President Joe Biden graciously accepted warmth from Colin Jost on the White Home Correspondents’ Dinner — however he made certain to throw in a number of of his personal jabs beforehand.

In the course of the annual occasion on Saturday, April 27, host Jost, 41, fulfilled his obligation of delivering a hilarious, no-holds-barred evaluation of the Biden-Harris administration and the political journalists who cowl it.

However Biden, 81, first made jokes — together with some at himself — when he stepped on stage on the Washington Hilton Lodge.

“It has been a 12 months since I delivered this speech and my spouse Jill who’s with me tonight was anxious how I might do. I informed her, ‘Don’t be concerned, it is similar to using a motorcycle.’ She [says], ‘That is what I am anxious about,’ ” Biden joked in reference to a tumble he took on a bicycle in 2022.

Biden then turned his consideration to the election and the way “age is a matter,” stating, “I am a grown man, working in opposition to a 6-year-old,” earlier than joking that his personal marketing campaign has “at all times achieved properly within the authentic 13 colonies.”

“Age is the one factor in frequent,” Biden mentioned of his proposed opponent, Donald Trump. “My vp truly endorses me.”

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All through his 10-minute speech, Biden mentioned his relationship with the media, referred to as himself a “job creator” for the 8 comedians who’ve performed him on Saturday Evening Reside, and detailed how he spent a while with Jost and his household within the Oval Workplace.

Biden additionally obtained severe throughout his time talking. After discussing the “wrongfully detailed” journalists world wide, he emphasised the significance of democracy and identified a few of Trump’s current remarks.

“He promised a blood bathtub when he loses once more,” Biden mentioned. “We have now to take this critically. 8 years in the past we may’ve written it off as simply Trump speak. However now not, not after Jan. 6.”

Biden closed his remarks by making a toast to the journalists within the room, to an “America the place freedom and democracy endure” — earlier than, after all, throwing a playful jab Jost’s method.

“Colin Jost has taken purpose at me earlier than in his jokes, like saying ‘After successful the South Carolina major, Biden barely edged out his closest rival, time.’ Colin, once I win, I am gonna have a complete hell of loads of time, and I am gonna be watching, pal.”

Jost then took Biden’s place in entrance of the group, and amongst his jokes have been some playful pictures in regards to the president’s age, Trump’s ongoing criminal trial and evaluating himself to Doug Emhoff, the “second gentleman,” as Jost is married to Scarlett Johansson.

“I want to level out, it is after 10 p.m., sleepy Joe continues to be awake,” Jost mentioned at one level, “Whereas Donald Trump has spent the previous week falling asleep in court docket each morning. Fox Information mentioned he was simply being anti-woke.”

After shouting out — and poking enjoyable at — the assorted information organizations and politicians in attendance, Jost set his sights instantly on Biden.

“I really like being in Washington. The final time I used to be in DC, I left my cocaine on the White Home,” Jost joked about a substance that was found in the White House that had examined constructive for cocaine in July 2023.

“Fortunately, the president was in a position to put it to good use for his State of the Union. I am kidding, after all. The president would not name it cocaine, he calls it high-speed rail.”

Jost additionally did not maintain again when it got here to former presidents. “It is not like Trump himself is younger and sharp. I am not saying each candidates are previous, however you recognize Jimmy Carter is on the market considering, ‘I may possibly win this factor.’ He is solely 99!”

After evaluating the economic system to Biden on the steps of Air Power One (“It feels prefer it’s stumbling however there’s some upward progress”), Jost declared that “after all” the lives of People are higher than they have been 4 years in the past.

“We did not have on-line sports activities playing,” he mentioned. “What extra do you want? By the way in which, that is in all probability what’s conserving the economic system afloat, on-line playing and Taylor Swift. With out these, we might be in a recession proper now.”

Jost then spent a while questioning who the “new frontrunner” for Trump’s VP candidate was after O.J. Simpson’s demise (“Is it Diddy?”), earlier than referring to the current legislation that threatens to ban TikTok.

“Is not it loopy that TikTok might be outlawed within the U.S. by the tip of this 12 months? That is an actual disgrace,” he mentioned. “As a result of we’re gonna want TikTok to doc who’s storming the capitol subsequent January sixth.”

Wrapping up his set, Jost thanked his spouse Johansson for “agreeing to individually meet everybody on this room” after the dinner, and jokingly inspired the group to “come proper up” to her. The tip of Jost’s set featured a tribute to his late grandfather William Kelly, a longtime firefighter in Staten Island who just lately died, as Jost informed the president that he reminded him of his grandfather.

“I’ll say he was 95 and he was nonetheless nice at stairs,” Jost joked. “I believe it is as a result of he did not attempt to run up them.”

He later shared: “He voted for you within the final election he ever voted in. I imply, I am certain someone else will vote twice on this subsequent election utilizing his title, however that is simply how the Democratic machine works … My grandpa voted for decency and decency is why we’re all right here tonight.”

The White Home Correspondents’ Dinner is an annual gathering of political journalists, celebrities and authorities officers that rewards standout White Home reporters, raises cash for the White Home Correspondents’ Affiliation and celebrates the First Modification proper to a free press.

The sitting U.S. president and their prime officers usually attend the dinner to indicate help for the media — whether or not they get alongside or not. (President Trump broke that longstanding WHCD tradition by refusing to attend throughout his total time period in workplace, a testomony to his anger about being lined critically.)

This 12 months, President Biden was joined by First Girl Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Emhoff on the entrance of the ballroom.