Ahead of Trump's swearing in, Obama seeks to protect democracy
- by Virginia Carter
- in World Media
- — Jan 13, 2017
Mr Obama wiped his eyes as he thanked his wife Michelle for her support throughout his presidency, and said selecting Joe Biden as his running mate was the first and best choice he ever made.
Possibly how every daughter would have reacted on hearing such words from her father, Malia teared up and her mother, US First Lady, Michelle Obama had her arm around Malia. "You made the White House a place that belongs to everybody", he said.
Telling people to get out of their "bubbles", he said: "If you're exhausted of arguing with strangers on the internet, try to talk with one in real life". "You've made the country proud", the outgoing President said.
Without mentioning Trump, he used his speech to offer an implicit rebuttal to numerous contentious themes like temporary ban on Muslim immigration that characterized the 2016 presidential campaign.
Brushing away tears with a handkerchief, Obama paid tribute to the sacrifices made by his wife - and by his daughters, who were young girls when they entered the big white home on Pennsylvania Avenue and leave as young women.
That's been obvious since Obama first popped up as a junior senator from IL.
Mr Obama warned that race remains a divisive force in American society, and everyone has more work to do in upholding laws against discrimination in education and the criminal justice system. Taking notes from how he continues to operate with grace, often in the face of insensitive comments and sometimes offensive acts, I am inspired by President Obama to be better, especially in the moments when my character is questioned and competence is challenged.
Obama passionately addresses
After eight years in the White House, Obama is expected to speak about his journey and the transition.
Some 51 percent of Americans polled believe that Trump is doing a bad job as president-elect.
"A faith in reason and enterprise and the primacy of right over might", he said, had allowed the United States to "resist the lure of fascism and tyranny during the Great Depression, and build a post-World War II order with other democracies".
However, Obama said he remained hopeful about the work that a younger generation would do.
However, amid all this, Sasha Obama was missing at the venue.
He already gave his farewell address as Commander in Chief to men and women in uniform, and according to the White House Instagram, he touched on the importance of "openness and tolerance."We have to remember that as we meet the threats of our time, we can not sacrifice our values or our way of life-the rule of law and openness and tolerance that define us as Americans", he said".
