If there is one message that got conveyed above all else in the Slap Heard Round the World just one week ago today, it is that public figures don’t have the ability to laugh at themselves that they once did. Whatever judgement one wants to make about Will Smith’s reaction to Chris Rock’s teasing comments, it’s safe to say that Smith’s tolerance for ribbing is lightyears beyond the notoriously thin-skinned Donald Trump. When Trump gets wind of what New Hampshire governor and Republican Chris Sununu said about him this weekend, it will be ugly. Get ready for Don Junior to cobble together a Sununu/Daddy slap meme, that’s next.
Here are some of the highlights or lowlights, take your pick, of what Governor Sununu said about the presumptive 2024 GOP nominee. Politico:
INSIDE THE RETURN OF THE GRIDIRON — New Hampshire Republican Gov. CHRIS SUNUNU stole the show Saturday night at the annual Gridiron Club dinner by saying out loud what most Republicans in Washington *privately* whisper about DONALD TRUMP.
“You know, he’s probably going to be the next president,” Sununu said of Trump, musing about his “experience,” “passion,” “sense of integrity” and the “rationale” he brought to his tweets. As the room quieted to see where he was going with this, he paused, then yelled: “Nah, I’m just kidding! He’s FUCKING CRAZY!” The ballroom roared with laughter. “ARE YOU KIDDING?! Come on. You guys are buying that? I love it … He just stresses me out so much! … I’m going to deny I ever said it.”
It didn’t stop there: “The press often will ask me if I think Donald Trump is crazy. And I’ll say it this way: I don’t think he’s so crazy that you could put him in a mental institution. But I think if he were in one, he ain’t getting out!”
It was just the beginning of an evening full of laughs — and, at times, cringes — that had the more than 600 journalists and VIPs in attendance reaching for more wine. For several hours, it was like the pandemic never happened, as D.C.’s high society descended on the Renaissance Hotel downtown for the first Gridiron gathering in three years.
If you weren’t there, don’t worry, we pulled out the choicest tidbits …
SUNUNU HITS REPUBLICANS:
— On VIRGINIA THOMAS’ now-infamous text messages to MARK MEADOWS: “We know she may be extreme, but let’s face it: when it comes to texting, she’s no ANTHONY WEINER. And you guys thought we forgot about that freakshow.”
— And TED CRUZ hanging out with the People’s Convoy: “Nobody really knows why [the Convoy protesters are] in Washington in the first place — which pretty much describes Ted himself, right? … What is with Ted? You see that beard? … He looks like MEL GIBSON after a DUI or something.”
— On Trump ally and MyPillow CEO MIKE LINDELL: “This guy’s head is stuffed with more crap than his pillows. And by the way, I was told not to say this, but I will: His stuff is crap. I mean, it’s absolute crap. You only find that kind of stuff in the Trump Hotel.”
Sununu also told a story about a time Trump visited him in New Hampshire and invited him to ride inside the presidential limo, The Beast. The then-president suddenly stopped talking and pointed out the window at people lining the road holding American flags, saying, “They LOVE me!” Only problem, said Sununu, was that the man he pointed to held a sign that read, “FUCK TRUMP.”
It’s only been about 16 hours at the time of this writing since Sununu made his comments. I’ve been monitoring Liz Harrington’s Twitter feed for the requisite explosion but nothing so far. I suppose it’s possible that Trump might let this one go — and maybe his aides are begging him to — but I would have to see it to believe it.
You do recall how many people said that Trump ran for president to get back at Barack Obama for razzing him at the White House Correspondent’s dinner in 2011. Maybe he did hold a grudge for that long. And that was nothing to compared to this, nothing. Close the windows and get ready to duck and cover, is my advice. This is going to be radioactive.
RepuQ’s need to do a whole lot more of this, all of them! They’ve all been holding their breath for so long, afraid of ticking off tRump. It must have felt good for this group to laugh at what they all know to be true for a change. A collective sigh of relief. More please!
Wow! And Trump hasn’t responded yet? They must have him strapped into a straightjacket and gagged today! I don’t see how Trump can let this go, because if he doesn’t go full-on destroy and grind Sununu into dust mode then more will be coming. Not humor so much as various Republicans voicing open disagreement, and (dare we hope?) direct & undeniable criticisms. Trump can’t have that. First there’s his ego, but second open and growing defiance means there’s no way in hell he’s getting anywhere near the nomination in 2024.
What will be interesting is if Trump and his minions do destroy Sununu politically. The thing is, such open mocking of the Orange Turd Emperor will still result in more dissension in GOP ranks even if we don’t see it. That can well work to our (and the country’s) benefit. I can’t help but wonder if Sununu has decided he’s had a good life and can comfortably fade away into retirement if Trump wrecks his remaining career – and decided to fall on his sword for the good of the Party and the country. I’ve never been a fan of Liz Cheney’s political stances and am no fan but do admire her for standing up to Trump the way she has. But Sununu using Trump as a punching bag for jokes is a whole bigger thing to someone like Trump. It reminds me of an old, lame SNL skit with John Malkovich playing a king and insisting “I will not be mocked!” even as his aides literally stood behind him and did so – until he turned around. But started again as soon as he turned away from him.
The sad thing is they gather and fret, make jokes and laugh as if the last 5 years hasn’t damaged this country to the point it may not survive but do absolutely nothing to put the orange slob out to pasture. If every one of those who know he’s a dangerous idiot said so out loud and to the public, we might be able to breathe again. Instead, they think that they will keep their profitable seats in congress because their gerrymandering and anti-voting bills will help the whole 25% of mango ass worshippers regain GOP power. Let’s prove them wrong!
This is what I have to say to Traitor Tot and his traitor RepubliKKKans and Q-nuts!
“Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelt of elderberries!”
Ursula, Trumpler did indeed seek hefty revenge on Obama for mocking him, but never forget that there was always a deep, nasty undercurrent of unbridled racism running through his indignation. A white guy could say far worse things about him without whipping up the sheer hatred unleashed by an uppity black man humiliating him, especially a really smart one.