On Sunday and Monday, reporters on the NBC, ABC, and CBS morning shows were thrilled that the White House Correspondents’ Dinner had returned following the pandemic and was attended by a Democratic president. The networks repeatedly cheered the gathering of the liberal D.C. media and political elite as an event “celebrating the freedom of the press.”
“President Biden spoke and joked last night at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington. It was the first time in three years the event has been held,” host Willie Geist touted on NBC’s Sunday Today about Saturday night’s gala. Correspondent Josh Lederman swooned:
...the star-studded dinner is a Washington tradition. When former President Trump was in office, he skipped it every year. Then COVID happened. But now, the dinner is back with a bang....a bash to remember. The first White House Correspondents’ Dinner since COVID. And the first so-called nerd prom with a president in attendance since 2016.
A clip played of President Biden taking a jab at Donald Trump: “We had a horrible plague followed by two years of COVID.” Lederman gleefully emphasized: “The President’s predecessor unspared from the roast.”
The reporter then seemed to try his own hand at humor by laughably claiming: “Over the years, the dinner has been a rare chance for journalists and politicians to set political fights aside and laugh at each other and themselves.”
In reality, the event has routinely been used to bash Republicans and applaud Democrats. The 2018 dinner devolved into such a Trump-bashing spectacle that even ABC’s Jonathan Karl denounced vile, far-left comedian Michelle Wolf’s “mean-spirited” performance. Meanwhile, NBC actually defended the disgusting display.
On ABC’s Good Morning America on Sunday, co-host Janai Norman told viewers: “To Washington now, and politics, as President Biden appears at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The event returning after a two-year break due to the pandemic.” Correspondent Kenneth Moton declared:
Yes, the tradition is back and the White House says it took extra precautions with this Correspondents’ Dinner. The President skipped the dinner portion, arriving just before his remarks saluting the press but also delivering some one-liners roasting himself and the media.
The reporter celebrated how “one of the biggest nights in Washington returned” and gushed: “The Daily Show host Trevor Noah headlining the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, AKA nerd prom, where D.C. meets Hollywood. 2,600 journalists, politicians, and celebrities – including Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson – rubbing elbows, celebrating the freedom of the press with a side of humor.”
A clip was featured of Biden predictably hitting the GOP: “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.”
On Monday’s CBS Mornings, co-host Tony Dokoupil proclaimed: “We do move on this morning to Washington, where the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, one of the capital’s biggest social events, returned on Saturday for the first time in three years.”
Following a soundbite of Biden joking that “I’m really excited to be here tonight with the only group of Americans with a lower approval rating than I have,” correspondent Ed O’Keefe hyped: “Armed with a few one liners, President Biden was the first commander in chief to headline the White House Correspondents’ Dinner since 2016.”
The reporter particularly heralded one of his colleges: “CBS News Radio’s Steven Portnoy led the evening as president of the Correspondents’ Association.” A clip ran of Portnoy telling attendees: “Our democracy depends on journalists shining light and truth upon darkness and lies and bringing accountability to officials at every level of our government.”
O’Keefe concluded: “The President and Noah agreed that despite the pandemic, laughter, and partying, calling out those in positions of power is a distinctly American trait.”
After the report from O’Keefe, co-host Gayle King was delighted that Noah “wasn’t mean” to Biden: “Also great job Trevor Noah. Because it is so hard to thread that needle to take a little jab, a little bruise, a little punch, but he wasn’t mean. That’s the thing, he wasn’t mean and he was actually very, very funny.”
Back in 2018, CBS eagerly promoted Wolf as a “standout” comic before the dinner but afterward admitted that her performance was “extreme” and “below the belt.”
It’s a little disingenuous to tout the White House Correspondents’ Dinner as a celebration of the First Amendment and freedom of the press when most of the media figures in the room are allies of the Democrat in the White House and all the mild jokes are told among friends.
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Here are transcripts of excerpts of the NBC, ABC, and CBS coverage on May 1 and 2:
Sunday Today
05/01/22
8:07 AM ETWILLIE GEIST: President Biden spoke and joked last night at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington. It was the first time in three years the event has been held. And there were some concerns about the President’s attendance given the recent COVID cases around him. NBC’s Josh Lederman was there and he joins us now from the White House. Josh, good morning.
JOSH LEDERMAN: Hey, Willie, good morning, the star-studded dinner is a Washington tradition. When former President Trump was in office, he skipped it every year. Then COVID happened. But now, the dinner is back with a bang.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: White House Correspondents’ Dinner Returns]
LEDERMAN: This morning, a bash to remember. The first White House Correspondents’ Dinner since COVID. And the first so-called nerd prom with a president in attendance since 2016.
JOE BIDEN: We had a horrible plague followed by two years of COVID. [Laughter]
LEDERMAN: The President’s predecessor unspared from the roast.
TREVOR NOAH [IN TRUMP VOICE]: Nobody knew how to make vaccines until I made them. Beautiful, beautiful vaccines.
LEDERMAN: This year’s headliner, The Daily Show’s Trevor Noah.
NOAH: Then I was told that you get your highest approval ratings when a biracial African guy standing next to you, so. [In Obama voice]: So let me just say, Joe, I’m glad that I can do my part.
LEDERMAN: Over the years, the dinner has been a rare chance for journalists and politicians to set political fights aside and laugh at each other and themselves.
JOE BIDEN: Republicans seem to support one fella, some guy named Brandon. He’s having a really good year! [Laughter]
(...)
Good Morning America
05/01/22
8:07 AM ETJANAI NORMAN: To Washington now, and politics, as President Biden appears at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The event returning after a two-year break due to the pandemic. Still, COVID casting a long shadow over the dinner, coming just weeks after so many of D.C.’s most powerful were infected at Washington’s annual Gridiron Dinner.
NORMAN: ABC’s Kenneth Moton, my date to nerd prom, as it’s affectionately know, in 2017 and 2018, joins us with more from the White House. Good morning, Kenneth.
KENNETH MOTON: Good morning, Janai. We had a good time, right? Yes, the tradition is back and the White House says it took extra precautions with this Correspondents’ Dinner. The President skipped the dinner portion, arriving just before his remarks saluting the press but also delivering some one-liners roasting himself and the media.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: DC Media Event Raises COVID Concerns; White House Correspondents Dinner Back After Two-Year Break]
MOTON: After a two-year pandemic hiatus, one of the biggest nights in Washington returned.
TREVOR NOAH: It is my great honor to be speaking tonight at the nation’s most distinguished superspreader event. [Laughter]
MOTON: The Daily Show host Trevor Noah headlining the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, AKA nerd prom, where D.C. meets Hollywood. 2,600 journalists, politicians, and celebrities – including Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson – rubbing elbows, celebrating the freedom of the press with a side of humor.
JOE BIDEN: 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.
MOTON: For the first time in six years, the sitting president attending the dinner, the mass gathering raising COVID concerns as the Biden White House is hit with another round of COVID cases. Vice President Kamala Harris and communications director Kate Bedingfield both testing positive. This after the last major D.C. gathering at the gridiron club dinner resulted in at least 80 COVID cases, including three cabinet officials.
NOAH: I mean, Dr. Fauci dropped out. That should have been a pretty big sign.
MOTON: It was also a night of big honors, our own Jonathan Karl recognized for coverage of the January 6th insurrection.
(...)
CBS Mornings
05/02/22
7:15 AM ETTONY DOKOUPIL: We do move on this morning to Washington, where the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, one of the capital’s biggest social events, returned on Saturday for the first time in three years. The event went on despite concerns about COVID. As Ed O’Keefe shows us, high-profile celebrities joined journalists and government figures, including President Biden.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: W.H. Correspondents’ Dinner Returns; President Biden, Trevor Noah Crack Jokes at Event Honoring Journalists]
JOE BIDEN: I’m really excited to be here tonight with the only group of Americans with a lower approval rating than I have. [Laughter]
ED O’KEEFE: Armed with a few one liners, President Biden was the first commander in chief to headline the White House Correspondents’ Dinner since 2016.
BIDEN: This is the first time the president attended this dinner in six years. [Applause] It’s understandable, we had a horrible plague followed by two years of COVID. [Laughter]
O’KEEFE: Cancelled for two years by the pandemic, this year’s dinner drew more than 2,000 journalists, politicians, and, yes, a few celebrities, who had to be vaccinated and test negative for COVID. That didn’t stop the jokes.
NOAH: It is my great honor to be speaking tonight at the nation’s most distinguished superspreader event.
O’KEEFE: The Daily Show’s Trevor Noah dished out the biggest laughs, mostly at the President’s expense.
NOAH: Ever since you’ve come into office, things are really looking up. You know, gas is up, rent is up, food is up, everything. [Laughter]
O’KEEFE: CBS News Radio’s Steven Portnoy led the evening as president of the Correspondents’ Association.
STEVEN PORTNOY: Our democracy depends on journalists shining light and truth upon darkness and lies and bringing accountability to officials at every level of our government.
O’KEEFE: The President and Noah agreed that despite the pandemic, laughter, and partying, calling out those in positions of power is a distinctly American trait.
BIDEN: Trevor, the really good news is now you get to roast the President of the United States. And unlike in Moscow, you won’t go to jail. [Laughter]
NOAH: I stood here tonight and made fun of the President of the United States, and I’m going to be fine. I am going to be fine, right? [Laughter] Like do you really understand what a blessing it is?
(...)
TONY DOKOUPIL: I’m so glad you mentioned Steve Portnoy of CBS News Radio because he did a terrific job emceeing the night.
GAYLE KING: And he’s been working on it for over a year. So well done, special mommy hug to Steve. He did a great job. Also great job Trevor Noah. Because it is so hard to thread that needle to take a little jab, a little bruise, a little punch, but he wasn’t mean. That’s the thing, he wasn’t mean and he was actually very, very funny.
NATE BURLESON: But what he’s done throughout his career, even dating back to his standup, is he’s layered the truth in between the funny.
KING: Yes, yes.
BURLESON: And a lot of truth is said in jest. You can appreciate walking away after him talking to the world.
KING: Yep.
BURLESON: And really understanding where we are as a country and what we can be thankful for.
KING: The President was cracking up at some of the jokes directed at him.
DOKOUPIL: Yeah, he was.
(...)
