New York Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had people laughing with her explanation for why so few have showed up to President Donald Trump's festivities celebrating America's 250th anniversary.
The Trump administration projected as many as 45,000 people would attend the opening day of the Great American State Fair, which is set to take place on the National Mall from June 25-July 10, serving as the centerpiece of the Trump administration's Freedom250 celebrations to honor the United States' semiquincentennial.
Needless to say, the number of attendees fell well short of estimates, and when MeidasTouch Network reporter Pablo Manríquez asked Ocasio-Cortez why she thinks "nobody showed up to Trump's 250th anniversary party on the Mall," she replied with this zinger:
“I mean, he ― we all know he clears a room, right? So, it’s not news that we’re breaking there."
Ocasio-Cortez appeared to be referencing Trump's particularly rank body odor; Trump's team even once lashed out after former Illinois Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger said Trump has an "odor" that is "something to behold."
In fact, Kinzinger said he is "genuinely surprised" that people close to Trump have not "talked about the odor" and advised anyone who might find themselves in Trump's orbit to "Wear a mask if you can."
You can hear what she said in the video below.
Indeed, the fair proved to be a dud.
Crowds were relatively light, according to several news organizations, with The Washington Post reporting that opening-day attendance was "relatively sparse compared with past National Mall events." The Post even said that “The crowd thinly covered an area about the length of the National Museum of American History, smaller than some more outdoor movie screenings.”
The event itself was plagued by a series of problems. Power outages disrupted several attractions, melting ice cream, halting the 110-foot Ferris wheel, and forcing the closure of West Virginia's exhibit due to air conditioning failures, according to USA Today. Freedom 250 spokesperson Julia Friedland acknowledged the disruptions, describing them as "power hiccups."
The fair features exhibits representing all 50 states, but several—including Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oregon, and Pennsylvania—opted not to send official delegations because of budget or scheduling constraints.
North Carolina's privately sponsored exhibit also drew controversy after displaying what state officials described as an "unapproved image" of the Confederate flag, prompting the governor's office to demand that organizers "stop dishonoring the flag of North Carolina."
The weather added to the event's troubles. Friday's festivities were cut short by rain, while forecasts warned that Saturday's schedule could also be disrupted by showers and possible afternoon thunderstorms.
People loved Ocasio-Cortez's response and criticized Trump in turn.
We all know Trump has long been obsessed with crowd size—it appeals to all of his narcissistic tendencies—and to see how few people actually showed up is definitely hitting him where it hurts right now.
Despite the obviously low turnout, Fox News faced criticism after its White House correspondent Peter Doocy claimed "the weather, not the best today, but people are still coming out!" Doocy said this while overlooking the largely empty fairgrounds.
Doocy's remarks amused Arizona Democratic Representative Yassamin Ansari, who said "it was hilarious and pretty sad to see Fox with the empty background behind them trying to tout this as some sort of success.”
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