What Powers Should The President Not Have? Former President Obama Weighs In

[0:03] GIVE IT UP FOR LEWIS HEDO AND THE GREAT BIG JOY MACHINE, [0:06] EVERYBODY. [0:13] HEY, WELCOME BACK, EVERYBODY. [0:14] FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, LONG-TIME VIEWERS OF AMERICA MIGHT [0:17] REMEMBER THAT WE USED TO HAVE OTHER PRESIDENTS, A BUNCH OF [0:20] THEM, IN FACT, INCLUDING THIS GUY, BARACK OBAMA. [0:27] RECENTLY, RECENTLY, HE INVITED ME TO MEET HIM IN CHICAGO AT THE [0:32] OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CENTER, WHICH OPENS TO THE PUBLIC ON JUNE [0:36] 19TH. [0:37] WE SAT DOWN FOR A CONVERSATION THAT TOUCHED ON EVERYTHING FROM [0:40] ALIEN LIFE FORMS TO THE FUTURE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. [0:45] MR. PRESIDENT. [0:46] IT IS GREAT TO SEE YOU. [0:47] NICE TO SEE YOU, TOO. [0:48] THANKS FOR DOING THIS. [0:49] THANK YOU FOR COMING. [0:50] LAST TIME WE WERE TOGETHER, SIR, WAS AT A FUNDRAISER IN [0:55] NEW YORK. [0:56] IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT IT WAS FOR OR WHAT HAPPENED. [1:00] IT'S ALL WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE. [1:01] IT IS. [1:01] BUT AFTER THE FUNDRAISER WAS OVER, WE WERE BACKSTAGE BRIEFLY AS [1:05] WE WERE ALL LEAVING, AND YOU TURNED TO ME AND SAID, OKAY, NOW [1:07] YOU CAN CALL ME BARACK. [1:09] MR. YOU CAN. [1:10] OKAY. [1:11] WELL, I HAVEN'T DONE IT YET. [1:12] I HAVE NEVER ACTUALLY TRIED IT OUT. [1:14] MR. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN? [1:15] I DON'T KNOW. [1:16] I'M NOT SURE IF I'M GOING TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH THIS, BUT [1:17] WE'LL GIVE IT A RUN. [1:18] MR. GO AHEAD. [1:19] OKAY? [1:24] WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU AGAIN, BARACK. [1:28] MR. WE'LL WAIT UNTIL WE'RE OFF CAMERA. [1:30] LET'S EARN IT. [1:31] OKAY. [1:32] MR. WE'LL WAIT UNTIL IT'S OFF CAMERA. [1:33] MAYBE BY THE END. [1:35] MR. WE'RE HERE AT THE BEAUTIFUL OBAMA [1:37] PRESIDENTIAL CENTER, WHICH OPENS ON JUNE 19TH ON THE [1:40] SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO. [1:41] WHAT'S THIS NEIGHBORHOOD MEAN TO YOU? [1:43] MR. MICHELLE GREW UP ABOUT A MILE FROM HERE. [1:47] OUR WEDDING RECEPTION WAS ABOUT FIVE MINUTES FROM HERE. [1:49] MY DAUGHTERS WERE BORN IN THAT HOSPITAL RIGHT THERE. [1:53] I FIRST ARRIVED IN CHICAGO, DRIVING DOWN A ROAD THAT IS NOW [2:00] BEEN REPLACED BY THIS BUILDING. [2:04] THE FIRST APARTMENT I STAYED IN CHICAGO IS LITERALLY THREE [2:07] BLOCKS AWAY. [2:08] I MADE MY ANNOUNCEMENT FOR MY FIRST POLITICAL OFFICE ABOUT [2:13] FIVE MINUTES DOWN THE ROAD. [2:15] SO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF STUFF HAS HAPPENED HERE. [2:18] OKAY. [2:19] SO, OBVIOUSLY CHICAGO, INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO YOU. [2:21] YOU LIVED HERE OVER 20 YEARS, I UNDERSTAND. [2:24] CAN WE GET A QUICK CHICAGO BONA FIDES CHECK? [2:26] MR. GO AHEAD. [2:27] LIGHTNING ROUND. [2:28] FIRST QUESTION, IS A HOT DOG A SANDWICH? [2:30] MR. NO, HOT DOG IS A HOT DOG. [2:31] OKAY. [2:33] IS IT EVER OKAY TO PUT KETCHUM ON A HOT DOG? [2:34] MR. NEVER. [2:35] OKAY. [2:36] FAVORITE PLACE IN CHICAGO? [2:38] MR. FAVORITE PLACE IN CHICAGO IS ACTUALLY THE POINT [2:41] RIGHT OVER HERE, WHICH IS, UH, UH, [2:44] JUTS OUT RIGHT AROUND HYDE PARK INTO THE LAKE, [2:47] AND IT'S, UH, FIRST PLACE THAT, UH, [2:50] I GRILLED IN THE SUMMER IN CHICAGO. [2:52] LEAST FAVORITE PLACE IN CHICAGO? [2:55] MR. WELL, THERE WAS A TIME WHERE I USED TO GO TO [2:57] THE DMV IN CHICAGO. [2:59] I DON'T HAVE TO ANYMORE. [3:00] I HAVE A SIMILAR ONE, WHICH IS LOWER WACKER DRIVE, [3:03] WHICH HAS THE BEST NAME OF ANY STREET IN CHICAGO, [3:06] BUT THAT'S WHERE THEY WOULD HAUL YOUR CAR AWAY. [3:08] MR. THAT'S EXACTLY. [3:09] I HAVE MORE THAN ONCE I HAD TO, [3:10] I'VE ACTUALLY LEFT IT THERE. [3:12] DEEP DISH OR TAVERN STYLE? [3:14] MR. TAVERN STYLE. [3:15] SWEET OR HOT? [3:16] MR. BOTH. [3:18] CUBZ OR SOCKS? [3:19] MR. SOCKS. [3:20] SEARS TOWER OR WILLIS TOWER? [3:25] MR. IT'S SEARS TOWER, MAN. [3:26] NOT SEARS TOWER, EXACTLY. [3:28] DO YOU LIKE YOUR ITALIAN BEEF DRY, WET, OR DIPPED? [3:33] MR. I THINK WET. [3:34] MR. NOT SOAKED? [3:36] MR. NOT SOAKED. [3:37] OKAY. BULLS, 91-93 OR BULLS, 96-98? [3:41] MR. 91-93. [3:44] ALL RIGHT. GOOD. YOU PASSED. [3:45] MR. I WOULD EXPECT SO. [3:46] THAT'S A SOLID B-PLUS. [3:48] MR. B-PLUS. [3:49] YEAH. WE'LL GO OVER IT LATER. [3:50] I'LL HAVE OFFICE HOURS LATER IF YOU WANT TO STOP BY. [3:53] OKAY. [3:54] THE OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CENTER IS SPREAD ACROSS 19.3 ACRES, [3:57] AND INCLUDES A 5,000-SQUARE-FOOT PUBLIC LIBRARY, [4:00] A MONUMENTAL MUSEUM BUILDING, AN ATHLETIC FACILITY, [4:03] AN OUTDOOR SLEDDING HILL, BIG POINTS FOR THAT, [4:06] GARDENS AND A PARK. [4:07] IT'S OBVIOUSLY A LABOR OF LOVE. [4:10] 50 TO 100 YEARS FROM NOW, WHEN SOMEBODY COMES TO THIS CENTER, [4:14] WHAT DO YOU WANT THEM TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE EXPERIENCE? [4:18] WHAT DO THEY WANT THEM TO HAVE LEARNED ABOUT YOU [4:20] AND THE LEGACY OF YOUR ADMINISTRATION? [4:22] MR. WELL, LOOK, I WANT THEM TO PUT MY PRESIDENCY IN CONTEXT, [4:27] RIGHT? [4:30] I ASSUME IN MY EULOGY, SOMEWHERE IT'LL BE MENTIONED, [4:33] HE WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN PRESIDENT. [4:35] I WILL SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THAT. [4:37] BUT WHAT I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT [4:43] THERE WAS THIS EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY THIS COUNTRY TOOK [4:48] TO GET TO THAT POINT. [4:50] AND I WAS AN EPISODE IN THAT. [4:53] AND IT'S THIS STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE IDEA THAT WE THE PEOPLE [5:00] INCLUDES EVERYBODY, THAT IT'S NOT JUST SOME, [5:03] IT'S NOT JUST SOME SELECT FEW. [5:06] SO WHAT I WANT PEOPLE TO DO WHEN THEY COME TO THIS MUSEUM [5:09] IS TO SAY THIS IS PART OF THAT AMERICAN STORY, [5:14] THAT BETTER STORY, THE ONE THAT HAS INSPIRED [5:18] NOT JUST GENERATIONS BUT ALSO THE WORLD. [5:21] AND THE OBAMA PRESIDENCY WAS A PART OF THAT STORY. [5:25] IT WAS ONE SMALL CHAPTER IN IT. [5:28] AND IF I DO THAT, THEN 50 YEARS FROM NOW WHEN PEOPLE COME, [5:32] PRESUMABLY, THEY'LL STILL BE INSPIRED BY THAT STORY, [5:35] NOT MINE ALONE, BUT OURS. [5:38] YES, THE GOOD FUTURE IS THE ONE WHERE THEY SAY, [5:41] OH, WE TOTALLY KNOW WHAT HE MEANS. [5:42] THE BAD FUTURE IS, WHAT'S HE TALKING ABOUT? [5:48] THERE'S OFTEN A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE RESTRICTION [5:51] OR A NEED TO RESTRICT CERTAIN EXECUTIVE POWERS. [5:53] YES. [5:54] OKAY. [5:55] I MIGHT HAVE ASKED YOU THIS WHEN YOU WERE RUNNING [5:57] FOR PRESIDENT BACK IN THE DAY. [5:58] LIKE, IS THERE ANY POWER THAT PRESIDENT BUSH HAS TAKEN [6:01] THAT YOU WOULD SAY, NO, I DON'T WANT THAT POWER, [6:03] BECAUSE IT KEEPS ACCUMULATING. [6:04] NOW THAT YOU'RE NO LONGER IN OFFICE, [6:07] WHAT POWERS DO YOU BELIEVE THE PRESIDENT SHOULD NOT HAVE? [6:10] WELL, THERE ARE A COUPLE THAT I FOLLOWED [6:14] EVEN THOUGH THEY WEREN'T LAW. [6:17] AND I WANT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOME WORK [6:20] TO RETURN TO THIS BASIC NORM, [6:22] AND WE PROBABLY NOW HAVE TO CODIFY IT. [6:25] THE WHITE HOUSE SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DIRECT [6:27] THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO GO AROUND PROSECUTING [6:30] WHOEVER, THE PRESIDENT WANTS PROSECUTE. [6:33] RIGHT, BECAUSE TECHNICALLY IT'S UNDER THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, [6:35] BUT THE NORM IS THAT IT'S INDEPENDENT. [6:37] THE NORM, THE IDEA IS THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL [6:41] IS THE PEOPLE'S LAWYER, IT'S NOT THE PRESIDENT'S CONSIGLIERI. [6:44] RIGHT, EVEN WHEN IT'S BOBBY KENNEDY. [6:47] IT'S BOBBY KENNEDY. [6:49] AND SO, TWO OF THE CORE PRINCIPLES OF A DEMOCRACY. [6:57] WE CAN SURVIVE A LOT. [6:58] BAD POLICY, FUNKY ELECTIONS. [7:02] THERE'S A BUNCH OF STUFF THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN OVERCOME. [7:07] WE CAN'T OVERCOME THE POLITICIZATION [7:10] OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, [7:12] THE AWESOME POWER OF THE STATE. [7:14] YOU CAN'T HAVE A SITUATION IN WHICH WHOEVER IS IN CHARGE [7:18] OF THE GOVERNMENT STARTS USING THAT [7:21] TO GO AFTER THEIR POLITICAL ENEMIES [7:24] OR REWARD THEIR FRIENDS, RIGHT? [7:25] SO, ANOTHER POWER MAYBE I'D SAY WOULD BE YOU, [7:29] ALTHOUGH THIS IS IN THE CONSTITUTION, [7:30] IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO CHANGE, [7:32] BUT MAYBE DON'T PARDON PEOPLE WHO'VE GIVEN YOU [7:35] A BUNCH OF CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS [7:37] OR INVEST IN YOUR BUSINESSES. [7:42] SO, RESTORING SOME SENSE OF THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT [7:45] BEING INDEPENDENT, IN MAKING JUDGMENTS [7:49] ABOUT SPECIFIC CASES AND PROSECUTIONS. [7:53] YOU KNOW, I WOULD CONSULT WITH ERIC HOLDER, [7:55] MY ATTORNEY GENERAL ALL THE TIME, [7:56] AROUND BROAD POLICY ISSUES, [7:58] BUT THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN WHO DO YOU CHARGE, [8:00] WHAT CASE DO YOU BRING? [8:02] SECOND THING IS THE MILITARY. [8:04] DON'T POLITICIZE OUR MILITARY. [8:06] AS PRESIDENT, YOU ARE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF. [8:09] YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR DIRECTING OUR MILITARY, [8:12] BUT THERE HAD BEEN A WHOLE SERIES OF NORMS [8:15] THAT WERE IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT YOU WEREN'T [8:19] TRYING TO MAKE THAT MILITARY LOYAL TO YOU [8:23] AS OPPOSED TO THE CONSTITUTION [8:25] AND THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES. [8:27] WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND MECHANISMS [8:29] TO RESTORE THAT. [8:31] AND THEN, YOU KNOW, A GOOD POLICY [8:33] THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE FOLLOWED IS [8:36] THAT THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES [8:39] SHOULDN'T HAVE A BUNCH OF SIDE HUSTLES [8:42] THAT THOSE COMPANIES [8:47] AND FOREIGN ENTITIES CAN INVEST IN. [8:52] HOW MUCH OF THAT IS JUST JEALOUS [8:53] THAT YOU DIDN'T THINK OF SELLING A SNEAKER? [8:56] BECAUSE YOUR SNEAKERS WERE FLOWN. [8:57] YOU KNOW THAT, RIGHT? [8:58] YOU KNOW WHAT? [8:59] YOU WERE A BANK COIN. [9:01] I JUST, I MEAN, I THOUGHT THIS WAS [9:06] A PRETTY OBVIOUS PRINCIPLE. [9:09] ALL RIGHT. [9:10] I'M LOOKING FOR A NEW GIG SOON. [9:12] UH-HUH. [9:12] AND A LOT OF PEOPLE TELL ME I SHOULD RUN FOR PRESIDENT. [9:16] WELL, YOU CERTAINLY HAVE THE LOOK. [9:17] THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [9:18] YOU HAVE THE HAIR. [9:19] WELL, FOR THE RECORD, I THINK IT'S A STUPID IDEA. [9:22] HOW DUMB DO YOU THINK IT IS FOR PEOPLE TO SAY [9:25] THAT I SHOULD RUN FOR PRESIDENT? [9:27] WELL, YOU KNOW, THE BAR HAS CHANGED. [9:31] THAT IS TRUE. [9:33] AT TIMES, SUBTERRANEAN. [9:34] SO... [9:36] I DON'T HAVE TO LIMBO SO LOW. [9:37] LET ME PUT IT THIS WAY. [9:38] I THINK THAT YOU COULD PERFORM [9:42] SIGNIFICIANTLY BETTER THAN SOME FOLKS THAT WE'VE SEEN. [9:46] YEAH, I HAVE GREAT CONFIDENCE IN THAT. [9:50] THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [9:51] IS THAT AN ENDORSEMENT? [9:52] IT WAS NOT. [9:55] WHEN WE COME BACK, I'LL ASK PRESIDENT OBAMA ABOUT ALIEN [9:58] LIFE AND IF THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE. [10:00] STICK AROUND.