Obama isn't afraid to joke about himself

President Obama spoke to the White House Correspondents dinner Saturday night, an occasion that did not generate a lot of news or warrant widespread coverage. But I heard a mention of Obama's positive words about the newspaper industry and went looking for the speech. I found a news story about the speech and a C-SPAN video of the entire speech.

What impressed me about the speech was not the president's reference toward the end of the speech about the importance of a free and vibrant press in a working democracy. It was Obama's ease in delivering comic one-liners and self-deprecating humor. During the course of the speech, Obama made fun of:

• His use of Teleprompters (he announced he would be speaking off the cuff and from the heart, then Teleprompter screens rose noisily in front of the lectern);

• His alleged preferential treatment by political reporters ("Many of you covered me and all of you voted for me");

• The snafu over use of Air Force One in a photo shoot over New York City, terrorizing workers and incensing the mayor (Obama said his daughters had been grounded for taking Air Force One to New York without permission);

• Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel's reputation for foul language (Obama said Mother's Day is a tough holiday for Emmanuel because he's not accustomed to saying "day" after "mother").

This humor, which likely was more the product of White House writers than of the president himself, will not threaten the careers of Jay Leno or David Letterman, but it does say some things about the president. He is not afraid to make fun of himself. Most of the humor Saturday night was self-deprecating, and a willingness to laugh at oneself is an indicator of good mental health and confidence.

Other presidents, including George W. Bush, have delivered funny speeches at the annual correspondents' dinner, but few have matched Obama's number of jokes or his smooth delivery.

Obama seems more comfortable in the give-and-take with the press than his recent predecessors. I watched part of his 100-day news conference a couple of weeks ago and thought he seemed at ease with what can be an ordeal (just ask Richard Nixon). George W. Bush never seemed comfortable speaking off the cuff or matching wits with questioners. Bill Clinton was so in love with his own erudition that his responses would go on forever, or until everyone fell asleep. George H.W. Bush, like his son, never seemed very comfortable with extemporaneous comments before a large audience. Ronald Reagan was terrific with a script but sometimes wandered off into controversy when speaking off the cuff. Jimmy Carter's folksy style and attention to minute detail never played that well. Richard Nixon's hatred of the press came through at every news conference, and Lyndon Johnson's strength at manipulating legislation never worked with the press. Of all the presidents in my memory, John F. Kennedy seemed the most comfortable with press conferences. He was knowledgeable and funny, always willing to deliver a quip about himself.

Obama has not matched Kennedy's quick retorts but he seems comfortable making fun of himself and letting humor carry a serious message occasionally. Americans like a president who is not too full of himself and who is willing to risk cracking a joke occasionally.