Obama, journalists ham it up at dressy dinner (AP)

Saturday, March 12, 2011 9:01 PM By dwi

WASHINGTON – Searching for laughs — and uncovering them — chair Barack Obama spared whatever targets Saturday night, from Democratic allies to politico antagonists to the journalists who cover him.

At his prototypal statesmanly attendance before the Gridiron Club, Obama picked up on the fiber of the evening, devastation jokes in every direction including his own.

He jabbed at potential politico statesmanly rivals. He saluted Mississippi's fat Gov. Haley Barbour, locution he understood his hold of First Lady Michelle Obama's anti-obesity campaign.

"Haley, when Michelle said you should run, she didn't mean for president."

He didn't spare himself, either. He noted that terminal instance he was at the Gridiron, in 2006, he was a first-term senator from Illinois.

"Back then I was a newcomer who couldn't get anything finished in the Senate. Now I'm a chair who can't get anything finished in the Senate."

Obama also poked fun at a potential 2012 politico statesmanly candidate, past Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

"Tim Pawlenty's not here, but he's impact the crusade trail hard," Obama said. "And to be honest, I conceive the American grouping are feat to have whatever thickened questions for Tim. Specifically, `Who are you and where do you become from?' Which is OK. Two eld into my presidency and I'm ease effort those questions."

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, the main politico speaker, needled the chair by recalling digit of Obama's clannish musings to fundraisers during the 2008 crusade that conservatives institute country in religion and guns. Daniels, his correct limb in a sling cod to rotator cuff surgery, quipped: "Mr. President, until I get this abstract off, I crapper cling to my armament or my Bible, but not both."

Later he overturned to Obama and mockingly took a shot at the president's penchant for resource during his speeches. "Mr. President you're not laughing, who forgot to place ha-ha-ha on the teleprompter?"

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, the Democratic utterer and Obama's point mortal on upbeat care, fired back at Daniels.

"We're both Midwestern governors, we've both been compartment secretaries, and neither of us is feat to be chair in 2012," the past river governor joked.

The circumstance brought journalists and public figures unitedly for a period of skits that mockery the capital's personalities and issues of the day.

This is the 126th party for the Gridiron, Washington's oldest and most exclusive methodicalness for journalists. Its motto is "singe but never burn." Obama is the 21st chair to listen the Gridiron. Every chair since the edifice was founded in 1885 has addressed it, eliminate for Grover Cleveland.

The circumstance is on the record, but the edifice does not permit broadcasting coverage.

This year's party reputable pedagogue Post columnist and long-time Gridiron member king Broder, who died Wednesday.


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