We want to end tonight by remembering people those who were lost aboard from the titanic. 60 or gold, Founded Oceangate in 2009 with the state admission of increasing access to the deep ocean through innovation. 58 year old pilot, king charting, who Made Headlines in 2019 for being part of a cliff that broke the world record for circumnavigating the globe over both polls. 48 year old, pakistani billionaire and his 19yearold son we should know it was a University Student in glasgow, and at seven legendary, french dire. He had made dozens of to the side of titanic. Tonight, were thinking of all of those who knew them and their families. Up next is the cnn exclusive, obama and Amanpour Will Democracy when. Starts right now. Tonight, former president obama oneonone with Christiane Amanpour. Mister president , welcome. An indepth conversation on the state of American Democracy. From the birthplace of democracy, athens, greece. Our existing Democratic Institutions are freaky and were going to have to reform them. With the 2024 election underway, the former president weighs in on the president ial field. Meeting a president who takes the Oath Of Office seriously. The Trump Indictment trump is above the law. And what misinformation in the democratic process need for america. Its very hard for democracy to work. The fight in ukraine. I think it was a wake up call. The front line, of a global war to protect democracy. What president obama thinks it will take for freedom to prevail. Democracy will win if we fight for. It democracy, at a crossroads, a new generation joining the, fight the mission of a lifetime. It is our job to give the opportunity. Obama and amen for, will democracy when starts now. Hello everyone and welcome to a cnn special report. Im Christiane Amanpour live in this ancient city of athens in greece. Where the seeds of democracy were first son. Tonight, my oneonone with the former president barack obama who is here, sounding the alarm on the fate of democracy and working to strengthen it through his foundation. He joins me at the athens ehsan f cultural center. Just devoted to Civil Society and discourse. He spoke candidly about the current president ial race, which includes both of his successors, donald trump and the current President Joe Biden. It is worth noting that obamas last overseas speech, as president , was right here. Back in november 2016. Barely a week after donald trump won that election. His message that democracy would prevail. But in the years since democracy is taken a battery in the United States as well as Around The World. From attacks on the rule of law and the press to the rise of autocrats. So, hes delivering that same message now. More urgently than ever. Mister president , welcome. It is wonderful to be with you. Can i ask you about your commitment to democracy right here in athens . You did give a speech, your last speech as president about a week after President Trump won. And you talked about your faith in the solidity of the democratic ideals. A lot has happened since then, right . Thats true. Do you still feel that way, do you feel that democracy will win . I do believe that democracy will win, if we fight for it. Democracy is not self executed. It depends on the citizens. And an active mobilization of people around the belief. Not just in any particular issue but the belief and self governance. And the rule of law and independent judiciary, free of press. And all of the civic institutions that go into making a democracy work. And i think that it is indisputable that a combination of forces have put an enormous strain on democracy. And that we have seen a backlash against the democratic ideals Around The World. It is not unique to any one place. Its happened in europe, its happened in the United States. Its happened in this part of the world around the mediterranean. Its happening in asia. And the reason im optimistic is because i believe, particularly, as i meet young people Around The World, there is still a fundamental belief in the dignity and worth of individuals and the better agency, in determining what their lives are like. I think thats what young people want. But our existing Democratic Institutions are creaking. And were going have to reform them. So, lets ask about the creaky or not institutions in the United States. Yes. The spectacle of a former president being federally indicted, how its the rest of the world, the democratic world, even the non democratic world meant to interpret that indictment and indeed the fact that a federal indictee is running, able to run for the highest of it in the land. Maybe even the world. It is less than ideal. [laughter] but the fact that we have a former president who is having to answer to charges brought by prosecutors does uphold the basic notion that nobody is above the law. And the allegations will not be sorted out through a court process. I think im more concerned, when it comes to the United States with the fact that not just one particular individual is being accused of undermining existing laws. But more broadly we have seen whether its through the gerrymandering of districts, whether its china silence critics who changes and legislative process. Whether its attempts to intimidate the press. And a strand of antidemocratic sediment, we have seen in the United States. It is something that is, right now, most probably in the republican party. But i dont think that its something as unique to one party. It is a less tolerance for ideas that dont suit us. And, its sort of the habits of a free and open exchange in ideas. And the idea that we all agreed to the rules of the game and, even if the outcomes arent always the ones we, like we still abide by those rules. I, think thats weakened since i left office. And, were going to need the strength when we get it. I do need to ask, you will follow up on. That because, what happens if donald trump once again . It is said that the institutional guard rails of American Democracy were Strong Enough to survive. One term presidency. Are they Strong Enough to survive if that kind of person, personality once again . I wont speculate on the outcome of future election. Obviously, im a democrat. Ive got a deep i mean the institutions. But i will make a general statement. Which is having been president of the United States, you need a president who takes the Oath Of Office seriously. You need a president who believes not just in the letter but the spirit of the democracy. And, the Essential Spirit Of Democracy is that, as president of the United States, you are just one representative of the people. And the series of coequal branches, are checks and balances to the system. You are subject to those checks and balances. You cannot ignore them. You cannot make your own rules. You cannot view the Justice Department as your personal law form. You cannot ignore norms and guardrails that have been put in place to assure. Your Self Interest isnt what drives these institutions. But is rather, the interest of the American People. And so, if you have anybody that is occupying that office who disregard that higher purpose, then youre going to have problems. The good news is that through the mechanism of all, being the American People are going to have the opportunity to reaffirm the belief in American Democracy. And the other thing kristen, i do think what happens in the United States matters Around The World. And the thing, sometimes what i may ask is, what surprised do about being president. And, if i knew i was going to be busy, and i knew that, obviously, the United States is an extraordinarily powerful country, the idea of america, the idea of a possibility of a multi racial, multi ethnic, multi religious large big complicated country still being able to function as a democracy, that is an important idea for the world. And, when it looks like americas democracy is teetering or breaking down then i think it emboldens those who do not believe in democracy Around The World. And it worries. And weakens Democratic Forces in other places. So, President Biden, and who you know extremely well, has made the defensive democracy the sort of centerpiece of his administration. It just so happens that, right now, there is also not just threats to democracy by dictatorships and autocrats but also in liberal democracies as well. He has called the president of china a dictator, and theyre sticking with. It he has also hosting, as we, speak the Prime Minister of india, modi. Who is considered autocratic or it least a liberal democrat. What is the point, i guess, or how should a president engage with those kind of leaders . Either the naming of them or in the dealing with them. Look, its complicated. The president of the United States has a lot anyways. And, when i was president , i would deal with figures, in some cases who are allies. Who actually, if you press me in private, do they run their governments . And their Political Parties in ways that i would say are ideally democratic . I have to say no. Will you name names . No, of course not. But you had to do business with them. Because theyre important for National Security reasons. Theyre a range of economic interests. Ive dealt with china to give the Paris Accords, done that would motivate you to get the Paris Accords done. Because i think Climate Change is something that any particular momentary its a problem that humanitys got to deal with over the next several decades, in a serious way. I do think its appropriate for the president of the United States where he or she can to uphold those principles and to challenge weather behind closed doors or in public terms that are troubling. And so, unless were concerned about labels. Then im concerned about specific practices. And i think that its important for the president of the United States to say that if you have [inaudible] internet who are being placed in mast cabs and reeducated, quote unquote, that is a problem. That is a challenge for all of us. And we stop to Pay Attention to it. And i think its true that if the president meets with Prime Minister mohammed, the protection of the Muslim Minority in a majority hindu india, that is something worth mentioning because and by the way, if i had a conversation with Prime Minister why no, well part of my argument would be that if you do not protect the rights of ethnic minorities in india then there is a strong possibility in india, at some point, it starts pulling apart. And we have seen what happens when you start giving those kind of large internal conflicts. So, that would be contrary to the interest. Not just a muslim india. But also hindu india. So, i think its important to be able to talk about these things honestly. You are never going to have things are never going to be as clean as you like because the world is complicated. When we return, mr. Obama weighs in on President Bidens reelection charges. Including whether hell face a democratic challenger. 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Ask your doctor if its right for you. Welcome back to a cnn special report, live from athens, greece. You just heard former president , barack obama, react to the republican primaries. In this next part, he discusses the Reelection Chances of the current president and his former vp, President Biden. Obama also weighs in on the war in ukraine and why the outcome is vital to democracy. President biden is running for reelection. Everybody is talking about. It his age, his polls, even there are some challenges within the democrats, maybe somebody who might start to premier him, et cetera. But i would like to know is many say that his policies and his legislative and his wins frankly should speak for themselves. And yet, according to the way to win, a democrat leading company from, only some 22 of latino voters, 33 of black voters can actually identify something that they say hes stunned to specifically make their lives better. What would you say to that and how would you advise them to connect in a reelection . I think that joe biden has done an extraordinary job leading the country through some extraordinary difficult times. I do not think that theres going to be any kind of serious Primary Challenge to joe biden. I think the Democratic Party is unified. And there is a lot of talk. You remember when you first elected because Bernie Sanders had run in, and somehow theres this huge split between Progressive Democrats and more centrist democrats. And the truth is, is that partly because of how hes govern those divisions have been bridged. I think whats true unamerican politics is until you get two campaigns people are paying much attention. People have gone through a difficult time because of covid and the pandemic. And lockdowns. And because of inflation. Primarily, the result of the war in ukraine and Rising Energy prices as well as supply chain issues. And so people have memories about aches getting more expensive, gas was more expensive. And they hadnt been paying as much attention to the fact that for example the African AmericanUnemployment Rate is lower than its been in decades. The campaign will allow President Biden to make those arguments. And i think that in a medium environment that so cluttered. It is very hard to break, the until you get to. Elections and youll recall, when i run to reelection, in 2012 my poll numbers werent that great. And we ended up winning comfortably and part of that was just that we started campaigning. And we were able to get a message out, and people, said yes you know that policy or this policy or this thing left undone, that irritated me a little bit. But, overall i think hes done a good job. And i think that is what theyre going to conclude by joe biden as well. When russia started the illegal invasion, the second invasion of ukraine, i believe that you said that democracy, it is a wake up call democracies are getting flabby where does ukraine, in your view, stand in the fight to preserve democracy . I think its vital. Its interesting but before i left office i gave speeches, not just here in athens but in hamburg and london and one of the a