After spending one year and 303 days as the butt of the joke that is the current state of American politics, Donald Trump will finally get a breather on the one day where a presidential roast is traditionally accepted.
This year, the White House Correspondents’ Association has announced that they will be breaking their yearly tradition of highlighting a comedian as the keynote speaker for the annual gathering of White House officials and reporters. Instead, the organization has tapped biographer, Ron Chernow, to speak at the annual event.
“I’m delighted that Ron will share his lively, deeply researched perspectives on American politics and history at the 2019 White House Correspondents’ Dinner,” WHCA president Olivier Knox said on Monday. “As we celebrate the importance of a free and independent news media to the health of the republic, I look forward to hearing Ron place this unusual moment in the context of American history.”
The sudden break in tradition comes on the heels of escalated tensions between the Trump administration and the press and while there will not be a comedian at this year’s event, Chernow promised to be entertaining.
“The White House Correspondents’ Association has asked me to make the case for the First Amendment and I am happy to oblige,” Chernow said of hosting the April 27 event. “Freedom of the press is always a timely subject and this seems like the perfect moment to go back to basics. My major worry these days is that we Americans will forget who we are as a people, and historians should serve as our chief custodians in preserving that rich storehouse of memory. While I have never been mistaken for a stand-up comedian, I promise that my history lesson won’t be dry.”
In the meantime, Trump refused to attend the annual dinners for the last two years, but with a comedian kicked off the program for the 2019 event, it leaves one to believe the Celebrity-in-Chief may show his face this year. If not, I’m sure he’ll tweet about it.
