POWIP Piece of Work In Progress

Confirmed! Obama’s “View” appearance a cynical ploy to woo soccer moms

Safely back into the Democrat fold, where they really belong anyway, right?  I apologize, dear reader, for seemingly obsessing over this like AllahP over Meghan McCain, but the smarminess of this ploy, the gall, the willingness to further diminish and debase of the Presidency is firmly stuck in my craw.

Unlike most guests who come to ABC's "The View," President Obama does not have a new movie, album or reality show to promote.

Instead, he's promoting himself and his agenda, sitting in the hot seat of the daytime talk show in an effort, once again, to go beyond the traditional media filter and speak directly to the American people, especially women.

Obama's Thursday appearance was taped today and will be his third on the show. It is his first as president -- indeed it is the first appearance of any sitting president on a daytime TV talk show.

So why sit down with "The View's" feisty and opinionated five hosts in the first place?

On Tuesday, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the decision was made to put the president on "The View" because it provides an opportunity "to talk to people where they are."

The president's approval ratings have hit new lows, according to the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll. Nearly six in 10 Americans say they lack confidence in the president to make the right decisions for the country, and a majority doubts his handling of the economy.

The ABC daytime program is unique because it is hosted by five women and its audience skews heavily female -- a voting group that has trended Democrat and went for Obama 56-43 over Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in the 2008 presidential election.

As Obama's overall approval ratings have dropped, he also has lost support from women, from a high of 72 percent support in February 2009 when he was still glowing from the presidential campaign and inauguration to an approval of 51 percent today.

So even ABC's own site doesn't attempt to sugar coat the President's purely political ploy.  My favorite line?  The one that characterized the show's hosts as "5 feisty and opinionated women".  Puh-leez.  It's more like 4 uber-libs and a token conservative.  Based on their own words it is crystal clear that the only thing the Obama bunch really values about women are their potential votes, and they believe that to earn them all they need to do is have O! get his "Mack" on

Jessica Coen, editor of Jezebel.com, a popular website aimed at women, sees "The View" appearance as a prime opportunity for Obama to show some personality and "lay on the charm," which she feels has been in short supply given recent challenges.

"You go on 'The View' and you sit Obama down with these women and some of them may fawn on him; some may not. But either way he's going to be charming," said Coen. "The target audience for 'The View' is going to appreciate and be reminded of Barack Obama's personality when he goes out here." [emphasis-ed.]

O.M.G...In all my years of flying high performance fighters I never needed a barf bag; certainly not like I do now, after reading these passages.

And furthermore, I'd like to stress to the women out there that Barack Obama, and the Democrat party, believes that his good looks, demeanor, personality, and charm trump, you know, actual issues with you all.  That women don't really worry their pretty little heads about issues, fiddle-dee-dee; why pesky thinking might give you the vapors, a migraine, and cause wrinkles !  No, what truly, and completely, influences women voters is simply how "smooth" a politician comes off.  Hah!, if that were so, Billy Dee Williams would have been the first black President 25 years ago...

The Financial times sees through the charade to the underying political play.

When Barack Obama appears on Thursday on the homey set of The View, all couches and coffee cups, he can expect laughs and soft questions from “the ladies” – led by television mavens Barbara Walters and Whoopi Goldberg.

Mr Obama’s administration, facing dismal marks even from friendly pollsters, is making a new push to talk to Middle America, trying to recapture some of his old campaign magic before November’s midterm Congressional elections. And all without having to go through the pesky medium of the White House press corps.

Hence the new drive to present Mr Obama as a regular guy, sitting on a couch talking about his daughters with a bunch of moms. Before heading to the studio for the show’s taping on Wednesday he visited the Tastee Sub Shop in New Jersey, another high-calorie photo opp for a president once derided for his penchant for arugula (rocket).

All this is aimed at reminding voters why they turned out in droves for the man who promised change in 2008, and encouraging them to do the same in the less-glamorous midterms.

But his recent attempts to connect with the public have simply served to underscore the extent to which the shine has come off Mr Obama’s halo.

I hope that it's really true, that folks are seeing through this entire act, and won't be bamboozled again.  Especially American women.  As usual, I fall back on my customary thought experiment; what if a prominent conservative blatantly bypassed the traditional media outlets and made an appearance on a daytime show, fielding only softball questions, openly believeing that his charm and good looks alone could sway substantial numbers of female voters?  Can you imaging the white hot OUTRAGE!?!?  And when is the press corps going to finally get tired of being blown off by this guy, and get wise to the fact that he played them like useful idiots; the role Democrats have seen the press as fulfilling for years.

This episode not only reveals the low opinion that Democrats have for women, but the shameless pandering that's inherent to their identity politics; and in this instance all the panderer-in-chief is offering is his charisma!  I only hope that few are swayed.

And I'll get down off my soapbox now, and let you tell me what you think.

Rocketman