President Obama made an unannounced call in to Boston Public Radio on Thursday afternoon to praise his buddy, outgoing Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick.
“Uh, Governor, this is Barack Obama, formerly of Somerville. I’ve got a few complaints about service in and around the neighborhood, but I’ve moved down south since that time,” Mr. Obama said to a shocked Mr. Patrick on air, according to a video of the incident posted on Vox.
“Who is this impersonator? You’re very good,” Mr. Patrick joked.
“I want to find out how it is that you got Massachusetts so strong and moving in the right direction,” Mr. Obama said.
“Mr. President, you know I love you, but you still have trouble saying ’Massachusetts,’” Mr. Patrick responded.
The president went on to praise the departing governor for the next three minutes, touting the state’s balanced budget, employment rate and education system.
Just before the president hung up the phone, radio host Jim Braude quizzed Mr. Obama on his run-ins with Somerville police.
“Mr. President, you paid all those parking tickets in Somerville, correct?” Mr. Braude asked.
“You know what, I think I had to before I took office; otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to step into the commonwealth without being arrested,” Mr. Obama responded.
In 2007, it was revealed that Mr. Obama had received 17 parking tickets in Cambridge and Somerville from 1988 to 1991, but had paid only two of them, according to Vox. The remaining $115 in fines and $260 in late fees were paid off on Jan. 26, 2007, just weeks before Mr. Obama began his presidential campaign.
• Kellan Howell can be reached at khowell@washingtontimes.com.
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