“...McConnell poked fun at himself, new inductee Mitt Romney, and fellow members of the U.S. Senate, including a particularly incendiary Tea Party Republican from Texas.”
I read this as a light-hearted speech jokingly naming republican politicians both left and right - as is always done at these affairs. I suspect Salon is trying to stir things up, as usual.
Or am I missing something?
Wasn't this crackhead pol the one who suggested the GOP was going to crush the Tea Party? Perhaps that's the part you're missing?
You’re not missing anything. The Alfalfa Club dinner is similar in format to the Al Smith dinner up in NYC. It’s only considered bad form if you don’t skewer yourself in the process (as Obama has done on several occasions).
Does someone have the full transcript of McConnell’s speech? Until we do I think it best to presume that Salon is cherry-picking, probably exagerating to stir up Conservatives.