Barack Obama Prank Calls Boston Public Radio Station
A former resident of Somerville, Ma., called the hosts of Boston Public Radio as they interviewed outgoing Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick (D), ostensibly to complain about those loud college students at Tufts University.
“Uh, Governor, this is Barack Obama, formerly of Somerville,” the caller said. “I’ve got a few complaints about service in and around the neighborhood, but I’ve moved down south since that time.”
Initially, Gov. Patrick thought a “very good” impersonator had called, but then noticed Obama’s tell: “Mr. President, you know I love you, but you still have trouble saying Massachusetts.”
President Obama, who has been friends with Patrick since the early 90s’, praised his tenure as Governor — Patrick has decided to step down after two terms — and wished him a happy holidays, and the best of luck in whatever he decided to do next. (Full disclosure: I interned for Deval Patrick during his 2006 gubernatorial campaign. Go ahead, I’m a dirty commie liberal/conservative turncoat/whatever.)
A sweet gesture to a longtime friend, until host Jim Braude decided to bring up a devastating anecdote from Obama’s Massachusetts past: “Mr. President, you paid all those parking tickets in Somerville, correct?”
“You know what, I think I had to before I took office, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to step into the Commonwealth without being arrested,” Obama responded. (As a Harvard Law student, Obama had accumulated 17 parking tickets, but only paid off two of them. He paid off the rest right before he launched his presidential campaign. In fairness, it’s friggin’ hard to find parking in Somerville.)
You can listen to the entire interview here.
[h/t Vox]
[Image via White House]
