Obama Touches Down in Los Angeles

By City News Service

President Barack Obama continued a West Coast swing Tuesday with a visit to the Southland, touching down at Los Angeles International Airport then boarding a helicopter for Burbank, where he will tape an appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.''

Air Force One arrived shortly before 3:30 p.m. at LAX, where the president was greeted by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who took advantage of his vantage point by snapping a cell phone photo of Obama walking down the airplane steps. Obama then boarded a helicopter for a short trip to Burbank, where he was then driven to NBC Studios for the "Tonight Show'' appearance. On the show, Obama was expected to discuss his proposals to simplify the tax code for businesses and increase federal spending on infrastructure and community colleges.

Obama will spend the night in the Woodland Hills area, then head to Camp Pendleton in northern San Diego County, where he will visit with military families and deliver a speech to troops. The "Tonight Show'' appearance will be Obama's fourth as president. He is the only sitting president to have appeared on the NBC late-night talk show, which premiered in 1954. This is Obama's 15th trip to the Los Angeles area since taking office and just the third that does not include a speech at a political fundraiser. He has made 10 trips to the region solely for fundraising.