Obama: One Great Thing About America Is ‘We Don’t Have Real Long Memories’

Appearing this morning on "This Week" with George Stephanopoulos, President Obama was asked about his fading popularity and whether Democrats will even want him campaigning for them in 2016.

"One of the things about our society which is great," he said, "is that we don't have real long memories." 

He did concede, though, that Democrat candidates are "probably not going to be looking at me to campaign too much." And of the American people, he concluded, "I suspect that folks will be ready to see me go off to the next thing."

OBAMA: “You know, I think the American people are going to want that new car smell. You know, they want to drive something off the lot that doesn’t have as much mileage as me.”
STEPHANOPOULOS: “I wonder how that’s gonna make you feel, though, as this campaign’s going on?  You think you’ll be itchin’ to get back out there or glad to let someone else?”
OBAMA: “I– I tell you, when I think about the next two years, I just want every single day be making –- this government work a little bit better for ordinary folks ... If I’m able to do that over the next two years– then not only will I be serving the American people well, I think I will be serving a potential successor well. You know, they’re– they’re probably not going to be looking at me to campaign too much ... One of the things about our society which is great is that we don’t have real long memories.  And, you know, we get –- we get impatient for the next thing. And I–-“[crosstalk]
STEPHANOPOULOS: “It’s worked for you before.”
OBAMA: “It –- it’s worked for me before and, you know, I think that at the end of two years if they want me to do some selective things, I’ll be happy to do them, but I suspect that folks will be ready to see me go off to the next thing.”