{"id":48203,"date":"2017-01-12T15:15:22","date_gmt":"2017-01-12T21:15:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/?p=48203"},"modified":"2017-01-12T15:45:13","modified_gmt":"2017-01-12T21:45:13","slug":"president-barack-obama-gives-farewell-address-to-the-nation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/president-barack-obama-gives-farewell-address-to-the-nation\/","title":{"rendered":"President Barack Obama gives farewell address to the nation"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Christen Gall<\/strong><\/p>\n

President Barack Obama said farewell to the nation from his Chicago hometown this week, just miles away from Grant Park, the location of his acceptance speech eight years earlier.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cMy fellow Americans, Michelle and I have been so touched by all the well-wishes we\u2019ve received over the past few weeks. But tonight it\u2019s my turn to say thanks,\u201d Obama told the crowd at McCormick Place on Jan. 10, where shouts of “four more years” could be heard from the crowd early on in his address.<\/p>\n

Eight years ago on Nov. 4, 2008, Chicagoans were ecstatic as the young U.S. senator from Illinois stood in Grant Park with his wife Michelle and then-elementary school-aged daughters Sasha and Malia to accept the election results as the nation\u2019s newly elected African American president juxtaposed by the city\u2019s stark racial segregation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a long time coming, but tonight because of what we did in this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America,\u201d Obama told a roaring crowd that fall night.<\/p>\n

His 2008 speech focused on that change and the long road ahead, but ultimately gave the American public ownership over his victory and in democracy, \u201cI will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you,\u201d said Obama in Grant Park. \u201cThis is your victory.\u201d<\/p>\n

His farewell address on Tuesday empowered the nation once again to take ahold of democracy and \u201cpreserve it with \u201cjealous anxiety;\u201d in the words of George Washington. <\/p>\n

\"Behind<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
National and local media prepare for President Barack Obama to deliver his farewell speech to the nation at McCormick Place in Chicago on Jan. 10, 2017. (MEDILL\/ Christen Gall) <\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"BJ<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
BJ the Chicago Kid sang the National Anthem at President Obama’s farewell address in Chicago. (MEDILL\/ Christen Gall) <\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"Obama's<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
President Obama gave his farewell address in Chicago on Jan. 10, 2017 miles away from Grant Park, the location of his 2008 presidential acceptance speech. (MEDILL\/ Christen Gall)<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"President<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
“Our Constitution is a remarkable, beautiful gift. But it\u2019s really just a piece of parchment. It has no power on its own. We, the people, give it power \u2013 with our participation, and the choices we make. Whether or not we stand up for our freedoms,” said Obama. (MEDILL\/ Christen Gall) <\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"Obama<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
“My fellow Americans, it has been the honor of my life to serve you. I won\u2019t stop; in fact, I will be right there with you, as a citizen, for all my days that remain. For now, whether you\u2019re young or young at heart, I do have one final ask of you as your President \u2013 the same thing I asked when you took a chance on me eight years ago. I am asking you to believe. Not in my ability to bring about change \u2013 but in yours,” said Obama. (MEDILL\/ Christen Gall)<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"White<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
The White House press corps covered President Obama as he greeted the crowd following his farewell address. (MEDILL\/ Christen Gall)<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"Rev.<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Civil rights leader and former Democratic presidential nominee Reverend Jesse Jackson talks to ABC reporters after Obama finished his farewell address. (MEDILL\/ Christen Gall)<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"Obama's<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
A reporter interviewed Obama chief speechwriter Cody Keenan after the president’s farewell address in Chicago. (MEDILL\/ Christen Gall)<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"Obama<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
A volunteer sat down after Obama’s farewell speech watching as the crowd clears. (MEDILL\/ Christen Gall) <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n

\u201cOur Constitution is a remarkable, beautiful gift,\u201d said Obama. \u201cBut it\u2019s really just a piece of parchment. It has no power on its own. We, the people, give it power with our participation, and the choices we make. Whether or not we stand up for our freedoms. Whether or not we respect and enforce the rule of law. America is no fragile thing. But the gains of our long journey to freedom are not assured.\u201d<\/p>\n

Obama, speaking to a crowd of about 18,000, many of whom stood for hours in near-zero degree temperatures at daybreak three days earlier for a ticket, encouraged Americans to stay involved in the work of democracy over a lifetime and he called for dialogue with people who hold different political ideologies in person, rather than the internet, or to get involved in politics if they are disappointed by their elected officials.<\/p>\n

\u201cEmbrace the joyous task we have been given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours because, for all our outward differences, we in fact all share the same proud type, the most important office in a democracy: citizen,\u201d Obama said<\/p>\n

And as Obama called American citizens toward improving the nation, he promised to join in the work toward democracy.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy fellow Americans, it has been the honor of my life to serve you,\u201d he said. \u201cI won\u2019t stop; in fact, I will be right there with you, as a citizen, for all my days that remain.\u201d<\/p>\n

In his finale, Obama recalled the campaign days and asked the American people to hope.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do have one final ask of you as your president \u2014 the same thing I asked when you took a chance on me eight years ago,\u201d said Obama. \u201cI am asking you to believe. Not in my ability to bring about change \u2014 but in yours.\u201d<\/p>\n

And just like he chanted from Grant Park, Obama ended with \u201cYes we can,\u201d repeating his old campaign slogan as he said farewell.<\/p>\n

South Sider Joyce Brown was at Grant Park in 2008 — and at McCormick Place on Tuesday. \u201cIt was surreal. It was like a fairytale,\u201d Brown said. Of his farewell speech, she said \u201che was more real in calling out the issues of racism, of sexism, all the things he\u2019s been so diplomatic about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Obama summarized his thoughts on Twitter shortly after the speech.<\/p>\n

\n

Thank you for everything. My last ask is the same as my first. I'm asking you to believe\u2014not in my ability to create change, but in yours.<\/p>\n

— President Obama (@POTUS44) January 11, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n