WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Saturday used his White House correspondents’ dinner speech to attack former President Donald Trump, taking shots at the presumptive Republican nominee while highlighting the stakes of the election.
Biden made jokes at his political rival’s expense and addressed age head-on, saying he was “a grown man running against a six-year-old.”
The president later said that age was the only thing he and Trump had in common, adding, “My vice president actually endorses me,” a reference to former Vice President Mike Pence’s refusal to say he will support his ex. -running mate in 2024.
But Biden’s speech took a serious turn when he discussed what was at stake in November’s presidential election, echoing themes from his campaign speeches by highlighting what he called Trump’s “attack on our democracy.”
The president urged the press to “rise to the seriousness of the moment”.
“Get past the horse racing numbers and the ‘gotcha’ moments, the distractions and the sideshows that have come to dominate and sensationalize our politics, and focus on what’s really at stake,” Biden said. “I think in your hearts you know what’s at stake.”
Biden also highlighted the detention of The Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been imprisoned in Russia for more than a year on espionage charges that he and his employer deny. His case was classified as unfair detention by the US
The president called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to release Gershkovich immediately, adding that the White House was also doing everything it could to bring home freelance journalist Austin Tice and businessman Paul Whelan.
Gershkovich’s parents and Tice’s mother were among about 2,600 guests at the dinner, an estimate provided by NBC News political correspondent Steve Kornacki in a video shown at the event.
“I give you my word as Biden: We will not give up until we get them home,” Biden said. “All of them.”
Biden also highlighted the unjust detention of Americans abroad, including Gershkovich, at last year’s dinner. The president emphasized during remarks last year that “journalism is not a crime,” noting that a free press is a “pillar” of a “free society.”
Celebrities who attended Saturday’s event included Scarlett Johansson, who is married to Jost; Rachel Brosnahan and Quavo. High-level politicians and administrative officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. John Fetterman, D-Penn, also attended.
First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff also attended the event, which took place at the Washington Hilton.
Kelly O’Donnell, NBC News’ senior White House correspondent, serves as president of the White House Correspondents’ Association for 2023-24 and chaired the dinner.
“Saturday Night Live” cast member Colin Jost was the dinner’s featured performer. He co-anchors the NBC show’s “Weekend Update” segment.
Like Biden, Jost made several jokes at the former president’s expense, including Trump’s criminal trial, beginning his remarks by saying “how refreshing it is to see a president of the United States at an event that doesn’t begin with a law enforcement official saying: ‘Everyone stand up.'”
Jost also attacked Biden at times, comparing the economy to the president climbing the steps of Air Force One: “It looks like it’s stumbling, but somehow there’s upward progress.” The comedian also told the president that his late grandfather voted for Biden in the last election because he thought Biden was “a decent man.”
While the dinner, a tradition dating back 100 years, took place inside the ballroom, hundreds of protesters mobilized outside the venue to call for a ceasefire and criticize Biden’s response to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Protesters chanted: “Shame on you!” as attendees walked past them to enter the hotel. They also shouted criticism of the media and a large sign read: “Stop media complicity in genocide.”
“Every time the media lies, journalists in Gaza die,” the crowd echoed the leader’s megaphone chants.
Protesters later called for the fall of Western media, chanting: “Brick by brick, wall by wall, Western media will fall.”
US Secret Service communications chief Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement that “attendees can expect layered security and screening at the dinner,” adding that there would be “intermittent” road closures near the venue.
“In reference to the publicized demonstration, we are working closely with the Washington Metropolitan Police Department to protect the assembly rights of individuals, but we will remain intolerant of unlawful behavior,” Guglielmi added.
After the dinner ended, two protesters holding a sign saying “Stop Israel’s genocide” walked onto the hotel’s red carpet as guests were leaving. They disturbed the participants and were removed by security.
The president had to face protesters demonstrating outside his official events, with protesters sometimes interrupting his speeches. In response, Biden’s team has been working to make the president’s events smaller and retain their exact locations longer than usual in hopes of reducing potential disruptions.
Earlier this month, Palestinian journalists wrote an open statement Letter calling on others to boycott the White House correspondents’ dinner “as an act of solidarity with us – your fellow journalists – as well as the millions of Palestinians currently starving in Gaza”, pointing to the Biden administration’s support for Israel.
This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com read the full story
