Obama Talks Football, Troop Withdrawal, Malia And Sasha's School, And Jessica Simpson

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In a wide-ranging interview with NBC's Matt Lauer, President Obama said that a substantial number of the 140,000 U.S. troops in Iraq would be home within a year, saying Iraqis were now ready to take more responsibility for their own security.

Asked whether a substantial number of troops would be home in time for next year's Super Bowl, Obama replied: "Yes. We are going to roll out in a very formal fashion what our intentions are in Iraq as well as Afghanistan."

Obama also seemed to indicate that he intends to be proactive at engaging terrorist groups and insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan: "We have to make sure we don't let up because there are people out there who want to do us harm."

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Dressed casually, in an open-collared checkered shirt, Obama also discussed football, his Blackberry, the stimulus package, his relationship with Republicans and even laughed at the fact that he was bumped for Jessica Simpson on a recent issue of Us Weekly.

As to the fate of the stimulus package currently before the Senate, Obama expressed confidence that it would be passed but also demonstrated his disappointment that not a single Republican voted for the package when it was approved by the House last week - despite his best efforts to engage GOP leaders.

He said that he had done "extraordinary outreach to Republicans because they have some good ideas and I want to make sure that those ideas are incorporated."

In a sign of his ambition to get the package passed and expression of his desire for the Pittsburgh Steelers to win the Super Bowl against the Arizona Cardinals, Obama joked that he would refrain from waving his Steelers' Terrible Towel because "we have some Arizona congressman [such as presidential opponent, Senator John McCain] and I might need their vote on the recovery."

He also opened up about his daughters' experience at their new school, the prestigious Sidwell Friends School. "They're loving school, they're making friends, have some friends from school over today. They're already joined some clubs. Sasha, she decided she wanted to join a basketball team. What more could I want?"

Discussing the college football bowl system, which he opposes in favor of a playoff system, Obama revealed that one of his Secret Service protectors has a son who plays tackle on the Florida Gators.

And he joked about his much-discussed Blackberry (and revealed his inner nerd): "It's like Inspector Gadget. If you touched it, it might blow up. It turns into a car if I have to make a quick getaway."

When Lauer asked about who has the coveted number, Obama said he wouldn't give it to Lauer but he might give it to Lauer's young son Jack, prompting Lauer to whisper, "Jack, give it to your pappa."

Finally, when Lauer held up a recent issue of Us Weekly, noting that Obama's face had been cut off on the cover, bumped by a photo of Jessica Simpson, Obama quipped, "Who's in a weight battle apparently."

Comments

[PhilipJames]

09:08 PM on 02/02/2009

For a guy with a wife with an amazing biggg butt, I don't think it is too wise to make cracks about another woman's weight...
for that matter, as President, he should keep his personal observatio­ns and comments about others to himself...
or he opens both himself and his family to commentary like that

[Grijpstra]

09:15 PM on 02/02/2009

You like big butts, do ya Phil?

[yvetteb6374]

09:50 PM on 02/02/2009

I don't think his reading of the headline of the picture was a joke on Simpson or a woman's weight; he was basically pointing out how that headline was more important then putting the President of the US on the cover.
Also, your comment about the 1st lady is more offensive since you're comparing having a big butt to someone, as per the article, is "fat". The 1st lady doesn't have a big butt she has a nice round butt.

[trudem2]

08:58 PM on 02/02/2009

Why does HuffPost edit Obama's words???

He did not say "Sasha, she decided she wanted to join a basketball team."

What he said was: "Sasha, I think maybe to endear myself to her, she decided she wanted to join a basketball team."

Why weren't his words relayed PRECISELY the way he spoke them?

[BobMarley]

08:27 PM on 02/02/2009

Mr. whatevahs,

Can we solve all our problems through military means? Peace is not a dirty word, in my opinion. My heart goes out to all victims and survivors of senseless murder; however, our foreign policies cannot be based on vengeances against all the evil in the world. We should focus on securing our borders, strengthen allies around the world and not let extremist make us become what we despise. I have lived all over the world and the United States is hands down the greatest country on the planet, not because of our military might, but because we espouse faith in our constituti­on and in freedom for all.
Killing innocent civilians is wrong, whether they are in a US building or in a village hut in Southeast Asia. We will continue to hunt down and eradicate all Al Qaeda in the World, but hopefully with President Obama, we will focus on anyone who does harm to our national interest. In my opinion, Saddam was a terror to his people, but he was not involved in that horrible day in September. Osama bin Laden was directly responsibl­e and still at large.

[baddadd47]

07:21 PM on 02/02/2009

for a guy with dumbo ears and a wife that looks like the angry gremlin obama should kee his mouth shut about people wil weight issues.

[UnbiasedinSWPA]

07:26 PM on 02/02/2009

And you should have paid attention in school.

[whatevahs]

06:31 PM on 02/02/2009

"extraordi­nary outreach to Republican­s because they have some good ideas and I want to make sure that those ideas are incorporat­ed."
Uh huh, and whose idea was it to include $60 Million for new cars for government workers, $34 Million for upgrades to off-road trails and other such pork? It wasn't the Republican­s since they are the ones who are saying that this so-called "stimulus package" is more like a multi-bill­ion dollar Christmas list.

[baddadd47]

07:23 PM on 02/02/2009

oh its a stimulus bill it just stimulates obamas socialist agenda and wont help America. People now seethey were duped and the curtain has been pulled back to reveal the REAL obama.

[hey0there]

06:29 PM on 02/02/2009

I for one cannot wait for these bright young American men and women in our Armed Forces to come home. The US needs you now more than ever.

[yearlin]

06:24 PM on 02/02/2009

he is extremely comfortabl­e. love it..

the way he paints Michelle, she seems like a very mean wife

[yvetteb6374]

09:54 PM on 02/02/2009

No, not mean she's tough and doesn't have time for BS...that'­s not mean that's handling business

[lisa12345]

04:15 PM on 02/02/2009

I love the weight comment quip

he made a point there about shallow media, wouldn't you say

I love the interview. He did a wonderful job.

I am still too idealistic I guess, because I am hoping that the Repubs come around and work with him and we are bi-partisa­n and productive­. I think it is right to try.

[DFL]

03:42 PM on 02/02/2009

With Barack and not Mc Cain, troops now have a light at the end of the tunnel.

[NALLY]

03:17 PM on 02/02/2009

Why oh why was John McCain being interviewe­d this morning on the Today Show? The interview was on the ecomony!!! Wasn't it McCain (the candidate) that said, "I'm not well versed on the economy, I'll have to rely on my VP for help in that area". That's like asking Limbaugh to stop eating so much!! He (they) don't have a clue!!!!

[NoCheapShotsPlease]

03:24 PM on 02/02/2009

On point NALLY. Out the horses mouth, how soon the sheeple forget. And since when did limbaugh deserve so much attention. don't people realize he's just creating controvers­y to gain listeners? He is such a fraud and does not even believe the words that are coming out of his own mouth. He needs to go away!

[NALLY]

03:13 PM on 02/02/2009

The republican­s are going against President Obama, simply because they know that he has the country's best interest at heart. They know that if he succeeds (and he will), that they will have even less power than they have now. Thus it's more important that they (Republica­ns) go against him rather than help him save out economy.

[NoCheapShotsPlease]

03:29 PM on 02/02/2009

If Obama succeeds without the support of the republican­'ts - they are HISTORY! It's a risk they are all taking by standing on the party line.

[DFL]

03:44 PM on 02/02/2009

If the RUSHpublic­ans keep going against Barack, they will lose even more seats in 2010

[whatevahs]

06:33 PM on 02/02/2009

So what are you saying? That you think we should have a one party system in this country? Sounds dangerous comrade. Perhaps you will remember this when you become part of the new Obama-crea­ted proletaria­t!

[Gunga-Din]

03:11 PM on 02/02/2009

Mr President dont has any clue about Guantanamo

[UnbiasedinSWPA]

04:24 PM on 02/02/2009

Everybody is entitled to their own opinion, but when criticizin­g people you should at least know how to use the english language properly.

"Mr President dont has any clue"

The same thing could legitimate­ly be said about you.

[Ergon]

07:25 PM on 02/02/2009

Oh, get a life.

[mdbmama]

07:03 PM on 02/02/2009

huh? WHAT are you TRYING to say? Did you get out of 6th grade?

I hate to be rude, President Obama is trying so hard to change the tone in this country, but I do have a prejudice and it is against those that need some education.

[Suzieknowsbest]

03:09 PM on 02/02/2009

Mr. President, will that be because they will be shooting and ki ll ing Americans demanding the heads of bankers because there are no jobs and no food to feed their families?

http://www­.flickr.co­m/photos/c­oyote2012/­3245175792­/

[connorin]

03:08 PM on 02/02/2009

Nice of Prez O to basically call a private citizen fat

[konflikt]

04:01 PM on 02/02/2009

he was commenting on the headline that Us Weekly ran. Ignorance is bliss, neh?

[whatevahs]

06:34 PM on 02/02/2009

"Ignorance is bliss, neh?"
Well, it got Obama elected.

[Jaskoen]

04:28 PM on 02/02/2009

Obviously you didn't bother to look at the cover. You don't know what you're talking about.

[eahce]

03:03 PM on 02/02/2009

Yes I believe we will have troops returning home, question is will they be patroling OUR streets.

[whatevahs]

06:34 PM on 02/02/2009

They may very likely be patrolling our streets under the new Obama communist system.