It looks like President Obama has gotten the podcast bug. Last fall he spoke with podcaster, Marc Maron and now Politico’s Glenn Thrush sat down with Barack Obama in the latest episode of his Off Message podcast. Obama spoke candidly for the first time about the coming presidential election, even weighing in on the fight between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, and reflected on his own experience campaigning in Iowa in 2008.
Thrush asked, “Do you see any elements of what you were able to accomplish in what Sanders is doing?”
Obama responded, “Well, there’s no doubt that Bernie has tapped into a running thread in Democratic politics that says: Why are we still constrained by the terms of the debate that were set by Ronald Reagan 30 years ago?”
He went on to suggest Sanders will be put under spotlight if he wins any of the early contests. “I think that if Bernie won Iowa or won New Hampshire, then you guys are going to do your jobs and, you know, you’re going to dig into his proposals and how much they cost and what does it mean, and, you know, how does his tax policy work and he’s subjected, then, to a rigor that hasn’t happened yet.” He went on to say, “Bernie is somebody who —although I don’t know as well because he wasn’t, obviously, in my administration, has the virtue of saying exactly what he believes, and great authenticity, great passion, and is fearless. His attitude is, ‘I got nothing to lose.’”
Speaking about the Democratic frontrunner Obama said, “I think Hillary came in with the — both privilege and burden of being perceived as the frontrunner. ”
“I’ve gotten to know Hillary really well, and she is a good, smart, tough person who cares deeply about this country, and she has been in the public eye for a long time and in a culture in which new is always better. And, you know, you’re always looking at the bright, shiny object that people don’t, haven’t seen before. That’s a disadvantage to her.”
Obama reflected on his days campaigning in Iowa. According to the President, “The caucus process in Iowa was, for me, the most satisfying political period of my career, just in terms of campaigning and politics. And the reason was that it vindicated — in my mind, at least — my view of what politics should be.”
You can listen to Glenn Thrush’s Off Message podcast here.