The show continues despite fears of COVID-19.
May 1, 2022, 2:58 am
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The White House reporters’ dinner returned on Saturday night, two years after the pandemic closed and six years since the last time the commander-in-chief attended the event.
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden attended the charity event in Washington, D.C. Hilton, the first incumbent president to do so since 2016. Former President Donald Trump has publicly rejected his three invitations during his tenure.
Biden mentioned his predecessor during his speech and said: “We had a terrible plague, followed by two years of COVID.”
He also joked about his current position in the polls and described reporters in the hall as “the only group of Americans who have a lower approval rating than me.”
The President refined the topic of the evening and honored the gathered reporters.
“You, the free press, are more important than ever in the last century,” Biden said.
The event is run by the White House Correspondents Association, which represents White House reporters and has been a tradition since 1921. The dinner aims to raise awareness of the First Amendment, raise money for journalism and include jokes at the expense of the president, Washington. District of Columbia, community and other news topics.
The president usually has a speech in which he offers his own jokes.
The Daily Show host Trevor Noah hosted this year’s dinner. Other non-political celebrities are expected to attend, including Drew Barrymore, Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson.
Trevor Noah arrives at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, April 3, 2022, in Las Vegas.
Noah mocked the White House reporters’ dinner as an “overdistribution event.”
He also noted that Washington’s elite had gathered only weeks after the outbreak of COVID-19.
“Really, what are we doing here?” Did any of you learn anything from Gridiron’s dinner? Nothing? ”He said.
“You guys have spent the last two years telling everyone how important it is to wear masks and avoid big indoor gatherings, and then when someone offers you a free dinner, you all become Joe Rogan.
The pandemic forced the WHCA to cancel dinner in 2020 and 2021.
Although COVID-19 cases are on the rise and several White House members have recently contracted the virus, including Vice President Kamala Harris, the show continued.
Organizers said everyone present should be vaccinated and must show evidence of a negative test.
Concerns about the safety of the dinner grew after the outbreak of COVID-19, which occurred after dinner at the Gridiron Club on April 2. Dozens of elected officials, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have contracted the virus.
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters on Friday that Biden was taking additional precautions.
“He’s not attending the dinner portion. He’s coming for the program. So … he’s probably going to wear a mask when he’s not talking,” she said. “And then, of course, he sits on the podium in front of the interaction and doesn’t attend any of the receptions.”
Libby Cathy of ABC News contributed to this report.
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