Obama Ducks Out of Press Conference to See Star Wars

And an entire nation was jealous
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Dec 18, 2015 7:00 PM CST
Obama Ducks Out of Press Conference to See Star Wars
White House Press secretary Josh Earnest smiles as he watches R2D2 interact with members of the media during a surprise visit to the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, Friday, Dec. 18, 2015. Star Wars movie characters will greet children of Gold Star families who are attending a special screening...   (Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

The White House has caught Star Wars mania. President Barack Obama began his year-end press conference Friday by letting reporters know their meeting wouldn't be the most important event taking place that day. That honor went to a special screening of The Force Awakens for Gold Star families who have lost relatives to combat- or service-related injuries. White House spokesman Josh Earnest also got into the spirit, posing for pictures with R2-D2 and two Stormtroopers in the press briefing room. R2-D2 also interacted with reporters by playing the Star Wars theme song and some patriotic tunes. Obama left the press conference saying he needed to get to Star Wars. He has not yet issued a presidential review. (More Barack Obama stories.)

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