President Barack Obama joked today during a New York speech that he doesn't seem to have the traffic problems the city's residents are always complaining about.

 

'It's actually pretty smooth for me during the week,' Obama said, after playfully arguing that everyone in New York 'hypes' the traffic.

 

'I don't know what the problem is,' he told attendees of the Clinton Global Initiative's annual meeting. 'I haven't noticed.'

 

Obama started off the bit by saying he told CGI namesake and former US president Bill Clinton backstage that if his daughter Chelsea went into labor¹ while he was speaking 'she has my motorcade and will be able to navigate² traffic.'

 

The president was seemingly unaware³ of how intensely New York drivers despise his visits and the traffic jams they cause around the city.

 

Every time the president travels to New York police have to close streets along his motorcade's route, sometimes for long stretches of time, turning the city's busiest roadways into parking lots.

 

The already busy streets were even more jam-packed this week as the United Nations convened⁴ for a climate change summit and a General Assembly meeting.

 

Per usual, New Yorkers took out their outrage⁵ over the gridlock caused by Obama's motorcade on twitter.

 

'GO HOME OBAMA NO ONE WANTS THIS TRAFFIC,' twitter user Rebecca Plaine said.

 

'Thank you Obama for causing all this bulls*** traffic in NYC,' a user named Ramirez tweeted.

 

'Pres and Lady Obama we love you guys but please leave NY ASAP! This traffic is unbearable⁶!' user Rachel Johnson begged.

 

First Lady Michelle Obama accompanied the president to New York this afternoon, and the first couple will remain there through Thursday.

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