Obama on Tyra Banks show
Posted: Monday, October 01, 2007 2:32 PM by Domenico Montanaro
From NBC's Lauren Appelbaum
Making his first appearance on a daytime talk show since announcing his presidential run, Sen. Obama told The Tyra Banks Show's audience about his first date with Michelle (Baskin Robbins ice cream), what is on his iPod (Jay-Z, Miles Davis, and classical music such as Bach ... and a little salsa music too) and who should play him in a movie (Denzel Washington or Will Smith).
On a more serious note, Obama said the prejudices he has faced throughout his life have made him more empathetic toward other people's problems. He also credited his mother with inspiration for his policy choices. When his mother was 53 years old, she died from ovarian cancer and the Illinois senator said the healthcare system did not treat her well. "Watching her dying and worrying about medical bills motivates me to make sure every American has health care."
As for his own parenting style, Obama said Michelle provides a perfect example for the girls as their role model because the two set limits for them. "Parents have to realize, kids want limits, they want structure," Obama said. "They don't want you to be their best friend; they want you to be the parent. If we had more parenting, then the kinds of influences we see on television don't matter."
Shifting to politics, Banks asked Obama about his statement at MSNBC's debate on Wednesday night that he would not promise to bring all troops out of Iraq by 2013. Obama told Banks he would start bringing troops home "in a very rapid fashion." And then he re-phrased the actual question, saying he was asked if he would keep some troops in Iraq "to carry out limited duties" such as guarding the embassy in Baghdad or having some counterterrorist forces to defend against Al Qaeda -- which Obama said he would.
In actuality, NBC’s Tim Russert, who moderated the debate, made no such qualifications. Here’s what he said: “Senator Obama, I'd like to start with you. General Petraeus in his testimony before Congress, later echoed by President Bush, gave every indication that in January of 2009 when the next president takes office, there will be 100,000 troops in Iraq. You're the president. What do you do? You said you would end the war. How do you do it in January of 2009?”
Banks talked about her brother Capt. Devon Banks, who is deployed in Afghanistan. She asked Obama to speak to him directly into the camera since he was watching, she said. "Devon, we are proud of you," Obama said. "We are grateful for your service. We want to get you back home as soon as possible. I know Tyra is thinking about you all the time, so make sure to send her emails all the time."
Obama ended his visit with Banks by playing some one-on-one basketball with Tyra Banks on set. But when she asked about a slumber party in the Lincoln bedroom, Obama told her he'd invite her to a BBQ on the South Lawn instead.
