There was no admission of the weakness from the president when he landed on Air Force One at Sanford International Airport – driving the crowd into a short frenzy as they applauded for his expected grand comeback.
Eleven days after its announcement Corona VirusDonald Trump was punching the air victoriously, claiming to be immune, throwing masks at the crowd and offering to kiss “beautiful men and women.”
If he manages to get through the crowded crowd, it’s not unreasonable to imagine some actually kissing him on the show.
But aside from the fact that Mr.Trump is now negative for the coronavirus, according to his doctors, everything else completely felt in 2016: the music and the applause lines – I felt like I was walking around for a period of time.
There was the same enthusiasm that I saw for four years in covering Trump. But he wasn’t completely feverish, nor did he look fully mobile or powerful.
He still excites people here, and many of those I have spoken to portray him as a great survivor, dispelling what they call the myths liberals flirt with about the deadly Coronavirus.
Much of the crowd believes the virus has been amplified and the president is living proof of how quickly one can rebound from.
Political regression is what he needs. Some polls are causing him to fall big here, others are putting him in the neck with Biden.
In fact, the country often wins or loses due to thin margins. The fact that the president returns to office on Friday indicates that he is not taking anything for granted. There is no true Republican road to victory without Florida.
Townspeople call it “Disneyland for the Elderly,” but away from manicured lawns and harmonious smiles, there’s a war being waged … over golf carts – the favorite car here.
Typically this is a trusted Republican stronghold – but a shift is afoot.
Last week, about 100 4x4s had the nerve to roll around under the banner of ‘Ridin’ for Biden. It’s a warning sign for a president who did well from the elderly vote in 2016.
Polls say Mr Trump’s reaction to the pandemic and how he has managed his confrontation with it has damaged his standing with voters 65 and older.
Evrin, who took me on a tour of Biden’s rainbow wagon, says the president’s response to the pandemic “will be a big factor with voters.”
It is believed that enough is enough to topple Trump in Florida.
I asked a group of 10 women – who dance in all kinds of neons – to whom they vote.
Six say Biden and four to Trump. Some tell me they have had enough, and it’s all about personality and judgment.
Someone describes Mr. Trump as “totally incompetent.”
But Ginni Mantel is convinced that this region, like the country, will go to Mr. Trump again.
“This is Trump’s land,” she says. “We have 600-700 vehicles, and two weeks later Biden showed up and they have 100 vehicles. They’re doing Ridin ‘with Biden because they can’t get on the Trump train.”