President Obama paid no tribute to the 2016 Republican presidential race Thursday, likening the extremely crowded GOP field to a real-life “Hunger Games” competition.
“We’ve got some healthy competition in the Democratic Party. But I’ve lost count how many Republicans are running for this job,” Obama said at the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse.
{mosads}“They’ll have enough for an actual ‘Hunger Games,’” Obama added to raucous applause, referring to the book and movie series of the same name. “That is an interesting bunch.”
The fiction series by bestselling author Suzanne Collins and adapted into Hollywood flicks with star Jennifer Lawrence portrays young adults fighting to the death for mass entertainment.
Obama’s remarks Thursday in Wisconsin during a speech on economic issues poked fun at the GOP field, which includes 14 candidates and is expected to grow to 16.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was the latest to toss his hat in Tuesday, and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Ohio Gov. John Kasich are expected to announce their own bids soon.
Walker met Obama at the airport Thursday. Some speculated Obama’s trip was intended in part to needle the governor in his own backyard ahead of a White House bid expected within weeks.