Obama prepares for his Farewell Address

U.S. President Barack Obama gave what was expected to be his second-to-last web/radio address as president on Saturday (January 7), where he gave a brief glimpse into some of the points he’ll touch on during his Farewell Address on Tuesday (January 10).

Obama said the Farewell Address dates back to when George Washington was president, and is a tradition for American leaders. He’s chosen to deliver in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois, the state where he served as U.S. senator.

“It’s really where my career in public service began. The running thread through my career has been the notion that when ordinary people get involved and get engaged and come together in collective effort things change for the better. That’s the belief at the heart of this precious American experiment in self-government. It’s what gives work and purpose to each new generation,” Obama said.

He went on to discuss some of what he said were the successes of his administration during his tenure as president, and what the core message of his farewell to the nation will be.

“Together we brought home most of our brave troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. Took bin Laden and thousands of other terrorists off the battlefield for good. We’ve opened a new chapter with the people of Cuba, shut down Iran’s nuclear weapons program without firing a single shot, and brought the world together around a climate agreement that could save this planet for future generations. By these measures, and many more, we have made America a better stronger place for the generation that follows ours. We’ve run our leg in a long journey of progress knowing that our work is and will always be unfinished. And that’s the imperative of citizenship; the idea that with hard work people who love their country can change it. That will be the focus of my farewell to you this Tuesday (January 10) and I hope you’ll tune in.”

President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 45th president of the United States during an inauguration ceremony at the U.S. Capitol on January 20th.