still senator obama on experience and media

In an early-campaign interview with then still Senator Barack Obama, Jon Stewart is able to poke Obama on how he thinks he should deal with press allegations and the whole "experience" narrative, which was then ruling the conversation. We now know The Guy made good on the guy's word.

With all the media-crazed attention America's previous and current administration are getting it's easy to forget The Daily Show is not a political satire at heart. Way I always understood it the premise was about exposing the ridiculousness of global mainstream (news-)media. Over the years Jon and his team have developed quite an instinct for finding and exposing the myriad of techniques used by the news media to sway public opinion.

obama's approach to media

In part one of this two part interview with (then still) Senator Barack Obama, Jon is able to draw on *his experience and engages Obama in an interesting conversation about how he, a labeled inexperienced player, and his team are dealing with attempts at changing his image.

What I find both refreshing and reassuring is how Barack, then six months into the race, positions himself. Sharp in recognizing the issue of being pushed into facing odd claims and allegations, sharp enough to admit to a bit of 'game playing' himself.
But what struck me most is how normal he seems. Normal in the sense of "hey, I could sit with this guy and have a conversation over a cuppa 'spresso". I sensed a willingness not only to debate but also to having the conversation. A keen sense of humor on top of that sure helps in grading his likeability, yet somehow I think he kind-of missed the whole "keg" joke Jon was trying to pull.

on experience

In this second part Jon is picking Obama's mind on how he perceives his position within people's perception on experience. This is where Sen. Obama is able to really get on a soapbox and give his opinion on some of these issues.

One thing seems clear: he is pretty disgusted with how common sense made way for hollow semantics.
He is also very much aware this counts for most of the people and likes to acknowledge this. Yet, by first setting that HE is less than impressed with how things have been handled in these past years, his acknowledgement really does seem sincere and not so much a vote-winning-strategy (though it'll probably work as such).

I very much enjoyed re-visiting this interview. Since he fits his role so well as a president it's easy to forget this is also a person we could at one time identify with (or identify being with). Good thing he understands media very well and there's little gems like these floating around for us to look back and check on the guy before The Guy.

The Daily Show

August 22, 2007
Barack Obama Pt. 1 (6.15)
Barack Obama Pt. 2 (6.15)