MICHELLE WOLF NOT AMUSED THAT TRUMP WILL SKIP WH CORRESPONDENTS DINNER; HISTORIAN TO SPEAK INSTEAD OF COMEDIAN
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| Michelle Wolf |
For the third consecutive year Pres. Trump says he will not attend the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) Dinner on April 27. He said he will hold a rally instead of going to the "boring and negative" dinner.
Comedian Michele Wolf, who headlined the 2018 event, said she hopes it is not because he has windmill cancer in reference to a comment Trump made about the noise from windmills causing cancer.
At a fundraiser for the Republican National Congressional Committee recently, Trump had said, "If you have a windmill anywhere near your house, congratulations, your house just went down 75 percent in value. . .And they say the noise causes cancer."
Wolf later said at an event his absence from the Correspondents Dinner is probably all for the best because ,"He doesn't have a big enough spine to attend," she added. "A person who can't take someone making fun of them, I don't really care about."
Realistically, Trump likely is avoiding the annual gathering because he has no respect for what he has repeatedly called the "fake news media," which includes all outlets except his beloved FOX News. The White House has had a contentious history with the media under Trump's rule. Many in the journalism community argue they are infringing on freedom o the press given by the Constitution by showing preference to media personalities and outlets that tend to support the president. Press Sec. Sara Huckabee Sanders, who also refuses to attend the WHCA event, released rules governing press conduct in 2018. A BBC cameraman was attacked at the president's rally in Texas, which he condemned.
The president's tussle with the rights of the press is well documented and not a laughing matter. This year the White House Correspondents Association will forego the tradition of having a celebrity of comedian host the annual "First Amendment" themed dinner. Ron Chernow, one of the most eminent biographers of American presidents and statesmen, will be the featured speaker.
Taking his duty seriously, Chernow said, “The White House Correspondents’ Association has asked me to make the case for the First Amendment and I am happy to oblige.” Continuing he said, “Freedom of the press is always a timely subject and this seems like the perfect moment to go back to basics. My major worry these days is that we Americans will forget who we are as a people and historians should serve as our chief custodians in preserving that rich storehouse of memory."
The historian plans to bring his sense of humor with him: "While I have never been mistaken for a stand-up comedian, I promise that my history lesson won’t be dry.”