What do Obama, Letterman, and a potato have in common? Ratings Gold!

President Barack ObamaBarack Obama’s much anticipated David LettermanDavid Letterman interview on Monday night, September 21, 2009, on The David Letterman show brought in his highest ratings in four years.

According to Neilson, preliminary household metered markets DAVE and LATE SHOW dominated with a visit from president Obama with a 5.6/14 (household rating/share) compared to Conan’s 1.9/5.

The Obama-letterman appearance on YouTube video had well over 3 million views and thousands of positive ratings, by mid-day.

In a forty minute taping, a very relaxed Obama seemed to laugh and enjoy his discussion with Letterman and easily answered questions on a variety of subjects.

The president hit a home run Monday night as he used the platform to talk to everyday people, who don’t follow all the Sunday morning news channel talk shows. After Letterman introduced him, Obama walked out and asked to see the heart-shaped potato that David had been talking to an audience member about--while the president was waiting back stage.

A woman named Mary Apple, had brought the same potato to Letterman’s show two years ago, but this time she really got her 15 minutes of fame.

President Obama asked “is that your real name?” The audience laughed as she shook her head “yes”. He asked to see the potato and she tossed it up to Letterman.

“Remarkable,” said Obama, as he turned the shriveled veggie over in his hand.

The two sat down and began their conversation and Letterman asked about his “dizzying schedule” and wondered how he came to be on his show.

Obama laughed and responded, “yeah, it was unexpected to see that (the David Letterman Show) appear on my schedule.”

There were also sober discussions between the two on the economy and unemployment. He made no bones about 9.7% unemployment being a big problem right now, but predicts the economy and job hikes will slowly come back again.

“Every major building across the country could use retrofitting,” said Obama, “which could help create jobs and put people to work.”

“It took us years to get into the hole we are in and we are not going to get out overnight,” Obama continued. “But we ill come back even stronger.”

The president talked openly about the war in Afghanistan and said there was pressure to send more troops, due to the 66 page report from the top US Military commander that predicts the war there could be lost if more troops aren’t sent in. Obama said he has not made any decisions on increasing troop levels and said a comprehensive review has to be done.

The lighter moments came, when Letterman asked the president if he thought the nasty and hate-filled rhetoric the country had been witnessing at town hall meetings and teabagger rallies--was due to racism.

Obama dead-panned, “first of all, I think it’s important to realize that I was actually black before the election,” to huge laughs from Letterman and the audience.

To which Letterman shot back, “how long have you been a black man?”

As the show was wrapping up, there were already right-winged blogs over-flowing with criticism of the president for chatting and laughing on a talk show, “while soldiers in Afghanistan are getting shot, and Americans are out of work”

As if a forty minute segment designed to reach out to Daisy Jane and Joe Sixpack and communicate with the folks who don’t follow the news every day--some how makes President Obama a bad, irresponsible leader.

“Can you get that potato into the Smithsonian?” asked Letterman in his wrap-up.

“I think I could” responded the president, flashing a playful grin.

After the show, Obama and some of his staff went to the gym. Then he started off another full day on Tuesday morning, with meetings at the United Nations.

According to CBS News, the president’s meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin NetanyahuBenjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud AbbasPalestinian President Mahmoud Abbas would be the ones to get all the media attention.

CBS Also reported what else was on Mr. Obama's September 22 agenda: meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a speech at U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moonBan Ki-moon's Climate Change Summit, a luncheon with Sub-Saharan African Heads of State, a meeting with Chinese President Hu, a speech at Bill ClintonBill Clinton's Global Initiative.

President Obama’s historic appearance as the first sitting president to grace David Letterman’s stage was a momentary blip on his ambitious and demanding schedule.

The troubles of the world were suspended for one evolutionary nano-second on that stage and it will probably go down in history as a priceless Letterman classic.

**Copyright DelilahStarling 2009