It was a video seen around the world by political and tech junkies alike. President Barack Obama was making an important point during the State of the Union when cameras cut to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi busily checking … her Apple watch.
Soooo… Nancy Pelosi was using her Apple watch during #SOTU. https://t.co/3U7rTkt9dE
— Beatrice E. Peterson (@MissBeaE) January 13, 2016Pelosi, who represents San Francisco, has longed championed technological advancement, so it came as no surprise when she started to sport the Apple Watch this year.
What was surprising is that she fiddled with it during the State of the Union, knowing full well that many cameras and eyes would be fixated on her.
So, what was so important that she just had to check it with the leader of the free world speaking just yards away?
Pelosi told NBC News, “My watch was telling me to stand up for a minute.”
Apple Watches come with a fitness feature that encourages the wearer to stand up for a minute to combat being too sedentary. This feature was activated during the speech.
“I didn’t know that that was part of the advantage of having such a watch,” Pelosi said.
The State of the Union isn’t entirely a sedentary matter for members of Congress in the chamber, though. Lawmakers routinely stand to applaud the president’s remarks. Pelosi joked to reporters that she was hoping her Apple Watch would give her credit for the exercise. “What I was trying to see was, if you stand up to applaud, and you sit down, and then you stand up to applaud again — if it was accumulative!” While the watch is certainly a coveted accessory, many would suggest that Pelosi doesn’t need additional reminders to stay active. For years, her Hill colleagues have spoken about her boundless energy and her dislike for idle time. This article first appeared on NBCNews.com.
Luke Russert
Luke Russert is the host and creative director of MSNBC Live. He first joined NBC News in August 2008 as a correspondent based in Washington, D.C.. Russert reported from Capitol Hill on the House of Representatives for “Nightly News with Brian Williams,” “TODAY,” MSNBC and NBCNews.com. He has also served as a guest host on various MSNBC programs. Recommended
