Barack Obama made his farewell address last night and the President was reduced to tears (along with the rest of the world) as he honoured his wife Michelle, calling her his “girl of the south side.”
Making his emotionally charged farewell speech to a Chicago crowd calling out “we love you Obama”, the soon to be ex-president of the United States also thanked his “amazing” daughters and the “scrappy kid from Scranton”, Vice President Joe Biden.
One protester in the crowd could be seen holding a “pardon all of us” sign as others chanted “four more years!”, while the camera frequently cut to 18-year-old Malia Obama crying quietly beside her mum in the front row. The President’s younger daughter, 15-year-old Sasha, had stayed behind in Washington to complete a school exam.
Mr. Obama’s voice was fraught with emotion throughout his speech as he thanked his family:
“Michelle LeVaughn Robinson, girl of the South Side, for the past 25 years, you’ve been not only my wife and mother of my children, you have been my best friend. You took on a role you didn’t ask for and you made it your own with grace and grit and style, and good humour.
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.”
Addressing his daughters, the proud dad had this to say:
“Malia and Sasha, under the strangest of circumstances, you have become two amazing young women, you are 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.”
After the President’s farewell, First Lady Michelle tweeted a touching family photo of the couple with a young Malia and Sasha:
Obama family, Ireland salutes you.
