Turan News Agency Attended White House Correspondents Dinner

Washington D.C./01.05.23/Turan:  The annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner is the most significant event in Washington DC society, as it’s known as a night where leading journalists rub shoulders with White House administrators and key politicians. Celebrities and media elites descend upon the U.S. capital for a long weekend of exclusive gatherings centered around the dinner... and of course some self-deprecating humor, Washington-style.

For the first time, an Azerbaijani news agency was among participating media organizations at this year's dinner, which was hosted by the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA), the organization that represents the White House press corps.

Alex Raufoglu, TURAN's Washington correspondent, who currently serves as a member of the WHCA, and board member of The Association of Foreign Press Correspondents in the United States, was present at the ceremony on Saturday in a Washington Ballroom packed with over 2000 journalists, politicians and celebrities.

President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, vice president Kamala Harris, and second gentleman Douglas Emhoff were seated on the stage along with comedian Roy Wood Jr., a correspondent for “The Daily Show,” who was the featured entertainer.

This year's dinner took a more solemn tone, as what many see as the brazen attack on press freedom globally was on painful display. Upon arriving at the ceremony, President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden attended a pull-aside meeting with the parents of journalist Evan Gershkovich, who has been imprisoned in Russia since March.

"Tonight, our message is this: Journalism is not a crime." Biden said in his speech. "The free press is a pillar — maybe the pillar — of a free society, not the enemy. "

The President dedicated the first 5 minutes to Americans currently and formerly detained abroad. "I promise you I am working like hell to get them home," he said.

Then he pivoted to the jokes, by taking a few digs at his old age, saying that he loves the 1st Amendment of the U.S, Constitution — which is the freedom of the press and speech — "because my friend Jimmy Madison wrote it

"Call me 'old?' I call it being seasoned. You say 'I'm ancient,' I say I'm wise," Biden continued.

Comedian Roy Wood, who took the stage after Biden, also zeroed in on the president’s age saying that  "we should be inspired by the events in France. They rioted when the retirement age went up two years to 64.”

“Meanwhile in America, we have an 80-year-old man, begging us for four more years of work,”  Wood said with a laugh.

The historic "Correspondents Dinner" was formed in 1914 and is made up of journalists who are credentialed to cover the administration and get access to the White House briefing room and president. The first dinner was held in 1920, and in 1924 President Calvin Coolidge became the first sitting leader to attend.

Alex Raufoglu