Why does Donald Trump want to be president? According to some of those close to him, it might be out of feelings of revenge against his critics. Especially the man he hopes to take over the presidency from, Barack Obama, who mercilessly and hilariously mocked him at the 2011 White House Correspondents Dinner.
Trump was at the height of his racist, conspiratorial birther fervor and Obama seemed to delight in spending a sizable portion of his speech ripping his fragile ego to shreds.
“No one is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than the Donald. And that’s because he can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter. Like did we fake the moon landing? What really happened in Roswell? And where are Biggie and Tupac?” Obama jabbed.
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How about we take this to the next level?
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He said Trump showed real leadership in deciding to fire Gary Busey over Meat Loaf or Lil Jon after their team lost a cooking challenge on The Apprentice.
“Well handled, sir,” he said. “Well handled.”
While most attendees at the White House Correspondence Dinner are smart enough to at least appear as if they are in on the joke, Trump sat with a frozen, grimace-smile plastered to his face that gave the impression that Obama was effectively getting under his skin.
In a preview video for Frontline‘s upcoming election special, “The Choice 2016,” Omarosa and conservative political consultant and lobbyist Roger Stone suggest that Trump did in fact take it highly personally and that it likely played a big role in his deciding to run for president. In fact, to hear them tell it, it was the night that finally prompted him to run.
“Oh, Barack Obama is starting something that I don’t know if he’ll be able to finish,” Omarosa remembers thinking at the time.
Stone believes that it motivated him to run out of revenge, to “show them all.”
Related: Obama Makes Two Excellent Gay Jokes At White House Correspondents Dinner
“Every critic, every detractor, will have to bow down to President Trump,” Omarosa added. “It’s everyone who’s ever doubted Donald, who ever disagreed, who ever challenged him. It is the ultimate revenge to become the most powerful man in the universe.”
Watch the video below.
Alistair Wiseman
First of all, Queerty, the proofreading of grammar would be great.
Second, I would expect nothing less from left-leaning PBS.
Third, Trump may have been rattled as they mention in the clip, but he didn’t seem that way. Smiling and waving at the President at one point.
Fourth, is it really presidential for the most powerful man in the world to attack a private U.S. citizen at the White House Correspondents Dinner? In 2011, Trump was a mere private citizen.
Finally, because of Trump, rightly or wrongly, President Obama did produce his birth certificate. It obviously made an impact on the President as he either wouldn’t have mentioned it, nor spent as much time talking about it.
Mack
Wouldn’t bow down to Donald Trump if my life depended on it. Might give him the finger though because honestly that would be all he’s worth-even elected President. All that proves is that there a many stupid people in this country.
BigWill
@Alistair Wiseman: “Fourth, is it really presidential for the most powerful man in the world to attack a private U.S. citizen…”
You don’t seem to know the difference between a private citizen and a public figure. Look it up.
Alistair Wiseman
@BigWill:
Donald Trump is a public figure who is running for president as a private citizen. Donald Trump has never held public office and is not a public official.
chris_clb614
@Alistair Wiseman: I think “public figure” was meant as an individual who is known to the PUBLIC.
jag4313
I read somewhere that becoming President is just something he wants to add to his resume and after a year or so he would step down, making Pence our President. Neither one of those men are capable of running this country. UGH!
Low Country Boy
@Alistair Wiseman: Seriously? Stick to trolling, you obviously know nothing about the law.
Juanjo
@Alistair Wiseman: A public figure is a public figure. Let’s look at the definition of the term as it is used in defamation cases for example – public figure. n. in the law of defamation (libel and slander), a personage of great public interest or familiarity like a government official, politician, celebrity, business leader, movie star or sports hero.
Let’s look at the facts shall we? The Donald is a man who has routinely sought the spot light. His television show, his real estate promotions and developments, his constant public speaking on items of local or national interest and more importantly his insertion of his birther nonsense into the political sphere. He repeated has made some of the most absurd claims about Obama’s birth and upbringing, right up there with the John Birch Society types on the far right. So The Orange One is a public figure.
The rest of your critique is also lacking in any factual basis other than possibly your comments about Queerty’s grammar issues. I did not bother to check.
DCguy
@Alistair Wiseman:
Notice how once again, Alistair can never state WHY he supports Trump, merely lash out as all self hating folks and attack people who support lgbt rights.
As for Trump forcing Obama to release his birth certificate. His birth was certified by the state of Hawaii and it’s Republican governor. What you need to do is explain why that wasn’t good enough for Trump.
Additionally, Trump claimed HIS investigators had found “Amazing things, things you wouldn’t believe” about Obama’s birth certificate in Hawaii. Funny how he stopped saying that as soon as the birth certificate was released….so…another lie.
You support liars, bigots, and agree with them.
Alistair Wiseman
@Juanjo:
Thank you for your truly fascinating piece on public figures. Riveting good stuff. However, I clearly stated, “Donald Trump is a public figure who is running for president as a private citizen.”
You also stated, “The rest of your critique is also lacking in any factual basis other than possibly your comments about Queerty’s grammar issues. I did not bother to check.”
Um, did you not read Queerty’s post? Did you not watch the clip? You have no idea of any kind of political bias at the taxpayer-funded PBS?
Alistair Wiseman
@DCguy:
I have REPEATEDLY said that I do not know whom I will be voting for in November. It doesn’t matter to you, you just keep plugging along making accusations that you know to be untrue. Regardless of what I say, next week you will again be asking why I never give details of why I am supporting Trump.
I have repeatedly said I do not know whom I will be voting for, only whom I will not be voting for – Hillary Clinton. I have repeatedly said that Trump is not a conservative, that he has been a registered Democrat, Independent and Republican, that I did not vote for him in the California primary even when he was already the presumptive Republican nominee. You don’t care, you just continue with your false, lying accusations.
Until next week, when you make the same lying accusations again. Like a broken, dishonest record.
Heywood Jablowme
@Alistair Wiseman: Ri-i-i-ight… that must explain why, on an article about Trump that doesn’t even mention Hillary, you immediately made a PRO-Trump comment!
Blaktarn
Omarosa is another black joke like Ben Carson. I wonder how much she is being paid for her devotion. When the reality is the only thing she can do for Trump is clean his house or wipe his ass.
DCguy
@Alistair Wiseman:
No, what you have REPEATEDLY done is defending every anti-lgbt bigotry and anytime there is any posting on the anti-lgbt language Trump used, you have rabidly defended him.
So nice try. Once again, you defended bigots, attack any Democratic candidate, and defend Trump. But it’s fun that you think you can lie and pretend not to be a Trump troll on here.
Ken Orwig
Bottom line is Donald Trump is an ego-maniac with a revenge mentality. The GOP has been poisoning the electorate with “divide and conquer” strategy since 2000. In the process they created a monster that’s going to take us to the brink of disaster or into disaster if he becomes president.