Posted on 03/12/2014 10:58:46 AM PDT by Kaslin
For years, conservatives have puzzled over President Barack Obama's continued personal popularity in the face of his dramatically uninspiring performance as commander-in-chief. Obama seems to inspire a bizarre personal loyalty among his advocates, particularly among young people who should by all rights be concerned with their fading futures and collapsing prospects. Why do his numbers remain so stubbornly mediocre?
The answer came Tuesday in the form of a ridiculous video cut by Obama with the help of "The Hangover" star Zach Galifianakis and the online outlet Funny or Die. Funny or Die is in the viral video business; it often features celebrities in bizarre skits designed to draw clicks. But Funny or Die also has a political agenda: In September, the Los Angeles Times reported that Funny or Die honcho Mike Farah had become an integral part of "the campaign to ensure the success of President Obama's healthcare law." Obama enlisted Farah in July 2013 during a meeting with Hollywood bigwigs in which Obama recruited his arts team to rally to the Obamacare cause.
The video, the latest in an ongoing series of episodes of a faux talk show titled "Between Two Ferns," has Galifianakis interviewing Obama about Obamacare. The portly actor, best known for playing a moron in movies, asks Obama questions about whether he will miss winning at basketball when he is no longer president. Obama, on script, answers by getting testy with Galifianakis before pushing Obamacare with his usual lack of verve: "Healthcare.gov works great now. And millions of Americans have already gotten health care plans. And what we want is for people to know that you can get affordable health care."
That wasn't Obama's only major media appearance this week. Obama also introduced the Fox reboot of the miniseries "Cosmos," explaining to Americans that hope and change could still be attained through science: "America has always been a nation of fearless explorers who dream big and reach farther than others might imagine." Which sounds better than "America has always been a nation of close-minded bigots requiring the intervention of government to force them into tolerance and diversity."
Obama's pop-cultural focus may seem demeaning to the office of the presidency. It may be mockable. But it is also tremendously effective. In the first 24 hours alone, the "Between Two Ferns" segment received almost 8 million views; approximately 20,000 people visited Healthcare.gov directly from the watching the segment. That's not bad for a pure propaganda effort.
Conservatives must understand that culture is the lifeblood of politics. Most Republicans have no idea what Funny or Die is, let alone why people watch it. BuzzFeed is a dirty word to most conservatives, even though their sons and daughters read it regularly for its cat lists -- and some of them stay for the leftist politics. Obama gets culture, or at least does a serviceable job of pretending he does. His shock troops in the entertainment industry are willing to do the rest on behalf of the Obama agenda.
Funny, I don't find him the least bit entertaining, and he sure as hell ain't my president!
Just right for The Entertainment Tonight Media.
Sarah Palin figured it out five years ago but was bashed viciously for it.
Cosmos is a repeat and update from one of the most anti religious astronomers ever to get his face on TV, Carl Sagan. It is fitting that Obama should support it.
And Obama is so much more effective at this because all his hipster fans have a LOT of time to kill every day living in their parent’s basement collecting unemployment.
True dat!
He does this because he believes he can get to young people. He wants his message to get out there to people who can still be influenced which is why TV shows that have young people or stars who have fans that are young often works. He was effective for 2008 and 2012. However, he will not be able to get the young to the voting booth in 2014. However, if he can get some of his issues he wants passed to become popular among the young, he feels that it has a chance of passing. In some ways, I really wish that our Presidential candidates would use some media to get to the young people. Why should the young all be liberals just because it has been that way for generations?
he sure as hell ain’t my president!
Yeah right. You are in this with the rest of us. You don’t get to pretend this is just a nightmare.
Die, cause it sure as hell wasn’t funny.
The Pop Star president. Pee Wee’s Biggest Adventure.
Neither is he mine
Excellent point
If it was not for training via American Idol (on Fox of all places), then there would be no BHO in the Oval Office.
No if the LSM had done it's job and vetted 0bama, that arrogant pos would have never been elected president
I watched this video earlier today. It is absolutely pathetic. Obama has no respect for the Office of The President. Did his advisers really think it was a good idea for him to do this web cast? Or was it Obama's own idea, and everyone around him was afraid to speak up and say it's not a good idea. Then he wonder why his approval rating is sinking like a rock, and other world leaders regard him as a lightweight.
As far as I am concerned, the only respect he deserves is disrespect
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