video transcript

ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION) STORY: Fans in America watching the Country Music Television (CMT) Awards at home on Wednesday (June 06) may have had to do a double take when looking at their TV screen to make sure that, yes, that was the president making a rare appearance. U.S. President Barack Obama appeared briefly in the roughly four-minute comedic introduction of the annual awards show, hosted this year by actress Kristen Bell and musician Toby Keith. The basis of the video is a competition between the two hosts to see who will win the honor of hosting the program. At one moment in the video, a seemingly dramatic moment with the president is captured as he stares out the window with a pensive look on his face. "Mr. President, do you have a decision?" says the voice of an off-camera staffer. "This is one of the toughest decisions I've had to make since I've been in office..." says the commander-in-chief. "But I think I've decided. I want them both," as he circles the names of both Bell and Keith on a piece of paper with a black marker. Not to be overshadowed by the president, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney also made an appearance in the video, having fun with the prospect of improving the U.S. employment by casting his vote. "I thought the presidential election was a tough race," says Republican nominee Romney, "But it's nothing compared to the politics at the CMT Music Awards." "I think I have a solution," he adds, "I propose Toby and Kristen co-host the show. See? I just put two people back to work. You're welcome America." Also making cameo appearances in the parody are actor Matthew McConaughey, "Today" hosts Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb, rocker Jon Bon Jovi, and "60 Minutes" correspondent Steve Kroft. The piece also contains fake political attack ads in support of both Keith and Bell for the hosting gig. Political candidates have made appearances on the CMT Music Awards in the past, but this is the first appearance by a sitting U.S. president. In 2008, Republican presidential candidate John McCain and Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and then-candidate Obama all taped cameos as a part of the show's opening segment. The 11th Annual CMT Music Awards are broadcast in a live telecast ceremony on CMT.