In Obama's Possible Last Speech As a Senator, Another Memorable Speech Was Witnessed

If this was Barack Obama's last speech as a regular citizen in the United States of America today, then he certainly closed it out in the spectacular and inspiring fashion that has become a trademark custom of his legendary monologues.

Make no mistake, this speech today was just as great as the ones in Denver in late August, Lansing in July, St.Paul in June, Philadelphia in March, Iowa in January, Boston four years ago, and all in between.

It highlighted the problems of America, but most importantly, focused on how those problems in the past have not stopped the people of this great nation (and may I even say citizens of this world) from getting back up after being so down.


And honestly, I have even done this speech a disservice by just having a seven minute version of it.

The transcript is here for all to see, but let the sentiments of this post from this author continue.

In this seven minute segment of a memorable speech, Obama's preaches again the unity of not only this country in terms of just Democrats and Republicans, but of all types of people, with all different mindsets in backgrounds.

Yes, he has constantly stated this, but whenever this man continues to say these things over and over again, even the harshest critic of this man who still believes that neither party is worth voting for will have to submit to opening his or her eyes and seeing that this man truly does get it.

"But all of us, must summon the strength and grace, to bridge over differences and unity in common effort. Black, White, Latino, Asian, Native America, Democrat, Republican, young, old, rich, poor, gay, straight, disabled, or not, all of us must come together."

The crowd definitely cheered emphatically and vociferously when those words where utter from the Illinois Senator, on the verge of becoming an ex-Illinois Senator.

Next, he made sure to address how no one in this country is more American or realer than anyone else, unlike his pathetic opponent's "Worst Campaign in American history's" ethos of irrationally, hate, and divisiveness.

"The stakes are too high to divide us, by class and region, and background. By who we are or what we believe, because despite what our opponents may claim, there is no "real" or "fake" parts of this country. There's no city or town that is more pro-America then anywhere else. We've one nation, all of us proud, all of us patriots."

The speech certainly touched the great reporter than is Greg Sargent at the Memo, liking Obama speech to Bill Clinton's 1992 closing remarks:

Barack Obama just wrapped up his big closing argument speech in Canton, Ohio, and his remarks drive home one of the under-appreciated aspects of this amazing campaign: The similarities between Obama and Bill Clinton, and between their respective readings of the electorates each man sought to win over.

The speech shows, again, that Obama rivals (and perhaps surpasses) Bill as one of the great public communicators of the last few decades. But their similarities run deeper. Obama's success -- like Bill's -- is rooted in an uncanny sense of the electorate's mood, and of what it's looking for in its next leader. The likenesses were unmistakable today.

But even Sargent, with all respect for his tremendous work over at TPM, understated Obama's speech today. In fact, to even compare this to any other speech is, to me, missing the point.

Especially when Obama talks again about those who have not only zero confidence in this country's politicians and politics, but those who abominate even the sight or conversation about American government.

"It won't be easy Ohio. Some of you maybe cynical, some of you maybe fed up with politics, and a lot of you maybe disappointed and even angry with your leaders.

And you have every right to be.

But despite all of this, I ask of you what's been asked of Americans throughout our history, I ask of you to believe. Not just in my ability to bring about Change, but in yours. I know this change is possible, I have seen it in the last 21 months."

He continued......

"I’ve seen it in lines of voters that stretched around schools and churches; in the young people who cast their ballot for the first time, and those not so young folks who got involved again after a very long time.

I’ve seen it in the workers who would rather cut back their hours than see their friends lose their jobs; in the neighbors who take a stranger in when the floodwaters rise; in the soldiers who re-enlist after losing a limb. I’ve seen it in the faces of the men and women I’ve met at countless rallies and town halls across the country, men and women who speak of their struggles but also of their hopes and dreams."

I'll let you read and gather a perspective yourself from today's speech (including his story about a lady named Robyn). But this one will go down in the memory books for me as another indelible classic, and probably the most indelible, of them all from Barack Obama.

Today.