Obama Worries About Malia: President Talks Parenting With MTV
In addition to being leader of the free world, President Barack Obama has one other important job title - dad.
The commander-in-chief opened up about being a parent and president at the same time during a recent interview with MTV, and he revealed what worries him about the safety of his daughters, 14-year-old Malia and 11-year-old Sasha.
Obama was asked what he fears most in regards to Malia - dating, driving or social networking. And although he has said previously that his daughters are not allowed to have a Facebook profile, social networks topped the president's list.
"I'd worry about Facebook right now," he said. "I know the folks at Facebook - obviously they've revolutionized, you know, the social networks. But Malia, because she's well known, I'm very keen on her protecting her privacy."
He added that he has a very specific reason not to fear Malia going out on dates.
"Dates - that's fine, 'cause she's got Secret Service protection," Obama said.
Obama discussed several issues he said are of critical importance to America's young people, who will be poised to lead the nation when Obama's generation begins to get older. One such issue was climate change.
"This is an issue that future generations, MTV Viewers, are going to have to deal with even more than the older generation is. So this is a critical issue, and there's huge contrast in this campaign between myself and Governor Romney," Obama said. "[Romney] says he believes in climate change, but he says he's not sure that manmade causes are the reason. ... I believe scientists who say we're putting too much carbon emissions into the atmosphere and it's heating the planet and it's going to have a severe effect."
Obama also spoke about the topic of marriage equality. Though the president has said before that he is personally in favor of gay marriage, he repeated his stance that the issue should be decided on a state-by-state basis.
"For us to try to delegate federally in this area is probably the wrong way to go," he said.
