Saturday night’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner was exactly what you’d expect it to be. Namely, it was a partisan cluster filled with journalists cosplaying as celebrities that seal-clapped for Joe Biden even as he mocked them for their slavish devotion. Well, it was that and also yet another example of the president’s ever-diminishing mental capacity.
The pathetic nature of that scene wasn’t lost on everyone, though. Scott Jennings, who offered his critique on CNN of all places, pointed out how pathetic it was for the press to clap along to a president making fun of the fact that they are completely in the tank.
The line that will stick with me is “In a lot of ways this dinner sums up my first two years. I’ll talk for 10 minutes, take zero questions, and cheerfully walk away.” For the journalists in the room, he wasn’t laughing with you, he was laughing at you. The reality is, I think he’s mocking the press. The guy does not take questions, and he’s up there joking about it. And I’m just, and they’re clapping and they’re laughing about it.
Jennings’ commentary was made even more impactful by the fact that the rest of the panelists were drooling over Biden’s speech. They should feel as betrayed and belittled as those who watched the president mock them in person.