Obama Uses A Selfie Stick To Plug The Health Law’s Fast-Approaching Sign-Up Deadline
In what some say is an effort to "go viral" with his message about the Feb. 15 Affordable Care Act enrollment deadline, President Barack Obama used "meme cliches" in a video posted by Buzzfeed.
The Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire:
Obama Embraces Meme Cliches In HealthCare.gov Pitch
President Barack Obama used a “selfie stick” and riffed on the popular “Thanks Obama” Internet meme to plug the latest health-care signup deadline in a new video posted by BuzzFeed. In a “Things Everybody Does But Doesn’t Talk About” video for the social news and entertainment website, Mr. Obama took a photo of himself using a “selfie stick” device and an iPhone. He also muttered “Thanks Obama” when his cookie was too large to fit in a glass of milk — citing an Internet meme where trivial, everyday indignities are blamed on him. He concludes the video with “YOLO,” short for “you only live once.” (Tau, 2/12)
Politico:
Between Two Mirrors, Obama Touts Health Law Sign-Up
President Barack Obama made a comic online video — complete with silly faces and several shots with a selfie stick — that reminds Americans that they only have through Sunday to sign up this year for Obamacare. A BuzzFeed video released Thursday shows the commander-in-chief speaking and checking himself out in front of a mirror, practicing his messaging that people should go to HealthCare.gov by Feb. 15 to get covered. ..After an appearance on “The Colbert Report” early in this year’s health law sign-up season, the president has been pretty low key about enrollment. This video — a follow-up perhaps to last year’s deadpan “Between Two Ferns” appearance with Zach Galifianakis — is the latest youth-focused effort on the part of the administration to boost sign-ups before the open enrollment period closes at midnight Pacific time Sunday. (Pradhan, 2/12)
The New York Times' First Draft:
Obama, A Selfie Stick And The Affordable Care Act
President Obama has made it abundantly clear that he will do almost anything to make sure the Affordable Care Act is a success. The latest example came on Thursday, with the release of a video produced by BuzzFeed showing him playing with a “selfie stick,” admiring himself in sunglasses, and practicing his jump shot alone in his office. Without a ball. Why would the commander in chief go through such humiliation? To remind people that they need to sign up for health insurance. (2/12)
