Above, 5/26/16, Bismarck, North Dakota, Crowd lines up for Donald Trump rally and remarks about energy policy, Bismarck Times, #23 in gallery
May 26, 2016, "More than 7,000 attend Trump speech," Bismarck Tribune, Nick Smith
"Republican Party presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump electrified a crowd of more than 7,000 Thursday afternoon in the Bismarck Event Center, delivering his first major address on energy policy at the conclusion of this year’s Williston Basin Petroleum Conference.
Trump,
whose support from North Dakota national convention delegates put him
over the top for securing the party’s nomination earlier in the day,
told the crowd he’d eliminate regulation he says is killing the fossil
fuel industry as well as be favorable to additional pipeline projects
and exports of American oil.
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“We will accomplish a complete
American energy independence,” Trump said. “We’re going to turn
everything around. We are going to make it right.”
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He thanked the North Dakota delegates for putting him over the top. “I will always remember that,” Trump said.
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For
those hoping to witness a dose of the sharp rhetoric that’s been a
staple of his unconventional and eyebrow-raising campaign, he didn’t
disappoint.
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Trump vowed to
reverse the energy policy of President Barack Obama’s administration,
which he said has been devastating to industry and inflicted pain on
states such as North Dakota that rely heavily on the energy sector.
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“If President Obama wanted to weaken America, he couldn’t have done a better job,” Trump said.
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Among
the policies he’d push to undo is the Environmental Protection Agency’s
emissions rules targeting coal-fired power plants. The U.S. Supreme
Court earlier this year voted 5-4 to halt implementation of the rules
governing new and existing power plants for now.
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“How stupid is that?” Trump said of the emissions rules.
He
also slammed the Environment Protection Agency’s Waters of the United
State rule, which he said would cause significant damage to American
energy production and kill jobs.
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Trump
had the crowd in the palm of his hand, a sea of people dotted with
Trump hats and shirts with his campaign slogan, “Make America Great
Again.” He drew wave after wave of raucous applause when outlining how
optimistic he is at the prospect of North Dakota and the country’s
energy future.
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“You’re at the
forefront of a new energy revolution,” said Trump, adding that the
country has unlocked energy reserves previously unimaginable with new
technologies, such as hydraulic fracturing. “We’re loaded. We had no
idea how rich we are.”
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The
first 100 days of a potential Trump administration also riled up the
crowd: He said he’d rescind executive orders by Obama that he believes
are job killers as well as work to eliminate the emissions and water
rules.
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“Is this regulation good for the American worker?” Trump said. Those who heard Trump speak gave his speech an enthusiastic thumbs-up.
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“I
think from what we see on TV he had a much more detailed presentation.
He was really well-informed on the issues,” Whitney Bell, of New Town,
said.
Bell said the crowd was
fantastic and responded well to Trump's message, which he reiterated was
more detailed than mere sound-bites.
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Jason Bohrer, president of the Lignite Energy Council, said he was impressed with Trump’s focus on deregulation.
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“I
heard what I wanted to hear and more. Trump is a different kind of
politician; he communicates in a way that a lot of other people don’t,”
Bohrer said.
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North Dakota
Petroleum Council President Ron Ness said he was thrilled by how the
speech went as well as the overwhelming reaction from the crowd.
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“I’ve
been to a lot of Class B state championships in this building; this was
equal to that,” Ness said. “The energy just rolled in.”
Ness said his America-first message resonated with people and he expects it to become a staple of his campaign.
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“That
speech was loaded with specifics. He backed that up with a lot of
numbers. I didn’t hear anything that isn’t achievable,” Ness said.
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Trump
tapped Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., earlier this month to help in
providing him with energy policy advice. Cramer wrote a white paper on
energy policy relating to federal regulations, the importance of the
fossil fuel industry and other topics, which hasn’t yet been released.
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Cramer was one of the first members of Congress to openly endorse Trump prior to his last opponents dropping out of the race.
North
Dakota Republican Party chairman Kelly Armstrong said he heard what he
needed to hear from Trump on eliminating government regulations,
reducing taxes and protecting the energy industry. As chairman,
Armstrong is one of North Dakota’s 28 delegates to the national
Republican Party convention July 18-21 in Cleveland.
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“Tremendously good for the people of North Dakota,” Armstrong said of Trump’s positions.
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Rep.
Rick Becker, R-Bismarck, said he didn’t hear much of anything new in
Trump’s speech but will be taking time to learn more on him prior to
attending the national convention.
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“He’s emphasizing some really good points,” Becker said. Becker was a staunch supporter of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz before he ended his campaign. “I’m still, I say, undecided,” Becker said.
On
the Democratic Party side, a hard-fought delegate battle is hitting the
final torrid stretch between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
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The
Associated Press delegate count gives Clinton a 1,769 to 1,497 lead
over Sanders as of Thursday. When superdelegates are factored in
Clinton’s lead grows to 2,309 to 1,539; a total of 2,383 delegates are
needed to secure the party’s nomination although a contested national
party convention is expected.
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The
Democrats have six remaining states with delegates up for grabs June 7
including North Dakota. Sanders made multiple stops in the state earlier
this month including Bismarck. Clinton’s husband, former president Bill
Clinton, has also visited the state as well as other supporters of her
campaign."
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