Code Switching in the White House

Michelle Obama was on Jimmy Fallon the other night, and I noticed a very interesting code switch during her interview. She was reenacting a conversation with her husband, the president, when she switched tones. She said, acting as if she was talking to her husband, "Yo babe, hook me up". This was very interesting because she had spoken with such sophisticated language for the whole rest of the interview previously, and suddenly her tone completely changed.  This  language reminded of stereotypical  African American slang, which to  me proves  that Michelle Obama was trying to show that they can be the typical African American couple, to relate to more people.

Is code switching necessary when you hold a position like the president of the United States?

I did some research to annswer this question, and came across an article by NPR which explored the reasons that people code switch. It said that "A lot of folks code-switch not just to fit in, but to actively ingratiate themselves to others." I believe that this is what the Obamas are trying to do by code switching. They are trying to appear more relatable to the people, and gain their approval..

 I think it is neccessary for people in power, like the president, to code switch to the degree until they are being fake or are lying. Everyone code switches; people speak differently to their friends than to their bosses. It is a natural occurrence that helps people navigate different social or professional situations. To what degree can the president, or other people of power, code switch? Is there a line that is should be drawn?