Who the Hell Does Elisabeth Hasselbeck Think She Is, Asking the President a Question Like That?

During last night’s Conan monologue, Conan O’Brien went off on a bit of a tangent regarding the Obamas’ appearance on The View and the questions asked by conservative cohost/idiot Breck Girl Elisabeth Hasselbeck. While many, as Conan points out, expected the women of The View to conduct softball interview with the President and First Lady, Hasselbeck took it upon herself to ask the POTUS on how he’s failed the middle class. (Please note that The View clip on Conan was edited for a joke and that the Obamas did indeed answer her questions.)

“Who the hell is Elisabeth Hasselbeck [to ask the president a question]?” Conan asked emphatically before going off on Hasselbeck’s conservatism and her appearance on Survivor: Australia.

Look, I’m no fan of Hasselbeck or her interviewing technique (where she seems always on the brink of tears or hyperventilating), but isn’t the obvious answer to Conan’s question that she’s a voting citizen who has the right to ask any question that she wants? Especially seeing that the Obamas were on her show? (Oh God, now I’m defending her, aren’t I? Let us never speak of this again.)

The president has done Reddit forums and Town Hall meetings — a part of his job is answering the questions, concerns of the public. If he can’t respond to the misguided nonsense of Elisabeth Hasselbeck (and he responded just fine, by the way), then, Conan, we have much bigger fish to fry than a reality show star asking dum-dum questions.