Comments on: Could Be Awkward

Could Be Awkward

Halloween Jack — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:20:00 -0800

The Washington Post has invited Donald Trump as its guest for the annual White House Correspondents Dinner. WaPo writers Ezra Klein and Dana Milbank are not amused, with the latter pointing out that his paper had recently taken Trump to task for his rampant birtherism. No word yet on how the POTUS might react.

By: krautland

krautland — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:21:02 -0800

give him the rope and he will hang himself. once again.

By: elwoodwiles

elwoodwiles — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:23:35 -0800

I'm starting to believe this is true about the average American voter.

By: box

box — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:23:59 -0800

Maybe this'll be the year that my dream of White House Correspondents Dinner as Friar's-Club-style roast finally comes true.

By: Ironmouth

Ironmouth — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:28:13 -0800

Oh pleaaaase let him come. Seth Meyers will crucify him.

By: LMGM

LMGM — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:28:44 -0800

"Boehner will likely request a move to his usual seat on Justin Bieber's lap" Cheap shot, but heh.

By: furiousxgeorge

furiousxgeorge — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:29:25 -0800

Maybe this'll be the year that my dream of White House Correspondents Dinner as Friar's-Club-style roast finally comes true.

By: Avenger

Avenger — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:30:39 -0800

Our paper is becoming irrelevant! Quick, do something tasteless and outlandish!

By: docgonzo

docgonzo — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:32:15 -0800

Maybe posting links to Gawker sites should be suspended until those websites, y'know, work.

By: Artw

Artw — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:33:56 -0800

Old style Gawker link

By: Mister Fabulous

Mister Fabulous — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:35:55 -0800

The New York Times has invited Michael Sorrentino as its guest for the annual White House Correspondents Dinner.

By: RobotVoodooPower

RobotVoodooPower — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:37:05 -0800

Does he still have Bill the Cat's brain? Here's hoping he coughs up a hairball into David Arquette's lap.

By: orthogonality

orthogonality — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:37:51 -0800

"George Will must be rolling in his grave.' Snark, or the writer confusing Will and David Broder?

By: Halloween Jack

Halloween Jack — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:38:20 -0800

Artw beat me to it! In general, putting "ca." at the beginning of any Gawker blog URL (e.g. ca.io9.com) will get you the oldskool layout.

By: Thorzdad

Thorzdad — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:38:44 -0800

What I can't understand, re:Trump and his presidential aspirations, is where are the people with the dirt on the guy? I can't imagine that someone like Trump doesn't have, like, a bajillion skeletons in closets all over the world...snarky business dealings, mistresses, breathtakingly bad decisions, etc. I have to think there should be a boatload of people out there just salivating at the opportunity to spill the beans.

By: furiousxgeorge

furiousxgeorge — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:41:56 -0800

There is enough out about him in public to ruin a candidate already, why dig for more?

By: headnsouth

headnsouth — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:43:23 -0800

It's interesting that Milbank isn't complaining about reporters, politicians, and celebrities being in bed together, just that there's more of it than before. He laments that there used to be a quiet brunch in a TV producer's backyard, but now it's a fete at a multimillionaire's Georgetown mansion. I don't see the difference. "There's nothing inherently wrong with savoring Johnnie Walker Blue with the politicians we cover." Um, yeah, actually there is.

By: East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94

East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:43:26 -0800

Donald Trump is the respectable face of the Klan. (Apparently, more respectable than I had thought.)

By: schmod

schmod — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:46:30 -0800

Given the complete irrationality of the current electorate, I fear that they might like Trump more if we continue dragging skeletons out of his closet. He's already an attention-seeking caricature of himself. Let's not fuel those flames. This is almost exactly what happened in Italy with Silvio Berlusconi. I don't think you'll find a single person in that country who will claim that he's a decent individual, and yet he wins elections with a decent majority.

By: mrgrimm

mrgrimm — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:56:58 -0800

With the proliferation of A-list parties and the infusion of corporate and lobbyist cash, Washington journalists give Americans the impression we have shed our professional detachment and are aspiring to be like the celebrities and power players we cover. the impression?!?!

By: Glinn

Glinn — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:21:07 -0800

I honestly don't understand how any respectable media outlet of any kind gives this guy even one sentence of coverage (let alone an invitation of this kind). Granted, there aren't all that many respectable media outlets. Which I suppose answers my own question. I haven't confirmed all these, but this list shows an astounding number of bankruptcies for one "successful" guy whose "lifestyle" has never suffered as a result. It's intensely disgusting.

By: XQUZYPHYR

XQUZYPHYR — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:24:40 -0800

Obama just shouldn't go. Fuck them. They'll write their silly little whiny articles about how the President didn't show up and it'll ultimately just make them look stupid. Credit to both Clinton and Bush for attending all of them but Jesus, for the last few years this stupid event has basically taken every annoying, unfair stereotype of elitst, Hollywood-driver news media and made it impossible to defend against them. Honestly, if one of the largest papers in the country, and the paper of record for DC is inviting a person that the President just told to said paper was a distraction and a "carnival barker," then he's self-hating to even entertain them. They're mocking the President, which is a lot different than making fun of him. "Celebrity guests?" Why the fuck should anyone attend the WH Press Corps dinner? What in God's name could they possibly have to celebrate?

By: The 10th Regiment of Foot

The 10th Regiment of Foot — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:25:36 -0800

I wish the Onion would stop causing the absurd to become reality.

By: gerryblog

gerryblog — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:26:10 -0800

Agree completely. Obama should skip it and the tradition should die. Colbert perfected the form, anyway.

By: boo_radley

boo_radley — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:26:14 -0800

"We thought, who's sticking up for the crypto-racist frauds?", asked Marcus Brachuli, "Nobody, that's who." He jabs at the table with his finger, making a rhythmic thump-thump to emphasize his point. "We could not let that stand."

By: ericb

ericb — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:29:55 -0800

What I can't understand, re:Trump and his presidential aspirations, is where are the people with the dirt on the guy? Oh, journalists are starting to come out with the dirt. See a number of examples cited in the Obama Birth Certificate thread. Examples:

Rolling Snake Eyes: Trump's First Casino Partners Had Alleged Mob Ties. Donald Trump's Racial Discrimination Problem -- "In the 1970s, he was sued by the feds for not renting to African-Americans." Deferments Helped Trump Dodge Vietnam -- How the presidential aspirant avoided fighting for his country.

By: ericb

ericb — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:33:24 -0800

Damn. Link FAIL. Proper link: Rolling Snake Eyes: Trump's First Casino Partners Had Alleged Mob Ties.

By: found missing

found missing — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:35:37 -0800

Just wait until someone realizes he is wearing something funny on his head.

By: klangklangston

klangklangston — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:42:39 -0800

Making Boehner and Trump sit together is just more segregation of Orange Americans.

By: cjorgensen

cjorgensen — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:30:58 -0800

I plan to keep hammering on Trump until he actually becomes a laughing stock. Last go round I was a delegate for Obama. I had to switch from Independent to Democrat so I could stand with Obama (if you know anything about Iowa's first in the nation caucuses this actually has a meaning). This time around I am thinking of caucusing with the Republicans, since Obama has the Dem. nomination locked up. I figure a few hours of my life and I get to influence the election in a way a single general election vote never could. The problem is that so far the GOP has yet to field a single candidate that isn't a weird caricature. About the only person I could conceivably stand with would be Romney. I actually want a decent GOP candidate. I would like for the choice to be difficult when I am at the polls. I would like to believe even if my candidate doesn't win that the other side has the best interest of the country (and the people in it) in mind. I hate voting against a candidate. I hate voting because I despise the opponent. Obama was one of the first clear choices for me. I didn't care who he was running against. He was my guy. I would hope that the GOP could field a candidate that they could rally behind and believe in. If Trump is this person then their party is doomed.

By: Theta States

Theta States — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:36:33 -0800

!! Trump / Palin 2012 !!

By: Atom Eyes

Atom Eyes — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:38:11 -0800

I don't get why Donald Trump is still even a thing. He's hideous to look at, has a toxic, grating personality, and compared to the likes of Buffett, Gates, and countless 20/30-something Internet billionaires he's not even all that wealthy. I could understand the appeal if he was a J.R. Ewing-esque combination of evil business genius and charming rogue, but the man has zero charisma and doesn't even strike me as all that bright. I blame indiscriminating, drama-addicted reality TV fans.

By: vibrotronica

vibrotronica — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:38:26 -0800

Obama just shouldn't go. Fuck them. They'll write their silly little whiny articles about how the President didn't show up and it'll ultimately just make them look stupid. No, this is exactly the wrong thing to do. This makes Obama look weak and afraid of him. Obama should go and call him a liar and attention whore carnival barker to his face in front of the entire Washington press corps and right next to the WaPo editors who invited him.

By: y6y6y6

y6y6y6 — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:40:47 -0800

Trump isn't running for anything. Why do people fall for this?

By: East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94

East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:41:35 -0800

I'm now of the opinion that all Republican politicians have varying degrees of sociopathy, otherwise they wouldn't be Republican politicians. I will happily caucus for the viable candidate whom I consider to be most unelectable in the general.

By: cjorgensen

cjorgensen — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:04:10 -0800

I think politics in general require a degree of sociopathy. The President gets $400,000 annually in salary, which isn't a bad amount considering his medical, housing, and transportation costs are zero. Pretty good money if you can get it. 1.6 million for four years? 3.6 if you get a second term? For this sum you have to spend way more than that of your own money. The press, paparazzi, nutjobs, general citizens, and other politicians get to crawl up into every aspect of your life, get to question every decision you ever made in life, get to follow you and yours around, ever action you take (or fail to take) is scrutinized in the minutest detail from TV pundits to bartenders. I'm not exactly crying rivers for the people that get into these positions, but I think it takes a particular mental illness to want to do the job (and an ego to think you're the best suited person). To know what this is going to do to your family and still want to do it? I'll pass.

By: adoarns

adoarns — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:09:42 -0800

Given the complete irrationality of the current electorate, I fear that they might like Trump more if we continue dragging skeletons out of his closet.

Qv. Silvio Berlusconi.

By: bionic.junkie

bionic.junkie — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:19:28 -0800

I don't understand why people are so upset at having Trump as a candidate. I think he's exactly the kind of candidate we need to get America back on track. For most of our political history there's been a wink-wink, nudge-nudge along with a gentlemen's handshake between the politcal establishment, business interests and the mainstream media. And while it seems to have been getting more blatant in its connectedness, there has still been a veneer of deniability that has given the whole process the perception of respectability. What we need now is a candidate who isn't afraid of respectability. Or having a moral center or even good taste. What we need is a candidate who embraces the political establishment for what it is, and then is willing and able to take it to the next level. If Trump becomes president, we can have a chance at some real change. I foresee a Trump driven America where the facade of separation between government, business and media is finally disolved. With the viel finally lifted, the organizations can work together out in the open, without any competing interests of checks and balances. In that new atmosphere, the most patriotic institution of business will spearhead the direction with government passing and/or dismantling the laws to open the doors to progress, while the media will report on the great strides business is taking to secure the prosperity of our country. We all know that there is a debt crisis in America due to a lack of funds available for entitlement programs such as Medicare, veteran's benefits, Social Security and the plethora of other hand-outs that have been draining the coffers of the American Dream. And while we certainly could increase the tax rate on the financially stable in this country, that wouldn't be fair to those individuals and families who have had the foresight to make their generational inheritance work for them. Further, I am sure we are all aware of the importance of the business community to the very foundational existence of America. For without business, this nation would just be a group of people with ideals and principles -- and who is going to respect that? No, business is the life blood of this country. And as with all the things American, the bigger the better, the more patriotic. So it follows that the biggest businesses would be the most patriotic and therefore the most American. In order to cut costs, any and every means of revenue should be pursued. In this new age, the antiquated institutions in Washington D.C. will be relocated to Trump office buildings in New York City, the business center of the world. The old capitol buildings will be converted to a theme park and museum and renamed Six Flags American Adventure. But do not fear, the old capitol will not fall completely out of favor. It will still be used to host foreign dignitaries at the newly developed Trump Hotel and Suites, with state dinners sponsored by Omaha Steaks, Applebees and Pizza Hut. Further cost reductions would be made by contracting (and later completely privatizing) the military. After the Supreme Court of the United States and the Congress are converted into the the Supreme Board of Directors of the United States (SBODOTUS), the decision will be made to have the military take on the task of municipal police duties as well. After a time, the military will also be cross-trained in firefighting and medical services, so as to further reduce bureaucratic redundancy. This will have the net effect of not only reducing the amount of money given to greedy public unions (now illegal, along with all collective bargaining), but also save on costs to vetrans services, and fix the healthcare problem once and for all. Public education will undergo a long needed transformation. The SPODOTUS will partner with Univeristy of Pheonix, National University and ITT Tech to create an educational program serving all students K-9. By the ninth grade all students will be qualified in their pre-identified field to enter the workforce. There will be an extended track for those qualified for the financial services industry and pharmaceutical research. There will also be a specialized track at the remaining private universities of Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Stanford for those who have shown generational competence in business and government. It's changes like this that will put America back on the track to competitive greatness. And only a candidate such as Trump to make it happen. We need a candidate like Trump to take the reigns of America's destiny and steer in in the right direction. Sure, it may not be the direction the founder's intended, but it's the direction that we need for business to succeed. It will take a real patriot such as Trump to make those changes that would be best for all of America.

By: XQUZYPHYR

XQUZYPHYR — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:30:06 -0800

No, this is exactly the wrong thing to do. This makes Obama look weak and afraid of him. Obama should go and call him a liar and attention whore carnival barker to his face in front of the entire Washington press corps and right next to the WaPo editors who invited him. And then then they'll release three days of reportage on how a "visibly angry" and "confrontational" Obama "ruined what was usually a lighthearted and friendly meeting" barf fart spew. For fuck sake, when Obama released his longform two days ago proving that Donald Trump was a racist, lying fuckwit, Trump held a press conference to brag about it. You ever seen right-wing trolls on a left-wing website? They're sociopaths. They don't want to argue anything; they just want to say something nasty and then have another thing ready to say no matter what your response is. There is nothing Obama can or can't do that won't garner a nasty response so fuck it. At the very least, don't bother, don't mention the dinner, and let them stop feeling like they're fucking important. Asshole media: your comments have been rated too low to display.

By: leotrotsky

leotrotsky — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:45:41 -0800

bionic.junkie: if you'd toned that down a bit, it would have been Faze-worthy.

By: Jan Coztas

Jan Coztas — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:46:35 -0800

Trump is using Nixon's playbook. The wealthy loser who's baiting the acting president and using political jiujitsu to garner his numbers on the GOP polls. I was laughing reading Trump's response to Obama's birth certificate because he demonstrated to me that he doesn't care about the people who see through him. They are not going to support him. He's gunning for those who don't or don't mind his superficiality.

By: bionic.junkie

bionic.junkie — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:55:55 -0800

if you'd toned that down a bit, it would have been Faze-worthy. The Donald doesn't tone it down, so neither will I. Trump 2012!!!1!

By: mrgrimm

mrgrimm — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:18:27 -0800

For this sum you have to spend way more than that of your own money. The press, paparazzi, nutjobs, general citizens, and other politicians get to crawl up into every aspect of your life, get to question every decision you ever made in life, get to follow you and yours around, ever action you take (or fail to take) is scrutinized in the minutest detail from TV pundits to bartenders. I'm not exactly crying rivers for the people that get into these positions, but I think it takes a particular mental illness to want to do the job (and an ego to think you're the best suited person). To know what this is going to do to your family and still want to do it? I'll pass. On the other hand, the presidency has been overwhelmingly enriching for President Obama, when you consider that his presidential campaign stimulated his book sales. He probably wasn't a millionaire when he started running for president. In fact, even an unsuccessful presidential run can be very enriching these days. See: Sarah Palin; Mike Huckabee. When I think of presidential candidates (aside from vanity candidates like Forbes, Perot, Bloomberg, and Trump), I don't think of them as spending their own money to get elected. That would be just stupid.

By: vibrotronica

vibrotronica — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:27:41 -0800

And then then they'll release three days of reportage on how a "visibly angry" and "confrontational" Obama "ruined what was usually a lighthearted and friendly meeting" barf fart spew. For fuck sake, when Obama released his longform two days ago proving that Donald Trump was a racist, lying fuckwit, Trump held a press conference to brag about it. Obama won the election the day John McCain said he would suspend his campaign and not show up for the debate in Oxford, Mississippi. McCain had been beaten handily in the first debate, and ducking out of the second debate made him look scared. McCain realized this too late and showed up after all, but the damage was done. Not showing up to the press corps dinner would be showing weakness in front of the press corps. Donald Trump does't decide where the President goes and does not go. Maybe Obama shouldn't be confrontational, but he shouldn't show Trump any respect whatsoever, and, if asked, he should say something like "Who cares what that liar says?" You ever seen right-wing trolls on a left-wing website? They're sociopaths. They don't want to argue anything; they just want to say something nasty and then have another thing ready to say no matter what your response is. There is nothing Obama can or can't do that won't garner a nasty response so fuck it. At the very least, don't bother, don't mention the dinner, and let them stop feeling like they're fucking important. I have indeed locked horns with right wing trolls in many places across the internet. The only thing they respect is power. if Obama stands next to Trump, it will be obvious who has the power.

By: nonmerci

nonmerci — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:36:29 -0800

To be honest, Berlusconi is not a good comparison for a lot of reasons that someone more versed in Italian political culture than I could elucidate. I know it's an easy reference, guys, but you really can't conflate Italian political climate with that in America. It's a little disingenuous to claim otherwise.

By: Navelgazer

Navelgazer — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:48:50 -0800

By: Shotgun Shakespeare

Shotgun Shakespeare — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:50:34 -0800

I'll actually be working the event tomorrow night, and I've worked a few of them in the past. I'd like nothing better than for Trump to tee himself up for Obama, the host and other speakers. There's a certain distance presented by something like the Friar's Club roast, where the guest/victim of honor can pretend they're all just kidding, that they REALLY all love him/her. Not the case at the Correspondents' Dinner, at least not any more. Sure, it's mostly a big pile of self-congratulatory glad-handing and "Yaaaaay us!" boosterism, but lately the barbs thrown from that podium typically hook and hold (if/when they're thrown at all -- I'm lookin' at you, Leno!)

By: steambadger

steambadger — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:53:38 -0800

"George Will must be rolling in his grave.' Snark, or the writer confusing Will and David Broder? No, really. George Will has already purchased and excavated his own grave; and whenever he feels particularly schoolmarmish and disapproving, he goes down to the cemetery and rolls around in it. His dry-cleaning bills are outrageous!

By: msconduct

msconduct — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:38:15 -0800

hahahaha. i initially read ... pointing out that his paper had recently taken Trump to task for his rampant birtherism as pointing out that his paper had recently taken Trump to task for his rampant blitherism. i like my initial read better.

By: ArkhanJG

ArkhanJG — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 17:13:26 -0800

Obama should totally go. While wearing a small kenyan flag lapel pin.

By: dave78981

dave78981 — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 18:04:39 -0800

The more I think about, the greater are the similarities to Joaquin Phoenix. Maybe this is all an elaborate reality show stunt or the new Michael Moore movie...?

By: oneswellfoop

oneswellfoop — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 20:09:56 -0800

The Washington Post gets most of its revenue from "Kaplan Higher Ed". It is no longer a journalistic entity but one in the business of defrauding students. It can bring anybody to the party it wants.

By: Halloween Jack

Halloween Jack — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 21:43:51 -0800

bionic.junkie, that was positively Swiftian.

By: aeschenkarnos

aeschenkarnos — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 05:56:32 -0800

There is only one thing I want to know about Donald Trump. I cannot help it, I am just that curious. What in the hell is going on with his hair? Seriously. How is that hairstyle produced? Is he bald from forehead to ears, and actually has a ducktail he combs all the way forward?

By: dirigibleman

dirigibleman — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 06:38:41 -0800

What in the hell is going on with his hair? Seriously. How is that hairstyle produced? The best example I read is that it's wood grain.

By: rdr

rdr — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 21:04:27 -0800

It turned out to be awkward for someone [nytimes] but not President Obama. The thing is the president had the podium.

By: Ad hominem

Ad hominem — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:33:41 -0800

Obama was great, video really deserves a new thread but I don't have the guts.

By: klangklangston

klangklangston — Sun, 01 May 2011 00:00:27 -0800

Thank fucking Christ, Obama. Now, if you could only have been that charismatic when you were selling the health care bills...

By: dirigibleman

dirigibleman — Sun, 01 May 2011 01:07:35 -0800

While Obama evicerated Trump, Seth Meyer did unspeakable things to his corpse. I'd like to think that this is the last we ever hear of Donald Trump, but as George W. Bush and Trump himself have shown, rich failed losers are the herpes of our society.

By: notreally

notreally — Sun, 01 May 2011 07:45:13 -0800

Don't be a quitter Donald. Hang in there. Please.

By: stoneweaver

stoneweaver — Mon, 02 May 2011 10:56:55 -0800

Here's the CSPAN video of Obama's intro video and speech. The intro video is trolling hard, and I love it.

By: stoneweaver

stoneweaver — Mon, 02 May 2011 10:57:50 -0800

(Same video as in the NYTimes link, just without the NYTimes bit.)

By: mccarty.tim

mccarty.tim — Tue, 03 May 2011 20:23:13 -0800

Wow. In the interview of Trump after the event, the NY Times got this absurd nugget [via Joe. My. God.]:

"It's like in golf. A lot of people — I don't want this to sound trivial — but a lot of people are switching to these really long putters, very unattractive. It's weird. You see these great players with these really long putters, because they can't sink three-footers anymore. And, I hate it. I am a traditionalist. I have so many fabulous friends who happen to be gay, but I am a traditionalist." - Donald Trump, telling the New York Times why he opposes gay marriage.

Apparently, gay marriage should be illegal, because fuck long putters, am I right?