10--08-2026: Book Signing with Fox News' Trace Gallagher with some Common Sense.

We are both devout Conservatives and Republicans, and as such FOX News is our news channel. One of the personalities that we watch constantly is Trace Gallagher on "Fox News @Night w/Trace Gallagher". We like many of their newscasters... Sean Hannity (Hannity), Harris Faulkner (the Faulkner Focus), Martha MacCallum (The Story with...), Laura Ingraham (the Ingraham Angle), Shannon Bream (Fox News Sunday), Dana Perino (The Five and America's Newsroom), Emily Compagno (Outnumbered), Brett Baier (Special Report), Jessie Watters (... Prime Time and The Five), Brian Kilmeade (Fox and Friends), Steve Doocy (Fox and Friends), Lawrence Jones (Fox and Friends, weekdays)Bill Melugin (Fox News Report), Johnny Joey Jones (The Five Cohost and others), Kevin Corke (Correspondent and Fox News @Night occasional co-host), to mention a few, and definitely one of our favorites, by far, is Trace Gallagher, a Fox News Channel original.

Mary especially has always commented to me that she really likes Trace Gallagher as much for his Common Sense segment as for his open and friendly personality with everyone no matter where they stand on their political views. Recently he has been promoting his new book "Turns Out They Were Right All Along", which everyone that has read it raves about it. So I found out that he was having a book signing in The Villages, but it was after we had already left to go up North. Then on our return trip I found out hat he was doing a second book signing in The Villages, and I tried to get a reservation for it, but was unable to do online. So not one to accept defeat, I started by getting a book. Barnes & Noble in The Villages was sold out. Barnes & Noble in Ocala was also sold out. I finally was able to locate 1 of 2 copies left at Books A Million in Leesburg and called Barnes & Noble to see if I could get in to the book signing with my own copy of the book. They said NO. So, not one to easily give up, and knowing the open and obliging personality of this great man, I thought I'll just write him and explain my situation and maybe he'll agree to meet me after the book signing, to sign Mary's book. Well he did reply to me, even as late as the same day of the signing, with everything else that he must have had going on, he wrote me back and indeed offered me to get a hold of his wife, Tracey (yes his wife's name is the same as his) to arrange signing Mary's copy.

Still, we only get to see him one way... working (on TV). However, every bit of his exuberant, open and friendly personality on air, with everyone he is in contact with is the same as he was that day, with us and with everyone that showed up (in the pouring rain) for his signing their book. Whether signing books or doing shows or speaking engagements or reporting on fox News, the man seems a lot like our Donald J. Trump. He is always going and doing, and never shows getting tired. He has A LOT of fans here, in The Villages, and why not... he is a Common Sense man and an American Patriot.

He promotes "Common Sense" on Fox News, in political rhetoric not as an ideology or a party, but as a movement, with a populist framing and rhetorical strategy, which appeals to the everyday man or woman (yes there are only TWO genders) who value well... "common sense". The things that make sense to achieve the best option for America and Americans, as opposed to those on the radical, far left, who seek only do destroy it. As Republicans and Conservatives we have nothing against Democrats and Liberals, as long as we can BOTH solve our problems and achieve our goals jointly and amicably with open dialog rather than forceful antagonism. We are each a part of this great social experiment called America. We are also not opposed to Socialism or Communism, as long as it stays in the nations that subscribe to such philosophies, and don't try to bring their craziness to our nation. . We are not against immigration, as long as it is applied for the correct way, NOT forcefully, and hen done so then we need to deport the culprits (in my opinion the same way the got here. IF they came in through Mexico, escort them to the border and push them back to the country that let them through their country. If they came on a row boat by sea, have the Coast Guard put them on a rowboat (with a set of oars) and point them in the direction of their country. If they were brought here by the George Soros, take then to the country that houses George Soros. And if nothing else works, send them to the residence of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris who are equally responsible for their being here. I am an immigrant from The Dominican Republic in 1973, but I did it the right way. I applied for it, came in as a Permanent Resident, then served in the U.S. Army for 6 years to get my citizenship in 1980. I fully support immigration, but one the right way, NOT forcefully breaching the border or falling back on 'birthright citizenship' loophole. I happen to know that my own nephew and his wife did so, getting a government 'consular' post in Miami, so that her daughter was born "American" so they could get US admittance through her. That's just not right, and I no longer even talk to my nephew.

The phrase "common sense" actually dates back to Thomas Paine's 1776 revolutionary pamphlet "Common Sense", which argued for American Independence by framing it as a matter of plain, self-evident reasoning rather than complex royal tradition. In modern political usage, figures like our President Donald J. Trump and many of his administration, as well as many conservatives and even moderate politicians often use the phrase "common sense" to describe their policies on taxes , the economy immigration or government spending of his cabinet as well as many other issues of importance.

Yes, it was a bit of work to get a copy of his book and then more so to get him to sign Mary's book for her, but she is worth any effort needed to make her happy, because she does as much for me. Her birthday is coming up in December and I never know what to get her that she would really enjoy, so this seemed like a perfect opportunity to do so, with a signed copy of a book from a man she truly admires, aside from me, perhaps. As Mary introduced herself to Trace so that he could autograph her book, she thanked him for replying to my email, to which he responded: "OH! You are THAT Mary!" He then walked around the table to come out and shake my hand, thank me for contacting him and apologize for taking so long to get back to me. He is just an all around nice, genuine person. After Trace signed Mary's book, we also met his wife, Tracy, who is a wonderful person as well, and obviously of great help and support to him. They actually met while she was his scuba diving instructor. Following are some photos of that event. Mary said that we could both go have our photos taken with Trace and Tracy, but I wanted this to be all about HER, and I could do what I do BEST... which is to take photos, as you can tell from most of our blogs posts. I seldom appear in photo, because I am behind the camera. But that's OK, because she's my STAR. I am just the 'paparazzi' as she likes to call me.