奥巴马分享父亲节心得

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At the White House this Friday before Father’s Day weekend, the president took time to promote the importance of being a responsible father, and his message was filled with personal experience. Here is NBC’s Chuck Todd.

The president took time off from an exceptionally challenging week on the economic and international fronts to use his bully pulpit to talk about fatherhood.

"I'm somebody who didn’t have a father in my house when I was coming up, so the young men who are here today, just want you to know that even if your father was not there, you can be there for your child when you have a child, and it’s not a bad thing to wait to have a child, until you’ve got your act together.

At three different events today, the president shared versions of his own struggles growing up without a dad.

“Despite all their extraordinary love and attention, that doesn’t mean that I didn’t feel my father’s absence. That’s something that leaves a hole in a child’s heart that a government can’t fill.”
This is so personal to Mr. Obama that he devoted his first book to finding the connection with his absentee father.

“At the time of his death, my father remained a myth to me, both more or less than a man.”

Today, Mr. Obama brought in celebrity athletes and others who have had their own successes and troubles being a father.

NBA player Etan Thomas. “You know I grow up with a single parent. You know my mother was a teacher, did a beautiful job raising me and my brother.”

The president is acutely aware that he is a role model for African-American fathers, and many in the black community believe the simple image of the First Family is having a positive impact.

“That picture does so much for the confidence in African-Americans, particularly African-American men who at times have been told that they are not carrying their responsibility as fathers.”

“This isn’t an obligation. This is a privilege.”

Today’s eventful design not only to coincide with Father’s Day, but kick off a series of events the White House plans on holding around the country throughout the rest of this year. Chuck Todd NBC News, the White House.