Obama Compares Jackson To Elvis, Lennon

By: Kevin Hechtkopf
Topics: In The News

(CBS)

In an interview this morning with CBS News chief White House correspondent Chip Reid from Moscow, President Obama weighed in on the topic of the day – Michael Jackson's funeral.

"There are certain figures in our popular culture that just capture peoples' imagination, and in death they become even larger," Mr. Obama said. "I have to admit that it's also fed by a 24/7 media that is insatiable."

The president compared the outpouring of grief to what happened when Elvis Presley, John Lennon and Frank Sinatra died.

Mr. Obama said Jackson was one of the country's greatest entertainers who had a profound effect on two generations.

"It's not surprising people mourning loss," he said.

Click here for complete coverage of Michael Jackson's death and today's memorial

Watch video of the interview below:

Kevin Hechtkopf
Kevin Hechtkopf is CBSNews.com's politics editor.
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by BREJONTE July 8, 2009 8:13 AM EDT: BEAT IT THRILLET!!!!; Reply to this comment


by BREJONTE July 8, 2009 8:11 AM EDT: OH AND TO CBS NEWS U SHOULD BE ASHAMED OR UR SELF TOO U AND I KNOW THAT U SHOULD HAVE MORE RESPECT AND ADDRESS THE PRESEDENT AS PRESEDENT OBAMA ALL THE OTHER PRESEDENTS WERE ADDRESSED WITH PRESEDENT!!!!! WHATS WRONG WITH U GUYS DON'T U HAVE MANNERSS!! AND I'M TALKING ABOUT AT THE TOOP OF THIS PAGE IT SAYS OBAMA INSTEAD OF PRESEDENT OBAMA SHI- HE'S THAT DUDE!! HAVE A LITTLE RESPECT COME ON!; Reply to this comment


by BREJONTE July 8, 2009 7:43 AM EDT: OK OBAMA I MEAN PRESIDENT OBAMA U DO DESERVE THAT RESPECT!!!WHICH ALOT OF PEOPLE DONT HAVE... I UNDERSTAND UR COMMENT BUT ELVIS, JOHN LENNON AR RANKED UP THERE WIT MICHAEL JACKSON BUT, U AND I KNOW WE COULD NOT ROCK TO NO ELVIS OR JOHN LENNON WE ARE TALIKNG ABOUT THE GREATEST MUSIC ARTIST EVER I COULDN'T DANCE TO ELVIS OR JOHN LENNONS MUSIC I SPEEK FOR U THIS TIME MIKE STOLE THE SHOW EVEERY WHERE HE WENT HIS DEATH IS WAY WORST THAN THOST GUYS. A LOT OF THE GENERATION DONT EVEN KNOW WHO JOHN LENNON ANN THE ONLY REASON THE YOUNGER GENERATION KNOWS ELVIS IS BECAUSE MICHAEL MARRIED HIS DAUGHTER IF NOT NONE OF THE NEW GENERATION WOULD KNOW OF THESE GUYS NOW ON THE OTHER HAND EVERYBODY FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFT YOUNG OLD BLACK WHITE CHINESSE MEXICAN AFRICAN BABIES EVEN KNOW HIM!! I COULD GO ON ON AND ON I LIKE JOHN AND ELVIS BUT I LOVE MICHAEL JACKSON BIG TIME.GOD BLESS MY PRESEDENT CAUSE WE COMPARE U TO MICHAEL JACKSON AND WE JUST MET U WIT UR FINE SELF. I UNDERSTAND MY PRESEDENT FOR THAT THOUGHT.. I LOVE U PRESEDENT OBAMA.... GOD BLESS U AN UR FAMILY NOW BEAT IT!!!!LOL; Reply to this comment


by erasmus111 July 7, 2009 4:11 PM EDT: by AttentionDeficit July 7, 2009 6:39 AM PDT
My bad. Priscilla and Elvis were doing it when she was 14, but she didn't move in until she was 16.

You are BAD. Priscilla wasn't having sex with Elvis at the age of 14.

In fact, even later they were not having sex. I remember her saying that Elvis didn't want to touch her.; Reply to this comment


by TheGoodGuise July 7, 2009 12:43 PM EDT: I'm sure President Obama means well by putting Michael in the same category as John Lennon, but they were in entirely different leagues. A new book has been written that proves that John and Paul were the two witnesses that appear in The Bible in Revelation 11:3. The book can be read for FREE at http://thegoodguise.wordpress.com/. Read the book and learn just what was accomplished the final 1,260 days of The Beatles. While reading the book you will see that a new understanding of many aspects of their musical creations has taken place. For example, the line 'and of course Henry the horse dances the waltz' is finally explained in detail, putting to rest the debate that has carried on for the past 40 years. It is time for us to rethink The Beatles. Read the entire story. You will never look at The Beatles or The Bible in the same way again.; Reply to this comment


by despido July 7, 2009 12:00 PM EDT: Obama Compares Jackson To Elvis, Lennon...
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It seems to me that Elvis preferred women and Lennon could actually write music.; Reply to this comment

by CobbT July 7, 2009 11:45 AM EDT

I have one question, why are folks making Michael Jackson out to be a Martyer?? I know he was found not guilty; however, why did he pay out those millions of dollars if he was not guilty of child molestation?? Just like OJ, got away with it. I am sorry, I had no use for him after that and sure don't have any use for him now. Thanks

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by BREJONTE July 8, 2009 8:00 AM EDT: YES U DO AND U SICK GET WELL SOON TOO!!!!

by Sloughfoot July 7, 2009 10:35 AM EDT

They're all maggot bait, end of story.

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by BREJONTE July 8, 2009 7:59 AM EDT: GET WELL SOON!!!!

by grabandgo July 7, 2009 10:04 AM EDT

I don't remember Elvis or Lennon fondling kids in their beds.

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by gravyboat4000 July 7, 2009 10:10 AM EDT: Elvis fondled Priscilla when she was 14.

Lennon chose Yoko over the Beatles.

Yoko...FRIGGIN YOKO!

That said, the comparison is about their popularity, and the response to their deaths by fans.

by beentheir1 July 7, 2009 9:48 AM EDT

Why is it that people of black skin, always compair them selves to white skin people, I am a second JFK, LINCOLN, MJ having white children, changing his skin to white, whats going on here, or I'm I being a anti-black or pro-white. Being Old, Fat, at one time dark skin, but now white, "SKIN CANCER" and have lived and is older that MJ by 5 years. Wish that he have lived longer than me, because he is no ELVIS and dam sure not even close to JOHN LENNON!! OBAMA you are not close to JFK or LINCOLN get over it, pick someone that is black not white!!

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by BREJONTE July 8, 2009 7:59 AM EDT: PLEASE GO READ UR BIBLE. COLOR DOESNT MATTER ANY MORE LOOK AROUND U THIS WORLD IS A BEAUTIFUL RAINBOW.AND FIRST OF ALL I NEVER SAW ABLACK OR WHITE PERSON IN MY LIFE I'VE SEEN BROWN PEOPLE AND I'VE SEEN PINK PEOPLE NOW WHEN U SEE A BLACK OR WHITE PERSON LET ME KNOW CAUSE I WANNA SEE THAT SHI-!!!!!!