By now you heard of Barack Obama’s bizarre roast of Donald Trump at the White House Corespondents dinner last night. In spite of the expected media glowing reviews, it was in fact petty and self-serving. Obama never could take any criticism, and even those who work for him with and with him over the years note his skin is as thin as toilet paper.

Now all presidents have used the dinner to try out their comedy chops, but this was unseemly and crude. Obama was paying back, not just trying to poke fun. If you study his face and mannerisms during his offering you couldn’t help but feel offset watching the President of the United States insult and belittle a citizen simply for his own pleasure.

It was as they say unbecoming of the office. I’m not alone in that assessment. As the media scrambled to give Obama the thumbs up, not all were impressed. But even more it wasn’t very smart either. As Glenn Reynolds notes.

” Obama takes bait, embiggens Donald Trump. You don’t punish Donald Trump by giving him attention. A more experienced politician would know that. Nor is building Trump up good for Obama — Trump has actually hurt him more than all the others combined. Because, you know, Trump has actually been willing to criticize him without being afraid of the Big Media retribution. The various traditional GOP candidates still have the old cringe-reflex where Big Media criticism is concerned.”

If GOP contenders for 2012 want to succeed they should take note. Get under Obama’s thin skin and let him crack. America is looking for strong leadership in 2012, not a milk toast, teleprompter reading, sophomoric, thin skin brat.