News Desk: President Joe Biden took a dig at his predecessor Saturday at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, while also joking about the press, the GOP and the continued existence of the event altogether.
“I'm really excited to be here tonight with the only group of Americans with a lower approval rating than I have,” Biden said during his initial comments.
“We had a horrible plague followed by two years of Covid,” he said. “Just imagine if my predecessor came to this dinner this year, now that would really have been a real coup if that occurred.”
The event marked Biden's first appearance at the widely attended Washington event since taking office. As the first President to address the dinner's attendees in six years, he stressed his support for democracy and the free press.
Saturday night's dinner, which took place inside the Washington Hilton and was expected to host more than 2,500 guests, returned in full force after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. The event's program was headlined by “Daily Show” host Trevor Noah and featured Biden delivering comedic remarks. The White House Correspondents' Association, which hosts the annual black tie event, honored several journalists for their contributions.
Biden also poked fun at his age, joking that he remembers when the annual dinner began, with President Calvin Coolidge speaking in 1924. “I had just been elected to the United States Senate,” he said.
The President said that when he was elected, Noah on his show called Biden “America's New Dad,” to which he said, “Let me tell you something pal, I'm flattered anybody would call me a ‘new' anything.”
