Local radio hosts defend lighthearted interview with Obama
Posted at: 08/17/2012 3:11 PM
| Updated at: 08/18/2012 7:18 PM
By: Shaun Griswold, KOB.com
President Barack Obama discussed New Mexico chile and offered students back to school advice during an interview with Albuquerque's 93.3 KOB-FM Morning Mayhem show.
Although the appearance wasn't billed as an official campaign event, the Obama for America staffers in New Mexico contacted the radio station earlier this week to set up the interview, Morning Mayhem co-host Danny Vigil said.
The interview, which was taped on Tuesday and aired in its entirety Friday morning, has been scrutinized online for the soft conversation topics.
Here's what we learned about the president during the interview.
Obama would like to have a superpower that allows him to talk in any language. His workout music includes Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Jay-Z and Nas. And his advice for students returning to school, "be consistent, don't quit," Obama said in the interview.
The president also gave his stance on the all important New Mexico chile debate.
"I think you've got to go with the classic red, although every once in a while green is solid," Obama said. "I'm just going with red on this one."
Albuquerque Journal Washington Bureau reporter Michael Coleman wrote that the interview "may have set a new standard for softball questioning of the president in an election year.”"
Friday, reporters also grilled White House Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest about why the president was available to answer questions about his favorite pop songs but hasn't appeared at a press conference with the D.C. press corps in two months.
Vigil stressed the Morning Mayhem is an entertainment show, and not a forum for serious news.
"Given our format and style of our show, we wanted to keep it fun and entertaining for our audience," he said. "We are not news reporters, and we are not going to pretend like we are.
The interview was more to get to know him on a personal level, since everyone already knows his politics."
The interview can be heard in its entirety by clicking this link.
> President Obama gives interview to Albuquerque radio station KOB-FM
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