President Obama is on Letterman tonight, and CBS was kind enough to send a newsy clip to the internet just before everyone quit for the day.

(They are so good at that, by the way! They learned this trick during the election, sending out politically relevant Letterman clips to all the blogs right after the show tapes.)

Obama continues to insist that he doesn't believe racism is to blame for criticism of his administration, which is true in that no one thinks it's the sole driving force behind the hysteria. But Obama has a nice laugh line: "It's important to remember that I was actually black before the election."

But it's his job, as President, to flatter the nation, basically. And Letterman is not a place for a Serious Discussion of Racial Issues, though it tends to be a much better forum for serious discussion than any of the DC Sunday shows.

We do like this explanation, from CBS news, as to why Obama did the show:

The main reason he had come on the show, Mr. Obama quipped, was "to see that heart-shaped potato." After Letterman retrieved the potato, the smiling president deadpanned, "That's remarkable. This is remarkable." He then, with the audience member's consent, kept the potato.

So there's a reason to tune in tonight.