Obama actually sits on floor in TikTok video focused on averting Dem midterm disaster — and viewers are groaning

With just a few days to go before the midterm elections, Democrats across the nation have been scrambling to convince voters to head to the polls so that the red wave expected to crash into Washington, D.C., and various state capitals this year looks slightly more purple. To that end, former President Barack Obama has made various stops throughout the country to stump for Democrat candidates, including Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan and Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia.

This week, Obama appeared in a TikTok video alongside content creator Vitus Spehar to make a short pitch to younger voters about key Democrat issues such as abortion and climate change. However, the charisma that once catapulted Obama into the national spotlight seems to have waned considerably, and whatever still remains is not enough to save this Democrat plug.

Obama's appearance with Spehar, better known as "V," misses the mark for several reasons. First is the unconventional setting. V has become famous for providing brief news wrap-ups under a desk. In fact, his TikTok show is called "Under the Desk News," a tableau that may appeal to Generation Z and to younger Millennials, but that looks awkward for a Baby Boomer like Obama. It also forces Obama, a 61-year-old former president of the United States, to set dignity aside and crouch down on the floor, even as he adopts a dad voice and instructs V to do his assigned chore.

"Here's the thing: You can stay [under my desk] for now, but when it comes time for voting, you're going to have to get up," Obama said.

Obama's delivery is also not what it used to be. He sounds stilted and unrehearsed, even about issues that he discussed at length while in office.

"You got climate change legislation on the ballot. You got gun safety. And when we can elect more pro-choice members of Congress, we can reinstitute [sic] Roe v. Wade as the law of the land," Obama informs V, who remains under the desk.

"So, you can't stay here," Obama states. "You're going to have to take a little bit of time to vote."

Thus far, the video has garnered nearly universal criticism, especially from those on the right.

"Ooof this is painful," Chef Andrew Gruel replied.

"Man, Obama fell off..." added RedState deputy managing editor Brandon Morse.

"This is a new level of pathetic," commented fitness enthusiast Gina Bontempo.

Podcast host Stephen L. Miller also made an astute observation about the dangers associated with the TikTok platform: "Now Obama is participating on TikTok, a legitimate national security threat."

Though Obama no longer brings the same star power he had a decade ago, he still remains perhaps the most popular member of the Democratic Party. And yet, even with all of his natural political instincts, he is still emphasizing issues that are low priorities for voters this year. A recent Reuters/Ipsos survey indicates that voters are most concerned about inflation and jobs. Just 7% of respondents listed abortion as the most important issue today, and just 6% listed climate or the environment.