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Obama on Jimmy Kimmel Live: Both Funny and Serious

President Obama was on Jimmy Kimmel last night. Both were very funny and entertaining.

Obama did get serious for a few minutes, when he talked about Ferguson, the two officers who were shot, the protesters, racial profiling and the DOJ report. [More...]

Some snippets:

"I think that what had been happening in Ferguson was oppressive and objectionable and was worthy of protest, but there was no excuse for criminal acts and whoever fired those shots shouldn't detract from the issue...."They're criminals, they need to be arrested."

"What we have to make sure of is that the folks who disregard and disrespect the other side, people who resort to violence, that they're marginalized..."But they’re not the majority, and in the same way that you can’t generalize about police officers who do an extraordinarily tough job, overwhelmingly, they do it professionally, you can't generalize about protesters who it turns out had some very legitimate grievances."

On the DOJ report:

You had city government telling the police department... 'Stop more people. We need to raise more money.' Folks would get stopped. They'd get tickets. Then, they'd have to wait in line to pay it, take a day off work. Folks would lose their jobs. In some cases, they were thrown in jail because they didn't have enough money for the fines. And then they'd get fined for that. So there was a whole structure there, according to the Justice Department report, that indicated both racism and just a disregard for what law enforcement's supposed to do.

Back to the funny stuff: Obama on tweeting and texting and using a Blackberry. He wouldn't give Hillary's email address to Jimmy.

It was good to see Obama so relaxed and I always enjoy watching Jimmy Kimmel. Even Kimmel's questions are funny. I can't imagine anyone else asking the President of the United States, "Do you ever wake up hungry at night and go to the kitchen in your underpants to get a sandwich?" (The answer was no, but he could.)

This was Obama's first time on Kimmel since 2008.

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  • Display: Sort:
    Obama at his best... (none / 0) (#1)
    by kdog on Fri Mar 13, 2015 at 12:59:13 PM EST
    his comments about generalizing are spot on, and lord knows I'm guilty of that.  It's good to be reminded of this common flaw, and strive to be better than that.

    There has been a void (none / 0) (#2)
    by NYShooter on Fri Mar 13, 2015 at 03:02:31 PM EST
    on late-night talk shows ever since Johnnie Carson left us in 2005. Johnnie had a personality that was so endearing, and unassuming, that he made all his guests feel comfortable, from little children to big movie stars, politicians, and especially, his audience.

    I was traveling the country for my business in those days, and let me tell you, it gets pretty lonely in Fargo North Dakota in February. Checking into a hotel late at night, it's pretty easy to feel a little depressed. So, the first thing you do when entering your room is click on the T.V, and you hear, "heeeer's Johnnie!" With Johnnie on the screen, cracking quips and jokes, whether you're in Fargo, Des Moines, or Tucson........you're home.

    And, IMO, no host since then even came close to replacing J. Carson...........until now, and Jimmy Kimmel. Congratulations, NBC; you did good.


    Minor (none / 0) (#3)
    by lentinel on Fri Mar 13, 2015 at 05:21:47 PM EST
    correction...

    I believe it is ABC to whom you meant to give your congrats.

    Parent

    lol, you're right (none / 0) (#4)
    by NYShooter on Fri Mar 13, 2015 at 06:59:00 PM EST
    just goes to show you how backward the South is; I googled J. Kimmel, and, up popped "NBC."

    Can the "ABC" network have an "NBC" affiliate?

    (it's either that, or, I can't read)

    Parent

    Maybe (none / 0) (#5)
    by lentinel on Fri Mar 13, 2015 at 09:18:51 PM EST
    it was some other J. Kimmel.

    Jazeel Kimmel runs a fine delicatessen in Charlotte I'm told.


    Parent

    He was like a good friend (none / 0) (#6)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Mar 13, 2015 at 09:30:22 PM EST
    That you could fall asleep on and it was okay.  The perfect blend of entertainment that was okay to miss the end of.  He almost soothed me from wide awake to zzzzzzzzz

    Parent
    Sounds like you and Johnny (none / 0) (#7)
    by CoralGables on Sat Mar 14, 2015 at 03:38:14 PM EST
    had quite the intimate late night relationship. Does your husband know?

    Parent
    Hey CG... (5.00 / 2) (#8)
    by fishcamp on Sat Mar 14, 2015 at 04:33:01 PM EST
    I see they're paving a long stretch of the bike path up in Key Largo.  Most of the middle keys are paved now.  Not sure about the lower keys, but I bet by this fall, when it cools down, you'll be able to make it all the way to mm 0.  We'll figure out a way to get you back home.  :-)

    Parent
    We were just friends :) (none / 0) (#9)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Mar 15, 2015 at 05:46:47 PM EST