The photo below made national headlines yesterday and is presented with an accompanying USA TODAY report by David Jackson...
Obama gives Vulcan salute with Lt. Uhura
President Obama, a fan of the Star Trek television series and movies, has often been compared to Spock, the cool, logical and emotion-free first officer from the planet Vulcan.
So it was only natural that when he received a visit from Nichelle Nichols -- the actress who portrayed Lt. Uhura -- Obama would deliver the Vulcan salute.
Nichols tweeted out this picture along with the Vulcan saying: "Live long and prosper."
On the day of her visit, Feb. 29, Nichols tweeted that "I was honored to get a chance to meet with Pres Barack Obama today in the White House. He was as charming and handsome as I had expected."
"Months ago Pres Obama was quoted as saying that he'd had a crush on me when he was younger," Nichols also wrote. "I asked about that & he proudly confirmed it! President Obama also confirmed for me that he was definitely a Trekker! How wonderful is that?!"
Barack Obama wasn't the only young male to have a crush on Nichols, a trailblazer herself.
One of the first African Americans with a continuing role on a major television show, Nichols also shared the small screen's first interracial kiss (with Captain James Kirk, played by William Shatner).
The New York Post, which first reported the story, noted:
This is not the first time Obama has expressed his enthusiasm for "Star Trek."
In 2010, Leonard Nimoy -- who played Spock -- told reporters, "I do believe that President Obama means it when he says that he is 100 percent interested in space. I know for sure he's a 'Star Trek' fan."
He shared that when he met the president, he was also greeted by the iconic salute.
