Above: President Lincoln address White House correspondents at the first White House Correspondents' Dinner (above Lincoln's head hangs a likeness of Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request).
Did you catch President Obama last night at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner (often referred to as the “Nerd Prom”)? He proved yet again, that once he’s out of office, he could pursue a career in stand-up comedy. As a matter of fact, he even out-funnied Larry Wilmore, the comedian who was paid to be there (at least, I assume he was paid).
In part of his monologue, Obama noted that the GOP continues to block his any and every move:
“Of course, in fact, for months now congressional Republicans have been saying there are things I cannot do in my final year. Unfortunately, this dinner was not one of them. But on everything else, it’s another story. And you know who you are, Republicans. In fact, I think we’ve got Republican Senators Tim Scott and Cory Gardner, they’re in the house, which reminds me, security, bar the doors! Judge Merrick Garland, come on out, we’re going to do this right here, right now.”
Then in a well-received allusion to the smash hit Game of Thrones, Obama noted that it was going to be “like ‘The Red Wedding.’ ”
His tongue-in-cheek lamentation about the GOP opposition, though, reminded us of a poem by Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson’s third cousin, twice removed – at her request), “The last Year that He served.”
In the 1860s, Dickinson was the first to suggest the idea of a White House Correspondents’ Dinner. His good friend President Abraham Lincoln liked the idea, but like Obama, Lincoln encountered disapproval and resistance from Congress in almost everything he put forth. The obstructions presented by Congress incensed Dickinson, and he wrote his now-classic poem (below on the left). Dickinson’s poem also inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem, “The last Night that She lived” (below on the right).
| By Emmett Lee Dickinson: The last Year that He served It was a Common Year Except the Whining – this to us Made Congress different They gridlocked smallest things-- Things overlooked E'en more With some great fear upon their minds Italicized – as 'twere As they went out and in Between Their hallowed Halls And Rooms where'd They'd retreat To escape from the Blame That Nothing could expand While He must finish quite A Jealousy for Him arose So nearly infinite – | By Emily Dickinson: The last Night that She lived It was a Common Night Except the Dying – this to Us Made Nature different We noticed smallest things – Things overlooked before By this great light upon our Minds Italicized – as 'twere. As We went out and in Between Her final Room And Rooms where Those to be alive Tomorrow were, a Blame That Others could exist While She must finish quite A Jealousy for Her arose So nearly infinite – |
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