Apple CEO Tim Cook
Apple CEO Tim Cook will be keeping some interesting company on Tuesday, as the head of the world's most valuable corporation will sit next to First Lady Michelle Obama as her guest at President Barak Obama's annual State of the Union address.
Mr. Cook will be there in part to symbolize the idea of American jobs, a topic Mr. Obama is expected to focus on during the event. Gene Sperling, an economic adviser to the White House, told CNBC that Apple is, "a great American company."
In an interview, Mr. Sperling said, "Apple is a great American company, and it stands for our sense of innovation, invention, entrepreneurship, and risk taking and I think that's quite an appropriate person to be in the First Lady's box when the president is talking about our economic future, the importance of job creation, manufacturing, innovation and how we create strong middle class jobs."
Who is included as guests of the First Lady is often the subject of interest from the press and political watchers alike. This is the second year in a row for Michelle Obama to pick some of her guest list from the Apple tree. At last year's address, Mrs. Obama had Laurene Powell Jobs, widow of the late Steve Jobs, sitting with her.
The State of the Union address is scheduled to begin at 9:00 PM EST (6:00 PM PST). Expect Mr. Cook and Mrs. Obama to both get some screen time.