President Obama this weekend gave a nod to the fact that many Americans will be sick of him by 2016, saying voters understandably will want “that new car smell” in their next batch of White House candidates.
Speaking on ABC’s “This Week” program, the president said he’s committed to putting another Democrat in the White House in 2016. But his comments also indicate he may take a back seat on the campaign trail as he seeks to avoid harming his potential successor by association, assuming his favorability ratings remain low for the next two years.
“I think the American people, you know, they’re going to want that new car smell,” Mr. Obama said. “They want to drive something off the lot that doesn’t have as much mileage as me.”
The president also appears prepared for fellow Democrats to distance themselves from his record. Democratic Party frontrunner Hillary Rodham Clinton, for example, is sure to publicly disagree with the administration on a number of issues, the president said.
“One of the benefits of running for president is you get to stake out your own positions,” Mr. Obama said.
The president again refused to pick a side in the upcoming Democratic presidential primary, saying only that there are “a number” of possible candidates who would make a worthy president.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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