Former President Barack Obama suggested that Stephen Colbert, the former comedian, should consider running for president.
During a pre-recorded segment on the now-canceled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Colbert, facing a career change, sought a compliment and got one from Obama.
Colbert: I’m looking for a new job soon, and a lot of folks are saying I should run for president.
Obama: Yes, that’s definitely been suggested before.
Colbert: Just to clarify, I think that’s a pretty silly idea. How ridiculous is it for people to suggest I should run for president?
Obama: Well, let’s just say the standards have shifted.
Colbert: Exactly! Sometimes they dip even lower. There’s no need to feel down about it.
Obama: I believe you could do a lot better than some of the candidates we’ve seen recently.
For those who can hold back the laughter, there’s a link to the video:
While I’m not a fan of Colbert, it’s hard not to notice the stark contrast between Obama’s charm and charisma compared to Colbert. Obama has a magnetic presence that shines through, almost like watching a seasoned actor at work. Colbert, on the other hand, tends to lack that same appeal. It’s surprising he’s held onto his position for as long as he has, especially given the current entertainment industry dynamics.
In what appears to be a jab at Trump, Obama mentioned that a president shouldn’t dictate who gets indicted by the Justice Department, raising some eyebrows.
This chat seems to serve as a favor between Obama and CBS, with an interview taking place at his newly unveiled presidential library in Chicago. One could say that the left tends to support each other in the entertainment sphere. Colbert gets a friendly nod from his favorite former president while Obama benefits from some publicity for his library.
Obama also offered thoughts on the “norms” of governance, even as he once maneuvered against the Obamacare legislation. He suggested that the nation would need to work to restore foundational norms.
“The 44th president responded to serious inquiries about the powers he feels a president shouldn’t possess,” according to Entertainment Weekly. He noted that we might need to make an effort to return to these basic expectations and perhaps codify them from now on.
Barry, how do you reconcile this with the accusations of fabricating the Russian collusion narrative aimed at your political opponent?
Colbert’s last show is scheduled for two weeks from May 21st. Being quite the narcissist, it’s likely he’ll try to keep the spotlight on himself. His claims of martyrdom feel misplaced, especially as CBS has revealed that his poorly received programs are draining over $40 million annually. We might reminisce about his take on “norms,” especially the notorious joke about Trump that many found distasteful.
