WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I WOULD LIKE INTRODUCE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] (music) >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HOW DO YOU LIKE MY NEW ENTRANCE MUSIC? [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] RUSH LIMBAUGH WARNED YOU ABOUT THIS. SECOND TERM, MAYBE. [LAUGHTER] -- SECOND TERM, BABY. [LAUGHTER] WE ARE CHANGING THINGS AROUND HERE A LITTLE BIT. ACTUALLY MY ADVISORS WERE A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT THE NEW ENTRANCE MUSIC. THEY ARE LITTLE BIT MORE TRADITIONAL. THEY SUGGESTED I SHOULD START WITH SOME NOTES AT MY OWN EXPENSE JUST TO TAKE MYSELF DOWN A PEG. I WAS LIKE, AFTER FOUR AND A HALF YEARS, HOW MANY PEGS ARE THERE LEFT? [LAUGHTER] I WANT TO THANK THE WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS. ED, YOU ARE DOING AN ASTOUNDING JOB. [APPLAUSE] WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THE WORK YOU HAVE DONE. FOR ALL OF THE DIGNITARIES WHO ARE HERE AND EVERYONE, THANK YOU FOR THE OUTSTANDING SERVICE AND ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE IN UNIFORM EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND OF COURSE, OUR EXTRAORDINARY FIRST LADY, MICHELLE OBAMA. [APPLAUSE] EVERYBODY LOVES MICHELLE. SHE IS ON THE COVER OF VOGUE. HIGH POLL NUMBERS. DON'T WORRY. I GOT MY OWN MAGAZINE COVER. [LAUGHTER] I GET IT. I LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND I HAVE TO ADMIT I'M NOT THE STRAPPING YOUNG PERSON I USED TO BE. [LAUGHTER] [APPLAUSE] TIME PASSES. YOU GET A LITTLE GRAY. AND YET, EVEN AFTER ALL THIS TIME, I STILL MAKE ROOKIE MISTAKES. I'M IN CALIFORNIA AT A FUNDRAISER AND HAVING A NICE TIME. I HAPPEN TO MENTION THAT A WOMAN IS THE BEST LOOKING ATTORNEY IN THE COUNTRY. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, I GOT TROUBLE WHEN I GOT BACK HOME. [LAUGHTER] WHO KNEW ERIC HOLDER WAS SO SENSITIVE? [LAUGHTER] THEN THERE IS THE EASTER EGG ROLL. LOOKS LIKE A NICE, FUN EVENT WITH THE KIDS. I GO TO THE BASKETBALL COURTS. I TOOK MONEY TO SHOTS -- 22 SHOTS. MADE 2. 2 HITS. 20 MINUTES. THE EXECUTIVES AT NBC ASKED, WHAT IS YOUR SECRET? [LAUGHTER] SO, YES, MAYBE I HAVE LOST A STEP, BUT SOME THINGS ARE BEYOND MY CONTROL. THIS WHOLE CONTROVERSY ABOUT DAISY GOING TO CUBA -- JAY-Z GOING TO CUBA. [LAUGHTER] OF COURSE, EVERYONE HAS GOT PLENTY OF VICE. -- ADVICE. ONE SAID I COULD SOLVE ALL OF MY PROBLEMS IF I WAS JUST LIKE MICHAEL DOUGLAS IN THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT. MICHAEL, WHAT IS YOUR SECRET? COULD IT BE THAT YOU WERE AN ACTOR IN AN AARON SORKIN LIBERAL FANTASY? [LAUGHTER] MIGHT THAT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO IT? I DO NOT KNOW. CHECK IN WITH ME. MAYBE IT IS SOMETHING ELSE. ANYWAY, I RECOGNIZE THAT THIS JOB CAN TAKE A TOLL ON YOU. I UNDERSTAND SECOND TERM YOU NEED A BURST OF NEW ENERGY. TRY SOME NEW THINGS. WE ARE WILLING TO TRY ANYTHING. WE BORROWED ONE OF MICHELE'S TIPS. [LAUGHTER] I THOUGHT THIS LOOKED PRETTY GOOD, BUT NO BOUNDS -- BOUNCE. ANYWAY, I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO CONAN O'BRIEN. [APPLAUSE] I WAS TALKING TO ED. I UNDERSTAND WHEN THEY ARE CONSIDERING OWN AND O'BRIEN FOR THE GIG, THERE WAS THE AGE-OLD DILEMMA TO OFFER IT TO HIM NOW OR WAIT FIVE YEARS UNTIL THEY GIVE IT TO JIMMY FALLON. [CROWD OOHS] THAT WAS A LITTLE HARSH. I LOVE CONAN. OF COURSE, CNN HAS TAKEN SOME KNOCKS LATELY. I ADMIRE THEIR COMMITMENT. MY FORMER ADVISERS THAT HAVE SWITCHED OVER TO THE DARK SIDE, DAVE OLDID AXLE RIGHT -- AXELRODE. THE HISTORY CHANNEL IS NOT HERE. I GUESS THEY ARE EMBARRASSED ABOUT THE WHOLE OBAMA IS THE DOUBLE THING. -- DEVIL THING. THAT NEVER KEPT FOX NEWS FROM SHOWING UP. THEY THOUGHT THE COMPARISON WAS NOT FAIR TO SATAN. [LAUGHTER] THE MEDIA LANDSCAPE IS CHANGING RAPIDLY. YOU CANNOT KEEP UP WITH THE. -- WITH IT. I REMEMBER WHEN BUZZ FEED WAS SOMETHING I DID AROUND 2 A.M. IT IS TRUE. [LAUGHTER] RECENTLY I FOUND A NEW FAVORITE SOURCE FOR POLITICAL NEWS. THESE GUYS ARE GREAT. EVERYONE SHOULD CHECK IT OUT. IT IS CALLED WHITEHOUSE.GOV. I CANNOT GET ENOUGH OF IT. THE FACT IS, I REALLY DO RESPECT THE PRESS. I RECOGNIZE THAT THE PRESS AND I HAVE DIFFERENT JOBS TO DO. MY JOB IS TO BE PRESIDENT. YOUR JOB IS TO KEEP ME HUMBLE. FRANKLY I THINK I'M DOING MY JOB BETTER. [LAUGHTER] PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT EVERYONE IS SO CYNICAL. WE ARE CONSTANTLY FEEDING CYNICISM AND CONSPIRACIES. REMEMBER A FEW MONTHS AGO PRIME MINISTER SHOULDN'T PUT OUT A PHOTOGRAPH OF ME GOING -- SHOOTING AT CAMP DAVID? A NUMBER OF PEOPLE INSISTED THIS HAS BEEN PHOTOSHOP. TONIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO CONFESS -- YOU ARE RIGHT. CAN WE SHOW THEM THE ACTUAL PHOTO? [LAUGHTER] WE WERE TRYING TO TONE IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT. THAT WAS AN AWESOME DAY. [LAUGHTER] THERE ARE OTHER NEW PLAYERS IN THE MEDIA LANDSCAPE AS WELL LIKE SUPER PACS. DID YOU KNOW THAT SHELDON SPENT $100 MILLION OF HIS OWN MONEY LAST YEAR ON NEGATIVE ADS? HE MUST REALLY DISLIKE ME. TO SPEND THAT KIND OF MONEY. THAT IS OPRAH MONEY. YOU COULD BUY AN ISLAND AND CALL IT NOBAMA FOR THAT KIND OF MONEY. SHELDON WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF OFFERING ME WHEN HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS TO DROP OUT OF THE RACE. [LAUGHTER] [APPLAUSE] I PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN IT, BUT I THOUGHT ABOUT IT. [LAUGHTER] MICHELLE WOULD HAVE TAKEN IT. [LAUGHTER] YOU THINK I'M JOKING. [LAUGHTER] I KNOW REPUBLICANS ARE STILL SORTING OUT WHAT HAPPENED IN 2012. WHAT THEY ALL AGREE UPON IS REACHING OUT. CALL ME SELF CENTERED, BUT I COULD THINK OF WHEN MINORITY THEY COULD START WITH. [LAUGHTER] HELLO. [APPLAUSE] THINK OF ME AS A TRIAL RUN. SEE HOW IT GOES. [LAUGHTER] IF THEY WON'T COME TO ME, I WILL COME TO THEM FOR STOP -- COME TO THEM. I RECENTLY HAD A DINNER WITH A NUMBER OF REPUBLICAN SENATORS. I WILL ADMIT IT WAS NOT EASY. A PROPOSED -- I PROPOSED A TOAST. OF COURSE, SOME FOLKS STILL DON'T THINK I SPEND ENOUGH TIME WITH CONGRESS. WHY DON'T YOU GET A TREAT -- DRINK WITH MITCH MCCONNELL, THEY ASKED? REALLY? WHY DON'T YOU GET A DRINK WITH MITCH MCCONNELL? [LAUGHTER] I'M SORRY. I GET FRUSTRATED SOMETIMES. [LAUGHTER] I'M NOT GIVING UP. IN FACT, I'M TAKING MY CHARM OFFENSIVE ON THE ROAD. SECOND BARBECUE WITH TED CRUZ. KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS CONCERT WITH RAND PAUL. AND A BOOK BURNING WITH MICHELE BACHMANN. [MIX OF LAUGHS AND OOHS] MY CHARM OFFENSIVE HAS LET ME LEARN SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IN CONGRESS. IT TURNS OUT ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. BUT THE POINT OF MY CHARM OFFENSIVE IS SIMPLE. WE NEED TO MAKE PROGRESS ON SOME IMPORTANT ISSUES. REPUBLICANS FELL IN LOVE WITH THE SEQUESTER AND NOW THEY CANNOT STOP TALKING ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY HATE IT, LIKE WE ARE TRAPPED IN A TAYLOR SWIFT ALBUM. [LAUGHTER] ONE SENATOR WHO HAD REACHED ACROSS THE AISLE RECENTLY IS MARCO RUBIO. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT 2016. HE HAS NOT FINISHED A SINGLE TERM IN THE SENATE AND HE THINK HE IS READY TO BE PRESIDENT. KIDS THESE DAYS. ON THURSDAY, I WENT TO THE OPENING OF THE BUSH PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY IN DALLAS. WONDERFUL EVENT. THAT GOT ME INSPIRED TO GET STARTED ON MY OWN LEGACY. IT WILL BEGIN BY BUILDING ANOTHER EDIFICE RIGHT NEXT TO THE BUSH LIBRARY. CAN WE SHOW THAT? [LAUGHTER] I'M ALSO HARD AT WORK ON PLANS FOR THE OBAMA LIBRARY. SOME HAVE SUGGESTED WE PUT IT IN MY BIRTHPLACE, BUT I WOULD RATHER KEEP IT IN THE UNITED STATES. [LAUGHTER] [APPLAUSE] DID ANYONE NOT SEE THAT JOE COMING? -- JOKE COMING? [LAUGHTER] ONLY GALLUP? DICK MORRIS? [LAUGHTER] SPEAKING OF PRESIDENTS AND THEIR LEGACIES, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE A WONDERFUL RUN, AND STEVEN SPIELBERG AND DANIEL DAY-LEWIS WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT. WE HAD A SCREENING OF THEIR MOST RECENT FILM "LINCOLN." EXTRAORDINARY FILM. I'M NERVOUS ABOUT STEPHEN'S NEXT PROJECT. I SAW A BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK ON HBO. LET'S CHECK IT OUT. ROLL THE TAPE. >> I WAS THRILLED THAT LINCOLN WAS A SUCCESS. I WAS THINKING ABOUT WHAT TO DO NEXT. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT I WOKE UP AND IT HIT ME. OBAMA. WHY WAIT? PICKING THE RIGHT ACTOR TO PLAY OBAMA, THAT WAS A CHALLENGE. WE NEVER GOT HIS TRANSCRIPTS. THEY SAY HE IS KIND OF ALOOF. I NEED SOMEONE TO BECOME BARACK OBAMA. IT TURNS OUT THE ANSWER WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME ALL ALONG. DANIEL DAY-LEWIS. [LAUGHTER] HE NAILED IT. >> IT TOOK A WHILE. HELLO, OHIO. I LOVE YOU BACK. LET ME BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT. [LAUGHTER] >> ONCE WE HAD DANIEL TO PLAY OBAMA, WE HAD TO GUESS THE REST OF THE TEAM. >> WORKING WITH A LEGEND MIKE DANIEL IS INTIMIDATING. HE MAKES EVERYONE BETTER. WITHOUT THEM, I NEVER COULD HAVE PLAYED JOE BIDEN. LITERALLY. I AM JOE BIDEN. >> THE HARDEST PART, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HIS MOTIVATIONS. WHAT MAKES THEM TICK? WHY DOESN'T HE GET MAD? IF I WAS HIM, I GET MAD ALL THE TIME. BUT I AM NOT. I AM DANIEL DAY-LEWIS. [LAUGHTER] [APPLAUSE] >> REMARKABLE TRANSFORMATION. DO I REALLY SUMMIT THAT? -- SOUND LIKE THAT? RACHEL MARX ONCE SAID -- GROUCHO MARX ONCE SAID, SENATOR CRUISE, THAT IS GROUCHO MARX, NOT CARL. THE OTHER GUY. HE ONCE TOLD AN AUDIENCE, BEFORE I SPEAK COME A I SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO SAY. ALONG THOSE SAME LINES, I WANT TO CLOSE ON A MORE SERIOUS NOTE. THERE HAS BEEN NO SHORTAGE OF NEWS TO COVER OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS. THE SUSPENSE AND VERY HARD DAYS FOR MANY OF OUR CITIZENS. EVEN AS WE GATHER HERE TONIGHT, OUR THOUGHTS ARE NOT FAR FROM THE PEOPLE OF BOSTON AND THE PEOPLE OF WEST, TEXAS AND THE FAMILIES IN THE MIDWEST COPING WITH SOME TERRIBLE FLOODS. WE HAVE HAD SOME DIFFICULT DAYS. BUT EVEN WHEN THE DAYS SEEMED DARKEST, WE HAVE SEEN HUMANITY SHINE AT ITS BRIGHTEST. WE HAVE SEEN FIRST RESPONDERS AND NATIONAL GUARDSMEN WHO DASHED INTO DANGER. LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHO LIVED THEIR OATH, TO SERVE AND PROTECT. AND EVERYDAY AMERICANS OPENING THEIR HOMES AND THEIR HEARTS TO PERFECT STRANGERS. WE ALSO SAW JOURNALIST THAT THEIR BEST. ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT TOOK THEIR TIME TO WAIT UPSTREAM THROUGH THE TORRENT OF DIGITAL RUMORS TO JUST FAMILY DIDN'T VERIFY FACT -- VERIFY LEADS AND FACT. IF ANYONE WONDERS WHETHER NEWSPAPERS ARE A THING OF THE PAST, ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS PICK UP OR LOG ON TO PAPERS LIKE "THE BOSTON GLOBE YURIKO -- "THE BOSTON GLOBE." [APPLAUSE] WHEN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND THE WIDER WORLD NEEDED THEM MOST, THEY WERE THERE. MAKING SENSE OF THE EVENTS THAT MIGHT, AT FIRST BLUSH, SEEM BEYOND OUR COMPREHENSION. THAT IS WHAT GREAT JOURNALISM IS. THAT IS WHAT GREAT JOURNALIST DO. THAT IS IP WILLIAMS NUDE NICKNAME AROUND THE NBC NEWSROOM IS BIG HAPPY -- THAT IS WHY PETE WILLIAMS' NEW NICKNAME AROUND THE NBC NEWSROOM IS BIG PAPI. I GOT A CHANCE TO MEET MANY OF THE VOLUNTEERS AND POLICE OFFICERS WHO RACED TO HELP WHEN HARDSHIP HIT. I WAS REMINDED, AS I ALWAYS AM WHEN I MEET OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM, WHETHER THEY ARE ABROAD OR HERE BACK HOME, OUR WALTER REED. THEY DON'T DO IT TO BE HONORED. THEY DON'T DO IT TO BE CELEBRATED. THEY DO IT BECAUSE THEY LOVE THEIR FAMILIES AND THEY LOVE THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEY LOVE THEIR COUNTRY. THESE MEN AND WOMEN SHOULD INSPIRE ALL OF US IN THIS ROOM TO LIVE UP TO THOSE SAME STANDARDS. TO BE WORTHY OF THEIR TRUST. TO DO OUR JOBS WITH THE SAME FIDELITY AND THE SAME INTEGRITY AND THE SAME SENSE OF PURPOSE AND THE SAME LOVE OF COUNTRY. IF WE ARE ONLY FOCUSED ON PROFITS OR RATINGS OR POLLS, THEN WE ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE CYNICISM THAT SO MANY PEOPLE FEEL RIGHT NOW. [APPLAUSE] AND SO THOSE OF US IN THIS ROOM TONIGHT, WE ARE INCREDIBLY LUCKY. THE FACT IS, WE CAN DO BETTER. ALL OF US. THOSE OF US IN PUBLIC OFFICE, THOSE OF US IN THE PRESS, THOSE WHO PRODUCE ENTERTAINMENT FOR OUR KIDS, THOSE WITH POWER, THOSE WITH INFLUENCE, ALL OF US, INCLUDING MYSELF, WE CAN STRIVE TO VALUE THOSE THINGS THAT I SUSPECT LED MOST OF US TO DO THE WORK THAT WE DO IN THE FIRST PLACE. BECAUSE WE BELIEVED IN SOMETHING THAT WAS TRUE. WE BELIEVED IN SERVICE. IN THE IDEA THAT WE CAN HAVE A LASTING, POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE AROUND US. THAT IS OUR OBLIGATION. THAT IS A TASK WE SHOULD GLADLY EMBRACE ON BEHALF OF ALL OF THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE COUNTING ON US. ON BEHALF OF THIS COUNTRY THAT HAS GIVEN US SO MUCH. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE GREAT WORK YOU DO. GOD BLESS YOU ALL, MAY GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. [APPLAUSE] >> THANK EARLIER, BRIDGE
Fuck Obama. Just watch how he laughs at the fact people voted for him to answer a question about legalization. It might be a big joke to him but peoples lives have and will be ruined by these outdated laws.
I wouldn't say this is game-changing at all, it's well known that he smoked.
I don't get Obama. He was a massive stoner in college, he makes jokes about it, and then he consents on anti-weed measures like this. Both him and David Cameron said some general 'pro-weed' and 'pro-legislation' things before getting in power (as well as using it themselves as youths) and then have used their powers against it. Why would someone who is said to have come up with the idea of total absorption then take measures against cannabis? It almost seems like they are just puppets.
He could also mean buzz as in drunk, I don't think it will have any effect unfortunately
It's not game changing but it's refreshing to see a politician not flatly avoid the subject of marijuana. The game changing moment is when a well known politician in the public eye, openly endorses the legislation and control of marijuana.
Is it weird that I've never heard the term 'buzz-feed' used as a by-word for pot?
I was under the impression that he/s been unable to pass a lot of the bills as congress is made up largely of Republicans who are blocking them. My understanding of politics (especially American) isn't great so I may be wrong.
I didn't catch it? When did he say it?