Nobody seems to be afraid of the guy. That, according to conventional Washington wisdom, is a major reason why his political and policy agendas are stuck in a ditch on Capitol Hill, and why Vladimir Putin
...Second and fourth President and sixth of the Russian Federation and the first to remain sober. Putin is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing something like the rule of law, which occasionally results in somebody dropping dead from polonium poisoning. Under Putin, a new group of business magnates controlling significant swathes of Russia's economy has emerged, all of whom have close personal ties to Putin. The old bunch, without close personal ties to Putin, are in jail or in exile or dead...and Iran's Supreme Ayatolla, Ali Khamenei, seem to view the Leader of the Free World with something less than shock and awe.
When Kelly told the president "We're terrified!" and Michael claimed "We're scared to death!", they were simply being the big kidders we all know them to be.
The president has been having a tough time of it lately--a blossoming scandal at the Veterans Administration, foreign policy troubles that have only gotten worse, and his own job approval ratings down in the basement--so it's understandable that he'd seek sweet relief by appearing on Friday's installment of Live With Kelly & Michael. After all, with the notable exception of Jerry Springer, daytime television, with its largely female viewership, is a combat-free environment, potentially allowing an embattled politician to communicate his message unchallenged.