The Joke That Made Trump
For some, their worst nighmare. For others, a new dawn. For the world, an undeniable truth as Trump moves back in to the White House. Here's how it all began.
As we brace for the shockwaves headed our way I figured this is a good time to reemerge from my long and unplanned writing hiatus and get some words out.
Two weeks ago 48.3% of this nation went into shock. In fact the whole world is wondering how Donald J. Trump took back the White House. America turned redder than it’s ever been and not in a blushing kind of way. No doubt will “Remember, remember, the 5th of November” in our own way from now on.
What if this is the culmination of a long and vengeful plan drawn out by a powerful man for being made the butt of a joke? Let me explain.
Do you remember the White House Correspondence dinner on April 30, 2011, where our 44th President aimed a series of jokes that landed and hit its intended target. The target was “The Donald” as Obama nicknamed the real-estate mogul and billionaire who at the time was best known for firing a lot of people on reality TV.
As he addressed a room full of cheering politicians and their media mouthpieces, President Obama craftily brought the much debated birth certificate issue finally to rest, then went on to make fun of the recent Celebrity Apprentice episode where Trump fired Gary Busey. Trump seemed to enjoy it all and then Obama landed the final joke.
That’s when I think it got real and personal for Trump. I watched it live and for some reason that final moment stuck with me, the moment when Obama pegged Trump as nothing but a big joke. It was a character assassination. It must have hurt.
As I watch it again (on YouTube, link below) after all this years, I see a man sitting tall amongst his friends and frenemies, all of whom are trying to catch his reaction as he tries to smile away his dignity. I can only imagine what Trump must have been thinking in that moment.
“and I will have my vengeance, in this life of the next.”
It all makes sense now. Not too long after that Trump started his first presidential campaign, and by beating Hillary against all odds in 2016 he turned US politics upside down and pulled the constitution’s guts inside out. He gave birth to the term “fake news” and exploited all the loopholes in our justice system. All of it had to be part of Trump’s grand revenge, to be forever known as President Trump. Never say never, not to Trump.
But it didn’t stop there, did it? That first win was against Hillary Clinton who in hindsight wasn’t must of a worthy opponent, followed by COVID-19 which distracted us from focusing on Trump to surviving a real virus.
And then, drowsy from all those booster shots we got Biden elected hoping to prevent another pandemic. Meanwhile, a clear-headed and ever more determined Trump went back to work to make America great again.
Here we are 8 years after Obama delivered that joke with impeccable timing, in the aftermath of an election that brings us back to where it all began. This time around, Trump gets his closure and the final laugh.
Welcome back to the Trump White House.
Here’s your history lesson. If you are curious about how it all went down, watch Obama roast Trump here.