Michael Yo
President Obama's American Idol Remarks Could Cost Him In New York Debate
By Michael West on 16 October 2012
When President Barack Obama offered his opinion on the 'American Idol feud' between Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey he probably did so under the assumption that it would be a throw away statement that ensured he wasn't seen as being out of touch with the young voters who he hopes to woo next month.
If you haven't already heard, Obama called in for an interview on Michael Yo's radio show, during which he was asked his opinion on the Carey-Minaj feud. To be fair to the President, he answered the question well (They should be able to sort it out on their own), and often calls into Yo's show to answer trivial pop culture issues. In the past, he's given his views on Kanye West, Taylor Swift and Carly Rae Jepsen, though his remarks on American Idol appear to have tipped some of the electorate over the edge. Dan Gainor, Vice President of Business and Culture at the Media Research Center, told Fox411's Pop Tarts column, "For anyone who's a serious-minded voter, this is ludicrous. We'd like our president focused on global crises-like Libya for example. But Obama isn't trying to reach serious voters, he's trying to reach a few clueless young people more focused on 'American Idol' than American security." Entertainment website TheWrap.com ran a story on Monday with the headline, "Obama Stupidly Weighs in On Mariah-Minaj Dispute."
Of course, the real winner here is Mitt Romney, who heads into tonight's 90-minute debate at the Hofstra University on New York's Long Island with added ammunition. The Republican's putdowns almost write themselves, and Obama is already under pressure from his mediocre showing in the first debate.