I had turned down so many of Lally’s invitations in the past, I thought accepting her invite would be the right thing to do. I knew I was probably being set up by the media, but that’s okay as long as you’re prepared for it. When I arrived at the event in Washington, thousands of people were packed into DC’s biggest ballroom. The White House Correspondents’ Dinner is the Academy Awards of politics. News reporters, political operatives, celebrities—you name it they’re all there. As I walked in, the paparazzi and press were going crazy. “Mr. Trump, Mr. Trump,” they shouted, “do you think the president will mention you in his speech?” I said, “I have absolutely no idea. I never thought about it, I sincerely doubt it, and why would he mention me?” I said this honestly despite the fact that I was at the top of the polls without even campaigning. The truth is, if I was in Obama’s position, I probably wouldn’t have mentioned the name Donald Trump, especially since I was hitting him hard on his birth certificate and asking why he wouldn’t just show it and get on with dealing with the serious issues our country faces today on debt, unemployment, and China, among others.
