By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Analyst

May 11, 2009  —  President Obama headlined his first White House Correspondents’ Dinner and joked about celebrating “the 10th anniversary of my 100 days in office.”   Obama was in rare form Saturday night as more than 2,500 journalists, celebrities and Washington’s political elite filled the Washington Hilton ballroom to hear him take jabs at friends and foes.

President looks on as Wanda Sykes delivers a few political jabs.

Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama created such a buzz for tickets this year. The annual event  sold out in record time and hosted a red carpet to rival the Oscars.  During the dinner of surf and turf, I saw Ludacris, Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, Lou Gossett, Chris Tucker, Steven Spielberg and Glenn Close. 

The dinner had no shortage of political standouts.  A large number of the Obama administration was in the house.  The president told the packed ballroom, “In the next 100 days, I will be so successful, I will be able to do them in 72.”  Joking, “I will learn to go off the prompter, Joe Biden will learn to stay on the prompter.”

No one was spared ridicule; the president even had something for his GOP critic chairman of Republican National Committee, Michael Steele.  Looking around he acknowledged Steele was “in the house tonight,” Obama noted. “Or as he would say, ‘In the heezy.’” 

“Michael for the last time, the Republican Party does not qualify for a bailout,” Obama told Steele. “Rush Limbaugh does not count as a troubled asset, I’m sorry.”

Comedian Wanda Sykes followed the president saying, “It’s hard to poke fun at the president. He’s so likeable.”

However, she was able to poke fun at the commander-in-chief.  Touting his historical election she joked, “The first Black president. That’s unless you screw up. Then it’s going to be ‘What’s up with the half-white guy’?”

“I thought that when you got into office that you would put a swift end to your pickup basketball. I mean, the first Black president playing basketball. That’s one step forward, two steps back,” Sykes cracked.

Following the dinner, I attended the Capitol File after party where I spotted actor Owen Wilson chatting it up with Senior White House Advisor Valerie Jarrett and Social Secretary Desiree Rogers and Ebony Publisher Linda Johnson. 

To see the president’s remarks, click on the link below.

Video: White House Correspondent’s Dinner

TAGS: President Obama, Wanda Sykes, White House Correspondents Dinner

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