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On this 250th independence anniversary, President Trump's alternative Freedom m 250 Great American State Fair is being widely panned as a fabulous flop with overpriced food, a sad Ferris wheel and very small crowds. And Democrats in a new report accused the White House of creating rather cheating the American people out of their big celebration.
We will note that a Freedom 250 spokesperson told MSNOW the accusations in that report are categorically false. They sidelined America 250, they siphoned off at least $100 million of public money into TO THIS SHELL COMPANY, THEY HOUSED IT WITHIN A TRUSTED CHARITY THAT HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR FOR 50 YEARS, THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION. THAT WAS TO CONFUSE PEOPLE BUT ALSO TO GIVE THEM THE BENEFIT OF TOTAL SECRECY SO THAT THEY COULD PROCEED TO AWARD THEMSELVES HUGE NO-BID CONTRACTS.
DILLA SPRINKLEY IS BACK WITH I'M GOING TO BE WITH ME. DOUG THE PRESIDENT APPEARS TO PREFER LARGE EVENTS WITH HIM RIGHT AT THE CENTER OF ALL THE POMP AND PAGEANTRY BUT HOW ARE PEOPLE IN SMALLER CITIES and towns and rural areas left to feel about their place in this iteration of America.
Well, that's precisely my concern. I mean, the good news is in our cities and towns, villages, hamlets, people are celebrating the 4th in a traditional way, however they want. I still believe in the essential Americana 4th of July parade where we honor our veterans of war, our wounded warriors, where we give high school students a chance to be either as an instrumentalist or doing some other kind of, you know, thespian role on a float. It always feels good, but the the largesse of what's happening, I mean, the mall's a bust because Donald Trump's not suited for thinking this stuff through.
First off, state fairs should be in the state. I mean, I love, I recommend to everybody listening read David Foster Wallace's essay about the Illinois State Fair some, a decade ago now. Brilliant. And I used to always go to the Ohio State Fair, loved it. I like county fairs. So I get the idea that President Trump thought, let's bring it to the mall. But when electricity goes out, the Ferris wheel built there, a great American invention by George Washington Ferris at the 1893 Columbian Exhibition. So it's a Americana, but when done work, it doesn't work. And of course the heat and the burning up. I think they're canceling stuff in Philadelphia now because of the heat. You about to mention climate change. How do you deal with what's happening and be afraid to mention climate change like an ostrich. Put your head in the ground, that's not it. I mean, the winner, I suppose on that whole mall thing was the Texas Pavilion, because they blasted the air conditioning up. That's all people were looking for, a refuge from it.
With that said, night will come and let's hope everybody has a good time. Let's hope the fireworks are great everywhere. Security is great and we'll move on, but it'll be seen as a dud. This great American state fair comes to the mall gig and also the cost. We're talking $9 for a lemonade. I'm looking at up to $24 .96 for a stuffed pretzel roll. There was only one particular, I mean, come on, the food options were far from cheap. The last one I'll offer is $23 for a turkey legs. That's almost twice what it costs at Disney, right? And we know how much Disney charges when you go.
But let me play something for you, part of what Maryland Governor Wes Moore said in his 4th of July address today about the difference between the difference between patriotism and nationalism. Let's watch. Patriotism asks you to fight for values and an ideal. Today's version of nationalism asks you to fight for a person or a group. Patriotism wants you to build something bigger than yourself, but nationalism emboldens people to feel bigger than somebody else. To name the grievance, to find the target, to give people someone to blame.
Doug, is this grievance culture new for America or is it perhaps more encouraged in these times? I think it's more encouraged in these times and, you know, but what's more there, I've heard that speech and it was perfectly said. You can overdo patriotism in a wrong way. I don't mean wearing an Uncle Sam costume or saying, you know, screaming, go America and the World Cup. You know, there's a Bob Dylan line that patriotism is the last refuge to which a scoundrel clings. I mean, a lot of scoundrels will live on patriotism. Is it real patriotism? It's not a word, patriotism. It's an action. When the Vietnam War occurred, Donald Trump had an opportunity to show his patriotism, but he declared bone spurs and then later mocked people like John McCain, who said POW.
I mean, where is the value of his to believe anybody didn't feel reamed if they went and attendance is low. And I wish it was a bigger and more favorable event for our country, but it just was not. And that's not even getting into the big ticket price that you pointed out. Just nothing was really great about it.
Well, what was great is having you share part of your Fourth of July holiday with me, Douglas Brinkley. Thank you, my friend. Appreciate your expert. Thank you always. Wonderful knowledge. Thank you. for America's 250th,