# President Obama will be on the Tonight Show Thursday **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 16, 2009, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-will-be-on-the-tonight-show-thursday/489644 "2009-03-16T18:45:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-will-be-on-the-tonight-show-thursday/489644/41 "2009-03-19T17:12:58Z")
> [@JThunder](#): > > Don’t you think that’s a bit of an exaggeration? Especially since historians typically say that it takes years before one can legitimately evaluate the effects of one’s Presidency? Ok, I’m not going to sit down and figure out day by day what each president did. I just know much of what President Obama has done so far, most of which has not gotten news, and I’m in awe. [This interactive map of his first 50 days is a good start](http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/stories/obama_100_days.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab) to see some of what he’s done, but even that just shows a small fraction of it. I know of so many things that aren’t listed. For instance, [here’s](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frances-beinecke/off-to-a-green-start-a-ro_b_171108.html) a partial (outdated) list of the environmental progress he’s made: > [@](#): > > • January 26, 2009: President Obama directs the EPA to reconsider the agency’s decision to deny California’s strong limits on global warming pollution from cars, and he calls on the Department of Transportation to raise national fuel efficiency standards. > > • February 4, 2009: More than 100,000 acres of Utah wilderness win protection from oil and gas drilling after the Department of Interior announced that it will cancel 77 leases issued under the Bush administration. > > • February 5, 2009: President Obama signs a presidential memorandum requesting that the Department of Energy set new efficiency standards for common household appliances. This will save in 30 years the amount of energy produced by all the coal-fired power plants in America over a two-year period. > > • February 6, 2009: The EPA announces it will reconsider its decision to deny California permission to set standards controlling greenhouse gases from motor vehicles. > > • February 6, 2009: On instruction from EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, the Solicitor General asks the Supreme Court to drop the Bush administration’s desperate appeal to resurrect EPA’s illegal and harmful power plant mercury rule. > > • February 10, 2009: Department of Interior Secretary Salazar announces that he is going to make a thorough review of the five-year Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas leasing program that was announced in the final days of the Bush administration. > > • February 10, 2009: Administrator Jackson grants a petition by NRDC to reconsider and “stay” for three months a harmful midnight air pollution rule adopted by the Bush administration in mid-January 2009 that would allow dirty industries to release more pollution. > > • February 13, 2009: Congress came to an agreement on an economic stimulus package that includes bold investments for renewable power and energy efficiency, including weatherization programs that will save consumers billions while creating up to 90,000 jobs. Repairing our nation’s outdated and corroded water and waste systems will also create more than 200,000 jobs and improve the safety of our beaches, streams, and drinking water. > > • February 17, 2009: EPA Administrator Jackson grants a petition by NRDC, Sierra Club and EDF to reconsider a disputed memo signed by Administrator Johnson in December 2008 that refused to regulate carbon dioxide from new coal-fired power plants. She announced that EPA would convene a public process to review this memo, in what was widely seen as the first step to reversing the Bush policy. > > • February 20, 2009: The Obama administration puts its support behind an international, legally binding treaty to reduce global mercury pollution. This position–a dramatic change for the stonewalling of the Bush years–influences policy reversals from other nations including China and India. Now more than 140 countries commit to regulating this dangerous neurotoxin. > > • February 24, 2009: In his first State of the Union address, Obama calls on Congress to pass legislation to cap global warming pollution and drive expansion of renewable energy. He also pledges $15 billion a year to invest in solar, wind, biofuels, and more efficient vehicles, and to put American to work making our homes and buildings more energy efficient. > > • February 25, 2009: Thousands of acres in Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado will be protected from harmful oil shale research and development after Department of Interior Secretary Salazar announces that he will reverse course on the Bush administration’s leasing program. > > • February 26, 2009: The Obama administration releases a federal budget that is the first in history to make critical investments in our clean energy future and tackle global warming head on. It includes revenue from a cap and invest program to limit global warming pollution, which is forecast to generate $150 billion over 10 years starting in 2012. He’s doing stuff like this and more every single day. All of what he’s doing in meant to benefit the American people and the planet. The only thing that might be an exception is his Afghanistan strategy, it’s way to early to know what might happen there, but he’s still trying to fight the original fight that Bush abandoned to foolishly go into Iraq. [Here’s a list](http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/rulings/promise-kept/) of his campaign promises kept so far. [Here’s an outdated list](http://lostintransition.nationaljournal.com/2008/12/obamas-administration-appointments-nominations.php?ref=ge) of appointments he’s made so far. I need to find an updated version. The complete list of his accomplishments by the time he gets to 100 days will be breathtaking. [QUOTE=Clothahump] But he won’t go on Rush Limbaugh’s show, because he knows that Rush will ride him like a mule. Whether you like Rush or not is immaterial; Obama won’t go somewhere where he will actually have to answer hard questions. [/QUOTE] Thanks, I needed a laugh. Rush’s intellect isn’t fit to shine President Obama’s shoes. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-will-be-on-the-tonight-show-thursday/489644/42 "2009-03-19T17:16:36Z")
This is one reason why I never have been a fan of Obama. I don’t feel he has any desire expect to be famous. He’ll do whatever he can to be noticed. His ego is too large. He never thought twice about being president, till Oprah thought he was cute, had him on his show, and she pushed him into it. He is always posing, going out of his way to be in “cute” pics, and giving speeches instead of “doing” something. Obama wanted to be president so he can go down in history as the first African American President, not because he cares or wants to be president. If he could be an actor or singer or whatever as long as he was famous he’d be fine with that ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-will-be-on-the-tonight-show-thursday/489644/43 "2009-03-19T17:18:40Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > Ok, I’m not going to sit down and figure out day by day what each president did. I just know much of what President Obama has done so far, most of which has not gotten news, and I’m in awe. I don’t think that a day-to-day breakdown is necessary. To say that he’s accomplished more in the course of two months than some other Presidents have in two terms though… that strikes me as overly hasty praise, especially without stopping to analyze what these other Presidents have done. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-will-be-on-the-tonight-show-thursday/489644/44 "2009-03-19T17:23:12Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](#): > > You probably missed this post by **mutantmoose** and everything else the large mutated deer said in this thread. Whoops! I didn’t miss it, I just didn’t see the “serious anger” in it. Probably I’ll have to read it in a more enraged tone of voice. Nope, still not seeing any anger. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-will-be-on-the-tonight-show-thursday/489644/45 "2009-03-19T17:27:06Z")
> [@JThunder](#): > > I don’t think that a day-to-day breakdown is necessary. To say that he’s accomplished more in the course of two months than some other Presidents have in two terms though… that strikes me as overly hasty praise, especially without stopping to analyze what these other Presidents have done. I agree. Give the man some time. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-will-be-on-the-tonight-show-thursday/489644/46 "2009-03-19T17:28:08Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > This is one reason why I never have been a fan of Obama. I don’t feel he has any desire expect to be famous. He’ll do whatever he can to be noticed. His ego is too large. > > He never thought twice about being president, till Oprah thought he was cute, had him on his show, and she pushed him into it. He is always posing, going out of his way to be in “cute” pics, and giving speeches instead of “doing” something. > > Obama wanted to be president so he can go down in history as the first African American President, not because he cares or wants to be president. If he could be an actor or singer or whatever as long as he was famous he’d be fine with that I’m not seeing it, but you could be looking for it and I could actively not be looking for it, so we’ll never see it together. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-will-be-on-the-tonight-show-thursday/489644/47 "2009-03-19T17:30:31Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > You’re assuming, in that logic, that there’s only one reason and one way to go onto the Tonight Show. I would have been annoyed with Bush doing it because he wasn’t articulate and because it would have felt like he was going on to win approval, not to communicate effectively with his people. I feel like Obama is articulate, and is going on to communicate effectively with the American people, so it doesn’t bother me. Two different apparent motivations and skill sets mean the action is judged differently. > > Now, I’ll be the first to admit I’m a little amused at my own tendency to cut Obama slack I wouldn’t have Bush. But I’m pretty aware of it, and this isn’t one of those times. Of course it is. You would have disapproved President Bush based on his articulate-ness and your negative assumptions about his motivations, but in this case you’re not bothered because President Obama is articulate and your assumptions about his motivations are positive ones. Cutting President Obama slack you wouldn’t extend to President Bush in the same situation is _exactly_ what you’re doing, by your own description. ETA: And I don’t actually have a problem with that, but I think if you are aware of this tendency (and amused by it), you might be interested to know that this looks like Exhibit A for the tendency itself, not an example of when you are _not_ doing it. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-will-be-on-the-tonight-show-thursday/489644/48 "2009-03-19T17:39:08Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > He never thought twice about being president, till Oprah thought he was cute, had him on his show, and she pushed him into it. He is always posing, going out of his way to be in “cute” pics, and giving speeches instead of “doing” something. Yeah, keep telling yourself that, if it’ll make the next 8 years easier to bear. [QUOTE=JThunder] that strikes me as overly hasty praise, especially without stopping to analyze what these other Presidents have done. [/QUOTE] Well, I was specifically talking about Bush. It seems like most of what he was doing was for the benefit of his ideological base and his fatcat friends. If someone could provide me with a list of what he did that directly benefited the American people, done out of concern for them, that’d be great. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-will-be-on-the-tonight-show-thursday/489644/49 "2009-03-19T18:00:47Z")
Obama is president, how much more famous can he get? He is a thoughtful and intelligent man. Rush and his crew just scream louder and louder in a discussion. That is not a venue for anyone who wants a reasoned discussion. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-will-be-on-the-tonight-show-thursday/489644/50 "2009-03-19T20:47:14Z")
> [@Jodi](#): > > Of course it is. You would have disapproved President Bush based on his articulate-ness and your negative assumptions about his motivations, but in this case you’re not bothered because President Obama is articulate and your assumptions about his motivations are positive ones. Cutting President Obama slack you wouldn’t extend to President Bush in the same situation is _exactly_ what you’re doing, by your own description. > > ETA: And I don’t actually have a problem with that, but I think if you are aware of this tendency (and amused by it), you might be interested to know that this looks like Exhibit A for the tendency itself, not an example of when you are _not_ doing it. So a person who breaks a car window to rescue a sweaty baby left inside a car should be judged exactly like a person breaking a car window to steal a stereo? Because that’s about how similar Obama going on The Tonight Show to discuss his economic policy (that’s not my assumption, that’s in the OP; granted, my prediction that he’ll be articulate while doing that is an assumption, but it’s based on some pretty good precedent) is to Bush (not) going on The Tonight Show to do I don’t know what. I can’t treat them as if they were the same, because it’s just such a ridiculous hypothetical that Bush would have done the same thing for the same reasons and with the same skill when his whole presidency he made a practice of doing the opposite. Therefore, while they both hypothetically involve an appearance on The Tonight Show, it’s not the same situation any more than baby rescuing is like stereo stealing, although both involve a broken car window. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-will-be-on-the-tonight-show-thursday/489644/51 "2009-03-20T00:42:36Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > I can’t treat them as if they were the same, because it’s just such a ridiculous hypothetical that Bush would have done the same thing for the same reasons and with the same skill when his whole presidency he made a practice of doing the opposite. And here’s the exact negative assumption I was talking about. It’s not equating a window-break “to save a baby” (known motivation) to a window-break “to steal a stereo” (known motivation); it’s Obama breaking the window to to save the baby, and Bush breaking the window for unknown reasons – but you assume he’d be stealing the stereo. Like I said, go crazy – assume whatever the hell you want. I’m only pointing out that it’s not a great example of you refraining from give Obama slack you would deny Bush. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-will-be-on-the-tonight-show-thursday/489644/52 "2009-03-20T10:26:17Z")
bowling does seem to get him in trouble. on the other hand. nixon was a good bowler and he got into lots of trouble. just say no! to bowling. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-will-be-on-the-tonight-show-thursday/489644/53 "2009-03-20T13:59:54Z")
> [@Small\_Hen](#): > > I’m not _especially_ against this, and I’m no fan of Bush, but I just want to point out that, had Bush pulled this exact same stunt a few years back, people on this board would be condeming him from taking time off work to stroke his ego. > > That said, I don’t think it’s a good idea; it feels like a way for Obama to sell his policies to weak minded people without intellectual discourse. “Love me, listen to me, I’m a celebrity,” not, “Listen to me, I have a reason to believe my plans are a good course of action, and this is why.” If I’d wanted a celebrity in office, I’d have voted for Brad Pitt. Oh no, a politician wants to be publicly accessible and visible! And people saying Obama is a celebrity is complete and utter rubbish. What, would you rather have someone _not_ popular in office? :dubious: And Bush seemed to be on a perpetual vacation. So much so that he broke the record for the most number of vacation days taken by a president - over 400 during his two terms. And that was amidst all the issues in his presidency. I don’t think Obama taking a few days off to travel to California to be on a national TV show and talk about political issues is even in the same ballpark. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-will-be-on-the-tonight-show-thursday/489644/54 "2009-03-20T14:06:52Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > But he won’t go on Rush Limbaugh’s show, because he knows that Rush will ride him like a mule. Whether you like Rush or not is immaterial; Obama won’t go somewhere where he will actually have to answer hard questions. Rush Limbaugh thinks evolution is a farce. That right there tells you he doesn’t have the intellectual ability or knowledge of having a decent discourse with anyone. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-will-be-on-the-tonight-show-thursday/489644/55 "2009-03-20T15:37:37Z")
I thought President Obama did pretty well. Yeah, small faux pas with “Special Olympics,” but it’s not worse than anything anyone else might say (including me), so I don’t think people are going to be too critical of it. The best analogy I saw was comparing it to FDR’s fireside chats. I still think reviving those in some modern form would be a better idea, and I still don’t really see the ultimate value of appearing on _The Tonight Show_, but Obama came across as honest and personable, so well done him. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-will-be-on-the-tonight-show-thursday/489644/56 "2009-03-20T16:02:24Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I don’t expect Leno to grill Obama, but I think he’ll ask about more than the new puppy and his NCAA bracket. Two-out-of-two, not bad. > [@](#): > > And I expect Obama to answer. I was a bit disappointed on this. Leno asked him about the 90% tax that was just passed, and whether it’s appropriate for congress to single people out for such harsh measures, and Obama pretty much ducked and weaved his way around the question. Or is it “ducked and wove”? ---
**Author:** ![A\_Dodgy\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a87d85/32.png) [@A\_Dodgy\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_Dodgy_Dude)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-will-be-on-the-tonight-show-thursday/489644/57 "2009-03-20T16:38:13Z")
I think conservatives should stop making fun Obama’s Special Olympics remark. After all, liberals never made any fun of Bush any time he put his foot in his mouth. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-will-be-on-the-tonight-show-thursday/489644/58 "2009-03-20T16:59:15Z")
> [@Jodi](#): > > The best analogy I saw was comparing it to FDR’s fireside chats. I still think reviving those in some modern form would be a better idea, No offense but that’s one of the worst ideas I’ve ever heard. FDR’s been dead for over 60 years so reviving his fireside chats would just be… gross. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-will-be-on-the-tonight-show-thursday/489644/59 "2009-03-20T17:23:07Z")
The [ratings](http://www.thrfeed.com/2009/03/obama-sets-tonight-show-record.html) for the show were an all-time high - matching the viewers who tuned in for the Johnny Carson tribute show. BTW, the above link has the video of the interview, in case anyone missed it and wants to see it. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-will-be-on-the-tonight-show-thursday/489644/60 "2009-03-20T17:44:30Z")
> [@Jodi](#): > > I thought President Obama did pretty well. Yeah, small faux pas with “Special Olympics,” but it’s not worse than anything anyone else might say (including me), so I don’t think people are going to be too critical of it. > > The best analogy I saw was comparing it to FDR’s fireside chats. I still think reviving those in some modern form would be a better idea, and I still don’t really see the ultimate value of appearing on _The Tonight Show_, but Obama came across as honest and personable, so well done him. I think he’s already doing it with his [weekly addresses](http://www.whitehouse.gov/weekly_address/) I thought the show was great, it was less a very serious interview and more of an Obama forum, but Jay asked all the questions I would have. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-will-be-on-the-tonight-show-thursday/489644.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-will-be-on-the-tonight-show-thursday/489644.md?page=4)