During the first seven years of Barack Obama’s presidency, he’s made serious efforts to get his message across in a variety of ways. While standard television speeches and weekly radio addresses are things that most presidents have also done, President Obama has made a concerted effort to reach individuals who are more comfortable in an online format. The most recent instance of this came when he appeared with comedian Jerry Seinfeld in the online series, “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.”
As the title plainly suggests, the standard format of the show is having Seinfeld picking up a comedian and taking him to a nearby coffee shop to discuss any number of things. However, given the inevitable security risks involved with taking the President of the United States to a coffee shop, the format was slightly adjusted to accommodate the unique situation. In the episode that lasts just over 19 minutes and was the season premiere of the program’s seventh season, Seinfeld arrives at the White House in a silver blue 1963 Corvette Stingray. Prior to his arrival, the video begins with Seinfeld giving approximately a two-minute description of the vehicle.
Seinfeld then notes how President Obama was able to qualify for inclusion on the program by showing a previous appearance at the White House Correspondents Dinner, where he jokes about criticism from former Vice President Dick Cheney. Meeting President Obama in the Oval Office, Seinfeld briefly waits for him to finish his work. The two then move outside the White House, with the President mentioning how one of his grandfather’s friends had owned a Stingray in the late 1960’s, noting that he had always wanted to own such a car. The drive that Seinfeld and President Obama then take is done within the area surrounding the White House due to Secret Service restrictions that prevented the vehicle from leaving the property. The President jokes that he does well with children eight years and younger because of his large ears, which he says makes him look like a cartoon character.
In addition, he mentions that they meld his name into one, as in “Barackobama.” The two then get into a presidential limousine, with the President noting the major differences between it and a standard vehicle. That’s followed by a brief discussion of the highs and lows of being a celebrity. A question about whether or not President Obama had favorite presidents growing up results in him specifically noting Theodore Roosevelt. That’s due to Roosevelt’s ability to so what the President refers to as “crazy stuff.”
President Obama then runs through his morning routine before the two go to a White House cafeteria to have coffee. Seinfeld asks him about whether he does the mundane things that ordinary individuals do, such as adjusting the thermostat, with the President indicating that such actions are done for him. The discussion then continues with the President noting his love of nachos, how the greatest accolade he could receive would be to be on Mount Rushmore, the fact that football would be the most apt sport to describe politics and the mindset of world leaders in general.
As the episode winds down, President Obama asks Seinfeld about dealing with hecklers and jokingly works in a plug for the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare. The two then step outside, with the President briefly getting behind the wheel. He notes that his driving style of resting his wrist on top of the steering wheel is specifically related to the fact that the Stingray is considered a “cool car.”