ABC’s World News Highlights Walters Wondering How Obamas Get It On: ‘How Do You Keep the Fire Going?’
ABC News had to wait two weeks to get on air Barbara Walters’ interview with the Obamas -- and then the network’s evening newscast decided to focus on her asking Barack and Michelle Obama about their sex life.
“An ABC News exclusive,” fill-in World News anchor David Muir teased, “Barbara Walters at the White House, asking Michelle Obama if she’ll run for office next. And a personal question, too.” Viewers were then treated to a clip of Walters with the Obamas: “How do you keep the fire going?” The two laughed as Mrs. Obama giggled: “That’s a good question!”
Audio: MP3 clip
The silly Walters session with the Obamas, which ran on Wednesday night’s December 26 Nightline as “Christmas at the White House with Barbara Walters,” was originally scheduled to air as a 20/20 special on Friday night, December 14, but had to be postponed because of the mass murder that day which led to an ABC News special that night.
The two-and-a-half minute excerpt aired on Wednesday’s World News started with Walters asking about daughter Malia’s dating life, before Walters moved on to the sex life of Malia’s parents:
Mr. President, Mrs. Obama. There is a photograph of you that went viral, became the most shared photograph in the history of Twitter. How do you keep the fire going?
Walters next pushed Mrs. Obama to follow in Hillary Clinton’s footsteps:
You know Mrs. Obama, you told me at one point that you would never run for political office. You’ve said that you don’t have the patience for political life. Patience for what?
The subsequent Nightline was all light-hearted, starting with a tour of White House decorations, a lot of time delighting in pet dog Bo and questions from kids. The Nightline segments included another hard-hitting exchange previewed on the December 14 Good Morning America: “You have an iPad...What’s your favorite app?” (Answer: Scrabble)
See Scott Whitlock’s “Barbara Walters Tosses Softballs to ‘Charming’ Obama: ‘What’s Your Favorite App?”
From Wednesday morning, by Jeffrey Meyer: “ABC Hypes Obamas’ Love Life, Barely Mentions Impending Fiscal Cliff”
-- Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center. Click here to follow Brent Baker on Twitter.
