What is the purpose of the Correspondents' Dinner?

[calmblueocean]

On the most superficial level, yes, I get that the purpose is supposed to be for the press corps and the politicians to blow off some steam at each other with a few jokes once a year.

But isn't there a point where the issues are too serious for those in charge to joke about? Like when Bush did his infamous "no weapons under here" skit -- isn't that just jawdroppingly disrespectful and tasteless?

Tonight I saw Joe Wilson in the audience. I wondered how he could bring himself to sit in a room with Bush and just laugh about the state of the country. Doesn't that diminish the seriousness of what the Bush admin did to his wife? To me, it seems like getting robbed and stabbed in an alley, then hobbling out of your hospital bed to go to the mugger's house and have a few laughs with him before going home.

And Bush! Bush was just mortifying tonight. Somewhere in the history of this little night out, the line between tasteful self-deprecation and all-out debasement was crossed. It's okay to poke a little fun at yourself, like Reagan did during the debates when he joked he wouldn't use Mondale's youth and inexperience against him. But tonight, Bush play-acted like he was *actually retarded*. This was just embarrassing to watch, completely beneath the dignity of the office of president no matter who holds it. I just kept thinking, "People are dying in Iraq for this guy." Imagine how the parents of a dead soldier must feel watching this.

I'm not asking that this dinner go away -- it's too enjoyable to see those in power get skewered to their face. So I suppose I'm answering my own question here. The purpose of the Correspondent's dinner is to skewer those in power to their face. I guess I'm just saying that I wish we had a president with some dignity, a press corp that wasn't so obsequious, and an opposition with enough conviction to know that sometimes the stakes are too high to make jokes about.

[amitten]

1. Good points, all. But I'm gonna die happy just because of what

Colbert did.

That was a gig to end all gigs!

[calmblueocean]

2. Totally agree there. Colbert was hilarious.

"Nooooooooo!"

I loved that Helen Thomas skit.

[amitten]

4. I loved the part where he screamed and then rolled up the car

window. :P

[Sydnie]

3. Joe Wilson was asked why/how he could be there

He responded "Why should we hide?", which was the correct response. Why should he have to give up his involvement because these idiots can't follow the rules?

HE has done nothing wrong. Some of those "members of the press" in that room tonight were and are on his side.

[calmblueocean]

5. I respect his right to do what he pleases

but I still think his showing up and laughing with the pres simply leaves a bad aftertaste. To me, we're in a constitutional crisis, and hanging out in the same room with the man who is causing it without making some noise of my own would be inconceivable.

[Lars39]

8. One reason he was probably there was to play "straight man" for Colbert,

so that Colbert could include Valerie Plame in the "act".

[Sydnie]

11. Just being there ... in the room ... in their face was

all they needed to do. blivet** and this admin only wins if the Wilson's do fade into the background. Being up front, in their face, was worth it IMHO.

[Old and In the Way]

6. Yeah, it is cognitive dissonance.

And Monday, all of these reporters and newspeople will become objective and report the news, crimes, and corruption of these people? Right...just like they've been doing it for the past 10 years. It's disgusting. It like a 'members only' party on the Titanic....the boats sinking but they're yucking it up with the guy who steered the boat into the iceberg.

That toast was particularly neauseating.

[Eric J in MN]

9. What toast? nt

nt

[Old and In the Way]

12. They apparently have a tradition of raising their glasses in a toast.

"A toast to the President". I know it's a tradition thing, but toasting the guy who is busy destroying this country is just too much for me.

[calmblueocean]

10. That's exactly the feeling I mean!

"It like a 'members only' party on the Titanic....the boats sinking but they're yucking it up with the guy who steered the boat into the iceberg."

Couldn't have said it better.

[rucky]

7. To show what a charade it all is 364 days out of the year. n/t

[BeFree]

13. Yep, the * performance was debasing of the presidency

Its all just a joke to him. Why else would he do such a skit? It was 'in your face' "this is the kind of idiot I am" performance, and should turn off any intelligent citizen.

As for the Wilsons... they have been fighting, hard, and I'll bet tonight, for them, was a very good release. Too, like someone said, they probably had a good idea they would be part of Colbert's gig.

[JI7]

14. i think part of your problem has to do with the state of the media these

days.

before it use to be that the media actually did do their job so this one dinner each year was a time to poke fun at each other. but they would all return to doing their jobs.

but these days, other than Colbert , Helen Thomas and a few others, the ass kissing and it's all a joke stuff goes on every fucking day.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

15. Well, certainly, it's to get...

A guy from Desperate Housewives,
Anna Kournikova,
Ludacris,
A guy from Desperate Housewives,
A former US Ambassador,
Ben Roethlisberger,
and a bunch of press wankers

in a room together to laugh at the idiot leader of the free world, who apparently was first at the podium to admit what an idiot he is.

It's so bizarre that it makes perfect sense.