President Barack Obama is not happy with the way Fox News portrays him, arguing that he has become a caricature on the cable network.
“There’s me, and then there’s this character named ‘Barack Obama’ who is slightly different on Fox News than he is on MSNBC,” Obama said in an interview with the New York Times style section.
Obama met with actor Bryan Cranston at the White House and talked about his legacy and that of President Lyndon Johnson — the subject of Cranston’s latest movie.
“I wouldn’t vote for the Barack Obama on Fox News probably,” Obama said, musing about the changed media landscape.
“He’s terrible,” Cranston agreed.
“What a loser!” Obama replied, adding that it was “hard” to see himself portrayed in that light.
Obama acknowledged that he had become a celebrity in his own right, which helped him spread his message outside of television news.
“One thing you have to keep in mind is that I’m probably the most recorded, filmed and photographed person in history up to now,” he said. “Because I’m the first president who came along in the digital age.”
He cited the importance of engaging culture to get his message out.
“When I want to sign young people up for health care, I’ve got to do ‘Between Two Ferns,’ which ended up being our biggest draw,” he said.