President Barack Obama gushes over daughters in final press conference

PRESIDENT Barack Obama ended his run of presidential press conferences on a personal note, “bragging on” his teenage girls Sasha and Malia.

President Barack Obama speaks during his final presidential news conference. Picture: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Photo

BARACK Obama’s final press conference as President was previewed as a farewell and thanks to members of the media he has worked with for eight years, and a chance to get his final message out.

But it was the outgoing leader’s daughters that stole the focus in Mr Obama’s parting words.

Before getting into his final answer, the proud dad warned he would spend some time “bragging on” Malia, 18, and Sasha, 15, his daughters who have grown up in the White House.

“Every parent brags on their daughters and their sons. If your parents aren’t bragging on you there’s something wrong,” he said.

“But man, my daughters are something. They just surprise and enchant and impress me more and more every single day as they grow up.”

US President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle and daughters Sasha and Malia wave to supporters on election night November 6, 2012. Picture: Jewel Samad/AFP Photo

Malia and Sasha were only young girls when they entered the spotlight, and life in the White House, in 2008.

But Mr Obama noted how much the pair had matured.

Mr Obama said he and his wife Michelle speak with the girls “as parent and child”, but have also learned from them when it came to discussing the election that saw Hillary Clinton, their father’s would-be successor, defeated.

“I think it was really interesting to see how Malia and Sasha reacted,” he said.

“They were disappointed. They paid attention to what their mom said during the campaign and believed it because it’s consistent with what we’ve tried to teach them in our household.

“What we’ve also tried to teach them is resilience and we’ve tried to teach them hope, and that the only thing that is the end of the world is the end of the world, so that tended to be their attitude.”

Mr Obama said neither of his daughters intended to pursue a future in politics, joked that “in that too I think their mother’s influence shows”.

Malia and Sasha have grown into mature young women in the White House. (Photo by Olivier Douliery- Pool/Getty Images)

Back in April 2009, Malia Obama was joined by her family while taking her six-month old Portuguese water dog Bo for a walk. Picture: Saul Loeb/AFP Photo

During Obama’s eight years in office, the first lady became one of the most sought-after Democratic surrogates. But she has given a strong impression she detests politics and repeatedly has said she will never run for public office.

Despite this, Mr Obama said his girls had grown up in an environment where “they could not help but be patriotic”.

“(They) love this country deeply. They see that it’s flawed but see they have a responsibility to fix it,” he said.

“And I expect that’s what they’re going to do.”

Mr Obama said what made him most proud of his daughters was that while they were disappointed at the news of President-elect Donald Trump’s election victory, they were not cynical about the election result.

“They don't mope,” he said.

“They have not assumed that because their side didn’t win, because some of the values they care about don’t seem vindicated, that somehow America has rejected them or rejected their values.

“I think they have appreciated the fact this is a big, complicated country, and democracy’s messy.”

The Obama girls were snapped taking selfies during their dad’s second inauguration parade in January 2013. Picture: Joe Klamar/AFP Photo