President Obama in Los Angeles

Barack Obama appeared on late night talk shows as a candidate, but NBC said this is the first time a sitting president has been on “The Tonight Show.”  (Mandel Ngan / AFP/Getty Images)

Members of the White House press corps watch the appearance from a room at NBC Studios.  (Gerald Herbert / Associated Press)

It wasn’t all serious policy talk during President Obama’s appearance with Jay Leno.  (Gerald Herbert / Associated Press)

Obama addresses the crowd at the town hall meeting in L.A.  (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Obama looks for people to call on to ask him a question at the town hall meeting in L.A.  (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

President Obama is greeted by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger before a town hall meeting held at the Miguel Contreras Learning Center near downtown Los Angeles.  (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

President Obama meets audience members after the town hall meeting.  (Gerald Herbert / Associated Press)

President Obama greets the crowd as he arrives for a town hall meeting at the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex near downtown Los Angeles.  (Mandel Ngan / AFP/Getty Images)

President Obama is joined by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger at the town hall meeting in Los Angeles.  (Gerald Herbert / Associated Press)

Rosalba Mondragon, 50, waits outside Miguel Contreras Learning Complex to welcome President Obama.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

A resident of an apartment across from the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex near downtown Los Angeles shows support for President Obama.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Crowds wait to get into the town hall meeting near downtown L.A.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Immigration protesters demonstrate outside the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex before President Obama’s arrival.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Heladio Arispe sells merchandise with a patriotic theme outside the Miguel Contreras complex.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Alton Stewart,74, of Rialto, right, waits in line to see President Obama.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

People wait in line outside the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Tony Coles, 4, stands outside the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Liz Sheen gets her picture taken outside the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Obama tours the Edison Electric Vehicle Technical Center in Pomona with Ted Craver, chairman of Edison International, and Ed Kjaer, senior engineer.  (Mandel Ngan / AFP/Getty Images)

President Barack Obama tours the Edison Electric Vehicle Technical Center in Pomona.  (Gerald Herbert / Associated Press)

Obama speaks at the Edison Electric Vehicle Technical Center in Pomona.  (Mandel Ngan / AFP/Getty Images)