President Obama does Leno show

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President Obama does Leno show

President Barack Obama appeared on 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno' on Thursday, March 19, 2009. Obama is the first sitting president to appear on the late-night program.

President Barack Obama appears on 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno' in Burbank, Calif. Thursday, March 19, 2009. Obama is the first sitting president to appear on the late-night program.

The president shares a hearty laugh with the long-time TV talk-show host and comedian. Earlier, Obama rejected the notion that the talk-show appearance was keeping him from more pressing issues, saying he can do more than one thing at a time.

President Barack Obama taped his appearance with host Jay Leno Thursday afternoon.

Members of the White House Press Corps watched from a holding room inside NBC Studios.

President Barack Obama was in California on a two-day swing to promote his economic agenda.

Aides said the Leno appearance was a way for the president to make his case to more Americans.

"Jay Leno on this economic crisis really represents common-sense America and draws an audience Obama needs to reach," said pundit-blogger Arianna Huffington.

The St. Petersburg Times noted that, as a candidate, Obama appeared everywhere from a WWE wrestling show to 'American Idol' and has been Leno's guest before, the first time on Dec. 1, 2006.

This time, Barack Obama didn't have to share the sofa with any other guests.

The president did, however, have to sit around while NBC employees talked strategy with Jay Leno during a commercial break.

Robert Thompson, head of the Center for the Study of Popular Television at Syracuse University, told the St. Pete Times that he wouldn't be surprised to see President Obama one day soon chatting with Jon Stewart on 'The Daily Show.' Such shows, Thompson said, are "an important part of the civic conversation."

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President Barack Obama appears on 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno' in Burbank, Calif. Thursday, March 19, 2009. Obama is the first sitting president to appear on the late-night program.

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