President Obama will become the first sitting president in history to visit a daytime talk show when he makes an appearance on ABC's "The View" on Thursday.
Obama will appear as part of the show's "Red, White & View" campaign, which invites guests to have political discussions. It will be taped on Wednesday and include discussions about jobs, the economy, the Gulf oil spill and family life inside the White House.
It will not be Obama's first appearance on the show, however. He appeared as a guest in March 2008 while still a senator, and also appeared in November 2004. First Lady Michelle Obama served as a guest co-host on the show in June 2008.
“Given the difficulty of reaching people in this hyperactive media environment, we look for opportunities to reach people in environments that are not traditional forums for political newsmakers,” White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer told the New York Times. “That’s why we have been willing to have the president on Leno, Letterman and ESPN.”
Barbara Walters, who underwent heart valve replacement surgery in May, will return to the how for that one telecast, before returning on a regular basis in September.
"We are so pleased and honored that President Obama will be a guest on 'The View,'" Walters said in a statement. "This shows that both the president and first lady feel that our show is an influential and important source of information and news."
