white living rooms 2016
(music) president obama: well,the white house is the people's house. michelle and i and thegirls, we understand that we're here for a limitedtime, and we're here because we have thisincredible privilege of serving the americanpeople and looking after them and what theyare concerned about. i think everybody, thefirst night they spend in
the white house, area little overwhelmed. you know, the whitehouse is such an icon in american life and aroundthe globe, and the notion that you'd be sleeping ina bed inside of it, is a little bit intimidating. and, at least when you'vegot a couple kids, you pretty much get into aroutine because you know that you're going to haveto figure out how to wake them up, and make surethey get to school
on that first day. so, the transition wassmooth, but that first night you kind of wake upwith a start a little bit and say to yourself, "mygoodness, what am i doing here?" everyday -- although youconsider it the place you live -- i think you'revery mindful that this is a place of history; thatthis is a place that belongs to the peopleand to the country.
as much as you want tofeel comfortable in that place, you also want tofeel a little bit of reverence for the factthat down these halls lincoln has walked, and inthese rooms fdr has made decisions that hadimpacts around the world. while you're here, you'remaybe part of the first family, but once yourterm's up you're going to be a citizen once again. and that, i think, it bothhumbling, but extremely
gratifying because itreminds us that this is a democracy, and those whocome into this office are here temporarily andsomeday soon there's going to be somebody else whotakes up that mantle and you just make sure thatduring the time that you're here you're doingthe best you can to serve the peoplewho've sent you.