I do think that I am generally optimistic.

All I care about is making sure that I leave behind an America that is stronger, more prosperous, more stable, more secure than it was when I came into office and that's going to continue to drive me.

The spirit's there and that's not just my imagination. I think if you look at surveys and attitudes among young people, you see it.

I'm determined to disagree with people without being disagreeable. That's part of the empathy. Empathy doesn't just extend to cute little kids. You have to have empathy when you're talking to some guy who doesn't like black people.

One of the things I think the next president has to do is to stop fanning people's fears. If we spend all our time feeding the American people fear and conflict and division, then they become fearful and conflicted and divided. And if we feed them hope and we feed them reason and tolerance, then they will become tolerant and reasonable and hopeful.

If you look at Libya, I was deeply concerned about what would happen after Qaddafi was gone.

A political candidacy built around hope and change and compromise would eventually become a presidency of crisis and confrontation.