White House Correspondents’ Dinner Will Look Much Different This Year Without A President

President Donald Trump pauses while speaking at a rally at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Ky., Monday, March 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
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The annual dinner of the White House Correspondents’ Association is taking place without its traditional star.

This year the president of the United States, Donald Trump, has decided to stay away from an event in which he would be a prime target of biting humor.

That’s dulled the glitter emanating from celebrities who usually come to the Saturday night dinner as guests of media outlets. Absent a busload of big names, the event is focusing on the First Amendment and the crucial role of the press in a democracy.

There will be, as usual, a comedian emceeing the event, which will air on C-SPAN: Hasan Minhaj, of “The Daily Show.”

A president hasn’t declined to attend since Ronald Reagan in 1981, though he was recovering from an assassination attempt.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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