Like most Star Wars fans, President Obama was eager to see The Force Awakens, and like many of the franchise faithful, he slipped out of work just a little early to do so.
Holding his annual end-of-the-year press briefing today, Obama addressed a wide range of serious issues before telling the White House Press Corps, “OK, everybody, I have to get to ‘Star Wars,'” and making his way to the door.
Reporters were then joined in the briefing room by Press Secretary Josh Earnest, who was accompanied by R2-D2 and flanked at the podium by two First Order Stormtroopers.
The White House is holding a screening today of "The Force Awakens" for members of Gold Star Families for Peace, an organization for individuals who have lost family members in military combat. The 42-seat White House Family Theater has been used by the Obamas to host screenings of such films as “Lincoln” and “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" and the TV miniseries "The Pacific."
President Obama, who's been photographed wielding a plastic lightsaber like a pro, lost a bit of nerd cred in 2013 when he mistakenly referred the "Jedi mind meld" during an impromptu press briefing.
Josh Earnest and friends in advance of WH Star Wars screening for Gold Star families. pic.twitter.com/YdSInCOTAa
— Chris Jansing (@ChrisJansing) December 18, 2015