President Joe Biden is set to appear at the White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday, marking his first time at the black-tie gathering in Washington since he announced the launch of his reelection campaign earlier this week.
The annual dinner, hosted inside the Washington Hilton, is expected seat thousands of guests in support of freedom of the press. The event raises funds for the White House Correspondents’ Association scholarship fund and offers a rare opportunity for journalists and politicians to rub elbows – but also features remarks from a comedian often tasked with walking a fine line between gentle ribbing and legitimate criticism.
The dinner gives Biden a rare chance to flex his comedic muscles in front of entertainers and members of the media. The audience is also expected to be a “who’s who” of officials across the Biden administration, and other top White House officials will also be seated at the dais – with first lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff set to attend.
Typically, presidential speechwriters work through remarks for a few weeks. Last year, at his first correspondents dinner since becoming president, Biden told his team he envisioned an address that went beyond just a series of one-liners, wisecracks and gags.
Biden’s speech is likely to be calibrated to his reelection campaign priorities and the topical issues he so often discusses at the podium – such as the economy and the ongoing war in Ukraine. But undoubtedly, a White House official told CNN, his speech will address the issue of wrongfully detained Americans abroad.
During his remarks, Biden will “speak to the importance of the First Amendment, how critical press freedom is around the world, and his unwavering commitment to bring home wrongfully detained journalists and other Americans,” a White House…
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