HEMMER.
>> Alicia: I'M ALICIA ACUNA IN
FOR SANDRA SMITH.
THERE WAS A CELEBRATION THAT
FEATURED.
CRITICS FEARED THE EVENT WOULD
DEVOLVE INTO A PARTISAN RALLY.
THE PRESIDENT HIGHLIGHTED OUR
COUNTRY'S UNIQUE HISTORY AND
THOSE WHO SACRIFICED.
>> President Trump: TODAY WE
COME TOGETHER AS ONE NATION
WITH THIS VERY SPECIAL SALUTE
TO AMERICA.
WE CELEBRATE OUR HISTORY, OUR
PEOPLE AND THE HEROES WHO
PROUDLY DEFEND OUR FLAG, THE
BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE
UNITED STATES MILITARY.
[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]
AS WE GATHER THIS EVENING, IN
THE JOY OF FREEDOM WE REMEMBER
WE ALL SHARE AN EXTRAORDINARY
HERITAGE AND PART OF ONE OF THE
GREATEST STORIES EVER TOLD, THE
STORY OF AMERICA.
IT IS THE CHRONICLES OF BRAVE
CITIZENS WHO NEVER GIVE UP ON
THE DREAM OF A BETTER AND
BRIGHTER FUTURE.
IN 1963, REVEREND MARTIN LUTHER
KING JUNIOR STOOD HERE ON THESE
VERY STEPS AND CALLED ON OUR
NATION TO LIVE OUT THE TRUE
MEANING OF ITS CREED, AND LET
FREEDOM RING FOR EVERY CITIZEN
ALL ACROSS OUR LAND.
IT HAS WILLED OUR WARRIORS UP
MOUNTAINS, ACROSS MINE FIELDS,
LIBERATED CONTINENTS, SPLIT THE
ADAM AND BROUGHT TYRANTS AND
EMPIRES TO THEIR KNEES.
>> Jon: KEVIN CORKE IS
REPORTING LIVE FROM THE
PRESIDENTIAL MANSION.
FAIR TO SAY THE PRESIDENT WAS
HAPPY WITH THE WAY THE SALUTE
TO AMERICA EVENT UNFOLDED?
>> YES.
AND TO BE CLEAR FROM THE TWEETS
TO THE REACTION TO HIS SPEECH,
THE WET WEATHER NOTWITHSTANDING
I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THE
PRESIDENT WAS PLEASED WITH HOW
THE SALUTE TO AMERICA WORKED
OUT YESTERDAY.
IT WAS QUITE AN EVENT AND
SOMETHING TO SEE FOR DANL
PEOPLE.
NOT EVERYBODY IN THE CROWD WAS
THERE FOR THE EVENT ITSELF.
A LOT OF FOLKS WANTED TO SEE
THE FIREWORKS.
NO MATTER FOR BEING IN THE
NATION'S CAPITAL YESTERDAY IT
WAS MEMORABLE AS THE PRESIDENT
PAID TRIBUTE TO THOSE WHO
FORGED HISTORY AND THOSE WHO
PRESERVE IT AND PRESERVE THE
PEACE.
>> President Trump: AS LONG AS
WE STAY TRUE TO OUR COURSE.
AS LONG AS WE REMEMBER OUR
GREAT HISTORY.
AS LONG AS WE NEVER, EVER STOP
FIGHTING FOR A BETTER FUTURE,
THEN THERE WILL BE NOTHING THAT
AMERICA CANNOT DO.
[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]
>> A ROUSING REACTION TO THE
PRESIDENT'S COMMENTS YESTERDAY.
ASIDE FROM THE MUSIC AND
SPEECHES AND SALUTES TO THE
HEROES HERE AND IN THE PAST
THERE WERE A NUMBER OF
FLYOVERS, JON.
MOSTLY OF MILITARY AIRCRAFT
WHICH REALLY SEEMED TO THRILL
THE CROWD DESPITE ALL THE HEAT
AND HUMIDITY AND RAIN.
IT WAS A LOT OF FUN TO WATCH
THOSE FLY OVER.
THE EVENING CULMINATED WITH AN
INCREDIBLE FIREWORKS DISPLAY
DAMPENED BY INTERMITTENT
RAINSHOWERS BUT NOT ENOUGH TO
DAMPEN THE SPIRITS OF THOSE
ALONG THE MALL AND THOSE
WATCHING ALL AROUND THE
NATION'S CAPITAL.
IT WAS QUITE A SCENE HERE IN
WASHINGTON, JON.
>> Jon: THE PRESIDENT MAY HAVE
BEEN HAPPY WITH IT.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PROTESTS
OVER THIS EVENT, RIGHT?
>> RIGHT ON THE MONEY.
PROTESTS ARE COMMON AT THE
WHITE HOUSE.
WE SEE THEM EVERY DAY IN SOME
VARIETY OR ANOTHER.
YESTERDAY THEY TOOK A BIT OF A
DANGEROUS TURN FOR A WHILE.
AT LEAST ONE DEMONSTRATION GOT
SO OUT OF HAND THAT PROTESTORS
BURNED AN AMERICAN FLAG ONLY TO
BE CONFRONTED BY OTHER
AMERICANS.
THAT LED TO A BIT OF A DUST UP
BETWEEN COMPETING GROUPS.
IT RESULTED IN AN INJURY TO AT
LEAST ONE SECRET SERVICE
OFFICER.
A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WERE
ARRESTED FOLLOWING THAT
INCIDENT BUT THAT IS SOMETHING
WE HAVE COME TO EXPECT HERE IN
THE NATION'S CAPITAL FROM TIME
TO TIME.
ALTHOUGH YOU DON'T USUALLY SEE
IT GET SO OUT OF HAND ON
PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE.
DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATES WERE CRITICAL OF
THIS PARTICULAR EVENT BY THE
PRESIDENT SAYING HE WAS TRYING
TO MAKE THE HOLIDAY ALL ABOUT
HIMSELF.
IF YOU LISTEN TO THE COMMENTS
IN THE SPEECH, IT LOOKED LIKE
HE STEERED CLEAR MOSTLY OF ALL
THAT.
JON, BACK TO YOU.
WE EXPECT TO HEAR FROM THE
PRESIDENT AS HE MAKES HIS WAY
TO NEW JERSEY.
IF HE SAYS SOMETHING ON THE
SOUTH LAWN I PROMISE TO PASS IT
ALONG.