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Biden jokes about Trump's mental fitness at Washington's Gridiron dinner

Published 03/16/2024, 06:03 PM
Updated 03/17/2024, 09:40 AM
© Reuters. U.S. President Joe Biden walks towards Marine One as he departs the White House in Washington, U.S., March 13, 2024. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz

By Stephanie Kelly

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden took jabs on Saturday at former President Donald Trump with jokes about the mental fitness of his election opponent during a speech at the Gridiron Club dinner, a Washington tradition that began in the 1880s.

Biden's appearance at the dinner, in which politicians and journalists trade humorous barbs in a white-tie formal affair, was the first time a president has attended in person since former President Donald Trump in 2018.

Biden, 81, recently clinched the Democratic Party's nomination for this year's presidential election and will face off against Trump, 77, in a rematch in November. Biden is trying to court voters, boost his low approval ratings and allay concerns that he is too old to run again.

"One candidate is too old and mentally unfit to be president. The other one is me," Biden said on Saturday, in front of more than 650 guests who included the Taoiseach of Ireland Leo Varadkar, Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos, and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, whose U.S. business could be banned by Biden.

Trump's campaign did not respond to a request for comment. Trump has also questioned Biden's mental capacity to be president.

Biden reinforced the importance of the press, which he said is not "the enemy of the people," in stark contrast to previous remarks by Trump about the news media.

He also spoke about the war in Ukraine with Prime Minister of Estonia Kaja Kallas, who attended Saturday's dinner. "We will not bow down, they (Ukrainians) will not bow down and I will not bow down," Biden said.

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After his speech, Biden descended to the floor and took selfies with reporters and called one guest's mother.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, representing the Democratic Party at the event, also spoke on Saturday, as well as Utah Governor Spencer Cox, representing the Republican Party.

Cox, 48, joked that he was announcing his candidacy for the presidency "in 2052, when I still will be younger than both President Biden and President Trump."

Turning more serious, he said there is a hunger among Americans for something more positive in politics.

The club's 65 members, all representatives from news organizations, performed satirical songs and skits. One song poked fun at Biden's and Trump's ages to the tune of "When I'm Sixty-Four" by The Beatles.

At last year's dinner, Mike Pence, who served as Vice President under Trump, offered a forceful rebuke of his one-time boss, saying history would hold Trump accountable for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Unlike its sister event, the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in April, the Gridiron dinner is not televised and tries to retain its yesteryear vibe with men in white tie and tails and women in long dresses.

No photos are allowed during the dinner and participants are asked not to post on social media until after it has concluded.

Latest comments

TDS lives here 😂
Tax Deducted at Source..?
Trump's Duped Saps?
Trump's Deluded Simps?
Trump told his dupes in Ohio a completely false story about releasing a recording of his phone call with Ukraine's Zelinsky. He did not. The was no recording. His memory is fading.
OK brad, past your bed time.
 Ivan are you back from the trenches after rotation?... missed your russian input.
MAGA has new meaning MAKE AMERICA GULLABLE AGAIN
latest in.. trump claims ‘Biden beat Obama’ in elections that never took place.. just in case anyone still had any doubt that it is indeed trump, who is the demented old fool in this race...
This is just Grandpa Joe showing his constituency he is a true democrat by employing democrat hypocrisy tactics.
It's time to grow up.
rob can't face the truth about the mental incapacity that Trump is showing.. his cognitive abilities are in Swift decline all you have to do is go to one of his HitlerEsq political rallies to witness it.
Oh, yeah. Nothing funnier than an 81-year-old who can't remember his lines without a teleprompter. Up Next: "Biden Jokes He Forgot the Nuclear Codes And the Press Loves It."
Oh, I don't know... A decrepit conman going off teleprompter and announcing that Obama beat Biden is pretty funny.
* "Biden beat Obama"
Can you spell "Re-Education Camps"? Big Don will do an FDR and re-open the Mananar Camp in California. I sure hope he keeps his commitment to Make America Great Again. Sadly to say, some folks won't be a part of the Good Days ahead. But .... After a few years in the Camps, they may come around to Patriotic Thinking. Lot of Domestic Enemies in our midst. Anyway, gotta go start my Garden. Love to All, Charles.
Charles thinks Putin's and Hitler's ideas of Concentration Camps for your enemies is a good idea....spoken like a true hater of democracy. Charles you would do well in the Russian federation.
In Ohio Trump now makes threats if you dont vote for him, sounds more and more like Putin and Kim Jung Un.
Why waste your time on foolish commentary? It's quite obvious that Joe will lose by a landslide this election.
 over 13000 comments what are you a soro's bot...get out mom's basement
Willey boy hagerty, still spouting the typical anti democratic hate against Russia's favorite boogyman Soros. tells us William how long have you been an anti American Russian troll. or are you just another brainwashed MAGA cult member.
in your wet dreams casador...
MAGAs problem is Trump basically rambles and makes mistakes every time he is on stage for the world to see wheras Biden delivered a perfect state of the union speech
Especially the Lincoln part. Then there was his use of the forbidden label for which he was criticized, even by his biggest cheerleader, and fellow elder, Pelosi.
Biden reminds me of "Raymond" in the movie 80s Movie Rain Man. Funny. Notice he always asks his "Handlers" if it's "OK to answer question?" at campaign stops. The President of the United States asking for permission to take questions. So .... Who is really running the Country? "The Lines they are drawn, The Curse it is Cast ... The First ones now will Later be Last ... Yeah! The Times, they are a Changing" Love to All, Charles.
as usual Charles is full of maga crap, and Russian propaganda; its almost laughable if it wasn't so pathetic.... Trump is a crook, sexual molester,and watabe strongman, he has to be defeated, if Americans wants to keep their decency, and democracy. unfortunately Charlie has shown he supports Trump's anti-democratic agenda.
Biden joking with the Press: same as "Preaching to the Choir." I wonder if they passed the hat so the "non-partisan," "free press" could contribute to Biden's campaign. Last poll I saw: 90+ percent Liberal Dems.
Did you watch it or too much of a snowflake worried you will get triggered when Biden isnt being fed pudding cups
jaundice hates the free press it reports the truth about Trump.
The fact is, if Biden wasn't demented, he would be tried and put in jail. There's no way he's not mental fit to be on trial and at the same time mental fit enough to be president
Jail for what? 91 inditements? No that’s your dom Trump who you grovel and debase yourself pathetically for.
Biden isn't trying
It seems as if the rude magaflakes can dish it out but can't take it.
The whole world is laughing at demented Biden. Everyone who tries to polish his image look pathetic and ridiculous.
as someone who lives in both Europe and Asia parts of the year, I can tell you that Biden is held in high regard here, as opposed to his predecessor..
 As someone who lives in Europe all the time, and not a tourist, I can tell you that all of Europe is laughing and wondering how anyone with a brain could vote for a dimwitted person who should obviously be in a retirement home. Stop bullying the old man
oleg lives in a little village in Russia,...he doesn't get out much. Biden is trusted by our allies Trump is not.. Biden brought respect and leadership, Trump did not...Trump was hated and ridiculed and laughed at. Trump acted like a buffoon on the world stage. Trump was an embarrassment to America and with his actions a threat to America's national security.
old diaper-donald isn't only mentally unfit.. he's also a proven loser, a convicted fraud and sexual molester, and a traitor taking bribes from Americas' enemies to work against his own country's interests, all in the hope of benefiting himself and his gigantic ego.
You are a joke. You keep insisting on facts, but it is you who is ignorant. While Trump was in office, his family AND Trump himself received over $7 million in payments from foreign countries. Then days after leaving office, his son-in law received $200+ million from Saudi Arabia. You white wash these facts while insisting there was something sinister about money made by Biden's sons when he was not president. Get real... And get out of Ukraine and take your homicidal immoral buddies with you.
brad, there was also close to 400 million in loan forgiveness from the state owned Chinese banks to the Trump organizations....and another 200 million dollar loan that came due in2022, that no one's is talking about. and of course the 40 million in Chinese copyright protections to his daughter while see was a member of his administration.the Trump organizations have been in bed with the Chinese for over a decade.... the Saudis gave 2 billions to Trump's son in law. at the close of Trump's presidency. Trump and his 'advisors'where members of the most corrupt presidential Administration in modern American history.
Right. Its hard to keep track. So much easier to make fact-free insinuations about Biden.
This comment is coming from the podium donut that tries to shake hands with imaginary people. LOL.
So his speech writer just called Biden too old to be president and he went out and told everyone. Ok.
And it is
funny really. this jyst cements everyone's understanding that Joe has lost it completely
Remember trump cant take any joke at his own expense. Weak ❄️
is this the first time a female Mafia member and money launderer from Michigan is attending?
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