>> 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, YOU KNOW, THE SOLIDITY OF THE DEMOCRATIC IDEALS.

A LOT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEN.

>> THAT'S TRUE.

>> DO YOU STILL FEEL THAT WAY?

DO YOU STILL FEEL DEMOCRACY WILL WIN?

>> I DO FEEL DEMOCRACY WILL WIN IF WE FIGHT FOR IT.

ONE OF THE THEMES OF THAT SPEECH, I THEN, A YEAR OR SO LATER, THE CENTENNIAL OF NELSON MANDELA'S BIRTHDAY GAVE A DEMOCRACY ABOUT SPEECH AS WELL.

IT HAS CONTINUED TO BE AN OBSESSION OF MINE WITH THE FOUNDATION.

DEMOCRACY IS NOT SELF-EXECUTED.

IT DEPENDS ON THE ENGAGEMENT OF CITIZENS.

AND AN ACTIVE MOBILIZATION OF PEOPLE AROUND THE BELIEF, NOT JUST IN ANY PARTICULAR ISSUE, BUT THE BELIEF IN SELF- GOVERNANCE AND RULE OF LAW.

AND INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY AND THE FREE PRESS.

ALL THE CIVIC INSTITUTIONS THAT GO INTO MAKING A DEMOCRACY WORK.

AND I THINK IT IS INDISPUTABLE THAT A COMBINATION OF FORCES HAVE PUT ENORMOUS STRAINS ON DEMOCRACY AND WE HAVE SEEN A BACKLASH AGAINST DEMOCRATIC IDEALS AROUND THE WORLD.

IT HAS HAPPENED IN EUROPE.

IT HAS HAPPENED IN THE UNITED STATES.

IT HAS HAPPENED IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD.

AROUND THE MEDITERRANEAN.

IT IS HAPPENING IN ASIA.

THE REASON I'M OPTIMISTIC IS BECAUSE I BELIEVE, PARTICULARLY AS I MEET YOUNG PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD, THERE IS STILL A FUNDAMENTAL BELIEF IN THE WORTH OF INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR AGENCY IN DETERMINING WHAT THEIR LIVES ARE LIKE.

I THINK THAT IS WHAT YOUNG PEOPLE WANT.

OUR EXISTING DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS ARE CREEKY.

AND WE WILL HAVE TO REFORM THEM.

>> SO LET'S ASK ABOUT THE CREEKY OR NOT INSTITUTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES.

THE SPECTACLE OF A FORMER PRESIDENT BEING FEDERALLY INDICTED, HOW IS THE REST OF THE WORLD, THE DEMOCRATIC WORLD, MAYBE EVEN THE NONDEMOCRATTIC WORLD MEANT TO INTERPRET THAT INDICTMENT AND THE FACT THAT A FEDERAL INDICTEE IS ABLE TO RUN FOR THE HIGHEST OFFICE IN THE LAND, MAYBE THE WORLD?

>> IT'S LESS THAN IDEAL.

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 NOW BE SORTED OUT THROUGH A COURT PROCESS.

AND I THINK I AM MORE CONCERNED WHEN IT COMES TO THE UNITED STATES WITH THE FACT THAT ONE PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL IS BEING ACCUSED OF UNDERMINING EXISTING LAWS, BUT THAT MORE BROADLY, WE HAVE SEEN WHETHER IT IS THROUGH THE GERRYMANDERING OF DISTRICTS, WHETHER IT IS TRYING TO SILENCE CRITICS THROUGH CHANGES IN LEGISLATIVE PROCESS, WHETHER IT IS ATTEMPTS TO INTIMIDATE.

A STRAND OF ANTI-DEMOCRATIC SENTIMENT THAT YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SEEN IN THE UNITED STATES.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS RIGHT NOW MOST PROMINENT IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

BUT I DON'T THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS UNIQUE TO ONE PARTY.

LESS TOLERANCE FOR IDEAS THAT DON'T SUIT US.

AND IT IS SORT OF THE HABITS OF A FREE AND OPEN EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AND THE IDEA THAT WE ALL AGREE TO THE RULES OF THE GAME AND EVEN IF THE OUTCOMES AREN'T ALWAYS THE ONES WE LIKE, WE STILL ABIDE BY THOSE RULES.

I THINK THAT IS WEAKENED SINCE I LEFT OFFICE.

AND WE WILL NEED TO STRENGTHEN THEM AGAIN.

>> I NEED TO ASK YOU AGAIN.

A FOLLOW-UP ON THAT.

WHAT HAPPENS IF DONALD TRUMP WINS AGAIN?

IT IS SAID THAT THE INSTITUTIONAL GUARDRAILS OF THE AMERICAN DEMOCRACY WAS STRONG ENOUGH TO SURVIVE A ONE-TERM PRESIDENCY, ARE THEY STRONG ENOUGH TO SURVIVE IF THAT KIND OF PERSON, PERSONALITY WINS AGAIN?

>> I WON'T SPECULATE ON THE OUTCOME OF A FUTURE ELECTION.

OBVIOUSLY, I'M A DEMOCRAT.

I HAVE 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.