Trump announces bid for White House, equipped with Newton-made signs

DES MOINES — When David McNeer spoke with “The Donald” by phone a few years ago, he had no idea he would end up on a stage in front of an a worldwide audience.

But that’s where McNeer ended up Tuesday night. The Newton native and owner of Maxim Advertising spoke briefly at a planned rally for Republican presidential hopeful and billionaire Donald Trump at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, which turned out to be Trump’s first campaign stop.

Trump announced his candidacy Tuesday morning in New York City.

“What a great experience,” McNeer said after Trump had left Hoyt Sherman. “I got a call last Thursday, telling me that it wasn’t public yet, but he was going to announce his candidacy on Tuesday, and so we got some signs going.”

McNeer appeared in a 2010 news segment by the CBS show "60 Minutes," talking about the closure of the Maytag plant and the economic struggles of Newton. Tuesday, he told the approximate crowd of 500 supporters that while he got a lot of phone calls after the show aired, not one of those calls was "from a politician — but one man called me out of the blue."
He said that on the Monday after the 2010 airing of "60 Minutes," Trump contacted him and asked that if he ever decided to run for president, McNeer to print some signs for him.

Maxim Advertising printed yard signs and buttons for Trump in anticipation of Tuesday’s announcement, and McNeer said Trump was making good on that promise he made a few years ago.

McNeer said he was called by longtime Iowa Republican Chuck Laudner, who has worked for Trump since February. Laudner asked if McNeer were still willing to make some signs on short notice.

The yard signs lined sidewalks at Hoyt Sherman, and the buttons were accompanied by T-shirts, information packets and hand-held rally signs. Trump said he doesn’t take campaign contributions, nor does he take money from lobbyists, which he said is one of his main qualifications.

Also speaking in advance of Trump’s arrival was a 10-year Waverly boy who said he was impressed by what he learned from the billionaire during a recent campaign stop. A Nazi Holocaust survivor was also present, and recently crowned Miss Iowa, Taylor Wiebers, sang the National Anthem.

Jasper County GOP Chairman Marshall Critchfield also attended Tuesday’s rally.

“I have always admired Donald Trump’s business success,” Critchfield said. “I read his book when I was a teenager, and I enjoyed the first two seasons of his television show.”

Trump, who focused heavily on international trade and Middle East issues Tuesday, will likely need to show Iowans he cares about more than economics in order to succeed in the state among a dozen other Republican rivals.

“For Mr. Trump to place well here, some major changes would have to occur — either with the candidate, or the process,” Critchfield said. “Trump’s personal and heartwarming ties to Newton could potentially help pick up votes in Jasper County, but he will likely need a more substantive message in order to gain statewide GOP appeal.”

McNeer said Trump is an exception in a political world filled with broken promises.

“He kept his word,” McNeer said. “That makes a big difference, and if you’re going to run for president, you’ve got to lead on a big stage.”

Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com