Obama serves up roasts at correspondents' dinner

President Barack Obama shared some words of wisdom yesterday, saying there are few things in life harder to find and more important to keep than love.

"Well, love and a birth certificate," Obama quipped at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, poking fun at those who question his place of birth.

"I happen to know that my approval ratings are still very high in the country of my birth."

Obama was born in Hawaii, but sceptics known as "birthers" question whether he was born overseas.

Obama also had a jab at Jay Leno, the comedian headlining the dinner, dinging him as "the only person whose ratings fell more than mine".

He said he was glad he spoke before The Tonight Show host, "because we have all seen what happens when somebody takes the time slot after Leno". Comic Conan O'Brien left NBC after his stint hosting The Tonight Show following Leno's brief prime-time show didn't work out.

The President noted Senator John McCain's claim this year that he was not identified as a maverick.

"We know what happens in Arizona when you don't have an ID. ... Adios amigos," Obama quipped, referring to a new law in Arizona that targets illegal immigration.

He also mentioned the attention-hungry couple who crashed his state dinner last year. "Odds are that the Salahis are here. There haven't been people that were more unwelcome at a party since Charlie Crist," he said about the Florida Governor who decided to defect from the Republican Party.

Although his poll numbers are down, Obama said he hears he's popular on Twitter and Facebook. "Or as Sarah Palin calls it, socialised media," he said, referring to the former Republican vice-presidential candidate.

Leno picked up on this joke to take a dig at Obama, saying the President isn't as aloof as some critics say he is.

"He loves to socialise - health care, car companies," Leno said, naming a few industries in which the Obama Administration has intervened.

Among the 3000 guests on hand were comedian Chevy Chase, actor Alec Baldwin, comedian Bill Maher, actress Michelle Pfeiffer, actor Dennis Quaid, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Republican Party chairman Michael Steele, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the Jonas brothers and teen heart throb, pop star Justin Bieber.

Hollywood heavyweights Michel Douglas and Steven Spielberg were seen chatting with Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.

The White House Correspondents' Association was formed in 1914.

- AP