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| Barack Obama ribs Mitt Romney at White House correspondents' dinner | Barack Obama ribs Mitt Romney at White House correspondents' dinner |
| (30 days later) | |
| He joked about eating dog but Barack Obama's main course at the White House correspondents' dinner was the tender flanks of Mitt Romney. | He joked about eating dog but Barack Obama's main course at the White House correspondents' dinner was the tender flanks of Mitt Romney. |
| The US president used his speech at the Washington black-tie soiree to skewer his chief Republican opponent as posh and pampered. | The US president used his speech at the Washington black-tie soiree to skewer his chief Republican opponent as posh and pampered. |
| "It's great to be here this evening in the vast, magnificent Hilton ballroom," said Obama, pausing, "or what Mitt Romney would call a little fixer-upper", a US term for low-priced houses needing repairs. | "It's great to be here this evening in the vast, magnificent Hilton ballroom," said Obama, pausing, "or what Mitt Romney would call a little fixer-upper", a US term for low-priced houses needing repairs. |
| In a tightly-scripted routine the president played on the fact he ate dog as a boy in Indonesia, which had fuelled a recent canine-themed spat with Romney, earning laughs and mostly positive reviews from the audience of journalists, politicians and celebrities. | In a tightly-scripted routine the president played on the fact he ate dog as a boy in Indonesia, which had fuelled a recent canine-themed spat with Romney, earning laughs and mostly positive reviews from the audience of journalists, politicians and celebrities. |
| "I know everybody is predicting a nasty election, and thankfully, we've all agreed that families are off limits," he said. "Dogs, however, are apparently fair game." | "I know everybody is predicting a nasty election, and thankfully, we've all agreed that families are off limits," he said. "Dogs, however, are apparently fair game." |
| He showed an old clip of Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, telling an interviewer he strapped his Irish setter in a dog carrier to the roof of the family's station-wagon, before showing a fake photo of Romney on Air Force One with a dog strapped to the plane roof. | He showed an old clip of Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, telling an interviewer he strapped his Irish setter in a dog carrier to the roof of the family's station-wagon, before showing a fake photo of Romney on Air Force One with a dog strapped to the plane roof. |
| Both men, Obama said, have some things in common. "We both have degrees from Harvard; I have one, he has two. What a snob." The comment alluded to Romney's rival Rick Santorum who accused Obama of being a snob for encouraging Americans to attend university. | Both men, Obama said, have some things in common. "We both have degrees from Harvard; I have one, he has two. What a snob." The comment alluded to Romney's rival Rick Santorum who accused Obama of being a snob for encouraging Americans to attend university. |
| The president took a few comic shots at his own administration, saying the secretary of state Hillary Clinton had drunk-texted him from Colombia, where she was photographed drinking beer and dancing. He also alluded to the scandal over White House security personnel carousing and procuring prostitutes. "I had a lot more material prepared, but I have to get the secret service home in time for their new curfew." | The president took a few comic shots at his own administration, saying the secretary of state Hillary Clinton had drunk-texted him from Colombia, where she was photographed drinking beer and dancing. He also alluded to the scandal over White House security personnel carousing and procuring prostitutes. "I had a lot more material prepared, but I have to get the secret service home in time for their new curfew." |
| He saved his sharpest lines for opponents. "Even Sarah Palin is getting back into the game ... which reminds me of an old saying: What's the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? A pit bull is delicious." Palin's answer to that question had been lipstick. | He saved his sharpest lines for opponents. "Even Sarah Palin is getting back into the game ... which reminds me of an old saying: What's the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? A pit bull is delicious." Palin's answer to that question had been lipstick. |
| The first lady, Michelle Obama, appeared to cringe but the president persisted with the dog riff. "A little soy sauce." | The first lady, Michelle Obama, appeared to cringe but the president persisted with the dog riff. "A little soy sauce." |
| Obama mocked Newt Gingrich, who was in the audience, over his doomed campaign for the Republican nomination. "Newt, there's still time, man." | Obama mocked Newt Gingrich, who was in the audience, over his doomed campaign for the Republican nomination. "Newt, there's still time, man." |
| He took a swipe at Congress for legislative paralysis. "I want to especially thank all the members who took a break from their exhausting schedule of not passing any laws to be here tonight." | He took a swipe at Congress for legislative paralysis. "I want to especially thank all the members who took a break from their exhausting schedule of not passing any laws to be here tonight." |
| He earned one of the biggest laughs by playing on the fact at the same event last year he had roasted a certain bouffant-haired Republican while awaiting the outcome of a clandestine raid on Osama bin Laden's compound in Pakistan. "My fellow Americans, we gather during a historic anniversary." | He earned one of the biggest laughs by playing on the fact at the same event last year he had roasted a certain bouffant-haired Republican while awaiting the outcome of a clandestine raid on Osama bin Laden's compound in Pakistan. "My fellow Americans, we gather during a historic anniversary." |
| The room went silent. | The room went silent. |
| "Last year at this time – in fact, on this very weekend – we finally delivered justice to one of the world's most notorious individuals." A screen showed a picture of Donald Trump. The audience roared. | "Last year at this time – in fact, on this very weekend – we finally delivered justice to one of the world's most notorious individuals." A screen showed a picture of Donald Trump. The audience roared. |
| Obama was funny - "or rather, all his staff & Hollywood writers were," tweeted Larry Sabato, a political analyst. "Thinking back on all presidents from Ike to Obama, only 2 were naturally, spontaneously funny: JFK & Reagan. Didn't need writers." | Obama was funny - "or rather, all his staff & Hollywood writers were," tweeted Larry Sabato, a political analyst. "Thinking back on all presidents from Ike to Obama, only 2 were naturally, spontaneously funny: JFK & Reagan. Didn't need writers." |
| It was the president's turn to be ribbed when the comedian Jimmy Kimmel took the stage. "You remember when the country rallied around you in hopes of a better tomorrow?" Pause. "That was hilarious." | It was the president's turn to be ribbed when the comedian Jimmy Kimmel took the stage. "You remember when the country rallied around you in hopes of a better tomorrow?" Pause. "That was hilarious." |
| He added: "There's a term for guys like President Obama," Kimmel said with a pause. "Probably not two terms." | He added: "There's a term for guys like President Obama," Kimmel said with a pause. "Probably not two terms." |
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