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[Transcript] “Well, thank you very much. It’s an honor to be here and, I must tell you, that Melania and I are really thrilled. We really looked forward to this. … I didn’t know what to expect, but it’s really quality people … quality people. So, thank you very much. Its been really another calm week at the White House. We finally have it running like a fine-tuned machine. Its fine-tuned. Its a beautiful piece of work. … But before I get started, I wanted to apologize for arriving a little bit late. You know, we were late tonight because...

RUSH: Meanwhile, on the Republican side: Have you seen what happened in New Hampshire over the weekend? There's this guy, he's the governor of Wisconsin, Scott Walker. He went into New Hampshire and basically owned it. I wonder why this is happening wherever this guy goes. Iowa, now New Hampshire, wherever he goes, he's drawing enthused, rabid, huge, large crowds, and he is giving those crowds what they want. I wonder how this is happening. Governor of Wisconsin. It's Scott Walker. He's the governor of Wisconsin. He was at the Gridiron Dinner the other night, and he was parrying back...

"....The president—speaking at the dinner for a third time as president, fourth time overall — told the room that Democrats had determined they needed to do better with older white voters....Why is this night different from all other nights? Because on this night, when Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker makes a joke about Hillary Clinton, it’s not part of a future negative ad campaign.“I really do have a lot of close friends who are Democrats,” said Walker, serving as the official Republican speaker for the evening. “ I even have Hillary’s private email. . . It’s HillaryClinton@Wallstreet.com. You know the best...

Republican-turned-Independent-turned-Democrat Charlie Crist will be the Democratic speaker at Washington's famed Gridiron dinner. He will face off against Republican Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas) at the March event. Gridiron president Clark Hoyt of Bloomberg announced the selection in an email to members on Tuesday. "I'm delighted to announce that former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist will be the Democratic speaker at the 2014 Gridiron Spring Dinner on Saturday, March 8. Crist will square off against Texas Sen. Ted Cruz representing the Republicans," Hoyt wrote in an email obtained by The Hill. Crist, the former Republican governor of Florida, is running for his...

Rep. Barney Frank and Sarah Palin at the winter Gridiron Club dinner. (photo by Lynn Sweet)

Romney, Huckabee, and Pawlenty must be thrilled. Gridiron Club President Dick Cooper told club members earlier this afternoon that Palin accepted an invitation to speak at the black-tie affair, according to a member of the club’s executive committee. Meg Stapleton, a spokeswoman for Palin, confirmed that Palin planned to address the dinner in an e-mail to POLITICO: “The Governor was honored to accept the invitation.” Also speaking at the dinner will be Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), whom the club invited to represent his party at the event. The dinner’s December 5th, which makes this even more of a no-brainer than...

Barack Obama will not attend this years Gridiron Dinner citing his daughters spring break as one reason for his absense.

A Gridiron Club member tells FBDC first that President Obama will not attend this year's dinner next Saturday, March 21st. He will be the first president since Grover Cleveland not to attend the first Gridiron Club Dinner of his presidency. This year's date coincides with the spring break of President Obama's daughters' school and club members have been informed the Obama family will be out of town, likely in Chicago. Vice President Joe Biden will attend and speak at the dinner in his place. This member tells us the club is delighted to have Vice President Biden, but that there...

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush (news - web sites) and Sen. Tom Daschle, potential rivals in 2004, smothered each other in satire at the 117th Gridiron dinner as the capital's political elite lapped up a laugh-packed respite from war. After musical skits mined humor from a harrowing year of terrorism, anthrax, corporate bankruptcy and war, Bush closed the show Saturday night with a lighthearted jab at Daschle's presidential aspirations. quot;What are you going to run on, Tom?quot; Bush asked the Democrat from South Dakota, suggesting that he intends to co-opt Daschle's issues for re-election. quot;Patients Bill of Rights? I'm for...