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CNN Live Event/Special

VP Vance Speaks at White House Briefing; Soon: Obama Presidential Center Opening Ceremony; Soon: Star-Studded Opening of Obama Presidential Center. Aired 11:30-12p ET

Aired June 18, 2026 - 11:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[11:30:00]

J.D. VANCE, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: But isn't it worth trying, isn't it worth seeing whether this incredibly weakened position that the President of the United States has put the Iranians under, whether that motivates them to change their behavior, not just vis-a-vis the West, but vis-a-vis the Middle East.

One of the interesting things about this is, you know, the technical details of this we can of course get into. There are going to be any number of opinions about the negotiation, about where it's ultimately going to go, but I tend to think that you should trust the people who know the Iranians the best and who have the most to lose.

What are the Gulf Arab states saying about this deal? What are they saying about this deal compared to the JCPOA in 2015? This is the Obama nuclear deal. Well back then, they hated that deal. They felt like it empowered the Iranians to be bad actors across the region, and of course that's exactly what happened. They were right about that.

What are they saying about the president's peace deal? They're saying this is an amazingly transformative thing for the region, because either way, we and the broader region win. Iran is weakened, their nuclear program destroyed, their economy in desperate straits, and if they change their behavior, big things are going to happen for Iran and for the world. If they don't, no skin off our backs. Either way, we win, and that's the way the president has set up this deal and this negotiation.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Just a quick housekeeping question, which I think you answered in your topper, but did the 60-day period officially begin yesterday?

VANCE: I would say the 60-day period officially started today. It was signed late, and it may have even been signed technically because of the time shift. I think it signed technically today, Iran time. So, yes, the deal started yesterday. We're going to start the 60-day clock today. Go ahead.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can you help us understand President Trump's shift on his stance for Iran's ballistic missile program? Initially, it was a key objective to dismantle it. Yesterday, he said it would only be fair if they had some, if the countries around Iran also had some. So, when and why did that change? And will the final agreement have any restrictions on these missiles?

VANCE: So, we destroyed a substantial number of their ballistic missiles and their ballistic missile launchers themselves. It's not just the bullets, but it's the actual gun. And that's what we were extremely effective at in destroying during the last three months of the campaign.

All the president said yesterday is that, of course, countries don't give up the right of self-defense. Israel doesn't give up the right of self-defense if Hezbollah fires rockets or drones at Israel. The Iranians don't give up the right of self-defense in their country. But we do expect that as part of the final deal, they are not going to be able to build the kind of missiles that can broadly threaten the entire world. And that's what the president of the United States said yesterday.

And look, I mean, it's very simple. You can't tell a country, whether Israel or Iran, they're not allowed to have any self-defense. That's not what the President has asked. That's not what the president has requested. But as part of the final deal, what we want to see is Iran not funding regional instability, funding regional terrorism, and, of course, try to rebuild their nuclear weapons program. That's the main thing.

The nuclear weapons program is destroyed. It is gone. If the Iranians decided tomorrow to build a nuclear weapon, they simply don't have the capacity in order to do that. What we're trying to ensure is they don't rebuild that capacity, not just a year from now, two years from now, but many, many years from now, so that our children never have to worry about a state sponsor of terrorism having a nuclear weapon. Go ahead.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, Mr. Vice President. You were just saying that you're hoping this deal would prevent Iran in the future from getting a nuclear weapon. But from what's been put out there of the MOU, I'm curious, how does the MOU reflect that in the future Iran will not, in fact, get a nuclear weapon? What's stopping them from down the road, to your point, rebuilding and restarting from where we were pre-the war?

VANCE: Well, number one, they would have to get a lot of money in order to rebuild their nuclear program. You're talking about billions and billions of nuclear infrastructure that the United States destroyed. In order for them to rebuild that program, they would have to get a lot of money. And we have them in an economic chokehold right now that we're not going to release until they fundamentally change their behavior.

What would that look like? That would mean a real inspections regime. That would mean a real enforcement regime. As the MOU contemplates, that would mean the destruction of their enriched stockpile. All of these things are the sorts of steps you're going to take if you're serious about ending your nuclear weapons program.

And that, again, is why I go back to this fundamental trade that's built into the deal. They need money to do anything. Their economy is in absolute dire straits. But in order for them to get any integration into the world economy, they're going to have to show us and verify for us that they are changing their behavior. And that's why the deal is set up in the way that it is. Go ahead.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: President Trump said yesterday that he was going to blame you if the talks of Iran go sideways. Are you worried that he's going to make you the fall guy?

VANCE: No, not at all. I mean, I think the President was joking but -- as he often does. But, no, I think, look, the entire team has worked very well on this, and we've got this thing to a very good place for the American people.

[11:35:00]

Now, I have seen some progressive criticisms of me personally saying, what experience does the vice president of the United States have with hostile high-stakes negotiations? And I would point those progressive critics to the fact that just two days ago, I spent over an hour on The View. So, I actually have great experience in very hostile negotiations. And I've used that.

I mean, look, Joy Behar is way tougher than the Iranians, and she and I are best friends now. So, we're going to get to a good place here. We're going to get to a good place. We're already at a good place. It's just a question of whether we can really get the icing on the top of fundamentally transforming Iran's relationship with the world. Go ahead.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you. A couple of just timing questions. How soon, as the MOU lays out, can Iran start selling any of its oil that has sort of been impounded, right, with the blockade? And two, can you sort of explain the Lebanon component to the MOU and how that front works and the enforceability of it?

VANCE: Yes. So, the Lebanon component, this is about regional peace, right? This is about regional peace. And what that means is we expect Hezbollah is not going to be firing rockets and firing drones at the Israelis, and we also expect that the Israelis are not going to be going wild in Lebanon, right? Both sides have to honor their end of the deal.

Now, as you guys know, sometimes these ceasefires are a little messy. The president of the United States said this a couple of weeks ago, that a ceasefire in that region of the world just means they're shooting a little bit less at each other than they were before. What you've seen is radical progress in Lebanon, less shooting, less firing, but you're still going to have these little flare-ups from time to time, and that's just the sort of thing that we're going to have to manage through the diplomatic process.

Secretary Rubio's been sort of the person on point. It's actually worked out extraordinarily well because we do have substantially less shooting, but it's going to be something we have to manage. And eventually what we want to see is the Lebanese government, the elected representatives of the people of Lebanon, who are able to police southern Lebanon so that Hezbollah is not taking over the country, the Israelis are not threatened, and then consequently the Israelis are not attacking southern Lebanon or Beirut either. That's the plan there. You asked about the Iranian oil.

Look, one of the interesting things that you've seen is that the Iranians have been completely unable to sell oil, not because of sanctions, but because of the blockade. Fundamentally, the thing that we have done here, the original, you know, what we give, what they give, is that we said we're going to lift the blockade, we're going to allow you to sell some of your oil, and they're going to open the Strait of Hormuz. We see that process starting to work already. It's going to take a little time before it picks up fully, but that's where we are today. Go ahead.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you, Mr. Vice President. The MOU -- just on the Strait, the MOU guarantees the 60 days of toll-free passage, but after that it has, of course, led to a regional dialogue with Amman and Iran deciding the future governance of the Strait. A senior U.S. official told us yesterday that they expect Iran to push aggressively on this, but also that Gulf states won't allow any kind of tolls.

How strenuously will the U.S. fight to keep tolls out of the Strait and keep any fees away from the future Strait and commercial traffic? And are you going to leave it to the Gulf states to kind of fight this battle?

VANCE: Well, first of all, we believe international waterways should be free of tolls, and that's been our position. That's what you see, of course, in the 60 days of the MOU. And when you say it leaves it open, it doesn't really leave it open, except in the sense that, of course, the final negotiation is going to set the terms of what comes afterwards, right?

You said, I think that the -- it's the Gulf -- it's the Omanis and the Iranians, but it's actually the MOU contemplates that the Omanis, the Iranians, and the Gulf Coast Coalition together will figure out a proper security framework for the Straits in the future. And what I mean by that is that we don't ever want this to happen again. That's not about tolling. That's about ensuring that the Straits are never used as a choke point for the global economy ever again. It's, frankly, not what the Iranians want. It's not what the Omanis want. It's not what the GCC wants either.

So, what we're going to do, of course, working with our allies in the region, is to ensure that that is reflected in the final deal. And if that's not reflected in the final deal, there's not going to be a final deal. And that is -- I keep coming back to this fundamental structural point of this negotiation, which is that we have all the cards. If the Iranians want the benefits of the bargain, they have to give us the things that are necessary to get those benefits. Go ahead.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you, Mr. Vice President.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We'll do both. OK.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Which ones --

VANCE: Both of you guys. There's one in the white and then one in, you know, orange, I think.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And what about the pink?

VANCE: I'm sorry?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The pink.

VANCE: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

VANCE: Maybe I'm colorblind. It looks more orange to me. I don't want to have a debate about that. Orange, pinkish. You go first, and then in front of you, you can go second.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Me first. Thank you, Mr. Vice President. How does the points about granting some immediate waivers on sanctions, especially from the Treasury Department, how does that square with the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act? And are you planning on briefing Congress on this portion?

[11:40:00]

VANCE: Yes. So, I talked to James Braid, our head of OLA. We do plan to brief Congress very soon. I believe that they got the formal copy of the signed document this morning. And if not, they're going to get it at some point later today.

PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: All right. You've been listening to Vice President J.D. Vance speaking about this memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran, saying that the 60-day negotiating period starts today. So, we're going to have more coverage of this White House briefing and the next championship parade. You can catch all the action over on CNN All Access. Just use your QR code on your screen right here.

And we now turn to our special coverage of the opening ceremony of the Obama Presidential Center with our Wolf Blitzer and Sara Sidner.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: History unfolding right now on the south side of Chicago. Take a look at this. Live pictures of the Obama Presidential Center. It's grand opening just a few moments away. Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama both about to speak on this stage as they unveil the museum and the cultural center that will define their legacy for generations to come. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Sara Sidner live here in Chicago on site at the Obama Presidential Center. There are thousands of people now gathered here at this sprawling site in Chicago's Jackson Park on the south side, not far from the housing projects where Barack Obama began a momentous career that would see him elected as the first African-American president in our nation's history. The energy here, as high as it gets, and we're just minutes away from the beginning of this ceremony. We have already seen Stevie Wonder preparing for his performance here. We have heard from Jennifer Hudson, who is a child of Chicago herself. We're going to be hearing from Bruce Springsteen. I've seen Katt Williams hanging out here, the funny man, as well as LL Cool J and the country singer Mickey Guyton also here. You've got a lot of stars here, but you also have a lot of people who helped Obama along the way. And local folks from the south side are here as well. Bono is here. As I mentioned, there are a lot of folks here from all over the world, not just the country and not just Chicago, including our own Jeff Zeleny, who is here.

Now, Jeff, look, you have covered President Obama throughout his entire presidency. You have been to a lot of things and seen a lot. You have also been given a sneak peek of this very venue. And we hear you've got some news for us, because you've now been given a little hint as to what we're going to hear from President Obama, him and Michelle, the only people that are going to speak today, correct?

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Right, Sara. We have learned that just a few moments ago, President Obama and Mrs. Obama have welcomed all of the former living presidents here to Chicago, George and Laura Bush, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Joe and Jill Biden. Of course, President Trump was not invited, will not be here. Not a surprise, of course.

But the crowd, as it's taking shape here, certainly, I'm told, is going to be sent forward with a lesson and a bit of instruction from the former president. He was talking to his advisers last evening, his alumni of aides, and he said, don't be nostalgic. He said, nostalgia lets you off the hook to think about a time in history.

So, really, I'm told this speech is going to be a call to action, and he's going to, I'm told, directly address this moment in time. And you cannot walk inside this museum without sort of feeling this two-world mentality about his call for hope and change and a red and blue America and the Trump era, which followed his presidency.

I am told that President Obama, in his remarks today, after many of the entertainers here, will be giving a pointed message to others that change is indeed possible. But I am struck by don't be nostalgic, because that lets you off the hook. So, we'll hear from the former president as well as the first lady. And those are the only two politicians, if you will, who will be speaking here today.

SIDNER: Yes. I mean, as the youngest president so far in our lifetime, certainly, there's a lot more life to live for President Obama and Mrs. Obama. And I know they did a lot of work here to just sort of get people in the mood to understand history, but also to take history into their own hands as well. It is a huge complex. We'll talk a little bit more about what you saw inside, because you did get to review it in just a bit.

But I'm going to toss it back to you, Wolf. A lot of star-studded events are going to be happening. This is going to be quite a show, Wolf. BLITZER: All right. There's Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, who's on the scene there as well. He's a potential 2028 presidential candidate, as we all know. Sara, thank you very much.

[11:45:00]

I'm joined now by CNN political director David Chalian. He's also our Washington bureau chief, CNN senior political commentator, former Obama administration official Van Jones, and CNN special correspondent Jamie Gangel.

Van, how do you think the opening of this Obama Center and Library in Chicago is going to be affecting the legacy, if you will? All of us spent a lot of time covering the Obama presidency.

VAN JONES, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Look, I mean, this is going to be a goosebump factory. That building is a goosebump factory because it's going to bring people back to the days when really -- we had a lot of hope and we were expecting a lot of change. And, you know, you look out there, you saw everybody -- you know, Eric Holder's out there, Ashley Jackson, Jesse Jackson's youngest daughter's out there. I mean, all generations are out there. And so, you've got like a whole moment here that I think people need to feel excited about. New York is excited because of the Knicks. Chicago's excited because of the Obamas.

BLITZER: It's going to be a pretty interesting opening today, and I love the musical presentations that are going to be taking place. A lot of great artists, including one of my favorites, Bruce Springsteen. I saw his concert just recently.

You know, Jamie, it's notable, and I've covered a lot of these presidential library openings. This seems to be different.

JAMIE GANGEL, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, first of all, I just want to say I actually got to spend a lot of time in Chicago this last year because I have a child who's at University of Chicago Law School. So, I've been watching the construction, and I just want to say, go see it. Because as great as our pictures are, they really do not capture how big it is. I mean, that looks large. I'm telling you, it's much bigger in person. It's 19 acres.

And I think it's also important to note, this is not a traditional presidential library. It's being called the Presidential Center. His papers will be accessible digitally, but this is not sort of a classic archives, it's going to be -- have a garden, fruit and vegetable garden. There's going to be a new branch of the Chicago Public Library. There's an art museum there, auditoriums. There is an NBA regulation size basketball court for the non-Knicks fans.

But I think it's being built -- it will change Hyde Park. It will change the South Side of Chicago, bring people to this area as really a community center.

BLITZER: The South Side of Chicago is where Michelle Obama grew up, and it's certainly where Barack Obama got his start. There's no doubt about that, David.

DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yes, he did community organizing there. He got his start in the state legislature. But I would just note, nothing here is not intentional in the way you're describing it. And part of their biggest effort is to bring the community into it, to make it a place for that community.

But listening to Jeff Zeleny, Wolf, talk about what Obama was saying last night to the crowd of Obama alumni there about really not wanting this to just be a time capsule or something about nostalgia or the past. I think that stuff will give goosebumps to people that were there for the moments and supported him and along for the ride, as Mrs. Obama said, on the wild Obama train, those that were aboard it.

But I think there's a direct line between the last time the American people saw President Obama, basically, which is his farewell address. He went to Chicago 10 days before he handed the baton over to Donald Trump in 2017. And he gave a speech about civic participation and engagement and the role of citizen. And I think we're going to hear a lot of that again today.

He sees this as a forward-looking place to learn how to remind Americans broadly that there's nothing in their politics that they can't affect if they choose to get involved and take responsibility for the future of the country.

BLITZER: I'm looking forward. I'm sure all of us are looking forward to visiting the Obama Center in the coming weeks and months, to be sure about that. Guys, stand by. I want to bring in former Obama White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and former senior adviser to President Obama, David Axelrod. Guys, thanks very much for joining us. A truly historic day.

David, I'll start with you. You helped shape President Obama's political rise. You were very instrumental in his election. You were there with him, of course, when he was in the White House. What was it like walking through the museum for the first time?

DAVID AXELROD, FORMER SENIOR ADVISER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA: Oh, my goodness. Wolf, it was an emotional experience. You know, to be honest with you, I went over because they asked me to come and I felt an obligation to see it. And it was a really emotional experience because I felt like I was reliving the journey and not just his journey, but America's journey, which I think is almost more important. He played a big role in this chapter, but it's rooted in some values and a history that really means something to me.

[11:50:00]

And as someone who was involved in both the campaign and the government, you know, it was really overwhelming.

BLITZER: Yes, I'm sure it was. Rahm, it was a deliberate choice, as we all know, to put this Obama Center right on the south side of Chicago, a city you clearly know well, a part of the city with fewer resources and tourism, at least until now. What does that choice say to you about President Obama and his priorities?

RAHM EMANUEL, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL AND GLOBAL AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: Well, as I always said, you know, because of where we are centrally located, O'Hare, you can get anywhere in the world. But with a library like this as a cultural attraction, everybody in the world can now come to Chicago. So, the economic benefit, the cultural benefit and the political benefit to the south side, to the city, but also about thinking about what we all can do to roll up our sleeves and get to work.

And as I said to the president when I saw it about two and a half months ago, and having been the mayor when we first thought of it, your idea of not a presidential library, but a presidential campus in all its facets has come to life for the city.

BLITZER: It certainly does. David, President Obama, as we all know now, was extremely involved in almost every aspect of putting this Obama Center in Chicago together. Knowing him the way you do and you know him well, does that surprise you?

CHALIAN: His job was to minister to a community that had been beaten down by the closure of steel mills and had sort of lost their hope. And he helped restore that hope. And he helped persuade people that if they organized and if they worked together, they had agency and they had power to change their circumstances.

And in some ways, this speech today is very, very important for the country because there are a lot of beaten down people in this country who feel like they don't have any agency or any ability to change things. His story proves otherwise. And hopefully, he'll address some of that in the speech today.

BLITZER: And we're hearing in the background The Roots performing right now. We're going to be hearing a lot more musical entertainment during the course of this historic opening. Rahm, you recently wrote in the Wall Street Journal, and I read your article, that the opening of this museum, in your words, reminds us that the American promise can be redeemed. What did you mean by that?

EMANUEL: Yes. Because I think the president's inspiration was always about thinking about tomorrow, thinking about our future, and the possibility that that had and make the most of it. And I think when you think about this time, and you think about what we have to do, all of us have a role.

And I do think the President offered that sense, not just of optimism, kind of naivete, but that we have a role to build the promise of America, that this country is built on the unexpected possibility that tomorrow can always be better than today, if we all work together and individually towards that goal.

And so, that's what I think it meant. And, you know, as you come on to the 250-year anniversary of America, it's not a location, it's not a space, it's a set of ideals built on a set of principles, not only about freedom and liberty, but that tomorrow can be better than today. And that's what I think this library, this center, this campus, and his presidency should inspire more generations ahead of us.

BLITZER: All right. Rahm Emanuel, David Axelrod, don't go too far away. We're going to be chatting with you during the course of our extensive live coverage of this moment, the opening of the Obama Center in Chicago.

I want to go to Chicago right now, seeing as Jason Carroll is over at the official watch party right near the Obama Presidential Center. There's so much excitement going on. Update our viewers.

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Sara, it is loud out here. It's been loud ever since very early this morning. Thousands of people, I want you to take a look at this, have flooded here into Midway Play Songs Park to get a glimpse of what is going on at the Barack Obama Presidential Center opening ceremony.

What's everyone looking at? They're looking at and listening to The Roots up there on the jumbotron. Again, thousands of people coming out here, Sara. This is such an important moment for South Chicago. Many of these people that you see out here in this audience actually have some sort of a personal connection to the Obamas in some way, shape, or form.

I want to bring in two people who I met a little earlier. Take a look at these t-shirts. Now, I know you guys, you designed the t-shirts, right? This is Marcus and Veronica Smith. Marcus, you designed the t- shirts, yes?

MARCUS: No, I got them on Amazon.

CARROLL: Oh, OK.

VERONICA SMITH: He picked it out. I approved that.

CARROLL: Tell me again, why is he -- we were talking about this earlier, why is it so important for you guys to be out here today?

MARCUS: Well, it's important for me because our cousin, I met Barack Obama before he became a senator -- before he has -- before was a senator, before he was a president.

[11:55:00]

And my cousin said -- our cousin said that he was going to be the president. And the fact that he became the senator, he became the president, this is full circle, this is history. And I am just shocked that they built ahead of this for him.

CARROLL: What are you looking forward to in terms of seeing at the actual museum? Have you been over there yet? Have you had a chance to see it?

SMITH: I have.

CARROLL: If not, what do you want to take a look at? SMITH: Well, so yes, I have had a chance to have an early sneak peek. And it's everything I could dream of. I got goosebumps. I was crying. I was laughing. Just to see all the history right in my face and above me.

CARROLL: And again, we were talking about this again a little earlier, but explain again for the audience that why, why is this important for Chicago, and specifically, the South Side of Chicago?

SMITH: Because this is where he was from. This is where he grew up. This is where his kids were born, where he met his beautiful wife, Michelle. It's all right here in the heart of the South Side.

CARROLL: Go ahead.

MARCUS: I think it's important that we highlight the great things of Chicago. There are some negative things that happened in the city. And this is one of the big things that has got to bring some light to the city, to bring more people here so they're not afraid to come and see this beautiful city.

CARROLL: All right. thanks very much. Enjoy the show.

SMITH: Thank you.

CARROLL: So, again, Sara, they'll be out here enjoying the show all afternoon long. Even though they couldn't get a ticket, a lot of folks out here are still happy just to be a part of it in some way, shape, or form.

BLITZER: It's a nice watch party. And Jason Carroll is clearly happy to be assigned there. Jason, we'll get back to you, of course, as well.

You know, Van, as we watch all of this unfold, as someone who worked closely with President Obama, what goes through your mind?

JONES: Well, I mean, first of all, just seeing the masses of people coming out, working class, everyday folks, and everybody's got a story. This man touched a whole generation of people globally. He's still one of the most beloved Americans, one of the most celebrated Americans. And you see that.

But then also you see these mega stars out there. I think I saw Oprah Winfrey, John Batiste, Gayle King. So, I mean, this is the Obama phenomenon. He is somehow able to have this relationship, both President Obama and Michelle Obama, where everyday people feel close to him. And yet the most powerful people in the world also want to come and show respect.

BLITZER: And we have a new poll, David, that shows how popular former President Obama really is. Much more popular than the current president and some of the other former presidents.

CHALIAN: More popular than every living president. He's got a net positive by 25 points favorability rating. It's in a different universe than everyone else. The only other living president in positive territory you see there is George W. Bush. That wasn't the case when he left office. But you know, absence makes the heart grow fonder, perhaps. Not so for Bill Clinton. He's an evenly divided figure now. And obviously Donald Trump and Joe Biden rating worse than Donald Trump with the American public right now. So, those two successors to Barack Obama are on the complete other end of the spectrum.

And, you know, that speaks to a couple of things. Well, first of all, this is a longer period of time that we've seen between a president leaving office and them opening their presidential library. So, he's out of office nearly 10 years. Usually, as the case with George W. Bush or Bill Clinton or H.W. Bush, it was all within like four or five years after they left office.

So, Barack Obama's had a longer period of time to sort of establish what his post presidency is like. And I think there are still question marks around that. You know, Democrats, Van can speak to this, constantly ask whenever something seems to go askew or Donald Trump has done something that they feel threatens our democracy. It's sort of like, where is Barack Obama? Democrats are constantly looking for him. And he is trying to make his way off the stage, as he says, to be more of a coach and not a player.

And yet the party is still very much look at those popularity numbers demanding for him to remain in the arena, which he has done at times, but at times to the frustration of some in the Democratic Party has not. And he has said himself this week, he choose -- he picks and chooses his targets when he wants to sort of pop his head up. He doesn't feel it's his role to be doing that every day.

JONES: And it's paid off. Look, look at the favorability numbers reflect that strategy. And so, he's got a lot of dry powder. If he ever decides to step up, you know, Al Gore -- I'm going to take on climate change the conversation. If he decides to take on A.I. or anything else, the whole world is going to pay attention to him because he has not been wasting his fire.

BLITZER: And very quickly, Jamie, in recent days and weeks, maybe a lot longer than that. President Trump really spends a lot of time attacking Barack Obama.

GANGEL: Yes, no question. Look, there is a break with tradition here. President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were not invited today. That should not be a surprise considering it's not just a war of words. It's not about policy, it is just been insulting and --

BLITZER: You mean the way Trump attacks --

GANGEL: The way Trump attacks President Obama. I just want to go back to something that David said --

[12:00:00]