Former President Barack Obama appeared at Salem State University last week, engaging in a conversation with presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin before an audience of approximately 3,600 people. During the event, held in the university’s hockey arena, Obama reflected on his 2004 keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in Boston and discussed a range of topics including civil rights, freedom of the press, immigration reform, and his presidential library in Chicago.

As is tradition in the Salem State speaker series, the final question posed to Obama invited him to suggest a future speaker. Obama first recommended his wife, Michelle Obama, remarking that she is "better than I am" but expressed a desire to wait before inviting her, citing that the contrast between their styles might prompt some to question why he was invited initially, a comment that drew laughter from the crowd.

He then shifted to a lighter note, recommending Pope Leo XIV, a fellow Chicago South Side native and noted White Sox fan. Obama mentioned his interest in the pontiff partly because of their shared support for the baseball team. Pope Leo XIV recently received a White Sox hat from fans, a gift that became widely circulated online.

Goodwin followed up by suggesting that Obama could interview the pope if a future event were arranged, a proposal Obama welcomed as an appealing idea. However, he emphasized his current focus on elevating younger voices, saying, “I’m very big right now on getting folks who are younger than me” and providing them with platforms to share their perspectives.

Obama, who is the nation’s first Black president, was the fifth former president to speak at Salem State. A photo montage shown to the audience before his appearance featured previous speakers including Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton, as well as notable public figures like former Patriots coach Bill Belichick and seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady.

Among those images, David Ortiz—known as "Big Papi" and a three-time Red Sox World Series champion—received the loudest applause. Ortiz spoke at the series’ 40th anniversary event in 2022, underscoring the diverse range of notable individuals who have participated in the speaker series over the years.