State of the ‘View-Nion’
EmailABC News’ Yunji de Nies Reports:
President Barack Obama got comfy with the co-hosts discussing the personal, political, and even the pop cultural on “The View” today. Mr. Obama joked that he chose to come on the show because he “was trying to find a show that Michelle actually watched.”
Mr. Obama is the first sitting president to appear in studio on a day time talk show, though President George W. Bush did appear on the Dr. Phil Show in September of 2004 from his Crawford, TX ranch in as part of his re-election campaign.
Barbara Walters, who has been on hiatus from the show for health reasons, returned for the “Red, White & View” special. She kicked off the conversation asking the president about the “roses and thorns,” his highs and lows of late.
The rose? The recent family vacation to Maine, where he and First Lady spent quality time with tweens Malia and Sasha. The thorn?
“Well, where do I begin here?” the President asked, listing the oil spill in the gulf, troubles in the economy, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the H1N1 epidemic. He said his personal biggest thorn is something the public doesn’t see: the condolence letters he regularly writes to the loved ones of those killed at war.
The president was asked about Shirley Sherrod, the USDA staffer who was forced to resign after edited comments she made to at an NAACP event were published out on a conservative website. The President has spoken with Sherrod, the White House has apologized for the incident and offered her a new job in the agency. Sherrod has still not indicated whether she will accept the position.
The president blamed the “24/7 media cycle that’s always looking for controversy and often times doesn’t get to the facts first, generated a phony controversy, a lot of people overreacted including my own administration.”
Mr. Obama said that while there are many people still have biases and prejudices, he believes race relations are improving with each generation.
“When I talk to Malia and Sasha’s friends, they have healthier attitudes around these issues than our generation than our generation does. And we have healthier attitudes than previous generations do, and that’s the progress that we want to keep on making.”
The President said he will not attend Chelsea Clinton’s wedding.
“It would be tough enough having one president at a wedding, you don’t want two presidents at wedding,” he said, “All the Secret service, everybody’s getting magged as they’re going in and all the gifts are getting unwrapped and ripped up.”
The President said in fact, he was not invited to the nuptials and believes that was entirely the right choice.
“Hillary and Bill properly, want to keep this as a thing for Chelsea and her soon to be husband” he said, “And I’m letting you guys know now that you all will probably not be invited to Malia’s wedding or Sasha’s.”
The conversation turned to pop culture, with a “lightning round” led by Joy Behar. The President said he knows that Lindsay Lohan is in jail, wouldn’t comment on whether Mel Gibson needs anger management, and claimed he didn’t know who Snooki is.
But at the White House correspondent’s dinner in May, the President joked about the MTV reality show star, saying that his health care bill would include a provision called the “Jersey Shore-Up.”
“It reads: ”The following individuals shall be excluded from the indoor tanning tax within this bill. Snooki, J-WOWW, the Situation, and House Minority Leader John Boehner,” the President then said.
The co-hosts also wanted to know what’s on Mr. Obama’s iPod (Jay-Z, Frank Sinatra, Maria Callas but no Justin Bieber), whether he plans to get an iPhone (no). He admitted that while he does have an official Twitter account (@BarackObama) he’s not the brains behind it.
“Some 20-year old is doing a lot of the tweeting,” he said.
Staying on technology, the president complained that while he still has a blackberry, the emails that he receives are rather dull.
“Nobody wants to send me the real juicy stuff,” the President said. “It’s all very official.”
The light hearted banter is precisely what critics say the President should not engage in. Even before he reached the couch, many questioned whether appearing in day time is truly presidential.
“I wouldn’t put him on “Jerry Springer,” too, right?” fellow democrat Gov. Ed Rendell said with a laugh on yesterday’s Morning Joe, “I’m not sure he has to go on “The View” to be open to questions.”
The New York Daily News went further on their opinion page yesterday, with the headline “Obama and ‘The View’: Two wars, oil crisis, crashed economy and he’s whooping it up with Whoopi.”
Even former co-host Rosie O’Donnell weighed in on her radio show that the View isn’t the right venue.
“I don’t really think sitting presidents should go do fluffy daytime TV shows,” she said on Rosie Radio.
White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer defended the choice, explaining that getting a message out in the modern media age requires creativity.
“We’re trying to basically solve a riddle which is that people are more interested in government politics than they ever have before, they’re more informed on what’s happening in the world, yet they’re watching traditional news sources less. so they’re getting information somewhere, how to do you reach those people? that’s what we’re trying to figure out,” Pfeiffer said, “No one should take the fact that he’s done Leno, and Letterman and the View as a sign that we’re going around the traditional press, we’re doing them in addition to the traditional press.”
Watch our story on the “State of the View-Nion” from Nightline.
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” …a mongrel people.”Is ABC going to cover this up?Truly,when this mediocrity gets off of the teleprompter there is no limit to the stupidity of his comments.And he had the gall to make fun of Special Olympians!
Posted by: Nephron | July 29, 2010, 1:43 pm 1:43 pm
He wanted to puck a show Muchelle would watch? As a Princeton-educated Lawyer I’m sure there are other shows his wife would appreciate – might I suggest any of the three bat-crazy MSNBC hosts Maddow, Olbermann, or Schultz…
Posted by: N2vip | July 29, 2010, 1:47 pm 1:47 pm
Condolence letters? President Bush used to call, meet with families of soldiers lost… And as I recall he didn’t talk/complain about it in public.
Posted by: N2vip | July 29, 2010, 1:51 pm 1:51 pm
I believe our local headline today is the announcement that our second sailor, captured by the Tailban, was found dead. I have a strong feeling “found dead” was the kindest way to describe it. Maybe the details should be leaked so as to put the wiki-leak into perspective, but no..we won’t do that. May God pour out His blessings on this man’s family, especially his mother…but for now, let’s get back to more news from “the view”…
Posted by: cindy | July 29, 2010, 1:51 pm 1:51 pm
Going around the traditional press? When was his last press conference? The one before that? Photo-ops and road trips we got, but as for answering the public’s questions, we are left to fend for ourselves with the help of Mr. Gibbs, who is, uhm, a-always looking for the right word and promises to get back to you…
Posted by: N2vip | July 29, 2010, 2:03 pm 2:03 pm
Staying on technology, the president complained that while he still has a blackberry, the emails that he receives are rather dull.
“Nobody wants to send me the real juicy stuff,” the President said. “It’s all very official.”
That’s deep, man, deep. It’s a good thing he goes on the shows that have “real” interviewers asking those “real” questions that get to the heart of our problems here in the US. Whew… I think I need to sit down for a minute.
Posted by: Shoe | July 29, 2010, 2:46 pm 2:46 pm
The Condolence letters are mas produced and mechanically signed, Obama has no Idea who gets them. The View, and ABC, has shown the true colors I have yelled about for years: If your are a Liberal/ Socialist/ Communist/ or Progressive, ABC will give you unfettered supporting airtime. IF you are a real AMERICAN, believe in the Constitution, obey the law, and try to get by on your own, ABC and the View don’t want to hear or air it. The only Redeeming feature of this group of Anti-Americans is that the “Allow” a token in Elisabeth, and she is constantly shouted down and interrupted by Joy “The Mouth” Behar. I stopped watching this show, and all of ABC, except for Boston Med, thats a good show.
Elisabeth(?), you have my sympathy, but, you show more guts than most in the Media by going into the “Lyons Den” Daily, be proud.
Posted by: myfightalso | July 29, 2010, 2:58 pm 2:58 pm
“Mr. Obama joked that he chose to come on the show because he “was trying to find a show that Michelle actually watched.”"
Not that I think the first lady is some sort of pillar of intelligence, but really she watches this tripe? I have to keep this in mind the next time she attempts to bring up policy in a speech.
Posted by: J.R. | July 29, 2010, 3:09 pm 3:09 pm
What it amounts to, is Obama is having a fun time, playing Mr. President, and traveling anywhere he wants to go, with or without the family, on the public’s nickle.
That pretty much sums up his first 18 mos., and I doubt much will change until 2012.
Posted by: Rick McDaniel | July 29, 2010, 3:23 pm 3:23 pm
Joy Behar: “…the right wing, through Fox News and other outlets, seem to be hijacking the narrative. Where on your side is the narrative? Where is your attack dog to come out and tell the American people, listen, this is what we did?”
“Joy, that’s your job,” the President joked, to which Behar shot back, “I do it! But I’m only one woman!”
Yeah, and JournoList can only carry so much water for this narcissistic President.
Posted by: Libs and the Lying Liars Who Elect Them | July 29, 2010, 4:47 pm 4:47 pm
In a brain race between Joy Behar and an amoeba who would win?
I’m not really very mean so I’ll be honest and say I think it would end in a tie.
Posted by: Noz | July 29, 2010, 5:02 pm 5:02 pm
“Let’s see Obama go on The View with Ann Coulter or Michelle Malkin.” – molly
I don’t really know these ladies but from what I hear they pass pieces of guys like Obama through their colons everyday.
“His support amomng AA might drop to 95%.” – hank
I don’t think so hank.
Every morning NoBo could take little kittens outside of the White House, stomp on their little heads and crush them and his support among AA would never drop below 96%.
Posted by: Noz | July 29, 2010, 5:10 pm 5:10 pm
“Condolence letters? President Bush used to call, meet with families of soldiers lost”
Bos Globe “WASHINGTON — Under growing pressure to acknowledge the extent of casualties in Iraq, President Bush held private meetings with families of fallen soldiers yesterday, followed by a pre-holiday pep talk to troops at the Fort Carson Army base whom he thanked for “standing between our country and grave danger.”"
And that was for a war based on lies.
Posted by: Ryan C | July 29, 2010, 8:17 pm 8:17 pm
As the president of United States, Obama could spend couple of hours outside DC to give a formal speech on the American Boyscout Jamboree, attended by 40,000 boyscout and scout leaders over the whole nations. The appearance on the Views founded by Babara Walters does not make him looks presidential.
Posted by: austin | July 29, 2010, 9:12 pm 9:12 pm
What it amounts to, is Obama is having a fun time, playing Mr. President, and traveling anywhere he wants to go, with or without the family, on the public’s nickle.
Posted by: Rick McDaniel | Jul 29, 2010 3:23:04 PM
And the Mrs. reserving 30 rooms for a 10 day vacation to Spain with her daughter. 30 rooms? What’s THAT all about? Then off to the Cape for summer vacation?
Glad to see the First Family is not that far removed from the rest of us. I recall a certain tv show in the 70′s or 80′s…
Posted by: MM | July 29, 2010, 9:19 pm 9:19 pm
..a mongrel people.”Is ABC going to cover this up?Truly,when this mediocrity gets off of the teleprompter there is no limit to the stupidity of his comments.And he had the gall to make fun of Special Olympians! louis vuitton watches
Posted by: armband thomas sabo | July 29, 2010, 10:40 pm 10:40 pm
It’s beyond me why Joy Behar would want the President to keep reminding the American People of all the disastrous bills he’s been involved with in his year and a half. Hey Joy, when you pass legislation that the majority of people did not want then it’s rather stupid to keep bringing it up for discussion. Best to keep the mouth closed and cut the loses.
Posted by: Noz | July 29, 2010, 11:14 pm 11:14 pm
Obama would prefer to schmooze it up with the ladies than do what’s hard – and that’s stand up to the environmentalists to get our country back into production again.
Posted by: EPU | July 30, 2010, 1:13 am 1:13 am
Ryan C – President Bush consoled families privately, the press dogged him to talk about the losses, two different things.
How long was President Obama in office, and how many soldiers returned in that time, before he went to pay his respects to those fallen soldiers? Exactly as long as it took for him to get clearance to bring a photographer along…
How many times did Bush’43 go to Walter Reed and visit wounded soldiers? How many times did he go to Edwards Air Force Base and pay respects to fallen soldiers? How many times did he meet with the families of fallen soldiers?
Remember Cindy Sheehan? Her desire for a SECOND meeting with Bush’43 was mis-understood by the press initially, because they thought she wanted to meet with him and he was avoiding her – when in fact he had already met with her… That was when America learned about Bush’43s private acts of mourning…
Posted by: N2vip | July 30, 2010, 2:46 am 2:46 am
Joy Behar and Chris Matthews should have a baby and name it after the POTUS.
Posted by: Dontget818 | July 30, 2010, 8:57 am 8:57 am
Now they are trying to make sound okay by talking about Bush. The only problem with that is that Obama has had his face plastered all over the tv since before he was elected. Some of us wish he would work instead of looking for photo ops. We have and administration that is more cond=cerned about the rights of non citzens than citizens. What is going on in this country!!???? It has to stop!!
Posted by: mj | July 30, 2010, 8:59 am 8:59 am
I don’t think a president should appear on a talk show period. He or she should have more respect for the office.
Thank you.
Posted by: Concerned Citizen | July 30, 2010, 9:39 am 9:39 am
George and Laura Bush went on Dr. Phil in 2004, talking about spanking kids.
President Obama took real questions, and answered like a smart adult.
Every time President Obama shows himself to be personable rather than just a thinker, he removes the excuses used by the right wing nuts to make him appear scary. Fox is helpless when he does this. It made more sense to answer questions affecting all of us, rather than be at a trumped up event even Fox would typically ignore.
Posted by: kravitz | July 30, 2010, 11:33 am 11:33 am
“Every time President Obama shows himself to be personable rather than just a thinker, he removes the excuses used by the right wing nuts to make him appear scary.” – kravitz
? ? ? ? ?
NoBo is a real nice guy.
As far as the man goes he’s not scary when he’s thinking or goofing.
What’s scary about Obama is his policies and his ideology.
He is a Social Activist.
We wanted a President.
Posted by: Noz | July 30, 2010, 11:45 am 11:45 am
Did you see the part where the president stated that his economic stimulus package had created 600,000 jobs (I think in response to Elizabeth’s question)?? So far, the democrits and Obama have spent $500,000,000,000.00 (yes folks, that is 500 billion or half a trillion dollars). You may need to buy yourself a special “Obama Porculus Calculator” but I will save you the trouble……….each job cost $833,333.33. Looks like the wealth did not get spread around very well did it?
Posted by: socialism101 | July 30, 2010, 1:08 pm 1:08 pm
Poor Elizabeth.. if she had pursued Obama on the job issue.. she would have been pummeled by 3 or 4 vicious coworkers. I guess she knows what it is like to be a minority.
Posted by: Dontget818 | July 30, 2010, 3:10 pm 3:10 pm
“How many times did Bush’43 go to Walter Reed and visit wounded soldiers?”
Probably not many.
Would you want to look a soldier who lost his leg to an IED and say “Sorry about that whole WMD thing and leaving you with an underfunded VA”?
Posted by: Ryan C | July 30, 2010, 4:37 pm 4:37 pm
It is unfortunate that the MSM shields Obama from difficult questions. The MSM thinks Obama will throw them favors -perhaps for now, however if his agenda and plan for the country takes effect, most in the MSM will be gone. A dictator only needs one mouth piece, who will that person be?
Posted by: Downwithsocialism | July 30, 2010, 9:40 pm 9:40 pm
“How many times did Bush’43 go to Walter Reed and visit wounded soldiers?”
Probably not many.
Posted by: Ryan C | Jul 30, 2010 4:37:09 PM
———————-
Actually he went frequently… but wanted to do it only for the benefit of the soldiers, not for his own, so only did it in private, excluding all press. He also met personally with family members from everyone killed in action — including Cindy Sheehan..
I wonder about Mr. Obama…????
Posted by: Quo Warranto? | July 30, 2010, 10:01 pm 10:01 pm
The incredible shrinking Presidency — and president….
Posted by: Quo Warranto? | July 30, 2010, 10:03 pm 10:03 pm
“He also met personally with family members from everyone killed in action”
I guess when you’re a birther you’ll believe just about anything.
Posted by: Ryan C | July 31, 2010, 8:56 pm 8:56 pm
“I guess when you’re a birther you’ll believe just about anything.”
Posted by: Ryan C | Jul 31, 2010 8:56:24 PM
I guess when you take your orders from Keith Olbermann, you’ll post just about anything.
Posted by: Libs and the Lying Liars Who Elect Them | July 31, 2010, 10:40 pm 10:40 pm