This is not a drill. We repeat. This is not a drill.
From the editors of InStyle US Words by Olivia Bahou
Barack and Michelle Obama have always been the realest when it comes to President and First Lady, but even Barack exceeded our expectations this week.
Apparently, being a former President of the United States doesn’t get you out of doing jury duty. Barack Obama found that out on Wednesday, when he reported to the Richard J. Daley Center in Chicago to do his civic duty and was greeted by swarms of people hoping to get a look at the former POTUS.
Obama departed from his home on the South Side of Chicago via motorcade and arrived at the Daley Center with a full secret service detail, but that didn’t stop him from personally meeting and shaking hands with both courthouse employees and his fellow civilians.
Just check out that ‘juror’ sticker—the guy is prepared. Honestly, who better to serve as a juror than a former President with a law degree?
And don’t think that he would get any special treatment: If he was picked to serve on a jury, he would be paid $17.20 per day just like any of his fellow Chicagoans.
But unsurprisingly, his status as a former POTUS was likely what got him dismissed from jury duty just a short time after arriving at the Daley Center. Cook County Chief Judge Tim Evans told reporters that Obama was not tapped to serve on the case.
At least he got to brighten the days of the Cook County jurors.