President Obama on 'Funny or Die': Funny or dud?
President Obama on Tuesday appeared in actor Zach Galifianakis鈥� satirical talk show on the 鈥淔unny or Die鈥� web site. This was perhaps the boldest 鈥� or most outrageous 鈥� example yet of the White House attempt to market the Affordable Care Act to young people using nontraditional media.
The Pajama Boy ad for Obamacare? The use of the Doge Internet meme in a blast e-mail urging health insurance sign-ups? Those were perhaps conventional uses of media compared to this.
That鈥檚 because 鈥淏etween Two Ferns鈥� and Mr. Galifianakis are not 鈥淭he Tonight Show鈥� and Jimmy Fallon. On the show Galifianakis apes a bored, unprepared cable access host. With the president of the United States on, the actor made sure to establish this tone right away.
鈥淪orry I had to cancel a few times last week,鈥� Galifianakis said. 鈥淢y mouse pad broke. I had to get my great aunt some diabetes shoes.鈥�
鈥淣o problem,鈥� replied Obama. 鈥淲hen I heard that people actually watch this show, I was pretty surprised.鈥�
Galifianakis went on to ask a series of 鈥渜uestions," such as what Obama has planned for follow-up after pardoning a turkey for 2013, and whether Hulk Hogan or Tonya Harding would be a better US envoy to Syria.
Obama replied in kind. They did a pretty good job of acting annoyed with each other. At least, we assume it was acting.
鈥淲hat鈥檚 it like to be the last black president?鈥� Galifianakis asked at one point.
鈥淲hat鈥檚 it like for this to be the last time you ever talk to a president?鈥� Obama shot back.
About half-way through the six-minute show, the president segued into Obamacare after the host sighed and asked what his (Obama鈥檚) plug was.
Obama made the points the White House is trying to emphasized with young people 鈥� that health insurance costs less than their cell phone, and that they are not invincible in terms of health problems.
鈥淒id you say 鈥榠nvisible?鈥� 鈥� asked Galifianakis.
At the end, the set falls down, and it鈥檚 revealed that the show is being taped in the Diplomatic Room at the White House. Galifianakis says that鈥檚 where the show is always done.
鈥淵ou鈥檝e been filming here all these years, who gave you permission to do that?鈥� asked Obama.
鈥淏ush," says the 鈥淗angover鈥� movie star.
Will this accomplish White House goals? That will be easier to answer once final enrollment figures are in on March 31. If nothing else, the appearance shows how hard the administration is trying to attract the coveted young, healthier cohort of enrollees.
Some pundits enjoyed it.
鈥淏est/Worst thing about #Obama鈥檚 schedule today is he鈥檚 already peaked,鈥� tweeted veteran National Journal reporter Ron Fournier.
Others didn鈥檛.
鈥淚 like esoteric comedy as much as the next guy, but this is effective outreach? POTUS has nothing better to do?鈥� , senior writer at The Weekly Standard.
Maybe not, in terms of larger political outreach. The administration鈥檚 goal here could be selling the Democratic brand in general to young people as much as the Affordable Care Act in particular.
After all, the youngest voters of the Millennial generation do not lean Democratic, points out George Washington University political scientist John Sides, . In the 2012 presidential election, Mitt Romney won among voters age 18 to 20.
The explanation for this is that the political allegiance of generations coming of voting age is determined by the economic and political fundamentals of that time. And the youngest voters cast their first ballot at a time when Obama鈥檚 overall approval rating is low.
鈥淎 booming economy and a popular president will push young people toward the president鈥檚 party. A recession and an unpopular president will push young people toward the opposite party,鈥� writes Professor Sides.
In this context, the untraditional marketing methods for Obamacare make sense on several levels. They may boost enrollment 鈥� and they may win back some wavering voters before they become committed to the GOP.
