‘The Daily Show’ takes us inside a MAGA rally–and it’s still weird

The announcement of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate has only increased the enthusiasm around the Democratic presidential campaign. Thousands of people are lining up to see the two at rallies.

It’s another story for Republicans. “The Daily Show” correspondent Jordan Klepper filmed a field piece at a MAGA rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, this weekend. Having covered numerous MAGA events over the years, Klepper wanted to check in on a group that has spent a lot of time attacking President Joe Biden, only to find out he is no longer running against convicted felon Donald Trump.

What Klepper ran into in Harrisburg didn’t feel particularly exciting, but it sure was full of insults, finger pointing, and conspiracy theories.

Joy is not his thing.

“Do you think Kamala is qualified to be president?” Klepper asked one MAGA-clad man who responded, “somebody that cackles all the time, and laughs at everything under the sun? Are you kidding me?”

“A woman experiencing joy, not your thing,” Klepper replied.

When one MAGA attendee explained that his big problem with Harris was that, “she’s backpedaling on all her previous comments,” and that he believed Ohio Sen. JD Vance would “stand up for Trump,” Klepper wanted to be clear on what.

Klepper: He’ll stand up to the people who compare Donald Trump to Hitler.

Man: Yeah.

Klepper:  What happens if those people are also JD Vance?

Finally, it wouldn’t be a MAGA event if it wasn’t chock full of conspiracy theories around the attempt on Trump’s life. Everyone from former president Barack Obama to the “deep state” is a suspect according to the people Klepper interviewed.

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This guy doesn’t get why people are calling the MAGA movement “weird.”

“Does it surprise you to hear that it was a disgruntled white guy? A Republican gun nut?” Klepper asked one woman. 

“No,” she responds, “because you know what? We’ll never know why he was picked.” 

“Disgruntled white guy who’s into guns at a Trump rally.” Klepper follows the blunted logic of the conspiracy theory. “It’s like a ‘Where’s Waldo?’ situation. It’s like, oh my God, who doesn’t fit that profile?” 

“Exactly,” she agrees.

Most of Trump’s time has been spent either in a court of law, or asking billionaires for money. But the aggrieved MAGA movement continues to hold rallies and sometimes you just have to take the air out of their balloon.

Enjoy!

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