“Mr. President, Mr. President, Mr. President,” Roker yelled as Obamas walked the final portion of the Inaugural Parade. “How is it going? Is the weather good? You like it?,” he yelled. President Obama responded with a wave and a look up as an acknowledgment that it is indeed good. “I think you met the minimum standard,” said Williams. “Question asked, question answered.”

But it didn’t end there. A few minutes later as VP Biden and Dr. Biden walked by he yelled again. “Mr. Vice President. Mr. Vice President… Hey how you doing?” With laughter coming from the NBC booth, the Vice President came over and shook Roker’s hand. Dropping the mic, Roker said, “I’m done!”

Williams joked: “Al Roker, our new chief White House correspondent. Chuck Todd take tomorrow off.” Then Todd chimed in: “There’s a lot of history Al Roker’s making at the White House.” Todd is referring, of course, to this.

“Thank you for bringing that up. Appreciate it,” said Roker.

Roker added that there is indeed TV history here. “Willard Scott was the guy who set the bar when Barbara Bush came over and kissed him during their inaugural parade. All weather people owe their chances to do this to Willard Scott.”

Video after the jump…

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“It’s still kind of surreal, in that you’re on this show that’s part of broadcasting history,” Roker told TVNewser in Chicago Tuesday while in town on a book tour.  “It’s still kind of heady. You get a front row seat to history, and you get to do cool stuff. And you get paid! That’s not bad.”

In his 17 years with “Today,” he’s nearly experienced it all, including years of soaring ratings, and, more recently, when the numbers have fallen back to earth. Roker chooses to find the silver lining.

“Every now and then, it doesn’t hurt to get a kick in the slats, to remind you that you gotta work hard, that you gotta do what you need to do,” says Roker. “Today’s” turbulent year has included slipping to second place after 15 years of being No. 1 and the messy departure a few months later of Ann Curry from the anchor chair.

“Was it difficult? Absolutely. But at the end of the day, you are defined by how you respond to tough times,” says Roker.

“And the good news is that we are coming back. The demos are responding and everything else will follow.”

After the jump, watch video of Roker discussing his tenure at NBC, his future in TV, and why he feels Willard Scott may have left the morning show game too soon.

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Fourth hour hosts Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford were early arrivals, with Kotb (below) front and center during Pit Bull’s set. We spotted NBC News president Steve Capus and “Today” EP Jim Bell working the room, as longtime EP and, later NBCU president Jeff Zucker was deep in conversation with former “Today” anchor Meredith Vieira.

“Today” senior broadcast producer Don Nash, who’s been with the show more than a third of its life — 23 years — tells TVNewser tomorrow’s anniversary program is not to be missed. All former living on air talent — save for Joe Garagiola and Gene Shalit who aren’t able to make it — will be a part of the show. And we spotted many of them at the party tonight, including Tom Brokaw, Katie Couric, (above) Barbara Walters, John Palmer and Hugh Downs.

NBC spared no expense flying in correspondents from other NBC bureaus including Andrea Mitchell, Kerry Sanders, Kevin Tibbles, Janet Shamlian and Luke Russert.

Brian Williams stopped in after “Nightly News.” And we chatted with “Today” anchors Savannah Guthrie, Jenna Wolfe and Amy Robach, here with husband Andrew Shue, and said hello to Willard Scott on our way out. Other “Today” regulars celebrating  included Jill Rappaport, Martha Stewart, the Scotto family and Bobby Flay. We chatted with Andy Cohen (mostly about NeNe Leakes) who later tonight will be interviewing Rosie O’Donnell on his Bravo show, “Watch What Happens Live.”

Rounding out the crowd: Willie Geist, Jeff Rossen, Martin Bashir, Carl Quintanilla, Andrew Ross Sorkin, Tyler Mathisen, MSNBC president Phil Griffin and CNBC president Mark Hoffman and many more I may have missed. Because, as I said, the party is still going. Then, tomorrow at 7am, “Today” takes the party nationwide.

Andrea Mitchell and Jeff Zucker

Kerry Sanders and Jenna Wolfe

(Photos: Chris Ariens)

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Scott worked in the control room when “Today” first started. “They paid me six dollars a day,” he said. “I made six dollars for Saturday and six dollars for Sunday, and about a week ago, GE cut half the six dollars.”

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In this weekend’s Clipdown ’08, a few tvnewsers made the Top 20 list. Included are Anderson Cooper ripping “Living Lohan” on Regis & Kelly and Willard Scott speaking Japanese.

Also on the show — the Bill O’Reilly “do it live” video from the Inside Edition vault and an appearance from the Mike & Juliet Spaghetti Cat.

Click continued to see the Clipdown clips…

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Some former pages featured in the segment included Willard Scott, Today show director Joe Michaels and many others in the control room (and from other networks: Regis Philbin and Ted Koppel).

As a former page, I have to say she did a good job — made the requisite corny jokes and sat at the usual uncomfortably packed lunch table.

Click continued to see the segment, featuring a cameo from Brian Williams…

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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.