During the 2023 White House Correspondents’ dinner, President Joe Biden took time to poke fun at himself while addressing members of the media. But the president also fired shots at the likes of Don Lemon, Fox News, and more.
Biden took a moment for jokes after making more serious remarks to start his speech on Saturday evening in Washington, D.C.
Among the jokes cracked included a couple at his own expense, as the 80-year-old president didn’t shy away from the fact that he’s been around awhile.
“I believe in the First Amendment, not just because my good friend Jimmy Madison wrote it,” Biden said.
The president then took a jab at longt-ime CNN anchor Lemon, who was let go by the media company last Monday.
“You call me old. I call it being seasoned. You say I’m ancient. I say I’m wise. You say I’m over the hill. Don Lemon would say that’s a man in his prime,” he joked.
But his jokes came unbiasedly, as he then fired one off at CNN’s rival Fox News, which made headlines after it split with long-time host Tucker Carlson and reached a settlement in its defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems.
“Look, it’s great the cable news networks are here tonight,” Biden said. “NBC News owned by NBC Universal. Fox News owned by Dominion Voting Systems.”
“Last year, your favorite Fox News reporters were able to attend because they were fully vaccinated and boosted,” Biden continued. “This year, with the $787 million settlement, they’re here because they couldn’t say no to a free meal.”
Biden also seemed to embrace his “Dark Brandon” meme, posting on his Twitter that “Dark Brandon made an appearance at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.” The clip in the tweet was of him handing off the mic and putting on his aviators.
The jokes were made during Biden’s second appearance before the White House Correspondents Association’s annual dinner and came at an important time for journalism.
The president discussed his vow to fight for Americans who he said were “wrongfully detained” abroad, most notably Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been detained in Russia, and whose family was present at the dinner.
“Evan went to report in Russia to shed light on the darkness that you all escaped from years ago,” Biden said. “To the entire family, everyone in this hall stands with you. We’re working every day to secure his release, looking at opportunities and tools to bring him home. We keep the faith.”
Biden then discussed his commitment to the press and upholding the practice as an important part of the free world.
“Jill, Kamala, Doug, and I, and members of our administration, are here to send a message to the country and quite frankly to the world — a free press is a pillar, maybe the pillar, of a free society, not the enemy,” Biden said.
Biden also vowed to “keep the faith” with another journalist, Austin Tice, who was kidnapped while reporting in Syria in 2012.
“Journalism is not a crime,” Biden said. “Evan and Austin should be released immediately, along with every American held hostage or wrongly detained abroad.”
One of the last comments that Biden made on Saturday night, and one that received the loudest laughter from the crowd, was a rip at one of his fellow politicians, not a member of the media.
“I want everyone to have fun tonight, but please be safe,” Biden said as he was winding down. “If you find yourself disoriented or confused, it’s either you’re drunk or Marjorie Taylor Greene.”
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