Presidents Saying Farewell: The Long Goodbye

Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi reflects on her visit to the U.S. in September 2016: “One portion I remember most about the visit was how excited everybody in my house was”. But for his backers, the “hope” aspect of that original mantra is diminished by the prospects of Donald Trump’s presidency.

“I’m confident we’re going to get it”. The event on featured even more stars than the video itself. Obama’s speech is meant to be a rallying cry for despondent Democrats.

“Chicago is not just his hometown, it’s where his career started”.

“It will no longer be his voice at the forefront of every debate and leading every charge and it’s time for the voices of the American people and up and coming leaders to really take over”, Psaki said.

“When I was at the United Nations and I heard our President say that climate change is the most important issue facing, not only this generation, but also future generations, it was inspiring”, reflects DiCaprio.

At a giant Best Buy fix shop in Brooks, Kentucky, Geek Squad technicians work on computers owned by people across the country, delving into them to retrieve lost data. “It’s harder when you are”, she said. “And the cynics are at it again, saying that our values have been defeated and that Democrats aren’t fired up”, Obama said.

“Yes we can” is the trademark catchphrase used during the election campaign for Obama’s first term.

A decade ago, Obama’s rapid ascent appeared to galvanize a new political coalition – composed of young people, people of color and women – that promised to scramble established voting patterns and usher in an era of federal progressive policymaking. That’s where he held a rally in November 2012 to celebrate his re-election.

Obama has hired his White House political director, David Simas, as the chief executive officer of his foundation, a signal that he expects to remain connected to the Democratic policy and donor classes. The answer was no.

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the speech will be shorter than a State of the Union speech, which averaged 63 minutes during Obama’s presidency.

“I can tell you in general that the president’s committed to delivering a forward looking speech that will examine briefly the significant progress that our country has made in the last eight years”.

Salon’s Paul Rosenberg cited many farewell speeches in a story in which outgoing presidents discussed their concerns and their optimism for the future of the country.

President Obama will speak to the nation for his final time in office Tuesday, and tickets given out for free are now selling for thousands online.

The speech will take place at McCormick Place and is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. ET.

For the people who lined up to get a ticket in the bitterly cold early morning hours, Saturday, in Chicago, it was a once-in-a-lifetime moment not to pass up. When they return, they will live in their rented home here.