President Obama Jokingly Acknowledges Truth About Oval Office Desk As Depicted In “National Treasure 2″
EmailFor those familiar with the film "National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets," the president's Resolute Desk is an object of some curiosity, if not fascination. The key plot point can be seen in this clip: In March, the President seemed to be joking around with Caroline Kennedy Scholossberg about the Resolute Desk — and some of us wondered if he'd seen the film. Though it also seemed just as likely that the president was talking to the daughter of President John F. Kennedy about the famous photo of her late brother's John Kennedy Jr. peering out from under the desk. For those who don't know, the Resolute desk was a gift from Queen Victoria to President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1879, built from the timbers of the British exploration ship HMS RESOLUTE. On the front of the desk is a plate stating: "H.M.S. RESOLUTE forming part of the expedition sent in search of SIR JOHN FRANKLIN IN 1852, was abandoned in latitude 74 degrees 41 minutes N longitude 101 degrees 22 minutes W on 15th May 1854. She was discovered and extricated in September 1855 in latitude 67 degrees N by Captain Buddington of the United States Whaler GEORGE HENRY. "The ship was purchased, fitted out and sent to England as a gift to HER MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA by the PRESIDENT AND PEOPLE of the UNITED STATES as a token of goodwill & friendship. This table was made from her timbers when she was broken up, and is presented by the QUEEN OF GREAT BRITAIN & IRELAND to the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES as a memorial of the courtesy and loving kindness which dictated the offer of the gift of the RESOLUTE." With the exception of Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Gerald Ford, every president has used the desk, though President George H. W. Bush had it moved to the Treaty Room. President Bill Clinton had it returned to the Oval Office. As President George W. Bush told some British journalists in 2003, "Roosevelt put the door on the desk to cover up his infirmities. He didn't want people to know he was in a wheelchair. John-John Kennedy put his head out of the desk, probably the most famous Oval Office photo. His dad was looking out at the South Lawn there. Reagan put the bottom on the desk so his knees wouldn't hit. So it's been an interesting history, I love it." Before the official part of Philadelphia radio talk show host Michael Smerconish's interview with the President yesterday, Smerconish said to the President, "my boys wanted me to ask you, they saw the movie National Treasure 2, and they know that you've been provided The Book of Secrets." "I have," said the president, going along with a plot point in the movie. "And they wanted to know which of the secrets most impressed you," Smerconish asked. Said the president: "I would tell you but I'd have to kill you, so…" "I get the impression you've seen the movie too," said the talk show host. "Absolutely," said the president. "And I don't want you messing with my Resolute desk, you know, with all the gizmos and gadgets." -jpt
Obama: 'Now Is the Time For Common Sense Action' 
Romney Takes Aim at Conservatives
Reading about the circumstances surrounding the gift of the resolute desk makes the snubs delivered to the Brits by the Obama WH even more embarrassing.
Posted by: Bridget | August 21, 2009, 10:50 am 10:50 am
Didnt George Bush say Sadams WMDS Were under his desk?
Posted by: Angie in Pa | August 21, 2009, 10:55 am 10:55 am
Bridget:”the snubs delivered to the Brits by the Obama WH even more embarrassing.”
Snubs? My British relatives (well, the 4 aunts and 3 cousins I’m in contact with) are fine with Obama and haven’t seen any insults. They prefer him over the ‘big hick’ Clinton and the ‘incompetent cowboy’ Bush at any rate. It’s a different political scene over there with thicker skins all around – any rich and powerful folks whining and wailing about being repressed is dismissed as the pathetic nonsense it is and relegated to the tabloids.
Posted by: jhw539 | August 21, 2009, 10:57 am 10:57 am
Concerned in OH:”That thick skin must be why they went apoplectic when some one dared to criticize NHS!”
As I said, they don’t humor pathetic nonsense well. I suppose you were cheering right along as the Investor Business Daily attacked the NHS:
“People such as scientist Stephen Hawking wouldn’t have a chance in the U.K., where the National Health Service would say the life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless. ” Investor Buisness Daily editorial, July 31,2009
The NHS was and is being attacked by blatant lies, and it makes America look quite stupid to those who know the truth (the truth that the NHS offers better overall service than the American system, not just the obvious that Hawking is British and credits the NHS’s “high-quality treatment” for his 60+ years of life).
The use of such obvious lies like this would be considered insulting someones intelligence in most countries, and those pushing them would immediately lose credibility. In the same way as many on this board lost all credibility by eagerly flogging that fake story about some poor woman getting a B carved into her face by Obama’s goons.
When I was young, some of my aunts thought Dukes of Hazard was an accurate depiction of much of the US. That perspective of a country filled with gullible dimwits is starting to come back as one side of the health care debate is just making up lie after lie and calling them arguments.
Posted by: jhw539 | August 21, 2009, 11:09 am 11:09 am
jwh539, you obviously didn’t read the British press when Obama gave the Queen an ipod.
Posted by: Bridget | August 21, 2009, 11:41 am 11:41 am
Bridget:”you obviously didn’t read the British press when Obama gave the Queen an ipod.”
Doing a quick google, it looks like the British tabloids were quite impressed that Obama gave her a rare songbook signed by composer Richard Rodgers himself (which includes songs from Oklahoma that the Queen and Prince Philip attended in 1947 and were quite taken with, often requesting the band play “People will say we’re in love” at dances).
But you don’t care about reality though, do you? And truth be told, the video iPod loaded with pictures and video of her last visit to the United States alone would have been a fine gift.
Not that gifts really matter – of course Obama got the same gift as every visiting dignitary: A signed photo of the Queen in a silver frame.
Posted by: jhw539 | August 21, 2009, 11:50 am 11:50 am
“jwh539, you obviously didn’t read the British press when Obama gave the Queen an ipod.”
ROFLMAO!
You mean Rupert Murdoch’s papers?
Posted by: Ryan C | August 21, 2009, 11:54 am 11:54 am
Wow, photographic evidence of obama searching for clues on how to be a president. Sorry barky, there’s no magic in that desk that will give you what you obviously don’t have.
As for telling/killing us- believe that’s what he’s planning with his ephemeral and never written health care reform ooops wait health insurance reform, with gov’t regulated health care ooh no wait a public option oh never mind I meant a co-op.
What a failure.
Posted by: 2Brixshy | August 21, 2009, 12:14 pm 12:14 pm
Dear me, did I neglect to mention Obama’s gift to Gordon Brown of a DVD of American movies? A DVD that was incompatible with British players Mr. Brown presented Obama with a gift equal in thoughtfulness to the resolute desk….an ornamental pen holder made from the timbers of the Victorian anti-slave ship HMS Gannet.
Posted by: Bridget | August 21, 2009, 12:39 pm 12:39 pm
They prefer him over the ‘big hick’ Clinton and the ‘incompetent cowboy’ Bush at any rate.
Posted by: jhw539 |
Why no nickname for Obama?
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | August 21, 2009, 12:41 pm 12:41 pm
Hawking, in response to a query from London’s Guardian newspaper that was apparently prompted by our editorial, was quoted Tuesday as saying: “I wouldn’t be here today if it were not for the NHS. I have received a large amount of high-quality treatment without which I would not have survived.”
We accept this testimony and good fortune. We will note, however, that in talking about his disability on his own Web site, Hawking makes no mention of NHS and instead says that since 1985, when he had a tracheotomy, he has had “24-hour nursing care … made possible by several foundations.”
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | August 21, 2009, 12:52 pm 12:52 pm
Some bloggers should investigate the rumors about the ACORN-orchestrated annexation of Hawaii. They KNEW that Obama would not be elegible, so George Soros had Hawaii annexed so that they could install him in the Whitehouse in 2009.
If you break down Hawaii into two parts:
Hawa (which is pronounced like the Hebrew word for “to fall” or “Hava”) and aii (which is pronounced like the Hebrew word for “where”, “Ayeh”)…
“Where the fallen one comes from.”
Posted by: gobot | August 21, 2009, 1:12 pm 1:12 pm
Do you suppose Mr. Obama is smart enough to recognize the central mistake that the writers of “National Treasure” made that undermines the whole franchise?Hint-Masons and CCofC.
Posted by: Nephron | August 21, 2009, 1:23 pm 1:23 pm
“OK Joe, you can come out now, the press is gone.”
Posted by: Parallex View | August 21, 2009, 2:27 pm 2:27 pm
Did Obama watch the movie all “Wee-Weed Up”?
Ooh-Wee-Weed = Smoking Marijuana that makes you act nutty.
The saying is a variant of late 70′s Marijuana smoker slang.
Posted by: Sweet Pea | August 21, 2009, 2:45 pm 2:45 pm
Said the president: “I would tell you but I’d have to kill you, so…”
I found this part of the interview lighthearted and amusing, but the POTUS should find another way to deflect questions about secrets, even when joking around. This along with his “wee-weed up” comment and everything else over the past 7 months really makes me question his intelligence.
Posted by: Jason | August 22, 2009, 6:26 am 6:26 am
jhw359 says: “And truth be told, the video iPod loaded with pictures and video of her last visit to the United States alone would have been a fine gift.”
LOL Whatever. You forgot to mention he had the Ipod loaded with all of his speeches.
Posted by: Jason | August 22, 2009, 6:41 am 6:41 am
Not bad indeed , thanks for the information
Posted by: costume pas cher | October 14, 2011, 6:22 pm 6:22 pm