Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Jeff Phillips got a super thrill on Super Tuesday. While many Americans were in the voting booths, Phillips was spending the morning in the room with the man at the top of the Republican ticket – President Donald J. Trump.
Phillips was in Washington DC on Tuesday, March 3 along with hundreds of county officials from all over the country, and he got to see the president up close and personal. He sat at one of the choicest tables in the place.
When the lowly Guilford County official was asked how he got a seat at a table right next to Trump, Phillips said he just told people he was a member of the US Secret Service. Then he told the actual story.
“I initially sat down beside a commissioner from Utah – great guy, decent spot, but quite a bit further back,” Phillips said. “We hit it off and were having a great conversation. He then asked if I wanted his VIP seat up toward the front since he wasn’t going to use it.”
Phillips said the president’s talk was jam-packed.
“Trump talked about all the great things that have happened in America since he was elected – jobs, unemployment levels, rebuilding of our military, higher average national wages, deregulation, record economic growth, record stock market levels, tax reform, etc.,” the chairman said.
Phillips said he’s impressed with what the president has been able to accomplish in his first term.
“The list goes on and on and on,” he said. “It’s pretty amazing in little more than three years.”
Of course, Trump is Trump, so he couldn’t help but work some politics into the speech on Super Tuesday, when, to a large extent, Trump’s Democratic opponent was being determined in 14 states that day.
Phillips recounted, “He kept saying, ‘This is not supposed to be political,’ just before he said something political. Of course, it wouldn’t be Trump if he didn’t go off script from sometimes.”
Phillips said Trump told the assembled county officials, “As long as I am your president, the federal government will be in your corner!”
Phillips also mentioned one comment that caused the crowd to erupt, seemingly to Trump’s surprise: “People with mental illness should not primarily be cared for in our jails!”
“There was some good stuff,” Phillips summarized.
Then there were some “Four More Years” and “USA, USA, USA” chants as Trump closed his remarks.
Several Guilford County commissioners attended the conference but had to get back early and could not hang around until Tuesday. One commissioner, Guilford County Commissioners Skip Alston, said before the conference that he was intentionally not going to see the president because he does not care what Trump has to say. Alston said he didn’t want to waste his time meeting someone like that.
Shame on you Skip!!
Many years ago, I started to go to Skip’s Dog House for a hot dog, but quickly decided I would NOT give my business to anyone as openly racist as Skip was (and still is). It was the right decision. I’m thinking that Skip sold the place, and I don’t know if it’s even there anymore. These days, when I want a hot dog I look for a street vendor downtown.
Close mindedness has no place in any seat of our government. Out with personal agendas, in with willingness to work together! Yes, shame on you Skip…. what if Guilford Co had that mindset with you?
I am so disappointed that our selfish Skip Alston was selected again to be a commissioner.If Anyone else had the opportunity to meet the President of the US,That would be a highlight.But Skip decided he would not meet , my guess is that the President was of a different party than our wonderful Skip so he didn’t care to even be in his presence.When I was growing up it was an honor to meet a President regardless of party .We have so many negative people today that do not respect the values of this country. Go Trump and have a landslide this November.