By Eun Kyung Kim, TODAY contributor
Hand-in-hand with the first lady, President Obama spoke out on a variety of topics – ranging from the fatal attack in Libya to the 20th wedding anniversary he’s about to celebrate.
In the interview, taped Monday to air Tuesday, Obama told the all-women set of "The View," “I’m just supposed to be eye candy here for you guys.”
But the talk got serious as the president addressed the nation’s struggling middle class, defended his handling of the economy, and described the recent fatal attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya a deliberate one.
Watch video: President Obama: I 'goofed off' too much in school
“There’s no doubt that the kind of weapons that were used, the ongoing assault, that it wasn't just a mob action,” Obama said. “What's clear is that, around the world, there are still a lot of threats out there.”
The president also called his Republican rival, Mitt Romney, a “good man” who “means well” but lacks the policies that can improve the nation’s economy.
“We can survive a lot,” he said. “But the American people don’t want to just survive. We want to thrive.”
The first couple announced that to honor their 20th wedding anniversary on Oct. 3, which falls on the same night as the first presidential debate, they'll celebrate the following Saturday.
Obama's interview will air the same day he is scheduled to speak before the United Nations General Assembly. The president has been criticized for agreeing to appear on “The View," but failing to meet individually with world leaders at the U.N. gathering.
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