He first came to public attention at his 2004 DNC Convention Speech .
Always the uniter !
Then, he saw that our country needed him ! So, he ran for US President ! He was a great underdog in Iowa. He was running against a formidable and excellent candidate ! He put forward his progressive agenda and he lent us his hope !!! This brought me to tears and cheers !!! I could not believe he won Iowa !!! So exciting.
But he knew there would be setbacks. Yet, he came back from New Hampshire, a sudden and unexpected loss strong with Yes, We Can !!!
The historical presentation he gave in his speeches captivates me and tens of millions, even those beyond our shores !
He responded to New Hampshire winning a majority of delegates in Nevada and then romped in South Carolina. After four great contests, we emerged with the most votes, the most delegates, and the most diverse coalition that this country has seen in a long, long time !
Of course, he used the distraction of Reverend Wright to deliver one of the most important and eloquent speeches on bridging racial divides in our country’s history.
At the convention, he gave a speech that talked about believing in that better place around the bend that was out of sight. In a troubled time, He projected strength and unity.
After winning , he reminded us of all that we have overcome and gave us all confidence that we would make it out of the great recession !
The recovery, although slowed by the republican obstruction, was already underway by election in 2012. The country could see we were on the right track. We stayed the course.
He took an economy whose gdp contracted at 9.4 % and repaired it and grew it. He turned job losses of 750,000 a month into the longest continuous stretch of private sector job growth that the United States has ever known. He brought about the Dodd-Frank Act to prevent the types of risks which created the conditions under which the Great Recession occurred. He saved the auto industry with the rescue. He captured and killed Osama Bin Laden. He has been the most successful president fighting terrorism in the last 30 years. He has fought climate change more aggressively than any president before him. EPA now regulates greenhouse gas emissions. The Paris Treaty Accords were signed. He wound down the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has protected women’s right to choose. He confirmed Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor. He stood up for the LGBT community and equality ! He gave 22 million people health care coverage and made pre-existing conditions a problem of the past.
We now have an economy that is growing. We are at peace. President Barack Obama is leaving with a 54% job approval rating for a job beyond well done.