As the crowd urged Obama to run for four more years, the President gave a message hope in his farewell address in Chicago before leaving office later this month. Obama spoke to the amped up audience about protecting democracy and he also reflected on the recent controversial political campaign between Trump and Clinton, but made no mention of the president-elect.
Obama told the crowd, "That potential will be realized only if our democracy works. Only if our politics reflects the decency of our people. Only if all of us, regardless of our party affiliation or particular interest, help restore the sense of common purpose that we so badly need right now."
During his speech, Obama also touched on race, telling the crowd, "If we're going to be serious about race going forward, we must uphold laws against discrimination – in hiring, in housing, in education and the criminal justice system. That's what our Constitution and highest ideals require. But laws alone won't be enough. Hearts must change."
He added, "For blacks and other minorities, it means tying our own struggles for justice to the challenges that a lot of people in this country face – not only the refugee, the immigrant, the rural poor, the transgender American, but also the middle-aged white man who from the outside may seem like he's got all the advantages, but who's seen his world upended by economic, cultural, and technological change."
Check out part of the speech above.
