“Our message is: journalism is not a crime. Evan and Austin should be released immediately, along with all other Americans being held or held captive,” said the President. Evan Gershkovich and Austin Tice are among hundreds of journalists worldwide who have been unjustly detained simply for the act of journalism, which is not a crime, said Tamara Keith, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association.
The dinner, which is held annually and typically attended by journalists, politicians, and celebrities, raises funds for scholarships. It was opened by actor and former governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, with a pre-recorded video on the importance of a free and independent press.
Biden also referred to basketball player Brittney Griner, who was sentenced to nine years in prison in Russia for bringing cannabis oil into the country. Griner, who was in the audience during the dinner, was released in December 2022 when Washington exchanged her for arms trafficker Viktor Bout, known as the “Merchant of Death,” who was imprisoned in the United States.
The President’s speeches are typically humorous. After the initial more somber tone, Biden began making jokes about the Republican opposition in Congress, former President Donald Trump (2017-2021), and even his age. At 80 years old, Biden is the oldest president in US history and could leave the White House at 86 years old if re-elected in 2024.
The dinner’s host, comedian Roy Wood Jr., a correspondent on the Comedy Central program “The Daily Show,” made jokes about the lawsuit filed by Disney against Florida governor and potential presidential candidate Ron DeSantis.