President Donald Trump rallied his supporters at a campaign event in the historic Wisconsin city of Green Bay while the White House Correspondents' Association dinner took place in Washington without him.
During his rally, Trump attacked a number of the most prominent Democratic candidates who could potentially run against him during the 2020 presidential election.
"Can you imagine Sleepy Joe, Crazy Bernie. ... Can you imagine any of those people up here doing what I'm doing?" Trump asked the crowd, according to NPR. While those comments were directed toward former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Trump also made a racially insensitive remark about Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., by joking that "I think, Pocahontas, she's finished, she's out, she's gone."
Trump also made a spurious claim about abortion by arguing that mothers and doctors decide to "execute" babies.
"But your Democrat governor here in Wisconsin, shockingly, stated that he will veto legislation that protects Wisconsin babies born alive," Trump told the audience, according to CNN. "The baby is born, the mother meets with the doctor, they take care of the baby, they wrap the baby beautifully, and then the doctor and the mother determine whether or not they will execute the baby."
Trump also referred to a comment he made earlier this month about sending undocumented immigrants to so-called "sanctuary cities," or jurisdictions within the United States that limit their cooperation with federal authorities meant to curb illegal immigration.
"We're sending many of them to sanctuary cities, thank you very much," 'They're not too happy about it. I'm proud to tell you that was actually my sick idea," Trump told the crowd.
The president also took a shot at the Paris Climate Accord, which he controversially chose not to sign in 2017, arguing that America would have been sued by environmentalist groups had it participated.
"China can sign rules. They’re not going to be sued by Greenpeace," Trump told the Green Bay rally. He added, "If Greenpeace goes to China, that’s the end of Greenpeace. You’re not going to see them again. We adhere to these things. It’s a little different."
Things got heated among Trump supporters outside the Resch Center, with at least one incident in which a Trump supporter argued that anti-Trump protesters didn't have freedom of speech, according to the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
"(Expletive) Donald Trump," a teenager carrying a skateboard said to a group looking at Trump T-shirts. A woman in the group accused the teen of being "illegal."
"I got freedom of speech," the teen replied. "Not if you aren't a citizen," the woman replied.
While Trump was holding his Green Bay rally, the White House Correspondents' Dinner proceeded as hosted by historian Ron Chernow, who told a number of jokes at the president's expense.
"As best I can tell, Washington committed only one major blunder as President, he failed to put his name on Mount Vernon and thereby bungled an early opportunity at branding. Clearly deficient at the art of the deal, the poor man had to settle at the lowly title of 'Father of his Country,'" Chernow quipped, according to The Hill.
Chernow also referenced Alexander Hamilton, whose life Chernow famously chronicled in a biography that was later adapted into a hit Broadway show.
"[Hamilton was] an immigrant who arrived, thank God, before the country was full. Frankly I don't know why they let the guy in, clearly someone slipped up at the southern border," Chernow observed.
Chernow closed his speech with a famous quote from author Mark Twain.
"As we head into election season, I leave you with one last gem from Twain: 'Politicians and diapers must be changed often and for the same reason,'" Chernow joked.
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