President Obama appeared on The View Thursday—a first for a sitting president. He blamed the "24/7 media cycle" for the "phony controversy" over Shirley Sherrod. He also refused to address the Mel Gibson controversy, saying he’d rather talk about Afghanistan, and said he did not know much about Snooki from Jersey Shore. WATCH HIGHLIGHTS BELOW and read reaction from Nicolle Wallace, Tunku Varadarajan, Dayo Olopade, and Dana Goldstein.
More Than Just Girl TalkBy Dana Goldstein
The misogynist blowhards who claimed it was beneath the president of the United States to appear on The View ought to be ashamed of themselves. If you read Rebecca Traister’s excellent new chronicle of the 2008 presidential campaign, Big Girls Don’t Cry, you can revisit The View’s tough September 2008 interview with John McCain, in which Joy Behar confronted the Republican nominee about his misleading TV ads and Whoopi Goldberg pressed him on abortion rights and his interpretation of the Constitution.
Be More Like Biden, ObamaBy Nicolle Wallace
The president seemed surprisingly irritated as he spoke to the wise women of The View. Former Bush strategist Nicolle Wallace on what he can learn from his vice president.
I Don't Care About Obama's iPodBy Meghan McCain
It’s smart for President Obama to try to reach The View’s female audience, writes Meghan McCain, but with all the problems in the world, he needs to stop talking about Jay-Z.
A Soothing PerformanceBy Dayo Olopade
President Obama’s star turn on The View helped remind us how calming the president can be. But he muffed the chance to tell the country where he’s leading us.
Obama's Televised Turn-OffBy Tunku Varadarajan
The president’s appearance on The View, billed as the first-ever by a chief executive on a daytime talk show, was the apotheosis of the anodyne.
Joy Behar Was RightBy Jeff Shesol
The co-hostess of The View faulted Obama for failing to tell the country where he was leading us. Jeff Shesol on what the president could learn from FDR about vision.
Click Below to Watch Obama Explain Why He’s Not a Biracial President
Click Below to Watch Obama Get Grilled About Pop Culture