13,000 rally for Trump as he returns to campaign trail in Charleston, West Virginia, Charleston Civic Center-AP, Washington Post

5/5/16, W. Virginia Trump rally

5/5/16, W. Va.

Above, "@realDonaldTrump, conducting the rest of "Take Me Home, Country Roads" -- the song he walked out to in WV tonight, Jeremy Diamond Verified account ‏@JDiamond1," CNN reporter   

5/5/16, "Trump returns to campaign trail, targets Clinton on coal," AP, Jill Colvin, via Washington Post, Charleston, West. Va.

"Republican Donald Trump returned to the campaign trail for his first rally as his party’s presumptive nominee on Thursday night, delivering a series of searing attacks against likely rival Hillary Clinton and making clear he has no intention of toning down the rhetoric that drove his spectacular rise.

5/5/16, W. Va.

Trump, arriving to John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” betrayed a hint of wistfulness about wrapping up the nomination more quickly than he and his aides had expected. Rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich suddenly ended their campaigns this week, making his visit to West Virginia, which votes May 10, largely symbolic.

“I actually wish the primaries were not over. It’s no fun this way,” he told the crowd of about 13,000 packed into a Charleston stadium.

“I want the primaries to keep going, but everybody’s out. I’m the only one left,” he said.

Trump drilled down on his economic message, vowing to renegotiate trade deals, punish companies for outsourcing jobs and revive the state’s waning coal industry. He mugged for the cameras in a hard hat presented by a local coal association and cracked a joke about his famous hair really being his.
And after months of bragging about largely self-funding his own campaign — a decision that was praised again and again by his supporters— Trump for the first time acknowledged at a rally that he plans to begin actively soliciting contributions....

Trump focused his attention on Clinton, criticizing, in particular, a remark she made in a March saying, “We’re going to put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business.” Clinton said this week she’d made “a misstatement” while campaigning in the state.

Trump, whose team had passed out signs that read, “Trump Digs Coal,” said that, if he’s elected, “We’re going to put the miners back to work.”

“You’re going to be working your asses off,” he told the miners in the crowd.

Trump also blasted the Clinton family’s charitable foundation, to which he has donated, as “a scam.”"...

Images: Top, Charleston, W. Virginia Trump rally, screen shot from video by Trump2016 twitter, an official Trump site  

Second: "And now for something completely different, Donald Trump in a hard hat," via David Martosko, Daily Mail


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5/5/16, W. Va.

5/5/16, W. Va.

5/5/16, "Thousands await Trump rally in West Virginia," Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Charles Booth

"Thousands jammed the Charleston Civic Center Thursday
afternoon for the Donald Trump rally. 
 
Some had been waiting since the early morning hours, but the doors did not open until after 4 p.m. as security measures were tight and lines formed at each checkpoint.

Ronnie McCall, a retired coal miner from Mullens, said he had been waiting since 11 a.m.

He said he supported Trump and didn't mind waiting because he thought the candidate is the man who can "get the job done."

"It's worth the wait to see him," he said. "He can get the job done. And even if he can't do what he says he wants to do, he'll be a sight better than what we've got."

Randy Thomas of St. Albans agreed.

"He's for the people," Thomas said of Trump. "He's not a politician. He's not afraid to be himself."

As the cool temperatures covered the city a light ran fell all afternoon, and more and more supporters came, undaunted by the weather.

On the streets surrounding the civic centers, vendors plied Trump merchandise, taking on an air of a NASCAR race.

Charleston Police Officer J.D. Deal said everything had been very peaceful, with no protesters in sight.

"They may come," he said. "But I would not advise it in this crowd."

By 5 p.m., the main floor of the civic center was full and a group of supports had been placed directly behind where Trump will speak, with placards in hand, and some wearing coal miners' hats. Trump is set to speak at 7 p.m."

Images from Bluefield Daily Telegraph:

First: "Thousands wait in line to see Donald Trump outside of the Charleston Civic Center," Eric DiNovo 

Second: "Coal miners await the start of a Donald Trump rally in West Virginia." 

Third: "On the streets surrounding the civic centers, vendors plied Trump merchandise, taking on an air of a NASCAR race."

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5/5/16, "Trump champions coal mining, mocks Clinton in West Virginia," LA Times, Michael Finnegan

"The exuberant West Virginia crowd was a fitting one for Trump's first rally as the Republican presidential nominee in waiting. The state's primary on Tuesday no longer matters much, but he showed up nonetheless for the rally he’d scheduled before rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich dropped out of the race. 

Trump walked on stage to John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” When the music faded, the crowd kept singing, “West Virginia, mountain mama,” as Trump waved his arms like a conductor. 

“I want the primaries to keep going, but everybody’s out,” he joked. “I’m the only one left.” 

Trump then ridiculed Hillary Clinton for trying to explain what she meant when she said her energy policies would put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business. The crowd booed the mention of Trump's presumed Democratic rival in November.
...........
Trump also blasted the Obama administration for what he called its ridiculous regulations on coal, and he praised the “Trump Digs Coal” signs held up by his supporters. 

“That’s true – I do,” said Trump who has rejected calls for reducing fossil fuels consumption."...

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