Obama runs for office in White House workout

HE IS often heard waxing lyrical about his controversial healthcare reforms. However, US president Barack Obama showed actions speak louder than words when he jogged around the White House as part of a campaign to wage war on childhood obesity.

President Obama and vice-president Biden cool down after their workout. Picture: Contributed

He and vice-president Joe Biden took time out to star in a short film for First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” initiative.

Rather than change into tracksuits for their jog, they opted to stay in suit trousers, shirts and ties while they pounded the corridors of power.

Let’s Move, which was set up four years ago, encourages children to be more active. It campaigns for healthier food in schools and better food ­labelling.

President Obama and vice-president Biden cool down after their workout. Picture: Contributed

The fun-filled White House video was released on social media yesterday.

It begins with Mr Biden walking into Mr Obama’s office, asking: “Mr President, are you ready to move?” Setting down his pen and moving from his document-laden desk, Mr Obama replies: “Absolutely. Let’s do this thing. Let’s move.”

Then the pair set off through the White House, watched at one point by the president’s dogs, Bo and Sunny.

The film is set to a remix of the theme to the Superstars TV show and ends with the pair returning to the Oval Office, remembering to stretch before walking through the glass doors.

Then, like all true sporty types, they toast their efforts with two glasses of water.

Before returning to normal business, Mr Obama promises to tell Mr Biden’s wife he downed his glass, so he does not get into hot water for not rehydrating.

Then they both smile and agree: “Same time next week.”

The gauntlet was thrown down earlier this week when Mrs Obama appeared on the ­Tonight Show in the United States to promote the fourth anniversary of Let’s Move. Its viewers were asked to show off their “moves” by tweeting, Facebooking and Instagraming themselves being active.

If enough people got involved, the First Lady promised, the president and vice-president would join in. She was true to her word, and the film with Mr Obama and Mr Biden showing off his “moves” duly went online.

An accompanying YouTube post said: “In response to the overwhelming number of people around the country who showed us how they move using the hashtag #LetsMove, President Obama & Vice-President Biden took up the First Lady’s challenge and showed how they move.”

Let’s Move regularly enlists the help of celebrities. Recently Mrs Obama joined comedian Will Ferrell to get over the facts about obesity.

A song, Move Your Body, by Beyonce and Swizz Beatz, was released to promote the “Let’s Move! Flash Workout”. The video was shot in a school café, where Beyoncé danced with pupils.

A report last year showed US childhood obesity had fallen by 43 per cent since 2003-4. ­However, a third of American children and teenagers, and more than two-thirds of adults, are obese or overweight.