"Right to Try" advocate and President Donald Trump supporter Natalie Harp spoke on Tuesday at the Republican National Convention, where she raised eyebrows with a dig at 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
Harp invoked the 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life, in which Jimmy Stewart's character—George Bailey—gets to see what the world would be like had he never been born.
Harp claimed that without the leadership of Donald Trump, the nation would be in "Pottersville," the lawless town that forms in the absence of Bailey's existence, instead of the wholesome Bedford Falls.
Watch below.
In the classic Jimmy Stewart film, IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, George Bailey is given a great gift—the “chance to see what the world would be like without" him.
At #RNC2020, we'd like to give you that same gift, President @realDonaldTrump!@GOPconvention:pic.twitter.com/C0N0BkH1uY
— Natalie Harp - Text TRUMP to 88022 (@NatalieJHarp) August 25, 2020
Harp said:
"In the classic Jimmy Stewart film It's a Wonderful Life, George Bailey is given a great gift: the chance to see what the world would be like without him. Tonight, Mr. President, we'd like to give you that same gift, because without you, we'd all be living in Pottersville, sold out to a crooked Mr.—or I should say 'Mrs.' Potter—with no hope of escape except death itself."
But in a letter to the editor of the New York Times, Jimmy Stewart's daughter—Kelly Stewart Harcourt—made clear what she and her family thought of the comparison.
Halcourt wrote:
"In her speech at the G.O.P. convention Monday night, Natalie Harp, a cancer survivor, made reference to the film 'It's a Wonderful Life,' comparing Donald Trump to George Bailey, the main character in the film, played by my father, Jimmy Stewart.
Given that this beloved American classic is about decency, compassion, sacrifice and a fight against corruption, our family considers Ms. Harp's analogy to be the height of hypocrisy and dishonesty."
The response was widely applauded.
Every time someone says MAGA, an angel gets really pissed off. https://t.co/cLDxXEUe4f
— Dan Fagin (@danfagin) August 27, 2020
Every time a Republican speaks, an angel throws up.
— Milton Fletcher (@mfletcher530) August 27, 2020
I'd be hopping mad too!! She was more polite than I would've been.
— Linda Rickel (@RickelLinda) August 27, 2020
We need more of this and from high profile people. The 31% of Americans who are being lied to and think Trump is the second coming need to realize how most people feel about him. He's a cancer that needs to be eradicated
— TracyCurrierS (@TracySurprenant) August 27, 2020
I could not love this more. ❤️❤️❤️
— Gail Courtnage (@GailCourtnage) August 27, 2020
Others compared Trump to Mr. Potter—the wealthy slumlord who acts as the movie's primary antagonist.
I had always thought that trump had used Mr. Potter as a template for his life.
— Cory Kellerson (@cdkellerson) August 27, 2020
Agreed. Donald Trump accurately fits the role of Mr. Potter in this one. pic.twitter.com/MdCkOyoy2r
— Keep Makin Vids (@biscuitpancakes) August 27, 2020
I agree! I have considered Trump to be Mr. Potter right from the start!
— Laura MacG (@MacgLaura) August 27, 2020
One must be warped to think that the apt comparison is to George Bailey rather than Mr. Potter.
— (((Michael))) (@maltman613) August 27, 2020
