Donald Trump embarrassingly botched a dig at Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff during a rally in the senator’s home state.
Trump, 80, has been criticizing Ossoff more and more, as the 39-year-old senator’s stature has risen. The president has spent time posting on social media about Ossoff, who is up for reelection in November, at one point comparing his looks to Pee-wee Herman, the fictional character played by late comedian Paul Reubens.
On Wednesday in Marietta, Georgia, Trump tried to go back to that line, but could not stick the landing.
“I fought Ossoff before, as you know, and we won. Had a great success against this guy,” Trump said. “He reminds me of—'Pinky Herman.’ Did you ever see ‘Pinky Herman?’"
Trump’s erroneous line still drew laughs from the crowd.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the flub.
Later in his speech, Trump got the name correct.
“I call him Pee-wee Herman,” he said, in reference to Ossoff. “He’s a Pee-wee Herman look-alike.”
Trump’s speech, during which an attendee behind him mocked his gestures, also included a brag about giving the parents of a soldier killed during his war against Iran a ride on Air Force One.
“One of the families happened to be traveling to Georgia. Beautiful family, beautiful wife and husband, and brother-in-law,” Trump said, a few hours after he attended the dignified transfer of the four service members killed in the last week.
“And I said, ‘I’m going to Georgia too. Where are you going?’ She says, ‘Well, after this, sir… we’re going to Georgia.’ I said, ‘So, if you want, I’ll give you a ride on Air Force One.’ And they said, ‘Wow!’"
He continued: “So today, they’re on Air Force One—and it’s quite nice, I must say—and they said, ‘Wow, this is something.’"
