On Saturday night, President Trump declined to attend the White House Correspondents’ Dinner for the second year in a row because the thin-skinned bully is unable to weather even the slightest criticism without suffering a full-blown meltdown.
Since the president refused to show up, comedian Michelle Wolf roasted the rest of his administration instead, lobbing jokes at Vice President Mike Pence and Press Secretary Huckabee Sanders.
It was a great, courageous performance from Wolf, who made waves by calling out Huckabee Sanders for her serial lying. Huckabee Sanders, who was sitting only a few seats away, was visibly uncomfortable and unable to laugh at herself, presumably because she knew all the criticisms were accurate.
After the dinner concluded, conservatives rushed to attack Wolf, saying she targeted Huckabee Sanders unfairly (she didn’t) and that she insulted her physical appearance (she didn’t). Journalists in attendance also added their voices to the inane cacophony, slamming Wolf for being mean when all she was really doing was speaking truth to power.
The fact that much of the mainstream media sided with the administration is indicative of a key problem with the fourth estate during the era of Trump. So many of them are dependent on access to the White House that they’re incentivized to float a “both sides” narrative, rather than the adversarial one this administration deserves. It’s patently absurd to attack Wolf for calling out lies and to accuse her of insulting language when the man in the Oval Office got there by constantly degrading and bullying his rivals.
Michelle Wolf destroys Sarah Huckabee Sanders at #WHCD pic.twitter.com/pKGSSOCu8d
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) April 29, 2018
Of course, it was only a matter of time before Trump himself waded into the controversy, tweeting about it from a safe distance since he lacked the spine to attend the event in person.
Last night, he referred to Wolf as “filthy comedian” who “totally bombed.” The rank hypocrisy it takes for a man who bragged about grabbing women by the genitals calling anyone “filthy” is astounding. In the tweet, he also considered the possibility of cancelling the dinner in the future.
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner was a failure last year, but this year was an embarrassment to everyone associated with it. The filthy “comedian” totally bombed (couldn’t even deliver her lines-much like the Seth Meyers weak performance). Put Dinner to rest, or start over!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 30, 2018
Today, the president tweeted about the White House Correspondents’ Dinner again, demonstrating his knack for obsessing over the pettiest of things. He called it “an embarrassment to our great country,” which is a rich criticism coming from the man who has almost singlehandedly dismantled the United States’ international reputation and influence. He then ranted about “FAKE NEWS,” because it’s one few talking points he has left at this point.
Conservatives like to paint liberals as sensitive “snowflakes” but their president is perhaps the greatest peddler of self-victimization narrative in modern history. It’s pathetic and disingenuous.
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner is DEAD as we know it. This was a total disaster and an embarrassment to our great Country and all that it stands for. FAKE NEWS is alive and well and beautifully represented on Saturday night!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 30, 2018
