Channel: AP Archive

Category: News & Politics

Tags: district of columbiaap archivetrevor noahus biden dinner (cr)james cordensocial affairshealthunited statesa6b1499e72bf4443b96ee7c306abe98cmediagovernment and politicsapus155429joe bidendonald trump

Description: (1 May 2022) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: US POOL Washington DC - 30 April 2022 1. Mid of US President Joe Biden approaching podium at White House press corps' annual gala HEADLINE: Biden digs at Trump as annual press dinner returns 2. Audience 3. Biden on stage shaking hands ANNOTATION: The president took the opportunity to test his comedic chops, making light of the criticism he has faced in his 15 months in office while taking aim at his predecessor, the Republican Party and the members of the press 4. SOUNDBITE (English) Joe Biden, US President: ++CONTAINS CUTAWAYS++ "This is the first time the president attended this dinner in six years. It's understandable. We had a horrible plague, followed by two years of COVID." ++WHITE FLASH++ 5. SOUNDBITE (English) Joe Biden, US President: "Just imagine if my predecessor came to this dinner this year. Now, that would really have been a real coup, if that occurred." 6. Audience 7. SOUNDBITE (English) Joe Biden, US President: ++STARTS ON PREVIOUS SHOT AND CONTAINS CUTAWAYS++ "I'm really excited to be here tonight with the only group of Americans with a lower approval rating than I have." 8. Mid of audience 9. SOUNDBITE (English) Joe Biden, US President: ++STARTS ON PREVIOUS SHOT AND CONTAINS CUTAWAYS++ "Well, Republicans seem to support one fellow, some guy named Brandon. He's having a really good year and I'm kind of happy for him." 10. Various of audience 11. SOUNDBITE (English) Joe Biden, US President: ++STARTS ON PREVIOUS SHOT AND CONTAINS CUTAWAYS++ "I know there are questions about whether we should gather here tonight because of COVID. Well, we're here to show the country that we're getting through this pandemic. Plus, everyone had to prove they're fully vaccinated and boosted. So if you're at home watching this and you're wondering how to do that, just contact your favorite Fox News reporter, they're all here vaccinated and boosted, all of them. I'm not really here to roast the GOP. That's not my style. Besides, there's nothing I can say about the GOP that Kevin McCarthy hasn't already put on tape." ++EDIT ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++ STORYLINE: The White House press corps' annual gala returned on Saturday night along with the roasting of Washington, the journalists who cover it and the man at the helm: President Joe Biden. The White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, sidelined by the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, featured Biden as the first president in six years to accept an invitation. Donald Trump shunned the event while in office. "Just imagine if my predecessor came to this dinner this year," Biden told an audience of 2,600, among them journalists, government officials and celebrities. "Now that would really have been a real coup." The president took the opportunity to test out his comedic chops, making light of the criticism he has faced in his 15 months in office while taking aim at his predecessor, the Republican Party and the members of the press. "I’m really excited to be here tonight with the only group of Americans with a lower approval rating than I have," Biden said to the Hilton ballroom filled with members of the media. Biden also made light of the "Let’s Go Brandon" slogan, which has become the right’s stand-in for swearing at the president. "Republicans seem to support one fellow, some guy named Brandon," Biden said, causing an uproar of laughter among the crowd. "He's having a really good year. I'm kind of happy for him." As far as roasting the GOP, he said, “There’s nothing I can say about the GOP that Kevin McCarthy hasn’t already put on tape.” He also took a jab at Fox News. Find out more about AP Archive: aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: facebook.com/APArchives ​​ Instagram: instagram.com/APNews You can license this story through AP Archive: aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/a6b1499e72bf4443b96ee7c306abe98c