President Barack Obama is preparing for what a lot of parents feel at their child’s high school graduation — overwhelming emotion.
Obama said Wednesday he turned down an invitation to speak at daughter Malia’s graduation in the spring because he is “going to cry.”
“Malia’s graduating in June. I can’t talk about it,” Obama said during lunch at the Jolly Pumpkin Brewery in Detroit with Mayor Mike Duggan and others. “They’re going to leave their daddy. It’s shameful!”
Malia, the President’s oldest daughter, is a high school senior at Sidwell Friends School in Washington. She has not yet announced where she is attending college.
Obama also took another opportunity to look into the future while in Detroit, remarking that he was going to need a new car in a year when he leaves office.
While delivering remarks at the UAW-GM Center for Human Resources, Obama said he was going to miss his American-made limousine, but took time to car shop while visiting the North American International Auto Show on Wednesday.
At the auto show Obama was seen checking out the new Chrysler Pacifica, telling reporters, “It’s cool driving a minivan.”
The President was also seen smiling while sitting in the driver’s seat of a bright orange Chevrolet Bolt EV.