Vivek Ramaswamy is not one to back down from a tough situation. So when he saddled up to the task of shedding light on an emotionally charged situation in the news recently in the city of Springfield, Ohio — there was really no guarantee what might happen.
What did happen was an amazing outpouring of appreciation for his honest approach, and a willingness to reciprocate his reasonable style by the residents who showed up for the town hall event.
And then… the powder keg exploded. But not in any way you might have expected, considering the explosive volatility of Springfield at the moment. Watch this:
After receiving a standing ovation at his Springfield, OH town hall, Vivek Ramaswamy gets a question from the audience:
Q: Are you going to run for governor of Ohio?
VIVEK: I’m a little more inclined than I was about 10 seconds ago.
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) September 20, 2024
I don’t think that question was on Vivek’s mind, nor did he expect it to be asked. His response was honest, and heartfelt — having spent a good deal of time talking reasonably with the people of Springfield, and recognizing their need for REAL LEADERSHIP.
It’s not often that people find themselves chasing political office for reasons other than personal ambition, and instead because a crowded room full of people in unison express hope that someone with the wherewithal to handle tough problems might come to their aid.
After receiving a standing ovation at his Springfield, OH town hall, Vivek Ramaswamy gets a question from the audience:
Q: Are you going to run for governor of Ohio?
VIVEK: I’m a little more inclined than I was about 10 seconds ago.
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) September 20, 2024
What do you think? Would Vivek make a good Governor? I’m inclined to say resoundingly “Yes”!
According to a local ABC affiliate, the man who asked the question identified himself as a journalist, and later explained what he had learned during his own time in Springfield:
Late in the event, Ramaswamy was asked if he has plans to run for governor of Ohio, which drew a long, wild applause.
“I’m a little more inclined than I was about 10 seconds ago,” he joked.
The man who asked that question identified himself as a journalist and said what he’s learned in his time in Springfield is that the immigrants are “getting their homes paid for, they drive nicer cars than us and they also get free good. A lot of citizens in Springfield feel completely forgotten.”
Vivek began the discussion with the residents of Springfield by letting them know that he identified with their lack of support from the current leadership of the city, as reported by Fox News, because that’s the going trend all over!
“We’ve been told, mostly by the media, to shut up, sit down, do as you’re told, to sweep it under the rug, or else you’re guilty of some sin,” Ramaswamy began the town hall Thursday evening. “And I just think that the truth in this country is we don’t have to agree on everything. We really don’t. We never have in America. But the beauty of this country is we should be able to talk about it in the open, and that’s what we’re going to do tonight.”
“Our ground rules for tonight is honesty and respect for your fellow citizens,” Ramaswamy told the crowd.
Ramaswamy, a Donald Trump supporter and Ohio native who grew up in nearby Columbus and frequently made visits to Springfield as a child, met with city officials as well as Haitian community leaders prior to the town hall. It was held at a small banquet venue with roughly 200 Springfield residents in the room, with an additional 100 in an overflow room.
And there were quite a few honest, straightforward conversations as a result of his shoot-from-the-hip, yet respectful approach. Check out this lady who clearly was flabbergasted that it took Vivek to finally bring the community together for a discussion, when their own leaders were no-shows.
OHIO RESIDENT: “We have city officials that live right here in Springfield and have not set up a meeting like this.. Why can’t the city officials do this?”
VIVEK: “The reason they’re not here tonight is not because they don’t care about this. It’s because they’re scared.” pic.twitter.com/PRvcnGypgk
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 19, 2024
The bottom line of her question was, “Why can’t the city officials do this?” And Vivek’s response cut to the quick of the situation: “Because they’re scared.”
There’s probably a lot of insight in that answer. A lot of understanding about how people work, and what makes them tick — even elected city officials. Most people don’t know how to solve problems. That may sound like an oversimplified statement, but I believe it’s one thing Vivek knows and understands well.
He knows how to approach, assess, and go to work on a problem. And because he knows that, he recognizes it when others simply don’t possess that skill. Like most people who currently sit in leadership positions in the Biden-Harris Woke States of America… almost nobody does, including the so-called “leadership” in Springfield, Ohio.
Check out this mother who told Vivek a horrible story about her daughter getting chased by an immigrant wielding a machete!
NEW: Springfield, Ohio, mother tells Vivek Ramaswamy that an immigrant with a machete chased her daughter, and the police didn’t respond to her call.@VivekGRamaswamy: “If your first act of entering the country breaks the law, then you are more likely to break the law when you… pic.twitter.com/BHw8HFzBdy
— KanekoaTheGreat (@KanekoaTheGreat) September 20, 2024
There are a thousand ways you could respond to that, and 999 of them would be wrong, or at least not entirely right. Vivek handled it beautifully, and even offered up practical and applicable solutions — again, simply assessing a problem, and going to work on it from the beginning.
“If your first act of entering the country breaks the law, then you are more likely to break the law when you are already here…. We have to restore that culture of the rule of law.”
When he got on the subject of responsibility, he was skillfully careful to lay the blame squarely where it belongs — in the lap of federal policies handed down from the Biden-Harris administration. Check out this clip, and judge for yourself; is he wrong, or dead-on right on the mark!?
Vivek Ramaswamy at the Springfield Ohio Town Hall does not blame anyone in Springfield, including the Haitians. Vivek correctly states that the ‘federal policies’ of the Biden – Harris administration are responsible for what is going on in Springfield:
“I don’t even blame the… pic.twitter.com/0wCbxamLti— Eric Abbenante (@EricAbbenante) September 19, 2024
According to a different Fox News article describing the event, Vivek hit a reconciliatory tone unlike most of the rhetoric coming across the board in either direction regarding the issues of illegal immigration and a myriad of related problems facing Springfield.
“I think that there is a temptation, social media included, but traditional media included as well, to pick on some fringe aspect of a really important discussion,” Ramaswamy told Fox News Digital during a press gaggle Thursday. “So when people are having, exchanging heated thoughts about an important subject affecting Americans, they’re going to say things in a way that wasn’t practiced, rehearsed or tested through consultant-vetting and filters. And I think that’s a good thing. I think it’s better that we make mistakes of saying maybe too much that’s raw, rather than self-censoring and saying too much.”
“And I think the media in this particular case has latched on to some fringe elements of that discussion, right? Some side topics that really are not close to the most important issue here and have used that to sweep under the rug actual real challenges created by, not small, but mass migration to this community,” he continued.
Ramaswamy, who grew up in Ohio, arrived at City Hall to participate in meetings with Haitian community leaders, as well as city officials, before hosting a town hall with Springfield residents.
Many residents raised concerns about safety and crime in Springfield and accused city officials of not caring about the plight of their constituents. Ramaswamy defended city officials, based on his takeaway from his meeting with some of them.
“I actually think they do care, at least the subset I met with,” Ramaswamy said. “But I will tell you what I do see happening in the country. I think there’s a culture of fear, actually. I think the reason they’re not here tonight is not because they don’t care about this, it’s because they’re scared.”
“These are just good, patriotic Americans who love their country and city who are struggling, because the people who they elected to run their federal government all the way down have let them down. And you don’t have to be scared of actually being face to face with your fellow citizens,” he added.
With the ability to answer real problematic questions without once seeming to beat around the proverbial bush, and yet hit a tone that draws out a similar reasonableness from your audience, it’s little wonder Vivek Ramaswamy was hit out of nowhere with the question of running for Governor.
Vivek’s political aspirations may have just taken a slight detour. But if the people of Springfield, Ohio are any litmus for his viability as a candidate… I wouldn’t count him out of any future race he may be so inclined to enter. Who knows that the road to a future successful White House run for Vivek Ramaswamy doesn’t run first right through the middle of Springfield, Ohio?
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