Obama on “The View”? Really? Yes, Really.
By Bronwyn's Harbor on July 27, 2010 at 3:45 PM in Current Affairs
You, in your great comments, and our writers, in their excellent posts, have chronicled the failures and foibles of the Obama presidency, and we’re genuinely concerned about what Obama’s presidency is doing to our country.
We’ve also noted Obama’s practices that have denigrated the Presidency itself — from his many bows to leaders of other countries to his over-exposure in far too many campaign-style rallies and appearances on TV. Now, he has brought the office, at least as it is while he occupies it, down even further by his scheduled appearance, tomorrow, on ABC’s daytime blather-fest, “The View.”
Here’s the explanation provided in Fox News’s article, “Obama Missing Historic Boy Scout Jamboree for Fundraisers, ‘View’ Taping” — the section below the fold is particularly disgusting:
President Obama will make history [HISTORY???] as the first sitting president on a daytime talk show when he visits with the ladies of “The View.” But he’ll be missing out on another historic occasion — the Boy Scouts’ Jamboree marking the group’s 100th anniversary, right in the president’s backyard.
The Jamboree kicked off this week at Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia, where organizers had invited the president to speak to the 45,000 scouts in attendance. All three of Obama’s predecessors have made it to one Jamboree while in office.
But the president will instead be traveling Wednesday to New York for a taping of the ABC show, as well as Democratic fundraisers and a stop in New Jersey.
[...]
And here’s the particularly revolting portion of the article’s description of why Obama chose to appear on “The View”:
Though Obama typically reserves his exclusive interviews for network and cable news shows, he appeared on “The View” as a candidate. “The View” is hosting the president as part of its “Red, White & View” series highlighting political guests. Creator and co-host Barbara Walters said Obama’s appearance, along with the past appearance of First Lady Michelle Obama, shows “The View” can play the role of news source.
“This shows that both the president and first lady feel that our show is an influential and important source of information and news,” she said in a written statement.
“The View” as a “news source”? I’m left nearly speechless. I’ve rarely seen “The View.” Actually, the most of it I’ve ever seen is when other programs play portions of some shocking exchange that gets tongues wagging.
The only reason I can think of that explains the White House’s reasoning behind his appearance is that he is faring so badly in the polls that he’s trying to reach what they consider “ordinary Americans” in a vain effort to show what a downright regular person he is, despite his Ivy League background and penchant for surrounding himself with staff who have little experience in the “real world” inhabited by most Americans.
I predict his appearance will be for naught. Or at least I hope so.
::::::
The image above comes from the UK newspaper, The Guardian, and is a file photo of the last time Obama appeared on the show in 2008, when he was a candidate.
Interesting, isn’t it, that even foreign newspapers are writing about Obama’s appearance tomorrow. The Guardian’s ironic article, titled “Why is Obama doing US chat show The View?,” begins:
Not content with being America’s first black president, Barack Obama will today smash through another barrier by becoming the first sitting president in history ever to record an appearance on a daytime TV chat show. Truly, these are great times.
He’ll appear on tomorrow’s edition of The View, essentially America’s Loose Women. However, it won’t be an easy ride – The View’s hosts are an intimidating bunch. There’s Barbara Walters, interviewer of Thatcher, Castro, Yeltsin and Gadaffi. There’s Larry King stand-in Joy Behar. There’s ferocious conservative Elisabeth Hasselbeck. And there’s Whoopi Goldberg who, don’t forget, played a sort of Jesusy alien thing in Star Trek. It’ll certainly be more challenging than if Obama appeared on Loose Women, but at least Jane McDonald won’t try to feel him up. That’s something. ….
Of note: There must be a UK show called “Loose Women.” But it works for describing the collection of hosts on “The View.” And The Guardian’s line — “Truly, these are great times.” — is beyond hilarious.
And, here’s the explanation for Obama’s appearance unearthed by the Philadelphia Inquirer:
ABC reps say Obama will discuss jobs, the economy, the BP oil spill, and family life chez Les Obamas.
Why a gabfest? White House spokesman Dan Pfeiffer says that, given our “hyperactive media environment,” the prez wants to reach more folks in nontraditional venues.
Even Gov. Ed Rendell said on “Morning Joe” today that he thinks Obama’s appearance isn’t especially “dignified.” Here’s exactly what Rendell said:
“I think there has to be a little bit of dignity in the presidency.”
I couldn’t agree more.
Then, of course, Rendell tempered his statement with this:
“I wouldn’t put him on Jerry Springer either. I think the president of the United States has to go on serious shows. And, The View, I think … you can make a case that The View is a serious show [WHAT???] but it also rocks and rolls a little bit. I’m not sure that he has go to on The View to get, to be open to questions. …”
Well. That says it all.
by Ronald Scott
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