More than a victory lap, Obama's words were a tribute to the audacity of hope. JNBC NewsĪlthough Obama himself "evolved" on the issue, no president has been more vocal and committed to the issue of equality for the LGBT community, and his administration's advocacy for marriage equality not only helped shift public opinion, but also led to the Supreme Court's historic decision to strike down anti-gay marriage bans around the country. In one of his most acclaimed speeches, Obama marked the 50th anniversary of the legendary voting rights activism in Selma, Alabama, with not just historical perspective, but a call to arms to young activists, who like the protesters of the 1960s would make their voices heard and speak truth to power during his eight years in office, both on social media and on the streets. The moment exemplified the more aggressive Obama of his second term. Showing a flash of anger, and impeccable timing, Obama then ad libbed this quote. While delivering that year's State of the Union, Obama alluded to the fact that he "has no more campaigns to run," which drew a smattering of mocking applause.
It was a theme he would return to throughout his presidency. quote, but added his own aside, pointing out that any successful reform movement requires foot soldiers, not just leaders.
While commemorating the 50th anniversary of the civil rights March on Washington, Obama paid homage to a classic Martin Luther King, Jr.
The president caught a lot of flak for this remark (and also for saying he could have been Trayvon 35 years earlier), but his words also sparked a necessary national conversation on race. March 23, 2012Īmid the firestorm over the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teen, that February (which would inspire the "Black Lives Matter" movement), Obama got personal, by reminding Americans that we all should care about gun violence and that race can be a factor in it. Although Obama cautioned that the "war on terror" was far from over, spontaneous celebrations broke out in New York City and the nation's capital, exemplifying how much fear and anger Bin Laden had engendered over the years. Much of the nation breathed a sigh of relief when the infamous leader of the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda (which was responsible for the attacks of September 11, 2001) was finally brought to justice in an elaborate operation in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Either way, he appears to have gotten the last laugh. Some had suggested that a humiliated Trump became inspired to seek the presidency himself that night as an act of revenge. Obama started off by saying he had recently watched an episode of "Celebrity Apprentice" in which the men’s team "did not impress the judges from Omaha Steaks" during a cooking challenge. The president's peerless comedic performances at the annual White House Correspondents Dinner has already become the stuff of legend, but this riff on the track record of then-reality star Donald Trump, who had been waging a very public crusade to prove that Obama was not an American citizen, may have been his most biting and significant barb. Although the Supreme Court would uphold the law in 2012, it now appears to be in peril due to Republicans and the incoming president's pledge to repeal it. As Vice President Biden put it, this was a "big f-king deal," and one of the crowning domestic achievements of Obama's presidency. MaNBC NewsĪfter a long and bitter legislative fight, Obama achieved what several Democratic (and some Republican) presidents had tried and failed to do - the largest expansion of health care coverage for the American people in a generation. And while the president largely made good on campaign promises to reduce the number of troops abroad while winding down America's engagement in Iraq and Afghanistan, he was unable to fully remove the country from war footing. The president's Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech was almost a case study of the more nuanced approach his administration took to addressing national security and foreign policy. Jesse Jackson and talk show host Oprah Winfrey, to tears of joy that night. The president-elect brought many, including the Rev. And the historic nature of the victory was not lost on Obama when he addressed supporters in Chicago on Election Night in 2008. Even Obama's detractors would concede this his election as the first president of color in this nation's history was a game-changing event.