THE WASHINGTON DC CORRESPONDENTS DINNER

The Washington correspondents dinner is a yearly event, celebrating the press and the First Amendment. Journalists from all sides come together. The president traditionally attends. Presidents Clinton, Obama and G.W. Bush excelled in poking fun at others, and themselves.

This last correspondents' dinner was special. President Trump did not attend (for the second time), which came as no surprise.  He chose instead to go to one of his meetings of "deplorables", who get high on his lies, personal attacks and distortions.  Since there might be some progress on the Korean front, his base switched from the usual "Lock Her Up!" to "Nobel!", a battle cry which Trump relishes, as could be expected.  Surreal!

The correspondents' dinner always invites a comedian to poke some fun at the president (in absentia). This year, Michelle Wolf was the chosen prosecutor. Given that the Trump administration is considered as some return of a Krakatao-type of destructive volcano eruption, it was expected that her jabs might have more bite than usual. The audience was not disappointed. Her frontal attacks on the lies and the corruption in Trump's world were merciless...they were also unfailing. Michelle Wolf was less a comedian than a prosecutor, calling out perpetrators by name. She may have created some discomfort but none of her attacks are open to counter-argument.  Given the gravity of the transgressions which were criticized, the distancing by some journalists feels cowardly.

At the end of the day, Trump's base will continue to swallow anything which is provided for, but the other America does not have to measure or control its contempt for the permanent carpet-bombing of values, truth and the pursuit of happiness.

In a ruined landscape you can only hear a scream. Whimpers will not do. Michelle Wolf was the right person for these very ominous times.