President Barack Obama delivered his final State of the Union address with the same finesse and style that first got him elected. In fact, he ended his hour-long speech to Congress and the nation Tuesday night with reference to his grassroots campaign eight years ago, and mentioned words such as “change” and “believe.”
He was at once inspiring, direct and almost defiant in his speech, which he delivered without referring to notes, remarkably, not even once. The POTUS seemed buoyant as he entered the room and made his way through a standing-room only crowd to loud and boisterous applause. Even the normally reserved First Lady (Michelle) let out a “yahoo” as her husband took the podium for his final State of the Union address.
Highlights included references to his accomplishments, such as the Affordable Healthcare Act and the lowest unemployment rate on record, as well as a call for “better politics” that reject discrimination and fear of others. He said, “When politicians insult Muslims, when a mosque is vandalized or a kid bullied, that doesn’t make us safer. It’s just wrong. It diminishes us in the eyes of the world. It makes it harder to achieve our goals. It betrays who we are as a country.”
Comments such as these seemed to be directed at Donald Trump, who as a presidential candidate has laid out anti-Muslim rhetoric, verbally assaulted immigrants and claimed the U.S. has issued a weak response to groups such as ISIS. The President, in fact, drew thunderous applause when he talked about the actual strength of our military, as well as the response to foreign threats during his presidency and his belief that we are still the mightiest nation in the world.
“If you doubt America’s commitment or mine to see that justice is done, ask Osama bin Laden. Ask the leader of al Qaeda in Yemen, who was taken out last year, or the perpetrator of the Benghazi attacks, who sits in a prison cell. When you come after Americans, we go after you. It may take time, but we have long memories, and our reach has no limits.”
President Obama said the U.S. is “still the most powerful nation on earth, period. Our troops are the finest in history of the world. Attacking us is taking a path to ruin.”
Voting was another important issue the president touched on. In fact, the outgoing head of state said he is committed to making sure Americans continue to realize the importance of voting, when he leaves office.
“We’ve got to make it easier to vote, not harder. We want to make it easier for people to participate … My fellow Americans, whatever you may believe, whether you prefer one party or no party, our collective future depends on your willingness to uphold your obligations as a citizen—To vote. To speak out. To stand up for others, especially the weak; especially the vulnerable, knowing that each of us is only here because somebody, somewhere, stood up for us.”
Obama also mentioned one of his key regrets—the fact that during his presidency—the political acrimony between the two parties had increased rather than decreased during his terms in office.
“ I have no doubt a president with the gifts of Lincoln or Roosevelt might have better bridged the divide, and I guarantee I’ll keep trying to be better so long as I hold this office.
“But, my fellow Americans, this cannot be my task—or any president’s—alone. There are a whole lot of folks in this chamber, good people who would like to see more cooperation, would like to see a more elevated debate in Washington, but feel trapped by the imperatives of getting elected, by the noise coming out of your base. I know; you’ve told me. It’s the worst-kept secret in Washington. And a lot of you aren’t enjoying being trapped in that kind of rancor.
Just before he ended his address, President Obama made a reference to Dr. Martin Luther King. “It won’t be easy. Our brand of democracy is hard. But I can promise that a year from now, when I no longer hold this office, I’ll be right there with you as a citizen—inspired by those voices of fairness and vision, of grit and good humor and kindness that have helped America travel so far. Voices that help us see ourselves not first and foremost as Black or White or Asian or Latino, not as gay or straight, immigrant or native born; not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans first, bound by a common creed. Voices Dr. King believed would have the final word—voices of unarmed truth and unconditional love.”
The president finished with words of hope and inspiration, again referring to Dr. King’s words and talking about the America “I know. That’s the country we love. Clear-eyed. Big-hearted. Optimistic that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word. That’s what makes me so hopeful about our future. I believe in change because of you. I believe in you. That’s why I stand here confident that the State of our Union is strong.”
