The day before the world changed
On a chilly Monday evening, Robert Morss was already making plans for a party.
“Tomorrow is the big day,” said Morss. “At my house, I’m hosting this shindig. Show up, drink Yuengling,” he said. “A requirement,” he added, “since Yuengling endorsed Donald Trump.”
Tomorrow would be Tuesday, November 8, 2016 — Election Day.
After his open invitation, Morss, chairman of the Penn State Bull-Moose Party, went on to ask members during their executive meeting about Eric Trump’s visit to State College earlier in the day. Morss was not allowed to be present by local party officials for Trump’s visit at the GOP office downtown because he failed to phone bank and canvass like many of his group’s members did throughout the semester.
“Is he a good dude or is he all talk?” Morss asked.
“It came off as sincere and genuine as could be expected for somebody who probably did that at least 200 times in the last three weeks,” responded member Vincent Cucchiara.
“They weren’t supposed to have media, but then they ended up having media and he did some interviews,” said Chris Baker, who handles public relations for the group and was instrumental in setting up the group’s most talked-about events over the semester, including a wall set up around the American flag at Penn State’s Old Main Lawn.
“It’s cool because that’ll come out tomorrow [in the newspapers], on Election Day,” he said.
During the visit, Eric Trump, along with a few secret service agents, stepped outside the GOP office for a few minutes to meet supporters swarming the building. “Thank you all so much for coming,” Trump said to the crowd, who were mixing chants of “Trump!” and “lock her up!”
“Tomorrow, we’re going to make America great again!” he said to more cheers.
After hearing more reactions to Trump’s visit, Morss turned to the perceived slight by the local officials.
“I have no animosity whatsoever to these comments that were made about me not doing jack sh — ,” he said. “Like, I don’t care. Frankly, they can go f — — themselves.”
“Getting Trump elected, that’s our main prerogative,” he added.
One grudge moved to the other during the meeting.
“Why do we allow media in there?” asked another student, Kyle Dulski. Baker explained that the exposure was good, as long as it was controlled.
“They should’ve just told Patrick Cines to f — — off,” Dulski responded. “He’s the guy who released our sh — . They should’ve given him the boot.”
Cines, a reporter for the student-run Penn State blog Onward State, broke the story of a group chat among several Bull-Moose Party members, including former Chairman Dmitri Loutsik, engaging in vulgar conversations.
Messages included rape jokes and homophobic slurs. “[The Penn State College Republicans] are just bending over with their pants at their ankles so Hillary can anal rape them with a strap on. I guess Straw is into that,” one message read, referring to openly gay College Republicans President Michael Straw.
The situation was the Bull-Moose Party’s “Access Hollywood” moment.
“I don’t remember being a part of those messages,” Loutsik said after the election with a smile. “I think that most people, when they talk in private amongst friends, they’re going to sound different than if they would talk in the public realm,” he said.
“I don’t think you should be infiltrating someone’s private conversations,” Baker said. Besides, Baker adds, “they wrongfully attributed it to the group!” He said that although members of the group were in the conversation, it shouldn’t be seen as a representative view of the group overall.
Even with denial of any involvement, Loutsik said that he learned from the ordeal. “In some sense, I am semi-glad that it happened because the whole experience did teach me some life lessons that I have since taken to heart.”
A week after its release, Loutsik and Vice Chairman Felippe Maher both resigned, and Morss was chosen as chairman with less than a month to go before election day.
26 days after his election, Morss wanted to share some final thoughts before the group adjourned for the night, and possibly for good.
“The fact of the matter is, I love you guys,” he said.
“As the Chairman of this club, this is where my heart is. The election aside — Trump be damned — we want to Make America Great Again. That’s what I’m focused on.”
Morss made one last plea to the light audience of nine. “Tomorrow, if you have a minute to yourself, dedicate it to the Republicans taking the White House, the senate and the Supreme Court,” he said. “Get your friends on it, get your family on it. Let them know that this is our one shot. We’ve got 24 hours to have a hand in the way our country’s direction is headed in the next four years, eight years,” he said. “If it even lasts that long.”
47 hours later, Morss convened the next general meeting.
“Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force,” said Morss in a packed room with a sea of red hats and reporters clicking away in the back. He was quoting George Washington. “Like fire, a troublesome servant, and a fearful master. Never for a moment, should it be left to irresponsible action.”
“And last night, my friends, we all confirmed that it will not be for at least the next four years,” Morss added, raising a balled fist. “Donald Trump!” he exclaimed to a jubilant audience.
“I know that the stats say that Centre county voted blue — I think it was rigged,” he joked. “Everyone worked so hard to get that man in office and I’m proud of each and every one of you here. Thank you guys so much,” he said.
“Let’s Make America Great Again!”
