Another Fine Mess: Comics Whack Obama

by Mark Leibovich

WASHINGTON — Is President Obama in trouble with his late-night comedy base?

It’s likely he hasn’t noticed or doesn’t care. He is, after all, in the midst of his oft-invoked “full plate” of supposedly “defining moments” in his presidency — a “defining” decision on Afghanistan, “defining” legislative battle on health care, among other “defining” things.

But there is perhaps another more subtle set of "defining” episodes playing out for Mr. Obama in the televised comedy salons that had previously, by and large, been relatively gentle spaces for him. The bits about him are getting harsher. They are no longer just gentle gibes about Bo the dog, big ears, bad bowling and beer summits.

A conspicuous (if not “defining”) episode occurred Oct. 3 on Saturday Night Live in a skit set in the Oval Office. The president (played by Fred Armisen) was defending his record against critics who had accused him of turning the United States “into something that resembles the Soviet Union or Nazi Germany.” Not so, protested the faux-Bama.

“When you look at my record, it’s very clear what I’ve done so far,” he said. “And that is nothing.”

The sketch went on to show Mr. Obama/Armisen running through a checklist of things he had vowed to do — closing Guantánamo Bay prison, overhauling health care. All were marked, Not Done.

“Looking at this list I am seeing two big accomplishments,” he said. “Jack and Squat.” And ouch...  Read the whole article.