DNC Chairman Tom Perez criticized Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) Wednesday by invoking a nursery rhyme but inserting McConnell's name into it.
He started by referring to McConnell as "McDonald" before correcting himself and leading into his rendition of "Old McDonald Had a Farm."
"But this president's too busy tweeting. And his lap dog in Kentucky, McDonal—McConnell. Old McConnell had a farm, E-I-E-I-O. And on that farm he kept all those bills that passed the House, E-I-E-I-O," Perez told the crowd prior to the second night of the Democratic debate.
Perez's stilted delivery received tepid applause, and he proceeded to deliver a line about formerly being a garbage man and knowing that "this administration is a dumpster fire."
His attempt at humor met strong criticism from journalists and pundits on Twitter.
This is so bad. https://t.co/SkDkq2rRhm
— Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) July 31, 2019
This is not encouraging
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) July 31, 2019
Tom Perez warming up the crowd before the debate (really): "Ol' McConnell had a farm. Ee-eye-ee-eye oh. And on his farm, he kept all those bills that passed the House. Ee-eye-ee-eye oh."
— Alex Seitz-Wald (@aseitzwald) July 31, 2019
Perez was even compared, unfavorably, to former DNC chief Howard Dean, who ruined his short-lived 2004 presidential campaign with a primal yell he unleashed during a campaign stop.
No explanation why DNC chair Tom Perez started doing a Howard Dean impersonation.
— Richard Burr (@RichardBurr_DN) July 31, 2019
Feels like a "BYAAAH" is going to end this Tom Perez speech
— Katherine Miller (@katherinemiller) July 31, 2019