Trump singled out Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) for the former college wrestling champion’s physique, as well as his aversion to wearing a suit jacket.
„When I first got to know Jim, I said, ‘Huh, never wears a jacket. What the hell is going on?’ He’s obviously very proud of his body,“ Trump said, asserting that Jordan exercises so intensely in lawmakers’ shared gym that „the machine starts burning.“
The president also seemed to call attention to Jordan’s cauliflower ear, a deformity often incurred through boxing or wrestling.
„One day I’m looking, and he looks tough, and I’m looking — and I’m looking at those ears,“ Trump said. „And I say, ‘Those ears have something going on there.’ I said, ‘Did you ever wrestle?’ ‘Yeah, I did.’ But he doesn’t talk, but I checked.“
Dungeon dweller Devin Nunes
Trump introduced Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) as „a man nobody’s ever heard of, except the other side,“ dubbing him Democrats’ „worst nightmare.“
Nunes played a starring role during the House impeachment hearings as the top Republican on the Intelligence Committee, and has himself faced scrutiny for his reported involvement in the Ukraine scandal.
Trump on Thursday appeared to reference the sensitive nature of the Intelligence panel’s work, sometimes conducted in a secure facility in the basement of the Capitol known as a SCIF.
„This guy goes down into dungeons and basements. He’ll find a document, no matter what. He’s the most legitimate human being,“ the president said of Nunes.
Trump also suggested he „didn’t even know“ Nunes earlier in his presidency, adding: „I just heard there were like — there was this congressman who kept going into a basement, into files. He knew something was wrong.“
Steve Scalise’s ‘record for blood loss’
When it came time to thank Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), Trump made reference to the 2017 shooting at a Republican congressional baseball practice that left the House minority whip critically wounded.
„He got whacked. He got whacked, my Steve, right?“ Trump said, going on to recount his visit with first lady Melania Trump to Scalise’s hospital bedside following the attack.
„We saw a man that was not going to make it. He was not going to make it. He was — the doctor — and I told him, his wife, I said, ‘She loves you,'“ Trump said.
While „a lot of wives wouldn’t give a damn“ about the condition of their husbands under similar circumstances, Trump joked, Scalise’s wife „was a total mess“ and „was really devastated.“
„It really looked like he had a 20, 25 percent chance. I think you set a record for blood loss,“ Trump said. „And Steve Scalise — I actually, honestly, I think you’re better-looking now. You’re more handsome now. You weren’t that good looking. You look good now.“
Elise Stefanik, the killer
Trump applauded Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) for her breakout performance questioning witnesses in the House impeachment hearings, assessing that she was „killing them“ during the televised proceedings.
„Most incredible, what’s going on with you, Elise. So I even said — you know, I was up campaigning for her, helping her. But I thought, ‘She looks good, she looks like a good talent,'“ Trump said.
„But did I not realize, when she opens that mouth, you were killing them, Elise. You were killing them,“ he continued.
The president said Americans „were so enthralled with the way you handled yourself,“ and pledged to Stefanik: „I’ll always be your friend.“
John Ratcliffe — Trump’s ‘Perry Mason’
Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas), Trump argued, was an ideal choice for the leading role in a potential reboot of the mid-century courtroom drama ‘Perry Mason’ — as long as Attorney General William Barr passed on the part.
„A man who is — I mean, central casting,“ the president said. „If I’m going to pick Perry Mason, I’m going to do a remake of ‘Perry Mason,’ other than Bill Barr, I’d pick this guy. But I have to say I’ll pick Barr. I’d pick Barr first, right?“
Trump added of Ratcliffe, his former nominee to become director of national intelligence: „There’s nobody in Hollywood like this.“
Lights, camera, Mike Johnson
Trump also offered one of his favorite endorsements to Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), remarking that the bespectacled southern congressman was straight out of „central casting.“
„What a job. You can represent me any time. You can represent me any time,“ he said. „Thank you. What a job you’ve done. Thank you, Mike.“
Source: politico.com
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