Obama in California to raise money for fellow Democrats

President Barack Obama said Thursday that “strange things” can happen in politics when voters are scared and that the angst people are feeling across the country is finding voice in both the Republican and Democratic parties. “It’s like, ‘Hey! I’m here, live in front of you”.

President Obama is headed to the Bay Area today and will be in the Los Angeles area Thursday for Democratic Party fundraisers and an appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”.

Obama also revealed that he has considered going out in disguise and talked about how hard it will be to send daughter Malia off to college in the fall.

“After about 15 years, I finally figured out that she’s always right”, he said Thursday while taping an appearance set to air the next day. Then I’m going to give you a massage while you watch … Then suddenly it’s your brother, you uncle, your best friend, your co-workers.

He said he declined an invitation to speak at her upcoming graduation. “I just thought it would work and – and I’ve had to stick with it, because people were responding”.

With his potential successors dominating the airwaves, President Barack Obama on Wednesday will arrive in the Bay Area for two fundraisers – including one at the home of a Hillary Clinton donor whose own political ambitions may have been damaged by recent bad press. But his good sense prevailed and he realized it wouldn’t be a good idea.

“I don’t think anybody has been more influential than you on that”, Obama said. “I’d have to pin my ears back”. He is scheduled to fly to Palm Springs on Friday in advance of a summit of Asian leaders on Monday and Tuesday, which the president will host at Sunnylands resort in Rancho Mirage.

Obama recalled laws were changed and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was repealed under his administration, but said he mentioned to his staff on the way to the interview DeGeneres was responsible for “changing hearts and minds”.