Is Barack Obama preparing for a career in TV? The US President loves a high-profile interview
Move over Parkinson – it looks like Barack Obama is getting into TV. The US President took time off at an Asia-Pacific summit on Wednesday for a less conventional errand: putting questions to Chinese internet billionaire Jack Ma and a young Filipina entrepreneur on government-business ties during a panel discussion.
Obama joked with the eccentric founder and chairman of e-commerce firm Alibaba, probing Ma on how he thought government and established businesses could help young entrepreneurs.
"Government is simple – just reduce the tax, or no tax, for these guys," Ma responded, to a wave of laughter and from the audience of business execs.
"You got a lot of cheers from your fellow CEOs," Obama fired back. Oh, you two.
The American head of state seems to be getting a taste for the limelight. Back in June Obama took time out from his marginally less busy summer schedule to interview David Attenborough on issues around climate change.
Oddly enough, Obama couldn't help but bring up renewable energy in today's interview with Ma either, praising the work of a relatively unknown engineering professor and Filipina entrepreneur Aisa Mijeno, who invented a lamp powered by salt water. The President smoothly suggested the two team up.
"I’m just saying," Obama said, throwing Ma a knowing look. "Serving as a matchmaker here, a little bit."
That's not even the end of it. Last month an interview Obama conducted with Pulitzer-prize winning novelist Marilynne Robinson on religion and democracy went viral. You have to admit, the man has charisma.