Barack Obama Holds Final Press Conference As President
WASHINGTON (CBSNewYork/AP) -- With just two days left in office, President Barack Obama held his 39th and last White House press conference on Wednesday.
Here are some of the topics he covered:
Sending Thoughts And Prayers To The Bushes
President Barack Obama opened his final news conference by sending his thoughts and prayers to former President George H.W. Bush and his wife, Barbara.
Both Bushes are hospitalized in Houston. The 92-year-old former president was admitted for a pneumonia-related respiratory problem. His wife was hospitalized as a precaution.
Obama said the White House reached out to the Bush family after learning of the hospitalizations.
He says the Bushes have not only dedicated their lives to country, but have been a constant source of friendship, support and good counsel for him and first lady Michelle Obama.
Obama adds that "they are as fine a couple as we know.''
Thanking The Journalists
Obama is thanking the journalists who have covered him in the White House, saying that "having you in this building has made this place work better.''
"I spent a lot of time in my farewell address talking about the state of our democracy. It goes without saying that essential to that is a free press," he said.
PHOTOS: Iconic Moments From Barack Obama's Presidency
Obama said of journalists, "you're not supposed to be sycophants. You're supposed to be skeptics. You're supposed to ask tough questions.''
President-elect Donald Trump's transition team is considering holding briefings outside the White House briefing room, a proposal that is raising concern over whether it could result in limited White House access.
Defending Manning Commutation
Obama also defended his decision to commute convicted leaker Chelsea Manning's prison sentence, telling reporters that "justice has been served'' in her case.
Obama said Manning has already served a "tough prison sentence'' and it will not make people think that they won't face punishment if they disclose vital classified information.
"She took responsibility for her crime, that the sentence she received was very disproportional," he said. "And that she had served a significant amount of time, that it made sense to commute and not pardon her sentence."
Republicans have assailed the decision, saying it sets a dangerous precedent for national security.
The former Army intelligence analyst asked Obama to commute her 35-year sentence for giving classified government and military documents to the WikiLeaks website.
Manning was known as Bradley Manning at the time of her 2010 arrest and is more than six years into the sentence. She is set to be released from prison in May.
Obama Says Trump Should Push Russia On Nukes
Obama called on Trump to continue trying to persuade Russia to reduce its nuclear stockpiles.
Obama said that he tried to negotiate further reducing nuclear arsenals with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but he says Putin was reluctant.
Obama is also calling on the next administration to lead by example and work to prevent big countries from ``bullying'' smaller countries.
He says that implementing sanctions on Russia following its incursion of Ukraine is a "good example of the vital role'' America must play in advocating for and enforcing basic rights around the world.
Conversations With Trump
Obama says he has had "cordial'' talks with Trump but he's under no illusions that they share many policy goals.
Obama says Trump won the election opposed to many of his initiatives during the past eight years. The outgoing president says it's appropriate for Trump to move forward with his own vision and values.
Obama says, "I don't expect that there is going to be enormous overlap.''
Obama is avoiding a question on whether he supports about 50 House Democrats planning to boycott Trump's inauguration. He says he'll be there along with outgoing first lady Michelle Obama.
The call to boycott comes after Trump got into a war of words with Congressman John Lewis, who said he would not attend the inauguration because Trump's presidency would not be legitimate.
"He got caught in a very bad lie," the president-elect said in a Fox News interview.
Lewis had said Trump's inauguration is the first he'll sit out, but failed to mention that he did the same thing in 2001 with George W. Bush.
"You don't forget something like that," the president-elect added. "So he got caught, and it's pretty bad and it's making him look bad, frankly."
Life After The White House
Obama says that after he leaves office on Friday he wants to take time to process the "amazing experience'' his family has gone through.
Obama says he wants to make sure that Michelle Obama, his wife of 24 years, is willing to "re-up'' and put up with him a little bit longer.
He wants to write, be quiet a little bit and "not hear myself talk so darn much.'' He also wants to spend time with daughters Malia and Sasha.
Obama and his family will head for vacation in Palm Springs, California, after Donald Trump is sworn in as president.
The White House has not said how long they will stay in California before they return to a rented home in Washington.
U.S.-Cuba Relations
Obama says that United States underwent "a fundamental shift'' in its relationship with Cuba.
Obama adds that treating Cuban migrants differently "didn't make sense'' in this day and age, saying it shouldn't make a difference whether migrants come to the U.S. by land or by foot.
Obama announced last week that he is ending a longstanding immigration policy that allows any Cuban who makes it to U.S. soil to stay and become a legal resident.
He says that opening up bilateral relations with Cuba last year ultimately would lead to a "serious improvement'' in commerce and trade relations with Cuba.
Israeli–Palestinian Conflict
The president is also warning that the "moment may be passing'' for a two-state solution to the Israeli and Palestinian conflict.
Obama said he continues to be worried that the "status quo is unsustainable'' in Israel. He says his administration has tried to preserve the possibility of a two-state solution because he does not "see an alternative to it.''
The United States decision to allow the United Nation's most powerful body to condemn Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem has been condemned by President-elect Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu.
Obama says the president-elect "will have his own policy'' and that is his administration's prerogative. The president calls the situation in Israel "a volatile environment.''
On LGBT Issues
Obama says he doesn't think the expansion of LGBT rights in the U.S. is reversible, adding that society's attitudes have changed too much to turn back the clock on these issues.
He says there's still more work to do on the subject, but that acceptance by young people like his daughters has made a difference.
Obama also says he "could not be prouder'' of the country's transformation on these issues, most of it coming during his tenure as president.
He gives credit to individuals and couples who he says were courageous in saying "this is who I am and I'm proud of it.''
That, he says, helped open people's minds and hearts and the legal system eventually caught up.
Obama Calls Voter Fraud Claims 'Fake News'
Obama says that claims of voter fraud in the U.S. elections are "fake news,'' and that the U.S. is the only democracy that makes it harder for its citizens to vote.
Obama referred to election fraud claims repeatedly raised by Donald Trump during his campaign. He didn't use is successor's name, but said claims of voter fraud have been "disproved.''
"I hope that people pay a lot of attention to making sure that everybody has the chance to vote. Make it easier, not harder. This whole notion of voting fraud. This is something that has constantly been disproved. This is fake news. The notion that there are a whole bunch of people out there who are going out there and are not eligible to vote and want to vote," Obama said. "We have the opposite problem. We have a whole bunch of people who are eligible to vote who don't vote. So the idea we put in place a whole bunch of barriers to people voting doesn't make sense."
Obama says there is an "ugly history'' behind restrictive voting that traces back to the era of slavery.
Obama also warned that many Trump voters also feel disenfranchised. He says those people feel forgotten, looked down upon or fear that their children don't have the same opportunities as other Americans.
Obama Says Daughters Disappointed By Election
Obama said his daughters do not intend to pursue a future in politics -- thanks to the influence of his wife, Michelle.
But he says the girls "could not help but be patriotic'' given the environment where they have grown up.
During Obama's eight years in office, the first lady became one of the most sought-after Democratic surrogates. But she detests politics and repeatedly has said she will never run for public office.
Obama says his daughters -- 18-year-old Malia and 15-year-old Sasha -- were disappointed in the outcome of the presidential election.
He says he and his wife try to teach their daughters resilience.
The president says, "They don't mope.''
Meanwhile Wednesday in Washington, Trump's pick for Health and Human Services Secretary, Tom Price, defended himself over allegations of insider stock trading.
"I'm offended by the insinuation, senator," he said.
Price said he was unaware his broker purchased stocks in medical device companies before the Georgia Republican introduced legislation that benefited those companies.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts): "This is someone who buys and sells the stock you want them to buy and sell."
Rep. Tom Price (R-Georgia): "Not true."
Warren: "So when you found out..."
Price: "That's not true, senator."
Warren: "Because you decide not to tell them, wink-wink, nod-nod, and we're all just supposed to believe that?"
If confirmed, Price will help lead the president-elect's fight to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Trump has said he has no intention of "pulling out the rug" from under health care coverage and pledged that millions will not lose their coverage.
Confirmation hearings were also held on Capitol Hill for three other cabinet-level nominees.
Trump's pick for United Nations Ambassador, Nikki Haley, spoke about the current administration's decision to abstain from the vote on Israeli settlements.
"I will never abstain when the United Nations takes any action that comes in direct conflict with the interests and values of the United States," she said.
Hearings were also held for Treasury nominee Wilbur Ross and continued for Education nominee Betsy DeVos.
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