For the record, Comedy Central has the entire unedited interview on their site, in three parts. Worth seeing.

President Obama is scheduled to appear on the Jay Leno Show this week.

Candidate Obama made several appearances on the show and I have no problem with that but somehow having the President of the United States of America appear on a late night talk show is disturbing.

I remember Clinton was on playing the Sax but I think that was doing a campaign.

Somehow it bothers me that he's doing this as president.

So long as he is making himself available to more serious journalists then I don't really have a problem with it. If it is just an attempt to marginalize press more likely to ask him tough questions, then I do.

Another message board discussed this recently (Presidents on non-news TV, particularly late night) and all we could come with were:

Gerald Ford appeared in on the April 17, 1976 episode of Saturday Night Live, which was hosted by his press secretary.

Gore was on Letterman during his "Reinventing Government" campaign (I remember him wearing goggles and smashing something on Dave's desk). Bu

Nancy Reagan appeared in an episode of Diff'rent Strokes as part of her "Just Say No" campaign.

George W. Bush appeared in an episode of Deal or No Deal last year in support of an Iraq War veteran playing the game.

Don't forget Nixon appeared on Laugh-In...

Yes, but that was before (September 1968) he was president, while still campaigning. Humphrey declined a similar invitation and joked that it cost him the election.

I doubt Obama's doing it to avoid hard question, but rather to find a more mainstream route to tout his budget to the public. It's meeting with stance Congressional opposition, and I applaud him for taking any steps to push it through.


Though I admit, this strikes me as pretty undignified.

I love that he's breaking "rules".

Didn't Bush Sr. appear on SNL during the Dana Carvey days?

That was '94, after he'd left office.

I think the fact that Leno is retiring might have something to do with it as well. I don't have a problem at all with any President going on TV shows- I know it's common practice with leaders elsewhere in the world, and I don't see how it diminishes the office in any way. I think we've already established that he and his wife are fairly normal people (Gasp! Didn't he appear without a jacket in the Oval office?) and what better way to connect with the public than on the Tonight Show? I never watch it, but I'll be sure to tune in to this one.