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Video link after the jump!

What Kanye did was rude, inconsiderate and many other things I shouldn’t really say here. The fact that President Obama called him a jackass, is priceless. I’m absolutely certain the Obama’s girls, Malia and Sasha, have way more class (and they’re kids!) than Kanye ever will.

Sad that Kanye’s mum passed away, because I think he needs a lesson in manners (and a good kick in the butt that only mums can do).

Seriously, this put a smile on my face!  Watch the video clip here.

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President Obama is on the cover of the October issue of Men’s Health. In it, he jokes about the bowl of apples he keeps in the Oval Office. “It was our first step toward health reform.”

“Even when I was a community organizer,” President Obama says, “I was paid $US13,000 a year, I benefited from the fact that the guy who hired me insisted that I get health care as part of the package. And, you know, at the age of 24, 25, you think you’re immortal. So I was thinking to myself, boy, I could use that money to pay the rent. But he was very firm about everybody having health care, and I think that he did me a great service during that time.”

Obama exercises six days a week, even while balancing the job of President with his role as a father of two girls. It’s the job, actually, that makes him really appreciate the gym even more.

“My blood pressure is pretty low, and I tend to be a healthy eater. So I probably could get away with cutting my workouts back a little bit,” President Obama says. “The main reason I do it is just to clear my head and relieve me of stress.”

See, that’s where Barack and I differ. Me, I just have beer to relieve the stress.

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While Sasha and Malia enjoy puppy playtime with Bo during the day–and try, somewhat successfully, to prevent him from chewing through magazines and shoes—it’s the parents (surprise, surprise!) who are responsible for his walks.

But if anyone needs the grounding and lighthearted routine of caring for a family pet, it’s the Obamas. Michelle walks Bo in the mornings, while the President looks forward to his evening jaunts with the Portuguese Water Dog.

“I’m the guy with the night shift,” he told one interviewer. “We go out and we’re walking and I’m picking up poop and in the background is the beautifully lit White House. It’s quite a moment.”

No one should be above scooping poop for the love of a furry creature–which is why I hope the president lets the duty fall to his kids at least some of the time.

Photo: AP

The jeans — a little too faded and riding a little high in the waist and at the ankle — betrayed our handsome president’s nerdy roots. (The super white running shoes and the zipped up jacket with a fitted waist only added to the cringe factor, but nobody’s talking about that, so I won’t either. )

So what does he have to say for himself? Was this his attempt at … trendsetting? Does he expect fathers around the world to hike’em up and bleach’em out?

No. He tells Viera, simply, “I’m a little frumpy,” and “those jeans are comfortable.”

“Here’s my attitude: Michelle, she looks fabulous. … For people who want a president to look great in tight jeans, I’m sorry.”

And also? He said he hates to shop. Just two years ago, he only owned four suits. “She [Michelle] used to tease me, they’d get a little shiny.”

He’s also taking a pass on the low-rider trend. “I’m not 20.”

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Obama in a totally geeky get-up. Remember last summer when he took a break from campaigning to go biking with the family around Chicago? Then, he tucked a polo into some snug and belted (also somewhat faded jeans). As a nation, we’re just going to have to accept this and move on.

Photos: TimesOnline, AP

I know there are so many important things going on in the world today. There are choices to make, convincing to do,  but apparently  the most important thing right now for Barack Obama to do is to go get some new jeans.

At least that’s the way the media portrayed it.

He did jump to his own defense when talking to Meredith Viera. She asked him if he wanted to defend them and he jumped right in with, “Michelle, she looks fabulous. I am a little frumpy. Up until a few years ago, I only had four suits. She used to tease me because they would get really shiny.”

Then he added, “I hate to shop. Those jeans are comfortable, and for those of you who want your president to look great in his tight jeans, I’m sorry — I’m not the guy. It just doesn’t fit me. I’m not 20.”

How long do you think he’s had those jeans? I would say at least 4 or 5 years. He probably doesn’t wear them very often since he’s always in a suit and just wanted to be comfy. I say we give him a break and let him worry about something else.

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Built at Los Angeles warehouse, the ‘Obama-tron’ which was nicknamed “Roboama” was developed under a veil of secrecy. Obama was recorded at the White House to capture his voice and mannerisms. At the Hall of Presidents, along side Lincoln reciting the Gettysburg Address, Obama recites a short speech. The entire Hall of Presidents experience has been redone with added video, new robotics and added bonuses like George Washington speaking for the first time. But the highlight is the new Obama animatronic, although it sounds like Disney put in their best efforts, from the video footage it doesn’t seem to measure up to the real deal.

The vice president of Disney Imagineering stated that, ” We are sticklers for detail…this is as authentic and lifelike as we can make it.”

Check out the video below.

What do you think of the new Obama-tron?

President Obama has inflamed White House photographers yet again over his on-again, off-again rules for photographing the first kids.

After asking for respect for young Sasha and Malia’s privacy during the campaign, the president has allowed certain scripted moments to be sent out over the wires. But when an unscripted moment comes up – even with photographers allowed onto the premises and in plain view of said photographers, the Obama administration has been quick to advise the press they’d better not see that picture out in the public.

According to an article in the AP yesterday, Sasha Obama was standing on the Truman balcony of the White House when the president happened to look up and see her. Sending a wave in her direction, he was answered with a wave back… which photographers caught (see the two together over at Jezebel). Photographers, I’ll remind you, who were already invited in to take photographs.

So when the White House told them they couldn’t print that particular pic, is it any wonder the press got pissed?

Freedom of the press is not nearly as straightforward as the general public would believe. And yet, it affords us powers that many in the public don’t understand. Standing at a street fair, taking pictures for my local newspaper, I’ve been informed by parents that they’ll take my camera after I take their child’s picture. Sure, if they want to see the other side of a set of bars.

If your child is in public, a photographer can take their picture. It’s that simple. Which explains why there are myriad pictures of celebrities’ kids out there, why the paparazzi are still in business.

And yet, there are rules. We can’t, for example, trespass. There are restrictions in private settings, and although my photojournalism jobs have never taken me quite this far, I would assume the White House falls under most of those private settings and more. The White House is a national museum, but it is also a home, not to mention home of the leader of the free world. Much of the place falls under the exclusionary rules to freedome of the press dealing with matters of national security.

But is it fair to say the kids fall under that too? Because as many have pointed out, the Obama girls are seen in public. Remember the ice cream shot? The Parade photos?

Of course, those all fell under the “approved” photos by the Obama White House, as do the photos on the Obama Flickr page, which news organisations can ask to use (although that is sometimes rejected). The point being, the Obamas have not made this a “no photos of our girls” White House. They’ve made it a “no photos of our girls… unless we feel like it” White House, and one many critics say is more of a “no photos of our girls… unless it can win the president points or make him look good” White House. Not to mention the complaints that the Obama White House is hurting the money-making abilities of certain members of the press corps by disseminating its own photos and saying no to the professional photos.

As a parent, I’m willing to give him a certain benefit of the doubt. He wants to protect his kids. But as a reporter, I must say that protecting your kids means keeping them out of the limelight, period. If you don’t want the press taking photos of your daughter on the balcony, tell her to stay off the balcony.

If they’ve taken the picture, as a man who swore to protect the Constitution, you sigh and move on. Especially as there was nothing untoward happening, no paparazzi sneaking around the back of the White House lawn or slipping in to their playroom.

You don’t have to like paparazzi or even more legitimate news photographers, Mr. President. But they’re just doing their jobs, jobs protected by their Constitution. Let them do it.

Image: AP

How fitting – Beyonce sang at President Obama’s Inaugural Ball and now he’s paying tribute to her by singing “Single Ladies” dance for a change. Okay, it’s not the real Barack, but this guy might have a career for the next four years – he’s really good and really funny!

Video after the jump!

I wonder if Malia and Sasha are allowed to watch Youtube videos? I think they’d love this!

Worth a couple of watches:

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Some French officials have expressed disappointment that Obama did not dine at the Elysee with President Nicolas Sarkozy and First Lady Carla Bruni. Obama defended his decision to spend time with his family instead, saying of his relationship with Sarkozy, “It’s important to understand that good friends don’t worry about the symbols and conventions and protocols.”

Children, however, do worry greatly about getting enough time with their dads, and it’s a relief to see Obama unapologetically put his family before political concerns. Furthermore, you’d think that exposing his children to Parisian culture would be seen as a great diplomatic move on Obama’s part. How amazing would it be if all children had the opportunity to sightsee in other countries at such a young age?

The last thing any parent in a high-profile position should be criticized for is spending one fun day with his or her family.

Photo: Reuters, via The Daily Mail