CNN blog:
NSA surveillance
Obama also tried to calm concerns about the National Security Agency and its data mining programs, saying the goal was to stop terrorists, not listen in on Americans' every day conversations.
"If we're gonna do a good job preventing a terrorist attack in this country, a weapon of mass destruction getting on the New York subway system, et cetera, we do want to keep eyes on some bad actors."
Obama continued: "I've said before and I will say it again, the N.S.A. actually does a very good job about not engaging in domestic surveillance, not reading people's emails, not listening to the contents of their phone calls. Outside of our borders, the N.S.A.'s more aggressive."
The President also says he is personally involved in reviewing policies following the leaks by former government IT contractor Edward Snowden, saying the "disclosures have identified some areas of legitimate concern. Some of it has also been highly sensationalized. And you know, has been painted in a way that's not accurate."