As the tides of political instability ebb and flow in Washington, D.C., one bastion of culture always prevails – uppity political events where government and media elites attempt to put aside their differences in the name of getting roasted and eating fancy dinner.
But it’s 2025, and all rules have been thrown out the window and driven over with a Tesla. Last month, the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner (WHCD) became the latest example.
The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA), a nonpartisan organization for journalists who cover presidential administrations, announced on March 29 it was nixing comedian Amber Ruffin’s scheduled appearance at its annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
Despite WHCA President Eugene Daniels describing Ruffin as “the ideal fit for this current political and cultural climate” in February, he now says “I want to ensure the focus is not on the politics of division.”
Daniels’ attempt to rationalize Ruffin’s cancellation does the opposite of avoiding focus on divisive politics – it creates a narrative of her being punished for criticizing the GOP and Trump administration.
Two days before the WHCA reversed its decision, Ruffin appeared on The Daily Beast Podcast and previewed her remarks: “They were like, you need to be, you know, equal and make sure you give it to both sides…there’s no way I’m gonna be freaking doing that, dude.”
Ruffin responded two days after her cancellation with an appearance on “Late Night with Seth Meyers” and expertly trolled the WHCA.
“We have a free press so that we can be nice to Republicans at fancy dinners. That’s what it says in the First Amendment,” Ruffin said. “I thought when people take away your rights, erase your history and deport your friends, you’re supposed to call it out. But I was wrong.
To an extent, the WHCA has a right to be treading carefully at this moment – Trump has declared mainstream news outlets "illegal,” the Associated Press was banned from the Oval Office earlier this year and the White House has tightened control of which journalists have access to the President.
But kowtowing to authority is not the way to respond, and for god’s sake, an association composed of distinguished journalists should understand that. Cancelling Ruffin’s address at the WHCD is a dangerously Trumpian move of canceling someone simply for using their free speech in a way you disagree with.
As representation of this country’s free press, you cannot simultaneously be punishing a comedian for using her free speech.
WHCA is supposed to stand for White House Correspondents’ Association.
Perhaps it's time for a new acronym – We Hate Canceling Amber.
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