David Jackson

USA TODAY

In his tribute to the late film director Harold Ramis, President Obama managed to work in a sly reference to one of Ramis' most popular works: Caddyshack.

Obama said in a written statement Tuesday that his thoughts and prayers are with the Ramis family, and "all those who loved him, who quote his work with abandon, and who hope that he received total consciousness."

Not coincidentally, "total consciousness" is a quote uttered by Carl Spackler, the slightly demented, gopher-hunting greenskeeper played by Bill Murray in Caddyshack, the 1980 country club comedy directed by Ramis.

In the movie, Spackler claims he once caddied for the Dalai Lama -- "big hitter, the Lama" -- but the religious leader failed to tip him.

"He says, 'oh, uh, there won't be any money -- but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness,'" Spackler says, adding (famously): "So I got that goin' for me, which is nice."

Ramis died Monday.

We hear the White House speech writing staff is quite pleased that the Caddyshack shoutout stayed in the Ramis statement.