July 6, 2009 6:29 PM
- Text
Obama: "I Grew Up On" Michael Jackson
(AP)
President Barack Obama called Michael Jackson a great entertainer and said "I still have all his stuff on my iPod."
But in an interview with The Associated Press Thursday, Obama said he didn't see any controversy in the fact that he did not issue a formal public statement upon Jackson's death. Obama said, "Look, you're the first person who's actually asked me about it."
The president said that Jackson, who died last week at 50, will "go down in history as one of our greatest entertainers. I grew up on his music."
Obama said that at the same time that he felt Jackson had experienced "a tragic and in many ways sad personal life."
Click here for full coverage of Michael Jackson's death
Related Obama Coverage:
Obama "Deeply Concerned" with Unemployment
Obama's Pet Peeve: "The Shine Police"
Obama Prefers Michael Over Kobe
Obama's Key Advisers Make $172,200
Obama Honors First Female Pilots
But in an interview with The Associated Press Thursday, Obama said he didn't see any controversy in the fact that he did not issue a formal public statement upon Jackson's death. Obama said, "Look, you're the first person who's actually asked me about it."
The president said that Jackson, who died last week at 50, will "go down in history as one of our greatest entertainers. I grew up on his music."
Obama said that at the same time that he felt Jackson had experienced "a tragic and in many ways sad personal life."
Click here for full coverage of Michael Jackson's death
Related Obama Coverage:
Obama "Deeply Concerned" with Unemployment
Obama's Pet Peeve: "The Shine Police"
Obama Prefers Michael Over Kobe
Obama's Key Advisers Make $172,200
Obama Honors First Female Pilots
Popular Now in Entertainment
- Leslie Carter dead at 25
- Beyonce, Jay-Z post photos of Blue Ivy Carter
- Zsa Zsa at 95: Husband releases birthday photos
- "Idol": Carrey's daughter out, and then disaster
- Beyonce shows off her post-baby body
- Watch: Whitney's final performance
- Whitney Houston's final performance
- Bobbi Kristina on alleged coke snorting photos
- Mariah Carey on Twitter: "Heartbroken"; Others react
- Schwarzenegger, Stallone have hospital run-in
- Gender-bending model a runway sensation
- Remembering Whitney Houston 1963-2012
- Whitney's mother: "We are devastated"
- Macaulay Culkin through the years
- Only Denzel can rescue "Safe House"
- Celebs mourn Whitney Houston at Clive Davis event
- Macaulay Culkin is in good health, says rep
Latest CBS News Headlines
on Facebook Most Discussed Stories
on CBS News
- The year of Adele
- Precious metal: India's love affair with gold
- Deception at Duke
- Greek pols approve harsh austerity after riots
on Facebook Most Discussed Stories
on CBS News






