Mary Kate Cary of U.S. News writes:
In fact, no sitting president has ever appeared on any comedy show. Richard Nixon did “Sock It To Me” on Laugh-In as a candidate for president—despite the objections of his staff, according to Nixon speechwriter Pat Buchanan—and Bill Clinton did the Arsenio Hall Show, but also as a candidate. President Bush #41 went on Saturday Night Live with Dana Carvey, but only after he left office. There’s a reason presidents don’t do comedy on television, especially in tough times.
Well, Gerald Ford taped a cameo appearance to say “Live From New York, It’s Saturday Night”, to air at the top of the show when his press secretary hosted an early edition of Saturday Night Live in April of 1976. Of course, foreshadowing the incipient partisanship of today’s NBC, the writers of the show later admitted, “The President’s watching. Let’s make him cringe and squirm.”
Somehow I doubt that Jay Leno, whose politics are remarkably simpatico with President Obama’s, despite his everyman image, will allow his writers to wreak such havoc.
Update: Further thoughts from Red State.com.
Barack Obama is foolish for agreeing to go on the Jay Leno show. First of all—he will not be able to rely on his teleprompter. He will be forced to spend the entire time adlibbing. The man, alas, simply does not have the ability to do this. On top of that, Obama will apparently focus on the economy. The problem, of course, is that Obama is an economic illiterate. This appearance will prove to be a disaster.
The Christian Science Monitor’s quips to the contrary, I think the president can survive an untethered EVA.
While it’s obvious that President Obama uses the teleprompter extensively when even the Politico comments on it, he did get through the presidential debates fairly well. And this is much more of a softball appearance.
No doubt, Leno’s producers will have Obama well-prepped for the segment, and Leno will likely not produce any surprise questions, as NBC has far too much invested in the president to allow him to fail. We may find lots to criticize afterward about Obama’s economic references (not to mention the polices that underpin them), but I doubt he’ll say anything that makes the public at large go, “huh?”.
Leno should put him in a Jaywalkers segment.
His appearance implies that everything in America is all hopey.
The facts do not contend that things are all hopey.
I think his joking and apparent nonchalance concerning this economic crisis changey time is not a good time to go on a comedy show.
This will make the ONE appear as the messiah he and his minions believe he is. Leno’s audience will swoon, Leno will be in full-grovel mode and Kevin will be so enraptured he’ll just gaze with stars in his eyes. This is a no-brain win for the ONE.
what, no teleprompter on tv? are you that clueless? TV is where the “TELEprompter was invented. He will be fabulous, he will be witty and quick and witty and witty. because they will rehearse it and rewrite it and then rehearse it some more until he is “witty”. Please review every politician’s appearance on one of these shows, they always appear funny and witty…it is almost a cliche, it reflects very badly on the show if they do not manage to make the politician look witty. that is why politicians agree to go on, duh.
Leno will serve up softballs so Dear Leader can blame Bush for the economy and demonize Wall Street while shoveling trillions at them.
The segment will be as rehearsed as possible- Leno will be ‘the straight man’ and will serve up softballs for Obama to hit into the cheap seats- also, even though Obama might not have his teleprompter, he certainly will have cue cards available- finally, if all else fails, Leno will carry Obama’s skinny ass thru the segment, and won’t let The One fail…
“How low do you have to stoop in the country to be President?” -Hunter S Thompson
I agree Ed. Reading Leno’s comments via your link surprised me as to the extent of their leftist irrationality. I’m wondering if he’s a self-serving fraud, no different than Hollywood’s elite.
This will be easy for Obama:
Leno: “What caused the economy to collapse?”
Obama: “George Bush”
Leno: “Why is the war in Afghanistan going badly?”
Obama: “George Bush”
etc, etc, etc
Geez Louise. Another media appearance.
Is this Obama ever going to buckle down and do his freakin’ job? A lot of us are depending upon him.
I can already see President Cue-Card now:
Hi.Jay.Great.to.be.here.I.just.flew.in.from.Washington.and.boy.are.my.arms.tired!
(tumultuous laughter and applause)
He can spend his talking-to-America time reading dry and boring announcements and speeches off of a teleprompter directly into a TV camera, or he can go on a nationally popular show, surrounded by funny, popular, influential people who love him and respect him and who would probably flub their own lines just to cover any mistakes he might make and who will no doubt be doing their utmost to sell Him to the country.
Hmm. Tough one . . . .
Obama will lip-synce Prince: “..gonna party like its 1999…”
He would have appeared on Letterman but the FCC frowns upon a talk show host giving fellatio to a president even at that hour.
You know, I remember when FDR appeared on Jack Benny at the height of the Depression… oh, wait, no I don’t…
Has O man no advisors? Doesn’t he understand the law of over exposure? Or, does he just need the klieg lights to get his juices goin’?
Cause, from where I type, all the man can do is run. Run, Barry, Run… and, sometimes, it seems as if he’s running away from Michele… which makes some sense… more sense than most of what’s been going on, anyway.
Obama is doing the Leno show because it allows him to play directly to his base: air-headed, celebutard-worshipping liberals. Somehow I don’t see Leno going all Jon Stewart on Obama. Peace, love, and marshmallow questions.
Leno has been faithfully attacking the Obama administration’s enemies list… Limbaugh, Cheney, Bristol Palin, and I see tonight he’s STILL attacking George Bush.
I’m sure Jay will make his own teleprompter available to the President, and not cover anything that hasn’t been prescreened.
Obama’s Debt Star … it may be heading your way
Obama could do the Krusty the Clown show – he’d be a natural.
Obama knows that he will eventually have to face the press corps without pre-screened questions and a teleprompter. I take this as a training round before he actually tries this. I suspect he will make a few of these appearances before he attempts going solo.
I’ve been through this. It’s all worked out in advance. The interview is not rehearsed as such, but the questions are given (in this case, to White House aides) in advance. Hillary, Laura Bush, countless others — this is the routine.
Very low risk appearance for Obama. Almost a setup.
Two words.
Joaquin Phoenix.
Who gives a rat’s a$$ – I don’t watch panem-et-circenses TV. I don’t watch politicians – I may read the transcript – this keeps my TV screen intact.
Besides, what can he possibly say that’s new?
Apologies to Mary Cary, but a sitting president has appeared on a comedy show. While still president Gerald Ford opened Saturday Night Live with, “I’m Gerald Ford. And you’re not.”
Obama will do just fine without teleprompter—softball questions, known in advance, and NBC will edit out any problems… he’ll look like a cross between Einstein, MLK, Mother Theresa and FDR by the time they’re done editing.