Biden Mercilessly Mocks Trump At White House Correspondents' Dinner | Full Speech

5 months ago

President Biden delivers remarks to the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

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Transcript

00:00 (Applause.)

00:16 Thank you, thank you, thank you.

00:17 (Applause.)

00:20 If you think your Irish grandparents are wondering --

00:23 (laughter)

00:25 -- my great, great grandparents who came here in 1846

00:29 and were, "What the hell's going on?"

00:31 (Laughter.)

00:32 I want to thank you for the warm welcome.

00:34 But please, not so loud.

00:37 (Laughter.)

00:39 Donald was listening.

00:40 (Laughter.)

00:42 Sleepy Don.

00:43 (Laughter.)

00:45 I kind of like that. I may use that again.

00:47 (Laughter.)

00:49 Kelly O'Donnell, President of the White House

00:51 Correspondents Association, thank you for having me.

00:54 (Applause.)

00:55 Thank you, sir.

00:56 Kelly O., let's be honest, you're way too young to be President.

01:01 (Laughter.)

01:04 It's been a year since I delivered this speech,

01:07 and my wife, Jill, who's with me tonight,

01:09 was worried how I'd do.

01:11 I told her, "Don't worry. Just like riding a bike."

01:14 She said, "That's what I'm worried about."

01:16 (Laughter.)

01:20 Of course, the 2024 election is in full swing.

01:24 And yes, age is an issue.

01:27 I'm a grown man running against a six-year-old.

01:32 (Laughter and applause.)

01:36 While I feel great -- I really feel great --

01:39 I'm campaigning all over the country --

01:43 Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina.

01:45 I've always done well in the original 13 colonies.

01:48 (Laughter.)

01:52 And speaking of history, did you hear what Donald just said

01:55 about the major Civil War battle?

01:57 Quote, "Gettysburg, wow."

02:02 (Laughter.)

02:07 Trump's speech was so embarrassing,

02:09 the Statue of Robert E. Lee surrendered again.

02:11 (Laughter.)

02:14 But look, age is the only thing we have in common.

02:20 My Vice President actually endorses me.

02:22 (Laughter and applause.)

02:32 I had a great stretch since the State of the Union.

02:34 But Donald has had a few tough days lately.

02:38 You might call it "stormy weather."

02:40 (Laughter.)

02:44 What the hell?

02:46 (Laughter.)

02:48 Trump is so desperate, he started reading those Bibles

02:51 he's selling.

02:52 (Laughter.)

02:54 Then he got to the First Commandment.

02:56 "You shall have no other gods before me."

02:59 That's when he put it down and said,

03:01 "This book is not for me."

03:03 (Laughter.)

03:05 Look, being here is a reminder that folks think

03:10 what's going on in Congress is political theater.

03:12 That's not true.

03:15 The Congress or theater that have thrown out

03:17 Lauren Boebert a long time ago.

03:18 (Laughter and applause.)

03:24 Now, to all my friends in the press and Fox News --

03:29 (laughter)

03:32 -- some of you complain that I don't take

03:34 enough of your questions.

03:36 No comment.

03:39 (Laughter.)

03:40 Of course, the New York Times issued a statement

03:43 blasting me for, quote,

03:45 "active and effectively avoiding independent journalists."

03:48 Hey, if that's what it takes to get the New York Times

03:51 to say I'm active and effective, I'm for it.

03:53 (Laughter and applause.)

03:55 It's okay.

03:57 I have higher standards.

04:03 I do interviews with strong, independent journalists

04:07 who millions of people actually listen to, like Howard Stern.

04:11 (Laughter.)

04:13 And I know you're looking around and saying,

04:15 "This guy has been doing this for 50 years.

04:17 He's had his moment. Give him some --

04:20 give him someone else a chance."

04:22 To say that, I say, "Lauren, ignore the critics."

04:26 (Laughter and applause.)

04:27 Ignore the critics.

04:29 Lauren is a great friend who's had eight comedians play me

04:33 over the years on Saturday Night Live -- eight.

04:36 And who the hell says I'm not a real job creator?

04:38 (Laughter.)

04:42 Look, Lauren's had even more comedians

04:44 and actors joke about me,

04:45 like the funny guy in "Weekend Update," Michael Che.

04:50 (Laughter and applause.)

04:53 He's hilarious.

04:54 Scarlett Johansson, you did such an incredible job

05:00 in your state-of-the-art rebuttal

05:02 that you should be "Weekend" -- do "Weekend Update."

05:05 (Laughter.)

05:07 Clearly, you're -- you're the funny one in the family.

05:10 (Laughter.)

05:12 Look, folks, on a serious note, in addition to marrying up,

05:16 Colin and I have another thing in common.

05:18 (Laughter.)

05:20 We both find strength in family.

05:22 I got to spend some time with his family

05:23 yesterday in the Oval Office.

05:26 Colin's dad was a high school teacher in Staten Island,

05:28 and his mom is an incredible woman --

05:30 a family of firefighters, was chief medical officer

05:33 in New York City Fire Department on 9/11.

05:37 As a doctor, she rushed to ground zero,

05:40 risking her own life,

05:43 treating and saving fellow first responders.

05:45 Rushing into danger for others

05:48 is my definition of patriotism and heroism.

05:50 (Applause.)

05:59 And so is what all of you do when you report truth over lies.

06:05 That's why I want to close the night with my genuine thanks

06:07 to the free press.

06:09 There are some who call you the enemy of the people.

06:13 That's wrong and it's dangerous.

06:16 You literally risk your lives doing your job.

06:20 (Applause.)

06:21 You do.

06:23 Covering everything from natural disasters to pandemics to wars

06:28 and so much more.

06:30 And some of your colleagues have given their lives,

06:33 and many have suffered grievous injuries.

06:35 Other reporters have lost their freedom.

06:38 Journalism is clearly not a crime --

06:41 not here, not there, not anywhere in the world.

06:43 (Applause.)

06:48 And Putin should release Evan and all suit immediately.

06:51 (Applause.)

06:53 Just we're doing everything we can.

06:55 (Applause.)

06:57 We're doing everything we can to bring home journalists --

07:00 fellow journalists -- Austin and all Americans,

07:02 like Paul Well, you know,

07:05 who were wrongfully detained all around the world.

07:07 And I give you my word as a Biden,

07:09 we're not going to give up until we get them home --

07:11 all of them, all of them.

07:13 (Applause.)

07:19 On the third anniversary of January 6th,

07:21 I went to Valley Forge and I said,

07:23 "The most urgent question of our time

07:26 is whether democracy is still --

07:28 is still the sacred cause of America."

07:32 That is the question

07:34 the American people must answer this year.

07:36 And you, the prefects, play a critical role

07:39 in making sure the American people have the information

07:42 they need to make an informed decision.

07:44 A defeated former President has made no secret

07:47 of his attack on our democracy.

07:49 He said he wants to be a dictator on day one,

07:52 and so much more.

07:54 He tells supporters he is their revenge and retribution.

07:58 When in God's name have you ever heard of another President

08:00 say something like that?

08:02 And he promised a bloodbath when he loses again.

08:05 We have to take this seriously.

08:08 Eight years ago, you could have written off

08:11 it as just "Trump talk," but no longer --

08:14 not after January 6th.

08:16 I'm sincerely not asking of you to take sides,

08:20 but I'm asking you to rise up to the seriousness of the moment.

08:23 Move past the horse race numbers and the gotcha moments

08:29 and the distractions, the sideshows that have come

08:32 to dominate and sensationalize our --

08:34 sensationalize our politics,

08:35 and focus on what's actually at stake.

08:38 And I think, in your hearts, you know what's at stake.

08:41 The stakes couldn't be higher.

08:42 Every single one of us has roles to play --

08:45 a serious role to play in making sure democracy endures --

08:49 American democracy.

08:51 I have more of my role, but with all due respect, so do you.

08:54 In the age of disinformation, credible information,

08:59 that people can trust, is more important than ever.

09:02 And that makes you -- and I mean this from the bottom of my heart

09:04 -- makes you more important than ever.

09:06 So, tonight, I'd like to make a toast.

09:09 To a free press, to an informed citizenry,

09:16 to an America where freedom and democracy endure,

09:20 God bless America.

09:22 (Applause.)

09:27 Now, I'm going to turn it over to Kelly.

09:31 None of you here are from a real comedian.

09:34 (Laughter.)

09:35 I think I know what I'm in for. You know, Colin Jost

09:37 has taken aim at me before with his jokes.

09:39 >> The Press: Oh, I'm sure. Are you ready?

09:41 >> The President: Like saying, after winning the South Carolina

09:44 primary, Biden barely edged out his closest rival -- time.

09:48 (Laughter.)

09:52 Colin, when I win,

09:55 I'm going to have a whole hell of a lot of time.

09:57 (Laughter.)

09:58 And I'm going to be watching, pal.

09:59 (Laughter.)

10:01 Kelly, back to you.

10:02 (Applause.)

10:09 Thank you.

10:11 (Applause.)

Biden Mercilessly Mocks Trump At White House Correspondents' Dinner | Full Speech

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