A bittersweet goodbye in Chicago

By Starla Muhammad -Managing Editor- | Last updated: Jan 18, 2017 - 11:23:24 AM

President Barack Obama delivers farewell remarks, Jan. 10 in Chicago at the McCormick Convention Center. Photos: Haroon Rajaee

Crowd cheers in response to president Obama’s speech.

CHICAGO—President Barack Hussein Obama’s final White House press conference scheduled for Jan. 18 comes one week after his farewell address in front of his family members, and throngs of cheering supporters shouting “four more years” in his adopted hometown of Chicago. For many in the audience, some who sported “Obama” t-shirts and hats and other paraphernalia, his Chicago farewell was a bittersweet moment in honoring a man that navigated through the rough and tumble political ranks in Illinois and ascended to the highest political office in the land.

President Obama and his wife, first lady Michelle Obama wave to the crowd at Mc-Cormick Convention Center.

The president thanked his wife, daughters, staff, Vice-president Joe Biden and the American people for the last eight years of serving the U.S. as its commander in chief during a reflective and sometimes emotional Jan. 10 speech downtown at McCormick Place Convention Center.

“Whether we have seen eye-to-eye or rarely agreed at all, my conversations with you, the American people, in living rooms and in schools, at farms, on factory floors, at diners and on distant military outposts—those conversations are what have kept me honest, and kept me inspired, and kept me going. And every day, I have learned from you. You made me a better president, and you made me a better man,” said the country’s 44th and first Black president.

During the slightly less than one hour speech, in front of a diverse audience, Pres. Obama as he often did throughout his tenure in office, spoke on what he said is the commonality that binds Americans together despite fundamental differences while admitting the country has a long way to go to achieve “a more perfect union.”

“After my election, there was talk of a post-racial America. And such a vision, however well-intended, was never realistic. Race remains a potent and often divisive force in our society. Now, I’ve lived long enough to know that race relations are better than they were 10, or 20, or 30 years ago, no matter what some folks say. You can see it not just in statistics, you see it in the attitudes of young Americans across the political spectrum,” said Mr. Obama during a speech that was often interrupted by applause. He also implored Blacks and other minority groups to tie their struggles and fights for justice with other groups he said are also marginalized such as immigrants, poor rural Whites and the LGBTQ community.

At the mention of the upcoming transition of power which will see Republican and controversial real estate developer Donald J. Trump sworn into office Jan. 20, the crowd erupted in groans and “boo’s.” Mr. Obama tried to assuage fears and uncertainty many Americans feel about what the next administration has in store for immigration reform, anti-Muslim sentiments, the economy, climate change, education and other key issues. He challenged Americans to become actively engaged in becoming the change they want to see reflected in the political system by becoming engaged on the local level.

Supporters show their love for Pres. Obama.

“If you’re disappointed by your elected officials, grab a clipboard, get some signatures, and run for office yourself. Show up. Dive in. Stay at it,” he said as the audience erupted in applause.

Perhaps the most touching portion of the night, came as Pres. Obama became visibly emotional and wiped his eyes with a white handkerchief while thanking his wife, first lady Michelle Obama and their daughters Malia and Sasha for their unwavering love and support.

“For the past 25 years, you have not only been my wife and mother of my children, you have been my best friend,” said Mr. Obama as he gazed at Mrs. Obama.

Many in the crowd did not want to leave even after the president left the stage as many milled around, hugged, snapped photographs with one another and stayed long after the program as if to bask in the memories and reflections of the past eight years.

“If we could have four more years of Obama we definitely would have and I’m so proud to be here,” said Dr. Shanyta Russell a social worker at Hillcrest High School in Country Club Hills, Illinois. She brought her 16-year-old son to witness Mr. Obama’s farewell address.

“It’s a blessing for me to be in the presence of the first Black president of the United States and just at this moment I’m speechless because this is something I will never experience again and I brought my son so hopefully he understands the impact that President Obama has for not just us as African Americans but us as a people,” said Dr. Russell.

Vocalist performs at the beginning of program.

“It’s a bittersweet experience,” said Chicago native Chad King after Mr. Obama’s remarks. “It’s a wonderful time to be able to see one of the greatest men I’ll ever have known of in my life here before us this evening but it’s bittersweet in that we know that this is the last time that we’re going to hear from him as president of the United States.” Mr. King said he would like to see Mr. Obama come back to Chicago when he reenters the private sector and return to his community organizing roots especially to help address the various issues plaguing the city’s South Side. “I’d like to see him come back here and start his new life where his old one began.”

Young people in the audience, some of who were in elementary school in 2008 when Mr. Obama was first elected, were saying goodbye to the only president they are old enough to remember.

Adam Yates, is from Boston and is a 19-year-old sophomore at Northwestern University in Chicago. As a little boy he remembers going out on the campaign trail and hearing Mr. Obama speak in New Hampshire. Being present for Mr. Obama’s goodbye Chicago address was a sense of “closure,” he told The Final Call.

“I was there at the beginning and I’m here at the end. I also feel kind of blessed to also like grow up with him as my president. Before I was 10 years old I really was not aware of politics or anything like that and to be able to come of age in a president who I really admire and whose work I think did so much for this country was really special. So I’m really happy to be here but obviously also it’s kind of sad to watch him go. But it’s meant so much growing up under an Obama presidency,” said Mr. Yates.

A supporter shows her patriotic outfit complete with photos of pres. Obama and his family.

Aminah Bilal, 19, is a biology major and Sanaa Khan, 20, is a business major at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. They are both Muslims and members of the Muslim Students Association.

Ms. Khan said both of them came to the speech with a sense of sadness but the optimism of Mr. Obama’s tone and inspirational message lifted their spirits and still gives them a sense of hope for the future.

Both young women also said the most powerful moment for them was when Pres. Obama spoke on the importance of standing with Muslim Americans during a time when Islamophobia is a major concern. It was reassuring to both young women when the crowd applauded in approval to his remarks about Muslims and Islam.

“In this Trump America it’s nice to see that there’s so many people who stand with us and our community and we really feel safe in America too. This is a nice place to be a Muslim in my opinion,” said Ms. Bilal.

“What resonated the most with me is when he said he will reject discrimination against Muslim Americans. That honestly got me teary-eyed…any of his comments about equality or stress on refugees and helping others even if they don’t look like you, stuff like that is what makes him inspire me. I’ve been watching Obama since when I was in sixth grade in 2008,” said Ms. Khan.

“He’s inspired so many young ones, like us in college, to get involved in politics, listening to his speeches.”

Yvonne Winn-Buckner a retired teacher and Chicago resident said she was surprised to even be at McCormick for Mr. Obama’s farewell and came when her son told her he had a ticket for her. “I wanted to cry, I wanted to laugh, I wanted to jump up and down. Once I got here, seeing all the people and how they’re welcoming him. It was amazing. In his speech he said a lot that really put a lot on my mind,” said Ms. Winn-Buckner. His eight years went so fast, she added.

Keith Boykin, a Democratic strategist, former White House aide to President Bill Clinton and political commentator told The Final Call that Black people in particular should understand that when Mr. Obama took office, Black unemployment was 12.8 percent and it is now 7.8 percent. It is still too high, he explained but it is the lowest since the Clinton era. There is a concern that number could creep back up in the next administration, said Mr. Boykin.

“I think that President Obama has a legacy that has contributed to a lot of significant progress for our community and sometimes we don’t give him credit. Did he do everything he needed to do? No. Did he solve all the problems? No. Did he solve the issue of crime in Chicago? Absolutely not. But I do think in terms of what he did accomplish, certainly goes down in the history books as in my opinion as the best president that we’ve had since World War II.”

Bakari Sellers, an attorney, former South Carolina legislator and CNN political analyst said in hindsight there were some things that could have been done differently but that it was a night to celebrate Mr. Obama’s success. “I think the number one achievement Barack Obama has is that he made it through the presidency and the office is better for him being there than it was before he got there.”

The Final Call