Obama: U.S. less racially divided now than in 2009

Despite police shootings and demonstrations in New York City and Ferguson, Mo., President Obama says the United States is less divided by race now than it was when he took office in early 2009.

"I actually think that it's probably -- in its day-to-day interactions -- less racially divided," Obama tells NPR News

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NPR provided a couple of clips from the interview to be broadcast next week.

In a discussion about his legislative outlook for 2015, Obama says the new Republican-run House and Senate must prove to voters that can get things done.

"Now you've got Republicans in a position where it's not enough for them simply to grind the wheels of Congress to a halt and then blame me," Obama tells NPR News.