The key question on everyone’s lips after the world’s most powerful man and — yes! — President Obama meet in San Francisco Thursday? Will they ‘like’ each other?
Barack Obama is heading West to meet with a collection of business leaders over the next couple of days. You might find that pretty dry news. But a source close to the trip has revealed that Obama is set to sit down with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. You’re interested now, right?
(More on TIME.com: See pictures inside Facebook)
The official line from the White House didn’t suggest anything remotely awesome was on tap. “The President and the business leaders will discuss our shared goal of promoting American innovation, and discuss his commitment to new investments in research and development, education and clean energy,” is the official’s official line as it were. But the Obama-Zuck pow-wow not only makes the visit a whole new ballgame, but has NewsFeed interested in the business world (in fact, as soon as we’re done with this post, we’re planning to pour over a whole bunch of spreadsheets and Q1 results, whatever the heck that means.)
Facebook has been on the President’s mind from time to time. In his recent State of the Union address, Obama hailed the social network site as an example of a successful American concept and business. “We are the nation that put cars in driveways and computers in offices; the nation of Edison and the Wright brothers; of Google and Facebook,” Obama said. “In America, innovation doesn’t just change our lives. It’s how we make a living.”
(More on TIME.com: See pictures from Obama’s State of the Union.)
The only possible moment of awkwardness could arise if First Lady Michelle Obama’s recent remarks are part of the chinwag. “I’m not a big fan of young kids having Facebook,” she said on the Today Show just last week. “So, you know, it’s not something they need. It’s not necessary right now.”
If Zuckerberg puts the charm offensive on Obama, the First Lady might get a phone call later today along the lines of, “You know, Michelle, Facebook is exactly what our daughters need right now. I met this guy called Mark and he really was quite persuasive.” (via ABC)
(More on TIME.com: See complete Person of the Year coverage of Mark Zuckerberg.)