The President Is Coming to the White House Correspondent’s Dinner

A president who relishes attacking the news media is set to break his boycott of an event celebrating the news media. What could go wrong?

The prospect of President Trump delivering a speech at this Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Association black-tie dinner — the first time he has not boycotted the event as commander in chief — has raised some uncomfortable questions within media and political circles.

What sort of message will this president, who has sued, threatened and demonized the independent news media, deliver when handed a microphone in front of hundreds of the nation’s most prominent journalists?

How will the Correspondents’ Association, whose mission is to support the First Amendment, respond to a president whose favorite form of speech is speech that is favorable toward him?

And which C-SPAN close-up reaction shots of guests like Wolf Blitzer will turn into memes the next day?