– Age is an issue. I am a grown man, running against a six-year-old, said President Joe Biden (81), referring to Donald Trump (77) at the annual Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington. The president sat at the table next to the head of the correspondents’ association, Kelly O’Donnell, from the television channel NBC News. Photo: Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP NTB
Of NTB | 28.04.2024 05:42:17
Policy: It is a tradition for the president to give a speech with snarl and punch at the annual dinner for the press corps that covers national politics. Politicians and celebrities also attend an annual banquet.
While Trump dropped the correspondents’ party several times, Biden did as expected, offering jabs at Trump and advice for reporters. And the 81-year-old thus highlighted his own age.
– Yes, age is an issue. I am a grown man. And I’m running against a six-year-old, he joked about his 77-year-old challenger, who didn’t get away with the one comment.
– Age is the only thing we have in common. My vice president actually supports me, Biden said later, before making an appeal to the journalists in attendance.
– I am in no way asking you to choose a side. I ask you to be worthy of the seriousness of the moment. Look up from the measurements and the attempts to “take” the other party, from the distractions and all the surrounding circus that has come to dominate politics and make it sensational. Focus on what is really at stake, said the speaker.
But at the same time as the mood rose among politicians, journalists and other guests inside the hall, demonstrators stood outside and protested against the war in Gaza. They encouraged several of the guests to boycott the party. Biden himself avoided most of the protesters by coming the back way, but a bunch of protesters had found their way there as well and voiced their demand for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
(© NTB)