The war in Gaza sparked significant protests outside a glamorous event attended by President Joe Biden, journalists, politicians, and celebrities on Saturday. However, inside the venue, participants largely avoided mentioning the conflict, with Biden opting to blend jokes with somber warnings about his Republican rival, Donald Trump’s, bid for the presidency.
While the annual White House correspondents’ dinner typically features presidents, journalists, and comedians poking fun at political scandals and each other, this year’s event highlighted the challenge of setting aside concerns about the upcoming presidential election and global issues such as the troubles in the Middle East.
Biden kicked off his remarks with lighthearted jabs at Trump, playfully dubbing him “sleepy Don” in reference to a nickname previously used by Trump to describe the president.
Biden highlighted the contrast between himself and his Republican opponent, noting that despite their similar ages, they differ significantly in their approach. He humorously pointed out that while his own vice president endorses him, former Vice President Mike Pence has refrained from endorsing Trump’s reelection bid.
However, Biden swiftly shifted the tone of his speech to address what he views as the critical stakes of the upcoming election. He warned that another Trump administration would pose even greater harm to America than his first term. Reflecting on the events of January 6, when Trump supporters stormed the Capitol following Biden’s victory in the 2020 election, Biden emphasized the seriousness of the current political landscape.
Trump’s absence from Saturday’s dinner was notable, marking the first time he had not attended the annual event during his presidency. While he did sit in the audience back in 2011, his demeanor was described as glowering as then-President Barack Obama delivered a scathing roast of Trump’s reality television celebrity status. Obama’s sharp sarcasm during that speech is often cited by political observers as a factor that may have influenced Trump’s decision to run for president in 2016.
Biden’s address, lasting approximately 10 minutes, notably omitted any reference to the ongoing conflict or the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Kelly O’Donnell, president of the correspondents’ association, made one of the few mentions of the conflict, briefly acknowledging the deaths of around 100 journalists in Israel’s six-month-old war against Hamas in Gaza. O’Donnell also highlighted the plight of journalists detained worldwide, including Americans Evan Gershkovich in Russia and Austin Tice, believed to be held in Syria. The families of both men were present, as they have been at previous dinners.
Guests arriving at Saturday’s dinner faced a gauntlet of protesters voicing outrage over the mounting humanitarian disaster for Palestinian civilians in Gaza. Demonstrators, draped in the traditional Palestinian keffiyeh cloth, shouted “Shame on you!” as they pursued attendees in formal attire rushing inside for the event.
At one juncture, crowds chanted, “Western media we see you, and all the horrors that you hide,” highlighting their grievances against Western media coverage of the conflict.
In a symbolic gesture, some protesters lay motionless on the pavement alongside mock-ups of flak vests adorned with “press” insignia, underscoring their concerns about the safety of journalists covering the crisis.
Amidst the fervent atmosphere, ralliers passionately cried out “Free, free Palestine,” and their spirits were lifted when an individual inside the Washington Hilton, the long-standing venue for the dinner, unfurled a Palestinian flag from a top-floor hotel window, drawing cheers from the crowd.
Criticism of the Biden administration’s backing of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has reverberated across American college campuses, with students erecting encampments and enduring police interventions to pressure their universities into divesting from Israel. Concurrently, counterprotests in support of Israel’s offensive have emerged, accompanied by complaints of antisemitism.
On Saturday, Biden’s motorcade deviated from its usual route from the White House to the Washington Hilton, likely to circumvent the throngs of demonstrators.
The event itself attracted nearly 3,000 attendees, among them notable celebrities such as Academy Award winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Scarlett Johansson, Jon Hamm, and Chris Pine.
During the event, both the president and comedian Colin Jost took playful jabs at the age of the presidential candidates. Jost quipped, “I’m not saying both candidates are old. But you know Jimmy Carter is out there thinking, ‘maybe I can win this thing.’ He’s only 99.”
Law enforcement, including the Secret Service, implemented additional street closures and security measures to ensure what Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi described as the “highest levels of safety and security for attendees.”
Protest organizers stated their intention to draw attention to the significant number of Palestinian and other Arab journalists killed by Israel’s military since the conflict began in October.
Last week, over two dozen journalists in Gaza penned a letter urging their counterparts in Washington to boycott the dinner entirely.
“The toll exacted on us for merely fulfilling our journalistic duties is staggering,” the letter emphasized. “We are subjected to detentions, interrogations, and torture by the Israeli military, all for the ‘crime’ of journalistic integrity.”
One organizer lamented the perceived silence of the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA), which represents the journalists covering the president, regarding the killings of Palestinian journalists since the beginning of the conflict. Despite requests for comment, WHCA did not respond.
A preliminary investigation released by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on Friday revealed that nearly 100 journalists have lost their lives while covering the war in Gaza. Israel has defended its actions, asserting that it has been targeting militants.
CPJ Program Director Carlos Martínez de la Serna emphasized the high cost journalists are paying during this conflict, stating, “Each time a journalist dies or is injured, we lose a fragment of that truth.”
Sandra Tamari, executive director of the U.S.-based Palestinian advocacy group Adalah Justice Project, criticized the media’s participation in the dinner while condemning what she perceives as President Biden’s support for Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Additionally, Adalah Justice Project initiated an email campaign directed at 12 media executives from various news outlets, including The Associated Press, who were expected to attend the dinner. These executives had previously signed onto a letter advocating for the protection of journalists in Gaza.
Addressing attendees, a demonstrator questioned their decision to attend despite the plea from their colleagues in Gaza, accusing them of complicity in the ongoing crisis.