Bush pokes fun at presidential candidates

President George Bush poked fun at his potential successors, expressing surprise that none of them were in the audience at the White House Correspondents’ Association annual dinner.

“Senator McCain’s not here,” Mr Bush said of Republican nominee-in-waiting John McCain. “He probably wanted to distance himself from me a little bit. You know, he’s not alone. Jenna’s moving out too.”

Mr Bush’s daughter Jenna is getting married next month.

The President then referred to scandals that have dogged the campaigns of the two remaining Democratic candidates, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, in explaining their absence: “Hillary Clinton couldn’t get in because of sniper fire and Senator Obama’s at church.”

Mrs Clinton’s version of her visit to Sarajevo when the first lady left with egg on her face, forcing her to admit she “misspoke” when it transpired that her arrival had been less dramatic than she had made out.

Mr Obama has been embarrassed by remarks made by his former pastor, Jeremiah Wright.

The president admitted to being “a little wistful” Saturday night in his final appearance at the dinner, showing video clips of his routines from previous years.

He finished by conducting the US Marine Band in a medley of patriotic marches.