John Brown: The Presidency Will Be Televised

Obama's interview with Jay Leno has been causing a stir, so the King of Da Burbz takes a look back at how some past Presidents handled prime-time.

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In his weekly column, rapper John Brown—the self-proclaimed "King Of Da Burbz"—will be offering his insight into politics and current events to the Complex readers. Check out "Politickin With John Brown" every Thursday.

Trying to pass a $3.6 trillion budget takes mad persuasion and mind manipulation. So when President Obama made history last week by appearing on The Tonight Show, it represented an evolution in outreach tactics. Dating back to JFK, sitting presidents have been trying to get that TV burn to build a fan base. Here are some historical presidential moments on the idiot box...

5. President Kennedy on NBC-TV, 1963

• Although substantive discussion comprised most of the interview, his comment about the Special Olympics made all the headlines. It was definitely cringe-worthy. But commander-in-chief-comedic-relief is a risky balancing act. Everyone's got bad jokes, but Barack should really leave improv to the pros.

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