President Obama visits The Daily Show

President Obama visits The Daily Show President Obama on The Daily Show October 18, 2012Getty Images It was disappointing that Stewart, after spending the better part of his eighteenth season criticizing the softball questions the media often directs towards candidates, could not come up with better questions himself to ask the President. Even the phrasing of the questions was embarrassingly soft, as when he asked if President Obama thought he had a “stronger affirmative case for a second Barack Obama presidency or a stronger negative case for a Mitt Romney presidency,” or if he preferred a “melange?” The President predictably stated that he thought he had a good case for both, and then returned, again, to his talking points. I genuinely expected more from Jon Stewart. He can continue to insist that he’s just a comedian, and his political views clearly bias him in favor of Obama, but once you’ve won multiple Peabody awards, he can’t get away with simply referencing Joe Biden in a swimsuit when he interviews the President of the United States. (Although, that joke, and Obama’s quick and funny retort was, arguably, the high point of the interview.) Stewart’s questions could have been sharper and more direct, but with only three weeks until the election, you can’t blame the President for wanting to stay on script. He spoke in front of an audience that could not have been more receptive and enthusiastic if it was created in a Democrat chemist’s top secret laboratory. Obama’s closing statement, urging people to vote may have been the most controversial statement he made all evening, if for nothing else, because it inadvertently brings up one of the key issues of this election season: the Electoral College. While on The View, Mitt Romney’s wife, Ann, also unknowingly referenced the corrupt nature of the college. While speaking with the hosts, someone mentioned that in New York, there are not many political ads. Mrs. Romney answered, “Trust me, the audience members that are in swing states are sick of [political ads].” This statement highlights the already visible pandering to swing states, like Ohio, which of late, seems to be the only state in the Union that matters to the candidates. It is a shame that instead of visiting every state, candidates are forced to focus on only those that might win them strategic electoral votes. For more on the Electoral College, check out this nytimes.com documentary with Mo Rocca: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skojvOueqJw