Obama jokes about budget cuts, Biden at exclusive dinner

US President Barack Obama was in his elements over a whopping USD 85 billion forced spending cuts his administration was facing, saying, "My joke writers have been placed on furlough." "Before I begin, I know some of you have noticed that I'm dressed a little differently from the other gentlemen. Because of sequester, they cut my tails," quipped Obama, the chief guest at the 128th annual Gridiron Club and Foundation dinner, an exclusive and off- amera white-tie event for top American politicians and journalists where they poke fun at each other."My joke writers have been placed on furlough. I know a lot of you reported that no one will feel any immediate impact because of the sequester. Well, you're about to find out how wrong you are," he said yesterday."There is one thing in Washington that didn't get cut: The length of this dinner. Yet more proof that the sequester makes no sense."US politicians and journalists use the dinner for the foundation, which supports scholarships and journalistic organisations, to showcase their comedic skills.Obama attended the dinner, a week after the budget cuts, known as the sequester, came into force when he and Republicans failed to agree a deficit cutting deal.Obama, 51, also took a jab at his new secretary of state John Kerry, who is attempting to move out from the shadow of his high-profile predecessor, Hillary Clinton."Let's face it, Hillary is a tough act to follow – frankly, though, I think it's time for him to stop showing up

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