White House Correspondents Dinner

White House Correspondents Dinner 2011

WASHINGTON - President  Barack Obama  implemented his revenge Saturday after weeks of attacks from his would-be Republican contestant Donald Trump, joking that the billionaire businessman could bring change to the White House, changing it from a stately mansion into a shabby casino with a whirlpool in the garden.

With Trump in audience, Obama used the White House Correspondent’s Association annual dinner to make fun of the reality TV star's presidential objectives. The president said Trump has shown the insight of a future president, from firing Gary Busey on a recent episode of "Celebrity Apprentice" to focusing so much time on conspiracy theories about Obama's birthplace birth certificate.

After a week when Obama presented his Hawaii birth certificate, he said Trump could now focus on the serious issues, from whether the moon landing actually happened to "where are Biggie and Tupac?"

"No one is prouder to put this birth certificate subject to rest than 'the Donald,'" Obama said, submitting to Trump's claims the same day that he was responsible for solving the issue.

For Trump's decision to fire actor Busey instead of rock singer Meat Loaf from his TV show earlier this month, Obama joked, "These are the types of decisions that would keep me up at night. Well handled, sir."

Trump giggled at some of the earlier jokes, but was clearly less pleased as comedian Seth Meyers picked up where Obama left off.

"Donald Trump often talks about running as a Republican, which is astonishing," said the Saturday Night Live actor, entrusted with presenting some of the comedy for the evening. "I just presupposed he was running as a joke."

Trump stared coldly at Meyers as he continued to condemn the real estate tycoon.

The two men found themselves in the same room after an severe week of attacks from Trump, who has took credit on the birth certificate conspiracies and even Obama's rejection to release his university grades to raise the profile of his possible presidential bid.

And the birth certificate was obviously the key punchline for the evening, which typically offers the president a chance to show off his amusing side and a town consumed by politics and membership to enjoy a light-hearted affair.

Obama's speech started after the wrestler Hulk Hogan's patriotic anthem, "Real American," played. Images of Americana from Mount Rushmore to Uncle Sam were shown on the screen, along with  his birth certificate. And then he proposed to show his live birth video, which turned out to be a clip from the Disney film, "The Lion King."

On the serious side, Obama took time to thank the troops for their service overseas and noted that the people of the South, especially Alabama, have suffered great  losses.

"The devastation is incredible and it is heartbreaking," he said. He heartened the journalists in the room to help tell the stories of those who have been hurt by the storms and saluted those who lost their lives during  covering the news.
The association was formed in 1914 as a connection between the press and the president.