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NY Times Reporter Gets Shredded After Criticizing Trump For Lap At Daytona 500

   DailyWire.com
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump ride in the Presidential limousine as they take a pace lap ahead of the start of the Daytona 500 Nascar race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, February 16, 2020. - They made a complete lap a first with the full fleet of racing cars, according to a top NASCAR official. President Trump crossed the finish line. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / POOL / AFP) (Photo by
SAUL LOEB/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

If Barack Obama had done it, the mainstream media would’ve gone nuts.

But it was President Trump who took a lap on the Daytona International Speedway, so of course it was the worst thing that’s ever happened in the history of the world.

Trump flew into Daytona on Sunday (swooping over the crowd at just 800 feet in Air Force One) and served as grand marshal for the big NASCAR race (he even got to say, “Gentlemen, start your engines!”).

And in a fantastic first, Trump took his presidential limo known as The Beast out onto the 2.5-mile track to serve as pace car for the full field of 40 racers (which at least one driver really loved).

But one New York Times reporter — clearly suffering from TDS (Trump Derangement Syndrome) — found the whole thing objectionable.

“Using the official apparatus of government for what appears to be a political event,” Maggie Haberman wrote on Twitter, linking to another post from an NBC reporter.

Other Twitterers quickly pointed out the absurdity of Haberman’s claim.

“I’m sorry, but this is just an absurd characterization of what’s actually happening here and describing it this way betrays a real bias,” wrote Mark Hemingway, senior writer at RealClearInvestigations.

“To be blunt, get a life, Maggie. Obama went to a #MarchMadness game and that was fine. Relax. I know the #Daytona500 is the opposite of what The Times represents readership-wise, but chill,” wrote Curtis Houck, managing editor at NewsBusters.

“What did you want him to ride in? An Uber?” wrote another.

“Wait until you learn that the president rides in that thing to literal campaign events,” wrote yet another.

One person pointed out that Obama had used the presidential limo in a bit for a comedian’s TV show.

Haberman eventually defended herself, saying she would have made “the same observation if it was Obama in this car.”

When Air Force One on Sunday flew into the Daytona International Airport, right next to the speedway, the plane first swooped over the track at an estimated altitude of 800 feet. The crowd went nuts.

Fox showed the flyby live.

“I have been to a lot of Daytona 500s,” one commentator said as Air Force One flew in, “never have I felt the excitement and energy. We’ve got great racing on the track but we’ve got the president landing right now, the fans are pumped up, I mean, wow, what a day!”

“It’s one of the most incredible things I’ve ever seen,” said another commentator. “They said that plane’s 800 feet above the racetrack right now. What an entrance by the president of the United States!”

Trump, with First Lady Melania by his side, gave a short speech as grand marshal just before the race. When he was introduced, the crowd applauded loudly, with some chanting “four more years.”

“My fellow race fans,” Trump said, “the Daytona 500 is a legendary display. … Rubber will burn, fans will scream and the great American race will begin.”

Trump also thanked the “tens of thousands of patriots” gathered at the speedway and touted the race as “pure American glory.” No matter who wins, he told the crowd, “what matters most is God, family and country.”

After Trump as grand marshal said, “Gentlemen, start your engines!” Trump boarded The Beast and, with a U.S. and presidential flag on the front fenders flapping in the wind, headed out onto the track. The limo stayed down on the apron throughout its lap because the turns are steeply banked for speeds of at least 70 mph as it paced the full field of cars, another first.

The drivers loved it, too.

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