A Saul Alinsky Rule #5 Post
The New York Times recently broke the news that former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama are talking with Netflix executives about how the couple might produce specials for the streaming service.
CBS News echoed that announcement, noting that “Obama senior advisor Eric Schultz, in a statement provided to CBS News, said the Obamas believe in the power of storytelling to inspire.”
National Public Radio (NPR) embellished on the Times’ scoop adding that:
“Multiple show concepts are under consideration. In one possible show idea, Obama could moderate conversations on topics that dominated his presidency — health care, voting rights, immigration, foreign policy, climate change — and that have continued to divide a polarized American electorate during President Trump’s time in office.
Another program could feature the former first lady on topics, like nutrition, that she championed in the White House. The Obamas could also lend their brand — and their endorsement — to documentaries or fictional programming on Netflix that align with their beliefs and values.”
The rapid cascade of supporting media reports suggests that the Obamas-Netflix partnership in the works resulting, according to CBS News, in “a series of high-profile shows that will provide him a global platform after his departure from the White House.”
Further confirmation of the plan has come to light through several unidentified sources, close to the former First Couple, with indirect knowledge of the discussions underway between the Obamas and unnamed Netflix executives.
Right now it’s all very hush-hush.
Those sources report that several possible topical episodes are being considered for inclusion in Phase One of the Obamas’ ground-breaking production. They include:
1: Obama will discuss his decision to provide “Moola for the Mullah” – explaining why he sent Iran pallets of U.S. currency to assure peace in the Middle East.
- Obama will detail his previously suppressed, yet long, close, and somewhat controversial relationship with his Hyde Park, Chicago neighbor and friend Louis Eugene Walcott (AKA: Louis Farrakhan, Sr.)
(Photo source)
- Obama display self-deprecation as he laughs at his clever and effective use of linguistic malapropism, hyperbolae and odd logic – all designed to focus his audiences’ attention on his messages. Among his favorite, documented quotations are:
- “On this Memorial Day, as our nation honors its unbroken line of fallen heroes and I see many of them in the audience here today.”
- “The reforms we seek would bring greater competition, choice, savings and inefficiencies to our health care system.”
- “I have made good judgments in the past. I have made good judgments in the future.”
- Obama will explain “Why I did not cause Hillary to lose the election.”
- Obama will demonstrate the effective use of the teleprompter when speaking to a class of grade school children.
- Co-Producer Michelle will take Netflix viewers on a tour of her garden and show how to grow vegetables that most people have never heard of, and that only taste good on Kobe beef – an Obama household favorite.
- Michelle will explain why she is depressed in America these days, and has gone back to not being proud of her country.
Netflix may soon begin airing a trailer to the series, narrated by legendary reporter and interviewer Leslie Stahl, touting it as the most important and televised, political narrative of the 21st Century.
In an unrelated announcement, sources with inside knowledge of the industry report that a well-respected book publisher will, next fall, release former President Obama’s first effort at writing an autobiographical theology book. It will be entitled “Holy Trinity: Me, Myself, and I.”
Developing…
