As we gear up for what's probably going to be another ugly election season, there are few opportunities to see our political figures and think about anything beyond their policies, their negative ads, or anything else election related. So before that all starts up, let's look at something totally unrelated to anything political at all: President Obama singing "Sweet Home Chicago" at a White House concert featuring B.B. King, Mick Jagger, and Buddy Guy. The full special will air on PBS on February 27, but in the meantime they've released the clip of Obama singing, which is pretty much a perfect lunchtime distraction.



Regardless of your political leanings, it's hard not to wish you were there for that concert-- especially if you're from Chicago. Obama's pipes aren't enough to make me wish he'll find some post-Presidential career as a lounge singer, but he did pretty well for himself, especially for a politician. I mean, can you imagine Mitt Romney getting up there and performing like that?

Surely there will be some kind of way to attack Obama based on this video, and somebody will claim that he should have been working on the country's problems instead of stepping up to the mic. But the man deserves a break once in a while, and I bow in respect to his skills that would surely destroy me at karaoke. In fact, with the Presidential debates looming this fall, maybe this means we ought to add karaoke as an element-- it would be more entertaining and something where both candidates can just agree to look ridiculous together.