Biden and Colin Jost address the White House correspondents dinner
President Biden wasted no time.
Just a few minutes into his speech at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday, Mr. Biden discussed the issues that will dominate the 2024 election, including his age and former President Donald J. Trump was also involved in a hush-money trial in New York.
“The 2024 election is in full swing and yes, age is an issue,” Mr Biden said in a speech that lasted about 10 minutes. “I’m a grown man racing against a 6-year-old.”
“Donald has been through some tough days recently. You can call it ‘stormy’ weather,” Mr. Biden said, a veiled reference to Stormy Daniels, a porn actress who claims she had sex with Mr. Trump in 2006 and days before in 2016. Had received payment secretly. Election, a deal at the center of his New York trial.
The comments, also as part of the roast, were notable given that Mr Biden has refused to let his aides talk publicly about Mr Trump’s legal troubles. But they also came as Mr Biden stepped up his attacks on Mr Trump, sharpening the split-screen between a president on the campaign trail and a former president spending his days in the courtroom.
The annual dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel provided journalists and government officials a break from their usual routine for a night of glitz and gossip in celebration of a free press. Mr. Biden, who has held fewer news conferences than his predecessors, turned his attention to reporters gathered for the dinner.
“Some of you complained that I didn’t answer enough of your questions,” Mr. Biden said. “No comment.”
“The New York Times issued a statement accusing me of ‘actively and effectively policing independent journalists,’” Mr. Biden said. “Hey, if that’s what it takes for The New York Times to say I’m active and effective, then I’m all for it.”
However, outside the gates of the Washington Hilton, outrage over Mr Biden’s support for Israel’s war in Gaza was palpable.
As journalists and politicians arrived at the hotel, several pro-Palestinian protesters chanted, “Shame on you!” Other protesters lay down in front of the dinner venue wearing press jackets emblazoned with the names of the more than 100 Palestinian journalists killed in Gaza.
Protest organizer Hazmi Barmada said, “By placing our human bodies on the street, we create a little inconvenience for the journalists attending the event”.
Inside the hotel ballroom, several journalists wore pins reading “Free Ivan” to raise awareness of Wall Street Journal reporter Ivan Gershkovich, who the U.S. government says has been wrongfully detained in Russia since March 2023 Has gone.
Kelly O’Donnell, a senior White House reporter for NBC News who is also president of the correspondents union, used her remarks to draw attention to journalists who have been captured or killed while doing their jobs. went, including Mr. Gershkovich; Austin Tice, who was kidnapped while reporting in Syria; And journalists who have been killed in Gaza.
“Our profession can be dangerous,” Ms O’Donnell said. “Nearly 100 journalists have been killed since October, most of them in Gaza.”
Ms. O’Donnell also said that when it came to their host this year the association wanted to choose both a writer and a comedian. Colin Jost, co-anchor of “Weekend Update” on “Saturday Night Live” — and former reporter for the Staten Island Advance — spent about 23 minutes mocking the president.
But Mr. Jost’s speech was relatively mild, even endorsing Mr. Biden. He ended it by saying that his grandfather, who died recently, had voted for Mr Biden in the last election.
“They voted for you because you’re a decent person,” Mr. Jost said.
Nevertheless, Mr. Jost never missed an opportunity to confront the President about his election statistics.
“My ‘Weekend Update’ co-anchor, Michael Che, was supposed to join me here tonight — but I decided to lose all my black support in solidarity with President Biden,” Mr. Jost said, referring to that poll. While saying, in which Mr. is shown. Biden is struggling with black voters.
Over seared petite filet mignon, celebrities and journalists also got the chance to capture the moment setting policy that would influence Americans for years to come. NBC News anchor Lester Holt was seated next to White House Chief of Staff Jeffrey D. Zients, who made sure to stand up and speak briefly with the Rev. Al Sharpton.
Not everyone was in tuxedo or dress – Senator John Fetterman, Democrat of Pennsylvania, was seen wearing a white, hooded sweatshirt with a bow-tie design on the front.
Hollywood was well represented at the dinner, with the actress Scarlett Johansson, who is married to Mr. Jost, seated in the front row. The popular cable news anchors dined with actors Jon Hamm and Sean Penn, among others.
Before taking their seats, Democratic leaders, including politicians such as Senator Chuck Schumer of New York and Governor J.B. Pritzker of Chicago, sat on the court with guests as Biden campaign officials talked about recent elections in which Mr. Biden is shown cutting into Mr Trump’s lead. ,
Mr Biden also seemed courageous. Although he rarely mentioned Mr. Trump by name early in his presidency, he has aggressively taunted him recently and continued to do so on Saturday.
“Did you hear what Donald said about a major civil war?” Mr. Biden said. “Gettysburg. Very good. Trump’s speech was so shameful that the statue of Robert E. Lee surrendered again.
“Age is the only thing we have in common,” Mr Biden, 81, said of Mr Trump, 77. “My vice president really supports me,” Mr. Biden said, referring to former Vice President Mike Pence’s decision not to vote. Support Mr. Trump.
Mr Biden also used his speech at the dinner to warn about the threats his political rival poses to democracy – increasingly the focus of his message to voters.
“Focus on what’s really at stake,” Mr Biden said. “The stakes couldn’t be higher than this.”