I had the good fortune, and position, to have attended a few of these White House Correspondents' Dinners. It was a long time ago in a previous job. They were not, by any means, for the faint of heart. The roasting was often hot, barbed, but generally all in good spirits (with one or two notable exceptions, naturally involving Republicans). I heard it described as the "Super Bowl of Washington and general news journalism." I'd have to say this was an accurate description. The people in the good seats were high-profile, the coverage (like any in media) was extensive because what's better than the media reporting on itself?
The past two, however, have taken on a different look and feel than those which preceded. It's no surprise to me that Trump wouldn't want to attend. I do think he can handle a barb or two, even a few good-natured jabs. But the press refuses to deal with him in any tone except the most vicious. I've never hidden the fact that I am not a Trump supporter. That said, I don't hate him the way his opposition and the media does. I don't see a good reason for making outrageous and unsubstantiated claims about him, or using them as the basis for mean-spirited attacks. I also don't see any logical reason for attacking his support staff or supporters, even on the basis of some of the more lurid details which are well-known about his behavior and commentary.
What I read from the most recent dinner was nothing less than a low-brow mudslinging crapfest. While one reporter says Trump's skipping the event matters because of his 'war on the press', it's pretty clear the press is and has been waging war on him. I see no reason for Trump to attend something where the acknowledged approach will be to attack at the lowest possible level. I am not someone who believes in respecting the 'office' of the president. Respect is earned, and simply winning a position in a popularity contest doesn't immediately mean you earn respect. However, can you imagine how people would have reacted if a comedian at a previous WHCD had brought up "Bathhouse Barry" stories as part of their routine? It would have been called racist, unbecoming, not worthy of discussion, disrespecting the position of the presidency, etc. What if Bill Clinton had been properly attacked about his multiple affairs and sexually predatory behaviors? Point is, there is a double standard in play. Many who once asked Republicans to 'respect the office of the President' quickly jettisoned that concept when it no longer suited their needs.
It may seem Trump deserves all the bad press, and disgusting jokes. He does not run his office with a level of civility similar to previous office-holders. He is prone to outrageous tweets and comments. It's obvious he lies (though from my perspective the difference between his lies and every other politicians' is that his are only more obvious, not more frequent), and sometimes lies about things he's better off ignoring or not commenting on. To his opposition, these are things that make him repugnant and worthy of the dirt they sling back at him. To me, his commentary isn't worth paying attention to. It's just part of the media circus he loves to create. He's less concerned with appearances and more concerned with outcome.
If there is such an entity as "the press" (and I do believe there is a large contingent which can be classified as such), then it is doing itself a disservice. In the rush to attack the president at every turn, it loses credibility and undermines its ability to legitimately provide negative views about the president's policies. As a result, the dinner has basically become an event where the press pats itself on the back for making the president's life, and the life of his staff, miserable while making his supporters seem insipid.
Even as the press laments the loss of civility and the growing gap between people due to political polarization, this entity which purports to speak for 'the people' widens the gap with a lack of civility, and increasingly biased reporting. It is no surprise comedy shows which lean heavily on partisan humor are losing their audiences.
The same has happened with the WHCD. The audience has been lost, because the audience is itself. It is simply a masturbatory festival of self-important lamebrains, not unlike the Academy Awards or other awards shows. At least one journalist sees that the dinner's time has passed, though he believes it is not worth it in a Trump Era. I see it a different way. Even Rob Reiner realized the jokes didn't play. When one of the leading lights of the Progressive Agenda looks at the humor with jaundiced eye, you know it's simply an echo chamber. The best of the audience doesn't even find it funny....just that it is (in his words) "truth". The problem is, whether it is "truth" or not is irrelevant. Reiner blames Trump for poisoning the atmosphere to such an extent that low-brow, tasteless and generally unfunny "jokes" are the best these people can do. It's my position people like him and Wolf have poisoned the atmosphere long before this, belittling people who don't share their views, and now they are getting deeply personal about it.
I don't think you have to support Trump (and I don't) to understand how the press is debasing itself. Not too long ago, I started saying what was once the Fourth Estate is now a Fifth Column. I do believe this firmly, and even recent studies have borne out this claim, as most news organizations are consistently left-of-center. Today, what appears to be only slightly left would have William F. Buckley scratching his head, since any true 'moderate' realizes they are very far to the left. To offset this obvious bias, new studies try to make the claim that what matters is which sources people are paying attention to - rather than what the fundamental ideological basis of the stories are. A stealth indoctrination, to be sure, if one is not wary.
