Obama’s farewell speech echoed of optimism, warning and grievances

However, his message regarding the alleged Russian cyber hack on the last US elections was exposed in the most non-Obama fashion

It was the last time that he boarded the Air force One, and also the last time to address a sold-out crowd as the world’s most powerful public office holder. Yet, the popular but politically humbled Barack Obama has delivered a landmark farewell speech containing a mix of optimism, warning and grievances. His voice, at moments driven by emotion, recounted a presidency that saw setbacks as well as successes. However, reflecting back at his core message regarding many key issues it was one full of many underlying messages too. 

Concerning democracy his stance was clear unlike many of his predecessors, he was outright blunt to state that democracy does require a basic sense of solidarity and despite all outward differences all Americans were together aiming either to rise or fall together. He implored his supporters to be vigilant in protecting basic American values which he fears could come under threat. The outgoing president acknowledged that his historic presidency was not a panacea for the country's racist past. Most importantly, he admitted that Race still remains a potent and often a divisive force within the American society. Though he repeatedly pledged  to cooperate with his successor but his speech was a thinly veiled rebuke of several of the positions Mr. Trump staked out during the campaign - ranging from climate change to barring Muslims from entering the country to repealing his landmark health care law. There were also nostalgic moments within the speech too as he recalled the 2008 campaign that started him on his incredible journey to the White House.
However, his message regarding the alleged Russian cyber hack on the last US elections was exposed in the most unassuming and in non-Obama fashion.  Lamenting on the perennially low voter turnout rates, he urged Americans to become more politically involved in national affairs. More to it was a clearly disguised informal accusation to the hacking scandal when he stated that - “If you’re tired of arguing with strangers on the internet,” He said, “try to talk with one in real life.”   
Read between the lines carefully and you will find multiple messages of political distrust buttressed with the supposed Russian cyber conspiracy to have negatively impacted the continuity of the American democratic system. 
He warned that "laws alone won't be enough" in resolving persistent differences between Ameri­cans."Hearts must change,” It appeared more of a humane call instead of a warning, and also a cry of a die-hard democrat in the midst of extreme political despair.  Yet despite all, he hasn't abandoned his vision of progressive change and hope. It is perhaps the continuance of endless hope of optimism which has been carrying the United States of America forward.   
Whatever meanings and message we try to decipher from Obama’s farewell speech it was particularly absorbing to have known from reliable sources that he had planned his speech for months, formulating the broad themes while on vacation over the holidays in Hawaii and developing drafts barely a week before the date. Like several major speeches in the past, the president reportedly drafted his own speech - dictating passages to his chief speechwriter to turn words into print.     
However, the point in here – if this is the amount of effort given by an American president to prepare his farewell speech, how much personal effort was given to formulate Obamacare besides other national and international issues and policies?
From speech drafting to editing of its contents, from honest admission of failures to build on acquired success, from fruitful democracy to good governance, from condemning racism to capitalising on goodwill , and from impending fears looming at large to forward looking social commentaries to many other aspects we and our politicians have , in fact , many lessons to draw. Perhaps the first lesson to draw from Obama’s farewell speech should be a public mandate in the shape of entrusted political authority is never meant for life. Having said that, a president or a Prime Minister may attempt many things while in office, and yet he may not get most of them rightly done. Ironically similar, to an old saying of another late American president Lyndon Johnson, who said - A president’s hardest task is not to do what is right, but to know what is right. To that -Obama surely knew what the rights in his job were.

The writer is a journalist specialising in current affairs

 

Obamas farewell speech echoed of optimism, warning and grievances

However, his message regarding the alleged Russian cyber hack on the last US elections was exposed in the most non-Obama fashion

It was the last time that he boarded the Air force One, and also the last time to address a sold-out crowd as the worlds most powerful public office holder. Yet, the popular but politically humbled Barack Obama has delivered a landmark farewell speech containing a mix of optimism, warning and grievances. His voice, at moments driven by emotion, recounted a presidency that saw setbacks as well as successes. However, reflecting back at his core message regarding many key issues it was one full of many underlying messages too. Concerning democracy his stance was clear unlike many of his predecessors, he was outright blunt to state that democracy does require a basic sense of solidarity and despite all outward differences all Americans were together aiming either to rise or fall together. He implored his supporters to be vigilant in protecting basic American values which he fears could come under threat. The outgoing president acknowledged that his historic presidency was not a panacea for the countrys racist past. Most importantly, he admitted that Race still remains a potent and often a divisive force within the American society. Though he repeatedly pledged to cooperate with his successor but his speech was a thinly veiled rebuke of several of the positions Mr. Trump staked out during the campaign - ranging from climate change to barring Muslims from entering the country to repealing his landmark health care law. There were also nostalgic moments within the speech too as he recalled the 2008 campaign that started him on his incredible journey to the White House. However, his message regarding the alleged Russian cyber hack on the last US elections was exposed in the most unassuming and in non-Obama fashion. Lamenting on the perennially low voter turnout rates, he urged Americans to become more politically involved in national affairs. More to it was a clearly disguised informal accusation to the hacking scandal when he stated that - If youre tired of arguing with strangers on the internet, He said, try to talk with one in real life. Read between the lines carefully and you will find multiple messages of political distrust buttressed with the supposed Russian cyber conspiracy to have negatively impacted the continuity of the American democratic system. He warned that laws alone wont be enough in resolving persistent differences between Americans.Hearts must change, It appeared more of a humane call instead of a warning, and also a cry of a die-hard democrat in the midst of extreme political despair. Yet despite all, he hasnt abandoned his vision of progressive change and hope. It is perhaps the continuance of endless hope of optimism which has been carrying the United States of America forward. Whatever meanings and message we try to decipher from Obamas farewell speech it was particularly absorbing to have known from reliable sources that he had planned his speech for months, formulating the broad themes while on vacation over the holidays in Hawaii and developing drafts barely a week before the date. Like several major speeches in the past, the president reportedly drafted his own speech - dictating passages to his chief speechwriter to turn words into print. However, the point in here if this is the amount of effort given by an American president to prepare his farewell speech, how much personal effort was given to formulate Obamacare besides other national and international issues and policies? From speech drafting to editing of its contents, from honest admission of failures to build on acquired success, from fruitful democracy to good governance, from condemning racism to capitalising on goodwill , and from impending fears looming at large to forward looking social commentaries to many other aspects we and our politicians have , in fact , many lessons to draw. Perhaps the first lesson to draw from Obamas farewell speech should be a public mandate in the shape of entrusted political authority is never meant for life. Having said that, a president or a Prime Minister may attempt many things while in office, and yet he may not get most of them rightly done. Ironically similar, to an old saying of another late American president Lyndon Johnson, who said - A presidents hardest task is not to do what is right, but to know what is right. To that -Obama surely knew what the rights in his job were. The writer is a journalist specialising in current affairs