Why T-shirt cannons could help re-elect President Donald Trump

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — “We’re in a battle for the soul of this nation,” President Donald J. Trump bellowed to applause Saturday night, looking out on a sea of young faces dotted with red MAGA hats.

His audience? Young conservatives from across the country, representatives of growing movement with chapters on college campuses across the U.S, gathered in West Palm Beach. They departed Sunday after the conference concluded.

“I’m on the ballot this time We’re going to have record setting [turnout],” Trump said to the very young people that Republicans hope with energize some of that turnout.

“The RNC or CPAC, mixed with sleep-away camp”

“Should we push the button from the White House?” shouted a man, clad in a black suit, white shirt, black tie and sneakers.

He held up a metal briefcase, inside of which was a glowing red button. As he panned the briefcase before the audience, you could see the lights inside the case that lit up the prop button.

Two days before President Trump’s speech, a crowd of thousands had just watched a pre-taped video of this black-suited man running with the metal briefcase, snatched from the White House Press Room, carried through the halls of Congress, past the Washington Monument, and ending up behind the very stage.

The mysterious man emerged from backstage with the case, live and in living color.

A enthusiastic crowd, billed as the largest gathering of student conservatives in history, shouted, “Yes!”

A smack of the button triggered strobe lights, loud dance music and a room of cheers as Turning Point USA’s annual Student Action Summit officially began.

Not long after, the organization’s founder, 26-year-old conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk, took to the stage as confetti shot out.

“Let's say the pledge of allegiance,” yelled a student as Kirk took the stage. The audience did, seemingly impromptu.

“They hate you,” Kirk shouted to the audience, referencing Democrats who, just the day before his remarks, voted to impeach the president. “[Trump’s] just in [their] way.”

Turning Point’s Student Action Summit, called SAS, is four days of pop music, bright lights, and yes, T-shirt cannons. It's a pep rally of sorts for college Republicans who will, organizers hope, go back to their respective campuses and spread the word that conservatism is cool and deserves their peers' votes.

It's a haven of sorts for young people who feel ostracized for college campuses that remain, particularly in the age of Trump, overwhelmingly liberal.

“How many of you have encountered crazy leftists on your campus?” asked one speaker to cheers and laughter.

“We have Fox viewers here?” asked Fox Host Sean Hannity to cheers. “We have talk radio listeners here?”

Think about that. Young people, mainly ages 18 to 22, shouting that they listen to talk radio.

The medium, thought dead until it was all but saved by conservative commentators, is now cool to college kids. Its conservative personalities are celebrities.

In an 18 to 25 demographic, so often dominated by Democrats and liberal ideals, Turning Point creates both a home for young conservatives and endows them with a mission to convert non-believers.

“Have fun,” Sen. Ted Cruz urged the young attendees. “The left right now, they are so angry.”

As joyful as attendees say the conference is, it's not all cheer. There are just as many “boos" emitted by the crowd as there is applause. Trans-people were lambasted by ultra-conservative speaker Graham Allen to audience applause.

When the names of the president’s enemies are invoked, like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez or Rep. Adam Schiff, the audience erupts in jeers, much like a Trump rally.

The whole thing looks like the Republican National Convention mixed with sleep-away camp.

But the strategy works within the confines of the event. Pairing like-minded conservative kids together, at least at a glance, seems to energize them to the cause.

The cause this time around, particularly in the wake of impeachment: supporting President Donald J. Trump.

"In Trump We Trust"

“This man is changing the Republican Party. I’m no longer a Republican, I’m a Trump Republican,” said Sinclair Broadcast Group personality Eric Bolling to thunderous applause.

Turning Point USA’s Student Action Summit is more Trumpian than Republican at times.

Before Sean Hannity spoke Friday, a sizzle reel promoted Hannity’s interviews with prominent politicians. There was thunderous applause when Trump appeared on screen, diminished applause for former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and one lone attendee clapped for former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, a Trump rival.

The room was silent was Bush appeared on screen again, alongside his brother, former President George W. Bush.

Turning Point’s main claim to fame is its continued attack against socialism, starting the hashtag “Socialism Sucks.”

Some of the group's members were once called “alt-lite” by the Anti-Defamation League for loose ties to far-right groups, which have made reported attempts to infiltrate Turning Point college chapters. But the Anti-Defamation League also acknowledges that Turning Point has made considerable efforts to distance itself from white supremacist elements of the alt-right.

Anti-Socialism is partly where the group’s allegiance still lies. At SAS, popular Texas Republican Congressman Dan Crenshaw delivered an intellectual argument about what he believes are the economic pitfalls of socialism to a quiet, respectful and engaged audience.

Later, Crenshaw retook the stage to hand President Trump the red "no" vote card he used during the impeachment vote to thunderous applause.

In the halls of the conference, attendees embraced Trump’s conservative rhetoric, including boisterous language touting the economy and attacks on the president’s political foes, seemingly ripped from the headlines.

“I wasn’t initially a Trump supporter when he was elected,” said 18-year-old Cooper Stevens, who was clad in a Trump 2020 cape. “Now that he’s going through this impeachment stuff, I’ve decided to show my colors.”

But while MAGA hats dot the crowd, the event still has ties that it will carry on in a post-Trump political environment.

“I don’t agree with everything the president says,” said Vincent Cordalesso, who adds Wednesday’s impeachment was a “sad day” for him as a conservative.

Despite arguments that Republicans are ignoring impeachment for more important issues, the “I-word” was on the minds of many young conservatives at Turning Point. Many said they had been following the vote closely and it made them more likely to support the president.

The crowds defiance summed up by Graham Allen when, speaking hours before President Trump Saturday, took out his phone and shot a video he guaranteed the crowd Speaker Nancy Pelosi would see.

As Graham held his phone toward the audience, the crowd yelled “impeach this.”

A “four more years” chant followed.