It’s good to be home. My fellow Americans, Michelle and I
have been so touched by all the well-wishes we’ve received over the past few
weeks. But tonight it’s my turn to say thanks. Whether we’ve seen eye-to-eye or
rarely agreed at all, my conversations with you, the American people – in
living rooms and schools; at farms and on factory floors; at diners and on
distant outposts – are what have kept me honest, kept me inspired, and kept me
going. Every day, I learned from you. You made me a better President, and you
made me a better man.
I first came to Chicago when I was in my early twenties,
still trying to figure out who I was; still searching for a purpose to my life.
It was in neighborhoods not far from here where I began working with church
groups in the shadows of closed steel mills. It was on these streets where I
witnessed the power of faith, and the quiet dignity of working people in the
face of struggle and loss. This is where I learned that change only happens
when ordinary people get involved, get engaged, and come together to demand it.
After eight years as your President, I still believe that.
And it’s not just my belief. It’s the beating heart of our American idea – our
bold experiment in self-government.
It’s the conviction that we are all created equal, endowed
by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness.
It’s the insistence that these rights, while self-evident,
have never been self-executing; that We, the People, through the instrument of
our democracy, can form a more perfect union.
This is the great gift our Founders gave us. The freedom to
chase our individual dreams through our sweat, toil, and imagination – and the
imperative to strive together as well, to achieve a greater good.
For 240 years, our nation’s call to citizenship has given
work and purpose to each new generation. It’s what led patriots to choose
republic over tyranny, pioneers to trek west, slaves to brave that makeshift
railroad to freedom. It’s what pulled immigrants and refugees across oceans and
the Rio Grande, pushed women to reach for the ballot, powered workers to
organize. It’s why GIs gave their lives at Omaha Beach and Iwo Jima; Iraq and
Afghanistan – and why men and women from Selma to Stonewall were prepared to
give theirs as well.
So that’s what we mean when we say America is exceptional.
Not that our nation has been flawless from the start, but that we have shown
the capacity to change, and make life better for those who follow.
Yes, our progress has been uneven. The work of democracy has
always been hard, contentious and sometimes bloody. For every two steps
forward, it often feels we take one step back. But the long sweep of America
has been defined by forward motion, a constant widening of our founding creed
to embrace all, and not just some.
If I had told you eight years ago that America would reverse
a great recession, reboot our auto industry, and unleash the longest stretch of
job creation in our history…if I had told you that we would open up a new chapter
with the Cuban people, shut down Iran’s nuclear weapons program without firing
a shot, and take out the mastermind of 9/11…if I had told you that we would win
marriage equality, and secure the right to health insurance for another 20
million of our fellow citizens – you might have said our sights were set a
little too high.
But that’s what we did. That’s what you did. You were the
change. You answered people’s hopes, and because of you, by almost every
measure, America is a better, stronger place than it was when we started.
In ten days, the world will witness a hallmark of our
democracy: the peaceful transfer of power from one freely-elected president to
the next. I committed to President-Elect Trump that my administration would
ensure the smoothest possible transition, just as President Bush did for me.
Because it’s up to all of us to make sure our government can help us meet the
many challenges we still face.
We have what we need to do so. After all, we remain the
wealthiest, most powerful, and most respected nation on Earth. Our youth and
drive, our diversity and openness, our boundless capacity for risk and
reinvention mean that the future should be ours.
But that potential will be realized only if our democracy
works. Only if our politics reflects the decency of the 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.
That’s what I want to focus on tonight – the state of our
democracy.
Understand, democracy does not require uniformity. Our
founders quarreled and compromised, and expected us to do the same. But they
knew that democracy does require a basic sense of solidarity – the idea that
for all our outward differences, we are all in this together; that we rise or
fall as one.
There have been moments throughout our history that
threatened to rupture that solidarity. The beginning of this century has been
one of those times. A shrinking world, growing inequality; demographic change
and the specter of terrorism – these forces haven’t just tested our security
and prosperity, but our democracy as well. And how we meet these challenges to
our democracy will determine our ability to educate our kids, and create good
jobs, and protect our homeland.
In other words, it will determine our future.
Our democracy won’t work without a sense that everyone has
economic opportunity. Today, the economy is growing again; wages, incomes, home
values, and retirement accounts are rising again; poverty is falling again. The
wealthy are paying a fairer share of taxes even as the stock market shatters
records. The unemployment rate is near a ten-year low. The uninsured rate has
never, ever been lower. Health care costs are rising at the slowest rate in
fifty years. And if anyone can put together a plan that is demonstrably better
than the improvements we’ve made to our health care system – that covers as
many people at less cost – I will publicly support it.
That, after all, is why we serve – to make people’s lives better,
not worse.
But for all the real progress we’ve made, we know it’s not
enough. Our economy doesn’t work as well or grow as fast when a few prosper at
the expense of a growing middle class. But stark inequality is also corrosive
to our democratic principles. While the top one percent has amassed a bigger
share of wealth and income, too many families, in inner cities and rural
counties, have been left behind – the laid-off factory worker; the waitress and
health care worker who struggle to pay the bills – convinced that the game is
fixed against them, that their government only serves the interests of the
powerful – a recipe for more cynicism and polarization in our politics.
There are no quick fixes to this long-term trend. I agree
that our trade should be fair and not just free. But the next wave of economic
dislocation won’t come from overseas. It will come from the relentless pace of
automation that makes many good, middle-class jobs obsolete.
And so we must forge a new social compact – to guarantee all
our kids the education they need; to give workers the power to unionize for
better wages; to update the social safety net to reflect the way we live now
and make more reforms to the tax code so corporations and individuals who reap
the most from the new economy don’t avoid their obligations to the country
that’s made their success possible. We can argue about how to best achieve
these goals. But we can’t be complacent about the goals themselves. For if we
don’t create opportunity for all people, the disaffection and division that has
stalled our progress will only sharpen in years to come.
There’s a second threat to our democracy – one as old as our
nation itself. After my election, there was talk of a post-racial America. Such
a vision, however well-intended, was never realistic. For race remains a potent
and often divisive force in our society. I’ve lived long enough to know that
race relations are better than they were ten, or twenty, or thirty years ago –
you can see it not just in statistics, but in the attitudes of young Americans
across the political spectrum.
But we’re not where we need to be. All of us have more work
to do. After all, if every economic issue is framed as a struggle between a
hardworking white middle class and undeserving minorities, then workers of all
shades will be left fighting for scraps while the wealthy withdraw further into
their private enclaves. If we decline to invest in the children of immigrants,
just because they don’t look like us, we diminish the prospects of our own
children – because those brown kids will represent a larger share of America’s
workforce. And our economy doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game. Last year,
incomes rose for all races, all age groups, for men and for women.
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. If our democracy is to work in this increasingly diverse
nation, each one of us must try to heed the advice of one of the great
characters in American fiction, Atticus Finch, who said “You never really
understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…until you
climb into his skin and walk around in it.”
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 – the refugee, the immigrant, the rural poor, the transgender American,
and 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.
For white Americans, it means acknowledging that the effects
of slavery and Jim Crow didn’t suddenly vanish in the ‘60s; that when minority
groups voice discontent, they’re not just engaging in reverse racism or
practicing political correctness; that when they wage peaceful protest, they’re
not demanding special treatment, but the equal treatment our Founders promised.
For native-born Americans, it means reminding ourselves that
the stereotypes about immigrants today were said, almost word for word, about
the Irish, Italians, and Poles. America wasn’t weakened by the presence of
these newcomers; they embraced this nation’s creed, and it was strengthened.
So regardless of the station we occupy; we have to try
harder; to start with the premise that each of our fellow citizens loves this
country just as much as we do; that they value hard work and family like we do;
that their children are just as curious and hopeful and worthy of love as our
own.
None of this is easy. For too many of us, it’s become safer
to retreat into our own bubbles, whether in our neighborhoods or college
campuses or places of worship or our social media feeds, surrounded by people
who look like us and share the same political outlook and never challenge our
assumptions. The rise of naked partisanship, increasing economic and regional
stratification, the splintering of our media into a channel for every taste –
all this makes this great sorting seem natural, even inevitable. And
increasingly, we become so secure in our bubbles that we accept only
information, whether true or not, that fits our opinions, instead of basing our
opinions on the evidence that’s out there.
This trend represents a third threat to our democracy.
Politics is a battle of ideas; in the course of a healthy debate, we’ll
prioritize different goals, and the different means of reaching them. But
without some common baseline of facts; without a willingness to admit new
information, and concede that your opponent is making a fair point, and that
science and reason matter, we’ll keep talking past each other, making common
ground and compromise impossible.
Isn’t that part of what makes politics so dispiriting? How
can elected officials rage about deficits when we propose to spend money on
preschool for kids, but not when we’re cutting taxes for corporations? How do
we excuse ethical lapses in our own party, but pounce when the other party does
the same thing? It’s not just dishonest, this selective sorting of the facts;
it’s self-defeating. Because as my mother used to tell me, reality has a way of
catching up with you.
Take the challenge of climate change. In just eight years,
we’ve halved our dependence on foreign oil, doubled our renewable energy, and
led the world to an agreement that has the promise to save this planet. But
without bolder action, our children won’t have time to debate the existence of
climate change; they’ll be busy dealing with its effects: environmental
disasters, economic disruptions, and waves of climate refugees seeking
sanctuary.
Now, we can and should argue about the best approach to the
problem. But to simply deny the problem not only betrays future generations; it
betrays the essential spirit of innovation and practical problem-solving that
guided our Founders.
It’s that spirit, born of the Enlightenment, that made us an
economic powerhouse – the spirit that took flight at Kitty Hawk and Cape
Canaveral; the spirit that that cures disease and put a computer in every
pocket.
It’s that spirit – a faith in reason, and enterprise, and
the primacy of right over might, that allowed us to resist the lure of fascism
and tyranny during the Great Depression, and build a post-World War II order
with other democracies, an order based not just on military power or national
affiliations but on principles – the rule of law, human rights, freedoms of
religion, speech, assembly, and an independent press.
That order is now being challenged – first by violent
fanatics who claim to speak for Islam; more recently by autocrats in foreign
capitals who see free markets, open democracies, and civil society itself as a
threat to their power. The peril each poses to our democracy is more far-reaching
than a car bomb or a missile. It represents the fear of change; the fear of
people who look or speak or pray differently; a contempt for the rule of law
that holds leaders accountable; an intolerance of dissent and free thought; a
belief that the sword or the gun or the bomb or propaganda machine is the
ultimate arbiter of what’s true and what’s right.
Because of the extraordinary courage of our men and women in
uniform, and the intelligence officers, law enforcement, and diplomats who
support them, no foreign terrorist organization has successfully planned and
executed an attack on our homeland these past eight years; and although Boston
and Orlando remind us of how dangerous radicalization can be, our law
enforcement agencies are more effective and vigilant than ever. We’ve taken out
tens of thousands of terrorists – including Osama bin Laden. The global
coalition we’re leading against ISIL has taken out their leaders, and taken
away about half their territory. ISIL will be destroyed, and no one who threatens
America will ever be safe. To all who serve, it has been the honor of my
lifetime to be your Commander-in-Chief.
But protecting our way of life requires more than our
military. Democracy can buckle when we give in to fear. So just as we, as
citizens, must remain vigilant against external aggression, we must guard
against a weakening of the values that make us who we are. That’s why, for the
past eight years, I’ve worked to put the fight against terrorism on a firm
legal footing. That’s why we’ve ended torture, worked to close Gitmo, and
reform our laws governing surveillance to protect privacy and civil liberties.
That’s why I reject discrimination against Muslim Americans who are just as
patriotic as we are. That’s why we cannot withdraw from global fights – to
expand democracy, and human rights, women’s rights, and LGBT rights – no matter
how imperfect our efforts, no matter how expedient ignoring such values may
seem. For the fight against extremism and intolerance and sectarianism are of a
piece with the fight against authoritarianism and nationalist aggression. If
the scope of freedom and respect for the rule of law shrinks around the world,
the likelihood of war within and between nations increases, and our own
freedoms will eventually be threatened.
So let’s be vigilant, but not afraid. ISIL will try to kill
innocent people. But they cannot defeat America unless we betray our
Constitution and our principles in the fight. Rivals like Russia or China
cannot match our influence around the world – unless we give up what we stand
for, and turn ourselves into just another big country that bullies smaller
neighbors.
Which brings me to my final point – our democracy is
threatened whenever we take it for granted. All of us, regardless of party,
should throw ourselves into the task of rebuilding our democratic institutions.
When voting rates are some of the lowest among advanced democracies, we should
make it easier, not harder, to vote. When trust in our institutions is low, we
should reduce the corrosive influence of money in our politics, and insist on
the principles of transparency and ethics in public service. When Congress is
dysfunctional, we should draw our districts to encourage politicians to cater
to common sense and not rigid extremes.
And all of this depends on our participation; on each of us
accepting the responsibility of citizenship, regardless of which way the
pendulum of power swings.
Our Constitution is a remarkable, beautiful gift. But it’s
really just a piece of parchment. It has no power on its own. We, the people,
give it power – with our participation, and the choices we make. Whether or not
we stand up for our freedoms. Whether or not we respect and enforce the rule of
law. America is no fragile thing. But the gains of our long journey to freedom
are not assured.
In his own farewell address, George Washington wrote that
self-government is the underpinning of our safety, prosperity, and liberty, but
“from different causes and from different quarters much pains will be taken…to
weaken in your minds the conviction of this truth;” that we should preserve it
with “jealous anxiety;” that we should reject “the first dawning of every
attempt to alienate any portion of our country from the rest or to enfeeble the
sacred ties” that make us one.
We weaken those ties when we allow our political dialogue to
become so corrosive that people of good character are turned off from public
service; so coarse with rancor that Americans with whom we disagree are not
just misguided, but somehow malevolent. We weaken those ties when we define
some of us as more American than others; when we write off the whole system as
inevitably corrupt, and blame the leaders we elect without examining our own
role in electing them.
It falls to each of us to be those anxious, jealous
guardians of our democracy; to embrace the joyous task we’ve been given to
continually try to improve this great nation of ours. Because for all our
outward differences, we all share the same proud title: Citizen.
Ultimately, that’s what our democracy demands. It needs you.
Not just when there’s an election, not just when your own narrow interest is at
stake, but over the full span of a lifetime. If you’re tired of arguing with
strangers on the internet, try to talk with one in real life. If something
needs fixing, lace up your shoes and do some organizing. If you’re disappointed
by your elected officials, grab a clipboard, get some signatures, and run for
office yourself. Show up. Dive in. Persevere. Sometimes you’ll win. Sometimes
you’ll lose. Presuming a reservoir of goodness in others can be a risk, and
there will be times when the process disappoints you. But for those of us
fortunate enough to have been a part of this work, to see it up close, let me
tell you, it can energize and inspire. And more often than not, your faith in
America – and in Americans – will be confirmed.
Mine sure has been. Over the course of these eight years,
I’ve seen the hopeful faces of young graduates and our newest military
officers. I’ve mourned with grieving families searching for answers, and found
grace in Charleston church. I’ve seen our scientists help a paralyzed man
regain his sense of touch, and our wounded warriors walk again. I’ve seen our
doctors and volunteers rebuild after earthquakes and stop pandemics in their
tracks. I’ve seen the youngest of children remind us of our obligations to care
for refugees, to work in peace, and above all to look out for each other.
That faith I placed all those years ago, not far from here,
in the power of ordinary Americans to bring about change – that faith has been
rewarded in ways I couldn’t possibly have imagined. I hope yours has, too. Some
of you here tonight or watching at home were there with us in 2004, in 2008, in
2012 – and maybe you still can’t believe we pulled this whole thing off.
You’re not the only ones. Michelle – for the past
twenty-five years, you’ve been not only my wife and mother of my children, but
my best friend. You took on a role you didn’t ask for and made it your own with
grace and grit and style and good humor. You made the White House a place that
belongs to everybody. And a new generation sets its sights higher because it
has you as a role model. You’ve made me proud. You’ve made the country proud.
Malia and Sasha, under the strangest of circumstances, you
have become two amazing young women, smart and beautiful, but more importantly,
kind and thoughtful and full of passion. You wore the burden of years in the
spotlight so easily. Of all that I’ve done in my life, I’m most proud to be
your dad.
To Joe Biden, the scrappy kid from Scranton who became
Delaware’s favorite son: you were the first choice I made as a nominee, and the
best. Not just because you have been a great Vice President, but because in the
bargain, I gained a brother. We love you and Jill like family, and your
friendship has been one of the great joys of our life.
To my remarkable staff: For eight years – and for some of
you, a whole lot more – I’ve drawn from your energy, and tried to reflect back
what you displayed every day: heart, and character, and idealism. I’ve watched
you grow up, get married, have kids, and start incredible new journeys of your
own. Even when times got tough and frustrating, you never let Washington get
the better of you. The only thing that makes me prouder than all the good we’ve
done is the thought of all the remarkable things you’ll achieve from here.
And to all of you out there – every organizer who moved to
an unfamiliar town and kind family who welcomed them in, every volunteer who
knocked on doors, every young person who cast a ballot for the first time,
every American who lived and breathed the hard work of change – you are the
best supporters and organizers anyone could hope for, and I will forever be
grateful. Because yes, you changed the world.
That’s why I leave this stage tonight even more optimistic
about this country than I was when we started. Because I know our work has not
only helped so many Americans; it has inspired so many Americans – especially
so many young people out there – to believe you can make a difference; to hitch
your wagon to something bigger than yourselves. This generation coming up –
unselfish, altruistic, creative, patriotic – I’ve seen you in every corner of
the country. You believe in a fair, just, inclusive America; you know that
constant change has been America’s hallmark, something not to fear but to
embrace, and you are willing to carry this hard work of democracy forward.
You’ll soon outnumber any of us, and I believe as a result that the future is
in good hands.
My fellow Americans, it has been the honor of my life to
serve you. I won’t stop; in fact, I will be right there with you, as a citizen,
for all my days that remain. For now, whether you’re young or young at heart, I
do have one final ask of you as your President – the same thing I asked when
you took a chance on me eight years ago.
I am asking you to believe. Not in my ability to bring about
change – but in yours.
I am asking you to hold fast to that faith written into our
founding documents; that idea whispered by slaves and abolitionists; that
spirit sung by immigrants and homesteaders and those who marched for justice;
that creed reaffirmed by those who planted flags from foreign battlefields to
the surface of the moon; a creed at the core of every American whose story is
not yet written:
Yes We Can.
Yes We Did.
Yes We Can.
Thank you. God bless you. And may God continue to bless the
United States of America.
Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2Zo8vHOgaM
