President-elect Donald Trump closed out what he called "thank you" tours Saturday afternoon with a rally in Mobile, Ala. Trump drew an estimated crowd of 20,000 supporters to the Ladd-Peebles Stadium during the 2016 presidential campaign. "There's no better place to celebrate then right here," he told Saturday's rally attendees. "I want to thank so many great people, but having Franklin Graham, who was so instrumental, we won so big, with evangelical Christians, we won so big."
Trump said Graham was at the victory rally, his last stop, and pointed him out. "Look at him, he worked so hard. Anybody that has anything to do with the incredible Billy Graham, I love. And that's his son, and that son is great."
Saying Mobile was "where it all began," Trump first wished attendees a Merry Christmas and said Southern voters propelled his vote.
During the rally, Trump didn't mention any future policies or negative recent issues with China or Russia, both of which have been in the news heavily this week. Most of his time was spent on the same concepts he already covered during his campaign.
Russia can impact Americans if "we abandon our values" or lose sight of who we are, said U.S. President Barack Obama in his final press conference Friday. Many spokespeople Saturday are stating Russia's goal is to divide Americans, and get Americans to attack each other. The more chaotic U.S. democracy appears, the more traction it gains around the world, they agreed.
During the Saturday gathering, Trump criticized first lady Michelle Obama, who in excerpts from an interview with Oprah Winfrey set to air on CBS on Monday, said: "We feel the difference now. See, now, we're feeling what not having hope feels like." Trump said he has tremendous hope for America. "There is promise, potential. We are going to be so successful as a country, going to be so amazing."
Trump, who is slated to be sworn into office on Jan. 20, 2017, also took swings at other favorite targets from his campaign: corporations that outsource jobs, Islamic State militants, drug dealers, illegal immigrants, and the political culture in Washington.
When Trump's plane landed at the Mobile airport on Saturday, it taxied beneath blasts from two water cannon trucks. Stepping off the plane, a half dozen young women wearing Old South hoop skirts in a panoply of pastel colors were on-hand to greet him.
Trump lost the popular vote by more than 2.5 million votes, but still won 306 votes in the Electoral College, which is more than the 270 required to win. With some Democrats now saying the Electoral College should be abandoned and that the presidential election should be decided by the popular vote, Trump said he's happy with the system the way it is now.
"I never appreciated it until now, how genius it was," he said.
