Obama Returns to Inspire the Kids, Remind Us What a Real President Is

Barack Obama. Mmmm, remember him? The brilliant, eloquent, even-tempered smooth AF 44th President of these United States?

As we're hurtling close to the 100th day of his successor's presidency--which coincides, fittingly, with a potential shutdown of the government--Obama finally took some time off from doing bong rips on Sir Richard Branson's private island to reemerge in Chicago and offer some words of encouragement.

In his first public appearance since leaving the White House to buy a pack of cigarettes only to never return again back in January, the former POTUS sat down in conversation with six young leaders at an event at the University of Chicago.

"So, uh....," Obama began, "what's been going on since I've been gone?" Claaaaaaaaassic Barry. Obama went on to stress the importance of community organizing and civic engagement to "encourage and support the next generation of leaders," as the talk was billed.

"The single most important thing I can do," he told the crowd, is to "help in any way I can prepare the next generation of leadership to take up the baton and to take their own crack at changing the world."

Obama took a page out of Michelle's book and attempted to avoid mentioning Trump. Chicago marks the first of many appearances the former president will make in the U.S. and Europe as he eases gently into what will hopefully be a transformative post-presidency not seen since the likes of Jimmy Carter. And with Reagan 2.0 in office, we could use it.

Watch a portion of his conversation, below.