President Barack Obama may have a soft spot for a certain daytime talk show host, because he broke his own "no selfie" rule for her. Before the POTUS stopped by The Ellen DeGeneres Show to take a fun photo, he explained why he's tired of taking selfies to an Illinois crowd on Wednesday (Feb. 10). He also couldn't resist leaving the show without sending FLOTUS, Michelle Obama, a special Valentine's Day message.
The Commander-in-Chief set out to the Midwest to make address the Illinois General Assembly in Springfield, Illinois. President Obama is only the fourth POTUS to make such a historic speech in the area. Frustrated by society's need to communicate through technology instead of face-to-face, he announced to the audience that he would not be taking any selfies. Instead, he was looking to speak with people who came out to see him and shake their hands.
The 54-year-old Hawaii native had a change of heart when he sat down to chat with DeGeneres for the Friday (Feb. 12) episode of her show. She snapped a picture of the two of them together and posted it to her Twitter. DeGeneres is infamous for taking epic selfies (i.e. her 2014 Oscar selfie with Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Lupita Nyong'o, Meryl Streep, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Channing Tatum, and more.)
Selfie with the Chief. @BarackObama @POTUS pic.twitter.com/ggivtyPi6j
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) February 12, 2016
"If we had had smart phones when I ran for president, I'm not sure I would've run because folks just have their phones; they won't shake my hand anymore," President Obama told the Illinois crowd, according to BuzzFeed. "It's like, 'Hey! I'm here! Live! In front of you!' So we're not taking selfies, but I want to shake as many hands as possible."
He might have given in to her selfie wishes, but President Obama stood his ground when it came to dancing on the show. After the two got comfortable, DeGeneres praised President Obama for his contributions to the country. The father of two returned the favor by complimenting the comedian for being a genuinely loving and "influential" person.
DeGeneres surprised President Obama with a funny Valentine's message from Michelle, so they decided to film an equally funny message to send back to her. Promising to shower her with love and make her favorite edible dishes, President Obama knew just the right things to say to reach his wife's heart. This will be the last Valentine's Day the two share in the White House.
"After about 15 years, I figured out she's always right." President Obama gushed about his wife on the show. "I love you so much. I Obamacare about you," He joked in his Valentine's Day message. "Michelle, I've made a lot of great decisions as president. The best decision I ever made was choosing you. Thank you for putting up with me."
The Ellen DeGeneres Show airs weekdays at 4 p.m. ET on NBC.
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