Obama on Auto Execs' Private Jets: 'A Little Tone Deaf'

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WALTERS: How are you going to get along without your Blackberry?

President-elect Barack Obama and Michelle Obama sit down for an exclusive interview with Barbara Walters.

(George Burns for ABC News)

OBAMA: (Laughs). This is a problem. I, you know, one of the things that I'm going to have to work through is how to break through the isolation ... the bubble that exists around the president. And I'm in the process of negotiating with the Secret Service, with lawyers, with White House staff ...

WALTERS: You might have a Blackberry?

OBAMA: Well, I'm, I'm negotiating to figure out how can I get information from outside of the 10 or 12 people who surround my office in the White House. Because, one of the worst things I think that could happen to a president is losing touch with what people are going through day to day.

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WALTERS: There are a lot of people concerned about your safety, are you concerned about your safety?

OBAMA: No. I don't think about it, partly because I've got this pretty terrific crew of Secret Service guys that follow me every where I go. But, also because, you know, I have a deep religious faith, and a faith in people that, you know, carries me through the day. And, my job is just to make sure I'm doing my job, and if I do I can't worry about that kind of stuff.

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OBAMA: I think a lot of it just has to do with making sure that they understand that, they're special to us because we're their parents. But they're not special, you know in terms of having to do their homework or having to do chores or having…

WALTERS:They have to do chores in the White House?

MICHELLE OBAMA: Yeah. That was the first thing I said to some of the staff when I did my visit. Because of course, the girls, they're so good. I said, "You know, we're gonna have to set up some boundaries. Because they're gonna need to be able to make their beds and ..."

WALTERS: Really?

MICHELLE OBAMA: They do that now.

WALTERS: In the White House they're gonna have to make the beds and clean up their rooms?

BARACK OBAMA: Doing that since they were 4 years old.

MICHELLE OBAMA: That's gonna be one of my goals. Don't make their beds. Make mine. (Laughs)

BARACK OBAMA: (Laughs)

MICHELLE OBAMA: But skip the kids; let 'em make their own beds. They have to learn these things.

BARACK OBAMA: And they have. That's the one thing that I'm most proud about my kids is that they're kind, thoughtful kids. And they show everybody respect. Everybody they meet. They're kind and sweet too, and they're thoughtful. And really, if they retain that the other stuff will take care of itself.

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