White House Correspondents' Dinner Video Takes on New Context

The White House Correspondents' Dinner video was studied for jokes, and Donald Trump bashing, on Saturday and early Sunday. But after Sunday night, the Correspondents' Dinner had an entirely different context. After that, the video of President Obama laughing at an Osama bin Laden joke took on a far different meaning, as did all of the other one-liners. While those working in the White House were all smiles Saturday night, it hid how on-edge they must have been for the next day's event.

The big headlines immediately after Saturday night's show were about Donald Trump and how he was a big target of two comedic speeches. Both President Obama and Seth Meyers took aim at Trump, which helped pile things on after he lost the ability to complain about the president's birth certificate.

However, following Sunday night, the most popular video clip involved a joke about bin Laden. When Meyers joked that a good place for him to hide would be on C-Span, the president gave a notable laugh -- or at least that's how everyone interpreted it.

Since Obama knew full well where bin Laden really was, and that the White House would order a raid on his compound just hours later, it added a huge dose of irony to the dinner. In fact, his laughter over Meyer's one-liner was later studied for clues to see if he actually gave any tells to what was really going on. But since the president kept the operation a secret for that long, he likely knew how not to give anything away by then.

The focus on that bit after bin Laden's death was rather symbolic, in many ways. Before Sunday night, the big talking point of the dinner was Donald Trump, just as he was the big talking point across the country. But for the first time in weeks, Trump and his antics -- and the jokes about them -- were knocked from the headlines, which not even the birth certificate revelation could do.

The White House found a significant way to change the headlines, which may be why Obama was more free to laugh at Trump and bin Laden. But considering the pressure-packed situation he would be in the next day, he had to relax anyway he could. If the raid failed and bin Laden got away, the video clip of Saturday night's joke would have taken on a more infamous context.

Even by recent standards, the aftermath of the Correspondents' Dinner is unprecedented. The event has been criticized for its often too close relationship between the president and the press, and faced a firestorm when Stephen Colbert roasted President Bush in 2006. Yet this year's event has found a new level of fame, irony and history, achieving the mix 24 hours after the event was over.

Sources

YouTube- "Seth Meyers remarks at the 2011 White House Correspondents Dinner"

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette- "Obama's sense of timing hits a new high"

http://seeebook.com/

Obama jokes about Bachmann and Pawlenty at 2011 White House Correspondents' Dinner | MinnClips

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Obama makes jokes about Trump at journalists' dinner

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama told jokes at the expense of real estate mogul Donald Trump Saturday night, mocking his possible presidential ambitions in remarks at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner.

With Trump in the hotel ballroom audience of celebrities, politicians and journalists, Obama zeroed in on talk fueled by Trump that the president was not U.S.-born.

Obama Wednesday released a longer version of his birth certificate to answer some Republicans including Trump who claim he was not native born and therefore ineligible to be president, and blasted "carnival barkers" who refuse to let the issue die.

Trump has seized on the issue while testing the waters for a possible 2012 run for the Republican presidential nomination. Obama, a Democrat, is running for re-election next year.

"Donald Trump is here tonight. And I know that he's taken some flak lately. But no one is happier, no one is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than 'The Donald,'" Obama said, using Trump's nickname.

"And that's because he can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter. Like, did we fake the moon landing? What really happened in Roswell? And where are Biggie and Tupac?" Obama added, drawing laughs and applause,

Roswell refers to an incident in the vicinity of Roswell, New Mexico, where, according to some theories, an object that crashed in 1947 was an extra-terrestrial spacecraft carrying alien occupants. Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur were rap stars whose deaths are the subject of continuing controversy.

'WELL HANDLED, SIR'

Obama suggested that Trump's biggest decisions typically involve the trademark firings he routinely carries out on his reality television show "Celebrity Apprentice" such as when he dumped actor Gary Busey.

"These are the kinds of decisions that would keep me up at night," Obama deadpanned. "Well handled, sir. Well handled."

Trump grinned, pursing his lips and looking uncomfortable.

"I think we all know about your credentials and breadth of experience," Obama said of Trump, drawing laughs.

"Say what you want about Mr. Trump," the president added. "He certainly would bring change to the White House."

Big video screens in the ballroom then flashed an image of what was labeled "Trump, The White House," spoofing the famed businessman's practice of naming buildings after himself.

It portrayed a hotel-casino-golf course with bikini-clad girls frolicking in the fountain that adorns a White House lawn and gold columns substituted at the front for white ones.

Trump has made a series of controversial comments as he mulls a presidential campaign and ripped Obama and other U.S. political leaders in a profanity-laced speech in Las Vegas this week, calling them "stupid."

Also coming in for ribbing from Obama were Tim Pawlenty, Michele Bachmann, Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman -- all potential Republican challengers for the White House in 2012.

(Editing by Greg McCune and Will Dunham)

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Obama takes aim at Trump in White House dinner jokes

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama told jokes at the expense of real estate mogul Donald Trump on Saturday night, mocking his possible presidential ambitions in remarks at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner.

With Trump and some other potential 2012 presidential election rivals in the audience of celebrities, politicians and journalists, Obama suggested that the weightiest decisions Trump makes are firing people on his reality television show "Celebrity Apprentice."

"I think we all know about your credentials and breadth of experience," he said of Trump, drawing laughs.

Obama singled out a recent episode of "Celebrity Apprentice," in which Trump fired a contender in one of his trademark televised business challenges.

"These are the kinds of issues that would keep me up at night," Obama deadpanned. "Well handled, Sir, well handled."

"Say what you want about Mr. Trump," the president added. "He certainly would bring change to the White House."

Big video screens then showed an image of what was labeled "Trump, The White House." The mock-up showed bikini-clad girls frolicking in a fountain on the White House front lawn.

Trump led the so-called "birther" critics of Obama who challenged whether the president was born in the United States. The New York-based businessman took credit when Obama this week released his complete birth certificate to quell the talk.

Trump also ripped Obama and other U.S. political leaders in a profanity-laced speech in Las Vegas this week, calling them "stupid."

(Editing by Greg McCune)

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The best jokes at the White House Correspondents' Dinner

Many years ago, there was a cricket match between the West Indies and England. (Cricket's a little like baseball, only takes longer and often no one wins.)

The radio commentators were talking about a bowler (pitcher) called Michael Holding. The batsman (hitter) was Peter Willey. One of the commentators then said, quite naturally: "The bowler's Holding, the batsman's Willey."

Donald Trump not amused by jokes at White House Correspondents Dinner

 Donald Trump was the target of many of President Obama and Seth Meyers' jokes at the White House Correspondent Dinner.

The Donald was not amused.

Donald Trump, who sat stonefaced as he was roasted unmercifully at the White House Correspondents Dinner, had little good to say Sunday about the shindig.

"The content I understand, but the amount of jokes? I was amazed at the number," Trump said.

He said he didn't think any of the jokes were particularly funny, but assumed the mockery Saturday night was a sign of his growing political clout.

"When you're leading the polls, I guess that's the one you shoot at," he said. "I was honored by the fact that they devoted most of their speeches to me."

President Obama and the headlining comedian, Saturday Night Live's Seth Meyers, sent up birth certificate conspiracies and unleashed a barrage of ridicule at Trump's hair, accent, ties, taste and TV show.

"I thought Seth's delivery was terrible. He had marbles in his mouth," Trump said. "His presentation was not good. The president was far superior."

Frequent C-Span cutaways to Trump, who was sitting at the Washington Post's table, showed the eccentrically-coiffed mogul never even pretended to be laughing along.

He stared straight at the stage, gimlet-eyed, as the ribbing mounted and his dining companions squirmed.

The whole thing "was so awkward that some folks at his table stopped laughing and applauding," according to Politico's Mike Allen.

The rest of the room, however, roared at each new joke.

"Donald Trump has been saying he will run for president as a Republican, which is surprising because I just assumed that he was running as a joke," Meyers said.

"Donald Trump often appears on Fox, which is ironic, because a fox often appears on Donald Trump's head."

In particular, Obama doubled over when Meyers theorized that Trump's comment about his "great relationship with the Blacks" must have been about a white family called the Blacks.

Trump said he thought the biggest laugh went to Obama's cartoon mock up of what the White House would look like if Trump won office: a garish pink neon sign advertising the "Trump White House: hotel, casino, golf course and Presidential Suite" with bikini babes frolicking in a hot tub on the north lawn and the stately portico columns repainted gold.

For the record, Trump said President The Donald would not be redecorating.

"We have much more important problems," he said.

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Obama takes on allies and opponents with correspondents' dinner jokes

A feisty President Obama took on both his political opponents and allies in a joke-filled speech at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in Washington on Saturday.

The president stepped off the dais as he was being introduced just before 10 p.m. and his monologue opened with a pre-produced music video, which took some shots at the controversy surrounding his place of birth.

The song: "Real American" by Rick Derringer.

For those who don't remember the tune from Hulk Hogan's WWF entrances, the chorus is, "I am a real American, fight for the rights of every man." On the video screens around the packed Hilton ballroom, images of Obama's recently released long-form birth certificate were spliced with various clips of Americana.

“My fellow Americans,” he said with a big smile after the video ended. “Mahalo.”

Since the White House released the official copy of his birth certificate, Obama has made jokes about the "birther" theory that questions whether he was born in the United States, and he expanded on them in his speech.

“Just in case there are any lingering questions, tonight I am prepared to go a step further," the president said. "Tonight for the first time I am releasing my official birth video."

When the videotape rolled for the audience, it was a clip from Disney's animated film "The Lion King," showing a newborn cub on the African plains.

“Oh well, back to square one,” Obama quipped.

Before long the president tried to turn the tables on Republicans who are considering challenging him in 2012.

First up was Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota.

"She is thinking about running for president, which is weird because I hear she was born in Canada," Obama said. "Yes Michele this is how it starts; just letting you know."

Next came former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.?

"He seems all-American, but have you heard his real middle name?" Obama asked. "Tim Hosni Pawlenty, what a shame."

The recently returned ambassador to China, John Huntsman was next up.?

"There's something you didn't know about John: He didn't learn Chinese to go there, oh no, he learned English to come here," Obama said.

The president took a shot a former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, too, although it wasn't about his citizenship.?

"Then there's a vicious rumor floating around about Mitt Romney. I hear he passed universal healthcare when he was governor of Massachusetts," Obama said.

But the president saved the bulk of his jokes for Donald Trump, the real estate mogul and reality TV star who had been aggressively questioning Obama's place of birth.

Now that the birth certificate issue was settled, Obama said, Trump, who watched expressionlessly from the audience, could focus on other well-known conspiracy theories, such as "did we fake the moon landing? What really happened in Roswell? And where are Biggie and Tupac?"

Obama followed up with a quip about the decisions Trump had to make on his show, "Celebrity Apprentice."

"These are the kind of decisions that would keep me up at night," the president said.

Obama didn't spare his supporters from scrutiny. He even made a joke about first lady Michelle Obama and her anti-obesity campaign.

"We made a terrific team at the Easter Egg Roll this week," he said. "I give out bags of candy to the kids, and she'd snatch them right back out of their little hands."

The president also noted that he had let down his "his key, core constituency: movie stars."?

"Matt Damon said he was disappointed in my performance," Obama said. "Well, Matt, I just saw 'The Adjustment Bureau,' so right back at you, buddy."

The jokes about Hollywood didn't stop there. In the most complex gag of the night, the president had some fun at the expense of Vice President Joe Biden, as well as himself.

With a slickly produced mock-movie trailer, Obama introduced a new film called "The President's Speech," which shows what would happen if Congress had defunded the president's teleprompter.

The video was filled with a series of clips of Obama flubbing lines at various real-life tapings, and the voice over says, "In his darkest hour, the president turned to a man who never let prepared remarks stand in his way ..."

Some of Biden's more memorable comments followed, with the narrator adding, "It's mostly just this for two hours."

Watch "The President's Speech Trailer" below:

 

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Obama's Funniest Jokes From The White House Correspondents' Dinner

May. 1 2011 - 11:56 am | 5,318 views | 1 recommendation |  Image via Wikipedia

President Obama came out swinging at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday, taking shots at Donald Trump, Michelle Bachman, Fox News and even Matt Damon. Here are a few of his funniest quips:

1. He took the podium to a song usually reserved for Hulk Hogan’s WWE entrances: Rick Derringer’s “I am a real American.”

2. “What a week. As some of you heard the state of Hawaii released my official long-form birth certificate. Hopefully, this puts all doubts to rest. But just in case they’re any lingering questions, tonight I’m prepared to go a step further. Tonight, for the first time, I am releasing my official birth video.” The screens then plays the scene from Disney’s The Lion King when Mufasa, atop a cliff, lifts Simba up as the other animals in the savannah look on. Afterward, Obama said, “I want to make clear to the Fox News table that was a joke. That was not my real birth video. That was a children’s cartoon. Call Disney if you don’t believe me, they have the original long-form version.”

3. “Now, I know that he’s taken some flak lately but no one is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than The Donald. And that’s because he can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter, like, did we fake the moon landing? What really happened in Roswell? And where are Biggie and Tupac?

4. “All kidding aside, we all know about your credentials, and your breadth of experience. For example, on a recent episode of Celebrity Apprentice, at the steakhouse, the men’s cooking team did not impress the judges from Omaha Steaks. And there was a lot of blame to go around, but you, Mr. Trump, recognized that the real problem was a lack of leadership. And so ultimately, you didn’t blame Lil Jon or Meatloaf, you fired Gary Busey. These are the kinds of decisions that would keep me up at night. Well handled, sir! Well handled.”

5. “I’m very much looking forward to hearing Seth Meyer tonight. He is a young fresh face who can do no wrong in the eyes of his fans. Seth, enjoy it while it lasts.”

6. I even let down my key core constituency: movie stars. Just the other day, Matt Damon–I love Matt Damon, love the guy–Matt Damon said he was disappointed in my performance. Well Matt, I just saw the Adjustment Bureau so right back at you buddy.

7. “Michele Bachmann is here. She is thinking about running for president, which is weird because I hear she was born in Canada. Yes, Michele, this is how it starts.”

8. Where’s the National Public Radio table? [NPR cheers] You guys are still here, that’s good. I couldn’t remember where we landed on that.

9. Obama screened the? trailer for “The President’s Speech,” a “King’s Speech” parody based on the premise that GOP budgets cuts reduced funding for the president’s teleprompter and making Obama’s public addresses extremely difficult. In the trailer, Obama, of course, turns to the gaffe-proned Joe Biden to help him overcome his public speech impediment.

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Born in the USA: Barack Obama joke enjoyed by journalists at annual dinner

It was the moment everyone had been waiting for. The US president was about to take the stage and the Marine Band, laid on by the White House especially for the occasion, had begun to sound the opening notes of the traditional Hail to the Chief.

Suddenly, there was an unexpected glitch. "Can we go with the song we talked about?" Barack Obama said as he came to the podium. The band switched tack and began belting out the Bruce Springsteen classic, Born in the USA.

It was Obama's best joke of the night, delivered in the classic, self-deprecating style that has been handed down from president to president. Every president since Grover Cleveland has subjected himself to the ritual humiliations of the annual Gridiron Club dinner, hosted by Washington's political journalists, where they have come to mock and be mocked.

In Obama's case, the joke was focused on the ongoing conspiracy theory – more than half of Republican primary voters are said to believe it – that the president was not born in the US. In his speech to more than 600 journalists, officials and celebrities at a Washington hotel, Obama returned to the theme later.

As he ridiculed little-known Tim Pawlenty, the former governor of Minnesota who has his eye on running against him for president next year, Obama said: "The American people are going to have some tough questions for Tim.

"Specifically, 'Who are you and where do you come from?'" After a split second pause, he continued: "Which is OK. Two years into my presidency and I'm still getting those questions."

He had another crack at the joke in reference to the Indiana governor Mitch Daniels, who had delivered the after-dinner speech for the Republicans. He told the potential 2012 candidate: "Your friends at Fox News say you don't look like a president. Well, don't worry about it, they say the same thing about me every day."

Obama also jousted with Haley Barbour, Mississippi's chubby governor, who is yet another possible candidate in 2012 and displays the south's famous fondness for barbecue ribs and other fatty foods. Obama thanked him for supporting the first lady's anti-obesity drive, then added: "Haley, when Michelle said you should run, she didn't mean for president."

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