Obama appears to criticize Trump in interview with Colbert

[0:00] WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN WITH WHAT [0:02] APPEARED TO BE SOME VERY POINTED [0:04] COMMENTS FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP FROM [0:06] FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IN [0:08] AN INTERVIEW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT. [0:10] THE 44TH PRESIDENT CRITICIZING [0:12] THE EXPANDING POWERS OF THE [0:14] EXECUTIVE BRANCH, INCLUDING [0:15] PRESIDENT TRUMP'S USE OF THE [0:17] JUSTICE DEPARTMENT. [0:18] WEESHA ZHANG IS AT THE WHITE [0:20] HOUSE. [0:21] WEESHA, GOOD MORNING. [0:22] PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HAD SOME [0:23] THOUGHTS. [0:24] GOOD MORNING, GAYLE. [0:25] GOOD MORNING TO EVERYBODY. [0:26] THE FORMER PRESIDENT ACTUALLY [0:27] WENT ON THE LATE SHOW AHEAD OF [0:29] PRESIDENTIAL CENTER IN CHICAGO, [0:31] SLATED FOR NEXT MONTH. [0:32] BUT YES, HE HAD PLENTY TO SAY [0:34] ABOUT THE PRESIDENCY AND HOW THE [0:36] OVAL OFFICE HAS CHANGED SINCE HE [0:38] WAS IN CHARGE. [0:39] IT'S THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE [0:43] IDEA THAT WE THE PEOPLE INCLUDES [0:45] EVERYBODY. [0:46] DURING A TAPED INTERVIEW ON THE [0:48] LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT, [0:50] COLBERT ASKED FORMER PRESIDENT [0:52] BARACK OBAMA ABOUT THE EXPANDING [0:54] POWERS OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH AND [0:56] WHAT POWERS HE BELIEVES WHOEVER [0:58] IS THE PRESIDENT SHOULD NOT HAVE. [1:00] THE WHITE HOUSE SHOULDN'T BE ABLE [1:02] TO DIRECT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO [1:04] GO AROUND PROSECUTING WHOEVER [1:06] THE PRESIDENT PROSECUTES. [1:07] RIGHT. [1:08] TECHNICALLY IT'S UNDER THE [1:09] EXECUTIVE BRANCH, BUT THE NORM IS [1:11] THAT IT'S INDEPENDENT. [1:12] THE NORM, THE IDEA IS THAT THE [1:14] ATTORNEY GENERAL IS THE PEOPLE'S [1:15] LAWYER. [1:16] IT'S NOT THE PRESIDENT'S [1:17] CONSIGLIERE. [1:18] YOU CAN'T HAVE A SITUATION IN WHICH [1:20] WHOEVER IS IN CHARGE OF THE [1:21] GOVERNMENT STARTS USING THAT TO [1:23] GO AFTER THEIR POLITICAL ENEMIES [1:25] OR REWARD THEIR FRIENDS. [1:27] OBAMA DID NOT MENTION PRESIDENT [1:28] TRUMP BY NAME, BUT HE NODDED TO [1:33] CRITICS WHO SAY TRUMP HAS LEANED [1:35] ON THE ROLE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL [1:37] AND THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO [1:39] PURSUE INVESTIGATIONS INTO HIS [1:41] POLITICAL ADVERSARIES, INCLUDING [1:43] FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY AND [1:45] NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL LATITIA [1:47] JAMES. [1:48] OBAMA ALSO SPOKE ABOUT THE [1:50] PRESIDENT'S POWER AS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF. [1:52] THERE HAD BEEN A WHOLE SERIES OF [1:53] NORMS THAT WERE IN PLACE TO [1:55] ENSURE THAT YOU WEREN'T TRYING TO [1:58] MAKE THAT MILITARY LOYAL TO YOU [2:00] AS OPPOSED TO THE CONSTITUTION. [2:02] OBAMA ALSO SEEMED TO CRITICIZE [2:04] THE PRESIDENT FOR USING THE [2:06] OFFICE TO ADVANCE BUSINESS [2:08] INTERESTS FOR HIS FAMILY AND [2:10] FAMILY. [2:11] OBAMA ALSO SEEMED TO CRITICIZE [2:13] BUSINESS INTERESTS FOR HIS FAMILY [2:15] AND FRIENDS. [2:16] A GOOD POLICY THAT I'D LIKE TO [2:18] SEE FOLLOWED IS THAT THE [2:20] PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES [2:22] SHOULDN'T HAVE A BUNCH OF SIDE [2:26] HUSTLES THAT THOSE COMPANIES AND [2:32] FOREIGN ENTITIES CAN INVEST IN. [2:36] HOW MUCH OF THAT IS JUST [2:37] JEALOUS THAT YOU DIDN'T THINK OF [2:38] SELLING A SNEAKER? [2:39] BECAUSE YOUR SNEAKERS WOULD [2:41] HAVE FLOWN. [2:42] YOU KNOW THAT, RIGHT? [2:43] THE PRESIDENT OF THE [2:45] PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES [2:46] SHOULD BE ABLE TO RUN FOR [2:47] PRESIDENT. [2:48] EVEN WHEN JOKING ABOUT [2:50] COLBERT'S FUTURE, THE FORMER [2:52] PRESIDENT APPEARED TO TAKE A [2:53] JAB. [2:55] HOW DUMB DO YOU THINK IT IS [2:56] FOR PEOPLE TO SAY THAT I [2:57] SHOULD RUN FOR PRESIDENT? [2:58] WELL, YOU KNOW, THE BAR HAS [3:04] CHANGED. [3:05] THAT IS TRUE. [3:06] TRUMP'S APPROVAL RATING FOUND [3:07] ONLY 37% OF AMERICANS APPROVE [3:09] OF HIS JOB PERFORMANCE. [3:11] THIS INTERVIEW DROPPED JUST SIX [3:13] MONTHS BEFORE A CONTENTIOUS [3:15] MIDTERM ELECTION WHEN THE U.S. [3:16] IS WRAPPED UP IN A WAR WITH [3:18] IRAN AND GAS PRICES CONTINUE [3:19] TO CLIMB. [3:20] WE HAVE ASKED THE WHITE HOUSE [3:21] FOR A RESPONSE TO OBAMA BUT [3:23] HAVE NOT HEARD BACK THIS [3:24] MORNING. [3:25] GLAD. [3:26] WEJIA JANG REPORTING FROM THE [3:27] WHITE HOUSE FOR US THIS [3:28] MORNING. [3:29] FOR MORE ON THIS, LET'S BRING [3:30] IN OUR CHIEF WASHINGTON [3:31] ANALYST, ROBERT KOSTA. [3:32] WEJIA JUST OUTLINED THIS [3:37] CRITICISM COMES AS PRESIDENT [3:38] TRUMP FACES SOME VERY, VERY [3:39] TOUGH POLITICAL HEADWINDS. [3:40] YOU FREQUENTLY SPEAK TO [3:41] PRESIDENT TRUMP. [3:42] WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS AND [3:43] HOW MIGHT PRESIDENT TRUMP [3:44] RESPOND? [3:45] GOOD MORNING. [3:46] THERE'S ALWAYS A POLITICAL [3:47] DANCE FOR FORMER PRESIDENTS. [3:48] THEY DON'T ALWAYS WANT TO WEIGH [3:49] IN ON CURRENT AFFAIRS BUT [3:50] WITH THE OPENING OF THE LIBRARY [3:52] WE SEE FORMER PRESIDENT OBAMA [3:54] DOING JUST THAT, NOT USING [3:55] PRESIDENT TRUMP'S NAME. [3:56] BUT HIS COMMENTS REFLECT A [3:58] GROWING CONFIDENCE AMONG [3:59] DEMOCRATS. [4:00] I THINK THERE ARE MANY [4:02] DEMOCRATS NATIONALLY THAT AHEAD [4:03] OF THESE MIDTERM ELECTIONS, [4:05] THE HEADWINDS ARE AROUND THE [4:06] WHITE HOUSE RIGHT NOW THAT THE [4:08] DEMOCRATS HAVE A REAL SHOT OF [4:09] WINNING THE MAJORITY. [4:10] BUT WE CAN EXPECT BASED ON MY [4:12] CONVERSATIONS WITH WHITE HOUSE [4:13] OFFICIALS AND TOP ADVISERS TO [4:14] PRESIDENT TRUMP, HE IS GOING TO [4:15] FIGHT BACK. [4:16] HE BELIEVES HE HAS EXECUTIVE [4:17] AUTHORITY BLESSED BY THE [4:18] SUPREME COURT AND HE HAS THE [4:19] POLITICAL WILL TO FIGHT. [4:20] ALL RIGHT, BOB, I WANT TO [4:21] PIVOT HERE AND TALK ABOUT [4:22] SOMETHING ELSE. [4:23] LAST NIGHT THERE WERE SOME [4:24] CLOSELY WATCHED PRIMARIES [4:25] ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS YOU KNOW [4:26] IN INDIANA. [4:27] FIVE REPUBLICAN STATE SENATORS [4:29] IN INDIANA WERE BACKED BY [4:30] PRESIDENT TRUMP, DEFEATED [4:31] CANDIDATES WHO OPPOSED A [4:33] REPUBLICAN REDISTRICTING PLAN. [4:35] AND THEN OHIO, YOU HAD VIVEK [4:37] RAMASWAMI WHO WON OHIO'S [4:39] REPUBLICAN PRIMARY FOR [4:40] GOVERNOR. [4:41] SO WHAT'S YOUR OVERALL TAKEAWAY [4:43] FROM THE RESULTS OF LAST NIGHT? [4:44] IT'S A REAL SIGN THAT [4:47] PRESIDENT TRUMP'S PUSH TO HAVE [4:49] REDISTRICTING ACROSS THE [4:50] COUNTRY TO REDRAW POLITICAL [4:52] MAPS SO THEY'RE MORE FAVORABLE [4:53] TO REPUBLICANS, ESPECIALLY IN [4:55] RED STATES WHERE HE BELIEVES [4:56] LEGISLATURES IN THE STATES [4:57] CAN DO JUST THAT. [4:58] IF YOU DON'T FOLLOW HIS LEAD [5:00] AND TAKE HIS ORDER, YOU COULD [5:02] PAY A POLITICAL COST. [5:03] SO THOSE REPUBLICANS IN INDIANA, [5:05] SOME OF THEM WHO OPPOSED [5:06] PRESIDENT TRUMP'S PUSH ON [5:07] REDISTRICTING, THEY WERE [5:08] DEFEATED IN PRIMARY ELECTIONS. [5:09] AND IT'S A REAL STATEMENT THAT [5:11] DESPITE THE PRESIDENT'S PROBLEMS [5:13] IN SOME POLLING, HE STILL HAS HUGE [5:15] POLITICAL SWAY INSIDE THE GOP. [5:17] ALL RIGHT, BOB CASA WITH THAT [5:19] ANALYSIS FOR US. [5:20] THANK YOU, BOB.