CBS’ ‘Under the Dome’ Cut President Obama from the Premiere?

We've been eagerly anticipating the June 24 premiere of CBS' Stephen King-inspired 'Under the Dome,' which in and of itself boasts a strong cast of recognizable TV players from the likes of 'Breaking Bad' and 'Twilight.' As we approach the kick-off date, however, we've learned of one surprise cameo that has surprisingly been cut from the pilot episode -- none other than President Barack Obama himself!

So, where did the President appear, and what caused producers to change their minds about the inclusion? According to Deadline, the pilot episode utilized clips from one of Obama's Hurricane Sandy speeches to represent newscasts on the titular dome, but ultimately decided against such a potentially controversial inclusion.

“The audio of the President in the final scene will change,” said CBS in an official statement about the matter. “The scene cleared broadcast standards, but both Amblin TV and CBS had concerns about using actual audio in this specific fictional context.”

Written by Brian K. Vaughan (‘LOST’) with original ‘Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ helmer Niels Arden Oplev directing its June 24 premiere, ‘Under the Dome’ follows the Stephen King book of the same name, focusing on a small New England town that finds itself inexplicably encased in a transparent dome with no hope of penetration. Inside, the residents of the town battle increasingly apocalyptic conditions as they struggle to understand their new circumstances.

The cast includes Dean Norris (‘Breaking Bad‘), Mike Vogel (‘Bates Motel‘), Rachelle LeFevre (‘Twilight‘), Jeff Fahey (‘LOST‘), Colin Ford (‘Supernatural‘), Natalie Martinez, Alex Koch, Britt Robertson, Nicholas Strong, Jolene Purdy and ‘Justified‘ star Natalie Zea.

Well, what say you? Would President Obama's inclusion in the June 24 pilot have been in bad taste? How are you looking forward to enjoying the new Stephen King-based series? Watch the latest trailer, and give us your thoughts in the comments!