September 03, 2016
It didn't take long for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to take a stab at Philadelphia after visiting Friday allowing Mayor Jim Kenney to quickly fire back, calling Trump a "nincompoop."
Trump was in the city for a private meeting with African-American voters – an effort to gain minority votes as he continues campaigning across the country with just months ahead of the general election.
Trump, who graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, told the Inquirer:
"[Philadelphia] has gotten so much worse than when I was going. It's dangerous; the crime numbers are up. Your mayor is doing a terrible job."
Trump commented on the state of the School District of Philadelphia, a lack of employment and the city's dangerous neighborhoods.
Kenney refuted – crime rates have actually gotten better while the city's unemployment rate fell to 6.9 percent earlier this summer, he said.
"Several words come to mind after reading the candidate's comments, but perhaps 'nincompoop' is the most family-friendly," Kenney said.
It's not the only time Trump has commented on the job of a major public official in Philadelphia.
Last year, former Mayor Michael Nutter called Trump "an a**hole" and said that Trump has "taken a page from the playbook of Hitler."
Well, the man who has also been called a "homegrown demagogue" by President Obama, didn't take well.
He responded on Twitter to Nutter (using the wrong handle):
.@Mayor_Nutter of Philadelphia, who is doing a terrible job, should be ashamed for using such a disgusting word in referring to me.Low life!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 9, 2015
Nutter responded to Trump's most-recent comments about Philadelphia, calling them "sad."
"Donald Trump sure has a habit of insulting and stereotyping the people and cities in Pennsylvania," Nutter said in a news release. "It's Donald Trump that's sad - not Philadelphia. From Harrisburg to Philly, self-proclaimed billionaire Donald Trump wants to tear down our communities and bully people, and Pennsylvanians will stand together to defeat Trump in November."
As Nutter pointed out, it's not even the first time Trump has denounced a Pennsylvania city. The Republican presidential nominee saw an aerial view of Harrisburg, the Keystone State's capital, and called it "a war zone where you (once had) these massive plants" and a "disaster area."
He then angered Gov. Tom Wolf who said:
"We need real plans and programs to support our local businesses and rebuild our communities. Donald Trump has no plans to improve communities across Pennsylvania, and would rather tear them down and pull people apart."
Though, it's not Trump calling all the shots. It may seem like a lifetime ago, but back when Kenney was a councilman, he took to social media to voice his beef with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who closeness to the presidential nominee is no secret.
Chris Christie is sitting on his very fat ass next to Jerry Jones in his box at the Linc. You suck! Kissing Texas ass for 2016! Awful!
— Jim Kenney (@JimFKenney) December 15, 2014
Jerry Jones is the owner of the Dallas Cowboys – Kenney was frustrated that Christie was showing support for the team though they played the Eagles whose many fans come from New Jersey.
