Watch: The best and worst jokes from the jam-packed White House Correspondents' Dinner – Biden needles Trump and DeSantis
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner took place in Washington, D.C., on Saturday night. This was the first WHCD since 2020 because of the pandemic.
The packed indoor event at the Washington Hilton was hosted by "Daily Show" host Trevor Noah, and attended by journalists, politicos, and celebrities. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden were also in attendance.
The WHCD began with a video of a pre-recorded skit with "Late Late Show" host James Corden filling in for White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki.
Corden is most concerned about President Biden's opinion on the budding romance between Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson – who were in attendance at the WHCD. Psaki provides Corden with talking points for his White House press conference – such as "War with Russia: bad," and "CDC: good."
James Corden Takes Over Press Briefing www.youtube.com
Biden then took the podium and addressed his dismal approval rating by giving "a special thanks to the 42% of you who actually applauded." He then mocked journalists as the "only group of Americans with a lower approval rating than I have."
Biden noted that the 2022 White House Correspondents' Dinner was the first time a sitting U.S. president attended the event since 2016 because former President Donald Trump boycotted the WHCD during his presidency.
Biden then insinuated that the Trump presidency was a "plague."
"This is the first time a president has attended this dinner in six years," Biden said. "It's understandable, we had a horrible plague followed by two years of COVID."
The president then said that if Trump had attended the event, it would have been a "real coup" – a joke about the Jan. 6 riot, which Biden previously called an "armed insurrection" on a day that "democracy was attacked."
Biden then quipped, "I'm not 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."
The president acknowledged the anti-Biden slogan "Let's go Brandon."
"Republicans seem to support one fellow," Biden said. "Some guy named Brandon. He's having a really good year. And I'm kind of happy for him."
President Biden: "We had a horrible plague followed by two years of COVID."\n\n#WHCD #WHCD2022 #nerdprompic.twitter.com/jSeUCGrUE5— CSPAN (@CSPAN) 1651371312
Biden took aim at possible 2024 GOP presidential candidate and current Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over his handling of Disney's fight against the Parental Rights in Education law.
While flubbing Ronald Regan's iconic "tear down this wall" speech from 1987, Biden declared, "Ronald Reagan said, 'Mr. Gorbachev, tear this wall down!' Today’s Republicans say, 'Tear down Mickey Mouse's house!' And pretty soon they’ll be storming Cinderella's castle, and you can be sure of it."
President Biden: "Ronald Reagan said, 'Mr. Gorbachev, tear this wall down! Today\u2019s Republicans say, tear down Mickey Mouse's house! And pretty soon they\u2019ll be storming Cinderella's castle, and you can be sure of it."pic.twitter.com/ajwVYmQ5Ga— Mary Margaret Olohan (@Mary Margaret Olohan) 1651371651
Trevor Noah began his monologue by calling out the hypocrisy of press members attending a packed indoor event.
"It is my great honor to be speaking tonight at the nation's most distinguished superspreader event," Noah stated. "For real, what are we doing here? Did none of you learn anything from the Gridiron dinner? Nothing?”
Noah is referencing the corporate media dinner held last month that even MSNBC labeled as a "superspreader event." At least 72 people who attended the event tested positive for COVID-19, including Attorney General Merrick Garland and New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Noah lambasted the press, "Do you read any of your own newspapers? I mean, I expect this out of Sean Hannity, but the rest of you? What are you doing here?
The "Daily Show" host highlighted the media's hypocrisy on COVID-19 precautions, "You guys spent the last two years telling everyone the importance of wearing masks and avoiding large indoor gatherings, then the second someone offers you a free dinner, you all turn into Joe Rogan.”
"I mean, Dr. Fauci dropped out," the comedian continued. "That should have been a pretty big sign."
"Fauci thought it was too dangerous to come tonight," Noah stated, before adding, "Pete Davidson thought it was okay. And we all went with Pete. Okay. Alright then."
.@Trevornoah: "It is my great honor to speaking tonight \nat the nation's most distinguished super-spreader event. For real, what are we doing here? Did none of you learn anything from the Gridiron dinner? Nothing?"pic.twitter.com/r4IXpnpigl— CSPAN (@CSPAN) 1651372310
Washington Post reporter Jada Yuan said the jam-packed room is "like a horror film."
"Literally getting trapped between tables," Yuan wrote on Twitter. "Fear of breathing near people but people are everywhere. Creeping sense that you’re the only one who know this is insane."
This room is like a horror film. No exits. Literally getting trapped between tables. Fear of breathing near people but people are everywhere. Creeping sense that you\u2019re the only one who know this is insane.pic.twitter.com/nsxrDYU3aG— Jada Yuan (@Jada Yuan) 1651370158
Noah mocked the president for the historic inflation that is causing financial ruin for Americans – which garnered laughter from the audience and Biden.
"Ever since you've come into office things are really looking up," Noah began. "Gas is up. Rent is up. Food is up. Everything."
\u201cSince you\u2019ve come into office, things are really looking up. Gas is up, rent is up, food is up! Everything!\u201d\n\nBIDEN: *laughs*pic.twitter.com/Chtdwotnrs— RNC Research (@RNC Research) 1651372732
Noah needled former CNN anchor Chris Cuomo and his cozy on-air relationship with his older brother – former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
"Some people think that this [dinner] shows that the media is too cozy with politicians, but what those people don’t understand is that you guys have integrity," Noah said. "You would never allow personal connections to affect your ability to be good journalists — isn’t that right Chris Cuomo. Where is Chris Cuomo, by the way, is he here?”
The Comedy Central talk show host skewered Jen Psaki about joining MSNBC, "When Trump was in office, your show was all about how bad he was. And now Biden is in office, your show is about how bad Trump was."
At #WHCD, Trevor Noah joked about Psacki joining MSNBC and actually took a mild shot at the left wing channel: \u201cWhen Trump was in office, your show was all about how bad he was. And now Biden is in office, your show is about how bad Trump was.\u201dpic.twitter.com/uestzYQanh— Brent Baker \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Brent Baker \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1651373119
"Interesting fact: Even as first lady Dr. Biden continued her teaching career, the first time a presidential spouse has ever done so," he said of Jill Biden. "Congratulations. Now, you might think it's because she loves teaching so much, but it’s actually because she's still paying off her student debt. I'm sorry about that, Jill. Yeah, I guess you should've voted for Bernie."
\u201cDr. Biden kept her teaching career \u2026 everyone thinks it\u2019s because she loves teaching but it's actually because she's still paying off her student debt. Shoulda voted for Bernie.\u201d - Trevor Noah at the #WHCDpic.twitter.com/Qx2lOCwPcX— philip lewis (@philip lewis) 1651375778
To conclude the festivities, Noah took a parting shot at Biden's tumultuous withdrawal from Afghanistan.
"Please be careful leaving tonight. We all know this administration doesn't handle evacuations well," Noah signed off.
Trevor Noah at the WHCD: \n\n"Please be careful leaving tonight. We all know this administration doesn't handle evacuations well."pic.twitter.com/EwJJAYNrEr— TheBlaze (@TheBlaze) 1651373699
You can watch the entire 2022 White House Correspondents' Dinner below.
LIVE: 2022 White House Correspondents' Dinner www.youtube.com