Joel McHale [1], the comedy performer at Saturday night’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, delivered some zingers at the cable networks, the President and Democrats, but reserved his political invective for Republicans, the only group whose motivations he impugned – specifically, as racists.
His very first joke: “Good evening Mr. President — or, as Paul Ryan would call you, another inner city minority taking advantage of the federal government to feed and house your family.”
Soon after that one, the host of E’s The Soup [2] and an actor on NBC’s Community, hurled: “E is also home to the Kardashians who, believe it or not, are Republicans. And I know that because they’re always trying to screw black people.”
Audio: MP3 clip [3]
McHale’s whack at Senator Ted Cruz and the Tea Party also had a racial tinge: “The Tea Party is anti-socialism and anti-immigration, so it makes sense that their hero is a Cuban from Canada.”
Seconds after McHale wrapped up, CNN anchor Don Lemon trumpeted: “I thought he was freaking hilarious.”
In contrast to how he denigrated the political ideology of those on the right, trying to discredit conservatives as racists, his hits on Democrats avoided impugning their motivations. For instance, he chastised President Obama for failing to implement a liberal promise: “My favorite bit of yours was when you said you would close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay – that was hilarious.”
On the Vice President: “It’s crazy to think that Joe Biden is only one heartbeat away from no one taking him seriously as President.”
On another likely 2016 candidate: “Hillary Clinton has a lot going for her as a candidate. As our female President, we could pay her 30 percent less.”
And on Hollywood’s infatuation with Obama: “Every year the White House doctor checks the President’s colon for polyps – and George Clooney’s head.”
CNN, MSNBC and C-SPAN all carried the event live, from the Washington Hilton, on Saturday night, May 3.
Four of McHale's lines which are in the accompanying video:
> “Good evening Mr. President — or, as Paul Ryan would call you, another inner city minority taking advantage of the federal government to feed and house your family.”
> “E is also home to the Kardashians who, believe it or not, are Republicans. And I know that because they’re always trying to screw black people.”
> “Ted Cruz proposed a government shutdown to protest the affordable care act and everyone else in Congress decided to go along with it simply to get some time away from Ted Cruz. The Tea Party is anti-socialism and anti-immigration, so it makes sense that their hero is a Cuban from Canada. Poignant. That one was poignant.”
> “As it stands right now, the Republican presidential nominee will either be Jeb Bush, Rand Paul or a bag of flour with Ronald Reagan’s face drawn on it. Bag of flour.”
— Brent Baker is the Steven P.J. Wood Senior Fellow and Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center. Follow Brent Baker on Twitter. [4]