Obama's Leno Appearance: Says Geithner Doing 'Outstanding' Job

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BURBANK, Calif. -- President Barack Obama told Jay Leno on Thurday that he was stunned when he learned of the bonuses that bailed-out insurance giant AIG was paying its employees.

Obama told "The Tonight Show" host the payments raise moral end ethical problems _ and vowed again to try to recoup the cash for taxpayers.

"We're going to do everything we can to get these bonuses back", he declared.

Leno asked Obama what he thought when his staff first advised him of the payments, many made to traders in the very division that brought American International Group to ruin.

"'Stunned' is the word," Obama replied in a taped appearance on "Tonight." He said he found it hard to fathom how anyone would accept lavish payments in those circumstances. "People just had this sense of entitlement. We must be the best and the brightest."

But Obama staunchly defended Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, who's increasingly come under fire for failing to block the bonuses.

"I think Geithner is doing an outstanding job," Obama said. "He is a smart guy. He is a calm and steady guy. I don't think people fully appreciate the plate that was handed him."

Obama added Geithner's carrying on "with grace and good humor. He understand that he's on the hot seat."

Too many in Washington are trying to figure out who to blame for things _ when they should be focused on fixing them, Obama said.

According to NBC, Obama was the first sitting president ever to appear on "The Tonight Show." He'd already appeared twice as a candidate.

Obama spoke with little interference or challenge from Leno, who clearly was enthused about snaring the president as a guest and pronounced it "one of the best nights of my life."

Leno veered away from politics and into the personal toward the end of the 35-minute interview, asking, "How cool is it to fly on Air Force One?" and when Obama daughters Sasha and Malia would get their pet dog.

"This is Washington. That was a campaign promise," Obama replied to audience laughter. "No, I'm teasing. The dog will be there shortly."

The new pet will be in place after he returns from a NATO meeting, Obama said.

The White House bowling alley remains in place, Obama said, bragging that he rolled a 129-point game ("Like the Special Olympics or something," he said), but a basketball court is a priority.

In his opening monologue, Leno said lots of people were surprised Obama would come on NBC _ figuring he'd be tired of big companies on the brink of disaster with a bunch of overpaid executives.

Leno also joked about the dismal state of the economy, saying it's so bad Obama flew to California on Southwest Airways _ making nine stops.

In recent years, a "Tonight Show" appearance has become a key humanizing touch for aspiring presidents. But its history of such appearances goes back to 1960, when then-Sen. John F. Kennedy came on the show to chat with Jack Paar.

Obama himself has already made two non-presidential appearances _ on Dec. 1, 2006, and Oct. 17, 2007.

The White House scheduled the appearance as part of a broader outreach to promote Obama's agenda _ one that's already had him on ESPN's "SportsCenter" this week and includes a "60 Minutes" interview airing Sunday, plus a prime-time news conference Tuesday.

But on ESPN, the talk was mostly about basketball. The First Fan filled out an NCAA tournament bracket _ picking North Carolina to defeat Louisville in the final. But recalling he picked the Tar Heels last year, he joked, "This year, don't embarrass me in front of the nation, all right? I'm counting on you."

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AP Television Writer Lynn Elber contributed to this report.

Comments

[AverageJane2]

06:11 PM on 03/21/2009

Mr. Obama? Shouldn't the sitting President be addressed as "President Obama"?

I can't stand that 'new' NBC talking head.

[kotexbarbie]

01:01 AM on 03/21/2009

Obama is likable, intelligen­t and charming. But he has never been an agent of change, from his career in the Illinois Senate, through his time in the US Senate, and now as President. His entire philosophy­, explicitly self-state­d, is to take cautious babysteps and not upset the status quo. This moment of crisis is an opportunit­y to fundamenta­lly change the political culture of America. A full-throa­ted defense of Democratic and Liberal principles and the relentless exposure of Republican failure could alter politics for the next several generation­s. This is the "change" we needed.

I voted for him only because he was the Dem nominee and I have been a registered Democrat my entire life. Did Obama got money from AIG ? YES HE DID!

[svengalifx]

09:21 PM on 03/20/2009

It's time to stop the half measures.

We own AIG. That's called "Nationali­zation". If everybody including the right wants to tell AIG what to do with the bailout money, WE OWN THEM. We

Now let's act like it.

[marignymitch]

05:32 PM on 03/20/2009

Translatio­n: Geithner will be out on his butt before you can blink twice.

[iknowdou]

04:02 PM on 03/20/2009

From where I'm sitting, Geithner is NOT doing "such a great job". He has been duplicitou­s at best, criminal at worst. When will our government stop with the charades and start leveling with the American people who pay their darnned salaries. Geithner needs to go. He has not deserved the American people's trust.

[freedomitchy]

04:00 PM on 03/20/2009

Geithner's OUTSTANDIN­G performanc­e. The Bank rescue plan due on February 10 now put off until … April they say.....
Barack Obama promised in his first White House press conference on February 9th that Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner would have a rescue plan ready to announce the next day. On February 10th, Geithner showed up with nothing but a string of platitudes and a promise that he would have a plan real soon. The markets tanked as investors realized that the White House had no economic leadership at the top, and the Obama administra­tion pledged to get something quickly.

Time Magazine reports that the plan has been delayed again, and now won’t be ready for another month.

[dan-o]

02:48 PM on 03/20/2009

Brownie...­oops-sorry­. Geithner your doing a great job!!!!!

Instead of one region of the country its the whole country that is burning down.

[ivegotblisteronmefingers]

02:57 PM on 03/20/2009

oi!
again I must hit the history lesson
1981 hostages released
Ray-gun takes credit
1993 Brach Davidian standoff end tragically
Reno is blamed
2001 9/11
the shrub blames clinton

[Bry Willis]

03:06 PM on 03/20/2009

That was my first thought, too. :-)

[snesich]

01:17 PM on 03/20/2009

The only people who are "outraged" by President Obama's obvious gaffe are those who hate him for political and ideologica­l reasons. They're just looking for a way to criticize him, for any "reason".

[kevenseven]

01:26 PM on 03/20/2009

Was is even a gaffe?

Certainly none of the dittoberri­es have standing to criticize.

[c661]

01:08 PM on 03/20/2009

I am disabled and I was not the least offened by the President. He was making a joke about how bad HE bowls. The press ate him up when he was having a little fun on the caimpaign trail. Wake up people you have to laugh at yourself. It is what makes life worth living, to love , laugh,and smile with friends and family! i personally love the fact that he talks to the people instead of just the so called Washington insiders. If you listen closely to everyone who critizes him they are saying to you that the American people are below the media and elected officials and how dare he talk to the people without going through them first. That way they can spin everything he says to their own interpetat­ion. I am perfectly capable of listening and figuring out what he said without the media or pundits telling me what to think. Talk about people that make to much money! The media and the pundits lie to you and spin it and take home millions to do it...Yet we are still listening to them.

[GarysDiscardedCaps]

12:56 PM on 03/20/2009

Obamas appearance and in fact any time he talks to the American people, he makes Ronald Reagan as the “Great Communicat­or” look like an amateur.

The way I see it is this guy, as he did in his campaign, always is a step ahead of the conservati­ves, or those that oppose him, and keeps them scratching their heads trying to keep up. Really p.i.s.ses them off. i.e. refer to these past posts.

I read these blogs and the conservati­ves keep ripping him because he uses a teleprompt­er and once he’s off it he’s all umms and ahhs. Funny I didn’t see him with one last night and he was articulate­, inviting, warm, funny, informativ­e and engaging. Brilliant!

How refreshing it is to have a President like this after the horror of the one we had for last 8 years.

BTW... the Bushisums continue as W. says his new book well be an “Authorita­rian” view point. I think he meant “authorita­tive”, must have been a Freudian slip.

[ivegotblisteronmefingers]

01:10 PM on 03/20/2009

too true
he also outsmarts those solidly on his side (myself included) as his did in the campaign many times
and yes it is very refreshing
this morning I heard my wife screaming obscenitie­s as she had done all throughout the previous admin
I thought perhaps the shrub was on the radio
fortunatel­y (or unfortunat­ely) it was just the pope in Africa

[NOLIESPLEASE]

02:18 PM on 03/20/2009

I'm loving it....don'­t worry buddy , I did the same thing.

Remember in Godfather 3......I keep tryiing to get out...BUT THEY JUST KEEP PULLING ME IN.....Pac­hio wasn't kidding!

[freedomthrutruth]

12:40 PM on 03/20/2009

Firing Geithner at this juncture when the heat has descended on the Obama administra­tion clearly is not an option as there would be far too many ramificati­ons for doing so. Also, Obama signed the Stimulus Package into law and it contained language allowing the bonuses, so if Obama fires Geithner, then thereafter Obama himself ought to resign. One can argue that Obama didn't know such language was in the Stimulus Package, but others might counter with "He is the president and therefore he should have known." Also, Geithner works for the president; he is thus subject to the president'­s orders and direction and as such firing him at this moment would simply produce a scapegoat given the fact that there are many other players with roles in this scandal who should also resign, including much of Congress. Additional­ly, remember that the Stimulus Package from which many of us will obtain benefits is essentiall­y, if nothing else, a deal, a quid pro quo and to that end it contains many provisions we approve of and some we don't. The allowance for bonuses is one we don't like, but could the Stimulus Package have been passed without it?

[Davonne Rushing]

12:08 PM on 03/20/2009

It surprises me how Obama's protecting Geithner. He's suppose to be "outraged" when he knows it was his own secretary who let them get their bonuses.

[rustygriswold]

12:34 PM on 03/20/2009

Obama has to protect Geithner. Obama told us Geithner was so important to save the economy that we should overlook his tax evading. If Obama bails on him now it will be more proof that Obama's good judgment was another campaign lie.

[freedomthrutruth]

12:49 PM on 03/20/2009

I understand your outrage, but do you admit the the American political system is overwhelme­d with vice and corruption and that Geithner is simply one actor in all of it. The corrupt bonuses were possible not just because of Geithner's acquiescen­ce but because of strong ties between our political system and the corporate world. It's clearly a system replete with bribery and malfeasanc­e, and Obama and Geithner must play along until such time as they don't have to anymore. And when will that be? Likely not within the foreseeabl­e future.

[dphilip]

11:29 AM on 03/20/2009

"You're doing a great job Brownie" hahahah...

[wltdnfaded]

11:31 AM on 03/20/2009

Please see my post once posted.

[kevenseven]

12:54 PM on 03/20/2009

Another dittoberry clinging to Lush's enormous posterior speaks.

[wltdnfaded]

11:28 AM on 03/20/2009

Obama explained the financial crisis more clearly sitting on Leno's couch that I have heard yet. I found myself saying "OOOOOHHHH­!" several times after he explained something. I get it now, and I have a clearer understand­ing of what needs to be done to fix it.

Was the Special Olympic comment dumb? Yeah, it was. And he apologized for it-- EVEN WITHOUT THE SPECIAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE COMING AFTER HIM. That's class, folks-- say a dumb thing (like any normal human being does) and then own up to it. THAT's a grown up. Ah, so refreshing­.

And to the haters-- look, I don't understand why you're so angry at someone who's trying to help YOU. I don't understand why you believe the lies and hysteria of a group of people (growing smaller by the day) instead of looking at the facts yourself and making your own judgments. Why is that hard for you? And WHY do you feel you need to come on here and ruin people's discussion­s? Do you really need that much attention? Why don't you go to the right-wing sites and be amongst your own people? Are you really that intimidate­d by intelligen­t conversati­on and solutions? Because, ya know, you're not going to change anyone's mind here.

[NOLIESPLEASE]

02:22 PM on 03/20/2009

Well said!!

[jrlaco]

02:56 PM on 03/20/2009

He's perfect. Just sitting there with jay, you can just tell that he's perfect. The way he makes mistakes is perfect. When the tele-p goes down and he ends up reading someone else's speech and thanks himself, it is just so perfect.

Bush was a dunce when he did these things, Barack has shown the world easy it can be to be perfect

[jbeach]

03:20 PM on 03/20/2009

When Obama turns a surplus into a deficit, invades a country that didn't attack us to let murderers of 3000 people go free, and let's a historic city drown while he flies around the country doing photo ops, then you might have a point.

But then you won't be nitpicking any more.

[howcome]

11:21 AM on 03/20/2009

Imagine the outrage if Bush was talking about his lack of swimming skills and he referred to African Americans, as Bavasi of the Dodgers did, and then apologized­.... Sharpton would say , apology accepted

[gladys46]

11:27 AM on 03/20/2009

Imagine the outrage of Bush causing people to be no longer alive ... nitpicker !

[jbeach]

03:11 PM on 03/20/2009

Oh, get over it. How about we focus on some real issues?

Such as maybe proposing solutions for the economy, that don't involve tax cuts? Which GWB has already proven don't work - that's how he screwed up the economy that Obama now has to fix.

Or something else that's actually productive­. Instead of going around nitpicking meaningles­s stuff like this which has absolutely no effect on the price of beans.

Seriously.