DeSantis/Disney Feud Roasted by President Biden at Correspondent’s Dinner

The philosopher Jimmy Buffett once said, “If we weren’t all crazy, we would go insane.” And that sums up where we are with the ongoing feud between Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the Walt Disney Company. Just when you think it’s over, something new happens, letting us know there is no end in sight.

This week, Disney sued Governor DeSantis, sighting his retaliatory actions against the Walt Disney Company for exercising its First Amendment Right to Free Speech and the impact that this will have on Walt Disney World and its business in Florida. Given the snail’s pace of the American legal system, we may hear about this dispute for years.

The one silver lining to all this is that the comedy of the Disney/DeSantis feud is pure gold. And on Saturday, April 29, President Joe Biden joined the fray at the White House Correspondent’s Dinner with great satire on the current situation.

President Biden‘s main target for the night was the media; given the past week’s events, he had plenty of ammunition. With CNN firing Don Lemon and Fox News firing Tucker Carlson, the jokes practically wrote themselves. But Biden was able to find a little time to go after DeSantis.

Biden said:

I had a lot of Ron DeSantis jokes ready, but Mickey Mouse beat the Hell out of me and got there first.

As the audience laughed at Biden’s joke, the camera panned to the table with Disney executives, who subtly smiled at the crack. Disney CEO Bob Iger was in attendance but did not appear on camera after Biden made his crack.

But Biden wasn’t done there. He had a second DeSantis joke, saying, “After his re-election, Ron DeSantis was asked if he had a mandate, and he said, ‘No, I’m straight.'” The joke mocked DeSantis’ anti-LBGTQ policies in Florida, including the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which started the feud with Disney.

The night did take on a serious tone as Biden acknowledged Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested in Russia on flimsy charges and has been held for weeks. Biden also took time to recognize the family of Austin Tice, a reporter being held in Syria, and WNBA star Brittney Griner, who was held in Russia on drug charges.

It was a moment of seriousness in a night dedicated to fun and promoting a free press. The money raised at the White House Correspondent’s Dinner supports scholarships for young people planning a career in journalism.

President Biden may see Florida Governor Ron DeSantis again, as the latter is widely expected to announce a run for the Republican nomination for president. The Florida Legislature cleared the way for DeSantis to run by changing the state’s law so that he could run for president and remain the governor.

The Correspondent’s Dinner was held at the Washington Hilton. President Joe Biden was in attendance with First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and her husband, Doug Emhoff. Comedian Roy Wood Jr hosted the event.

We will keep you updated on this story at Disney Fanatic.