(SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.) — Billed as “the most consequential presidential debate since Kennedy versus Nixon,” the San Francisco GOP hosted a watch party Tuesday evening drawing almost 200 Trump supporters to a Haight sports bar in this liberal Mecca where 7.6 percent of registered voters are Republican.
The Mad Dog in the Fog bar was filled with enthusiastic supporters sporting MAGA hats, bright red outfits and patriotic costume jewelry as they watched the debate on 20 television screens. The crowd frequently applauded and laughed when the former president delivered zingers like “I’m talking now,” “He hates her,” and “I fired ‘em!” Trump’s comments that he created “the greatest economy in history” and that he would deport “criminal immigrants” prompted an ovation.
Watchers shouted, “That’s a lie!” when Harris said she supported fracking in Pennsylvania and later asserted that Putin would be in Kyiv if Trump were president. Kathleen, who preferred not to give her last name and described herself as a conservative Catholic retiree, thinks Trump will be more respected than Harris by Xi, Putin, and Kim Jung Un.
Based on the volume of clapping and cheers, there were no visible gender divides when reacting to and supporting the former president as women’s reproductive rights were discussed.
As the debate concluded, the audience threw fist punches in the air pleased with Trump’s performance. As for Kathleen, she is thankful “Trump has re-energized the GOP.”