Former President Barack Obama doesn’t see his daughters Malia and Sasha following in his footsteps. He’s just happy they’ve achieved a sense of normalcy.
Obama, who left office in 2017, told “The Late Late Show” host James Corden that being trailed by Secret Service agents during their teenage years has probably soured his daughters on the idea of going into public service.
“They still have PTSD from guys talking into their, you know, wrist microphones and glasses as they’re trying to go to a music concert,” the 59-year-old, two-term commander-in-chief joked.
Obama was elected to office in 2008. He spent eight years at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue with his wife Michelle, their two daughters, Malia, now 22, Sasha, 19, and their dog Bo.
The Democratic leader told Corden he and the former first lady wondered if their kids would grow up to be “weird” if they were raised in the White House. To his relief, Obama said they’ve both turned out great, which could be the reason neither of them runs for president.
“You have to have a certain tolerance for nonsense and silliness and meanness, frankly, to go into public service,” Obama said.
As a dad, Obama said he wants to protect his daughters from “that stuff,” but would be very proud if one or both of the young women went into public life. It doesn’t sound as though they were raised with any illusions about their parents’ achievements being their own.
According to Obama, once when his girls were acting up in their younger years, Michelle’s mother reminded them “Your parents have done some things — you guys have done nothing.”
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