WHO talked, shot and left?... Obama draws the final Correspondents' dinner curtain

1- Annual event was Obama's 8th — and last — as a sitting president

The US president ended his speech at the White House correspondents’ dinner in epic style. 

And he is popular!

"When people ask me what country I'm from I simply say to them that my President's name is Obama.. nuff said!" - G. A. Parker

Remember, Mr President, with great mic drops comes great responsibility. 

Obama brought two fingers to his lips, using his other hand to lift a microphone up in front of him and dropped it in a dramatic fashion, referencing when performers intentionally "drop the mic" -Guardian -to emphasize a great performance.

2- THE SETTING: Correspondents' dinner 

The dinner is one of the worst kept secrets in Washington that presidents and first ladies dread the evening -- which amounts to three hours on stage at the head table while guests watch and they swap awkward small talk with journalists who earn a living taking pot shots at their presidency.

Obama in his farewell address to the Washington insider love fest that the annual dinner has become. How do you satirize -- and in the process land political blows -- on a campaign that has lifted American politics to new heights of self-parody?

PIECE 1 -CBC

Obama's last standup:
Correspondents' dinner gives president final chance to zing Washington

piece 2..... CNN

President Barack Obama took his leave of the White House press corps Saturday with a sardonic blast at Donald Trump, the Republican Party and even fellow Democrats in his final tart-tongued stand-up riff for the White House Correspondents' Association dinner.

VIDEO -(08:50)   -SCRIPT Washington Post_ here

quotes:

On life after the White House

"If this material works well, I'm gonna use it at Goldman Sachs next year. Earn me some serious Tubmans."

On being late

"I do apologize, I know I was a little late tonight. I was running on CPT -- which stands for jokes that white people should not make."

CPT -both options....: 

• "Cautious politician time," 
• "CP Time" -- also known as "colored people's time" -- is a stereotype about African-Americans running late.

On who will be the next president

"Next year at this time, someone else will be standing here in this very spot. And it's anyone's guess who she will be."

ENDING the speech....

Well let me conclude tonight on a more serious note. I want thank the Washington press corps. I want to thank Carol for all that you do. The free press is central to our democracy and, nah, I’m just kidding! You know I’m going to talk about Trump. Come on. We weren’t just going to stop there. 

On  Trump

TRUMP-1
"I am a little hurt he's not here tonight," Obama said. "We had so much fun the last time. And it is surprising -- you have a room full of reporters, celebrities, cameras. And he says no. Is this dinner too tacky for The Donald? What could he be possibly doing instead? Eating a Trump Steak? Tweeting out insults to Angela Merkel? What's he doing?"

TRUMP-2
" The Republican establishment is incredulous that he's their most likely nominee,... incredulous, shocking...  They say Donald lacks the foreign policy experience to be president, but in fairness, he has spent years meeting with leaders from around the world -- Miss Sweden, Miss Argentina, Miss Azerbaijan."

TRUMP-3 There's one area where Donald's experience could be invaluable, and that's closing Guantanamo. Because Trump knows a thing or two about running waterfront properties into the ground."

On comparing Michael Bloomberg to Trump

"I see Mike Bloomberg. Mike, a combative, controversial New York billionaire is leading the GOP primary and it's not you. That has to sting a little bit. Although it's not an entirely fair comparison between you and the Donald. After all, Mike was a big city mayor, he knows policy in-depth. And he's actually worth the amount of money that he says he is."

On Sanders-1

Obama took shots at Bernie Sanders (Hillary's rival), who was in attendance, "You look like a million bucks. Or to put it in terms you'll understand, you look like 37,000 donations of $27 each."

On Sanders -2  distancing himself from Obama

"I am a little hurt that you're distancing yourself from me, Bernie. That's not something you do to your comrade."

On his approval ratings

"In my final year, my approval ratings keep going up. The last time I was this high, I was trying to decide on my major."

Ended his speech...

"And with that, I just have two more words to say -- Obama out."