BOSTON (Reuters) - Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick got an apparently unexpected call on his final monthly radio show before his term ends in January in the form of U.S. President Barack Obama, who lived in the state during his years at Harvard Law School.
"Governor, this is Barack Obama, formerly of Somerville. I've got a few complaints about service in and around the neighborhood, but I've moved down South since that time," Obama said when he called in to WGBH public radio.
Obama briefly lived in Somerville, a city just outside Boston, during law school.
Patrick, who Obama has publicly admired and who was named as a possible successor to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, first joked that he did not believe the real Obama was calling and then teased the President for being unable to pronounce "Massachusetts."
"Deval, you done good, man," Obama said. "You started with an outstanding state but you've burnished it and polished it and most importantly you've gotten people involved and made people believe in civic engagement."
Both Democrats, Obama and Patrick are the first black men elected to their respective offices. Patrick opted not to seek a third term in office and next year will pass the reins to Governor-elect Charlie Baker, a Republican.
Patrick has said he plans to return to the private sector after leaving office and brushed off suggestions that he would take a position in the Obama administration.
(Reporting by Scott Malone; editing by Andrew Hay)