The annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner was held Saturday, with politicians, journalists and celebrities congratulating President Biden on an election year against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war and protests over the conflict.
The event featured comedian Colin Jost roasting the president and making jokes targeting the media and Republican politicians, including former President Trump and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz.
“Like many of you here tonight, I’m pretending to do the news on TV,” Jost told the crowd, referring to the “Saturday Night Live” skit.
Hundreds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators outside the event denounced Biden’s support for Israel and Western media’s coverage of the war. This echoes the anti-Israel protests that have been taking place on American college campuses in recent weeks.
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President Joe Biden speaks with comedian Colin Jost at the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) dinner in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)
Chants of “Shame on you!” “Liberate Palestine” could be heard chanting as guests dressed in suits and long dresses entered the venue for dinner. Protesters accused American journalists of not covering the war enough and, when they did, misrepresenting the facts.
“Western media, we see you and all the horrors you are hiding,” protesters chanted.
During the event, Biden, 81, joked about his age while also using the dinner as an opportunity to attack Trump, the front-runner in the 2024 presidential election.
“Yes, age is an issue. I’m a grown man running for office again from a 6-year-old kid,” Biden said of Trump.
With former Vice President Mike Pence refusing to endorse his former running mate, the president added, “Look, the only thing we have in common is age. The vice president actually supports me.” Ta.
Mr. Biden also joked about accusations that Congress is political theater, using the opportunity to reference Colorado Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert, who was kicked out of a theater last year for groping her date.
“Being here reminds me that people think what’s going on in Congress is political theater,” the president said. “That’s not true. If Congress were a theater, they would have kicked Lauren Boebert out a long time ago.”
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President Joe Biden takes the Pledge of Allegiance at the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) Dinner in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)
Media outlets have recently been highly critical of Biden for refusing to give interviews to mainstream media outlets such as the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Biden skipped a Super Bowl interview with CBS News in February after canceling a Super Bowl interview with Fox News last year.
Journalists have limited access to interview Biden, and he holds fewer press conferences than his predecessor.
Instead of giving interviews with traditional news outlets, Biden recently spoke with radio host Howard Stern and late-night show host Seth Meyers.
“To all of my friends in the press and to Fox News, I have higher standards,” Biden said Saturday. “I do interviews with powerful independent journalists like Howard Stern that millions of people actually listen to.”
Jost’s remarks included references to Biden’s age, Trump’s lawsuit and independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s chances of winning the election.
“I didn’t know I was going to show a picture of me from high school,” Jost said. “That’s totally unfair. You can’t do that for President Biden because this technology wasn’t invented when he was in high school.”
“How refreshing is it to see the president attend an event that doesn’t begin with a standing ovation from the bailiffs?” Jost added. “And just to point out, even though it’s past 10 p.m., Sleepy Joe is still awake. President Trump, on the other hand, has been falling asleep in court every morning for the past week. I’m doing it.”
President Joe Biden sits next to comedian Colin Jost at the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) dinner in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)
Jost added, “The Republican presidential candidate owes $500 million in fines for bank fraud, is currently in hush money trial with a porn star, and spends his days farting when he wakes up, yet the race is a draw. Is that so? The election is a draw. There’s no point in it anymore.”
Referring to Kennedy Jr.’s stance on vaccines, Jost joked, “As it says on his vaccine card, he’s not vaccinated.”
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The comedian compared the accomplishments of Biden and former President Obama, saying, “Obama got the gains he got.” [Osama] Bin Laden, you are O.J. [Simpson]. ”
Yost also said the president reminded him of his grandfather.
Jost cited the example of Biden falling down the stairs of Air Force One, saying, “Some of the best things about you remind me of him. And I tell you, he’s 95. Even though he was older, he was still good at stairs.” “I think it’s because he didn’t try to run them up.”
