WASHINGTON — It doesn't sound like President Barack Obama is feeling the Bern.
In an interview with Politico out Monday morning, Obama dismissed the idea that Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' rise is comparable to then-Sen. Obama's rise in 2008.
"No, I don't think...that's true," Obama told POLITICO's Glenn Thrush. "I think Bernie came in with the luxury of being a complete long-shot and just letting loose. I think Hillary [Clinton] came in with the -- both privilege and burden of being perceived as the front-runner."
President Obama offers his views on 2016 race w/@GlennThrush; here's his framing of Bernie Sanders phenomenon pic.twitter.com/jEWMalOtQR— Charlie Mahtesian (@PoliticoCharlie) January 25, 2016
Obama praised both Sanders and Hillary Clinton in the interview. The comments represent the presidents most extensive observations so far on the 2016 race.
While he does not plan to endorse in the Democratic party, Obama certainly sounded like a Clinton supporter. While he said he understands some of the appeal Sanders has, he went on to both defend as well as heap effusive praise on his 2008 rival.
Clinton, Obama said is a "good, smart, tough person who cares deeply about this country."
"She has been in the public eye for a long time in a culture in which new is always better," Obama said. "And, you know, you're always looking at the bright, shiny object that people don't, haven't seen before. That's a disadvantage to her. Bernie is somebody who — although I don't know as well because he wasn't, obviously, in my administration — has the virtue of saying exactly what he believes, and great authenticity, great passion and is fearless. His attitude is, 'I got nothing to lose.' "
Obama essentially sided with Hillary's theory of change over that of Bernie Sanders. https://t.co/CZmesAWrb5— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) January 25, 2016
Obama also said some of his 2008 campaign attacks against Clinton, as well as some media coverage, were unfair.
"I think that the truth is in 2007 and 2008, sometimes my supporters and my staff, I think, got too huffy about what were legitimate questions she was raising," Obama said. "And, you know, there were times where I think the media probably was a little unfair to her and tilted a little my way in the — in calling her out when she was tough and not calling some of our folks out as much when we were tough in ads."
He even discussed the fact that Clinton's gender forced her to have to work harder in the 2008 primary.
"We had as competitive and lengthy and expensive and tough primary fight as there has been in modern American politics, and she had to do everything that I had to do, except, like Ginger Rogers, backwards in heels," Obama said.