via Editor and Publisher and New York Times columnist Frank Rich:

“After last weekend’s correspondents’ dinner, The Times decided to end its participation in such events,” wrote Rich. “But even were the dinner to vanish altogether, it remains but a yearly televised snapshot of the overall syndrome. The current White House, weakened as it is, can still establish story lines as fake as ‘Mission Accomplished’ and get a free pass.”

Rich is referring to the annual White House Correspondents Dinner where for one evening, the press and elite Washington put aside their duties responsibilities and poke fun at each other while handing out awards. The dinner has made significant impact (although not this year) with hosts like Comedy Central’s Stephen Colbert in 2006. His performance was downplayed by the Washington establishment because unlike other barn burners like Rich Little, he dared to examine the chummy ties the media and the government seem to enjoy.

Now with the country’s paper of record apparently bowing out of the event, will the rest of the media follow suit?