After his term(s) in the White House, what’s next for Barack Obama?
“You know, in a post-presidency, the thing that I think I would enjoy most is spending time working with kids,” the president told the women of “The View” in a joint-interview with the First Lady taped Monday and released in segments by ABC.
“I love teaching, I miss teaching, and you know, I’m not sure it would necessarily be in a classroom, but the idea of being able to go around in various cities and helping to create mentorships, and apprenticeships, giving young people the sense of possibility and opportunity, and using whatever spotlight I can shine to show how much incredible talent there is out there.”
The interview, which was the couple's first joint appearance on "The View," focused on the Obamas' marriage, family life, immediate goals and future goals.
Meeting young people with big ideas has been an enduring pleasure of his presidency, he told co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Sherri Shepherd and Barbara Walters.
“So making sure that we’re reaching all those kids and giving them a sense, here’s what’s possible to you, let’s open up some doors for them, something along those lines, I think I’d really enjoy doing,” Obama said.
The discussion also turned to Michelle Obama's future plans: Will she someday run for office? (Her speech at the Democratic National Convention drew wide praise from both liberal and conservative viewers. )
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“She should run for office, but she says she doesn’t want to,” Obama said.
“Yeah, no,” the First Lady replied.
On the subject of his opponent, Obama made reference to the now-viral video of Mitt Romney speaking at a private fundraiser in Florida and claiming 47% of Americans "don't pay income taxes" and consider themselves victims.
"Would it be disastrous for the country if Mitt Romney were elected?" asked a characteristically blunt Walters.
"Well, you know I think America is so strong, and we’ve got so much going for us that we can survive a lot," Obama said. "But the American people don’t want to just survive, we want everyone to thrive. We want folks to have a shot at success, and so the question then just becomes, whose policies are more likely to lead us to where we want to go?"
The full interview will air Tuesday at 11 a.m. ET and 10 a.m. PT on ABC.
