Biden Jokes, Strikes Solemn Tone in White House Correspondents' Speech
US Pres. Joe Biden on Saturday made the requisite jokes during his speech at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner, but also struck a solemn tone while speaking about attacks on journalism occurring around the world.
Facts
- US Pres. Joe Biden on Saturday made the requisite jokes during his speech at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner, but also struck a solemn tone while speaking about attacks on journalism occurring around the world.1
- Biden acknowledged the plight of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been imprisoned in Russia since March, and journalist Austin Tice, who hasn’t been reachable since he disappeared at a Syrian checkpoint in 2012.2
- The president called for both men to be released “immediately” and declared “journalism is not a crime.”2
- Closer to home, Biden struck out at Fox News, which he characterized as “an extreme press.” Biden criticized what he deemed conspiratorial lies “designed to generate a cycle of anger and hate and even violence” just days after Fox Corp settled a defamation lawsuit for $787.5M with Dominion Voting Systems over claims of manipulating the 2020 presidential election results.3
- On a lighter note, the 80-year-old also elicited laughs from the roomful of prominent political and media figures with jokes about his advanced age as he begins his bid for re-election.4
Sources: 1PBS NewsHour, 2The Hill, 3Reuters, and 4Al Jazeera.
Narratives
- Democratic narrative, as provided by Washington Post. Biden struck just the right tone during his speech. His jokes hit their targets, and his acknowledgment of the dangers journalists are facing was a breath of fresh air compared to his predecessor, former Pres. Trump, calling the media “the enemy of the people.” Although Biden hasn’t been available to as many White House correspondents as he wished he would be, perhaps this is a step in the direction of more interaction between the president and the press.
- Republican narrative, as provided by PJ Media. Biden’s speech took the expected cheap shots at his opposition in front of a friendly audience and made light of the serious issues surrounding his age and competence. Considering how he struggled to deliver the jokes, Biden did little to calm people’s worries about his coherence, and it’s obvious we’re headed toward another campaign featuring him staying out of the spotlight as much as possible. The road ahead doesn't look good for Biden.
