Former President Barack Obama said Sunday he was avoiding watching political media as the 2024 election looms, telling a group of social media heavyweights that we live in “cynical times.”
Speaking alongside the president at a Biden campaign fundraiser in Los Angeles on Saturday, Obama told select TikTok and Instagram creators that he understands how hard it is for them to avoid politics in their work.
“We live in cynical times,” Obama said, “and I think, frankly, a lot of the people who watch you and listen to you and are your fans are often tired of the political debate.”
“I get it,” he continued, “I’ll be honest with you, I mostly watch sports because everything feels like a slash-and-burn situation.”
Obama also pitched the 81-year-old Biden to a cast of mostly young, progressive content creators.
Young people are generally skeptical of Biden, concerned by his age and his differences with his policies, particularly on how to handle the war between Israel and Hamas.
“Joe Biden, you may not agree with everything he does,” Obama said, “and, by the way, you didn’t agree with everything I do. And that’s OK, because in a country as big and as messy and as complicated as this one, disagreements are going to happen.”
“But the fundamental trajectory of Joe Biden is what he believes in his heart,” he continued. “Nine times out of 10, he’s going to make a decision that’s in line with your deepest beliefs.”
The Biden campaign Struggled to attract young people And progressives on the court, key demographics in battleground states, and close election races in 2024. That includes young content creators who can use their platforms to boost voter turnout.
But Obama urged creators to look past their differences and find common ground — and to use their platforms to help support the president.
“I want you to have an impact. It doesn’t have to be boring. It doesn’t have to be a bunch of charts and graphs,” Obama said. “I understand that people are going to swipe and scroll. You have to use humor and other elements that will grab people’s attention.”
