Obama says goodbye in emotional speech

“No, no, no, no, no.” One of the nation’s great strengths, he said, “is the peaceful transfer of power from one president to the next.”

Classy.

One hopes that the new government works in a bi-partisan way with the best interests of all American people in mind, rather than regrets about the election result, or posturing ahead of the next one.

Farewell Obama. I think we can all agree that he was the most sympathetic and most loved president throughout the world. Really sad his term is finished.

Some recent figures off Gallup Poll:

http://www.gallup.com/poll/116479/barack-obama-presidential-job-approval.aspx

Dec 2016 average -- 56% Approval

Other presidents in fourth December after re-election

George W. Bush -- 34%

Bill Clinton -- 66%

George H.W. Bush -- 56%

Ronald Reagan -- 63%

Average for elected presidents' 32nd quarter -- 52%

http://www.gallup.com/reports/196292/rating-world-leaders-2016.aspx

Gallup's Rating World Leaders: 2016 report provides leaders a snapshot of what people worldwide think of the leaderships of U.S., China, Russia, the EU and Germany

Median Approval Ratings:

45% -- U.S.

43% -- Germany

39% -- EU

30% -- China

24% -- Russia

The amount of influence a country has that gets other countries to cooperate with them because they want to -- not because they have to -- is becoming more important as international tensions rise and foreign policy grows more complex.

Obama’s valedictory speech in his hometown of Chicago...

While outside shootings were occurring in record numbers once again.

Change is good. I wish him and Trump well.

Sad to see him go.

No doubt Trump supporters see the future as golden though.

Goodbye, statesman. Hello (temporarily) Donald and the Golden Fleece.

The amount of influence a country has that gets other countries to cooperate with them because they want to -- not because they have to -- is becoming more important as international tensions rise and foreign policy grows more complex.

I think that a few years of Trump as a contrast to eight years of Obama is likely to clearly illustrate the truth of this statement.

He did a lot to repair America's image In the world, and brought a lot of attention to things important to the younger generation. He will be missed greatly.

iostrune2: Some recent figures off Gallup Poll:

Gallop stopped producing presidential election polls. What do you think their approval poll numbers are worth?

Goodbye, Barack. You wasted eight years of your life trying to make America take a knee. . . .

Obama? Was he still around?

Obama was a class act.

As sad as I am to see Obama leave office, I'm confident that he will continue to do great things. The greatest American political figure of my lifetime.

I really wish Biden had run to succeed Obama. A real mensch who would have handily defeated you know who.

Goodbye, Barack. You wasted eight years of your life trying to make America take a knee. . . .

Vox nihili.

Time to clock out bruh..

Get you some family time.!

lostrune2: Some recent figures off Gallup Poll:

Gallop stopped producing presidential election polls. What do you think their approval poll numbers are worth?

The same when people cited them when Obama's poll numbers went south

(And the other link are polls in other countries, not just the US - the other countries are not like the US, so don't treat them all the same)

He'll definitely go down as one of the greatest Presidents in America's history, one can only shudder at the catastrophe that would have befallen the world if it were anyone besides him during the ridiculous past 8 years. Things have gotten worse and much more complex in the world since then, so we will have a first hand comparison of just how big a quality gap there is

Goodbye, goodbye and deep from my heart goodbye, long, long overdo and not a moment too soon. I'm happy.

Definitely the most loved and respected American president, outside the US. For the first time many of us non Americans felt the usa had a non US centric president, someone who put America first yet understood we 'the others' do not always see the world the same way he and his fellow Americans do. And that made a huge difference, especially after the Bush years.

Have to say, I didn't think the American system could produce such man. Class act.

Obama's legacy: added $10+ trillion in national debt more than all presidencies combined, million more on welfare, squandering U.S. role into weaker position thus allowing dictators gone wild (as predicted 8 years ago), foreign affair's fiasco lead to Syrian's crisis affecting the whole world in years to come, divider and deceptive in chief inflaming racial issue rather than healing (Chicago's murders..), narcissist of upper ruling elite who doomed the Dems. and still has no clue, Obama care will go down in drain, partisan politics, abusive of executive orders disregarding the laws passed just to follow globalist agenda of George Soros,,,, and still million minions still praise Obama as their demigod !!!! THERE WILL BE FRESH AIR AND LOTS OF WORK TO BE DONE IN CLEANING UP HIS MESS.

Have to say, I didn't think the American system could produce such man. Class act.

Spot on. Conversely, with the president elect, I'm not surprised at all they produced such a man, I just hoped that they wouldn't.

Obama's legacy: added $10+ trillion in national debt more than all presidencies combined, million more on welfare, squandering U.S. role into weaker position thus allowing dictators gone wild (as predicted 8 years ago), foreign affair's fiasco lead to Syrian's crisis affecting the whole world in years to come, divider and deceptive in chief inflaming racial issue rather than healing (Chicago's murders..), narcissist of upper ruling elite who doomed the Dems. and still has no clue, Obama care will go down in drain, partisan politics, abusive of executive orders disregarding the laws passed just to follow globalist agenda of George Soros,,,, and still million minions still praise Obama as their demigod !!!! THERE WILL BE FRESH AIR AND LOTS OF WORK TO BE DONE IN CLEANING UP HIS MESS.

Amen.

Well said. 110% agreed! Obama will go out as being one of THE most ineffective presidents of our time. He will no doubt have his supporters and followers, but for the rest of us, this day couldn't come soon enough. But at least the main damage and the nightmare is pretty much over and time to turn the page of our dark history and come out finally from this vampiric trance that held us mercilessly for too long.

Obama's tragedy is that he was too decent a person to play the soul-destroying role of "Godfather" in the Oval Office. He has grayed and noticeably aged over the last eight years. Just how decent his character was and how his decision to play POTUS fatally compromised his moral standing (he sure ain't no Gandhi despite the ill-conceived award of the Nobel Peace Prize) will be revealed by the history books of the future. In the meantime his successor will be weighed and measured against the standard of personal decency set by America's first white African president.

@bass@texas@bgood41 don't worry you will get what you want with Trump...well what you deserve anyhow..

Real change, finally?! We all deserve it! Thanks for the well wish, appreciate it, dude!

He was always good at speeches. execution was his main problem (unless we include Osama).

Definitely the most loved and respected American president, outside the US

Great overstatement to say the least. I'm not a US citizen, so let me speak as a voice "outside the US".

I remember the "Obamamania" that spread in some countries in 2008. Even here in Japan at Shinto shrines I saw ema (wooden plaques with prayers) with inscriptions like "Go, go Barack". But it was 2008. What now? Not much. For people outside the US Obama will be mostly remembered as the president who:

a) Promised (and did not deliver on his promise) to stop the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq

b) Promised and did not deliver to close the infamous prison at Guantanomo

c) Started a blatant aggression against Libya (yes, folks, here is the Nobel peace prize winner!). The country is a wreck now and a hotbed for terrorists (very unusual way of fighting terrorism)

d) Continued the infamous US practice of staging coups (Ukraine, setting in motion a civil war in this country)

e) Continued the unwise US practice of living too much beyond its means, doubling the US national debt (sure Obama supporters in the US are happy that their children and grandchildren will have to pay this debt)

f) Did nothing to stop the Chinese encroachments in the South China sea.

Yes, he also did good things, like the nuclear deal with Iran and normalization of relations with Cuba. But "loved outside the US"?? No, I don't think so.

By the way, even in the US military there are not so many fans of Obama:

<http://www.militarytimes.com/articles/obama-legacy-military >

Great overstatement to say the least. I'm not a US citizen, so let me speak as a voice "outside the US".

I remember the "Obamamania" that spread in some countries in 2008. Even here in Japan at Shinto shrines I saw ema (wooden plaques with prayers) with inscriptions like "Go, go Barack". But it was 2008. What now? Not much. For people outside the US Obama will be mostly remembered as the president who:

a) Promised (and did not deliver on his promise) to stop the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq

b) Promised and did not deliver to close the infamous prison at Guantanomo

c) Started a blatant aggression against Libya (yes, folks, here is the Nobel peace prize winner!). The country is a wreck now and a hotbed for terrorists (very unusual way of fighting terrorism)

d) Continued the infamous US practice of staging coups (Ukraine, setting in motion a civil war in this country)

e) Continued the unwise US practice of living too much beyond its means, doubling the US national debt (sure Obama supporters in the US are happy that their children and grandchildren will have to pay this debt)

f) Did nothing to stop the Chinese encroachments in the South China sea.

Yes, he also did good things, like the nuclear deal with Iran and normalization of relations with Cuba. But "loved outside the US"?? No, I don't think so.

By the way, even in the US military there are not so many fans of Obama:

Perfect! Spot on and a triple Bingo!

When did Obama come to the realization that Americans "rise and fall as one"? Was it when he was aboard Airforce One, on his way to Hawaii to play golf, a few weeks before stepping down?

And race relations?

There hasnt been as much trouble since the KKK were rampant in the fifties!

And why is Obama allowing tens of thousands of Muslim immigrants into the US.

Why has he opened the US to deported felons from other countries?

Why did Obama rebel against Congress to allow Saudi Arabia to be investigated for possible complicity in 9/11?

Obama endorsed Clinton ( a poor choice ) a political veteran who was quashed by Trump, a political nothing!

Why didn't he use America's might to stop Isil oil exports from Syria?

Obama talks about 'bold action and problem solving' but he showed a complete lack of both in his presidency......

Heh, this story reads like it came from The Onion.

don't worry you will get what you want with Trump...well what you deserve anyhow

@northernlife,

Yes, finally a real president after enduring eight years of a community organizer who tried and failed to sell Americans on socialism served up on a Marxist plate. The champaign is chilling and the cork will be popped at noon, January 20th. . . .

Texas A&M RamenJAN. 11, 2017 - 08:05PM JST The champaign(sic) is chilling and the cork will be popped at noon, January 20th. . . .

Watch it doesn't bounce back off the basement ceiling old buddy !

Yes, finally a real president after enduring eight years of a community organizer who tried and failed to sell Americans on socialism served up on a Marxist plate.

Eight years of a centrist president. Far-right calls him a socialist and a marxist. Post-truth©

@Asakaze,

Great summation of the past eight years of failed Obama policies, both foreign and domestic. . . .

@bass4funk, @Texas A&M Aggie

Thanks! As I've said, I'm not American, just a foreigner who tried to be objective in American affairs.

"He plans to take some time off, write a book — and immerse himself in a Democratic redistricting campaign. "

I believe Obama is going to eatin' cake by the ocean:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGSllMdet8s ( especially from 3:30, ha ha )

Oh my...

Laura Ingraham rips President Obama's farewell address :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGlbDlJN7xI

I'm curious as to why people love Obama so much for other than the fact that he was half black.

He did a lot of damage to the American ecomomy and healthcare system, got the country involved in several conflicts in the middle east and brought huge racial divisions back into the picture that haven't been seen since the 1960's

He changed things but I don't see what has gotten better. You don't clean up poo by smearing it and spreading it out thinly all over the place.

Oh my...

President Obama's job performance :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rzAkkiHqro

Like Bill Clinton, Obama is a great orator but he is the only one whose speeches I will seek out on YouTube. Trump just continues to rant, rave and embarrass the US. Can he really last 4 years as POTUS? Still waiting to see his tax returns........

@ Asakase, no one said on this thread that Obama's tenure was perfect.

In actual fact, I know many ppl who achieved very little yet are "more loved and respected' than say the Bush 1 & 2, Reagan or even Bill (the potus I have known in my lifetime) and I would say Obama is one of them.

Not that hard to beat the WMD lies, "mission accomplished" cock up, Bill's own lies or George HW Bush flimsy excuses (at best) to sell us the first Iraq war, his love affair with the Saudis etc.

"Yes we did."

Lying and delusional til the very end, except perhaps for his sycophants. Will be remembered for "If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor", "Hands up, don't shoot!" and a whole bunch of lies; and leaving the country and several generations of Americans $9 trillion in the hole.

Goodbye - and don't let the door hit you on the way out.

So long Barry,

Hello Chump.

"As Obama Years Draw to Close, President and U.S. Seen Favorably in Europe and Asia"

http://www.pewglobal.org/2016/06/28/americas-international-image/

http://www.pewglobal.org/2015/06/23/1-americas-global-image/

America’s overall image around the world remains largely positive. Across the nations surveyed (excluding the U.S.), a median of 69% hold a favorable opinion of the U.S., while just 24% express an unfavorable view.

http://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/06/BoP-Report-32.png

@James Burke "I'm curious as to why people love Obama so much for other than the fact that he was half black.

He did a lot of damage to the American ecomomy and healthcare system, got the country involved in several conflicts in the middle east and brought huge racial divisions back into the picture that haven't been seen since the 1960's"

@Miyam_Musashi"Goodbye - and don't let the door hit you on the way out."

In short, good riddance !

Inherited a car crash from idiots, incompetents and scum and made a decent fist of it.

A decent man.

As previously stated, there was absolute abandonment and joy in 2008, with the left forcing this new messiah down the throats of the American republic. And all of the inherited ills were his predicessors fault. And even 2 solid years of full control of the house and senate got him and the American people nothing.

This time, we get someone who is not a Career DC person, who will hopefully try and run the country in an unapologetic way (no bowing to Saudi royalty). Is Trump perfect, oh hell no. But he is a change that I think the country needed back in 2012.

Obama forgot to mention:

95 million Americans now out of the laborforce

Lowest home ownership rate in 51 years

11 million more on foodstamps

43 milllion living in poverty

1 in 5 families without someone in the workforce

More debt accumulated than all presidents before him combined

Other than that, lookin' good! ( except for the growing power of ISIS )

( except for the growing power of ISIS )

ISIS' power is currently on the wane, not growing

They already had a peak, but now they're not at that peak anymore, and it doesn't look like they'll regain that peak

"Flow of foreign fighters plummets as Islamic State loses its edge"

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/flow-of-foreign-fighters-plummets-as-isis-loses-its-edge/2016/09/09/ed3e0dda-751b-11e6-9781-49e591781754_story.html

"ISIS loses 45 percent of territory in Iraq, 20 percent in Syria"

http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/2016/05/17/isis-loses-45-percent-territory-iraq-20-percent-syria/84512408/

Ever heard of a country called "Libya," lostrune2? The UN now officially calls it a "failed state." It certainly wasn't that when Obama took office, quite the opposite.

Any of your facts and figues for the number of Islamists swimming around Libya and northern Africa??

(And by the way, if you think that "ISIS power" = "foreign fighters," then I can't help you with that one...)

Thank GOD that bozo is FINALLY going to be gone! Eight excruciating years...

Ever heard of a country called "Libya," lostrune2? The UN now officially calls it a "failed state." It certainly wasn't that when Obama took office, quite the opposite.

Yes, as I mentioned, they'd had their peak. Now here's the current state of ISIS in Libya:

"ISIS Loses Libya’s Sirte, The Only City It Controlled Outside of Iraq and Syria"

http://www.newsweek.com/isis-loses-libyan-city-sirte-only-city-it-controlled-outside-iraq-and-syria-528393

So Libyan forces kicked them out. Losing their only city there = not growing

President (elect) Trump is inheriting quite a mess from Obama and the guy struts out on the stage in Chicago like he just won a Mega Powerball lottery.

Eight days and a wake up before the end of this error.

Eight years ago, Obama inherits a country in the beginnings of the biggest economic collapse in 100 years, with two unpaid ongoing wars.

Eight years later he leaves the country with a stock market doubled in value, with job gains every month for six years straight.

Right-wingers claim he's left the country a mess.

Post-truth©

Every interested to know what Trump can accomplish in 4 years without being impeached in 2. He's already on dangerous footing with Russia. But never mind Presidents. They come and go. What needs to go is the likes of McConnell, Ryan and other parasites sucking the blood out of American taxpayers. Guess America needs a "white" President however psychotic he may be, to clean up greedy "white" politicians that are serving way past their expiration date. DTS! DTS!!

Eight years of a centrist president. Far-right calls him a socialist and a marxist. Post-truth©

Centrist???? ROFL Obama is THE MOST partisan president EVER in the history of the US! Hands down and without a doubt! You are one funny dude!

It is pretty shocking. Bush junior was a semi-literate, incompetent Texan toilet dweller who seemed to have taken the the reputation of the US down the U-bend as far as it would go.

Obama was a supposedly smart man with the spine of squirrel. Obama was the epitome off a what a cowardly president is what we don't EVER want to have again. At least GW and Trump have some cahones.

Then came trash on an unamaginable scale in the form of Trump which left the jaws of the world on the floor, a bit like Trump voters who have that look at all times.

I think the trash will be taken out finally on the 20th. we can finally open the windows and breath some fresh air

Dare you wonder what this party will throw up next?

If the Dems don't get their act together, they will be regulated to the coastal cities of primarily sunny California and it would be a fitting place for them and the Hollyweird ilk to stay, forever and leave the rest of us alone.

Eight years ago, Obama inherits a country in the beginnings of the biggest economic collapse in 100 years, with two unpaid ongoing wars.

And now we have a $19 Trillion debt, thank you Barack!

Eight years later he leaves the country with a stock market doubled in value, with job gains every month for six years straight.

With the lowest labor participation in over 80 years, 46 million on food stamps, the deepest racial division since the 60's, the highest corporate tax rate for a 1st world nation, an uncontrolled and open border with millions of illegals in our country. Refuses to define that we are in a war with radical Islam.

Right-wingers claim he's left the country a mess.

Pretty much, but 8 more days to go, so we'll get through this as well and life can return to normal. Dude, wish you could come to my place on that day, my Strawberry cheesecake, the best!

Right-wingers only care about themselves, while destroying the future for the young. It's what they've helped (and desired) to put into power. Not a big fan of the Democratic party either, but at least they present themselves as trying to leave a future for the youth.

I already can see when the hardline rightists hit retirement age and find themselves unable to afford their own retirement unless they have literally tens of millions of dollars. Due to rising inflation, the attempts by the GOP (they blindly support) to gut Medicare & Social Security and privatize everything so that corporate America will be running peoples lives until they die while making it unaffordable in the long run because they have profit margins to get at.

Right-wingers only care about themselves, while destroying the future for the young.

If they did, they would have never made such gains this election cycle, No way, impossible. I think people saw that the Democrats were trying to turn the US into a giant Denmark/San Francisco and the people vehemently rejected it.

It's what they've helped (and desired) to put into power. Not a big fan of the Democratic party either, but at least they present themselves as trying to leave a future for the youth.

It was the people that put Trump in office NOT the GOP.

I already can see when the hardline rightists hit retirement age and find themselves unable to afford their own retirement unless they have literally tens of millions of dollars.

Thank Obama and to a lesser degree Bush for the the out of control debt that is looming over us. $19 Trillion.

Due to rising inflation, the attempts by the GOP (they blindly support) to gut Medicare & Social Security and privatize everything so that corporate America will be running peoples lives until they die while making it unaffordable in the long run because they have profit margins to get at.

We had a great healthcare system until Obama came along, the only thing that Obama had to do was fix the system that didn't include the 15 million that didn't have insurance and NOT take over the entire system and now the whole thing is mucked up!

There's no use explaining Obama's greatness to people

He might be a great father, but other than that.....

duped into believing he is a Muslim from Kenya secretly working on behalf of Islmic countries. Waste of time.

But Trump is secretly supposedly working for the Russians?

Seriously America, how can you go from Obama to Trump?

"He's ( Trump' s ) already on dangerous footing with Russia."

That would be Obama. Trump's going to fix it.

"Seriously America, how can you go from Obama to Trump?"

Elections. Amazing, aren't they! A non-American commenter on Youtube said, "I envy you Americans." He/she envies our ability to elect a non-politician who had no backing from the establishment and doesn't care about being politically correct and can say "Islamic terrorism."

A failed Presidency comes to an ignominious end. And not a second too soon.

A failed Presidency comes to an ignominious end. And not a second too soon.

Without a doubt.

@bass4funk

Hello, Dane here, seems you don't like my way of living. Surprisingly, since we've been chosen as the happiest people several times and one of the most safe countries. What so wrong with that?

Hello, Dane here, seems you don't like my way of living. Surprisingly, since we've been chosen as the happiest people several times and one of the most safe countries. What so wrong with that?

I'm happy that you are happy, but I am proud to be a Yank and you are proud to be a Dane and I don't want my country to change to be like Denmark and I don't think you want to be like the US. Your country is very beautiful, been there a few times. I want change, but not how liberals want it. We're Americans, not Europeans. We should all be happy who we are.

TravelingSales: A failed Presidency comes to an ignominious end. And not a second too soon.

There's a web page for that!

https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/generic?p0=263&iso=20170120T00&msg=Time%20left%20until%20Obama%20leaves%20office%22

Time left until Obama leaves office

8 days 5 hours 51 minutes 6 seconds

I am glad to see him go due to his Israeli Bashing.

his Israel Bashing

Like Trump, right wing Israelis accept no criticism.