President Joe Biden used his keynote address at this year’s White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner to highlight the fight against global press freedoms and the wrongful detention of Americans abroad.
The Correspondents’ Dinner, lovingly referred to as “nerd prom,” is the most significant event in Washington DC society. Celebrities and media elites descend upon the nation’s capital for a long weekend of exclusive gatherings centered around the dinner, which was headlined this year by the commander-in-chief and comedian Roy Wood Jr. The event is meant to celebrate the Washington press corps, whom the speakers are expected to roast. Biden certainly used his speech to do that, but not before touching on more serious topics.
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The president began his address recognizing the families of Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter being wrongfully detained in Russia on fabricated espionage charges, and Austin Tice, the journalist and US Marine veteran who was kidnapped in Syria in 2012 and is believed to still be alive in government custody. Tice’s mother Debra and Gershkovich’s parents were in attendance at Saturday’s dinner.
“Tonight our message is this: journalism is not a crime. Evan and Austin should be released immediately along with every other American detained abroad,” Biden said. “I promise you, I am working like hell to get them home.”
Biden also acknowledged Paul Whelan, the former US Marine that Russia has also held on espionage charges, saying he nor his administration would rest until the American was freed.
In a happier moment, he pointed out Brittney Griner’s attendance at Saturday’s dinner. The WNBA star’s nine year sentence in a Russian penal colony — for bringing vaping cartridges with minimal amounts of cannabis oil through a Moscow airport — was cut short when Biden agreed to a prisoner swap for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout in December.
Biden asked the two-time Olympic gold medalist to stand up to be recognized, and Griner was met with a standing ovation from names across the political spectrum. She was seated next to FBI Director Christopher Wray, who rose to his feet to celebrate her alongside Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) at the table to the right and former Trump White House adviser Kellyanne Conway and Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel at the tables directly behind.
As the mood was growing somber, Biden shifted his tone by taking a few digs at his old age
“I believe in the First Amendment,” he first quipped. “Not just because my good friend Jimmy Madison wrote it.”
“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 continued, making reference to the recently ousted CNN anchor’s controversial remarks about former South Carolina Nikki Haley’s age.
As he passed the microphone off to Wood, the president offered the comedian a warning that made reference to conservative meme culture’s Biden alter ego.
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“Roy, the podium is yours,” Biden said as he put on his classic aviator sunglasses. “I’m going to be fine with your jokes, but I’m not sure about Dark Brandon.”
Wood kicked off his speech with a dig at the president, saying, “Oh, real quick Mr. President, I think you left some of your classified documents up here.”
