Barack Obama has had a busy week, with all that diplomatic wrangling and stuff. But behind the scenes, his staff has been getting ready for Obama’s big debut on the Washington dinner scene. On Saturday, Obama will speak at the White House Correspondents Association’s annual dinner. It’s an event that most presidents have used to poke fun at the reporters who cover them—and, as Bill Clinton famously did, at themselves. Some people think it’s a silly event—your Gaggler won’t lie and say she’s not looking forward to it—but one thing is for sure: No president can afford to show up unprepared. It’s a moment where people judge whether the Commander in Chief has the ability to be funny or not.

With all that pressure, presidents have been known to recruit outside help in prepping their speech. Clinton had a joke writer and was rumored to have solicited help on occasion from some of his comedian friends in Hollywood. George W. Bush, and his wife, Laura, had assistance from a GOP speechwriter who had written jokes for everyone from Ronald Reagan to Arnold Schwarzenegger. No doubt Obama has the few names of funny people in Hollywood who would be willing to help him out, but according to Obama aides, the president isn’t bringing in backup. He’s sticking with his usual team of writers, including senior adviser David Axelrod and speechwriter Jon Favreau.
 
According to aides, Axelrod is considered Obama’s go-to guy for jokes, in part because he knows the limits on what his boss can get away with. As a senator, Obama went outside his inner circle just once for jokes to use at a roast. He wasn't thrilled with the results and ended up not using most of the material. Instead, Obama has relied on Axelrod, who has written some of his boss's best zingers. That includes many of the jokes Obama used during last fall’s Alfred E. Smith dinner in New York. That’s not to say Axelrod hasn’t come up with a dud or two. “Ax is good at coming up with jokes, both good and bad,” says White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs. Asked about his role, Axelrod downplayed his position as chief funny guy, describing it all as a “collaborative” effort with Favreau and other staff. But, he allowed, “I’ve been in this business for a long time…and sometimes (jokes) come easy.”