In the 2016 Presidential Election, nearly half of all eligible voters in the United States chose not to vote. Most among this demographic have no regrets about doing so, even though they would have likely changed the election’s outcome. It is in the context of this deep disillusionment that President Obama, who so inspired America as a candidate in 2008, said farewell to the country he has led for the past eight years.
The importance of the moment was not lost on the president, nor was the fundamental change that is about to take place at the highest levels of our government. His address began by reminiscing about his humble beginnings in politics, as well as assuring America, and perhaps Fhimself, that he is still inspired to keep going, even after his party’s defeat. The audience took it well, with an audible chant of “four more years.” Although Obama, in his own words, “can’t do that,” he certainly maintains his ability to work a crowd and inspire us in a way that both candidates failed to in the most recent presidential campaign.
The same is true on a substantive level. The president spoke convincingly and intelligently on the major issues facing our country today, reminding us of all that has been accomplished during his time in office. Some found Obama’s choice to include the Supreme Court’s decision on marriage equality alongside his own greatest accomplishments dubious, given his belated and arguably lukewarm support for same-sex marriage. However, this section of his speech focused on all that “we” as citizens have done during his time in office. Reflecting on his political achievements as president, Obama even took himself out of the equation, telling his fellow Americans: “that’s what you did.”
Obama also demonstrated the level of common understanding that was missing from the Clinton campaign, recognizing the struggles faced by everyday Americans. Whereas Clinton’s team occasionally tied some Trump voters to the rhetoric of their candidate, Obama made the beginnings of an outreach to President-elect Trump’s working-class base. The president acknowledged the challenges faced by blue-collar Americans, while also reminding those same people that their fellow Americans face different and even greater challenges. Obama has called on us to believe in one another and strive for mutual respect and understanding.
The president also distinguished himself from the candidates who sought to replace him in the policy realm. Whereas the most successful candidates in both parties were skeptical of the domestic effects of trade, Obama reminded Americans of the forward-looking nature of his policies. In speaking on automation, it would have been easy for Obama to descend into despair for the American middle class. Instead, he focused on how his administration had tried to make a changing world work for everyone. Obama reminded us that change need not be frightening.
In a single speech, Obama was more inspiring than Clinton, and every bit as relatable as Trump or Sanders. His farewell filled the void left by all those who battled for the right to take his place, and demonstrated the difficulty his successors will face in attempting to match the dignity and courage with which Obama has led this nation for the past eight years. He spoke of interactions with citizens that “kept him inspired” and “kept him going.” He did the same for me, and left me, like his live audience in Chicago, wishing for four more years.