News / Politics

American 'wisdom' will put Democrats at helm in White House, Obama predicts

Tuesday, 01 December 2015 10:59 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 02 December 2015 3:55 AM ]

US President Barack Obama speaks during a press conference on December 1, 2015 at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris. (AFP)

US President Barack Obama says he is "confident" that a Democrat will succeed him and the party will again take control of the White House.

During a press conference on the sidelines of the Climate Change Summit in Paris, President Obama said Tuesday, "I am anticipating a Democrat succeeding me. I am confident in the wisdom of the American people on that front."

"Even if somebody from a different party succeeded me, one of the things you find when you're in the job, you think about it differently than when you're just running for the job," he said.

"What you realize is American leadership involves not just playing to a narrow constituency back home, but you now are in fact at the center of what happens around the world," Obama further claimed.

The Democratic candidates in the 2016 US presidential election are Hillary Clinton, 68, Bernie Sanders, 74, and Martin O'Malley, 52, with Obama mostly expected to back Clinton, his former secretary of state .

*Hillary Clinton (L), Bernie Sanders (C) and Martin O’Malley talk backstage before the start of an event. (AP)*

Many of Obama's top policy priorities, including his landmark healthcare law and a global climate change agreement, could rest upon whether a Republican or Democrat succeeds him.

Republican candidates have pledged to revoke ObamaCare and restore Obama's efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions if they are elected.

The latest polls lend some credence to Obama’s prediction.

The RealClearPolitics average of national polls puts Clinton ahead of Republican front runner Donald Trump by 4 percentage points.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk