Fresh from filling out NCAA brackets and trying to keep the U.S. from coming apart at the seams, President Barack Obama stopped by the Tonight Show with Jay Leno last night, the first time a sitting president has visited a late-night talk show.
While the economy was, as expected, the No. 1 topic, Barack Obama made observations a little less terrifying than America being a "culture of greed" that must change if the United States is going to pull itself out of the current financial crisis.
"In Washington, it's a little bit like American Idol except everyone is Simon Cowell," the president quipped. "Everybody's got an opinion."
Obama's visit followed the usual arc of celebrity talk show appearances: the funny thing that happened on the way to the show (the Secret Service not wanting him to walk); promoting the project (his economic agenda); and personal anecdotes.
Towards the end, the president made fun of his bowling ineptness, having posted a career-high 129 recently. "That's very good, Mr. President," Leno said sarcastically.
"It's like the Special Olympics or something," Obama replied.
Ouch, Barack. This is the sort of remark that may be commonplace in modern humor, but is something you'd want the president to say, or even think?
Check out Barack Obama's full interview on the Tonight Show below ...
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4 Comments
March 20th, 2009 9:19 AM
I have a lot more respect for Special Olympians than I do for this Buffoon-in-Chief.
March 20th, 2009 12:51 PM
Nothing is more ridiculous than Republican’s complaining about Obama appearing on the Tonight Show. I can understand why – they fear Obama will reach the average person and that is the last thing Republican’s want. Republican’s want democracy to stay in the Washington bubble where they think they have more control and continue to pass laws that favor the rich who in turn feed the Republican campaign machine with donations. For Obama to think outside of the box speaks well of a man who was elected by the people (not wall street, lobbyists and the rich that Republican’s represent). What are the Republican’s afraid of? They are so out of touch that maybe instead of spending their time complaining, whining and trying to change the tax laws to favor the wealthiest Americans, maybe they should spend less time complaining and actually learning how to communicate to hard working Americans who are still the vast majority.
Sorry, Republican’s, most of us work 12 hour days, 6 days a week (not 4) and if lucky we may get a week vacation (not months) at wages that is probably less than what you pay your servants or waste our tax dollars on for your pet peeve projects. After a 12 hour day, the last thing we want to do is listen to O’Reily spin on politics, Hannity whining like a soar loser or even listen to you on CNN making noise. We come home, want to turn on something that isn’t so depressing to watch, yet is both entertaining and informative (like Tonight Show) that doesn’t have an agenda to promote their political views. Like I said, it tells hard working Americans’ how out of touch Republicans are about what makes us tick and what it takes to survive in a country destroyed by Bush politics
March 20th, 2009 1:26 PM
well said jack. i agree.
March 20th, 2009 7:22 PM
I am a Maltese-European, and like many many millions of other Europeans I wish him well and wish the American people well. Anti-Americanism died the day he became President. President Obama's strength lies in him being able to keep complicated things simple and to communicate well with ordinary people. He is like a breath of fresh air. The whole world trusts him and will be looking for him to help save them as well as to save the American people. I have no doubt that he will aim to do this. He has such world-wide support that whatever he proposes will receive universal acclaim. The world knows he will never propose anything that would do harm to anyone. The comedian who suggested a sign be put up ('Do not walk on the water') beside the fountains in the White House (aimed at everyone other than Barak) was spot-on.