( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> Jon: WELCOME.
NICE TO SEE YOU.
WELCOME TO THE DAILY SHOW.
MY NAME IS JON STEWART.
WE GOT A BIG SHOW FOR YOU
TONIGHT BUT I WOULD LIKE TO
BEGIN IT BY RECITING MY HAFTORAH.
[LAUGHTER]
29 MINUTES LONG BUT IT GETS
COOKING AROUND MINUTE 17.
I'M NOT GOING TO SCREW AROUND
TONIGHT AS SOMEONE REMINDED ME
IN THE AUDIENCE TONIGHT
OBAMA!
[LAUGHTER]
APPARENTLY IF I UNDERSTAND IT
CORRECTLY, NO ONE'S INTERESTED
IN MY BULL [BLEEP] TONIGHT.
SO LET'S JUST GET TO IT.
FOR GOD'S SAKES
I'M SURE THERE'S A FUNDRAISER HE'S GOT TO BE AT.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE 44TH
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
PLEASE WELCOME BACK TO THE
PROGRAM PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA.
[CROWD CHEERING]
>> THANK YOU.
>> Jon: YOU KNOW, I AM AMAZED
AND HUMBLED EVERY TIME I COME OUT
HERE AND GET THAT OVATION.
>> I KNOW IT'S AMAZING.
THEY LOVE YA.
I'M JUST HAPPY YOU WERE HERE TO
WITNESS IT.
[LAUGHTER]
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO.
HOW ARE YOU?
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE NOW?
YOU'RE ALSO SENIORITIS YES?
WHAT YOU GOT ABOUT A YEAR?
>> YOU KNOW, I CAN'T BELIEVE
THAT YOU'RE LEAVING BEFORE ME.
[LAUGHTER]
IN FACT, I'M ISSUING A NEW
EXECUTIVE ORDER.
THAT JON STEWART CANNOT LEAVE
THE SHOW.
[LAUGHTER]
[APPLAUSE]
IT'S BEING CHALLENGED IN THE
COURTS.
>> Jon: YES.
I HAVE TO SAY FOR ME, THIS IS A
STATES RIGHT ISSUE.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU
SHOULD BE ... WHAT ARE YOU
GOING, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE RUNNING
OUT OF TIME.
>> I'M NOT RUNNING.
COULD I BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
>> Jon: BUT YOU DON'T HAVE
THAT MUCH TIME TO TAKE AWAY
AMERICANS GUNS, DECLARE
MARSHALL LAW AND PUT HARD
WORKING AMERICANS IN FEMA CAMPS.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT, YOU
BETTER GET STARTED.
ARE YOU FEELING YOU KNOW
THERE'S AN EBB AND FLOW TO EVERY
ADMINISTRATION, TO EVERY
PRESIDENT.
IT APPEARS THAT YOU'RE FEELING
IT A LITTLE BIT RIGHT NOW.
YOU'VE GOT THIS DEAL WITH IRAN
WORKED OUT.
YOU'VE GOT YOUR FAST TRACK
AUTHORITY.
ARE YOU FEELING LIKE SEVEN YEARS
IN WHATEVER.
>> I FINALLY KNOW WHAT I'M
DOING.
>> Jon: I'M FIGURING THIS
THING OUT, I'M FIGURING THIS THING OUT.
IS THAT HOW YOU'RE.
>> I TELL YA UH,
THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT YOU GET
BETTER AS YOU GO ALONG.
IT'S LIKE ANY OTHER JOB.
YOU GET MORE EXPERIENCE.
BUT WHAT I DO THINK HAS HAPPENED
IS THAT A LOT OF THE WORK WE DID
EARLY STARTS BEARING FRUIT
LATER.
AND IT JUST SO HAPPENED OVER THE
LAST COUPLE MONTHS THAT PEOPLE
ARE SEEING SOME OF THE WORK THAT
WE STARTED WAY BACK WHEN I FIRST
CAME IN.
SO IRAN FOR EXAMPLE, WE PUT
THOSE SANCTIONS IN AND
METHODICALLY BUILT PRESSURE OVER
IRAN OVER THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE
YEARS TO GET THEM TO THE TABLE
TO NEGOTIATE.
AND BECAUSE OF THE GREAT WORK OF
OUR TEAM, JOHN KERRY AND
SECRETARY ERNIE MONIZ WHO
HAPPENED TO BE A MIT PHYSICIST,
AND KNEW A LITTLE SOMETHING MORE THAN I DID.
>> Jon: HE EXPLAINED A LOT OF
THE INTRICACIES.
>> SO IT FINALLY COMES TO
FRUITION.
BUT IT REPRESENTS A LOT OF WORK.
THE SAME IS TRUE WHEN IT COMES
TO SOMETHING LIKE HEALTHCARE.
OBVIOUSLY WE'VE BEEN THROUGH ALL
KINDS OF UPS AND DOWNS AND
KNOCKS, AND FIGHTS.
WHEN THE SUPREME COURT FINALLY
SAYS I THINK DEFINITIVELY WE CAN
MOVE FORWARD ON THIS. THERE'S A LOT
OF EUPHORIA BUT WE GOT 16 MILLION
PEOPLE HEALTH INSURANCE WHO
DIDN'T HAVE IT BEFORE.
THAT REALLY WAS A CONSEQUENCE OF
THE WORK THAT WE DID.
[CROWD CHEERING]
[APPLAUSE]
SO THE WAY I'M FEELING RIGHT NOW
IS I'VE GOT 18 MONTHS.
THERE ARE A BUNCH OF OTHER
THINGS THAT WE WANT TO GET DONE.
SOME OF THEM WE GOT STARTED
EARLY.
CLIMATE CHANGE IS A GOOD EXAMPLE
WHERE WE DOUBLE FUEL EFFICIENCY
STANDARDS ON CARS, INCREASED
SOLAR POWER BY 20 TIMES.
AND NOW WE'VE GOT A PARIS
CONFERENCE ON CLIMATE CHANGE
COMING UP LATER THIS YEAR.
AND IF WE CAN GET CHINA AND
INDIA AND SOME OF THE OTHER BIG
COUNTRIES TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT
WE'VE ALREADY DONE.
AND FINALLY GET SOMETHING GLOBAL
AND START ADDRESSING WHAT IS
GOING TO BE.
>> Jon: FIXING EVERYTHING.
>> THAT'S MY GOAL, BASICALLY.
>> Jon: LET ME ASK YOU A
QUESTION ABOUT IRAN.
SINCE THAT'S OUR FIRST THING.
WHOSE TEAM ARE WE ON?
IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
BECAUSE I KNOW,
SO WE'RE FIGHTING WITH
IRAQIS TO DEFEAT ISIS
ALONG WITH IRAN
BUT IN YEMEN WE'RE FIGHTING
IRAN WITH IRAQIS AND SAUDIS,
[LAUGHTER]
>> THAT'S NOT QUITE RIGHT,
BUT THAT'S OKAY.
[LAUGHTER]
>> THE UH...
>> BUT LOOK WHOSE, WHOSE...
WHOSE TEAM ARE
>> HERE'S...
>> WHO ARE WE BOMBING?
[LAUGHTER]
>> RIGHT NOW WE'RE GOING AFTER
ISIL AND WE'VE GOT A 60 COUNTRY
COALITION AND THAT'S OUR TOP
PRIORITY.
BUT WITH RESPECT TO IRAN.
THEY'RE AN ADVERSARY.
ANTI-AMERICAN, ANTI-ISRAEL, ANTI-SEMETIC THEY
SPONSOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS
LIKE HEZBOLLAH.
>> SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD PARTNER FOR PIECE.
>> PROBABLY,
WELL AS HAS BEEN SAID
FREQUENTLY
YOU DON'T MAKE PEACE WITH YOUR
FRIENDS.
SO THE ISSUE HERE IS DO WE WANT
THEM HAVING A NUCLEAR WEAPON AND
THE ANSWER IS NO.
THE QUESTION IS WHAT'S THE BEST
WAY TO DO THAT?
AND THE DEAL WE PUT TOGETHER I
CAN SAY THAT IRAN WILL NOT BE
ABLE TO GET A NUCLEAR WEAPON.
WE'VE CUT OFF THE FOUR MAJOR
PATHWAYS FOR GETTING A NUCLEAR
WEAPON.
WE HAVE INTERNATIONAL UNANIMITY
AROUND AN INSPECTION REGIME AND
A VERIFICATION REGIME THAT IS
UNPRECEDENTED.
WE'VE GOT MECHANISMS IN PLACE TO
MAKE SURE IF THEY'RE CHEATING,
NOT ONLY DO WE ARE MUCH MORE
LIKELY TO CATCH THEM BUT WE CAN
ALSO IMMEDIATELY PUT BACK THE
SANCTIONS THAT WE'VE GOT.
AND WHEN YOU HEAR THE CRITICS
TALK ABOUT WELL IT'S A BAD DEAL,
WE COULD HAVE GOT A BETTER DEAL,
YOU THEN ASK THEM WELL WHAT
REPRESENTS A BETTER DEAL?
WHAT IS IT THAT YOU THINK COULD
HAPPEN?
TYPICALLY THEY ARE VAGUE AND
THEY FALL BACK ON WELL IF YOU
BEAT YOUR CHEST A LITTLE BIT
MORE.
>> IN 2011 IF YOU HAD JUST DONE IT IN 2011.
>> OR IF YOU BROUGHT DICK CHENEY TO
THE NEGOTIATIONS.
>> Jon: LET'S NOT GET CRAZY.
>> EVERYTHING WOULD BE FINE.
>> Jon: BUT IT SEEMS TO ME
OUR STRATEGIES HAVE BEEN WE'VE
TRIED INVADING A COUNTRY,
THROWING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF
MONEY IN TRAINING AT THEIR ARMY,
BEING 100,000 TROOPS BEING
THE SAFETY NET OF THAT COUNTRY
HOLDING IT TOGETHER.
WE'VE TRIED BOMBING A COUNTRY,
LIBYA AND DEPOSING A LEADER.
>> VICIOUS DICTATOR.
>> Jon: HOPING THAT THAT --
>> HOPING THAT WORKS OUT.
>> Jon: WE TRIED ARMING
MILITANT GROUPS IN THE HOPES
THAT IT GETS IN THE RIGHT HANDS.
BUT THIS NEW THING, YOU CALLED
IT EARLIER DIPLOMACY.
[LAUGHTER]
THAT SOUNDS INTERESTING.
>> WE MIGHT AS WELL TRY IT.
SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
[APPLAUSE]
WE STILL GET TO BOMB PEOPLE AT SOME POINT.
[APPLAUSE]
>> THE KEY ISSUE HERE IS THAT IF
WE ARE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE
PEACEFULLY AROUND NOT HAVING A
NUCLEAR WEAPON.
>> SURE.
>> THEY ARE STILL GOING TO CAUSE
US PROBLEMS IN VARIOUS AREAS.
WE'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE
ENORMOUS DIFFERENCES WITH THEM
AND WE STILL HAVE TO WORK WITH
CORE ALLIES LIKE ISRAEL AND THE
GULF COUNTRIES TO MAKE SURE IRAN
IS NOT SPONSORING TERRORISM OR
DESTABILIZING OTHER COUNTRIES.
BUT WE WILL HAVE TAKEN OFF THE
TABLE WHAT WILL BE A
CATASTROPHIC STRATEGIC PROBLEM
IF THEY GOT A WEAPON.
PEOPLE WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT
IRAN HAVE LEGITIMATE REASONS TO
BE SUSPICIOUS.
I HAVE TO REMIND THEM, THOUGH,
THAT WHEN WE NEGOTIATED TO MAKE
SURE THAT THERE WERE SOME LIMITS
ON NUCLEAR TESTING WITH THE
SOVIET UNION, THE EVIL EMPIRE
WITH MISSILES TRAINED ON US
WHERE PEOPLE WERE CRAWLING,
SCHOOL KIDS WERE CRAWLING UNDER
TABLES.
>> Jon: YOU'RE FREAKING ME
OUT.
>> FOLKS TEND TO FORGET THAT.
THAT POSES A MUCH GREATER
THREAT.
AND WE ACTUALLY HAD TO GIVE
SOMETHING UP AND YET HISTORY
SHOWS IT WAS A WAY FOR US TO AT
LEAST MAKE SURE THAT THERE
WASN'T CATASTROPHES EVEN IF THE
SYSTEM THEY'VE BUILT EVENTUALLY
FAILS.
IN THIS SITUATION WE'RE NOT
GIVING ANYTHING UP.
A PRESIDENT'S OPTIONS 10 YEARS
FROM NOW, 15 YEARS FROM NOW
WILL BE BETTER BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE
MORE INSIGHT IN THEIR PROGRAM.
THEY WILL HAVE SENT OUT A WHOLE
BUNCH OF ENRICHED MATERIAL THAT
THEY HAVE RIGHT NOW.
THE BREAK OUT TIMES WILL BE
LONGER THAN THEY ARE RIGHT NOW.
SO THIS IS NOT A SITUATION WHERE
WE'RE UNILATERALLY DISARMING OR
BEING TAKEN TO THE CLEANERS.
WHAT WE'RE DOING IS MAKING SURE
THIS CRITICAL PROBLEM IS BEING
RESOLVED AND RECOGNIZING WE
STILL HAVE MORE WORK TO DO.
IN TERMS OF THE MIDDLE EAST
GENERALLY ...
>> YOU'RE GOING TO GET INTO THE
MIDDLE EAST, I SHOULD TAKE A
COMMERCIAL BREAK.
>> ARE YOU SURE?
>> Jon: WE'LL TAKE A BREAK
AND COME BACK.
WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE IRAN
PACT WAS EXCELLENT AND ONCE THE
SENATE SHOOTS IT DOWN, WE'LL
TALK ABOUT IT AGAIN.
[LAUGHTER]
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE
FROM PRESIDENT OBAMA.
[CROWD CHEERING]
>> Jon: PRESIDENT BARACK
OBAMA.
I'VE GOT A SUBJECT FOR YA,
HERE'S A SUBJECT OUT OF THIN AIR.
THE MEDIA.
YOU LOVE THEM, THEY LOVE YOU.
SO IS YOUR FRUSTRATION SOMETIMES
WITH THE MEDIA, IS THE MEDIA
MYSELF INCLUDED, ARE WE FOCUSED
ON THE WRONG THINGS?
ARE WE DEMANDING TOO MUCH OF
YOU?
ARE WE DEMANDING TOO MUCH OF
GOVERNMENT?
ARE WE TOO INFLAMMATORY?
WHAT IS YOUR FEELING ON IT?
>> FIRST OF ALL, THE MEDIA'S A
BUNCH OF DIFFERENT MEDIAS.
[LAUGHTER]
THERE ARE SOME THAT GET ON MY
NERVES MORE THAN OTHERS.
I THINK THAT'S FAIR TO SAY.
I THINK I'M MOST CONCERNED ABOUT
IS NOT THAT IT'S UNFAIR OR THAT
IT'S TOO TOUGH ON GOVERNMENT
BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT
JOURNALISM AND MEDIA IS SUPPOSED
TO BE DOING.
I THINK IT GETS DISTRACTED BY
SHINY OBJECTS.
[LAUGHTER]
AND DOESN'T ALWAYS FOCUS ON THE
BIG TOUGH CHOICES AND DECISIONS
THAT HAVE TO BE MADE.
AND PART OF THAT IS JUST THE
CHANGING NATURE OF TECHNOLOGY.
IT IS VERY HARD NOW FOR FOLKS TO
DO AN HOUR LONG SPECIAL ON THE
OTHER AMERICA LET'S SAY OR SOME
OF THE OTHER CLASSIC
DOCUMENTARIES THAT WERE DONE A
LONG TIME AGO.
IT'S TOUGH TO GET EVERYBODY'S
ATTENTION FOCUSED IN THE SAME
WAY.
AND SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT
ON BIG TOUGH ISSUES, SOMETIMES
IT'S HARD TO GET THE ENTIRE
NATION'S ATTENTION FOCUSED ON IT.
AND WE THEN OPERATE ON SOUND BITES.
BUT LOOK, PART OF MY JOB AND
PART OF THE JOB OF EVERYBODY IN
THE WHITE HOUSE IS HOW DO WE
ADAPT TO THIS NEW ENVIRONMENT.
HOW ARE WE MORE NIMBLE.
HOW ARE WE DEALING WITH SOCIAL
MEDIA.
>> Jon: DO YOU FEEL YOU'VE DEALT
APPROPRIATELY WITH THE MEDIA?
WE KNOW MAYBE THE MEDIA'S
PROBLEMS.
WHAT ABOUT, TALKING POINTS.
>> ARE THEY USEFUL?
>> Jon: THEY COME FROM, IS
THAT SOMETHING THAT HAS, HAVE
PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT, HAVE
PEOPLE IN ADMINISTRATION, HAS
YOUR OFFICE, HAVE YOURSELF, HAVE
YOU BECOME TOO GUARDED IN THE
WAY THAT YOU SPEAK TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE AND TO PRACTICE
IN THE ART OF SPIN, THAT THE
CONVERSATION BECOMES
MEANINGLESS.
>> I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO
SAY WE HAD NO TALKING POINTS.
WE HAVE TOO MANY TALKING POINTS.
>> Jon: NO, THAT YOUR TALKING POINTS
CAN BE CONSTRUED AS EITHER
INSINCERE OR --
>> HERE'S WHAT I'D SAY.
I THINK WHEN YOU ARE OUTSIDE OF
GOVERNMENT, YOU FEEL
UNCONSTRAINED IN WAYS THAT WHEN
YOU ARE IN THE WHITE HOUSE, YOU
RECOGNIZE IF I MAKE THIS
COMMENT, IT MAY MOVE THE MARKET
THAT WAY.
OR IF I MAKE THIS COMMENT, I'VE
GOT TO MAKE SURE WHAT ARE OUR
ALLIES THINKING ABOUT THAT
INTERNATIONAL ISSUE.
SO PROBABLY EARLY ON, I THINK
THAT YOU'RE MORE CAUTIOUS.
I ALSO THINK THE STRUCTURE
INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE IS NOT
WELL ADAPTED TO THIS NEW
ENVIRONMENT.
WE WERE WAY TOO SLOW IN TRYING
TO REDESIGN AND REENGINEER THE
WHITE HOUSE PRESS OFFICE SO THAT
WE COULD HAVE MORE
UNCONVENTIONAL INTERACTIONS WITH
THE MEDIA AND MORE LONG FORM,
YOU PUT IT ON THE WEB.
YOU DON'T WORRY WHETHER IT'S ON
A TIGHT TWO MINUTE PACKAGE GOING
ON THE NIGHTLY NEWS.
THERE'S A LEARNING PROCESS
THAT'S TAKEN PLACE.
BUT I TELL YOU WHAT, JON,
OVERALL, I DON'T FEEL
PARTICULARLY GUARDED.
I JUST HAD A PRESS CONFERENCE
ABOUT IRAN WHERE NOT ONLY DID I
STAY THERE FOR AN HOUR, I SAID
WHO ELSE HAS GOT A QUESTION.
BECAUSE...
>> Jon: IF YOU DIDN'T FEEL
GOOD ABOUT THAT DEAL.
>> I THINK THE TRUTH OF THE
MATTER IS THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF
TIMES WHERE I SAT THERE AND WE
TALKED A LOT ABOUT STUFF WHERE I
DID NOT FEEL AS GOOD ABOUT WHAT
HAD HAPPENED BUT I FEEL WE HAVE
TO BE ACCOUNTABLE.
OVERALL I THINK THAT THE PROBLEM
WITH OUR INTERACTION WITH THE
MEDIA IS PROBABLY OVERSTATED.
I THINK WHAT'S UNDERSTATED IS
THE VULCANIZATION, THE SPLINTING
OF THE MEDIA GENERALLY
SO IT'S HARD
FOR US TO GET ONE CONVERSATION.
YOU HAVE FOLKS WHO ARE
CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR FACTS
THAT REINFORCE THERE EXSTISTING POINT OF VIEW
AS OPPOSED TO HAVING A COMMON
CONVERSATION.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO
THINK ABOUT, NOT JUST THE
PRESIDENT BUT ALL OF US IS HOW
DO WE JOIN TOGETHER IN A COMMON
CONVERSATION AROUND SOMETHING
OTHER THAN THE SUPER BOWL.
>> Jon: WHO DO YOU HAVE IN
THE SUPER BOWL?
>> NOT THE BEARS RIGHT NOW.
>> Jon: NO, I DON'T THINK YOU WOULD HAVE THE BEARS RIGHT NOW.
WE'LL COME BACK, MORE
WITH PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
RIGHT AFTER THIS.
>> Jon: ONCE AGAIN WE'RE TALKING
TO PRESIDENT BARAK OBAMA.
WE HAVE A LONG
SEGMENT AND IT'S UP ON THE WEB
BUT IN CONCLUDING ON THIS I WANT TO
TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'VE LOST IN
TERMS OF SHARED PURPOSE AS A
COUNTRY AND SACRIFICE.
WE HAVE THESE ENDLESS WARS.
IT'S BEEN 15 YEARS WE'RE IN
IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN.
YEMEN.
MILITARY FAMILIES.
LESS THAN 1% OF AMERICANS ARE
BEARING THE ENTIRE BRUNT OF
THIS.
THERE IS NO REAL SENSE OF SHARED
SACRIFICE.
WHAT ABOUT SOMETHING THAT REALLY
CHANGES THE PARADIGM, COLLEGE
BEING THREE YEARS AND THEN ONE
YEAR OF SELECTIVE SERVICE.
THAT SELECTIVE SERVICE BEING IN,
IT COULD BE SOCIAL SERVICE, IT
COULD BE SOMETHING ELSE.
BUT BRINGING THE SENSE OF
SACRIFICE BACK TO THE COUNTRY,
AND I WOULD BE THE FIRST ONE,
EVEN OLD PEOPLE COULD DO IT, I
WOULD DO IT.
>> I THINK IT WOULD BE A
WONDERFUL IDEA FOR US TO THINK
ABOUT HOW WE BUILD ON THE
NATIONAL SERVICE THAT CURRENTLY
EXISTS AND EXPAND IT.
NOW HOW PEOPLE RESPOND TO IT
POLITICALLY, HOW YOUNG PEOPLE
RESPOND, IT WOULD BE
INTERESTING TO THINK ABOUT.
>> Jon: I THINK YOUNG PEOPLE
WOULD EMBRACE IT AND OTHERS
WOULD SEE IT AS GOVERNMENT TAKE OVER.
>> SEE, HERE'S WHAT I, YOU KNOW
THE BEST EDUCATION I GOT WAS FOR A
FEW YEARS ME WORKING IN LOW
INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS AS AN
ORGANIZER NOT REALLY KNOWING
MUCH WHAT I WAS DOING.
BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT I WANTED
TO TRY TO COMMIT MYSELF TO
SOMETHING BIGGER THAN JUST ME.
AND THE YOUNG PEOPLE I MEET
AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND BY THE
WAY AROUND THE WORLD, THEY HAVE
THAT SAME SENSE.
THIS NOTION THAT YOUNG PEOPLE
HAVE LOST THEIR IDEALISM OR
THEY'RE TOO CYNICAL OR IRONIC, IT'S
NOT TRUE.
BUT WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM
PATHWAYS TO GET THEM INVOLVED.
AND SO WE'VE TRIED TO EXPAND
THINGS LIKE AMERICOR AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE.
PART OF WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS
HOPEFULLY TIE IT MORE TO GETTING
A LOWER COST COLLEGE EDUCATION
SO THEY GET SCHOLARSHIPS IN
RETURN FOR THE WORK THEY'RE
DOING.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD
PLACE FOR US TO START.
WE'RE TALKING EARLIER ABOUT THE
MIDDLE EAST IN AN ISSUE LIKE
IRAN.
I REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO PAY
ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE.
AND LEARN ABOUT IT, AND THEN
CONTACT YOUR ELECTED
REPRESENTATIVES AND EXPRESS YOUR
OPINIONS.
I MEAN MAYBE NOT EVERYBODY'S
GOING TO AGREE WITH ME ON THIS,
BUT THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE
WE HAVE A HUGE ISSUE OF WAR AND
PEACE, EITHER THE STOPPING
NUCLEAR WEAPONS THROUGH
DIPLOMACY OR POTENTIALLY WE HAVE
A MILITARY OPTION.
YOU'VE GOT A BUNCH OF TALKING HEADS
AND PUNDITS AND FOLKS WHO ARE
NOT GOING TO BE MAKING
SACRIFICES IF IN FACT YOU END UP
IN A CONFLICT.
WHO ARE REPRISING SOME OF THE
SAME POSITIONS WE SAW DURING THE
IRAQ WAR, NOT ASKING TOUGH
QUESTIONS.
AND IF THEY'RE NOT HEARING FROM
CITIZENS, THEN WE END UP MAKING
BAD CHOICES.
AND THE ONE THING I KNOW SINCE,
AS I ENTER INTO THE LAST YEAR OF
MY PRESIDENCY, IS THAT THE
COUNTRY IS FULL OF GOOD AND
DECENT PEOPLE.
AND THERE IS A SENSE OF COMMON
PURPOSE AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD
LEVEL.
AND IN THE SCHOOL AND THE
WORKPLACE.
AND THAT DISSIPATES BECAUSE ALL
THE MONEY AND BECAUSE OF ALL THE
FILTERS AND ALL THE POLARIZING
THAT TAKES PLACE IN TERMS OF HOW
POLITICS ARE SHAPED.
BUT THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT THAT
IS BY PEOPLE GETTING INVOLVED.
IT DOESN'T TAKE THAT MUCH.
I GUARANTEE YOU IF PEOPLE FEEL
STRONGLY ABOUT MAKING SURE IRAN
DOESN'T GET A NUCLEAR WEAPON
WITHOUT GOING TO WAR AND THAT IS
EXPRESSED TO CONGRESS, THEN
PEOPLE WILL BELIEVE IN THAT.
AND THE SAME IS TRUE ON EVERY
SINGLE ISSUE.
IF PEOPLE ARE ENGAGED,
EVENTUALLY THE POLITICAL SYSTEM
RESPONDS DESPITE THE MONEY,
DESPITE THE LOBBYISTS, IT
STILL RESPONDS.
>> Jon: SO FOR YOU AND THIS
MAY BE A CLOSING SEGMENT BECAUSE
OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE THINGS TO DO.
I'M HERE ALL NIGHT.
I GUESS WHAT YOU WOULD SAY IS
AFTER SEVEN YEARS, IS THAT THE
ADVICE THAT YOU THEN BEQUEATH TO
FUTURE PRESIDENT TRUMP?
[LAUGHTER]
[APPLAUSE]
>> WELL, I'M SURE THE REPUBLICANS
ARE ENJOYING MR. TRUMP'S
DOMINANCE OF THEIR PRIMARY.
>> Jon: ANYTHING THAT MAKES
THEM LOOK LESS CRAZY.
[APPLAUSE]
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STOPPING
BY.
IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO SEE
YOU.
>> YOU'VE BEEN A
GREAT GIFT TO THE COUNTRY.
>> Jon: PRESIDENT BARACK
OBAMA.
>> Jon: THAT'S OUR SHOW CHECK OUT THE REST OF OUR CONVERSATION ON THE WEB.
HERE IT IS, YOUR MOMENT OF ZEN.
>> I WANT TO INTRODUCE EVERYBODY
WHO HAD NOT HAD A CHANCE TO MEET
HER.
MS. EMMA DIDLAKE IS OUR OLDEST
LIVING VETERAN.
110 YEARS OLD, BORN IN 1905.