On this last Saturday, the prestigious, celebrity-filled White House Correspondents’ Dinner entertained hundreds and thousands — literally. It underscored the very real escalating hostilities between the fourth estate and this administration. Unique for its black-tie formality, guests wore tuxedos and ballgowns, a tradition that dates back to the first event in 1883. This year’s theme focuses on how to protect the First Amendment. Above all, it casts a spotlight on the importance of freedom of speech, at a time when animosity toward the media is escalating.
Eugene Daniels, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, emphasized the significance of inviting presidents from both political parties each year. This year’s dinner was marked by one important absence—Donald Trump. All the times he’s gone after the press—he doesn’t particularly like transparency.… His absence only served to further highlight the contentious relationship his administration has fostered with members of the press in recent months.
Our dinner is steeped in a tradition of attracting a Who’s Who of stars. Of course, some of the other notable attendees include George Clooney, Carrie Fisher, Tom Hiddleston, Scarlett Johansson, Sean Penn and Steven Spielberg. This year British actor Jason Isaacs was in attendance, which brought an extra level of star power to the already impressive proceedings. Despite all the sparkly shine and shimmer, though, the mood was sad as journalists confronted the dark realities threatening their industry.
This record has drawn sharp criticism from the very beginning of the Trump administration, most notably for the following four actions. Most recently, it prevented the Associated Press from participating in the presidential pool. It even attempted to eliminate the Voice of America international broadcaster. As journalists continue to face intimidation across the world, these moves specifically threaten media freedom and government transparency. As Daniels pointed out, those same actions have inspired many journalists to unite in order to defend their own rights.
All event long, acceptance speeches danced delicately around the political landscape, even as award winners aggressively avoided mentioning Trump by name or attacking him personally. Above all, they encouraged attendees to remember that journalists are not the enemy of the people. Rather, they are truly necessary protectors of fact. This optimism was palpable all evening long as the 600 plus attendees stood in solidarity with press freedom in the face of adversity and threats.
The dinner served as a platform for journalists to voice their determination in defending their profession against what they perceive as unwarranted attacks. Addressing the crowd, Daniels stated that freedom of the press is fundamental to democracy and should be protected at all costs. That message clearly resonated with the hundreds of participants in attendance. It helped to underscore the notion that press freedom is a fundamental precondition for any democratic society.