One good thing Donald Trump may do for America is that he may destroy one institution that could use a little destroying — the White House Correspondents Dinner. I used to find these amusing and maybe, back then, they were. But as we get more politicized in this country, it seems phonier and phonier for the President of the United States to come in, appear before a tuxedo-clad pack of journalists and shmoozers, and roast them and himself lovingly. And then some poor comedian has to get up, follow the star attraction, and entertain a roomful of folks who dread what he might say about them and would much rather be mingling anyway.
There seems to be some question as to whether this dinner will even be held this year and if so, if the President of the United States, will show up and fill his customary role. With Trump out there now saying essentially that any negative news about him or his administration is a deliberate lie, I don't see that ceremony happening, at least in its usual form.
Stephen Colbert is campaigning a little to host it. I have the feeling that if someone there has a list of potential hosts in preferred order, my name is ahead of his. And ahead of me is everyone else on this planet.
But I don't think it would be a bad thing if this dinner went away. It's built on the faulty premise that these two institutions — the presidency and the press — may quarrel at times but down deep, they had a true respect for one another. I'm not sure if that was always a faulty premise but it sure is, these days.