Yes, age is an issue, says Biden. ‘I’m running against a six-year-old’

Washington: Joe Biden took purpose astatine Donald Trump’s property and ineligible woes astatine the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, an lawsuit yet overshadowed by Israel’s warfare successful Gaza.

“The 2024 election’s successful afloat plaything and yes, property is an issue,” Biden said. “I’m a grown antheral moving against a six-year-old.”

The US president has precocious ramped up his attacks connected Trump, marking a displacement successful strategy arsenic the November predetermination draws in.

“Age is the lone happening we person successful common,” Biden, 81, said of Trump, 77. “My vice president really endorses me,” helium said successful a swipe astatine the erstwhile vice president Mike Pence’s determination not to backmost Trump successful his bid for re-election.

US President Joe Biden during the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) meal successful Washington.Credit: UPI/Bloomberg

Biden besides poked amusive astatine Trump’s ineligible woes – contempt forbidding his aides from talking publically astir his rivals’ trials.

“Donald has had a fewer pugnacious days lately. You mightiness telephone it ‘stormy’ weather,” Biden said, referring to the lawsuit against Stormy Daniels, who claims to person received a hush-money outgo to support quiescent earlier the 2016 predetermination astir having enactment with Trump successful 2006.

The yearly lawsuit is famed for presidents, journalists and comedians taking outrageous pokes astatine governmental scandals and each other, and this twelvemonth was attended by celebrities including Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Scarlett Johansson, Jon Hamm and Chris Pine.

But contempt the jest wrong the room, the lawsuit was overshadowed by the Gaza war, with guests arriving to chants of “Shame connected you” by hundreds of protesters.

A demonstrator speaks connected a microphone during a pro-Palestinian protestation implicit the Israel-Hamas warfare astatine the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner. Credit: AP

Demonstrators condemned Biden for his enactment of Israel’s subject run and Western quality outlets for what they said was biased sum and misrepresentation of the conflict.

Some protesters wore property vests with the names of much than 100 Palestinian journalists who person been killed successful Gaza. Before the event, much than 2 twelve Palestinian journalists successful Gaza released a nationalist missive calling connected their colleagues successful the US to boycott the dinner.

Protesters cried “Free, escaped Palestine” and cheered erstwhile idiosyncratic wrong the Washington Hilton Hotel – wherever the meal has been held for decades – unfurled a Palestinian emblem from a top-floor window.

Yet, Biden’s 10-minute code made nary notation of the ongoing warfare oregon the increasing humanitarian situation successful Gaza.

The president alternatively focused connected the upcoming election, lone striking a superior enactment to accidental that different Trump medication would beryllium adjacent much harmful to America than his archetypal term.

“We person to instrumentality this superior – 8 years agone we could person written it disconnected arsenic ‘Trump talk’ but not aft January 6,” helium added, referring to the Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol aft helium defeated Trump successful the 2020 election.

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“I’m sincerely not asking you to instrumentality sides,” helium said to the 2600 guests. “I’m asking you to emergence up to the seriousness of the moment. Move past the horse-race numbers and the gotcha moments, and the distractions, the sideshows that person travel to predominate and sensationalise our authorities and absorption connected what’s really astatine stake.”

Biden besides referenced a quality with the New York Times implicit his deficiency of engagement with reporters. He has refused to springiness the paper a sit-down interview, breaking a long-standing tradition.

“The New York Times issued a connection blasting maine for, quote, ‘actively and efficaciously avoiding autarkic journalists’. Hey, if that’s what it takes to get the New York Times to accidental I’m progressive and effective, I’m each for it,” Biden quipped.

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