Podcast Politics: Obama, Newsom, and the New Wave of Political Chatter

Michelle Obama, the former First Lady, is stepping into the world of video podcasts. She will co-host a show with her brother Craig Robinson under the Higher Ground banner. The podcast will feature a familiar format: life advice, celebrity guests, and a focus on personal stories. The guests include Issa Rae, Tyler Perry, Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach, and Jay Shetty. The podcast will not touch on politics or current events. This decision is both predictable and disappointing, as it leaves out important topics like managing intrusive thoughts while flying in the age of an FAA decimated by Elon Musk. The podcast is set to launch on March 12, 2024. The first episode of Obama's podcast drops about a week after California Governor Gavin Newsom launched his own podcast, "This Is Gavin Newsom. " This podcast is seen as a move to boost his 2028 presidential run. Newsom’s podcast features celebrity guests and discusses topics like the Super Bowl and relationship advice. It also touches on politics, such as discussing Trump nominees. Newsom’s podcast is a more direct effort at political outreach. The inaugural episode features Charlie Kirk, a right-wing talking head and activist. Newsom broke with his party by saying that allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports is “deeply unfair. ” This move was seen as a cynical attempt to gain bipartisan street cred. Newsom’s comments rankled fellow Democrats, and he came off looking sweaty and pathetic — a slick politician aggressively looking for love. Obama’s podcast isn’t her first foray into the world of podcasting. She previously launched "The Michelle Obama Podcast" in 2020 and "Michelle Obama: The Light Podcast" in 2023. Former president Barack Obama also had his own podcast, "Renegades, " with Bruce Springsteen. These shows seem to be living in the past, in a more stable period when political figures could get away with believing in the power of political decorum and thinking it’s enough to be a big public figure with very little to actually say. The modern content game is for grinders, and if you’re going to pod, commit to the bit: Go long, say your piece, run your mouth, think out loud, embrace spectacle, and publish, publish, publish. If you’re going to give life advice, then talk about your life. If you’re going to give us a shift in political stance, then let’s really hear it. More important, step outside your podcast and go everywhere else. You don’t win by keeping yourself at arm’s length from the others in the scrum. If you seek to advance the case for decency and political decorum, go on Call Her Daddy and Flagrant Ones and whatever lifestyle grift Candace Owens is currently pulling and fight for it.

The timing of these podcasts is questionable. They come at a time when Democratic figureheads, including the former First Lady, have been warning about the collapse of American democracy if Trump wins a second term. The Democratic Party is also struggling to appeal to its base. The issue here isn’t simply the notion of a puff political podcast. Obama and Newsom reflect different expressions of a similar misunderstanding about today’s media ecosystem. Podcasting is a powerful tool for political figures to connect with their audience. However, it’s important to use it effectively. Obama and Newsom’s podcasts are a missed opportunity to engage in meaningful political discourse. They could have used their platforms to discuss important issues and connect with their audience on a deeper level. Instead, they chose to stick to a familiar format and avoid controversial topics. Podcasting is a powerful tool for political figures to connect with their audience. However, it’s important to use it effectively. Obama and Newsom’s podcasts are a missed opportunity to engage in meaningful political discourse. They could have used their platforms to discuss important issues and connect with their audience on a deeper level. Instead, they chose to stick to a familiar format and avoid controversial topics. The modern content game is for grinders, and if you’re going to pod, commit to the bit: Go long, say your piece, run your mouth, think out loud, embrace spectacle, and publish, publish, publish. If you’re going to give life advice, then talk about your life. If you’re going to give us a shift in political stance, then let’s really hear it. More important, step outside your podcast and go everywhere else. You don’t win by keeping yourself at arm’s length from the others in the scrum. If you seek to advance the case for decency and political decorum, go on Call Her Daddy and Flagrant Ones and whatever lifestyle grift Candace Owens is currently pulling and fight for it.

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