The annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner was held Saturday during which President Biden was joined by politicians, journalists and celebrities for an election year roast, set against the backdrop of the war between Israel and Hamas and protests related to the conflict.
The event included a roast of the president by comedian Colin Jost, who also made jokes targeting the media and Republican politicians, including former President Trump and Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida.
“Like many of you here tonight, I’m pretending to do TV news,” Jost told the crowd, referencing his “Saturday Night Live” skit.
Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters outside the event condemned Biden’s support for Israel and Western media coverage of the war. This, as anti-Israel protests have taken place on American college campuses in recent weeks.
President Joe Biden speaks with comedian Colin Jost at the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner in Washington, DC (Getty Images)
Chants of “Shame on you!” and “Free Palestine” were heard as guests in suits and long dresses headed inside for dinner. Protesters accused American journalists of not covering the war enough and of distorting it when they do.
“Western media sees us, you and all the horrors you hide,” protesters chanted.
At the event, Biden, 81, made jokes about his age while using the dinner as an opportunity to shoot trumphis main challenger for the 2024 presidential election.
“Yes, age is an issue, and I’m an adult, six years old,” Biden said, referring to Trump.
“Look, age is the only thing we have in common. My vice president supports me,” added the president, while former vice president Mike Pence refuses to support his former running mate.
Biden also joked about accusations that Congress is a political theater and took the opportunity to quote Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado who was kicked out of a theater last year for groping her date .
“Being here is a reminder that people think what happens in Congress is political theater,” the president said. “That’s not true. If Congress was a theater, they would have expelled Lauren Boebert a long time ago.”
President Joe Biden delivers the Pledge of Allegiance at the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner in Washington, DC (Getty Images)
Media electrical outlets have recently been very critical of Biden for not granting interviews to mainstream media outlets like the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal, among others. Biden skipped his Super Bowl interview with CBS News in February after canceling last year’s Super Bowl interview with Fox News.
In addition to journalists’ limited access to Biden for interviews, he has also held fewer news conferences than his predecessors.
Instead of giving interviews to traditional news media, Biden recently spoke with radio host Howard Stern and late-night host Seth Myers.
“To all my friends in the press and at Fox News, I have higher standards,” Biden said Saturday. “I do interviews with strong independent journalists that millions of people listen to, like Howard Stern.”
Jost’s roast included mentions of Biden’s age, Trump’s legal affairs and independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s chances of winning the election.
“I didn’t know you were going to show pictures of me from high school,” Jost said. “It’s not really fair. You can’t do it for President Biden because the technology wasn’t invented when he was in high school.”
“How refreshing to see a president at an event that doesn’t start with an usher saying everyone stand?” Jost added. “And I want to point out that it’s after 10 p.m., Sleepy Joe is still awake. Whereas Trump spent the last week falling asleep in court every morning.”
President Joe Biden sits alongside comedian Colin Jost at the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner in Washington, DC (Getty Images)
Jost continued: “The Republican presidential candidate owes half a billion in fines for bank fraud and is currently spending his days farting during a secret trial against a porn star and the race is tied? The race is to equality. Nothing has any meaning anymore.
Referencing Kennedy Jr.’s stance against vaccines, Jost joked, “As his vaccination card says, he doesn’t have a vaccine.”
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The comedian compared the accomplishments of Biden and former President Obama, saying, “Obama has (Osama) Bin Laden, you have OJ (Simpson).”
Jost also told the president that he reminded him of his grandfather.
“Some of your best qualities remind me of his. And, I will say, he was 95 years old and he was still good on stairs,” Jost said, referring to instances where Biden fell down the stairs of Air Force One . “I think it’s because he didn’t try to crush them.”
