As President Barack Obama gave his eighth and final State of the Union address Tuesday, I watched a man who has transformed America and the world. While some may debate Obama’s success or effectiveness while in office, no one can dispute his intellect, his poise and decorum, or his compassion for all people — regardless of age, sex or religious views.
A strong attribute of Obama is his ability to promote calm, compromise and respect for one another — even as people are rowdy, unwilling to cooperate or when they overtly disrespect him. To demonstrate that type of discipline under such trying circumstances not only takes a lot of self-restraint, but it is also admirable and a characteristic more of us need to learn.
While some may not acknowledge it now, Obama will go down in history as one of the most effective and forward-thinking presidents, period.
I recently read a quote from supermodel Iman that said, “You never realize how great a moment is until it becomes a memory.” Iman posted that quote on one of her social media platforms around the time of the death of her husband, David Bowie. That quote is fitting for Bowie’s death as well as the end of Obama’s presidency. For Bowie, his contributions to music, art and fashion make him one of the most respected amongst his peers; Obama has earned similar respect in his role.
There was one particular part of Obama’s State of the Union address when he began a statement with, “We the people,” a nod to this country’s constitution. I immediately thought of the inclusiveness of the word “we.” The small two-letter word unites us all. “We” makes us one. Yet, sadly, “we” is a word some people prefer not to use. Instead, their vernacular includes words that are aimed at divisiveness. Words that shun. Words that hurt. Words that will never get us to a place of inclusiveness. Words that break down rather than build up.
Is Obama always accurate? No. Does the president claim to know it all? No. Is Obama perfect? Heck no.
Is Obama fair?
Does he have the best interest of the whole country, rather than an isolated population of people, in mind?
Does Obama have the skillset and interpersonal skills to build bridges and work alongside others to make our country and this world better?
Yes, yes and a resounding yes!
Those attributes are immensely important for a president to encompass. Yet sadly, select people currently campaigning for their party’s political endorsement don’t possess such characteristics, nor can they purchase the attributes. Such qualities have to be organic and innate.
The president’s State of the Union speech was much like the focus of his 2008 campaign: it was centered on hope, change and a better future. Just as I did eight years ago, I still believe in what Obama is saying, but soon, what he says won’t matter much because there will be a new commander-in-chief.
The next president — regardless of political party — will have huge shoes to fill. And while Obama won’t leave office with a 100-percent success rating, he will leave as a true champion of diversity and inclusion.
While Congress was divided most of his time in office, Obama tried repeatedly to reach a consensus. Oftentimes, he was not successful, reiterating in his speech Tuesday his inability to strip Congress of its partisan politics was one of his most significant regrets.
“It’s one of the few regrets of my presidency — that the rancor and suspicion between the parties has gotten worse instead of better,” Obama said. “There’s no doubt a president with the gifts of Lincoln or Roosevelt might have better bridged the divide, and I guarantee I’ll keep trying to be better so long as I hold this office.”
Obama spoke candidly of the country’s need to enforce policies like criminal justice, immigration and protecting Americans from gun violence. He also referenced the necessity to offer pre-kindergarten for all children and the need to make college more affordable.
The aforementioned items require bipartisan support, and Congress needs to be united. It is time to do away with polarizing politics. I doubt this Congress can work across party lines, but I am hopeful the next Congress will.
