It will be Biden's first time as president to attend the annual event in Washington.
President Joe Biden lashed out at former President Donald Trump at the Gridiron Club Dinner on Saturday. The Gridiron Club Dinner is an annual dinner held in Washington where politicians and journalists wear white ties to continue a long-standing tradition of bipartisanship.
“The big news this week is that two candidates have secured their respective parties' nominations for president,” Biden said. “One candidate is too old and mentally unfit to be president. The other candidate is me.”
Biden also mocked Republicans who “would rather fail at impeachment than succeed at anything else.”
“They want a secure border, but they're blocking it because of the strongest border bill in history.” “They take credit for one thing. [of the] The biggest infrastructure bill was enacted, and I voted against it. So, am I the one who is confused? ”
It will be the first time Biden has attended the banquet during his presidency, after he and Trump secured the delegates needed to win their party's nomination this week, entering the longest general election cycle in U.S. history. This happened while I was entering the building.
“In the coming months, Kamala and I will be making the case for how the American people are better off than they were four years ago. How can we get through the pandemic and turn the economy around without encouraging the American people?” , re-established American leadership in the world? Injecting bleach,” Biden said, suggesting President Trump would “inject” disinfectant to kill the coronavirus in 2020. I mentioned that.
“All this is possible without destroying the economy, without embarrassing us around the world, without stirring up rebellion,” he added. “Look, I wish this was a joke, but it's not.”
The president took on a serious tone, insisting that democracy and freedoms were under attack, a central message of his re-election campaign.
”[Vladimir] President Putin is marching through Europe. His predecessor bowed to him and said: “Do whatever you want.'' That's what the former American president actually said,'' Biden said, referring to Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Karas, who were present at the banquet hall. .
“We will not give up. They will not give up, and I will not give up,” Biden said forcefully.
He then turned to what he called domestic threats after “insurrectionists” stormed the Capitol over “lies” about the 2020 election. He said the “threat remains” with “poison coursing through the veins of our democracy” and accused Trump of slandering the news media.
“He calls you enemies of the people, even though many of you are risking your lives to do your job, sometimes even giving your life to do your job. “Yes,” he said, adding that the United States was “doing everything in its power to get Evan out.” [Gershkovich] and austin [Tice] Home,” he said, referring to an American journalist imprisoned in Russia since last year and another missing in Syria since 2012.
“Let me state the obvious: You are not the enemy of the people,” Biden said. “You are a pillar of every free society. While I don't necessarily agree with or admire your reporting, I admire your courage. Good journalism holds a mirror up to the nation. “It reflects everything, good and bad. The truth about who we are.”
“This is not an exaggeration. We need you,” he added. “Democracy is at stake and the American people need to know.”
Vice President Kamala Harris also attended the Washington Grand Hyatt, along with at least eight Cabinet members, at least five members of Congress and five governors, according to the event's program.
This is the first time a president has attended the annual banquet, where cameras are not allowed, since Trump attended in 2018.
In 2022, at least 72 attendees reported testing positive for the coronavirus after the high-profile event.
