Ryan Seacrest, American People To Grill Obama

President Obama will grant a radio interview today to none other than Ryan Seacrest, who’s sure to ask hard-hitting questions — like, “What do you think about Justin Bieber???”

That’s just one of the key policy inquiries fans posted on Seacrest’s Facebook page, where he asked the teeming masses, “Do YOU have a question for President Obama?” Boy, do we! TV Newser quotes some funny ones, and here’s a few more:

If you could start a fantasy band who would your fellow members be?

what was the last movie he saw ?

What music does he like?..
If he had to meet Osama bin Laden in person, what would he do?

But if Obama’s hoping to “face easier questions, and fewer followups, than if were being interviewed by Chuck Todd, Katie Couric or Bret Baier,” as TV Newser’s Alex Weprin speculates, then he better hope Seacrest cherrypicks carefully. Not all Americans are lobbing softballs. Some ask:

Why do many doctors in my state of texas not take medicad, when that’s what alot of disabled adults like myself have.

1)Is he going to do anything for our rights?(LGBT)
2)What About Cyprus???

Mr. President,
One of your main focuses throughout your campaign was on the issue of immigration and establishing a process for amnesty, what are the things that are holding up the process for an amnesty to be passed for all the hardworking …immigrants that come to this country looking to make an honest living for their families here in the USA and back home where ever they maybe coming from. Do you think an amnesty might help the economic situation of this country?

in the wake of the latest bomb scares aboard airplanes bound for the U.S., what will we do differently going forward to insure passenger safety?

Because millions of lives are at stake, I’d like to know what our President is doing to prevent the escalation of the genocide in Darfur and what he’s doing to prevent a civil war between North and South Sudan when the South’s secession referendum occurs in January.

As the first non-white president in America’s history do you think you’ve opened the doors for more diversity in our presidential candidates, or do you think you’ve set back the moment 50 years?

Um, the first one? Okay, so that last question isn’t very thoughtful, but from the general tone of the posts on Seacrest’s page, we can discern three things: 1) everything is pretty well fucked, both at home and abroad, 2) people are mad, and 3) they’re remarkably specific and coherent about their concerns. Yeah, there’s a guy who wants to know whether Obama is a Muslim, and another one who asks “have you done anything but go on vacation since you been in office???” (as of late August, Obama had been on vacation for all or part of 70 days, while at the same point in his term, George W. Bush had taken off 225). But in general, most people seem worried about real issues — and they’re very worried. Maybe Seacrest’s interview will be smooth sailing, but if Facebook (and, like, everything else) is any indication, today’s election won’t be.

Acclaimed Journalist Ryan Seacrest To Interview President Obama Tomorrow [TV Newser]
What Do YOU Want To Know From President Obama? [Facebook]