Real Clear Politics, February 25, 2015

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Now, let me get the broader question that you asked, which is, what would I ask for the next president of the United States. One of the things I’ve learned in this position is that as the only office in which you are the president of all the people, not just some, you have to be thinking not just in terms of short-term politics, you have to be thinking about what’s good for the country over the long term.

Now, over the long term, this is going to get solved because at some point there’s going to be a President Rodriguez or there’s going to be a President Chen, or there’s going to be —

[ applause ]

The country is a nation of immigrants, and ultimately it will reflect who we are, and its politics will reflect who we are. And that’s not something to be afraid of, that’s something to welcome because that’s always how we have stayed dynamic and stay cutting edge and be youthful.