American President Barack Obama has delivered his farewell speech in Chicago.
He spoke of the challenges America faces and gave his heartfelt thanks to the American people for his last eight years in office.
Obama also gave thanks to his wife Michelle and it brought tears to our eyes (we weren’t the only ones – Malia sat sobbing by her mum’s side!).
“Michelle, for the past 25 years, you’ve been not only my wife and mother of my children, but my best friend. You took on a role you didn’t ask for and made it your own with grace and grit and style and good humor. You made the White House a place that belongs to everybody. And a new generation sets its sights higher because it has you as a role model. You’ve made me proud. You’ve made the country proud.”
Everyone around Michelle gave her the standing ovation she deserves.
Obama also had to control the boos of a rowdy crowd when he made reference to President-elect Donald .
Obama said America would “witness a hallmark of our democracy” in 10 days, referring to Trump’s inauguration on January 20.
The mention caused raucous booing which Obama had to shut down:
“No, no, no. The peaceful transfer of power from one freely elected president to the next, I committed to President-elect Trump my administration would ensure the smoothest transition, just as President Bush did for me,” Obama said.
He also spoke of how accepting different races was important for America.
“If we’re going to be serious about race going forward, we need to uphold laws against discrimination in hiring and in housing and in education and in the criminal justice system. That is what our Constitution and our highest ideals require,” he said.
“But law alone won’t be enough. Hearts must change. It won’t change overnight. Social attitudes often times take generations to change, but if our democracy is to work the way it should in this increasingly diverse nation, then each one of us needs to try to heed the advice of a great character in American fiction, Atticus Finch who said, ‘you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it’.”
President Obama will be sorely missed!
