The Al Smith Dinner was tonight in New Yahk. One of those charity roast things, like the
White House Correspondents Dinners. Criticisms are allowed, expected, but keep 'em good-naturedish. Being self-deprecating is de riguer.
Trump began with a self-deprecating remark about his "beautiful hands," his other well-known character traits, "modesty," he said to good-natured laughter, and his famous equanimity, to chuckling. He was doing fine.
But Trump really can't abide criticism, even self-deprecating, and has the world's worst tin
ear for the line between good-natured criticism and "violating the red line at these events. And thus:
"I wasn't really sure if Hillary was going to be here tonight because, I guess, you didn't send her invitation by email. Or maybe you did, and she just found out about it through the wonder of WikiLeaks," Trump said. "We've learned so much from WikiLeaks. For example, Hillary believes that it is vital to deceive the people by having one public policy and a totally different policy in private."
CNN's reports:
When the audience booed at that line, Trump said, "That's OK, I don't know who they're angry at, Hillary, you or I. For example, here she is tonight, in public, pretending not to hate Catholics."
The boos were for him. He didn't know he had gone to far claiming
Clinton "hated Catholics." At a Catholic event with the Arch Bishop of New York
Sitting feet away on the same dais.
CNN:
White House Correspondents Dinners. Criticisms are allowed, expected, but keep 'em good-naturedish. Being self-deprecating is de riguer.
Trump began with a self-deprecating remark about his "beautiful hands," his other well-known character traits, "modesty," he said to good-natured laughter, and his famous equanimity, to chuckling. He was doing fine.
But Trump really can't abide criticism, even self-deprecating, and has the world's worst tin
ear for the line between good-natured criticism and "violating the red line at these events. And thus:
"I wasn't really sure if Hillary was going to be here tonight because, I guess, you didn't send her invitation by email. Or maybe you did, and she just found out about it through the wonder of WikiLeaks," Trump said. "We've learned so much from WikiLeaks. For example, Hillary believes that it is vital to deceive the people by having one public policy and a totally different policy in private."
CNN's reports:
When the audience booed at that line, Trump said, "That's OK, I don't know who they're angry at, Hillary, you or I. For example, here she is tonight, in public, pretending not to hate Catholics."
The boos were for him. He didn't know he had gone to far claiming
Clinton "hated Catholics." At a Catholic event with the Arch Bishop of New York
Sitting feet away on the same dais.
CNN:
The jeers from the audience were unusual for the event.
"I've been to that dinner like six, seven, eight times," Christine Quinn, the former speaker of New York's city council, told CNN's Anderson Cooper. "I've never heard boos like that. Never."
...
"According to her sworn testimony, Hillary has forgotten more things than most of us will ever, ever know -- that I can tell you," Trump said, to crickets. "We're having some fun here tonight."
[Bad]
When it was her turn Clinton by contrast, or in similar vein according to CNN, said:
"Donald looks at the Statue of Liberty and sees a 4 -- maybe a 5 if she loses the torch and tablet and changes her hair."
Beautiful, imho, well within the spirit of the dinner, but maybe not.
Her remarks, too, included sharp shots at Trump. She accused him of "translating from the original Russian" when he reads off teleprompters -- a reference to Trump's coziness with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Mocking a letter from Trump's doctor about his health that lacked specifics, Clinton said: "Donald really is as healthy as a horse -- you know, the one Vladimir Putin rides around on."
Eh. I think that's within acceptable bounds but maybe orhers disagree.
I think this was well done by Trump:
"Michelle Obama gives a speech and everyone loves it, it's fantastic. They think she's absolutely great. My wife Melania gives the exact same speech and people get on her case,"
