Obama Zings Trump at the White House Correspondents Dinner
[There was a video here]
The White House Correspondents' Dinner is a loathsome affair, a sweaty, boozy monument to venality and the contemptible power-worship of Washington journalists. But it's got LOLs! Oh, the LOLs. And—like last year—Obama provided plenty. Here are some highlights.
The main target of Obama's zingers? Depilated yahoo Donald Trump. Before the show the failed businessman and press bauble predicted Obama wouldn't joke about him. But he did! Oh, my, he did. And, well, it must have been at least slightly cathartic for Obama to zing a guy whose would-be campaign has focused on, more or less, the race-based humiliation of the president. It also helps that Obama is a pretty loose, funny guy. (And yet, YouTube commenters agree: Ron Paul was the real winner last night.)
The President reportedly had the help of Daily Show writers in 2010, and this year's could well have had that kind of help too, even if it wasn't quite as funny as last year's (though good look staying away from predator drone jokes this time). Host Seth Meyers, the Saturday Night Live writer and actor, was pretty funny as well; at least, as far as these things go. And, of course, he also went after Trump, because why wouldn't you, if the guy is right there in the room?
Here are the entire remarks: