply about a telephone conversation and colluding for the presidency, it's not about the fascism that is actually behind it." (SOUNDBITE) (English) CRISTIAN VASQUEZ, 18, LIVES IN KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN, COLLEGE STUDENT, SAYING: "I think it's a great message to send out to all the people, that, you know, acts of hate and things that are bad for the American population in general won't be overlooked and we have the power to, you know, take someone out that is advocating for such things." PROTESTER JILL ANDERSON, DRESSED AS 'SYBIL LIBERTIES' YELLING IN SUPPORT OF SPEAKER (SOUNDBITE) (English) JILL ANDERSON, 45, LIVES IN BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, WORKS AS A HISTORIAN, SAYING: "Our government is very corrupt and broken right now, so I'm hoping for some resolution to this issue through impeachment. I'm not hopeful that the Senate will follow through as well, but I'm hopeful that, I'm hopeful that people will be more educated and more active in their government." (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTIN JOHNSON, 22, LIVES IN GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, COLLEGE STUDENT, SAYING: "I think that we have a really bad issue with, like, there's such a big division between the two parties and it's just been sensationalized by what's going on and hopefully what's going on right now won't make it worse, but I believe that impeachment is right in this case." PROTEST SIGNS ABOUT IMPEACHMENT CAR DRIVING PAST PROTESTERS AND SIGN READING 'IMPEACHED'
- Embargoed: 2nd January 2020 05:38
- Keywords: Donald Trump Michigan impeachment impeachment vote rally supporters
- Location: BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, UNITED STATES
- City: BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001BAN62BR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump condemned the Democratic-led impeachment vote against him at a rally in Battle Creek, Michigan on Wednesday (December 18).
The House of Representatives' passage of two articles of impeachment on a mostly party-line vote sets the stage for a trial next month in the Republican-controlled Senate - friendlier terrain for Trump - on whether to convict and remove the Republican president from office.
"It's shameful. He doesn't deserve it," said retiree Dolores Oliver, 66.
"Well, I don't understand how they're going to impeach him when there's no crime that was committed," said high school student Halen Kline, 17.
Thousands of people lined up for hours in freezing temperatures ahead of the campaign rally, billed as a 'Merry Christmas' rally.
A protest against Trump was held in Battle Creek earlier in the day, with demonstrators gathering behind an illuminated sign reading 'Impeached.'
(Production: Jane Ross) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None