Obama To Diane Sawyer: I Would 'Rather Be Really Good One-Term President' (VIDEO)

Two days before President Obama's State of the Union speech, the president sat down with ABC's Diane Sawyer for a lengthy and ranging conversation on health care, the economy, and whether "one term is enough."

"I'd rather be a really good one-term president than a mediocre two-term president," Obama told Sawyer.

"There's a tendency in Washington to think that our job description, of elected officials, is to get reelected. That's not our job description," Obama said. "Our job description is to solve problems and to help people."

WATCH:

ABC has posted the whole transcript here.

The interview is also generating some buzz because of a possibly awkward exchange when Obama greeted Sawyer with a kiss.

WATCH:

Comments

[doodlefarbe]

04:40 PM on 01/31/2010

How condescending is that? A "really good 1-term president"???

A good president will win re-election. The only way to think of yourself as really good 1-term president is if you think you are great but also believe the public is just too stooopid to recognize your greatness.

That's about as condescending as you get.

[Bacygirl]

04:07 AM on 01/29/2010

"It is often necessary to make a mess while cleaning up a mess but in the end the mess will be sorted out." -- Me

Go Obama!

[writerforhire]

01:44 PM on 01/27/2010

Obama states, "he would rather be a good one-term president" as opposed to a two term failure?

The issue for most, if not all, American's, is the economy and jobs. Without jobs the economy suffers and Washington or The White House or Obama has continued to BAIL OUT big business who then turn around and HANDs OUT 6 & 7 figure bonus.

The average homeowner in foreclosure is there because of approximately $5,000.00. They are not getting a BAIL OUT! The Obama Administration is putting families on welfare and bailing out Wall St.

Corporate America needs Corporate Responsibility. The Obama Administration speaks but doesn't enforce Corporate responsibility.

It's time to make a change or live out your own expressed desires.

[nomad27]

08:46 AM on 01/27/2010

The traitors are the Senators and Congressman who giggled and enjoyed the death of Americans in Iraq as long as it made Bush look bad. Harry Reid's premature "The war is lost" comment shows how anxious the Left was for Bush's failure....which meant the deaths of American soldiers. However justice is served as your Senate Majority Leader is out the door in November!!

[Digeeedad]

05:11 AM on 01/27/2010

So... is what we are witnessing in our POTUS, our Congress, talk show hosts and their audiences, the incredible chasms between people on forums such as this and each other, the sad reality that we have become so polarized, with each contributing our own parts, that we are now in all likelihood... beyond any hope of compromise and unity and have become completely ungovernable?

[anthonytaurus]

06:31 AM on 01/27/2010

Nah. We just have to get rid of the filibuster. The only reason this nation is having so many problems is because of a minority of rabid crazies, the Republicans, who are bitter about 2008. The Dems can get things done. We saw how great the nation became when Clinton was in office and had Dem support in Congress. People can hate Clinton because of the Lewinsky matter but Bush got this nation with extra money in the bank. Clinton was and is the best president ever. Imagine if the Republicans had filibustered as much then as they do now. It's their main weapon to stop forward progress. If the Dems can get rid of the filibuster, this nation will be back on track. As far as Obama is concerned, there is nothing he will be able to do that will be right. It's just disappointing to see how stupid Americans have become to actually believe the stalled progress is the fault of Dems. The failure is not in the hands of politicians. The failure is in the hands of the American voter who doesn't have the intelligence to vote in their own favor as marked by the election of Scott Brown in MA. People would like to blame the lax campaign of Coakley but that simply doesn't justify the decision of MA voters. MA is an example of voter fail. What do they seriously expect from Scott Brown?

[Bacygirl]

04:11 AM on 01/29/2010

well stated and yes, the divided house is falling in on itself.

[Digeeedad]

02:14 AM on 01/27/2010

Can anyone actually imagine what our nation would have looked like, one year after the election of McCain and Palin? Relevant... perhaps not.

[DGarr]

11:42 PM on 01/26/2010

I wouldn't blame him if he wanted to run from thh White House screaming, "what was I thinking" ?
If I had my choice, he would be my President for four terms.

[Scentedflower]

11:25 PM on 01/26/2010

diane is Not Charlie, George or even Katie C.

[bruce0800]

10:46 PM on 01/26/2010

How aout another option
A bad one term president?

[Nonyabizz]

10:11 AM on 01/27/2010

Better than a bad two termer, like GWB

[Zipzop]

10:27 PM on 01/26/2010

If he were truly not afraid of being a one term president, he'd be fighting the good fight right now. He'd be a "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" kind of guy and push full steam ahead to do what this country really needs, whatever it costs him. He's trying to spin and doing a pathetic job of it.

[Jim Elkins]

10:05 PM on 01/26/2010

Man, I finally agree with the Young Barry! I, too want him to be a one-term president!

[Pediego]

09:35 PM on 01/26/2010

I liken the American public to a school of sardines by their behavior; so easily led and so credulous of whatever is loudest in the media. We are an ignorant lot. We cannot seem to see the larger picture but are so easily swayed by the media sound bytes for those that watch stuff other than the favorite American pastime of TV programs served for idiots everyday.

Here comes a sensible politician to do the obvious by his words and who do we listen to instead - other idiots who have not changed any major thing like HCare, Consumer Protection, Improve Education, Big Bank excesses and malpractice and the list goes on. If we are too dumb to see the opportunities that our President is fighting to give us despite the most difficult of circumstances he walked into then we deserve to be exactly where we are. Check out the mantra 'we are/have the best in the world' We are worse than a lot of third world countries in a lot of things that you gotta see it to believe it. America ranks at the bottom in a host of these things.

I guess Obama has been overestimating the intelligence of the American people all along. The GOP has always been successfully profiteering by underestimating it time and again.

[cascot]

02:58 AM on 01/27/2010

But you see, I am not for more government bureaucracy. Remember they are the DMV, the IRS, Medicare and Medicaid, SSI and SSDI--How Well Have These Government Programs Run? And they want to run Healthcare?? It will be a failure... Bureaucrats giving themselves perks beyond reason, getting "bribe" money for their states(selling their votes), taking lobbyists money for a payback or vote for the lobbyists interests?...and it goes on and on and on...

Be reasonable and admit that BOTH parties are guilty of this.

I don't want entitlements--NO ONE is entitled to freebies. We have the freedom to work and generational welfare has to stop! Oh, that's another failed gov. bureaucracy, Welfare and Food Stamps. Fraud and lots of it!
We THE PEOPLE are NOT stupid but that is what Dems/liberals/progressives say when they CANNOT debate with facts or PROVEN TRACK RECORDS!

[indiematrix]

05:58 AM on 01/27/2010

Where do you get FREEBIES?!!? We PAY TAXES so we aren't getting anything for free. And let me tell you something this whole DMV b.s. you are spouting makes no sense. You get to use the same hospitals and doctors. And I don't know about you but todays DMV is LIGHT YEARS beyond the DMV 10-15 years ago. Even if that was the case BUT IT"S NOT.

If you want some boob job or extra non health related touch up you can pay for that. But if you are ok with your [take your choice] child, spouse, parent dying because they can't afford health care which should be viewed as a right and not a privilege. Then your priorities are screwed up and you bought into the retardican a$$hatery.

Getting affordable (as we are paying so it's not free) health care is much cheaper and efficient then clogging up emergency wards and letting politicians screw us because corporations are writing them checks. The rest of the free world has some kind of healthcare system in place where it is not a worry for people. leading to a much better standard of living. If the politicians we elect are getting free health care and we are their employer as we elected them why wouldn't the boss get the same or better benefits as their employee.

You need seriously rethink your priorities. Conservatism these days = HOARDING.

[indiematrix]

05:59 AM on 01/27/2010

I don't know where people think folks are getting away with something getting health care. Bought you need to walk away from whatever kool-aid you're drinking and ask yourself is denying health care to a fellow citizen an American or even christian thing to do (for all you right wingers reading). American should be an example to the rest of the world and in this case we are getting schooled. We are so far behind other countries regarding healthcare it's ridiculous.

[stevebol]

09:26 PM on 01/26/2010

The republicans aren't going to hire anybody till they get the white house or the senate back. So, give em' the senate but keep them out of the white house.

[stevebol]

09:16 PM on 01/26/2010

Vote against Cheney 2012.

[cascot]

02:59 AM on 01/27/2010

Dick or Liz? Both are extremely brilliant!

[mrrhum]

08:40 PM on 01/26/2010

Just keep it up, Mr. President. You'll get half your wish.