'I Have Never Been More Excited:' Trump Supporters React To Presidential Win
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Both supporters and protesters have been gathering outside Trump Tower, which some are calling the pseudo-White House following Republican Donald Trump's presidential victory.
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Red hats proclaiming "Make America Great Again" are being worn with pride outside the tower, hours after the businessman became the president elect. Even though New York went blue, some Trump supporters feel much safer voicing their support on city streets Wednesday than they did Election Day, CBS2's Ali Bauman reported.
"Now I can wear my hat, no one's gonna throw rocks at me," Trump supporter Donald Knoxz said.
Hillary Clinton supporters were also seen outside Trump Tower, chanting "Still With Hill." But outnumbering both were the masses of Secret Service agents protecting the Trump family, CBS2's Janelle Burrell reported.
Security in front of the Fifth Avenue building remains tight with huge dump trucks blocking the street in front of the main entrance; 55th Street is also closed to traffic, 1010 WINS' Carol D'Auria reported. TV crews, tourists, everyday New Yorkers and protesters were gathered across from the building, where there was a large police presence. At one point, a small group of anti-Trump protesters argued with a Trump supporter.
The Republican pulled off an upset, winning the presidency of a nation many say has been divided. Speaking to his supporters on Wednesday, Trump vowed to heal that rift.
"Working together, we will begin the urgent task of rebuilding our nation and renewing the American dream," Trump said.
Protesters outside Trump Tower said unifying under a Trump presidency is a lost cause
"Donald Trump doesn't represent me, I didn't vote for him, I don't think that he represents any of the ideals I hold dear or a lot of other people holds dear," protester Sarah Louis said.
Trump supporters who packed his headquarters in Midtown were overjoyed when it became apparent that their candidate had won.
"I am so excited. I have never been more excited," Aliza Ronanof, of Woodmere, said. "We can't wait for President Trump...because he is going to bring change that this country needs."
"Thank god this election's over," Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino said. "I mean really, this has been the nastiest, filthiest, election ever."
One Trump supporter told WCBS 880's Marla Diamond that the presidential-elect's lack of political experience didn't bother him.
"I'm so happy that finally we have not a politician that is going to be our president," he said. "Because I am tired of the politicians."
Lisa, who traveled to New York from the Midwest told 1010 WINS' John Montone that it hit her on the way that Clinton was not going to win the nomination.
"On the way all I saw were just abandoned factories, trash, junkyards," she said. "I just kind of had a feeling."
A journey from billionaire businessman to reality television star to the highest office in the nation.
"Fourteen years ago we shot 'The Apprentice,' in that same war room and now we are in that same war room watching results come back from a presidential election," Omarosa Manigault said. "Donald Trump is about to be the leader of the free world. You talk about coming full circle."
Trump won the White House with 289 electoral votes to Hillary Clinton's 218. His campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said Trump is reading up on analysis of his win and keeping an eye on states that have not been called yet, hoping to add even more to his total.
"Being president is humbling because you've got the task of unifying a very divided country, you've got the task of tackling so many of our problems domestically and internationally it's a big load that he's inheriting," Conway told CBS2, also revealing that Trump has already drafted up a list of cabinet members.
The Center for Politics had Clinton winning in a landslide and the vaunted FiveThirtyEight website had Clinton with a 71 percent chance of victory at the start of the night.