Ahead of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, DNC Rapid Response Director Alex Floyd released the following statement:

“We hope everyone has a good time this weekend, because if Donald Trump wins in November, this Saturday could also be known as the last White House Correspondents’ Dinner. To state the obvious: Trump is a thin-skinned narcissist who – despite spending seemingly every waking moment glued to his seat consuming cable news – is constantly attacking the free press and unable to handle a little good-natured ribbing. He skipped the White House Correspondents’ Dinner every single year he was in office because of his deep-seated insecurities and pathetic desperation to be liked by the same people he rails against – and that was before he outright banned members of his administration from attending at all. Fun and jokes aside this weekend, Saturday is also a reminder of what’s at stake with an angry, vengeful Trump on the ballot. He may be a punchline, but he is also a sad, vindictive wannabe authoritarian who shows no respect for the First Amendment – or the Fourth Estate.”

Trump is too thin-skinned and insecure to handle a little teasing…

Vanity Fair: “Trump Gets Roasted After Declining Third White House Correspondents’ Dinner”

Reuters: “Trump orders administration officials not to attend White House correspondents dinner”

NPR: “Trump Will Be First President In 36 Years To Skip White House Correspondents’ Dinner”

Washington Post: “With self-deprecation on menu for presidents at correspondents’ dinner, it’s no wonder Trump is skipping it”

Politico: “Trump’s Jokes Killed DC’s Sense of Humor”

… and has repeatedly stoked anger against the media and defended violent attacks on members of the press.

Vanity Fair: “Trump Campaign Denies Press Credentials for Several Journalists”

Trump: “The Fake News Media in our Country is the real Opposition Party. It is truly the Enemy of the People! We must bring honesty back to journalism and reporting!”

CNN: “Trump calls journalists ‘bad people’ at rally a week after newsroom shooting”

Politico: “[Trump] returned to scathing attacks on the news media just one week after a gunman killed five journalists at a Maryland newspaper. He derided the press as ‘fake news,’ ‘bad people’ and ‘so damn dishonest.’ ‘They’re fake,’ he said, pointing at the press area in the arena. ‘These are really bad people.’”

Associated Press: “Trump says media is ‘Enemy of the People’ after shooting, bomb plot”

New York Times: “In urging the crowd to vote for Representative Greg Gianforte, who is running for re-election and who was sentenced to anger management classes and community service for assaulting a reporter last spring, Mr. Trump jokingly warned the crowd to ‘never wrestle him.’ ‘I had heard he body-slammed a reporter,’ Mr. Trump said, noting that he was initially concerned that Mr. Gianforte would lose in a special election last May. ‘I said, ‘Wait a minute. I know Montana pretty well; I think it might help him.’ And it did.’ ‘Anybody that can do a body-slam,’ the president added, ‘that’s my kind of guy.’”