Staff Reports
Former President Donald Trump took a swing at humor during a campaign rally in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, but instead of discussing policy, he aimed for the heart of nostalgia with a rather eyebrow-raising story about golf legend Arnold Palmer. It’s no shock that Palmer, a four-time Masters champion and proud Republican hailing from Latrobe, was the go-to figure for Trump in a state that is rich with tradition and conservative values.
While discussing Palmer’s impressive legacy, Trump took a detour to the locker room, where anecdotes often blur the line between amusing and inappropriate. Trump painted Palmer as the embodiment of masculinity, and in a moment of levity, he unwittingly decided to offer a peek behind the curtain, sharing tales that were more suited for a buddy-buddy chat than a campaign rally. This was the kind of moment that made audiences chuckle but also left others scratching their heads.
🚨TRUMP: "Arnold Palmer was all man. I love women, but Arnold was ALL man. When he took showers with the other pros, they come out of there and said 'Oh my God, that's unbelievable!" He was something special. I had to tell you the shower part of the story because it's true." 😂 pic.twitter.com/OdPxrHNCNQ
— Autism Capital 🧩 (@AutismCapital) October 19, 2024
In Trump’s account, he couldn’t resist highlighting Palmer’s physical prowess, but his phrasing led to more than a few awkward silences from listeners. When sharing his account of Palmer taking showers with fellow professionals, Trump’s attempt at humor drew mixed reactions, with laughter from some in the crowd but cringes from others. Clearly, Trump’s comedic timing was as refined as his golf swing—sometimes it lands a hole in one, and other times, it veers wildly off course.
Palmer’s daughter did her best to wave off the debacle, asserting that she wasn’t too upset but also indicating that Trump’s approach was perhaps not the most respectful way to celebrate her father’s legacy. Unsurprisingly, her thoughts could be summarized neatly as “let’s not make this about locker room tales.” It’s evident that while Trump may have been trying to connect with the crowd through humor, others felt he overshot the mark.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, caught in the crossfire of Trump’s off-color remarks, dodged the question like a seasoned politician. He attempted to steer the conversation back toward the things that truly matter—namely policies and not personality quirks. Johnson’s appeal for a focus on substance over style is a sentiment many conservatives can likely get behind, especially as they eye the upcoming election and the myriad of critical issues at stake. In the end, it seems that laughter, much like golf, is all about strategy and timing—and on this day, Trump’s game may have been just a little off.
