‘Everybody hurts’: Trump’s sad ‘walk of shame’ after Tulsa rally delights critics

Considering that there are few aspects of his job that Donald Trump seems to actually enjoy performing besides speaking to his fervent fan base, Saturday’s rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma was meant to help the rudderless president get his stride back.

With the coronavirus pandemic having kept Trump from the campaign trail for months, advisers had hoped the energy of the crowd would bolster his flagging spirits.

It does not seem to have worked.

Confronted with a much lower-than-expected turnout for an event the campaign had touted as being in high demand, the president was reportedly angered and dumbfounded.

A video of Trump disembarking Marine One back in Washington later that night captured the seemingly exhausted and defeated tenor of the president perfectly.

Naturally Trump critics were quick to make sport of the video and still pictures from the “walk of shame.” When was the last time, as many asked on Twitter, you saw a man walking, quite literally, with his hat in his hand?

Others likened the president seeming to divine a foreboding turn for his fortunes to other leaders throughout history in a similar position.

Or to a dejected New York Mets fan heading home after a brutal loss.

Or to Homer Simpson.

Or to Cersei Lannister from Game of Thrones.

Far and away the most common fun being had was with layering in musical choices including selections from the likes of Radiohead, REM, Foreigner, Simon and Garfunkel, Johnny Cash and the plaintive closing credits piano from the Incredible Hulk television show.

This morning, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany insisted on Fox News that Trump was actually happy with the sleepy, low energy crowd. “The president was not angry at all,” she said. “The president was quite energized. I was with him after the rally. It was a huge success. His speech got rave reviews. He was in good spirits on Marine One.”