Biden with a jab at Trump at a correspondent’s dinner – NRK Urix – Foreign news and documentaries

Correspondent’s dinner has been held every year since 1921. In addition to journalists, both politicians and celebrities are on the guest list.

When Biden celebrated the press on Saturday, he joked about his own age, and made several jabs at predecessor and challenger Donald Trump.

While Trump dropped the correspondents’ party several times, Biden did as expected and offered advice to the journalists, among other things.

Demonstrations outside

At the same time as the mood rose among politicians, journalists and other guests inside the hall, demonstrators stood outside and protested against the war in Gaza. They encouraged several of the guests to boycott the party.

– Shame on you, shouted protesters as the guests were entering the Washington hotel.

According to the news agency AP, there must have been several hundred demonstrations outside the hotel where the dinner was held.

– Western media, we see you and all the cruelty you hide, shouted the demonstrators.

Biden himself avoided most of the protesters by coming the back way, but a bunch of protesters had found their way there as well and voiced their demand for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Joking about my own age

The 81-year-old highlighted his own age during the ten-minute speech he gave.

– Yes, age is an issue. I am a grown man. And I’m running against a six-year-old, he joked about his 77-year-old challenger, who didn’t get away with the one comment.

– Age is the only thing we have in common. My vice president actually supports me,” Biden later said.

Biden also made an appeal to the journalists present in the run-up to the election this autumn.

– I am in no way asking you to choose a side. I ask you to be worthy of the seriousness of the moment.

– Focus on what is really at stake, said the president.

He also spent time praising the press for the important work they do.

– There are some who call you the enemy of the people. It’s wrong, and it’s dangerous. You literally risk your life when you cover disasters, pandemics and wars, he said.