Obama reads mean tweets

President Barack Obama entertained Jimmy Kimmel’s audience with some of the mean tweets sent his way, beginning with one sent by Donald Trump in August when he said “President Obama will go down as perhaps the worst president in the history of the United States.”

Obama’s reply: “Really? Well, @realDonaldTrump, at least I will go down as a president.”

The president appeared on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” during the middle of his three-day visit to Nevada and California, where he is campaigning and raising money for presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and other Democratic candidates. The segment contained a mix of humour and serious talk about the current election.

Kimmel routinely has celebrities read some of the mean tweets sent their way. Another person asked: “Barack Obama, bro do you even lift?”

“Well, I lifted the ban on Cuban cigars. That’s worth something,” Obama replied.

Obama, a big sports fan, was asked if he was happy that the Chicago Cubs were going to the World Series. Obama appeared to have some trouble getting “yes” out.

“To see just how happy everybody was, I actually felt pretty good. I am rooting for hometown team even though it is not my team.”

Comedian Bill Murray is a big Cubs fan, and Obama told of his recent visit to the White House. He said they had a putting contest in the Oval Office and Murray won $5 from him.

“He won repeatedly,” Obama said. “The glass was rigged.”

Despite the high pressures of the presidency, Obama admitted it’s rare for aides to wake him up in the middle of the night. The most serious problems are usually anticipated. He used the question to take another dig at Trump, saying “What I don’t do at 3 a.m., I don’t tweet about people who insulted me.”

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Kimmel then asked Obama if he ever laughed during the debates when watching the GOP nominee. “Most of the time,” Obama said.

Kimmel also asked why people don’t trust Clinton. Obama chalked it up to being in the trenches for 30 years. He said when people are in the public eye that long, people try to find weak spots and “a whole narrative begins to build.” He described Clinton’s brand of politics as “pragmatic.”

Kimmel said he knew Obama had to leave, but he asked if the first lady could stay for another four years. Obama said his wife was never wild about politics. “All the women in my life are looking forward to being able to lead a more normal life.”

The Associated Press