“Hi, I’m Barack Obama, President of the United States. Ask me anything” — as if he needed an introduction.
President Obama made what appears to be an impromptu appearance on Reddit, a social media site self-described as the “front page of the Internet.” He answered 10 questions that ranged from the White House’s homemade beer to rising student loan debt to his regretful surge of soldiers into Afghanistan. “Not bad,” the president said, referring to his experience on Reddit.
His appearance on Reddit reminds us of John F. Kennedy’s appearance on primetime television. Former President Kennedy charmed viewers with his charisma and composure, while his opponent, former President Nixon, fought to stay articulate. Obama’s appearance on Reddit signifies an effort to reconnect with youth voters and to re-energize his core constituents, who are perhaps disenchanted by politics and disappointed with his promises during his 2008 campaign.
The president sounded thoughtful, even down-to-earth, as he expressed regret for his inability to carry through on his promises swiftly. Not once did he mention anything negative about the Republican Party, or his opponent Mitt Romney.
The Reddit appearance is timely with Ann Romney-related mentions on Twitter. According to CBS News, mentions of Ann Romney doubled to 6,195 Tweets per minute after her speech to presidential candidate Mitt Romney at the Republican National Convention. “I could tell you why I fell in love with him (Romney),” she said. “He was tall, laughed a lot. He was nervous. Girls like that.”
But @alexcbeauchamp wasn’t buying the good-guy routine. “I hope I’m never in a position where my wife gives a speech to ‘humanize’ me,” he Tweeted the night of the convention.
Romney has been trying to up his relatability factor during the course of his campaign, but the president’s easy candor on Reddit gives political candidates a new standard to rise to. No longer can a speech or a chummy talking head turn the tides of public opinion. Now, candidates need an online presence that is both accessible and trendy.
Whether you plan on voting for Barack Obama or not, it is important to acknowledge the boldness with which he decided to face Reddit. It would be difficult to imagine even Ron Paul, a person comfortable in his candor, making himself vulnerable to the possible heckling of the Internet. The president may be embarrassed by some of the feedback his Reddit presence garnered — he did use the wrong “their,” after all — he took a risk and put himself, not a public relations representative, in charge of facing the Internet.
Whether he knows it or not, Obama has set the precedent for the way American presidents ought to connect with their citizens. Americans want to connect with our presidents and be friendly with them, not just hear them as a voice of authority.
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