Politics in 2024 was already a fever dream before Donald Trump stepped onto a stage in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. You’ve probably seen the clips by now. What was supposed to be a standard campaign rally at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport took a sharp, surreal turn into the weeds of golf history—specifically, the legendary King’s anatomy.
It was a Saturday night in October. Trump stood before a raucous crowd in the very town where Arnold Palmer was born in 1929. Most candidates would stick to the script: talk about the local economy, mention the airport’s namesake, maybe a quick nod to Palmer’s "Go for Broke" style. Trump had other plans. For twelve full minutes, he riffed on Palmer, eventually landing on a locker room anecdote that left even his most seasoned Fox News defenders scrambling for a way to frame it.
The Speech That Started It All
"Arnold Palmer was all man," Trump told the crowd, his voice carrying that familiar mix of reverence and showmanship. He went on to describe how Palmer was "strong and tough," eventually pivoting to a story about how other pro golfers reacted when they saw Palmer in the showers. "They came out of there," Trump said, "they said, 'Oh my God. That's unbelievable.'"
👉 See also: President of the UK: Why This Job Actually Does Not Exist
Honestly, it’s the kind of thing you might hear at a late-night stag party, but not usually from a podium with the Seal of the President (or a candidate's logo) on it. The crowd in Latrobe loved it. They roared. But outside that hangar, the reaction was… different.
How Fox News Handled the "Unbelievable" Moment
If you were watching Fox News the following morning, you saw a masterclass in narrative management. The network didn’t just ignore the "locker room talk." They had to address it because it was everywhere.
Usually, Fox News hosts like Sean Hannity or the Fox & Friends crew focus on Trump’s policy points—the "Kamala, you’re fired" lines or the hits on the economy. But the Palmer comments were so specific and, well, graphic, that they became a central talking point.
- The "Hyperbole" Defense: Some contributors argued that this was just Trump being Trump—a guy who speaks in "hyperbole" to get his crowd "riled up." New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, appearing on various Sunday shows, basically called it "par for the course."
- Focusing on the McDonald's Stunt: Shortly after the Latrobe rally, Trump did his famous photo-op at a McDonald’s, wearing the apron and working the fry station. Fox News leaned heavily into this footage, using it to pivot away from the Palmer comments and back toward the "working man" image the campaign wanted to project.
- The Policy Pivot: High-profile allies like House Speaker Mike Johnson were asked repeatedly on Sunday morning talk shows to defend the remarks. Johnson largely refused to engage, instead pivoting to the "substance" of the race and the stakes for the American people.
Peg Palmer Wears: The Daughter's Perspective
While pundits argued about whether the speech was "disrespectful" or just "unfiltered," one voice carried more weight than the rest: Peg Palmer Wears, Arnold’s daughter.
She wasn't necessarily screaming from the rooftops, but she didn't mince words either. In an interview with the Associated Press, she called the remarks "a poor choice of approaches" to honoring her father’s memory. She wasn't "upset" in a volcanic sense, but more disappointed. She mentioned that her father believed in the Republican Party, but he also believed in civility.
There's a bit of a backstory here, too. Apparently, back in 2018, Peg told The Sporting News that her father once made a "sound of disgust" while watching Trump on TV, calling him "not as smart as we thought he was." That context makes the Latrobe speech feel even more complicated. Trump clearly admired Palmer's "alpha" status, but that admiration wasn't always a two-way street.
Why the "Locker Room" Narrative Matters
It’s easy to dismiss this as just another weird moment in a weird election cycle. But there’s a reason it stuck. It touched on a recurring theme in the 2024 race: masculinity.
📖 Related: Why the Blue Line train evacuation Boston Harbor remains a transit nightmare lesson
Trump has long leaned into a specific brand of 1950s-style toughness. By invoking Palmer—a man who was the ultimate "man's man" of his era—Trump was trying to bridge his own image with a sports icon that Pennsylvania voters (and older voters nationwide) still idolize.
The Fox News audience, generally older and more conservative, has a deep respect for Palmer. Using him as a prop to talk about "manhood" was a calculated risk. For some, it was a hilarious "anti-woke" moment. For others, it was an unnecessary distraction that clouded the campaign's closing message.
The Real Takeaway for Voters
Basically, the whole saga was a microcosm of the entire Trump era. You have a break from traditional decorum, a polarized media reaction, and a family member left trying to protect a legacy.
👉 See also: Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center Explained: Trials, Tensions, and Why It Matters
If you're trying to make sense of why this matters today, think about it this way:
- Authenticity vs. Distraction: For his base, these riffs are why they love him. He talks like a "real person" would in a bar or a locker room.
- Media Echo Chambers: Watch how different outlets cover the same event. Fox News focused on the energy and the McDonald's follow-up; other outlets focused almost exclusively on the "genitalia" comments.
- The Importance of "The King": Arnold Palmer isn't just a golfer; he's a symbol of American excellence. How politicians use—or misuse—that symbol tells you a lot about their strategy.
The next time you see a headline about a "bizarre" rally speech, look for the underlying play. Trump wasn't just talking about a shower; he was trying to claim a piece of the Palmer legend for himself. Whether it worked depends entirely on which channel you were watching.
Moving Forward: What to Watch
To get a fuller picture of how these moments shape public opinion, don't just stick to the clips. Check out the full transcripts of the rallies and compare them with the "highlight reels" on cable news. It’s the only way to see where the policy ends and the performance begins. Pay attention to how the campaign uses "distraction" moments to lead into high-visibility stunts—like the McDonald's visit—which effectively "buried" the Palmer story in the 24-hour news cycle.