In a comedic event that had the political elite squirming in their tuxedos and evening gowns, Colin Jost, the renowned funnyman from “Saturday Night Live,” took a few jabs at President Biden during the 108th White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Known for his sharp wit on SNL’s “Weekend Update,” Jost decided it was time to update the White House with a dose of humor—some might say a bit too spicy for the taste of the assembled media moguls and celebrities.
The punchline that really set the room ablaze? Jost’s tongue-in-cheek commentary on Joe Biden’s waning support among Black voters. “My ‘Weekend Update’ co-anchor, Michael Che, was going to join me here tonight, but in solidarity with President Biden, I decided to lose all my Black support,” quipped Jost, setting off a mix of laughter and uncomfortable groans throughout the venue. Even as Biden took the joke in stride, chuckling along, the discomfort among the reporters was palpable. It’s no secret that Biden’s popularity has seen better days, with recent polls indicating a startling drop in support from Black voters—a demographic that played a pivotal role in his 2020 victory.
COLIN JOST: "My Weekend Update co-anchor, Michael Che, was going to join me here tonight — but in solidarity with President Biden, I decided to lose all my Black support" pic.twitter.com/YG0DvqFSFC
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 28, 2024
But Jost didn’t stop there. He ventured into territory few comedians dare to tread, poking fun at the Biden’s age and the public’s perception of his unpopularity. Yet, in a surprising twist, he also showered Biden with backhanded compliments, suggesting against the grain of public opinion that Biden’s tenure might be more successful than most people recognize. “Everything feels strange now. By a lot of measures, President Biden is having a very successful first term, but people don’t seem to realize it,” he remarked, likening the situation to Biden’s frequent stumbles—not in policy, but literally, while boarding Air Force One.
COLIN JOST: "The economy is kind of like [Biden] on the steps of Air Force One" pic.twitter.com/OgP8qi7mOS
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 28, 2024
While some may argue that Jost’s humor was a daring move, it underscores a larger issue that can’t be ignored. The declining support from a key voter base signals trouble and serves as a wake-up call, not just for Biden but for the Democratic Party as a whole. It’s clear that the road to maintaining the support of the Black community, among others, will require more than just decent jokes—it’ll take sincere actions and policies that truly resonate with their needs and concerns.
In the end, the dinner served up more than just laughs and groans; it dished out a hefty portion of reality. Politics, and its critique, makes for one heck of a comedy routine. But behind every joke lies a truth worth examining, and perhaps, that was Jost’s point all along.