After all three Thursday network morning shows gushed over Barack Obama being David Letterman’s first guest on the former late-night host’s new Netflix series, on Friday’s NBC Today, correspondent Willie Geist seized on the former president deriding Fox News viewers during the interview, even while condemning “divisiveness” in the country.
Hailing Obama’s appearance with Letterman as “a highly-anticipated blast from the past,” Geist touted how the Democrat “opened up about his transition from president back to private citizen.” The reporter went on to note that “the hour-long interview offers a rare glimpse into President Obama’s personal life, but he does talk politics.”
“He didn’t specifically mention his successor, President Trump. Instead, the former commander-in-chief saying he believes social media and personalized news sources have caused divisiveness among Americans,” Geist declared. A soundbite followed of Obama ranting: “If you watch Fox News, you are living on a different planet than you are if you, you know, listen to NPR.” His comments were greeted with cheers and applause from the friendly audience.
Geist did mention one regret from the former commander-in-chief: “President Obama also reflecting on his time in office, telling Letterman he wishes he would have acted less presidential and more relatable.” Apparently Obama thought his only flaw was that he was too presidential.
The biased segment was brought to viewers by Nissan, Verizon Fios, and Havertys Furniture.
Here are excerpts of the January 12 report:
(...)
8:34 AM ET
WILLIE GEIST: A highly-anticipated blast from the past. Former President Barack Obama making his first talk show appearance since leaving office, on David Letterman’s new Netflix series, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction.
BARACK OBAMA: He’s got this biblical beard, you know. Do you have a staff?
GEIST: The former Late Show host coming out of retirement to profile a line-up of familiar faces, starting with Obama, who opened up about his transition from president back to private citizen.
OBAMA: I think there was a sense that I had run the race, I’d completed it, I was proud of the work that we had done, and that I was ready for the next stage.
GEIST: From sleeping in to vacationing in the British Virgin Islands, President Obama talking about his life after the White House.
(...)
8:36 AM ET
GEIST: The hour-long interview offers a rare glimpse into President Obama’s personal life, but he does talk politics. He didn’t specifically mention his successor, President Trump. Instead, the former commander-in-chief saying he believes social media and personalized news sources have caused divisiveness among Americans.
OBAMA: If you watch Fox News, you are living on a different planet [Cheers and applause] than you are if you, you know, listen to NPR.
GEIST: President Obama also reflecting on his time in office, telling Letterman he wishes he would have acted less presidential and more relatable.
OBAMA: Were not for the Constitution, there’d be Michelle.
LETTERMAN: Oh! [Cheers and applause]
OBAMA: No, no, no, no.
GEIST: And a strong reaction when the audience seemed to think the former president was hinting at the possibility of another Obama White House.
OBAMA: You guys are misunderstanding me. What I’m saying is, I’m prevented from running again by the Constitution. But even if it were not for that amendment, Michelle would leave me. [Laughter]
GEIST: And she’s shown no interest in running herself, either.
(...)
