Conan introduces 28th Amendment to ban dumb questions of sitting presidents

By Doug Most, Globe Staff

Conan O’Brien had fun Tuesday night with Elizabeth Hasselbeck’s grilling of President Obama on the “The View” (see our link to that here). But O’Brien had more to say Wednesday night, after he said some critics accused him of being a liberal and letting Obama off easy. (A liberal named O’Brien from Brookline, Massachusetts? What are the odds?)

“Some people assumed I only went after her because I’m a liberal,” he said of Hasselbeck Wednesday. “That is not true. I’m a registered anarchist. I’m a member of the bull-moose party.”

When the laughing stopped, he got serious. Sort of.

“It was not a partisan point I was making. A reality show contestant should only be allowed to question a sitting president of the United States if, and only if, they won their competition. That’s my point.” (Hasselbeck, a Rhode Island native and Boston College grad, was a “Survivor” contestant back in 2001 who did not win her show).

“I feel so strongly about this,” O’Brien said, “I am introducing the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.”

What exactly would that amendment say, if, somehow, our gridocked Congress passed it?

“No person or persons who have appeared on a reality television program shall be allowed to question the politics of a sitting president unless said person or persons were the last surivor on their island, the last tenant in their house, the last chef who used only items found in the pantry or the last bachelorette who was handed a red rose and got to marry” the [insert name-calling word here].”

Want to vote on O’Brien’s proposed amendment. Click here.