On 'View,' Obama Says Michelle Not Interested In News Shows

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Barack might have some 'splaining to do . . .

Appearing on The View, the president explained to Barbara Walters that he chose to come on the program because it's a show Michelle actually watches. According to PBO, the First Lady is "like eh" about news shows, grabbing the clicker [see screencap after jump] and turning away from them.

Was it really necessary for the President to dis his wife's interest in current events to explain his presence on the show?  Somehow I sense that a Republican president saying something similar would come in for a heap of feminist criticism.  Transcript after the jump.

Willie Geist introduced the segment on today's Morning Joe.

WILLIE GEIST: A lot of people wondering why he went on the The View, what's behind all this. He answered that question.

BARBARA WALTERS: You've gone through a little beat of a beating the last month. Do you really think that being on a show with a bunch of women, five women who never shut up, is going to be calming?

BARACK OBAMA: That is the, look, I was trying to find a show that Michelle actually watched.  All those news shows, she's like "eh, let me get the clicker."

We thought Mrs. Obama was proud of her image as a Princeton/Harvard alum—an intelligent, well-informed woman, passionately concerned about current events.  Will she be happy with her husband portraying her as someone who goes for the clicker to turn off news shows and tune in a women's gab fest?