At March for Life, Trump gets mixed reviews

Washington D.C., Jan 24, 2020 / 16:45 pm

On Friday, President Donald Trump became the first U.S. president to address the March for Life in person. His appearance was greeted by pro-lifers with both excitement and hesitation.

The presence of the president brought with it additional security, similar to when Vice President Mike Pence spoke at the pre-march rally in 2017. 

Trump's decision to attend personally, instead of via video message as in past years, meant attendees were prevented from bringing certain items to the rally, faced long lines, and had to pass through metal detectors before entering the Mall.

The extra measures discouraged some potential attendees, who stayed away, worried that the logistics of juggling security and children would be too much. 

Connie Poulos told CNA that she had already decided, reluctantly, to skip this year's march due rather than face the event solo with her young son. The news that Trump was speaking at the rally made her feel "less bad" about missing the event, because she feared the president would alienate non-Republicans. 

"As a pro-life person, I think the movement needs all the help it can get to cross party lines," she said.

While signs are always commonplace at the March for Life, this year's had a distinctly partisan bent. Familiar "Vote Life" or "Choose Life" signs manufactured by the Knights of Columbus were joined this time by "Pro-Life Voices For Trump" and "Most Pro-Life President Ever" signs with pictures of president. These signs were supplied by the RNC and were distributed at the rally by volunteers.  

Despite hesitation by some, most attendees CNA spoke with said they were happy about the president's appearance.  

"President Trump is one of the greatest presidents that this country has ever had. A man who has a heart after God to do what God has called him to do, in spite of [what] anybody else thinks or [does]," Barbara Bell, who described herself as a "black American who loves the Lord Jesus Christ, and loves President Trump," told CNA. 

Bell, who is 70 years old, told CNA she was attending her fortieth March for Life in 2020. She came down from Massachusetts for the event, and said she was even more excited than usual when she heard that Trump would be speaking. 

While politically independent, Bell said that she was impressed with what Trump had accomplished during his time in office. 

Mimi Vertrees, an 18 year old attending the March for Life for the first time, traveled to DC from Nashville, Tennessee. She carried a sign reading "Stop Calling Violence Feminism," and she told CNA that she believed there is a "misconception" about feminism because of its embrace of abortion.

Vertrees said she thought it was "amazing" that Trump was coming to address the March for Life, and that she was "so excited" when she found out he would be coming. She stressed that she thought it was important for the president to be physically present at the event.

One young woman was en route to Washington when she found out that Trump would be speaking at the rally. Quinley Fawks, who traveled 22 hours on a bus from Salisbury, Missouri to attend the March for Life, said that finding out Trump was coming heightened her anticipation. 

After it was announced on Wednesday that Trump would be attending the rally, Fawks told CNA, her bus leader made the announcement, and "everyone was really excited. We were surprised and happy." 

This was Fawks' second time attending the March for Life, and she said that she made the choice to embark on the long journey because "We're here to save the babies." 

One rally attendee who was not excited to see Trump was Clarence Richard of Minnetonka, Minnesota. Richard was dressed as Uncle Sam, and his hat read "U.S. Army Veteran" and "Remove the GOP." 

Richard was most upset by Trump's policies at the southern border, which resulted in children being separated from their parents. He carried two dolls, which he said were meant to "represent the young children at the border." 

While this was Richard's first March for Life, he said he had been a longtime supporter of the pro-life cause. 

"This is bananas," said Richard. "We shouldn't be allowing [Trump] to speak. 

Each year the March for Life winds its way past the Canadian embassy, where a small contingent of Canadians come out to show their support. Valerie Luetke of Oakville, Ontario, was one of the people there this year. 

This said this was her first trip to the March for Life in the United States, but she had attended the Canadian March for Life in Ottawa several times. 

"We just kind of wanted to see how big it is, how passionate [everyone] is, and of course, Trump is speaking," Luetke said. She told CNA that she found Trump's speech to be "amazing," especially because Justin Trudeau, the prime minister of Canada, is publicly against the pro-life cause, she said. 

"It's really inspiring," she said. "I know not everyone supports him for all of his policies, but I think the fact that he's here is really amazing."

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