Obama gets tongue-in-cheek on spending cuts, Joe Biden
11 March 2013 7:44 AM IST
US President Barack Obama was in his elements over a whopping USD 85 billion forced spending cuts his administration was facing, saying, ‘My joke writers have been placed on furlough.’
‘Before I begin, I know some of you have noticed that I’m dressed a little differently from the other gentlemen. Because of sequester, they cut my tails,’ quipped Obama, the chief guest at the 128th annual Gridiron Club and Foundation dinner, an exclusive and off-camera white-tie event for top American politicians and journalists where they poke fun at each other.
‘There is one thing in Washington that didn’t get cut: The length of this dinner. Yet more proof that the sequester makes no sense.’
US politicians and journalists use the dinner for the foundation, which supports scholarships and journalistic organisations, to showcase their comedic skills. Obama attended the dinner, a week after the budget cuts, known as the sequester, came into force when he and Republicans failed to agree a deficit cutting deal.
Obama, 51, also took a jab at his new secretary of state John Kerry, who is attempting to move out from the shadow of his high-profile predecessor, Hillary Clinton.
‘Let’s face it, Hillary is a tough act to follow –frankly, though, I think it’s time for him to stop showing up at work in pant suits. It’s a disturbing image. I don’t know where he buys them. He’s a tall guy.’
Obama did not spare his Vice President Joseph Biden, as the 70-year-old politician has still not ruled out contesting at the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016.
‘It’s no secret that my vice president is still ambitious. But let’s face it, his age is an issue. Just the other day I had to take Joe aside and say, Joe you are way too young to be the pope.’
‘Before I begin, I know some of you have noticed that I’m dressed a little differently from the other gentlemen. Because of sequester, they cut my tails,’ quipped Obama, the chief guest at the 128th annual Gridiron Club and Foundation dinner, an exclusive and off-camera white-tie event for top American politicians and journalists where they poke fun at each other.
‘There is one thing in Washington that didn’t get cut: The length of this dinner. Yet more proof that the sequester makes no sense.’
US politicians and journalists use the dinner for the foundation, which supports scholarships and journalistic organisations, to showcase their comedic skills. Obama attended the dinner, a week after the budget cuts, known as the sequester, came into force when he and Republicans failed to agree a deficit cutting deal.
Obama, 51, also took a jab at his new secretary of state John Kerry, who is attempting to move out from the shadow of his high-profile predecessor, Hillary Clinton.
‘Let’s face it, Hillary is a tough act to follow –frankly, though, I think it’s time for him to stop showing up at work in pant suits. It’s a disturbing image. I don’t know where he buys them. He’s a tall guy.’
Obama did not spare his Vice President Joseph Biden, as the 70-year-old politician has still not ruled out contesting at the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016.
‘It’s no secret that my vice president is still ambitious. But let’s face it, his age is an issue. Just the other day I had to take Joe aside and say, Joe you are way too young to be the pope.’
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