--- title: Comedian-in-Chief Barack Obama Hosts White House Dinner description: In remarks that mostly brought smiles and guffaws, President Obama had a field day poking fun at some of his political opponents and critics canonical: https://time.com/86966/white-house-dinner-barack-obama-joel-mchale/ author: Sam Frizell article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-05-04T03:55:19.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:01:21.713Z article:section: Politics og:title: Comedian-in-Chief Barack Obama Hosts White House Dinner og:description: In remarks that mostly brought smiles and guffaws, President Obama had a field day poking fun at some of his political opponents and critics og:url: https://time.com/86966/white-house-dinner-barack-obama-joel-mchale/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc0947e140b2c42d3/69868dc813c79ff9d6191efb/488089715.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1500 og:image:height: 844 og:image:alt: 100th Annual White House Correspondents' Association Dinner og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Comedian-in-Chief Barack Obama Hosts White House Dinner twitter:description: In remarks that mostly brought smiles and guffaws, President Obama had a field day poking fun at some of his political opponents and critics twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc0947e140b2c42d3/69868dc813c79ff9d6191efb/488089715.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Comedian-in-Chief Barack Obama Hosts White House Dinner > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=b35518ef-fe25-45fb-90c9-5067d2a385be&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: President Obama's White House Correspondents Dinner Speech [Watch (HLS stream): President Obama's White House Correspondents Dinner Speech](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/NAIAzeKh.m3u8) (19:38)  _Published 2014-05-04. President Barack Obama's speech at the 2014 White House Correspondents Dinner._ by [Sam Frizell](https://time.com/author/sam-frizell/) ## Sam Frizell May 4, 2014 3:55 AM UTC  President Barack Obama speaks at the annual White House Correspondent's Association Gala at the Washington Hilton hotel May 3, 2014 in Washington, DC. President Barack Obama speaks at the annual White House Correspondent's Association Gala at the Washington Hilton hotel May 3, 2014 in Washington, DC. Pool—Getty Images by [Sam Frizell](https://time.com/author/sam-frizell/) ## Sam Frizell May 4, 2014 3:55 AM UTC President Barack Obama turned the tables on his haranguers in the media and in Congress at a star-studded dinner Saturday night, taking smiling pot shots at some of his most persistent critics. Obama barraged the gridlock in Congress, the Nevada ranchers controversy, Chris Christie’s alleged traffic jam and Fox News at the White House Correspondents’ Association’s annual dinner at the Washington Hilton, where correspondents of major media outlets and prominent political figures gathered for a light-hearted night in a city not known for its levity. “The Koch brothers bought a table here this evening but they used a shadowy right-wing organization as a front. Good evening, Fox News,” Obama said. The president called out some prominent Republicans in the House of Representatives, where he has seen some of the most hostile opposition to many of his policies. “I’m feeling sorry for the Speaker of the House as well. These days, House republicans give John Boehner a harder time than they give me. These days, orange really is the new black,” Obama said, poking fun at Boehner’s persistent tan. Boehner’s second-in-command in the House, Eric Cantor didn’t escape a jab either. “You know, I get letters from folks around the country. This one got to me: Virginia man been stuck in the same part-time job for years, no respect from his boss, no chance to get ahead. I really wish Eric Cantor would stop writing me,” Obama said. President Obama was self-deprecating, too, mocking the rollout of the Affordable Care Act’s website late last year. “In 2008, my slogan was ‘Yes we can,’” he said. “In 2013, my slogan was ‘Control, Alt, Delete.’” At the end of his remarks, Obama screened a satirical ‘thank you’ message that stalled, and invited Kathleen Sebelius, the former Health Secretary to jokingly assist in fixing the video. Joel McHale, the star of NBC’s _Community_, was the featured comedian at the dinner, where he also cracked jokes at Obama’s expense. “I’m a big fan of president Obama. I think he’s one of the all-time great presidents. Definitely in the top 50.” McHale isn’t known for political comedy, but he’s used to mocking celebrities as the host of E!’s _The Soup._ A smattering of other starts attended the event, including Robert De Niro, who was promoting a documentary on his artist father, _12 Years a Slave_ director Steve McQueen and actress Lupita Nyong’o, _Gravity_ director Alfonso Cuaron, _Her_ director Spike Jonze, and a faux vice president to fill the absent Joe Biden’s shoes, Julia Louis-Dreyfus of HBO’s “Veep.” The dinner is hosted by the White House Correspondents’ Association and serves partially as a charitable event that awards scholarships to young journalists. The occasion has sparked criticism in the past, with prominent journalists like Tom Brokaw speaking out against the attendance of high-profile celebrities who critics say distract from the business of governing the country. “Are we doing their business, or are we just a group of narcissists who are mostly interested in elevating our own profiles?” Brokaw said last year. “What comes through the screen on C-SPAN that night is the latter, and not the former.” The White House Correspondents’ dinner has often served as a springboard for aspiring comedians looking for a national spotlight, most notably helping promote funnymen like Stephen Colbert who gave a blistering roast of George W. Bush in 2006, or Seth Meyers in 2011. One of the most dramatic moments in the history of the annual gala came in 2011, when President Obama attended even as a team of Navy Seals was preparing for its top-secret operation against Osama bin Laden. Obama sat through the gala between meetings with top advisors, and kept a straight face—even when host Seth Meyers made a bin Laden crack. “People think bin Laden is hiding in the Hindu Kush, but did you know that every day from 4 to 5 he hosts a show on C-SPAN?” Meyers joked at the time. Obama was in the Situation Room the day after the event, watching a live feed of the operation as bin Laden was killed. The president ended his speech Saturday on a more serious note, reminding the crowd of the difficulty of reporting the news in war-torn regions including Syria, Egypt and Ukraine “We really are lucky to live in a country where reporters get to give the president a hard time on a daily basis, and then once a year give him or her a chance at least to try to turn the tables.” Watch his remarks here: ## Transcript [ SOUND ] Thank you. [ SOUND ] Thank you so much. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you so much everybody, please have a seat, have a seat. Before I get started, can we get the new Presidential set up out here? [ MUSIC ] [ LAUGH ] [ SOUND ] It's worked before. [ LAUGH ] That's more like it. It is great to be back. What a year, huh? I usually start these dinners with a few self- deprecating jokes after my stellar 2013, what could I possibly talk about? [ LAUGH ] I admit it. Last year was rough. Sheesh. [ LAUGH ] At one point, things got so bad, the 47 % called Mitt Romney to apologize. [ LAUGH ] Of course we rolled out healthcare. gov. [ LAUGH ] That could have gone better. [ LAUGH ] In 2008 my slogan was yes we can. In 2013 my slogan was Control, Alt, Delete. [ LAUGH ] On the plus side, they did turn the launch of healthcare. gov into one of the year's biggest movies. [ LAUGH ] But rather than draw on the past, I would like to pivot to this dinner. Let's welcome our headliner this evening, Joel McHale. [ SOUND ] On Community, Joel plays a preening, self- obsessed narcissist. So this dinner must be a real change of pace for you. [ LAUGH ] I want to thank the White House Correspondents Association for hosting us here tonight. I am happy to be here, even though I am a little jet lagged from my trip to Malaysia. The lengths we have to go to to get CNN coverage these days. [ SOUND ] [ LAUGH ]. I think they're still searching for their table. [ SOUND ] [ LAUGH ] MSNBC is here. [ SOUND ] They're a little overwhelmed. They've never seen an audience this big before. [ LAUGH ] [ SOUND ] But look, everybody is trying to keep up with this Iincredibly fast changing media landscape. For example, I got a lot of grief on cable news for promoting ObamaCare to young people on Between Two Ferns. But that's what young people like to watch, and to be fair I'm not the first person on television between two potted plants. [ LAUGH ] Sometimes I do feel disrespected by you reporters but that's okay. Seattle Seahawk Cornerback Richard Sherman is here tonight, and he gave me [ NOISE ] he gave me some great tips on how to handle it. Jake Taber don't you ever talk about me like that. [ LAUGH ] I'm the best President in the game. [ LAUGH ] What do you think, Richard? Was that good? [ LAUGH ] Little more feeling next time. [ LAUGH ] While we're talking sports, just last month a wonderful story, an American won the Boston Marathon for the first time in 30 years. [ NOISE ] [ NOISE ] Which was inspiring and only fair since a Kenyan has been President for the last six, [ LAUGH ] we had to even things out. [ LAUGH ] We have some other athletes here tonight, including Olympic Snowboarding Gold Medalist Jamie Anderson is here [ NOISE ] we're proud of her, incredibly talented young lady. Michelle and I watched the Olympics, we cannot believe what these folks do. Death defying feats. Haven't seen somebody pull a 180 that fast since Rand Paul disinvited that Nevada rancher from this dinner. [ LAUGH ] As a general rule things don't end well if the sentence starts, let me tell you something I know about the Negro. [ LAUGH ] You don't really need to hear the rest of it. [ LAUGH ] Just a tip for you. Don't start your sentence that way. [ LAUGH ] Speaking of Rand Paul, [ LAUGH ] Colorado legalized marijuana this year. An interesting social experiment. I do hope it doesn't lead to a whole lot of paranoid people who think that the federal government is out to get them and listening to their phone calls. [ LAUGH ] That would be a problem. [ LAUGH ] And speaking of conservative heroes. The Koch brothers bought a table here tonight, but as usual they used a shadowy right wing organization as a front. Hello Fox News. [ LAUGH ] I'm, I'm just kidding. Let's face it Fox, you'll miss me when I'm gone. [ LAUGH ] It'll be harder to convince the American people that Hillary was born in Kenya. [ LAUGH ] [ NOISE ] A lot of us really are concerned about the way big money is influencing our politics. I remember when a super pack was just me buying Marlboro 100s instead of regulars. [ LAUGH ] Of course, now that it's 2014, Washington is obsessed on the midterms. Folks are saying that with my sagging poll numbers, my fellow Democrats don't really want me campaigning with them, and I don't think that's true. Although, I did notice the other day, that Sasha needed a speaker at Career Day and she invited Bill Clinton. [ LAUGH ] I was I was a little hurt [ LAUGH ] by that. [ LAUGH ] Both sides are doing whatever it takes to win, a ruthless game. Republicans this is a true story, Republicans actually brought in a group of consultants to teach their candidates how to speak to women. This is true. And I don't know if it'll work with women, but I understand that America's teenage boys are signing up to run for the Senate in droves. [ LAUGH ] Anyway, while you guys focus on the horserace. I'm gonna do what I do and I'm gonna be focused on everyday Americans. And just yesterday I read a heartbreaking letter. You know, I get letters from folks around the country every day. I get 10 that I read. This, this one got to me. A Virginia man who's been stuck in the same part time job for years. No respect from his boss, no chance to get ahead. I, I really wish Eric Cantor would stop writing me. [ LAUGH ] You can just pick up the phone, Eric. [ LAUGH ] And I'm feeling sorry, believe it or not, for the Speaker of the House as well. These days the House Republicans actually give John Boehner a harder time than they give me, which means orange really is the new black. [ LAUGH ] But I have not given up the idea of working with Congress, in fact, two weeks ago, Senator Ted Cruz and I, we got a bill done together. And, and I have to say the signing ceremony was something special. Got a picture of it I think. [ LAUGH ] I, I look, I know. Washington seems more dysfunctional than ever. Gridlock has gotten so bad in this town you have to wonder, what did we do to piss off Chris Christie so bad? [ LAUGH ] One issue, for example, we have not been able to agree on is unemployment insurance. Republicans continue to refuse to extend it. You know what, I am beginning to think they've got a point. If you want to get paid while not working, you should have to run for Congress, just like everybody else. [ LAUGH ] Of course there is one thing that keeps Republicans busy, they have tried more than 50 times to repeal ObamaCare. Despite that, eight million people signed up for healthcare in the first open enrollment. [ NOISE ] Which, which does lead one to ask? How well does ObamaCare have to work before you don't wanna repeal it? What if everybody's cholesterol drops to 120? [ LAUGH ] What if your yearly checkup came with tickets to a Clipper's game? Not, not the old Don Sterling Clippers. The new Oprah Clippers. [ LAUGH ] Would that be good enough? What if it gave Mitch McConnell a pulse? [ LAUGH ] What is it going to take? [ LAUGH ] Anyway, this year I've promised to use more executive actions, to get things done, without Congress. My critic's call this the Empiric, Imperial Presidency. Truth is, I just show up everyday at my office and do my job. We've got a picture of this, I think. [ LAUGH ] You would think they'd appreciate a more assertive approach, considering that the new conservative darling is none other than Vladimir Putin. [ LAUGH ]. Last year, Pat Buchanan said Putin's headed straight for the Nobel Peace Prize. [ LAUGH ]. He said this now I know it sounds crazy but to be fair, they give those to just about anybody these days. [ LAUGH ]. [ LAUGH ] So it could happen, but it's not just Pat. Rudy Giuliani said Putin is what you call a leader. Mike Huckabee and Sean Hannity keep talking about his bare chest, which is kind of weird. [ LAUGH ] Look it up, they talk about it a lot. [ LAUGH ] It is strange to think that I've just two and a half years left in this office. Everywhere I look there are reminders that I only hold this job temporarily. But it's a long time between now and 2016 and anything can happen. You may have heard the other day, Hillary had to dodge a flying shoe at a press conference. [ LAUGH ] I love that picture. [ LAUGH ] Regardless of what happens, I've run my last campaign. And I'm beginning to think about my legacy some of you know Mayor Rahm Emanuel recently announced he's naming a high school after me in Chicago, which is, is extremely humbling. I was even more flattered to hear Rick Perry who's here tonight, is doing the same thing in Texas, take a look. [ LAUGH ] Thank you Rick. [ LAUGH ] That means a lot to me. And I intend to enjoy all the free time that I will have. George W Bush took up painting after he left office, which inspired me to take up my own artistic side. I, I, I'm sure we've got a shot of this, maybe not. The joke doesn't work without the slide. [ LAUGH ] Oh well, assume that it was funny [ LAUGH ] Does this happen to you Joel? It does, okay. On a more serious note. Tonight reminds us that we really are lucky to live in a country where reporters get to give a Head of State a hard time on a daily basis. And then once a year give him or her, the chance at least to try to return the favor. But we also know that not every journalist, or photographer, or crew member is so fortunate. Because, even as we celebrate the free press tonight, our thoughts are with those, in places around the globe, like Ukraine and Afghanistan, in Syria and Egypt who risk everything. Some cases even give their lives to report the news. And what tonight also reminds us is that the fight for full and fair access goes beyond the chance to ask a question. As Steve mentioned, decades ago an African American who wanted to cover his or her president might be barred from journalism school, burdened by Jim Crow and once in Washington banned from press conferences. But after years of effort black editors and publishers began meeting with FDR's press secretary Steve Irwin. And then they met with the president himself to declare that a black reporter would get a credential. And even when Harry McAlpin made history as the first African- American to attend a presidential news conference, he wasn't always welcomed by the other reporters. But he was welcomed by the president, who told him, I'm glad to see you, McAlpin, and I'm very happy to have you here. Now that som, sentiment might have worn off once Harry asked him a question or two and Harry's battles continued but he made history. And we're so proud of Sherman and his family for being here tonight and the White House Correspondent's Association to creating this scholarship in Harry's name [ SOUND ]. For over 100 years, even as the White House Correspondents Association has told the story of America's progress, you've lived it too. Gradually allowing equal access to women, minorities and gays and Americans with disabilities. And yes, radio and television and internet reporters as well. And through it all you've helped make sure that even as societies change, our fundamental commitment to the interaction between those who govern and those who ask questions doesn't change. And as Jay will attest, it's a legacy you carry on enthusiastically every single day. And because this is the 100th anniversary of the Correspondents' Association I actually recorded an additional brief video thanking all of you for your hard work. Will you, run the video. Congratulations. What's going on? I, I was told this would work. Does anybody know how to fix this? [ LAUGH ] Oh, thank you. [ LAUGH ] You got it. [ LAUGH ] I got this I see it all the time. There that should work. Congratulations to Whitehouse Correspondents Association, here's to 100 more terrific years. Thank you very much everybody, God bless you. [ NOISE ] And God bless America, and thank you, Kathleen Sebelius. 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