{"id":2230731,"date":"2024-04-26T07:39:02","date_gmt":"2024-04-26T11:39:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/white-house-correspondents-dinner-puts-spotlight-back-on-biden-performance\/"},"modified":"2024-04-26T07:41:11","modified_gmt":"2024-04-26T11:41:11","slug":"white-house-correspondents-dinner-puts-spotlight-back-on-biden-performance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/white-house-correspondents-dinner-puts-spotlight-back-on-biden-performance\/","title":{"rendered":"White House Correspondents&#8217; Dinner shines light on Biden&#8217;s performance"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwhite-house-correspondents-dinner-puts-spotlight-back-on-biden-performance%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2230731&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>President Joe Biden faces tough scrutiny at the White House Correspondents&#8217; Dinner, navigating a challenging relationship with the\u2062 press. Despite silencing critics with his State of the Union\u2063 address, Biden&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/poll-donald-trump-job-approval-shifts-to-52-percent\/\" title=\"Poll: Donald Trump Job Approval Shifts to 52 Percent\">job approval remains<\/a> under pressure. The event&#8217;s historical significance in past presidencies and controversies adds \u200bto the anticipation of Biden&#8217;s appearance. President \u200dJoe Biden confronts intense scrutiny at the \u200cWhite House Correspondents&#8217; Dinner, managing a\u200b complex rapport with the media. While\u200b his State of the Union \u2064address allayed \u200bsome concerns, Biden&#8217;s job approval \u200bcontinues to face challenges. The \u200devent&#8217;s historical importance and previous controversies heighten the \u2062anticipation surrounding Biden&#8217;s participation.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/joe-biden\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Joe Biden<\/a> is venturing into the lion\u2019s den this weekend at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/white-house\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>White House<\/a> Correspondents\u2019 Dinner.<\/p>\n<p>A tough gig before a tough crowd, Biden\u2019s at-times tense relationship with the press will be placed to one side for one night, but that will not stop reporters and news executives from appraising his performance.<\/p>\n<p>Biden was able to silence most <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/democratic-party\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Democratic<\/a> critics concerned about his age and mental acuity before <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2024-elections\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>November\u2019s general election<\/a> against former President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Donald Trump<\/a> with his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/state-of-the-union\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>State of the Union<\/a> address last month, at least for now. Since his State of the Union on March 7, Biden\u2019s average job approval has improved from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-new-years-resolutions-what-2024-holds-for-the-president\/\" title=\"Biden's 2024 Outlook: New Year's Resolutions\">net negative 17 percentage points<\/a> to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-steers-clear-of-virginia-before-bellwether-election\/\" title=\"Biden avoids Virginia ahead of crucial election.\">net negative 15<\/a>.5 points, according to <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/polls\/approval\/joe-biden\/approval-rating\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>RealClearPolitics<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>But with Trump having <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/polls\/president\/general\/2024\/trump-vs-biden\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>a slight edge<\/a> in national polls, per the same aggregator, Biden is under pressure to put his best foot forward when he steps behind the podium in front of roughly 2,600 people on Saturday night at the famed Washington Hilton.<\/p>\n<p>The White House Correspondents\u2019 Dinner has its own critics who contend it is an \u201cincestuous event that shows the far too chummy connection between the powerful and the media that is supposed to cover them,\u201d according to George Mason University political science professor Jeremy Mayer, who wrote the 2006 book <em>American Media Politics in Transition<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you look at every WHCD dinner in the last 40 years, and I think I have, the most common theme in a president\u2019s remarks is to poke fun at himself,\u201d Mayer told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cThey take something about themselves that the press and the public don\u2019t like, a tic, a scandal, a problem \u2014 and lean into it. Reagan\u2019s age. Biden\u2019s age. Obama\u2019s messianic complex.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe WHCD is an institution unlikely to affect any votes in November unless Biden makes a very insensitive joke about a voting group or demographic, has a major gaffe in his speaking or walking, or hits Trump too hard in a way that is perceived as petty, vicious, or deeply unfair,\u201d he said. \u201cBiden should stick to Trump\u2019s hair, his ego, his thick orange pancake makeup, his flirtations with Nazis, his strange affection for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/vladimir-putin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>[Russian President Vladimir]  Putin<\/a>, and similar topics.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rutgers University history, media studies, and journalism professor\u00a0David\u00a0Greenberg added, \u201cEvery once in a while, a funny WHCD appearance can give a president a very minor, short-term lift.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The dinner has stirred political storms in tea cups for previous presidents and past White House Correspondents\u2019 Association\u2019s special guests. <em>Saturday Night Live<\/em> \u201cWeekend Update\u201d co-anchor Colin Jost is this year\u2019s entertainment.<\/p>\n<p>Amid Trump\u2019s boycott of the annual dinner, which raises money for the WHCA and scholarships for aspiring journalists, during his administration, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/c-span\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>C-SPAN Radio<\/a> cut short its broadcast of comedian Michelle Wolf\u2019s 2018 routine because she was at risk of violating decency standards.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI actually really like Sarah,\u201d Wolf said of then-White House press secretary and now Gov. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/sarah-sanders\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Sarah Sanders<\/a> (R-AR). \u201cI think she\u2019s very resourceful. She burns facts, and then she uses that ash to create a perfect smoky eye. Like maybe she\u2019s born with it, maybe it\u2019s lies. It\u2019s probably lies.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It was also at the 2011 dinner that former President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/barack-obama\/\">Barack Obama<\/a> mocked Trump for his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/birther-movement\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>birther conspiracy theories<\/a> and\u00a0role on <em>The Apprentice<\/em> reality TV show, some speculating that encouraged the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/more-than-enough-blame-to-go-around\/\" title=\"More Than Enough Blame To Go Around\">real estate mogul<\/a> to run for the White House. Trump was in the audience at the invitation of the <em>Washington Post<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe all know about your credentials and breadth of experience,\u201d Obama told the crowd. \u201cFor example, no, seriously, just recently in an episode of <em>Celebrity Apprentice<\/em>, at the steakhouse, the men\u2019s cooking team did not impress the judges from Omaha Steaks.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere was a lot of blame to go around, but you, Mr. Trump, recognized that the real problem was a lack of leadership, and so ultimately, you didn\u2019t blame Little John or Meatloaf \u2014 you fired Gary Busey,\u201d he said. \u201cThese are the kinds of decisions that would keep me up at night. Well handled, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>During last year\u2019s dinner, Biden made light of his relationship with the press, comparing it to his \u201cfirst two years in office\u201d because he will \u201ctalk for 10 minutes, take zero questions, and cheerfully walk away,\u201d a reference to what Republicans describe as his \u201cbasement strategy.\u201d The president has avoided traditional, mainstream print outlets, opting instead to be interviewed by TV networks and the likes of the <em>SmartLess<\/em> podcast, co-hosted by actors Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou call me old?\u201d Biden said, going on to mention former <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/cnn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>CNN<\/a> anchor <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/don-lemon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Don Lemon<\/a>. \u201cI call it being seasoned. You say I\u2019m ancient? I say I\u2019m wise. You say I\u2019m over the hill?<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/don-lemon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> <\/a>Don Lemon would say that\u2019s a man in his prime.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Biden is expected to underscore the importance of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/democracy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>democracy<\/a>, one of his 2020 and 2024 signature campaign themes, as he did during his remarks at the Gridiron Club and Foundation Dinner last month, another media event. He is also likely to emphasize his first term\u2019s accomplishments in the hope of a viral moment six months before Election Day.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>President Joe Biden faces the lion&#8217;s den at the White House Correspondents&#8217; Dinner this weekend\u2014a challenging task among a critical audience. Despite his strained ties with the press, this event offers a night to set aside differences. Reporters and news leaders will closely evaluate Biden&#8217;s performance<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2652,"featured_media":2230732,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AP23120097498163-1024x683.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2230731","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AP23120097498163-1024x683.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2230731","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2652"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2230731"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2230731\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2230732"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2230731"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2230731"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2230731"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}