Obama: Stay in your office
by Richard Clark
20 March 2009
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3 Comments
Over at TV Squad, some thoughts about Obama’s Tonight Show appearance:
As I was watching President Obama chat with Jay Leno last night, one thought kept crossing my mind: how unusual it was to see a current president sitting in the same chair as David Spade. It’s just odd and somewhat disconcerting to see the man who’s the supposed leader of the free world engaging in lighthearted banter with Jay, and responding to the audience when it cheered or booed something. During the third segment, I almost expected to see the flat screen TV behind Jay pop up so they could show a clip from Obama’s latest project.
And that’s why the appearance was so historic. It doesn’t matter how many times a president goes on a talk show before or after he’s in office; while in office, pretty much all interviews go to him. It doesn’t matter what show it is; it could be a Sunday morning issues show like Meet The Press or a twinkie-fest like Larry King Live. But in just about every case, the interviewer goes to wherever the president is and sits down with him for a quiet, reverent interview.
via Here’s why Obama on The Tonight Show was so historic – VIDEO – TV Squad.
What’s frustrating about this is that it clearly betrays a lack of thoughtfulness on Obama’s part about the impact that various genres, settings and mediums can have on people’s perceptions. If he wanted to trivialize the issues, great job! Otherwise, I’m afraid he’s not going to accomplish much talking about the economy in between dog stories and stupid pet tricks.
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One might likewise site quote-unquote fireside chats, making jokes during press conferences (a Reagan staple), mingling with enlisted men, the throwing of first pitches, or visits to elementary schools when one could be doing real business (on a bombing day no less!) as trivializing the presidency. Or perhaps it’s likely that the people who are exasperated by these things that bring the president down closer to our level might have an inflated view of the president’s position.
After all, the fact that the president was chosen by a democracy pretty much trivializes the presidency all on its own. I mean, presidents are chosen in large part by people who can’t distinguish between your, you’re, and yore. By people who thought a comparison between Bush and Hitler was at all apt. By people who think of Obama as “that nigger in the White house” (HT Lyn). By people who vote their choice based on a single issue. By elitists, misanthropes, simpletons, and the arrogant. If that doesn’t take the air out of the tires of Presidential Greatness, then I’m not sure how an appearance on a pap talkshow could.
In the end, I don’t really get the sense that your moral outrage is justified here. If anything, you should be celebrating because this holds to the “whatever is true” aspect of the Capca Creed—because, really, what is the president in our age but an incredibly powerful celebrity. I figure you should like it when things like this pull back the curtain, letting you glimpse the wizard in his native environs.
The Danes last blog post..20081119.ChurchLies
One of the comments says this: “Still, he is walking the walk by insisting that the office of President needs to change to meet the needs of the citizens, and that includes using whatever medium he thinks appropriate to connect with us.”
It seems that Obama doesn’t care nearly as much about the Office of President as he does about the name of Barack Obama. He knew this would make people like him, because he’s willing to come to their level. But it will do nothing positive for his Office, or his successor.
Eventually he’s going to have to do things without the support of the majority, because “the right thing to do” isn’t up for a vote. Will he be able to deal with disapproval?
Charles Joness last blog post..I Am Now a Photographer
Dane,
So, so true. I do have to say that seeing the President make jokes, particularly about opponents, during press conferences is unsettling. Press secretaries and other lackeys can handle that job.
Throwing out first pitches is better suited for mayors and governors, and visiting schools is all well and good when we’re in a time of peace and prosperity.
But with the administration and Congress constantly telling us how urgent everything is – spending $2 trillion we don’t actually have before the end of the President’s second month – is it really time to be doing such things?
I think the real problem with the show is that it puts the President in the position of guest, side by side with celebrities. When mingling with enlisted men and doing fireside chats, the President remains the nation’s leader. But next to Leno he becomes another guy trying to sell something on TV.
Charles Joness last blog post..I Am Now a Photographer
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