Trump Weirds Out Crowd With Joe Paterno Reference

His remarks at Pittsburgh rally were ... confusing
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 14, 2016 6:00 AM CDT
Updated Apr 14, 2016 7:56 AM CDT
Trump Weirds Out Crowd With Joe Paterno Reference
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally in Pittsburgh on Wednesday.   (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

Donald Trump wants to make things great again, and also to bring things back—including late Penn State coach Joe Paterno. At least that was the confusing impression he made Wednesday during a campaign rally in Pittsburgh. For the Win reports he asked the crowd gathered there, "How's Joe Paterno? We gonna bring that back?" According to the Daily Collegian, his bewildered audience reacted with "half-hearted cheers" before Trump finished his thought with the non-elucidating, "How about that whole deal?" Paterno died in 2012.

Somewhat of an explanation was offered to Daily Mail political editor David Martosko, who tweeted, "Trump spox confirms to me that his Joe Paterno reference was to 'bring back' his statue at Penn State"; the Wall Street Journal received the same confirmation. Trump may be getting his wish sooner rather than later: Per the Philadelphia Inquirer, two cousins who worked on the original Paterno statue are toiling away in a "secret location" on two new replicas that have the deceased coach holding up a "defiantly clenched fist." (Another thing Trump's bringing back: a civil rapport with Megyn Kelly.)

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