WASHINGTON – Now the Obama administration is using mockery to try to cajole young people into signing up for ObamaCare.
First Lady Michelle Obama, appearing on the “Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon Thursday night, called young people injury-prone “knuckleheads” who had better get covered.
“Well, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, young people can stay on their parents’ insurance until they are 26,” Obama said, wearing a sleek black dress.
“But once they hit 26 — they’re on their own. And a lot young people think they’re invincible,” she continued.
“But the truth is, young people are knuckleheads. You know? They’re the ones who are cooking for the first time and slice their finger open. They’re dancing on the bar stool,” she said, sitting on Fallon’s couch in New York during the debut week of his new show. Fallon immediately jumped in to turn the joke on himself. “”Young people — “Yeah, yeah, yeah. I would never do both of those things this last past summer — no, no, no.”
“But while young people think they’re invincible, they’re not,” the first lady explained. “You know, life happens.”
The administration is in the midst of a push to get as many young people as possible to sign up for coverage by the end of March, to avoid possible premium hikes that would occur if the overall insurance pool for federal exchanges is too old or too sick.
Obama also warned D.C. – which is already subjected to daily motorcades by her husband and a variety of top officials – to watch out, since daughter Malia will be learning to drive next year.
“One of the things I told my staff, I’ve told the Secret Service, is that when we’re out of here in a few years, you know, they’ve got to be able to function as normal people. And so driving is a part of that. So we’re going to have to figure that out,” she said.
Then she broadcast: “Ladies and gentlemen in D.C., watch out. Malia Obama on the road. Kind of frightening. I have security, so I’m good.”
She also joked that her kids want “nothing to do with us” – not even wanting to invite their pals over to the White House.
“Malia’s like, ‘God, Dad, please, just don’t come to my school. Just keep your SWAT Team.’… And so I’ll say, ‘Don’t you want to invite your friends over to watch a movie?’ She’s like, ‘Dad, no one wants to come here.’”
Michelle Obama also did a sketch with Fallon and comedian Will Ferrell, who both appeared in drag, hosting a show called “Ew.” The first lady pitched exercise and kale chips.