Thanks Obama

Thanks Obama is an internet meme or saying that has been used both seriously and satirically in regards to former US President Barack Obama's policies.

History

The meme first appeared in 2009 as a hashtag (#thanksobama) in a tweet about President Obama's policies.[1]

When the Republicans gained control of the House in the U.S. midterm election of 2010, the meme changed, no longer being used just by frustrated conservatives; a photo of a tired-looking Obama became the background for a meme that blamed Obama for all kinds of societal and economic ills.[1] During that time, liberals took the meme up as well, in a satirical reversal.[2]

One notable[3] example came in 2012, when a picture of a man spilling food with the "Thanks Obama" caption was popular. A subreddit was started as well.

By 2015, it seemed the meme had run its course[1] after Obama used it in a Buzzfeed video.[4] Obama himself revived it in 2016, using it to poke fun at his critics[5] and to thank a supporter who, during a speech, yelled out at and thanked him for $2 gas.[6]

On the January 19, 2017 episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Obama's last full day in office, Stephen Colbert's original conservative character from The Colbert Report used the phrase in a WERD segment to express gratitude to Obama for helping the Republican Party find a message of united opposition against him and succeed electorally again, only to later plead in fear for Obama to stay in office.[7]

See also

References
  1. Schwarz, Hunter (February 13, 2015). "'Thanks Obama.' The evolution of a meme that defined a presidency". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  2. Roberts, Dan (May 7, 2016). "#ThanksObama: president's greatest legacy may be Trumping of the GOP". The Guardian. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  3. u/Martholomule. "My Family's Reaction to the Last Four Years". Reddit.
  4. Izade, Elahe (September 3, 2016). "The most memorable comedy moments of the Obama presidency". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  5. "President's 'Thanks Obama' lets him have fun with critics". ABC7. March 7, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  6. "Obama thanks himself for lower gas prices #ThanksObama". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  7. Robinson, Will (January 20, 2017). "Stephen Colbert Says Thanks, Obama On President's Last Day". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
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