President Barack Obama has held many titles over his eight-year tenure: Christian, Muslim, peacekeeper, communist, ‘Obummer’ and Nobel-prize winner just to name a few.
As his presidency comes to its waning months and Americans are left to look back on his historic office, one of Obama’s more treasured titles would have to be comedian, due to his brief moments of hilarity brought about by viral videos with Buzzfeed and of course, the hallmark Correspondents’ Dinner.
Throughout his terms, the Correspondents’ Dinner has been the opportune time for the President to bring out his humorous side, much to the nervous applause of the media and politicians filling the room. Amid the repetitive and depressing appearances concerning mass shootings and Republican obstructionism, these shining nights have allowed Washington to release some chuckles and playfully acknowledge their own shortcomings, dressed in their finest regalia.
Obama made a dynamic entrance to his final dinner, stepping up to the podium to Anna Kendrick’s cover of “Cups” and acknowledging the lines “You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone” with a smile and an affirmation of, “You can’t say it, but it’s true.” The night would follow this joking tone, starting with the biggest elephant in the room: the Republican party.
“GOP Chairman Reince Priebus is here as well. Glad to see that you feel you’ve earned a night off. Congratulations on all your success! The Republican Party, the nomination process—it’s all going great. Keep it up!” he exclaimed in an obviously indulgent reference to the party’s Donald Trump problem.
He continued flexing his pop-culture wit, next harkening to the inevitable topic of the Republican obstruction of his Supreme Court nomination, Judge Merrick Garland:
“In fact, I think we’ve got Republican Senators Tim Scott and Cory Gardner. They are in the house, which reminds me … security, bar the doors. Judge Merrick Garland come on out. We are going to do this right here. Right now. It’s like the red wedding.”
The reference to the “Game of Thrones” massacre led to communal laughter, but the subtle anger underneath the lines was easily felt by the entire room, much to the discomfort of the Republican senators.
The media did not escape the roasting block, either.
“Even reporters have left me. Savannah Guthrie, she has left the White House press corps to host the Today show. Norah O’Donnell left the briefing room to host CBS This Morning. Jake Tapper left journalism to join CNN,” he said.
He finished by thanking the cast of recent Oscar-winner Spotlight for all their hard work in “holding the powerful accountable,” jokingly admitting that they are indeed a cast for a film he described as the “best fantasy film since Star Wars.”
The President has shown that he can communicate his humor to massive audiences in cameos like his viral Buzzfeed video, and he has never shied away from the opportunity to show the lighthearted paragon of his often frustrating presidency at nights like these. Obama’s performances at these dinners particularly have been consistently edgy and humorous, but also always witty.
Though full of joviality, the tension and honesty that emanates from his jokes is something that is almost depressing to enjoy, as even amid the laughter there is a truth that rings through the halls of the nation’s classiest soiree.
Unfortunately, these dinners—which, sadly, this was his last—are small glimpses into the mind of a stalwart leader. For his supporters it is an incontrovertible annunciation of the failures of those around him to work with him, and for those that object to him, it’s a call to the conscience that is difficult to go along with. Vox writer Ezra Klein put it well:
“It’s evolved into a recital of brutal truths — albeit one neither side ever really admits happened.”
That’s the rub: even after the anxious night and honest tellings, nothing may very well happen. His targets will continue to block him in his self-proclaimed “lame-duck” period, Trump will continue to be the Republican nominee and the media will continue to exhaust coverage of events long past. Though much has changed, much still remains to be fixed. As President Obama looks forward to January 2017 (and his future as the comedic “Couch Commander”), America will be left to remember the humorous and hard times they had with such a historic President.
They may very well miss him when he’s gone.