Pres. Barack Obama took a dig at President-elect Donald Trump during his final interview as president, saying the job of U.S. president is complex and demanding, requiring "thick skin" and "stamina."
TheHill.com reported Sunday evening that during his sit-down with CBS' 60 Minutes, Obama recommended that the nation's first executive be physically strong enough to face the rigors of the job and that he or she must not get distracted by critics in government and the media.
"Thick skin helps," he said to Steve Kroft, as well as "stamina."
"There is a greater physical element to this job than you would think, just being able to grind it out," Obama explained. "And I think your ability to -- not just mentally and emotionally but physically -- be able to say, ‘We got this. We're going to be okay.’”
Donald Trump is known among former associates for his short attention span. The Art of the Deal ghostwriter Tony Schwartz said that Trump is "a living black hole" with the attention span of a "kindergartner."
"It’s impossible to keep him focused on any topic, other than his own self-aggrandizement, for more than a few minutes," Schwarz said in 2016. “If he had to be briefed on a crisis in the Situation Room, it’s impossible to imagine him paying attention over a long period of time.”
Pres. Obama also told 60 Minutes that he does not believe that the presidency changed his moral outlook or core beliefs.
“One of the things I'm proud about is that I think my basic character and outlook actually have not changed much," the president said. "And people who are closest to me will tell you that -- the guy who came here is the same guy who's leaving.”
Watch the full interview, embedded below:
