President Obama: Gwen Ifill, Trump Transition, Commitment To NATO [Video]

U.S. President Barack Obama held a press conference at the White House this afternoon where he discussed the passing of journalist Gwen Ifill and the transition of President-elect Donald Trump into the position of the U.S. presidency, as well as the President-elect’s views on foreign policy, his commitment to NATO, and a number of other issues.

“Gwen was a standard bearer for courage, fairness and integrity in an industry going through seismic change,” PBS colleague Sara Just said of Ifill, as reported by Variety. “She was a mentor to so many across the industry and her professionalism was respected across the political spectrum.”

“I have always appreciated Gwen’s reporting,” the Obama-Gwen Ifill memorial went. “Even when I was at the receiving end of one of her tough and thorough interviews.”

Obama went on to state that in addition to informing U.S. citizens, Ifill served to “inspire tomorrow’s journalists.” He called her a “powerful role model” for girls and women.

The president indicated that he and his team are committed to ensuring a “smooth transition” with the incoming Trump administration. Obama will be traveling overseas over coming days, and he communicated his intention to stay in touch with Donald Trump and his team while traveling abroad.

Obama’s overseas travels will be his last serving in the capacity of America’s commander-in-chief.

President Obama explained that there is no Constitutional requirement that he and Trump stay in touch, but that it is a norm that is “vital to a functioning democracy.”

The president spoke about encouraging his administration to “finish what we started,” keeping up the work they have undertaken in their last few months, as well as their accomplishments, including a growing economy, job growth, and reduced carbon emissions.

Obama’s impressed upon those gathered his desire to see the world economic community continue to embrace economic policies that have been adopted in the wake the sub-prime mortgage meltdown in 2008.

The president called a “strong, integrated, and united” Europe “essential” to the “national security” of the United States, and stated his intention of conveying this position when travelling on the continent over the coming days.

When asked about foreign leaders’ views of Trump and how he would assuage them, President Obama stated that as the president he is a “spokesperson” for many layers of the machinery that makes the United States “indispensable” to other nations around the world.

President Obama expressed a belief that this role of the United States will continue. He stated that he believes that Donald Trump is interested in maintaining “core strategic relationships” with other nations, including the commitment of the United States to NATO and the Transatlantic Alliance.

The president was also asked about the future of the Democratic Party, in the wake of such an unexpected defeat. He spoke about his team feeling “deflated,” which he proposed was a normal condition associated with defeat.

“It’s hard and it’s challenging,” President Obama said seriously.

Obama stated that “reflection” would be a “healthy” activity for the Democratic Party to engage in. He said that he did not want to appear to be “big-footing” the debate surrounding the party, and expressed a desire to see new voices be heard.

“I think the Democrats should not waver on our core beliefs and principles.”

The president stated that the party should reexamine how it organizes itself over coming months. He stated a belief that the Democratic Party has the “better ideas.”

“Good ideas don’t matter if people don’t hear them.”

Obama described traveling in Iowa during one of his presidential campaigns, to many small towns, and encouraged the Democratic Party to get back to its “grassroots” base, reflecting that it was this base who elected him.

The president spoke of change happening “rapidly” at at times, but that change was not “inevitable,” comparing recent events to the Republican controlled House of Representatives and Senate that existed shortly before he was elected first elected.

Things “change because you work for them,” President Obama explained.

[Featured Image by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images]