Barack Obama surprised shoppers and staff employees when he made an impromptu stop at The Gap in New York City.The US president was casually dropping in as part of his campaign to promote an increase in the national minimum wage. Barack, 52, was commending the clothing giant after it announced last month that it would raise its hourly wage to £5.42 and later £6.02.Browsing the shop for his wife Michelle and two daughters Malia, 15, and 12-year-old Sasha, Barack was helped by cheerful sales assistant Susan Panariello.
"I think the ladies will be impressed by my style sense," joked Barack
"It never hurts to bring something back when you've been on a road trip," quipped the president, according to the New York Post.
"You get points when you go home. "Barack leafed through a pile of spring-coloured tops, holding up a pink V-neck sweater. "I'm worried the V-neck is going to slip," he told the shop assistant, before eventually settling on two long-sleeve tops — one in light pink and the other in bright coral.
As for his down-to-earth wife, Barack chose a blue, athletic zip-up sporty jacket. Michelle has made no secret of her love for the clothing chain, once wearing a £6 T-shirt to a lunch with former First Lady Nancy Reagan. "I think the ladies will be impressed by my style sense," joked Barack.
"I'm worried the V-neck is going to slip," said Barack
Speaking to the newspaper after the president's visit, Susan said, "He was very nice... He was definitely really charismatic. He came in and just wanted to get presents for his wife and daughters. He was joking around with everyone."
As he paid for the clothes which totalled £93, the president was greeted by a jolly shop assistant who told him he was "better looking in person.""You hear that?" he said to reporters and his entourage around him.
Barack's visit to New York came just a day after his interview with The Hangover star Zach Galifianakis went viral on the internet.
Watch the interview below.
The president appeared on spoof chat show Between Two Ferns for a six-minute chat, where he spoke about the Affordable Care Act — the controversial new healthcare law better known as Obamacare.With no qualms to hold back, Zach submitted the president to out-of-the-box questions. "You said if you had a son, you would not let him play [American] football," said Zach. "What makes you think that he would want to play football? What if he was a nerd, like you?""Do you think a woman like Michelle would marry a nerd?" replied Barack in good humour.Asked if he would run for presidency a third time, Barack quipped, "If I ran a third time it would be sort of like doing a third Hangover movie. Didn’t really work out very well, did it?"