President Joe Biden is set to attend the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night, continuing a tradition dating back to Calvin Coolidge of presidents addressing the dinner at least once during their term. The event will see Biden speaking to a crowd of nearly 3,000 journalists, celebrities, and politicians.
In recent weeks, Biden has been using humor to take on his rival, former President Donald Trump. He has made jokes about Trump's hair, the stock price of his social media company, and his new venture into selling Trump-branded Bibles. Biden's approach aims to deflate the outsized attention and coverage Trump is receiving during his criminal trial.
Preparations for Biden's speech have involved daily strategy sessions led by Jeffrey Katzenberg, co-chair of Biden’s reelection campaign, and other top aides. The group worked on refining Biden's comedy set drafted by longtime speechwriter Vinay Reddy, ensuring the material was ready well ahead of the event.
Biden is expected to target Trump in his speech, with the White House aiming for a balanced approach by having Saturday Night Live’s Colin Jost spread his jokes across the political spectrum. While Biden's default style isn't typically comedic, he has been incorporating more humor into his public remarks lately.
Before big speeches, Biden practices with groups of aides to fine-tune his delivery and timing. The delicate balance between humor and seriousness may be more challenging this year, given the backdrop of ongoing crises in Gaza and turmoil on college campuses.
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner has a history of impactful moments, such as President Barack Obama's mocking of Trump in 2011, which some speculate inspired Trump to run for president. This year's dinner will be streamed live on CSPAN, featuring Biden’s remarks and Jost’s performance.
Despite some political tensions, the dinner remains a light-hearted affair meant to foster camaraderie between the president and the press. A senior adviser noted that Biden enjoys the event, even though he may not openly admit it.
