OBAMA INTERVIEW

Some of what Obama said on "On Air with Ryan Seacrest."

On Halloween:

“I'm gonna be a pumpkin ... Here's the problem -- this will be the first year where I don't personally take the girls out. The reason is because these days when I go out it becomes a big scene. Last year I wore a rubber mask and so people didn't know who I was and we were able to have a great time. This year even if I wear a rubber mask if I've got six Secret Service around me it probably attracts a little bit more."

On plans for Tuesday:

“I'll vote first thing in the morning, then take the girls to school probably. And then we will fly to a state fairly close to home that's a battleground state. I'll do some campaigning and handshaking and all that good stuff. And then come back and I will have my traditional election day basketball game. We started this tradition in Iowa and we've been doing it every Election Day since. Hopefully I won't brak my nose for the big night, get an elbow in the teeth.” After the game he'll have dinner with his family before heading to downtown Chicago to watch the results come in.

On McCain:

“I think that Sen. McCain is a decent man. You won't hear me go around saying he's a bad person. I think there's no doubt he's much closer to George Bush's philosophy than I am…If you think that what we've been doing is working, then John McCain's your choice.”
On visiting his ailing grandmother in Hawaii:

“Well, you know, obviously it was tough … She's not doing great. She's pretty sick. But I was glad that I did what I did which was to go her and see her and make sure I told her the only reason I'm doing what I'm doing is because of her. It's a pretty big deal for her, no doubt about it.”

On sleep:
“What happens is … if you do it often enough -- long enough -- you start being able to do things you didn't think you'd be able to do. You can manage on four hours of sleep…No matter how tough the situation is I will go to sleep.”

On the election:
"Whoever you're voting for … get out there and vote. This is one of those game changing elections, one of those defining moments … Probably the next 20 years is going to be be decided by where we are now ... I think what we really need to do is move in a new direction in terms of making health care affordable."