CNN anchor Michelle Kosinski sheepishly asked White House spokesman Josh Earnest on Monday if President Obama was serious about the joke he made about the network.
"One of President Obama's more cutting jokes was at CNN," Kosinski said.
Earnest quickly interrupted Kosinski and asked her if the network was really upset about the joke. The statement was met by laughs from the White House press corp.
"It was all in good fun," Earnest said.
"OK, so he doesn't think that CNN has a problem journalistically?" Kosinski said.
Earnest responded no and again was met with some laughs.
Saturday evening Obama hosted his eighth and final White House Correspondents Association dinner, or "nerd prom." During the speech, Obama took digs at the presidential candidates, political opponents, and the media.
"I won’t lie—look, this is a tough transition. It’s hard. Key staff are now starting to leave the White House. Even reporters have left me. Savannah Guthrie, she’s left the White House Press Corps to host the Today show. Norah O’Donnell left the briefing room to host CBS This Morning. Jake Tapper left journalism to join CNN," Obama said.
Prior to joining CNN, Tapper had worked as the senior White House correspondent for ABC News where he was awarded Merriman Smith Memorial Awards for broadcast journalism three times in a row.
The dinner has evolved into an event that attracts reporters from all across the media spectrum as well as celebrities. Helen Mirren and Kylie Jenner were just some of the major names to appear this year.