The Trump Files: Watch Donald Nominate Eminem for President

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This post was originally published as part of “The Trump Files“—a collection of telling episodes, strange but true stories, and curious scenes from the life of our current president—on August 5, 2016.

Donald Trump didn’t speak at the Republican National Convention in 2004. He didn’t speak at the Democratic convention either. But a week before election day, Trump made a surprise appearance onstage in New York to deliver the nominating speech for a long-shot presidential candidate—the rapper Eminem.

Eminem, who was still known at the time by his alter-ego “Slim Shady,” held a convention for his new party, the Shady Party, to promote his fourth album, “Encore,” and launch a hip-hop channel on Sirius satellite radio.

“When the Shady Party called and told me there’s going to be a convention, I said it’s got to be a really big one—and it’s got to be right here in New York,” Trump said, as “delegates” waving state placards and campaign signs cheered him on. “Because this is the best city anywhere in the world. Am I right? Of course I’m right. I’m always right—I’m Donald Trump, I’m always right. I know a winner when I see one, and Donald Trump is telling you right now, Slim Shady is a winner. He’s got brains, he’s got guts, and he’s got Donald Trump’s vote!”

When it was Eminem’s turn, he offered a minimalist platform, promising, if elected, to “throw a party, in a club, with my homies.”

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THE FACTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.

At least we hope they will, because that’s our approach to raising the $350,000 in online donations we need right now—during our high-stakes December fundraising push.

It’s the most important month of the year for our fundraising, with upward of 15 percent of our annual online total coming in during the final week—and there’s a lot to say about why Mother Jones’ journalism, and thus hitting that big number, matters tremendously right now.

But you told us fundraising is annoying—with the gimmicks, overwrought tone, manipulative language, and sheer volume of urgent URGENT URGENT!!! content we’re all bombarded with. It sure can be.

So we’re going to try making this as un-annoying as possible. In “Let the Facts Speak for Themselves” we give it our best shot, answering three questions that most any fundraising should try to speak to: Why us, why now, why does it matter?

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If you can afford to part with a few bucks, please support the reporting you get from Mother Jones with a much-needed year-end donation. And please do it now, while you’re thinking about it—with fewer people paying attention to the news like you are, we need everyone with us to get there.

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