President Joe Biden said at a weekend rally in Washington that the big news this week was that two candidates secured their party’s presidential nomination.
But one was too old and mentally unfit for the job, he said.
“It’s me,” Biden quipped.
At the annual Gridiron Club and Foundation banquet, the president came out with a flurry of criticisms of Republican Donald Trump, but Biden’s continued criticism that he appeared to have a vague memory and was confused. Instead, he highlighted the moment when the 77-year-old Trump made a gaffe. Too.
“Don’t tell him. He thinks he’s trying to run against Barack Obama. That’s what he said,” Biden, 81, said, adding that he drastically changed his bedtime. He also quipped that it was too late to wake up.
This is the first time Biden has attended the dinner during his presidency, and the event comes as the 2024 election approaches and the rematch between Biden and Trump intensifies.
The annual Bacchanalia, now in its 139th year, dates back to 1885. This year Grover refused to attend his Cleveland presidency.
Every president since then has participated in at least one Gridiron.
But Biden quickly turned dark, questioning what the real threat to democracy would be if Trump, who continues to falsely claim the 2020 election was stolen, returns to the White House. emphasized.
The speech echoed Biden’s campaign rhetoric, which criticized President Trump and was too soft on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“We are living in an unprecedented moment in our democracy,” he said. “An unprecedented moment in history. Democracy and freedom are literally under attack. President Putin is marching through Europe. His predecessors bowed to him and said, ‘Do whatever you want.'”
Biden then introduced Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kalas.
He said, “We will not bow down. They will not bow down, and I will not bow down.”
Biden, dressed in his customary white tie attire, arrived with his daughter Ashley.
The dinner is known as a night of bipartisan banter, and features Washington politicians and figures including Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff, at least eight other Cabinet members, and at least five members of Congress. It was crowded with people. , five governors and at least five ambassadors.
Irishman Leo Varadkar, who is in town for St. Patrick’s Day, also attended.
In addition to Harris, Democratic Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Republican Utah Governor Spencer Cox also spoke at the dinner.
Biden also spoke about the importance of press freedom, closing the dinner.
While he may not agree with everything news outlets report, he said he understands the need for journalism and remains committed to bringing journalists Evan Gershovich and Austin Tice home. Told. One was detained in Russia and the other went missing during a reporting trip in Syria.
“Good journalism is a mirror that reflects society,” he said. “I need you.”
Biden and Harris were seated at the head table, along with other administration officials, foreign leaders and Washington Post President Dan Baltz Gridiron.
Also seated at the table were Baltz’s boss, Washington Post editor-in-chief Sally Buzbee, and the paper’s owner, Jeff Bezos.
The dinner was held at the Grand Hyatt. Photography and television were prohibited.
