Speaking in Tampa, the Republican presidential nominee said, “The only people enthusiastic about [Hillary Clinton’s] campaign are Hollywood celebrities—in many cases celebrities that aren’t very hot anymore.” This is an almost classic case of an insult that goes one step too far, like the old joke that “the food at that restaurant is terrible and the portions are too small.” Is Clinton’s problem that she has only celebrity enthusiasts? Or that her celebrity enthusiasts aren’t very hot?
Trump’s remarks also remind us of his habit of projection. After all, at the Republican National Convention he brought out celebrity endorsers like Willie “Duck Dynasty” Robertson, Scott “Joanie Loves Chachi” Baio, and Antonio “Miscellaneous Soap Operas” Sabato Jr. These are hardly the brightest stars in the firmament. They hardly stack up to the Clinton supporters who seem to have set Trump off, notably Justin Timberlake and Meryl Streep. Trump’s outburst supports the general rule that most of his insults are reflections of his own insecurity.