海角大神

From the latest terror warnings to the merits of broccoli, President Obama and Jay Leno covered the waterfront Tuesday night in a 45-minute interview on "The Tonight Show."

The president urged Americans to go on living their lives but be prudent, amid a week-long closure of 19 US embassies across the Middle East and North Africa over a threat of terrorism. Americans should check with the State Department website before traveling abroad, Mr. Obama said.

鈥淔ind out what kind of precautions you should be taking, then I think it still makes sense for people to take vacations,鈥� Obama told Mr. Leno in his sixth appearance on 鈥淭he Tonight Show.鈥� 鈥淭hey just have to make sure that they're doing so in a prudent way.鈥�

The odds of people dying in a terrorist attack are still a lot lower than in a car accident, the president added.

Obama called the terror threat "significant enough that we're taking every precaution," and denied he was overreacting, in his first public remarks on the embassy closures. He would not reveal if the US learned of the threat through the controversial National Security Agency surveillance program that was leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.

On the issue of Mr. Snowden, Obama said he was 鈥渄isappointed鈥� that Russia had granted him temporary asylum. He said he will still attend the G-20 economic summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, in September. But Wednesday morning, the Associated Press reported that Obama had canceled his meeting with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

Obama and Mr. Putin have had some famously dour-looking public meetings.

鈥淚 mean, look at this picture here,鈥� said Leno, showing a photo. 鈥淵ou two don鈥檛 look pretty 鈥� you look like me and the NBC executives.鈥�

Leno is retiring from 鈥淭he Tonight Show鈥� next spring.

Obama and Leno also talked domestic issues, some serious, some light-hearted:

Health-care reform. Leno gave Obama wide berth to promote the implementation of Obamacare, including the start of open enrollment for online marketplaces Oct. 1 for those who do not get insurance through work or government health coverage.

鈥淪o you can go to healthcare.gov, and right now you can pre-register essentially and start figuring out is this plan right for you,鈥� Obama said.

Trayvon Martin. Leno noted the president鈥檚 recent, emotional comments on the case of the black teenager shot and killed by neighborhood watch activist George Zimmerman, and Mr. Zimmerman鈥檚 acquittal.

鈥淲e were talking offstage 鈥� when you were a teenager, especially a teenage boy, you鈥檙e going to mess up, and you won鈥檛 always have the best judgment,鈥� Obama said.

Young African-American males are disproportionately involved in criminal and violent activities, because of poverty, family disruptions, failing schools, the president noted.

But, he added, 鈥渨e鈥檙e all asking ourselves: Are there some things that we can do to foster better understanding, and to make sure that we don鈥檛 have laws in place that encourage the kind of violent encounter that we saw there that resulted in tragedy?鈥�

Sen. John McCain. The Arizona Republican and the president have had a bit of a bromance lately, 4-1/2 years after Obama defeated Senator McCain in the 2008 presidential election. McCain was a key player in getting immigration reform through the Senate.

鈥淭hat's how a classic romantic comedy goes, right?鈥� Obama said. 鈥淚nitially you鈥檙e not getting along, and then you keep on bumping into each other.鈥�

鈥淛ohn McCain and I have a number of philosophical differences, but he is a person of integrity,鈥� he added. 鈥淗e is willing to say things regardless of the politics.鈥�

Hillary Rodham Clinton. The former secretary of State and first lady 鈥� and Obama鈥檚 top Democratic primary opponent in 2008 鈥� had lunch recently, at the president鈥檚 invitation.

鈥淲e had a great time,鈥� Obama said, noting that they had become 鈥済enuinely close鈥� by the end of his first term. 鈥淪he had that post-administration glow.鈥�

Did she measure the drapes? Leno asked, an allusion to wide speculation that she will run for president in 2016.

鈥淣o,鈥� Obama said. 鈥淜eep in mind, she鈥檚 been there before.鈥澛�

Broccoli. The president claims it鈥檚 his favorite food.

Leno: 鈥淐an you put your right hand on a Bible and say, 鈥楤roccoli鈥�...鈥� (laughter.)

Obama: 鈥淟et me say this 鈥� I have broccoli a lot鈥� (laughter). 鈥淚 mean, no, you can ask my staff.鈥澛�

Leno: 鈥淩eally?鈥�

Obama: 鈥淚t is one of my staples. Me and broccoli, I don鈥檛 know, we鈥檝e got a thing going鈥� (laughter).

Leno: 鈥淩eally?鈥�

Obama: 鈥淚t goes especially well with burgers and fries.鈥�

Leno: 鈥淩ight, right鈥� (laughter).

Obama: 鈥淎bsolutely.鈥�

Leno: 鈥淎nd did Michelle make a broccoli cake with broccoli icing?鈥�

Obama: 鈥淲ell, I won鈥檛 go that far.鈥�