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Speaker 1: We've moved our studio. Today we're sitting in the Eisenhower

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Speaker 1: Executive Office Building, right across the street from the White House,

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Speaker 1: which is where a lot of the quote White House

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Speaker 1: officials actually work. I mean, many of them would rather

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Speaker 1: have a tiny little broom closet in the actual White

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Speaker 1: House than a palace in the e E E O B.

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Speaker 1: But it's it's quite spectacular here. Yes, the room is beautiful.

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Speaker 1: It has some kind of gold bronze e I would say,

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Speaker 1: sort of gilded wallpaper, a lot of portraits of men

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Speaker 1: looking very stern, and I have no idea who they are.

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Speaker 1: I think there's enough goal that Donald Trump would feel

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Speaker 1: pretty comfortable, and I think so too. But this is

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Speaker 1: actually a war room. We hear a lot about war

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Speaker 1: rooms and campaigns, but this is a warm room here

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Speaker 1: in the E O B. Well, I think part of

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Speaker 1: this building used to house the offices of the old

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Speaker 1: Secretary of War. We didn't have a Secretary of Defense

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Speaker 1: until after World War Two, and so the person who

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Speaker 1: held that office, which I believe excluded the Navy um,

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Speaker 1: would have benefited from some of these very fancy rooms.

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Speaker 1: I feel powerful just sitting here, Brian, and talk about power.

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Speaker 1: We have a very special guest, Valerie Jarrett. She is

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Speaker 1: a top advisor to the President but also probably the

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Speaker 1: best fob friend of Barack of anyone who works here,

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Speaker 1: so it proximity to power is the closest thing literally

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Speaker 1: to power. I think she was in an enviable position.

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Speaker 1: She certainly has witnessed an extraordinary eight years and it

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Speaker 1: will be so interesting to hear her talk about the

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Speaker 1: high points and some of the low points as well.

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Speaker 1: And it will be fascinating to hear her views on

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Speaker 1: the fact that Barack Obama is going to be succeeded

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Speaker 1: by someone who essentially ran to over return his presidency.

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Speaker 1: I'm sure that's a very painful point for a lot

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Speaker 1: of Obama loyalists. It's we good, okay, Bellery Charet. We're

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Speaker 1: so excited to have you on our podcast, Welcome to

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Speaker 1: the White House, Katie, delighted to have you. Thank you,

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Speaker 1: and Brian and I have been so looking forward to

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Speaker 1: this interview, and we wanted to start by asking you

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Speaker 1: how you're feeling. I mean, this must be an incredibly

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Speaker 1: emotional time for you. The end of the Obama administration

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Speaker 1: is coming soon. Tell us how you're feeling well, you

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Speaker 1: know I've been here since day one, January two thousand

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Speaker 1: and nine, that it has been truly the most remarkable

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Speaker 1: eight years of my life to be able to be

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Speaker 1: uh witness to a transformative time in our country, and

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Speaker 1: really to have that bird's eye view and have the

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Speaker 1: ability to work with someone who I have known for

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Speaker 1: twenty five years in respect and love both he and

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Speaker 1: his wife. So dear so, I think in the course

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Speaker 1: of the day, I probably have every possible imaginable emotion.

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Speaker 1: So just name some of those emotions. Well, appreciation for

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Speaker 1: the people with whom I've had the privilege of working

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Speaker 1: here in the White House, as well as ordinary Americans

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Speaker 1: from around the country who uh we have had the

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Speaker 1: privilege of touching and having them touch us. And I

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Speaker 1: will cherish the memories I have of the team here

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Speaker 1: and those folks for as long as I live. So

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Speaker 1: you have very positive, obviously positive memories of being here.

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Speaker 1: But I imagine there have been some disappointments. There have

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Speaker 1: been some disappointments along the way, some frustrations. There have

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Speaker 1: been frustration times since you've been just really ticked off. True,

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Speaker 1: that's true, That's all true. But I will say, um

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Speaker 1: by nature, I have an optimistic spirit. But the other

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Speaker 1: thing I'll say is is that UM. One of the

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Speaker 1: important UM strengths I think that the President has and

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Speaker 1: I have tried to learn, is to take the long

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Speaker 1: view and to recognize that there is an entrenchment in

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Speaker 1: holding onto the status quo, and that when we are

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Speaker 1: the force for change, that means it's going to make

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Speaker 1: people uncomfortable. And sometimes people resist change, even if it's

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Speaker 1: changed for the better, because we all kind of like

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Speaker 1: the comfort zone. And so when you come here and

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Speaker 1: your intend is to kind of disrupt that status quo,

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Speaker 1: you're going to take an inevitable amount of heat, and

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Speaker 1: that's going to cause frustration. Some of the criticism is

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Speaker 1: totally unjustifiable. Some of it, you know, constructive criticism always welcome, UM.

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Speaker 1: But I think what has frustrated me most is the

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Speaker 1: people who have put their short term political interests ahead

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Speaker 1: of what's good for our country. So that I won't miss,

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Speaker 1: but most other things I will. Can you give me

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Speaker 1: example of somebody who did that? Sure, I can't easily.

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Speaker 1: Senator McConnell, who decided on day one that his number

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Speaker 1: one objective was going to be to ensure that President

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Speaker 1: Obama was not re elected. So let me take back

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Speaker 1: to what was going on in day one. Our economy

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Speaker 1: was in a free fall. Our banks were in the

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Speaker 1: Virgin collapse. The automobile industry was literally in bankruptcy. We

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Speaker 1: had a healthcare crisis, We were in two wars. We

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Speaker 1: had a total dependence on foreign oil. Your number one

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Speaker 1: goal is to make sure President Obama doesn't get re elected.

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Speaker 1: How About let's write the economy. How About let's make

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Speaker 1: sure everybody gets healthcare. How About let's figure out how

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Speaker 1: we can wind down the wars and try to uh

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Speaker 1: find Osama bin Laden. Those were constructive things that we

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Speaker 1: could have done together. And so his willingness again to

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Speaker 1: just focus through the political lens as opposed to how

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Speaker 1: can I make sure that you can afford to go

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Speaker 1: to college and that your kids can have a better

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Speaker 1: life than you. So before we talk more about politics,

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Speaker 1: Senator McConnell, Donald Trump, the last days of President Obama's

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Speaker 1: time in the White House. UM, I'd like the audience

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Speaker 1: to get to know you a little bit better, because

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Speaker 1: your story is pretty extraordinary. You were born to American

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Speaker 1: parents in Shahra's Iran. What were you doing there? Well,

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Speaker 1: I was there because my mother was there. So my

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Speaker 1: father was a physician and when he was discharged from

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Speaker 1: the army, he was looking for ways of continuing what

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Speaker 1: he enjoyed most, which was research. And uh, he and

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Speaker 1: my mother are adventuresome spirits, and a lot of the

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Speaker 1: jobs that he was applying for in the United States,

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Speaker 1: because he was African American, we're offering him salaries that

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Speaker 1: were not competitive with his peers. And so they said, well, look,

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Speaker 1: let's just go on an adventure. At a time when

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Speaker 1: they didn't have children, and so they started looking for

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Speaker 1: job opportunities. At that point, the um Iran and the

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Speaker 1: United States had extraordinarily strong diplomatic ties, and the Shaw

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Speaker 1: of Iran was very interested in ensuring that the Iranian

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Speaker 1: citizens were receiving the best possible health care. So he

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Speaker 1: recruited through his Department of Health, physicians from all over

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Speaker 1: the country, all over the world, not just the United States,

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Speaker 1: but all over the world to come and help start

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Speaker 1: hospitals in regions that didn't have state of the art hospitals.

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Speaker 1: So my dad helped start the Namazi Hospital in Sharaz

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Speaker 1: and I was the second baby born in the hospital.

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Speaker 1: Why didn't you become a doctor two reasons um. One

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Speaker 1: organic chemistry, I feel that was a show stopper, and

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Speaker 1: the second, which was in rapid um tandem, is that

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Speaker 1: I was dating a medical student who took me to

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Speaker 1: his anatomy class where they were dissecting cadavers. You know.

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Speaker 1: After that, that was that. But I did intend to

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Speaker 1: be premed when I first started went to Stanford. I

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Speaker 1: went to Stanford and University of Michigan, and then I

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Speaker 1: after medicine fell through, I decided we'll be a lawyer.

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Speaker 1: So then I went to write to the University of Michigan.

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Speaker 1: And then you returned to Chicago, where you're played a

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Speaker 1: pretty sort of storied role in that city's history, in

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Speaker 1: particularly to African American history. Can you talk a little

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Speaker 1: bit about that. Yeah, well, I think probably the commitment

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Speaker 1: UH to service goes way back in my family. My

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Speaker 1: great grandfather was first African American to graduate from m

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Speaker 1: I t UH. He was the first African American architect

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Speaker 1: in the country and devoted his life to um building UH,

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Speaker 1: primarily at Tuskegee Institute. He designed most of the buildings

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Speaker 1: on that campus, but he also did schools around the

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Speaker 1: country and cared a lot about ways of making sure

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Speaker 1: that the African American community was housed well. And then

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Speaker 1: his son, whose name was also Robert Taylor, was the

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Speaker 1: chairman of the Chicago Housing Authority. And so those were

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Speaker 1: my two of my ancestors. And then my parents always

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Speaker 1: were both academics, but always believed in public service and

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Speaker 1: giving back to communities, to those who much has given

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Speaker 1: much as expected was the value that I was raised by.

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Speaker 1: Going into bublic policy was really in your genes. I

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Speaker 1: think a lot of responsibility. I mean, it's so incredibly

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Speaker 1: impressive when you hear about your family history. Did you

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Speaker 1: feel that you had to continue that tradition in any

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Speaker 1: way or do you think it was so It wasn't pressure,

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Speaker 1: Katie at all. I never felt a burden to do

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Speaker 1: something committed to making our community better, however we define

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Speaker 1: that community. And in fact, I spent the first six

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Speaker 1: years of my career practicing law, and my parents thought

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Speaker 1: it was terrific I had. I was the first lawyer

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Speaker 1: in our family. I worked for big law firms, fancy offices,

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Speaker 1: and he was actually having my daughter that made me

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Speaker 1: realize that what I was doing wasn't sufficiently satisfying. And

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Speaker 1: you know, when you leave your kids, you want to

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Speaker 1: be doing something important. UM. And I was at that

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Speaker 1: point a single mom, and so I felt drawn to

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Speaker 1: be there and be home and be that perfect parent.

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Speaker 1: And yet every day I was doing something I didn't

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Speaker 1: think as useful and I didn't think it was something

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Speaker 1: that would make her proud. And so in terms of

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Speaker 1: my motivation, I think my parents just wanted me to

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Speaker 1: work hard and do something that I cared about. I

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Speaker 1: wanted her to think highly of me, and that's what

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Speaker 1: drove me into public service. You also, um, obviously became

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Speaker 1: very very friendly with the Obama's early on, and you

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Speaker 1: played a bit of a role, Valerie, I know, in

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Speaker 1: their courtship. UM. See that now, all right, now, let's

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Speaker 1: say good, let's correctly because we're confused about it. You know,

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Speaker 1: it's been everything from you set them up on their

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Speaker 1: first date to you what I recall that you went

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Speaker 1: out with them one night. I did. I did after

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Speaker 1: they were engaged. So I take no credit for the romance,

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Speaker 1: UM getting going. And in fact, the reason we went

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Speaker 1: out to dinner is because I had offered the first

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Speaker 1: lady a job working for me in the Mayor's office.

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Speaker 1: I was Mayor Daily's deputy chief of staff at the time,

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Speaker 1: and someone had sent me her resume and said, you know,

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Speaker 1: brilliant young woman has no interest in being at a

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Speaker 1: law firm. And I said, that's my kind of person,

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Speaker 1: and so I, uh, ten minutes into the interview, I

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Speaker 1: was just bowled over, and also realized after about ten

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Speaker 1: minutes I was no longer interviewing her. She was interviewing me,

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Speaker 1: and I was trying to sell her on why she

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Speaker 1: should do this, and I made her an instant job offer.

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Speaker 1: She said, wisely, let me think about it. And then

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Speaker 1: when she got back in touch, she said, my feelance

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Speaker 1: thinks it's a dreadful idea, and he doesn't want me

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Speaker 1: to go work in the mayor's office. He's started as

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Speaker 1: a community organizer, rallying against government, trying to force government

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Speaker 1: to be a force for good, and he's concerned that

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Speaker 1: if I'm in there, then maybe, you know, we might disagree,

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Speaker 1: and what will happen if I if she disagrees with

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Speaker 1: what the mayor wants to do? Long story, Sure, she said,

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Speaker 1: would you mind having dinner with us and let's talk

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Speaker 1: it through and let's see if we can convince him

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Speaker 1: that you're right and it's a good fit and that

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Speaker 1: he's wrong. And I did, and that was years ago.

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Speaker 1: What did you say to convince him? I still remember

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Speaker 1: that dinner pretty well. You're smart, asked that question. We

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Speaker 1: talked about and he was very good at getting me

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Speaker 1: to open up about all kinds of things. Uh. We

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Speaker 1: talked about my first five years living in Iran at

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Speaker 1: the time he spent in Indonesia, what it was like

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Speaker 1: for me to go from Iran to London for a

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Speaker 1: like for him living in Indonesia and then going to

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Speaker 1: was a really frank onnest conversation kind of about who

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Speaker 1: And I think that those basic kind of core values

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Speaker 1: So did he have you at Hello? No, he had

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Speaker 1: me after like three hours. He had me hit Alo,

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Speaker 1: he had me before dinner. I think I had him

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Speaker 1: after the end of that dinner, because at the end

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Speaker 1: how did I do? And They're like, we'll get back

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Speaker 1: to you. But she did end up coming and joining

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Speaker 1: my team with White at the Mayor's office. So was

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Speaker 1: that the beginning of your friendship? Yes, it was, and

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Speaker 1: we worked together for a couple of years, and when

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Speaker 1: he first ran for state senate, I helped him on

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Speaker 1: that campaign. And then later the first lady joined the

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Speaker 1: University of Chicago and I was on the board there,

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Speaker 1: and she joined the Medical Center where I chaired the board,

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Speaker 1: and so her paths and mine crossed professionally until we

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Speaker 1: came here. And then when he ran for U S Senate,

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Speaker 1: I chaired his finance committee and we lived in the

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Speaker 1: same neighborhood. I've known, Uh, he's known my daughter. I

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Speaker 1: think we were talking last night since she was six,

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Speaker 1: So it goes back a long way. So you became

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Speaker 1: one of three senior advisors UH in the Obama administration.

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Speaker 1: Do you think that your friendship has ever not served

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Speaker 1: both of you? Well, there have there been times during

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Speaker 1: these eight years where I don't know where you were

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Speaker 1: emotionally usurped maybe where you might have been intellectually. I mean,

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Speaker 1: how do you separate those two things? And were there

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Speaker 1: at time times when they overlapped in a way that

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Speaker 1: wasn't helpful? You know, I think about that a lot

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Speaker 1: because people have often said to me, Um, does the

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Speaker 1: friendship get in the way of being the senior advisor?

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Speaker 1: Does the senior advisor get in the way of the friendship?

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Speaker 1: That's a much better way of asking the question. I

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Speaker 1: just asked, thank you, but only because I've heard it

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Speaker 1: a lot so I know it well. I think it

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Speaker 1: has only helped. I think that part of being a

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Speaker 1: senior advisor is knowing the person really well who you

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Speaker 1: are responsible for advising, UM, trusting that person, and having

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Speaker 1: that person trust you. And senior advisor to the President

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Speaker 1: United States, Um, you want a person who shares your values,

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Speaker 1: your vision for the country, your motivations, and so I

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Speaker 1: think it has actually been a real strength, and we compartmentalized,

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Speaker 1: and so when we're in the office, I call him Mr. President,

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Speaker 1: and I make sure that whatever advice I give him

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Speaker 1: is well thought out and that I've consulted broadly and widely.

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Speaker 1: Since part of my responsibility through public engagement and in

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Speaker 1: the governmental affairs is to make sure that I'm not

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Speaker 1: just talking to him off the cuff, but it's informed

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Speaker 1: by the American people and the other elected officials whose

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Speaker 1: lives are going to be impacted, jobs will be impacted

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Speaker 1: by what we do. So I'm very careful about his time,

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Speaker 1: and I'm very careful about making sure I have my

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Speaker 1: ducks in order. When we're socializing, I just tell him

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Speaker 1: whatever comes off the top of my hat. But we're

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Speaker 1: not talking about my job. I mean, who in their

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Speaker 1: personal life when you're hanging out with your friends spend

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Speaker 1: a lot of time talking about your job. His whole

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Speaker 1: point when he's down is to be down, and so

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Speaker 1: I'm very respectful of that unless he brings up, so

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Speaker 1: it's kind of up to him. But I would never

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Speaker 1: try to burden a dinner conversation with what we're doing

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Speaker 1: at work. We talk about our kids, We talk about

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Speaker 1: television shows, we talk about what are we going to

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Speaker 1: do this weekend, just like everybody else. And I think,

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Speaker 1: I think honoring the necessity for normalcy in his life

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Speaker 1: is where I'm being the best friend. So here's how

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Speaker 1: the New York Times described you a few years ago,

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Speaker 1: and this struck me. She is the single most influential

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Speaker 1: person in the Obama White House. Partly it is her ubiquity,

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Speaker 1: the guiding hand and everything from who sits on the

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Speaker 1: Supreme Court to who sits next to him at state dinners.

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Speaker 1: The White House staff memos peppered with VJ thinks or

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Speaker 1: VJ says If Karl Rove was known as George W.

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Speaker 1: Bush's political brain, Ms Jarrett is Mr Obama's spine. And

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Speaker 1: this tidbit from somebody who probably isn't too fond of you.

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Speaker 1: She is the only staff member who regularly follows the

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Speaker 1: president home from the West Wing to the residents, a

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Speaker 1: practice that has earned her the nickname the night Stalker.

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Speaker 1: How do you react to that? Well, first of all,

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Speaker 1: I think that, um, it is only natural in Washington

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Speaker 1: for people to um be threatened by proximity. That's point

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Speaker 1: number one. And so I take a fair amount of

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Speaker 1: that with a grain of salt. By it's only natural

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Speaker 1: because of our relationship that you might have something like

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Speaker 1: that kind of a title. Um. I think that people

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Speaker 1: who know the president know that he's the one with

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Speaker 1: the firm, steady spine. He's the one that's never wavering.

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Speaker 1: He doesn't need me to buck him up in that

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Speaker 1: respect at all, and that if anything, on days when

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Speaker 1: I am and other members of our team are feeling glum,

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Speaker 1: he's the one who says, remember why we're here. And

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Speaker 1: early Anni used to tease me because I would watch

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Speaker 1: cable television and I would come in ranting and he'd say,

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Speaker 1: turn off the cable and turn on the American people.

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Speaker 1: And it was a nice, like, you know, jolt to say, Okay,

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Speaker 1: you're right, Why am I bothering you with some um

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Speaker 1: gobbled leg up? And when we are the time you

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Speaker 1: ever is so precious you have to use it really well.

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Speaker 1: Uh So that's kind of my reaction to it, I

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Speaker 1: will say, I think, Um, I think people now appreciate

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Speaker 1: the role that I have in the way that when

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Speaker 1: you start with a new team, everybody's feeling a little insecure,

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Speaker 1: and that that kind of Um, nonsense is just perfectly normal.

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Speaker 1: But I think the folks who were here now and

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Speaker 1: those with whom we've worked so closely over the years,

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Speaker 1: recognize how important it is for me to be not

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Speaker 1: just the advisor to the President, but a member of

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Speaker 1: the team. We'll be right back with Valerie Jarrett. We're

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Speaker 1: going to take a quick break to tell you about

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Speaker 1: our sponsors, and we'll hear from some visitors outside the

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Speaker 1: White House. There's nothing more idyllic, or perhaps more American

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Speaker 1: than the White House. At Christmas time, I sent Brian

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Speaker 1: out because because it was yeah to talk with some

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Speaker 1: White House visitors from all over the country. Have a listen.

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Speaker 1: Where are you guys from Keller, Texas, Trustful Alabama, dr

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Speaker 1: North Carolina, away from England, London. We live not in London.

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Speaker 1: Say yeah, is this your first time at the White House?

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Speaker 1: It is for me. Yeah, it's not my first time.

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Speaker 1: It is the first time at the White House. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: first sign to d C. So I just go here

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Speaker 1: this morning. It's my first time. Yes. What do you

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Speaker 1: think President Obama's legacy is? Wow? That's a What do

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Speaker 1: you think I think his legacy has changed? He's done

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Speaker 1: a lot of change. Um, done a lot of good

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Speaker 1: for the country, So I think he left his mark

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Speaker 1: in a good way. You're gonna miss him. I will

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Speaker 1: miss him a lot, I might cry. How do you

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Speaker 1: assess the last eight years under President Obama? Trying? Trying

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Speaker 1: to assess or a trying time for you? A trying time.

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Speaker 1: Are you excited about the transition to Donald Trump? Nervous

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Speaker 1: about it? How do you think about it? A little nervous?

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Speaker 1: But I think he's He's going to be good. Um,

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Speaker 1: I don't know. It's it's it's subject is a very

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Speaker 1: touchy subject. But we're going to roll with the punches.

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Speaker 1: I think most people and you kind of fairly, we're

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Speaker 1: nervous about it than anything else. But I guess let's

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Speaker 1: see what happens when he gets in. I'm very excited

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Speaker 1: about the transition. I mean, it's it's America. It's a democracy.

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Speaker 1: I don't have to have to be a fan of

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Speaker 1: it. It It is what it is, and so why our

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Speaker 1: democracy works, So we have to support it. Okay, loyal listeners,

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Speaker 1: we have a question for you. Two thousand sixteen was

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Speaker 1: considered by many, I think by most, probably by all,

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Speaker 1: to be a very tumultuous year. What do you think

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Speaker 1: the best thing that happened other than our podcast in sixteen?

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Speaker 1: We'd love to hear from you. Call nine to nine,

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Speaker 1: two to four, four, six, three seven. Brian Goldsmith will

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Speaker 1: be standing by to talk to you. I'm kidding, but

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Speaker 1: there is a recording and we'd love to hear from

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Speaker 1: you again. The best thing that happened in two thousand sixteen?

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Speaker 1: Give us a reason to ring in the new year. Right,

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Speaker 1: we're back with Valerie Jarrett. Um I I we have

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Speaker 1: to talk to you about the election. I know you

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Speaker 1: described it as a punch to the stomach and soul crushing.

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Speaker 1: Do you think it was a repudiation of Barack Obama?

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Speaker 1: Not at all. If you look at where he's pulling today,

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Speaker 1: he's as popular as he's ever visually popular. Was it

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Speaker 1: a repudiation of his policies? No, I don't think so

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Speaker 1: at all. He wasn't on the ballot. I mean, obviously

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Speaker 1: he campaigned for Secretary Clinton. What was clear is that

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Speaker 1: his popularity was not transferable. What happened, Oh my goodness,

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Speaker 1: there are going to be far wiser people than I

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Speaker 1: to figure that out. Very wise story. If you had

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Speaker 1: to say, she didn't get enough votes in the places

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Speaker 1: where she needed to have them too much about her,

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Speaker 1: and it was Clinton fatigue. I have no idea. I

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Speaker 1: really just don't know what you do. But you're still

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Speaker 1: going to say I don't know because for right now, Um,

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Speaker 1: I mean I described those emotions of how I felt

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Speaker 1: the day after the election, and you know what, we've

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Speaker 1: had to pick ourselves up and and we have to

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Speaker 1: do for President elect Trump what President Bush did for us,

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Speaker 1: and that has running very smooth and orderly transition. I

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Speaker 1: was so impressed with and I coachared President Obama's transition,

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Speaker 1: so I was right in there, and I know how

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Speaker 1: supportive President Bush and his team were to us. And

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Speaker 1: again different party coming in and President Obama's direction as

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Speaker 1: that we are do exactly the same thing. President typewriter keys,

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Speaker 1: what did they do? And they'll move the we are

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Speaker 1: we are some of the outgoing Clinton people. It was

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Speaker 1: a bit exaggerated, but there were a few pranks on

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Speaker 1: the Clinton side. Come on, nothing up your sleeve. We

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Speaker 1: have nothing up our sleeves. We're just going to do

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Speaker 1: the very best because in so doing we've learned a lot.

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Speaker 1: To your earlier question, in the last eight years, and

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Speaker 1: we feel responsible for giving them the benefit of what

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Speaker 1: we've learned, and then it's totally up to them whether

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Speaker 1: they want to accept it or disregarded. But my time

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Speaker 1: and my energy, my emotional energy and my physical energy, Katie,

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Speaker 1: are going to the transition and wrapping things up that

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Speaker 1: we have to do. Do you think President Obama regrets

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Speaker 1: giving Donald Trump such a hard time at that White

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Speaker 1: House correspondence dinner back in two thousand eleven, he was

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Speaker 1: on a roll. Uh. Donald Trump was not amused, and

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Speaker 1: some have even suggested that really motivated Donald Trump to

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Speaker 1: run for president, even though he had discussed it prior

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Speaker 1: to that at night. Does president has President Obama ever said, damn,

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Speaker 1: maybe I should teasted him so much? He has not

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Speaker 1: said that to me. I mean, though, it's all it

430
00:23:58,040 --> 00:24:01,520
Speaker 1: was all meant and fun. My goodness that it was

431
00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:04,560
Speaker 1: intended to be funny, and it was intended to kind

432
00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:06,280
Speaker 1: of I mean, if you look at all of his

433
00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:10,360
Speaker 1: correspondence remarks, they're always intended to kind of poke fun

434
00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:12,680
Speaker 1: at the people who have been poking fun at him

435
00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:16,040
Speaker 1: all year long, and it's his opportunity. Trump hadn't poked

436
00:24:16,040 --> 00:24:18,639
Speaker 1: fun at him, He had perpetrated this whole notion that

437
00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:21,239
Speaker 1: he wasn't a US citizen, this false notion that he

438
00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:26,960
Speaker 1: was for this false notion, Yes, but and so so

439
00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:29,560
Speaker 1: the president uses that for humor, just as he has

440
00:24:29,640 --> 00:24:33,000
Speaker 1: used so many other things that have been totally unjustified,

441
00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:36,480
Speaker 1: and did made humor out of them as well. And

442
00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:40,919
Speaker 1: that the President must not have found that amusing or funny,

443
00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:47,080
Speaker 1: the whole idea that someone was spreading these falsehoods. Well,

444
00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:49,399
Speaker 1: of course it's not amusing or funny when it's happening

445
00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:52,560
Speaker 1: to you. But the correspondence dinner gives him a chance

446
00:24:52,600 --> 00:24:56,359
Speaker 1: to poke fun at it in a way that hopefully

447
00:24:56,720 --> 00:25:00,879
Speaker 1: has people appreciate how ludicrous most of is. And he

448
00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:04,960
Speaker 1: does it in a always in a very self deprecating way, um,

449
00:25:05,040 --> 00:25:09,760
Speaker 1: which is his style. And it's it's really too I mean,

450
00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:12,959
Speaker 1: it is intended to amuse, but it's also intended to inform.

451
00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:14,800
Speaker 1: And I think he does it really well. And I

452
00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:17,840
Speaker 1: have no idea whether or not that's what motivated President

453
00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:20,119
Speaker 1: Electromp to run for office. He said in a recent

454
00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:24,040
Speaker 1: interview Valerie quote. You know, I'm like a smart person.

455
00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:26,119
Speaker 1: I don't have to be told the same thing in

456
00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:29,200
Speaker 1: the same words every single day for the next eight years.

457
00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:32,399
Speaker 1: So is that what the intelligence the daily intelligence briefing

458
00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:34,400
Speaker 1: is being told the same thing in the same way

459
00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:36,760
Speaker 1: every day. Now, I don't think you think that, and

460
00:25:36,840 --> 00:25:39,120
Speaker 1: neither do I. I'm obviously not going to tell you

461
00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:43,040
Speaker 1: what's in the daily briefing. It's all classified by the

462
00:25:43,160 --> 00:25:47,080
Speaker 1: bizarre that he's not being a part of it. Well,

463
00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:49,639
Speaker 1: we'll see when he becomes president what he does. But

464
00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:52,960
Speaker 1: what do you make of this broader wedge that is

465
00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:57,560
Speaker 1: now being driven between the president elect and the intelligence community,

466
00:25:57,680 --> 00:26:01,760
Speaker 1: This sense that he's in fact signing with Putin over

467
00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:05,399
Speaker 1: Republicans like John McCain and Lindsey Graham. Well, you know what,

468
00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:08,360
Speaker 1: he's going to have to sort all that out, and

469
00:26:08,760 --> 00:26:11,560
Speaker 1: I won't be here to advise him to how he

470
00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:13,800
Speaker 1: does that. He's going to have to figure that all out,

471
00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:17,199
Speaker 1: and my guess is that they will. You know what,

472
00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:19,000
Speaker 1: I don't have to I don't really have a guess.

473
00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:20,680
Speaker 1: We'll see what he does. Do you feel like doo

474
00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:23,840
Speaker 1: doo doo, doo doo doo doo doo. You're living in

475
00:26:23,880 --> 00:26:29,160
Speaker 1: the twilight zone. These are interesting times. She's trying very

476
00:26:29,240 --> 00:26:34,240
Speaker 1: hard to be a politic. If I can put words

477
00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:37,840
Speaker 1: in your mouth representative of a president who's trying to

478
00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:42,040
Speaker 1: provide the president elect as smooth a transition as he received,

479
00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:43,880
Speaker 1: I wish I had said it in those words. I'm

480
00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:47,159
Speaker 1: looking forward to Valerie here and unplugged personally in a

481
00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:50,239
Speaker 1: few months. But but speaking of the transition, you know,

482
00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:53,120
Speaker 1: the president of the President elect man in the White

483
00:26:53,160 --> 00:26:56,520
Speaker 1: House right after the election. Now, they've been talking fairly

484
00:26:56,560 --> 00:27:01,240
Speaker 1: regularly on the phone that they I don't know exactly

485
00:27:01,280 --> 00:27:03,640
Speaker 1: how many times, but they certainly have kept in touch.

486
00:27:03,760 --> 00:27:07,119
Speaker 1: Can you characterize that conversation anyway? I mean, obviously not

487
00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:10,159
Speaker 1: going to reveal what they said, but how how is

488
00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:14,040
Speaker 1: the president sort of thought about his conversations as he

489
00:27:14,119 --> 00:27:18,040
Speaker 1: learned anything new about Mr Trump? You know, I would

490
00:27:18,080 --> 00:27:22,520
Speaker 1: say that what the President UM is trying very hard

491
00:27:22,560 --> 00:27:27,000
Speaker 1: to do is offer the President elect his best counsel,

492
00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:31,560
Speaker 1: and to do that in a confidential way, because that's

493
00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:35,359
Speaker 1: where trust comes, and to give him the space he

494
00:27:35,440 --> 00:27:37,560
Speaker 1: needs to make what are going to be some pretty

495
00:27:37,560 --> 00:27:41,919
Speaker 1: important decisions, and to categorize it more deeply than that

496
00:27:42,080 --> 00:27:45,680
Speaker 1: runs the risk of UM in any way, UM impeding

497
00:27:45,720 --> 00:27:47,800
Speaker 1: that effort, and I don't want to impede that effort.

498
00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:52,320
Speaker 1: So I think that the President has made himself available

499
00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:57,639
Speaker 1: to the President elect, and Um, those conversations have been constructive.

500
00:27:58,119 --> 00:28:01,880
Speaker 1: Let's let's talk briefly about the Affordable Care Act, because

501
00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:04,200
Speaker 1: I know that's something you want to share with people.

502
00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:05,960
Speaker 1: Thank you. And I think it's sort of a two

503
00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:10,080
Speaker 1: part question. On November one, it was announced that premiums

504
00:28:10,080 --> 00:28:14,320
Speaker 1: were going up, and some people thought that that might

505
00:28:14,359 --> 00:28:19,359
Speaker 1: have impacted the election one of many factors. Um, do

506
00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:23,320
Speaker 1: you think it was too far reaching, why didn't it

507
00:28:23,359 --> 00:28:28,400
Speaker 1: work better or for some people? And what is your

508
00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:33,200
Speaker 1: biggest regret when you look back on healthcare reform. Well,

509
00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:36,160
Speaker 1: first of all, UM, let me correctly comment about premiums

510
00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:41,840
Speaker 1: going up that high. The American people can obtain healthcare

511
00:28:41,920 --> 00:28:45,800
Speaker 1: under the exchanges for seventy five dollars or less, and

512
00:28:45,840 --> 00:28:47,920
Speaker 1: so you have to factor in the subsidy for the

513
00:28:47,920 --> 00:28:52,440
Speaker 1: people who can't afford it. We have had double digit

514
00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:57,120
Speaker 1: premium increases our in our country forever. The healthcare costs

515
00:28:57,240 --> 00:29:00,240
Speaker 1: under the Affordable Care Accidency Affordable Care Act have gone

516
00:29:00,320 --> 00:29:04,960
Speaker 1: up at those slowest inflationary rate in the last fifty years.

517
00:29:04,960 --> 00:29:07,800
Speaker 1: So it is working. It's working. Well, they're over twenty

518
00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:12,680
Speaker 1: million people who have healthcare who probably didn't have it

519
00:29:12,760 --> 00:29:15,840
Speaker 1: before who have it today, not to mention the hundred

520
00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:19,040
Speaker 1: and fifty million who are now covered from loot, not

521
00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:21,480
Speaker 1: losing their plan if they have a pre existing condition,

522
00:29:21,640 --> 00:29:25,560
Speaker 1: or having their premiums jacked up, or having annual or

523
00:29:25,600 --> 00:29:29,120
Speaker 1: lifetime caps kick in right when they need their insurance.

524
00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:31,560
Speaker 1: The most women who are able to get preventive care

525
00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:35,240
Speaker 1: without a cope, whether it's cancer or birth control or

526
00:29:35,480 --> 00:29:39,280
Speaker 1: domestic abuse counseling, all of these benefits that are in

527
00:29:39,320 --> 00:29:42,080
Speaker 1: the Affordable Care Act. Children who can stay on their

528
00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:45,520
Speaker 1: parents plan until they're twenty six. So there's a lot

529
00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:49,280
Speaker 1: in it that is very very good and worthwhile. To

530
00:29:49,360 --> 00:29:52,680
Speaker 1: your question about whether or not um he did too much,

531
00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:57,280
Speaker 1: you've always got to try to do as much as possible,

532
00:29:57,360 --> 00:29:59,080
Speaker 1: keeping in mind that what you're trying to do is

533
00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:02,160
Speaker 1: make sure that we're health. There there's nothing more fundamental,

534
00:30:02,600 --> 00:30:06,760
Speaker 1: obviously than our health. And he wasn't willing to just

535
00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:09,600
Speaker 1: do a small slice when he had an opportunity to

536
00:30:09,640 --> 00:30:12,240
Speaker 1: do the whole thing. And the door has always been

537
00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:15,360
Speaker 1: open to constructive suggestions for ways to make it better.

538
00:30:15,720 --> 00:30:17,840
Speaker 1: But what the Republicans have done. I think it's now

539
00:30:17,880 --> 00:30:20,600
Speaker 1: over sixty times is vote to repeal the entire package.

540
00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:24,480
Speaker 1: I don't know how you look those mothers who have

541
00:30:24,600 --> 00:30:26,720
Speaker 1: six children in the face and say, no, you shouldn't

542
00:30:26,760 --> 00:30:29,160
Speaker 1: have affordable health care. I don't get that at all.

543
00:30:29,320 --> 00:30:32,480
Speaker 1: I think they're going to I will I. I just

544
00:30:32,600 --> 00:30:37,120
Speaker 1: hope not. I it's like it's numerous uno on the agenda.

545
00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:40,080
Speaker 1: I think if you start looking at what the impact

546
00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:42,960
Speaker 1: of that will be on people who now you're saying

547
00:30:43,320 --> 00:30:46,200
Speaker 1: because you're a cancer survivor, you can't afford health insurance

548
00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:48,640
Speaker 1: and you can't obtain it anymore, when that's who needs

549
00:30:48,640 --> 00:30:51,440
Speaker 1: it the most. You're going to say that a child

550
00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:54,479
Speaker 1: with a chronic asthma condition is not ensurable when they

551
00:30:54,480 --> 00:30:57,120
Speaker 1: know you're gonna have a lifetime challenge. You're gonna kick

552
00:30:57,160 --> 00:30:59,880
Speaker 1: all these kids off their parents plans when they don't

553
00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:02,800
Speaker 1: have a job that provides health insurance. I just think

554
00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:07,040
Speaker 1: that the consequences of of repeal without a replacement that

555
00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:10,360
Speaker 1: provides the basic benefits that are in the A c

556
00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:13,200
Speaker 1: A is going to hurt a lot of Americans. And

557
00:31:13,280 --> 00:31:15,880
Speaker 1: this is coming out on a day that is important

558
00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:18,840
Speaker 1: for the A c A. Why is that. Well, the

559
00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:23,360
Speaker 1: enrollment period began November one. We are encouraging everyone to

560
00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:26,440
Speaker 1: try to sign up by December because if you sign

561
00:31:26,560 --> 00:31:28,720
Speaker 1: up by the fifteen, you're gonna have health insurance on

562
00:31:28,800 --> 00:31:32,200
Speaker 1: January one. What better New Year's present to yourself and

563
00:31:32,320 --> 00:31:35,720
Speaker 1: your family than that. But the enrollment period does run

564
00:31:35,760 --> 00:31:39,040
Speaker 1: through the end of January, and again we're seeing in

565
00:31:39,040 --> 00:31:40,960
Speaker 1: the first twelve days of this enrollment period we had

566
00:31:40,960 --> 00:31:44,520
Speaker 1: a million people sign up. People want healthcare and they

567
00:31:44,560 --> 00:31:47,200
Speaker 1: realize it with the subsidy, they can get it for

568
00:31:47,600 --> 00:31:50,480
Speaker 1: a very inexpensive cost compared to one trip to the

569
00:31:50,520 --> 00:31:55,400
Speaker 1: emergency room. One former advisor to the president said to

570
00:31:55,440 --> 00:31:59,840
Speaker 1: me recently that, ironically, President Obama got a lot more

571
00:32:00,040 --> 00:32:03,120
Speaker 1: on in the early years of his presidency, but he's

572
00:32:03,120 --> 00:32:05,560
Speaker 1: a much better president today than he was in two

573
00:32:05,640 --> 00:32:10,840
Speaker 1: thousand nine. Or do you agree with that assessment? And

574
00:32:11,120 --> 00:32:14,840
Speaker 1: if you do, Uh, what do you think he's learned?

575
00:32:14,880 --> 00:32:17,960
Speaker 1: How do you think he's gotten better, What strengths have

576
00:32:18,320 --> 00:32:22,120
Speaker 1: come through, what weaknesses have been corrected? Well, of course

577
00:32:22,120 --> 00:32:24,280
Speaker 1: he's a better president today than he was eight years ago.

578
00:32:24,320 --> 00:32:27,560
Speaker 1: We're all better in our jobs after eight years doing them. Uh,

579
00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:30,120
Speaker 1: And this is a job where as I think his

580
00:32:30,280 --> 00:32:32,880
Speaker 1: predecessors would say, there's no way you can be completely

581
00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:35,520
Speaker 1: prepared for until you get here, and when you are

582
00:32:35,560 --> 00:32:38,280
Speaker 1: the one who's responsible for making the kinds of decisions

583
00:32:38,320 --> 00:32:41,080
Speaker 1: that the President of the United States has to make. UM,

584
00:32:41,200 --> 00:32:44,760
Speaker 1: you build on a foundation of hope, uh and experience.

585
00:32:44,840 --> 00:32:47,360
Speaker 1: But this is new and so yes, of course he's

586
00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:50,080
Speaker 1: a much better president today. I think when you say

587
00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:54,680
Speaker 1: he got more done, I think that, as I described

588
00:32:54,720 --> 00:32:56,880
Speaker 1: at the outset, the economy was in this freeth fall

589
00:32:56,960 --> 00:33:00,120
Speaker 1: and it was important to him to move swiftly. And

590
00:33:00,440 --> 00:33:02,880
Speaker 1: when you look at the fact that our unemployment rate

591
00:33:02,880 --> 00:33:05,120
Speaker 1: went up to a high ten percent and now it's

592
00:33:05,160 --> 00:33:08,840
Speaker 1: four point six, the steps city took early on helped

593
00:33:08,920 --> 00:33:10,640
Speaker 1: get us to where we are today. So I don't

594
00:33:10,720 --> 00:33:13,400
Speaker 1: look at I look at it in that continuum. Obviously,

595
00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:16,880
Speaker 1: the Affordable Care Act was passed, the Recovery Act was passed, UM,

596
00:33:16,880 --> 00:33:20,800
Speaker 1: there were numerous successes on the world stage that laid

597
00:33:20,800 --> 00:33:23,920
Speaker 1: the foundation for now. The fact of the matter is,

598
00:33:23,960 --> 00:33:26,840
Speaker 1: I think where we have been more effective in the

599
00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:29,120
Speaker 1: second term is a lot of the work that we

600
00:33:29,160 --> 00:33:31,880
Speaker 1: have done that didn't require Congress. And so when it

601
00:33:31,920 --> 00:33:34,760
Speaker 1: as it became clear, and perhaps it should have become

602
00:33:34,800 --> 00:33:37,040
Speaker 1: clearer earlier that we were going to have such a

603
00:33:37,040 --> 00:33:38,720
Speaker 1: hard time, but it was so hard to believe that

604
00:33:38,760 --> 00:33:41,680
Speaker 1: they weren't going to work with us. But we pivoted

605
00:33:41,880 --> 00:33:44,640
Speaker 1: and UH did a lot of work at the state

606
00:33:44,680 --> 00:33:48,680
Speaker 1: and local level where the impact has been dramatic um

607
00:33:48,720 --> 00:33:52,240
Speaker 1: as well as with the private sector, and leveraged resources

608
00:33:52,280 --> 00:33:55,160
Speaker 1: and efforts to have a maximum impact. And so if

609
00:33:55,160 --> 00:33:59,280
Speaker 1: you look at everything from and take an issue like

610
00:33:59,320 --> 00:34:01,920
Speaker 1: paid leave, were the only developed country in the world

611
00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:05,080
Speaker 1: that doesn't have a federal paid leaf policy, but now

612
00:34:05,160 --> 00:34:08,000
Speaker 1: cities and states all across the country, as well as

613
00:34:08,080 --> 00:34:11,880
Speaker 1: private sector are requiring paid leaf. UH take an issue

614
00:34:11,920 --> 00:34:14,399
Speaker 1: like raising the minimum wage. We again tried to get

615
00:34:14,440 --> 00:34:17,040
Speaker 1: Congress to raise a minimum wage. They didn't. Cities and

616
00:34:17,080 --> 00:34:20,000
Speaker 1: states all across the country and private employers have raised

617
00:34:20,000 --> 00:34:22,640
Speaker 1: a minimum wage. People think that's really the answer to

618
00:34:22,800 --> 00:34:25,560
Speaker 1: a lot of issues. To do it more at the grassroots,

619
00:34:25,600 --> 00:34:27,680
Speaker 1: state and local level. You said that was one of

620
00:34:27,680 --> 00:34:31,000
Speaker 1: the biggest disappointment, one of the two biggest disappointments. What

621
00:34:31,120 --> 00:34:37,279
Speaker 1: was the second comprehensive immigration reform? Profoundly disappointed that and

622
00:34:37,280 --> 00:34:40,080
Speaker 1: then They're both issues, Katie, were the vast majority of

623
00:34:40,080 --> 00:34:42,560
Speaker 1: the American people supported what we were trying to do,

624
00:34:42,960 --> 00:34:46,360
Speaker 1: and for again short term political interests, we were unable

625
00:34:46,400 --> 00:34:49,160
Speaker 1: to get the Republicans in Congress to move forward on

626
00:34:49,200 --> 00:34:52,280
Speaker 1: either one. But the momentum is building in the States,

627
00:34:52,760 --> 00:34:57,480
Speaker 1: and eventually that momentum, we believe, will put sufficient pressure

628
00:34:57,600 --> 00:35:00,520
Speaker 1: on Congress that they respond to that to the people

629
00:35:00,520 --> 00:35:04,160
Speaker 1: who elected them and in whose service they are supposed

630
00:35:04,200 --> 00:35:08,520
Speaker 1: to be. Are you worried, that, Valerie, that Barack Obama's

631
00:35:08,600 --> 00:35:13,000
Speaker 1: legacy is going to be slowly painfully for you and

632
00:35:13,080 --> 00:35:17,880
Speaker 1: for him and other people who support his policies dismantled

633
00:35:18,560 --> 00:35:21,200
Speaker 1: by a Trump administration. There's the head of the e

634
00:35:21,320 --> 00:35:24,840
Speaker 1: p A. The person he wants is a basically doesn't

635
00:35:24,840 --> 00:35:29,480
Speaker 1: believe in climate change. They want to dismantle the Affordable

636
00:35:29,480 --> 00:35:34,919
Speaker 1: Care Act Republicans do um, is that depressing for you

637
00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:39,080
Speaker 1: and scary? Of course it's scary, and of course it's depressing,

638
00:35:39,280 --> 00:35:43,239
Speaker 1: and we're hoping it won't happen. And again, through the transition,

639
00:35:43,320 --> 00:35:47,000
Speaker 1: we're going to try to provide as many facts, evidence,

640
00:35:47,040 --> 00:35:49,520
Speaker 1: space facts as to why we put in place the

641
00:35:49,520 --> 00:35:53,480
Speaker 1: policies we did in the hopes that we will persuade them. Um,

642
00:35:53,520 --> 00:35:56,120
Speaker 1: we may not be successful on every front, but my goodness,

643
00:35:56,120 --> 00:35:59,600
Speaker 1: we're going to get caught trying. We have a listener question, Valerie,

644
00:35:59,640 --> 00:36:04,680
Speaker 1: that's instincts. On a personal note, Hey, this is Jared

645
00:36:04,760 --> 00:36:09,319
Speaker 1: sim Sar from Charleston, South Carolina. Valerie, Jet, So, you

646
00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:13,000
Speaker 1: have been one of the President's closest political and personal

647
00:36:13,080 --> 00:36:16,160
Speaker 1: confidence over the past eight years, and so I'm wondering

648
00:36:16,200 --> 00:36:21,160
Speaker 1: two things. One, how has the presidency changed him over

649
00:36:21,200 --> 00:36:23,319
Speaker 1: the past eight years from the man you knew back

650
00:36:23,360 --> 00:36:28,200
Speaker 1: in Chicago? And two do you have much creative visibility

651
00:36:28,239 --> 00:36:34,919
Speaker 1: into Barack Obama the father, husband, and friend? Then most

652
00:36:34,920 --> 00:36:38,399
Speaker 1: people do. And so because of that unique lens, what

653
00:36:38,440 --> 00:36:42,080
Speaker 1: did you see that you wish the rest of America

654
00:36:42,600 --> 00:36:47,560
Speaker 1: could see when they look and think about President Obama?

655
00:36:47,880 --> 00:36:50,680
Speaker 1: Thank you. That's a great question. Two part question. I'll

656
00:36:50,680 --> 00:36:53,759
Speaker 1: try to remember both parts. I think the first lady

657
00:36:53,800 --> 00:36:58,360
Speaker 1: said it best when she spoke at his two thousand

658
00:36:58,800 --> 00:37:03,680
Speaker 1: um in twelve invention speech. She said being president hasn't

659
00:37:03,760 --> 00:37:06,840
Speaker 1: changed to is it has revealed who he is? And

660
00:37:06,920 --> 00:37:09,840
Speaker 1: having had the chance to, as I said earlier, be

661
00:37:09,920 --> 00:37:12,880
Speaker 1: here since day one and see how he makes decisions

662
00:37:12,920 --> 00:37:17,160
Speaker 1: and how he formulates his priorities. Um, I am so

663
00:37:17,200 --> 00:37:22,120
Speaker 1: proud that his true north has never wavered. He's never

664
00:37:22,160 --> 00:37:24,719
Speaker 1: forgotten why he was here. He's never forgotten that he's

665
00:37:24,719 --> 00:37:28,080
Speaker 1: in service of the American people. He's never allowed any

666
00:37:28,120 --> 00:37:31,720
Speaker 1: short term political interests to get ahead of what's important

667
00:37:31,760 --> 00:37:34,360
Speaker 1: for the country. The Affordable Care Act is a good example.

668
00:37:34,400 --> 00:37:36,760
Speaker 1: There were many who said to him, just do smaller

669
00:37:36,800 --> 00:37:39,520
Speaker 1: pieces of it. It's going to cost you politically, and

670
00:37:39,560 --> 00:37:41,600
Speaker 1: he said, what's the point in being here if you're

671
00:37:41,600 --> 00:37:45,680
Speaker 1: not going to do big things that help people? And so, Um,

672
00:37:45,719 --> 00:37:48,719
Speaker 1: has he grown and matured, has his hair grade most

673
00:37:48,760 --> 00:37:54,040
Speaker 1: definitely uh and all to the best, But his his

674
00:37:54,560 --> 00:37:58,840
Speaker 1: motivation and sense of what it means to be the

675
00:37:58,880 --> 00:38:02,200
Speaker 1: President of the United Sates has not altered one bit.

676
00:38:02,280 --> 00:38:05,239
Speaker 1: And for that I am so proud, so really, very

677
00:38:05,440 --> 00:38:09,120
Speaker 1: very proud of him. I think the second question was

678
00:38:09,160 --> 00:38:13,560
Speaker 1: what might we have done as a father, a father, husband?

679
00:38:13,600 --> 00:38:15,839
Speaker 1: And unless you want to ask the answer, what might

680
00:38:15,920 --> 00:38:18,640
Speaker 1: you have done? I don't know how I had that

681
00:38:18,680 --> 00:38:23,920
Speaker 1: in my head. What do I know? What do I see? Um?

682
00:38:24,040 --> 00:38:26,640
Speaker 1: I see a good man. I see a good man

683
00:38:26,800 --> 00:38:32,200
Speaker 1: who was loved as a child, but who had a

684
00:38:32,280 --> 00:38:35,440
Speaker 1: real hole in his heart for the father who abandoned him.

685
00:38:35,480 --> 00:38:39,279
Speaker 1: From the father who abandoned him, who fell in love

686
00:38:39,360 --> 00:38:48,120
Speaker 1: with a strong, courageous, talented woman, and her parents became

687
00:38:48,960 --> 00:38:52,000
Speaker 1: and her father in particular became mentors to him too.

688
00:38:52,040 --> 00:38:54,160
Speaker 1: He often says that he looked at her dad to

689
00:38:54,160 --> 00:38:58,440
Speaker 1: see how to be a dad. And he's someone who

690
00:38:58,920 --> 00:39:06,520
Speaker 1: on the busiest civil day, values family. When six fifteen comes,

691
00:39:07,000 --> 00:39:09,799
Speaker 1: we are all getting nervous because we know, at six

692
00:39:09,880 --> 00:39:12,680
Speaker 1: thirty he better be walking upstairs to have dinner with

693
00:39:12,719 --> 00:39:15,480
Speaker 1: his family. For all the years where he was campaign

694
00:39:15,600 --> 00:39:22,720
Speaker 1: or campaigning or working in Springfield, it pained him unbelievably

695
00:39:22,800 --> 00:39:25,640
Speaker 1: to be away from them. And so that simple act

696
00:39:25,640 --> 00:39:28,000
Speaker 1: of sitting around their table every night, even if it

697
00:39:28,040 --> 00:39:29,560
Speaker 1: means he has to work for three or four more

698
00:39:29,560 --> 00:39:34,120
Speaker 1: hours or five more hours after dinner, grounds him. And

699
00:39:34,200 --> 00:39:36,160
Speaker 1: they're not interested in his day. They want to tell

700
00:39:36,280 --> 00:39:39,240
Speaker 1: him about their day. And so he's a really good dad,

701
00:39:39,400 --> 00:39:43,680
Speaker 1: and he's a wonderful husband. And he can have the

702
00:39:44,360 --> 00:39:48,719
Speaker 1: singularly hard burdens of being the president of the United

703
00:39:48,719 --> 00:39:50,440
Speaker 1: States and the leader of the free world on his

704
00:39:50,520 --> 00:39:57,840
Speaker 1: shoulders and still have both time and emotional energy for them.

705
00:39:57,880 --> 00:40:01,600
Speaker 1: And I think for parents of the world who are

706
00:40:01,680 --> 00:40:05,040
Speaker 1: feeling very busy and wondering how they can balance work

707
00:40:05,200 --> 00:40:08,120
Speaker 1: and family, he's a good role model for that. You

708
00:40:08,160 --> 00:40:11,520
Speaker 1: make time. And I think that role model that we've

709
00:40:11,560 --> 00:40:14,160
Speaker 1: seen from the White House of this couple who have

710
00:40:14,320 --> 00:40:22,239
Speaker 1: raised these very normal, terrific, grounded children UH within this environment,

711
00:40:22,360 --> 00:40:28,080
Speaker 1: speaks volumes to their UH, their character, their integrity, their

712
00:40:28,640 --> 00:40:34,560
Speaker 1: sense of core values about what's important and UM, there's

713
00:40:34,640 --> 00:40:38,640
Speaker 1: just been nothing more important to him than to be

714
00:40:38,760 --> 00:40:41,320
Speaker 1: that good role model for his daughters and to comport

715
00:40:41,360 --> 00:40:44,520
Speaker 1: himself every single day in a way that makes them proud.

716
00:40:45,800 --> 00:40:48,279
Speaker 1: That caller was from Charleston, and I know you have

717
00:40:48,360 --> 00:40:51,680
Speaker 1: a meeting to go to, but I think for you

718
00:40:51,880 --> 00:40:55,000
Speaker 1: and for many Americans, one of the most poignant moments

719
00:40:55,800 --> 00:40:58,960
Speaker 1: Barack Obamas eight years was when he spoke at that

720
00:40:59,040 --> 00:41:03,120
Speaker 1: service in Charleston. So that was quite a day. And

721
00:41:03,160 --> 00:41:06,080
Speaker 1: I think that's probably correct me if I'm wrong. One

722
00:41:06,120 --> 00:41:09,759
Speaker 1: of the most vivid images you'll take with you when

723
00:41:09,760 --> 00:41:12,799
Speaker 1: you leave the White House. It's interesting you bring it up,

724
00:41:12,880 --> 00:41:15,000
Speaker 1: because today when I came in, I stopped at the

725
00:41:15,040 --> 00:41:19,160
Speaker 1: mass and they play former speeches of the President sometimes

726
00:41:19,160 --> 00:41:22,000
Speaker 1: on television, and it was playing when I got there,

727
00:41:22,040 --> 00:41:24,960
Speaker 1: and I stopped and listened to it for about ten

728
00:41:24,960 --> 00:41:28,240
Speaker 1: minutes through the part where he talked about the amazing

729
00:41:28,280 --> 00:41:31,960
Speaker 1: grace of the people Reverend Pickney and and his um

730
00:41:32,200 --> 00:41:35,640
Speaker 1: fellow parishioners who perished that day through the example of

731
00:41:35,680 --> 00:41:40,960
Speaker 1: their loves. They now pass it on us. May we

732
00:41:41,120 --> 00:41:48,200
Speaker 1: find ourselves worthy of that precious and extraordinary give as

733
00:41:48,239 --> 00:41:53,239
Speaker 1: long as our lives ending, May grace now leave them home.

734
00:41:55,239 --> 00:41:59,720
Speaker 1: May God continue to shed his grace. I'm the United

735
00:42:00,719 --> 00:42:04,960
Speaker 1: States of America. It was a hopeful story. It was

736
00:42:05,000 --> 00:42:08,840
Speaker 1: an honest and ross story, but it was intended to

737
00:42:08,880 --> 00:42:13,200
Speaker 1: show that we can do better, that ordinary citizens can

738
00:42:13,239 --> 00:42:15,959
Speaker 1: do better, and that we should ask ourselves some really

739
00:42:15,960 --> 00:42:19,480
Speaker 1: hard questions, and that we're in so doing doesn't diminish

740
00:42:19,480 --> 00:42:21,440
Speaker 1: our love for our country. Similar to the speech he

741
00:42:21,480 --> 00:42:24,239
Speaker 1: gave Inselma on that point, it's how you prove your

742
00:42:24,280 --> 00:42:27,120
Speaker 1: love for the country, to say, let me be willing

743
00:42:27,120 --> 00:42:30,799
Speaker 1: to have some uncomfortable conversations and think, I'll think in

744
00:42:30,840 --> 00:42:34,439
Speaker 1: an empathetic way outside of my own skin and appreciate

745
00:42:35,560 --> 00:42:38,319
Speaker 1: a different perspective and a better perspective so that I

746
00:42:38,320 --> 00:42:42,080
Speaker 1: can learn and and do right. And I would add,

747
00:42:42,120 --> 00:42:46,840
Speaker 1: as a PostScript to that incredible speech, it's also the

748
00:42:46,880 --> 00:42:50,400
Speaker 1: same day that the Supreme Court ruled on marriage equality,

749
00:42:50,480 --> 00:42:53,000
Speaker 1: which um, I had the pleasure of calling the President

750
00:42:53,000 --> 00:42:56,040
Speaker 1: to tell him the news, uh, right before he was

751
00:42:56,040 --> 00:42:59,560
Speaker 1: scheduled to leave for Charleston. And UM, I will never

752
00:42:59,640 --> 00:43:02,560
Speaker 1: forget that, I said to him, Mr President. The Supreme

753
00:43:02,560 --> 00:43:05,600
Speaker 1: Court ruled on marriage equality to day five four And

754
00:43:05,640 --> 00:43:07,680
Speaker 1: there was a long pause, and he said, and who won?

755
00:43:07,840 --> 00:43:09,640
Speaker 1: And I was like, oh, my goodness, I did bury

756
00:43:09,640 --> 00:43:11,960
Speaker 1: the lead. We won. And then we came back to

757
00:43:12,000 --> 00:43:15,960
Speaker 1: the White House after the trip to Charleston, and a

758
00:43:16,120 --> 00:43:18,279
Speaker 1: very two very junior staff peopleould come up with the

759
00:43:18,320 --> 00:43:22,120
Speaker 1: idea of UM lighting the house in the rainbow. And

760
00:43:22,160 --> 00:43:24,880
Speaker 1: I stood on the north portico for about two hours

761
00:43:25,320 --> 00:43:27,399
Speaker 1: with many of my colleagues here in the White House,

762
00:43:27,480 --> 00:43:30,600
Speaker 1: and just reflected as the colors became to began to

763
00:43:30,680 --> 00:43:35,719
Speaker 1: pop out, Uh, how far our journey had come in

764
00:43:35,760 --> 00:43:39,200
Speaker 1: a relatively short period of time. Although, as the President said,

765
00:43:39,200 --> 00:43:42,600
Speaker 1: it felt like a thunderboilt, but only because ordinary citizens

766
00:43:42,600 --> 00:43:44,680
Speaker 1: had worked so hard to make that day, decades to

767
00:43:44,719 --> 00:43:47,440
Speaker 1: make that day possible, And that really kind of sums

768
00:43:47,480 --> 00:43:50,120
Speaker 1: up what this is all about. We carry our baton

769
00:43:50,640 --> 00:43:52,759
Speaker 1: for the length of the journey that we have and

770
00:43:52,760 --> 00:43:55,640
Speaker 1: then we handed off to the next one. And what

771
00:43:55,760 --> 00:43:58,040
Speaker 1: you hope when you look back is is it you

772
00:43:58,080 --> 00:44:00,600
Speaker 1: know good is better and that we did go. I

773
00:44:00,600 --> 00:44:02,720
Speaker 1: think you're going to cry, am I in any second?

774
00:44:02,760 --> 00:44:05,080
Speaker 1: That's what we better wrap it up. I try a

775
00:44:05,120 --> 00:44:07,279
Speaker 1: lot these days, and what are you gonna do when

776
00:44:07,840 --> 00:44:10,960
Speaker 1: what's sleep? Get some sleep? I'm going to take a break.

777
00:44:11,200 --> 00:44:13,720
Speaker 1: I'm going to take a break. Yeah, I think, Um,

778
00:44:13,760 --> 00:44:15,680
Speaker 1: I think I could sleep like ten hours, but I'm

779
00:44:15,680 --> 00:44:17,239
Speaker 1: going to push the limit and see how far I

780
00:44:17,280 --> 00:44:21,000
Speaker 1: can go at one stretch. Uh, And you know, take

781
00:44:21,000 --> 00:44:25,680
Speaker 1: a moment to kind of rejuvenate. I still feel and

782
00:44:25,719 --> 00:44:28,080
Speaker 1: I've said this often, if he had won another term,

783
00:44:28,120 --> 00:44:30,400
Speaker 1: I would be here for one more term, but we

784
00:44:30,440 --> 00:44:33,080
Speaker 1: don't have that in terms of stamina. I feel like

785
00:44:33,120 --> 00:44:34,800
Speaker 1: I could do it, but I get some rest and

786
00:44:34,800 --> 00:44:36,759
Speaker 1: then I'll figure out how to continue to be a

787
00:44:36,800 --> 00:44:40,239
Speaker 1: force for good. That's my hope. Well, I'd like to say,

788
00:44:40,280 --> 00:44:42,279
Speaker 1: on behalf of all of us, thank you for your

789
00:44:42,320 --> 00:44:46,120
Speaker 1: service and for everything that you've done for the country,

790
00:44:46,320 --> 00:44:50,799
Speaker 1: and thank you for talking with us, and it's it's

791
00:44:50,800 --> 00:44:53,480
Speaker 1: been an honor, it really has. And I think that

792
00:44:53,520 --> 00:44:56,719
Speaker 1: there's so much progress we've made and still a lot

793
00:44:56,719 --> 00:44:59,040
Speaker 1: of hard work left to do, and we're all lucky

794
00:44:59,120 --> 00:45:01,120
Speaker 1: to be in a position to do good. So we

795
00:45:01,160 --> 00:45:03,759
Speaker 1: should we have miles to go before we sleep. As

796
00:45:03,840 --> 00:45:06,719
Speaker 1: Robert Frost that sleep and then miles to go isn't

797
00:45:06,719 --> 00:45:09,640
Speaker 1: the way I'm gonna look at it. Thank you, thank you,

798
00:45:10,239 --> 00:45:16,200
Speaker 1: the conversation, Thank you, Thanks to Gianna Palmer for producing

799
00:45:16,239 --> 00:45:19,920
Speaker 1: the show and Jared O'Connell for engineering and mixing it.

800
00:45:20,040 --> 00:45:23,520
Speaker 1: Of course, Mark Phillips, Mark, we love our theme music.

801
00:45:23,680 --> 00:45:26,920
Speaker 1: I can't wait to get my own version of it

802
00:45:26,960 --> 00:45:29,080
Speaker 1: so I can play it while I'm on vacation or

803
00:45:29,080 --> 00:45:31,680
Speaker 1: make it your ringtonement. Yeah, that would be great. That

804
00:45:31,719 --> 00:45:34,440
Speaker 1: would be great. Maybe iTunes can help us arrange that

805
00:45:34,480 --> 00:45:37,040
Speaker 1: since they picked us as one of their favorite podcasts

806
00:45:37,040 --> 00:45:40,880
Speaker 1: of Oh thank you for reminding me, Brian. Remember you

807
00:45:40,920 --> 00:45:46,239
Speaker 1: can also email us at comments at kirk podcast dot com,

808
00:45:46,360 --> 00:45:49,840
Speaker 1: or find Katie on social media. She's at Katie Kirk

809
00:45:50,040 --> 00:45:54,719
Speaker 1: on Twitter and Instagram and Katie dot Kirk on Snapchat.

810
00:45:54,719 --> 00:45:56,880
Speaker 1: And you're on social media to Brian go On, give

811
00:45:56,920 --> 00:46:00,520
Speaker 1: yourself a plus. Just trailing slightly behind Katie and followers.

812
00:46:00,719 --> 00:46:04,840
Speaker 1: I'm at Goldsmith b on Twitter. Best of all, you

813
00:46:04,840 --> 00:46:07,960
Speaker 1: can rate and review us on iTunes. Don't forget to

814
00:46:08,040 --> 00:46:11,760
Speaker 1: subscribe because that helps more people become aware of the show.

815
00:46:12,040 --> 00:46:20,200
Speaker 1: And we will talk to you next time. Thanks for listening. Hello,

816
00:46:20,320 --> 00:46:22,960
Speaker 1: I'm Chris Gethered, and here with me is dream analysis

817
00:46:23,040 --> 00:46:25,719
Speaker 1: expert Gary Richardson, and we are here to give you

818
00:46:25,760 --> 00:46:28,040
Speaker 1: a taste of a brand new podcast called In Your Dreams,

819
00:46:28,080 --> 00:46:31,160
Speaker 1: presented exclusively by the fine folks at Casper. We listened

820
00:46:31,200 --> 00:46:34,040
Speaker 1: to the wildest, weirdest dreams admitted to us by you,

821
00:46:34,120 --> 00:46:36,479
Speaker 1: our listeners, and we do our best to figure out

822
00:46:36,600 --> 00:46:39,440
Speaker 1: just what those dreams could possibly mean. And look over

823
00:46:39,480 --> 00:46:41,560
Speaker 1: the side of my phone, said, and there are Kuey

824
00:46:41,640 --> 00:46:44,359
Speaker 1: Lewis and the news. You're saying this person might have

825
00:46:44,400 --> 00:46:48,160
Speaker 1: interests in style and fashion specifically. You can tell that

826
00:46:48,200 --> 00:46:53,080
Speaker 1: from that voicemail. Certainty plus will be joined by some

827
00:46:53,239 --> 00:46:58,800
Speaker 1: very special guests. The word mortality comes to mortality, blood

828
00:46:59,400 --> 00:47:03,040
Speaker 1: Blood tell subscribe to In your Dreams right now on

829
00:47:03,080 --> 00:47:06,960
Speaker 1: iTunes or wherever you get your podcast. Thanks for listening. Goodnight,

830
00:47:08,000 --> 00:47:09,960
Speaker 1: dealing with a bit of a cold. That's why I

831
00:47:10,000 --> 00:47:12,440
Speaker 1: sound kind of congested. Yeah, you have a sort of

832
00:47:12,440 --> 00:47:16,440
Speaker 1: a throaty tone today, like Brenda Picaro. Yeah. For our

833
00:47:16,440 --> 00:47:19,719
Speaker 1: older listeners, yeah exactly, it's just just a whisper of

834
00:47:19,760 --> 00:47:22,080
Speaker 1: Susan Estridge. But we're