CLEVELAND — As Donald Trump moves closer to a coronation during the Republican National Convention, supporters swarm the streets. As polls suggest, most are older, white men.
But not Steven Scott, 18, of Mansfield. He drove to Cleveland Wednesday with a friend, Daniel Gregg, also from Mansfield — to people watch.
“Yeah, we’re not really taking any sort of political stances,” Scott said in Cleveland’s public square, which was alive with hundreds of protesters, demonstrators, presidential supporters and members of the media.
Scott said he would vote for Trump if the election came down to him and the presumptive democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. But he’s still unsure when it comes to the republican choice.
“If he toned it down a little, I would totally (support Trump),” he said. “He’s not very nice, you know with cussing on T.V. and he doesn’t follow the rules.”
He said he would rather have a president who acted presidential and more like a diplomat. But he will still vote for Trump — unlike Gregg.
“I’m definitely going to vote. I just think I’ll vote independent,” Gregg said, as his friend rolled his eyes.
“You’re basically throwing away your vote then,” Scott said in response to Gregg.
“I know,” Gregg said, smiling. “I guess I’m just stubborn.”
The youngsters were not alone in Public Square Wednesday. Kevin Kvasnicka, 22, of Lakewood, Ohio, took a more direct stance. He said he supports the real estate mogul primarily for his economic policy and his views on immigration.
“I just think that he is the only one that’s going to make sure he takes care of America first,” Kvasnicka said Wednesday, standing in Public Square as hundreds gathered to demonstrate various political stances.
When asked what he thought when Trump is labeled as a racist, sexist and bigot, Kvasnicka made a casual chide.
“Mudslinging, that’s cool. I think when candidates don’t know what else to do, they devolve to name calling. They need to reason, use rationality. But it’s going to happen, and that’s cool.”
Kvasnicka also carried a 1942 Mosin Magant rifle.
“I’m doing it to de-stigmatize gun ownership. A lot of people think that gun owners are irrational, violent people. That’s just not the case,” he said.
Many people present on Public Square carried weapons. Some used holsters for pistols, others carried assault rifles over their shoulders. Some did both. But not without being closely monitored by several police officers.
