Will Smith On Obama: 'First Time' in Years it’s Good to Be an American

By Geoffrey Dickens | June 23, 2008 | 12:32

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On to promote his new movie "Hancock," Will Smith was pushed by "Today" co-host Matt Lauer to express his support for Barack Obama and the actor/rapper, channeled his inner Michelle Obama, as he declared it's the "first time" in five to 10 years it's been good to be an American overseas [audio available here]:

WILL SMITH: You know I just, I just came back from Moscow, Berlin, London and Paris and it's the first, I've been there quite a few times in the past five to 10 years. And it just hasn't been a good thing to be American. And this is the first time, since Barack has gotten the nomination, that it, it was a good thing.

The following is an excerpt from the interview as it occurred on the June 22, "Today" show:

MATT LAUER: Let me get you on the record on politics here, okay? It's been-
WILL SMITH: No.
LAUER: Yeah, please.
(laughter)
LAUER: It's been, you basically come out and said, "Look what I have to do to help Barack Obama win, I'll do." You know, "Call on me."
SMITH: Absolutely.
LAUER: Has he called on you and are, are you supporting Barack Obama 'cause you would've supported anybody the Democrats put forward or that you just think he's the man?
SMITH: You know I just, I just came back from Moscow, Berlin, London and Paris and it's the first, I've been there quite a few times in the past five to 10 years. And it just hasn't been a good thing to be American. And this is the first time, since Barack has gotten the nomination, that it, it was a good thing. You know the-
LAUER: Do you think people can't get behind America led by John McCain?
SMITH: You know I just, there, there are, there are certain ideas that I believe Barack stands for that are fundamental that the forefathers of this country wrote down on paper that we're all supposed to pay attention to, we're not supposed to ignore it and do what we want to do 'cause we have different ideas. And I believe just at his core the, that those ideas just they, they just come of his pores. And I'm, I'm excited to support him.
LAUER: And so the question everybody gets right now, if he calls you and wants you to be his Vice President you will?
SMITH: I will, and you know, I mean, I, I, I love this country and I'll do what I have to do. You know so, if I, if I have to run, you know, America really has an ear fetish. So I think I definitely have the ears for, Barack and I, we could do it.