Barack Obama delivered a rock-star appearance at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, the city that has claimed him as son.
The former President opened his remark with a truthful joke. Mr. Obama said: “I am the only person stupid enough to speak after Michelle Obama.”
It was a reference to his regret that he was asked to speak after his wife, Michelle Obama, had delivered the best speech of the convention.
Throughout his speech, President Obama seemed to be grappling with a sense of regret over a past revelation about his daughters, Malia and Sasha Obama, and their reluctance to enter the political arena.
When Barack Obama and his former vice president, Joe Biden, were still friends or “brothers” — just a few weeks ago — he attended a fundraiser in Hollywood with George Clooney for the 81-year-old.
Oddly enough, after the event, Clooney wrote a blistering op-ed demanding that Biden resign. Obama explained that his adult daughters would not get involved in politics during the fundraiser.
He blamed Michelle for his kids’ absolute decisions. Barack Obama said: “Michelle drilled into them so early that you would be crazy to go into politics.”
Many are baffled by Obama’s comment in the wake of his speech, in which he called on all Americans, Democrats, Republicans, and those in the middle “to do something,” as his wife said in her remarks.
The former senator from Illinois used a tone filled with hope and inspiration to ask Americans to take action this political season to get Kamala Harris elected as president.
Obama said in part: “As much as any policy or program, I believe that’s what we yearn for – a return to an America where we work together and look out for each other. A restoration of what Lincoln called, on the eve of the civil war, “our bonds of affection.” An America that taps what he called “the better angels of our nature.” That’s what this election is about. And I believe that’s why, if we each do our part over the next 77 days – if we knock on doors and make phone calls and talk to our friends and listen to our neighbors – if we work like we’ve never worked before – we will elect Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States, and Tim Walz as the next Vice President of the United States. Together, we, too, will build a country that is more secure, more just, more equal, and more free.”
Obama’s passionate plea to voters to be fully engaged in the political process seems odd or even hypocritical, given that his wife has been preaching to his daughters to completely withdraw from politics.
