If your pain has no remedy, try to take it with humor. This is what Joe Biden must have thought before taking the floor at the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner, held Saturday night at the Hilton Washington Hotel in the capital of the United States. "I understand that age is a completely reasonable issue", said the oldest president in the history of his country at the age of 80; if he wins re-election in the 2024 presidential elections, he will return to the oval office at the age of 82, which all opponents and not a few Democrats or supporters see as his biggest handicap. But he has his arguments to relativize the problem, and before last night he deployed them with grace.
"You call me old? I call it being seasoned. Are you saying I'm old? I say that I am wise", said the president. He then used the subject as ammunition to counterattack the enemy: "You might think I don't like Rupert Murdoch," he said of the 92-year-old Fox owner. "This is simply not true. How should I dislike a man who makes me look like Harry Styles?”, he said in reference to the 29-year-old singer. It was just one of many kicks he threw at ultra television. But at this point he also got into trouble with the Times, which, despite the fact that it is generally favorable to him, does not fail to influence the question of his old age. "I understand that the issue is on everyone's mind... And when I say everyone I mean The New York Times. Its headline would be: 'Biden's age is a big problem; Trump, however, is not,'" he exaggerated. A certain stickiness was noticed.
The more than 2,500 dinner attendees, who, excluding guests, paid $375 per cover, had a good time with the boss's self-joking. But the loudest laughs about the glassy affair of his age came from the evening's comedian, Roy Wood Jr., star of Comedy Channel's The Daily Show, when he compared Biden's situation to of French workers. "While France riots when they raise the retirement age to 64, here we have an 80-year-old man begging us for four more years of work!", he said, and repeated his electoral mantra, "Leave me finish the job”, to mock again: “Besides, this is not a campaign slogan. It's a plea!”
Fox was the night's other big topic: a sweet, easy whitewash after Murdoch's company agreed to pay $787.5 million to vote-counting firm Dominion Voting Systems for defaming it with the 'accusation that he participated in the alleged election fraud falsely reported by Trump. "Last year our favorite Fox News reporters were able to attend this dinner because they were fully vaccinated," he said in a gesture towards the anti-covid policy that criticized the chain so much. "This year, after the 787 million pact, they came because they couldn't say no to a free lunch", he mocked. "And damn - he added - I would like to say that Fox is honest, fair and truthful... but then I could be sued for defamation". Almost everyone was dying of laughter. But the more or less resigned protests of the channel's journalists could be heard throughout the room. When he heard them, Biden replied: "This is nothing compared to what they are doing to me."
The leader also did not waste the opportunity to revel in the dismissal of the great star of Fox, Tucker Carlson, announced by surprise six days after the millionaire agreement with Dominion. "The work is not over", he repeated about his political mission in the White House. "Well, it's over for Tucker Carlson," he laughed. There was no reason to feel sorry for the far-right presenter, undoubtedly one of the most lying and manipulative in the history of television in the United States. No one doubts that he will soon find another job... Or self-employment.
Biden began the speech with a serious, obligatory part, to acknowledge the journalistic work and lament the price that some pay for their exercise. This is why he addressed the relatives, who were present, of the Wall Street Journal reporter, arrested in Russia in March on charges of espionage. "Evan went to Russia to shed light on the darkness, with great courage," he replied. He also remembered the independent journalist Austin Tice, captive in Syria for 11 years. "I'm working like hell to bring them home," he assured the Gershkovits and Austin's mother. "Journalism is not a crime", he concluded.
