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Pod Save America · 3 min · Oct 30, 2026
How Pfeiffer says Obama used a viral joke to make a political case
Dan Pfeiffer
Dan Pfeiffer says Obama turned attention to a viral joke into an argument about costs and voters’ concerns.
In this episode
Full analysis- 23:19Why Pfeiffer sees a wider Senate map for Democrats4 min
- 1:03:00Why Pfeiffer expects a larger wave than in 20184 min
- 42:22Why Pfeiffer says the Sullivan tactic may have limited effect7 min
- 12:30Why Pfeiffer sees a real opening for Andrews in South Carolina5 min
- 55:09Which House races Pfeiffer says could signal the wave3 min
- 34:38How Pfeiffer says Obama used a viral joke to make a political case3 min
“you find the thing that is viral, the thing that people are paying attention to, that people are talking about, and then you attach a real argument to it.”
Dan Pfeifferat 36:29 · Pod Save America
Takeaways
- Pfeiffer says Obama attached a substantive argument to a viral moment.
- He points to the link Obama made between rising prices and the Cheesecake Factory joke.
- He says the joke became a case for Democrats and against Republicans.
About this segment
Dan Pfeiffer says Obama turned attention to a viral joke into an argument about costs and voters’ concerns. He contrasts that with a response he sees as grievance without an electoral case.
Dan Pfeiffer, Host
Jon Favreau, Host
From “A Blue Wave is Coming for Trump. How Big Will It Be?”, Oct 30, 2026. Watch the full episode
Thanks. We'll look at and fix what's off.
Transcript
Transcribed by machine (Whisper) from the episode’s audio, so a word may be off here and there.
- 34:51
Just keep throwing distractions out there and hope that you won't notice that your bills are higher and your life is tougher. You think he was having fun there, Dan? Yes. Just a little bit. Just a little bit. Well, I guess that's that. I guess I don't know if Republicans, do they want any more? You want to go another round? Let's do it. I'm sure some of them do. Sure we can schedule another rally for you.
- 35:19
Trump didn't really bring it up today, right? I don't think anyone's bringing it up anymore. I think that's about that. I think that's about it. So good. Uh, yeah, he was very, uh, I, I, I, I have heard from our friends that he was very excited to do that. Yes. Yes. The, uh, and in fact, the response and the thing about Bessent, like that was, that was right from him. He had, he had clearly caught a clip of Scott Bessent walking out of the Cheesecake Factory and thought that was the both funniest and craziest shit he had ever seen.
- 35:49
Just so stupid. So much fun. Um, not to be too credulous here, but what do you think of the way he's trying to tie Cheesecake Gate into a larger argument about Donald Trump. I would just say that I do, as you are, as we all are, we're very prideful of the old boss. We're very, we always want people, like it makes us feel good when people admire him and say nice things about him. And I do love this time of year, every year, when Obama comes out, does a couple of rallies and everyone is just, they swoon over it.
- 36:25
I find that very enjoyable because it is a reminder that he remains the best communicator in American politics for his generation and maybe some generations to come. So good. And the reason... Why you see that in this case is like, this is how you do modern communications, which is impressive for guys who's been out of office for a long time now, is you find the thing that is viral, the thing that people are paying attention to, that people are talking about, and then you attach a real argument to it.
- 36:50
It's attention hijacking, basically. And so he makes this joke, which was just kind of a throwaway joke in a rally that was quite funny. the right wing reacts to it Trump takes the bait, they do it and then he, Obama sees his opportunity to punch back, would do punch back in a way that actually advances the argument which is the difference between Trump and Obama or Trump and Obama in the right wing here which is, they have no argument about the Cheesecake Factory, it's just they keep crying, like they're even if you could sell people on the idea that Barack Obama was elitist for it, how is that helping you win an election?
- 37:23
It's not helping you beat Sharon Brown or Annie Andrews or Or Josh Turek, it's just, it's idiotic grievance politics. Obama, he could just get into a pissy match with Trump, which he enjoys doing here. But then he takes it one step further to make it turn into a case for Democrats and a case against Republicans. Yeah.