The phrase Obama phone spread after a 2012 viral street interview in which a supporter credited President Barack Obama for a free mobile phone. The clip was shared widely during that election cycle and turned into a shorthand for the federal Lifeline program, which actually helps low income households afford phone service and predates Obama. Clips and remixes kept circulating on video and soundboard sites long after the campaign, with the supporter voice becoming a reusable meme for free phone jokes and political reactions online.