Humor and Democracy

             The White House Correspondent Association’s (WHCA) Dinner is a testament to political freedom in America. In more authoritarian governments, satire and political comedy is monitored, discouraged, or suppressed. That President Biden is willing to sit through jokes about him, his opponent, and politics shows that the political system can face its imperfections with good nature, and its shortcomings aren’t so serious that they can’t be joked about. (Also, there is a difference between jokes and bullying. Some but not all jokes are bullying, and not all bullying is joking.) Authoritarians find themselves too serious and important to be the target of a joke. As President Biden toasted at the dinner, to a free press and an informed citizenry!

Since 1924, only one President hasn't attended any WHCA Dinners. See below.




P.S. The image of a goldfish is from Open AI's algorithm, Dall-e. It's not a real goldfish. 

Edit: P.P.S. In my haste to comment on US politics, I didn't compliment Colin Jost, who I thought did a good job! I particularly enjoyed the joke about falling asleep and being "anti-woke."

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