President Bush Speech At White House Correspondent's Dinner: Watch Video

President Bush poked fun at his potential successors Saturday night, expressing surprise that none of them were in the audience at the White House Correspondents' Association annual dinner.

"Senator McCain's not here," Bush said of GOP nominee-in-waiting John McCain. "He probably wanted to distance himself from me a little bit. You know, he's not alone. Jenna's moving out too."

Bush then referred to scandals that have dogged the campaigns of the two remaining Democratic candidates, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama, in explaining their absence: "Hillary Clinton couldn't get in because of sniper fire and Senator Obama's at church."

Watch video of the speech -- here's part 1:

Part 2:

During the ongoing campaign, Clinton mistakenly claimed to have landed under sniper fire in Bosnia as first lady. Obama's longtime Chicago pastor has been criticized for his negative comments about America.

The president admitted to being "a little wistful" in his final appearance at the dinner, showing video clips of his routines from previous years. He finished by conducting the U.S. Marine Band in a medley of patriotic marches.

Bush was followed by Craig Ferguson, the host of CBS' "Late Late Show."

The Scottish-born Ferguson found middle ground between the tepid impersonations of last year's entertainer, Rich Little, and the merciless satire that Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert delivered in 2006.

Ferguson, who became a U.S. citizen in February, asked Bush what he was going to do after leaving office, then suggested, "You could look for a job with more vacation time." The president has drawn criticism for the amount of time he has spent away from the White House during his presidency.

Vice President Dick Cheney, Ferguson said, "is already moving out of his residence. It takes longer than you think to pack up an entire dungeon."

The guest list for the dinner included plenty of VIPs from outside the Beltway: Actors Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, John Cusack, Pamela Anderson and Claire Danes, singers Ashlee Simpson and the Jonas Brothers and author Salman Rushdie were among the invitees. Washington's power elite was still well represented, with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff in attendance.

During the event, the White House Correspondents' Association presented its annual awards, announced earlier this month, to:

_ Deb Riechmann of The Associated Press and Ed Henry of CNN, the Merriman Smith Award, the top journalism award for White House reporting under deadline pressure.

Riechmann, the winner in the print category, won for her coverage of President Bush's trip to Iraq's Anbar province last September. Henry won for reporting on the Bush administration's contradicting assertions that top Iranian officials had authorized sending improvised explosive devices to Iraq.

_ Alexis Simendinger of the National Journal, the Aldo Beckman Award for sustained excellence in White House coverage. The judges recognized her for breaking the story about the use of Republican National Committee e-mail accounts by some White House officials.

_ Seattle Post-Intelligencer reporters Paul Shukovsky, Tracy Johnson and Daniel Lathrop, the Edgar A. Poe Award for excellence in coverage of news of national or regional significance. In a series of articles, "The Terrorism Trade-Off," they revealed a major shift by the FBI away from white-collar crimes as it ramped up its pursuit of suspected terrorists.

The White House Correspondents Association was formed in 1914 as a liaison between the press and the president. Every president since Calvin Coolidge has attended the dinner.

Comments

[moderationsmuse]

bajaboy Part 1
I reply to your comment here at the top of the thread. You ask: "Just out of curiosity, how much time did you spend in the military, oh lofty and aloof muse?" I have not spent any time in the military. Are you suggesting that women should fight wars now, if men are unwilling to do so? Or, do you realize that according to your logic al Quida has a greater moral clarity about war than we do: since their fighters volunteer with, evidently, some eagerness whereas you are suggesting that non-soldiers in a democracy should play no role in decisions to go to war.
Our entire system of government is predicated upon the idea of government "by the people, for the people" and hence necessarily implies that decisions concerning war will be determined by non-soldiers. The opposite system is the junta, where armed men take power and wield it.
Perhaps you should make your own position more clear. As for me, I am not a soldier and never have been. As a middle aged woman, I am hardly a candidate to fight a war effectively.
While I thank you for your own willingness to serve your country for 20 years, including doing duty in Vietnam, I do not believe that your service constitutes a rule to take away my right in a democracy to support an action that I think our country needs.

[moderationsmuse]

Bajaboy Part 2
Right now our soldiers need replacement troops, and I think our leaders ought to be asking volunteers to step forward. Some kind of transitional military presence will be required in Iraq for some time to come, as any realistic appraisal of the circumstances makes obvious. In contrast, when Clinton says she would bring troops home "within 2 months" of assuming office, she is lying. She is lying as clearly as she was about the sniper fire.
If you require me to serve in combat (to have an opinion), then require it of her as well. And Obama, too. McCain has already served.

[bajaboy]

Part two:

As far as replacement troops, now the suggestion is recruiting illegal aliens and even men from other countries. Great, not content to use up our own young men and women, the warmongers would use up those from other countries. How cynically ruthless can they get?

Go on back to your neocon buddies, muse, and stop trying to pretend you're qualified to have an opinion on something with which you have no experience. Better yet, go volunteer in a VA hospital and find out just how awful are the things Bush and Co. have done to the cream of American youth, just so he could "go one better" than his Daddy.

[moderationsmuse]

I have volunteered in a military health care setting in the past and have been thinking lately about doing it again.
I have no "neo-con" buddies. Actually my closest friends are all Dems.

[bajaboy]

Given your assessment of Dick Cheney - a man who has served his country honorably, especially during his tenure as VP - I'd say you're probably spelling that incorrectly. It should be Dims, rather than Dems, especially if they share your opinion of Cheney. The man is the personification of evil and self-aggrandizement. He doesnn't give a shit aboutr the soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen who have died in this idiotic war, and couldn't care less about how many times those still living have to go back. And McCain? He's okay with having them stay there for a hundred years. If you have no neocon buddies, how can you be so enamored of this current administration, esp. Cheney?

You make me ill.

And, you still haven't responded to the majority of those things about which I asked you.

[bajaboy]

PS - I notice you didn't respond to anything about what I posted, other than my question about whether or not you served. What's the matter? Can't come up with any justifications for Bush's illegal and immmoral acts? You're not a very good apologist for your idol.

[bajaboy]

All I said is, if you haven't served - and military service does not necessarily include combat - you have no idea what is involved. You refer to yourself as a middle-aged woman, and therefore somehow justify never having served your country in uniform. Do you have any idea how many middle-aged women there are in this country who have military service in their resume? I don't know exact numbers, but it's a sh*t-pot full. Even when I joined originally in 1963, before the big influx of female volunteeers, there were many, many female military members.

Again, if you haven't ever served, no, you don't have much of a right to pontificate on what should be done with our military. As far as your statement about transitional military forces being needed in Iraq, I ask, WHY? This war was started under false pretenses, our troops have died and been disabled for nothing more than Bush's ego and desire to abscond with the oil resources over there. Not one more American should be asked to fight and die for Dubya's dirty little venture, a venture he was too cowardly to take when his generation was called upon to serve. Cheney, too, was too much of a coward to serve, but is perfectly all right with over 4000 dead GIs and tens of thousands of permanently disabled wounded troops.

[moderationsmuse]

bajaboy
I'm sorry to have ignited your bitterness by my comments. We simply disagree. While you may know may middle aged women who have served (past tense), even with the difficulty in getting Iraq replacements, I'm pretty sure the military is not signing up middle aged recruits. I would definitely flunk boot camp.
So, back to fundamentals: our system of government is civilian run and surely you are not arguing that it should be otherwise, I hope. Why military forces in Iraq now? Simple answer. To prevent chaos. Whether it was wise to engage in war is a pointless debate now. We have responsibilities to Iraq and its citizens and to our own soldiers who have already done their share and need new units to take over the burden now.
I do not agree even about your accessment of Cheney. Cheney has served his country very honorably for a long time, and his tenure as vice president has been particularly demanding.
People of goodwill can disagree about policies. I wish you were able to understand that. In any case, you served in Vietnam and I respect that. I also respect that soldiers injured in this war should not have their service made of nought. It is better for the US and for Iraq and for them if we win.
I'm for winning. Even now.

[ProfessorDuh]

But where are all our Republican Bush lickers who saddled us with this moronic monstrosity? Come on, defend your great leader who means what he says, except when he doesn't, and except when you can't understand what he's saying because he's so STUPID. Bush is the perfect, ideal Republican, isn't he? You've told us so for years, and I believe you

[Nova16]

The 4000+ and counting Americans who lost their lives in a phony war and the tens of thousands of Iraqis killed and displaced would love to "get a life" but that doesn't seem possible now, does it? The 3000+ who lost their live on 9/11 due to criminal negligence of the comedian in the White House would love to "get a life". It's not humor that I want from the dolt in the White House, but his departure from office and an end to the arrogance, corruption and incompetence that runs rampant throughout his administration. If ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise.

[sugarmoes]

i got 2:10 into the first one and couldn't watch this fool longer than that....

[halfdemhalfgop]

moderationsmuse I see you had a hard time talking to the hardcore Obama supporters.
I had a hard time one day on another article. They see it their way and nothing that you write will change it. They have the same mentality as the far right; our way is right and no compromise. Both sides are hypocrites here one example. No to death penalty yes to abortion or yes to death penalty but no to abortion, Ether kill them all or kill none. Myself I say no to both but nether parties hardcore wants me. Since this post was about funny let me, give you a laugh moderationsmuse. People like you and I hold the fate of all three candidates in our hands. One more joke before I go. Obama preaches unity, reaching across the aisle, all side putting their thoughts together and finding solution we can all be proud of yet his hardcore supporters are the most bitter of the campaign.

[moderationsmuse]

Thanks for your supporting remark. I am also mystified about that part of the Obama demographic that you describe. There is also something blood-thirsty about some of the advocates of "peace." Their are some peace proponents that I definitely would not wish to encounter in the proverbial dark alley.
However, I will say this -- bitter people of whatever stripe hold their feelings for a reason. I try to be willing to hear people out and hope that others will hear me out too. It's the first step in learning to understand others.
Thanks again for your comment.

[Shozen]

I can't possibly understand why George would crack jokes about Clinton, Obama, or McCain when he such a treasure trove of material from his own Administration. As is well known, the Best comedians crack jokes about themselves. Opp's I remember now , he tried that gambit once. Failed miserably there too.

[izAriver]

It just wasn't funny.

[izAriver]

bushit's criminal actions deny him the right to make light of anything. He deserves prison like any other deserving criminal. cheney should be his anal buddy.

[Nova16]

Blackdope speak with warped mind. When your inane policies result in the deaths of tens of thousands for no reason, the waste of what is expected to be a trillion dollars for a phony war and a recession without accepting responsibility for the chaos and misery, then insipid attempts at low level humor doesn't warrant praise, but serious ridicule. Now, who want lemonade?

[izAriver]

scalia...sounds like a disease...and he is just that.

[izAriver]

The idea of bushit being funny makes me sick. He hasn't been funny since he destroyed the Texas Rangers baseball team and he wasn't that funny then. People are dying and he and his ilk are making jokes, or hunting or writing op-eds....

[blackpope]

get a damn life...I don't like bush, but there is no harm in humour. People dying so what? people were dying when clinton, obama and mccain cracked jokes...people will continue to die so what we stop cracking jokes because of that? I don't like hypocrites and almost everyone on this dog-on blog is one.

[ProfessorDuh]

You are sick.

[sugarmoes]

tell it to the families of 4000+ (and much more to come) soldiers dead because criminals couldn't keep themselves from lying... and lying... and lying... and lying... in order to be able to get them killed.

[izAriver]

"People dying so what?" What is wrong with you?

[izAriver]

What was your name again? blackdope?

[izAriver]

Get a goddamn life..."people dying so what?". You typify the worst kind of humor there is. No humor at all.

[izAriver]

...and making billions...

[moderationsmuse]

PDXtransplant

Why do I not post at websites more in line with my own views? One: because I am not interested in a rah, rah session. Two: I know of no website that represents my views (which are liberal views, small "l"). And because I am not afraid of views that differ from my own, and indeed I enjoy learning what others think. However, I would urge them to think. When you are just spouting the expected thing, you really have no views. One becomes merely a carbon copy of the prevalent views. That's one carbon footprint to which I do not wish to contribute.

[izAriver]

Liar, liar, liar.

[izAriver]

Liar.

[Nova16]

Moderationsfuse speak with forked tongue. the republican fascists--oops! Conservatives, have minimized the numbers of our troops killed, wounded and maimed in order to dupe the public into believing that Bush's phony war has some legitimacy. It is a tragedy of great proportions that our honorable soldiers and marines have to die for the lies, deceit and chicanery that started this war. Bush's biggest joke on the American people and our military personnel in Iraq occured when he made a mock search of his office for WMDs for the "pleasure" of the press corps at their annual dinner while our soldiers and marines and tens of thousands of Iraqis were dying and dispersed from their homes while their country was destroyed. This country languishes in never ending war, wasting hundreds of billions of needed dollars at home and galactic debt and heading for third world status. Tell me, where's the humor in all this. I guess there is if your psychotic.

[moderationsmuse]

I get my troop stats from the Washington Post.
Meanwhile, I cannot show you where the humor is. Humor is in the heart of the one who laughs. You think I'm psychotic, fine. I think you could be somewhat less Puritanical.

[poco767]

HAHAHA Furgerson was hilarious. You see, it's funny because Cheney is an Brutal, Amoral, Sadist who has repeatedly raped the constitution. Get it?

[moderationsmuse]

If the media, which is deeply biased against Bush, showed more of these aspects of the president's personality, I suspect that his poll ratings would be much higher. Ratings are fickle things anyway, but decidely so when the media filters so much information. And something like Huff Po or Fox News represent filters added to filters, so that partisans can see the world they wish to see -- as opposed to the more complicated and messy and more interesting world as it is.

[izAriver]

Biased against bushit? Where the hell do you live?

[barrista]

Right, so if we showed more of Bush telling Jokes, people would forget the multiple f*ck-ups he's made?

You're delusional.

[LivingStardust]

I'm sure that some of the German people said the same thing about Hitler's home movies.

He's laughing and showing off the mountain views. Ava looked happy. He petted a German Shepard. Certainly did humanize the old fellow, didn't it?

You obviously didn't understand what Hannah Ardent meant when she was talking about the banality of evil, did you? And do you know why serial killers are so dangerous? In the words of Wednesday Addams when asked about here costume trick or treating, "They look like everyone else."

[moderationsmuse]

Hitler as analogy. Wow. How original. I'm impressed. Really.
Banality of evil? Yeah, I think you just described your own post. A little evil. A petty kind of little evil that thinks it's "okay" to lie about a man and tarnish his reputation.

[LivingStardust]

A lie is not an analogy you disagree with, Bush Co. Apologist.

You backed a monster.

Deal with it or STFU.