Former President Barack Obama's full remarks at Obama Presidential Center dedication
The speech centers on Chicago as the place where a young Obama “found” his purpose, the Center as a living civic institution rather than a “mausoleum,” and democracy as a fragile inheritance requiring participation, restraint, character, and faith in citizenship. President Obama used the opening to call Americans back to civic responsibility and democratic values.
Would that we had not strayed quite so far.
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Video of Barak Obama's remarks at the Opening of the Obama Presidential Center.
There is a transcript with the video so you can follow along. Click "...more" in the little blurb on YouTube or read this that I had ChatGPT clean up:
Hello, Chicago. Sweet home Chicago.
Please have a seat. Thank you for that outstanding introduction. President and Mrs. Bush, President and Secretary Clinton, thank you for being with us today and for your devotion to our country. And President and Dr. Biden, thank you for your steadfast partnership for eight years. Joe, we started as running mates and ended as family. And we would not be here without you.
And we are grateful. To our amazing foundation staff and our amazing board, to Governor Pritzker, Mayor Johnson, thank you for making this center possible. To congressional leaders and foreign dignitaries who have made the trip, I cherish our partnership together and all we got accomplished together.
Thank you. To Michelle, she did me wrong. She would not let me see her speech.
She knew she was going to mess me up, and she did it anyway. But she has always made me better. And I could not be more grateful.
And to Sasha and Malia, what can I say? You mean everything to me.
More than 40 years ago, on a late summer afternoon in 1985, I arrived here in Chicago, entering the city through the very spot where this center now stands.
I can still picture myself heading down what was then Cornell Drive in a janky used car that I had bought in New York, with all my worldly possessions stuffed in the trunk and the back seat, so I really could not see out of the rearview mirror, and I was a safety hazard.
And I was 23 years old. I had just been hired by a group of churches on the South Side to help organize a part of the city that had been battered by steel plant closings and chronic neglect.
And I did not have much organizing experience. Did not know anybody in Chicago. But I had been inspired by the Civil Rights Movement, and I knew I wanted to make a difference.
And although I was not sure exactly how I was going to do that, I was possessed with this abiding faith that if we could give people more of a say in the forces that govern their lives, if we could bridge some of the differences that drove us apart, then we could build an America where everyone counts, and everyone has a fair shot, and everyone belongs. Even a mixed-race kid with a weird backstory and a name nobody could pronounce.
And it was here, in this city, a city of broad shoulders, that I found what I was looking for.
Day by day, block by block, I got to know the people who lived here. Their hopes, their dreams, their tragedies and their triumphs. I witnessed their resilience in the face of hardship.
And the quiet heroism of a single mom raising her kids and sending them to college on a secretary's salary. Or the priest electing to stay in the city and open his doors to at-risk youth, even as most of his flock had fled to the suburbs.
I learned that leadership has less to do with titles or rank or chasing attention than with helping others find their voice, reaching their potential.
And sitting around people's kitchen tables or on their back porches, spending time in church basements, in barbershops, I was reminded that everyone has a story to tell if you just care to listen. Sacred stories, full of courage and humor and grace. And that each of those stories in some way connected to my own.
In other words, I found my purpose here, and I fortified my faith here. And I found my community here. Friendships that would last a lifetime.
And I found a girl from the South Side who has been my greatest blessing. Michelle and I, our wedding reception was over at South Shore Cultural Center. You could walk from here.
Our daughters were born right down the street. This is where we bought our first home. This is where our kids took their first steps.
This is where I launched my candidacy for the Illinois State Senate, over at the Ramada Inn on Lake Shore Drive, serving pretzels and soda, embarking on the path that ultimately and improbably led to this day.
So, for me, this center could not be anyplace else. It is an expression of thanks, an acknowledgment that so much of what I hold most dear I owe to the people of this city, and the people of these surrounding neighborhoods.
And it is why we designed this center not to be some lifeless mausoleum. I am too young for that.
Not just a place to see Michelle's dresses, although I understand that will be the top attraction.
We wanted it to be a vibrant, living celebration of community, where we can learn together, and share the joys of art and music and sport and play. Because it is in those moments that we are reminded of our common humanity and strengthen the bonds of trust that not only make our lives richer, but make our democracy stronger.
Now, we also wanted this center to be a celebration of the extraordinary public servants, many of whom are here today, that made this journey possible.
Some of you helped get me elected. Some of you I had to talk into joining my administration. Some of you were seasoned veterans, who helped show a rookie president the ropes.
But a lot of you were younger than I was when I first drove into this city. We are all a bit older now. Many of you have children of your own, even grandchildren.
But the passage of time has only deepened my admiration for your talent and your dedication and your skill. It has only deepened my gratitude for how much you and your families sacrificed to make this country better.
So when you visit this center today or in days to come, I hope you see yourselves and your hard work reflected in every exhibit. And I hope you take pride in what we accomplished together.
You made that happen.
Now, of course, we did not accomplish everything we set out to do. No administration does.
Some of the exhibits reflect unfinished business. In some cases, my own shortcomings and mistakes. In some cases, because, as a sign I kept on the Resolute Desk read, "Hard things are hard."
And that is especially true in a big, raucous, diverse, argumentative democracy like the United States of America. Everybody has got an opinion. And that means getting stuff done involves reconciling the demands of a couple of hundred million people.
Democracy can be frustrating. It can be slow. It can be inefficient.
And yet, more than anything, I hope this center will serve as an affirmation of just how special, how precious our democracy truly is. And remind us what we can achieve when we embrace our shared responsibilities as citizens.
And since we are a few weeks away from America's 250th birthday, it is worth remembering just how radical the whole idea of self-government really was back in 1776.
To that point, human history was a tale of conquest and caste and rigid hierarchies. A world where the strong dominated the weak. Where power and wealth and status flowed through lineage.
And the many were ruled by the few. But out of the fire and steel of a revolution, a different story took flight. On this continent, a declaration that we are all created equal.
Endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights. And that in the newly independent United States, there will be no kings or lords, no serfs or subjects, but only citizens. Each of us free to pursue our own version of happiness.
And able to determine our collective fate through an elected, representative government. It had not been done. And because it had not been done before, the success of this experiment was never a given.
In forming our union, the founders fell terribly short of the Declaration's promise. Leaving slavery intact. Allowing states to restrict the franchise to white men who own property.
But in drafting a Constitution and a Bill of Rights, they did have the foresight, the genius, to provide us with a framework that allows each generation to make our union more perfect.
And over more than two centuries, through petitions and protests, marches and strikes, moral appeals from the pulpit, and conversations at the family dinner table, men and women from all walks of life, of every color, every faith, every region, took up the cause of democracy and made it their own.
Until we, the people, came to include not just some of us, but all of us.
And that is why the story we tell in this building begins not with Michelle's origins or my origins, but with our nation's. With a founding-era print of the Declaration of Independence.
And a pen and inkstand used by Frederick Douglass. Lincoln's Bible and a pamphlet by Ida B. Wells.
Suffragist buttons and a hard hat worn by FDR's Labor Secretary Frances Perkins. And it is why the exhibits here focus not just on policies, but on the shared values that make democracy possible.
A belief in the intrinsic dignity and worth of all people.
And that no one is above the law or beneath its protection. A belief in checks and balances in our government, and an accountability that comes with an independent judiciary and a robust free press.
A belief that our military and law enforcement owe allegiance not to any president or political party, but to the people and our Constitution.
A belief in the peaceful transfer of power after the people have spoken in fair and free elections, recognizing that in a large, complicated society like ours, no group or faction gets its way 100 percent of the time.
And a belief that qualities of character, honesty, integrity, kindness, compassion, a sense of duty and honor, those things matter in our public dealings, just as they do in our private lives.
These are the values and traditions I believe in.
And they are not Republican or Democratic values. They are American values we can all share, regardless of party. Values every president here today, as different as we are, has tried our best to uphold.
Values that John McCain and Mitt Romney believed in no less than I did. It is our greatest inheritance, the story of America at its best, because it reflects a basic faith in the decency of our fellow citizens.
And the possibility that despite all of our differences, we can see each other and understand one another and make common cause together.
That is what I hope every visitor to this center takes away from their experience. And that is why if you come for a day, and you do not have time to see everything, I would urge you to skip the clips of my speeches. You have heard them all before.
In favor of the stories of those ordinary citizens who helped make that change happen. The cancer survivor who feared rising premiums would force her out of her home and was brave enough to speak out about it. She is why we pushed so hard for health care reform.
The small business owner trying to keep the lights on. The teenage girl who told me she was worried her dad might lose his job in the auto crisis. They are why we focused so relentlessly on pulling our economy back from the Great Recession.
The wounded warrior overcoming debilitating injuries. The gay Air Force major serving her country even when forced to hide who she was. They are why we worked to end Don't Ask, Don't Tell.
And care for those who have worn our country's uniform and do right by our military families. It is their voices that led to our successes.
And while going through the exhibits, I would also ask you to listen to the voices of people around the world who have been inspired by American ideas.
Yes, America has made its share of foreign policy mistakes. Our actions have not always matched our rhetoric. We have learned that we cannot solve every conflict or stop every atrocity around the globe.
But at our best, the United States has been an undeniable force for good in the world.
And what I heard on every continent as president is that when America, when American foreign policy lives up to our highest ideals, when we champion human rights and democracy and the sound stewardship of our planet, when we take the lead in eradicating disease and feeding the hungry and educating children, when we encourage cooperation between nations instead of trying to dominate and bully and squeeze every advantage just because we can.
And most of all, when we show through our example here at home that even a country as big and diverse as ours can make democracy work, it turns out all nations, including ours, become more prosperous and secure.
And the world gets a little bit brighter.
I recognize it has been almost a decade since I left office. In that time, we have lived through more war and a terrible pandemic, economic disruptions, mass protests, backlash against mass protests, political conflicts that have shaken the very foundation of our democracy.
We have witnessed a technological revolution that promises remarkable discoveries, could revolutionize medicine, but is also accelerating inequality, that puts all the world's information in the palm of our hands, but somehow makes it harder for us to tell a truth from a lie, that connects us instantly like never before, even as it makes us more distrustful and more withdrawn and more fearful and more isolated from each other.
It is a lot. For millions of people in this country and around the world, the future feels uncertain, the ground unstable beneath our feet.
And as algorithms keep feeding us a steady stream of distraction and outrage, as only the loudest, most extreme voices get attention, fanning our prejudices, appealing to our basest, most tribal instincts, it is tempting to give in to cynicism and even despair, to stop trying.
We start thinking that appeals to democracy and civic participation are corny and old-fashioned and boring and naive. That the very idea of working on behalf of the common good is a sucker's bet.
And that in order for us to win, somebody else has got to lose.
I get it. I am not immune to anger or doubt.
But I do know this: When we lose faith in each other, when we stop believing that voting matters, that citizenship matters, that our collective voices matter, that how we treat each other no longer matters, and we give away our power to decide our own futures.
We open the door to the most ruthless or the most careless or the most fearful among us, who see some groups and some people as more equal than others, and see government as nothing more than a way to divvy up the spoils and punish enemies, and keep those who are different in their place.
I do not believe that is the story of America that prevails in the end.
I do not believe it because for us to give up, for us to give in now, after all this country has been through, to cynicism and division, would be a betrayal of our founding ideas, a betrayal of our faith.
And I remain convinced that the overwhelming majority of Americans feel the same way, that as unsettled as we are, people are not looking for perpetual anger and division.
They are looking for fairness and common sense and mutual respect, that deep in our gut we want to find a way to turn towards each other again, not further away.
I believe this because I have seen it all across our country, in cities that have worked together to reclaim their streets from crime, in rural communities that have rebuilt their economy, in businesses that are finding new ways to make housing affordable, in those ordinary people in the Twin Cities who brave frigid temperatures, risk their own safety, standing shoulder to shoulder to look out for their neighbors and sometimes look out for strangers because they knew that was the right thing to do.
I have seen it, and I have seen it in a new generation of leaders, here and around the world, like Puneha and Addison, leaders who are determined to make our governments and our economies and our societies work for everyone.
Obama Foundation leaders like Hannah, a Food Corps member from rural Ohio who is helping ensure every child has access to at least one nourishing meal.
Or George, an entrepreneur whose nonprofit helps get unused, unexpired medicine, often at no cost, to people who need it.
Or Zuzanna, a human rights activist from Poland who has won more than 30 landmark cases.
There are thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of these young people out there making a difference right now.
And this center is devoted to lifting up their stories, giving them the tools and support they need to expand their impact.
For while our work is nonpartisan, we are not values neutral. We have a point of view.
The exhibits in this center are not meant to evoke nostalgia for some gauzy bygone era, some unattainable past that we can dream about and say, oh, we miss you, Barack.
They are meant to remind us of who we can be, to remind us of what is possible, so we can forge ahead, clear-eyed and confident, and do the work that still needs to be done.
We can learn from the past, but America's story is not frozen in the past.
It has chapters yet to be written, not by one person or a few people, not by Barack and Michelle, or anybody with a fancy title or a high office, but by all of us.
You know, one of the things a lot of presidential libraries now have in common is a replica of the Oval Office. And if you take a peek at the one inside this building, you will see some objects that carried some special meaning for me during the time that I was in office.
There is a program that a friend from the South Side gave me that he had retrieved from the 1963 March on Washington. He was there.
There is a Norman Rockwell painting of the Statue of Liberty with workers hanging on ropes, burnishing the torch that she holds aloft.
And on the rug, you will read words from some of America's greatest leaders, including a quote that inspired that arch that you see right there at the south end of the plaza by Martin Perry. The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.
That is a quote that was often invoked by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but it originally comes from a Boston minister's sermon more than 170 years ago.
And at the time, the abolitionist cause seemed lost. The Compromise of 1850 had made harboring fugitive slaves a crime under federal law, even in those states that had abolished slavery.
And in a case that garnered national attention, a young fugitive in Boston had been seized and tried and marched to the wharf by hundreds of armed officers where he was summarily put on a ship bound for the South where he would remain in shackles and chains.
And it was a moment of profound uncertainty and despair. A moment the minister called darker than any New England had witnessed.
We do not see, Reverend Theodore Parker observed, that justice is always done on Earth.
Many a knave is rich, sleek, and honored, while the just man is poor, hated, and in torment.
I do not pretend, the preacher said, to understand the moral universe. The arc is a long one.
My eye reaches but little ways. I cannot calculate the curve and complete the figure by the experience of sight. I can divine it by conscience.
But from what I see, I am sure it bends towards justice.
The good reverend was under no illusions about the perils and obstacles facing the abolitionist cause. His words offered no easy answers, no comforting assurances that he or his congregation would live to see the progress they so desperately sought.
Rather, his was a declaration of faith. A defiant call not to abandon hope or give way to fear, but to stay true to our better selves and true to one another. And to keep fighting to fulfill the promise of this nation, even in the face of cruelty and bitter disappointment.
Even in the face of impossible odds.
It is that spirit that we open this center today. The same spirit that so many of you showed all those years ago.
The same spirit that inspired generations of Americans to meet the challenges of their time. The same spirit that is alive and well here on the South Side of Chicago. The same spirit that will see America and the world through its present trials.
There is a new generation out there, ready to write the next chapter of our story. We intend to help them do it, and we ask that you join us.
Thank you. God bless you. God bless the United States of America.
Be nice or get bent
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I really liked Michelle Obama's speech too.
too bad lee greendick and kid suck weren't invited to perform ... /s
Michelle's speech was fantastic. Seeing and hearing them both was like a time warp back to when I wasn't ashamed of our country. Too bad it was only temporary.
But it did leave the observer to the conclusion that not all is lost in the sewer of Trumpism. The Obamas showed that it takes more than billionaires, more than a warped, frustrated incompetent old fool, more than millions of fascist supporters derailing online conversations with their "but the libs/progressives" schtick, to send the American Experiment hurtling towards an unfree and unequal America. We have been there and are still there, but the speeches gave sustenance to the fact that things can and will change, and for the better, just not if we collapse in a heap of despair.
I agree.
Step one is to get Trump out of office. Impeachment and conviction is the best solution. But it is unlikely to work with the current corrupt/spineless Congress. By default Trump is gone in 2028. It is up to the electorate to vote in a PotUS and Congress that would truly work to undo the Trump damage. Long shot, but possible.
...
"Isn't it hilarious that people are still waiting for us to do our jobs and stop the criminals from stealing from citizens!?! And yet they keep hiring us! Hahahahaha! These people are really stupid, but hey, that's not our fault! Whoever said there was a fool born every minute must have never lived among white rightwing conservative Christians or they would have said three a minute! Hahahahaha!".
After consultation with my overly astringent editor:
America needs more than a change of party in Congress.
America needs structural reform. The states need a common, fair, and transparent way of drawing congressional districts so that representation reflects the people, not the mapmakers. Whether that is done through independent commissions, state constitutional amendments, federal standards, or some combination of those things, I am not sure. But the present system allows politicians to choose their voters and then pretend the result represents the clear will of the people.
I am tired of politicians pretending that 49.81 percent of the vote gives them some sweeping national mandate. It was enough to win the election. It was not permission to remake the country by fiat.
America also needs lawful accountability.
I believe the current administration is traitorous in effect and treasonous in spirit. The trail of complicity is too great, and the pattern is too consistent to dismiss as accident, incompetence, or ordinary partisan disagreement.
If the evidence supports specific criminal charges, bring those charges. If the legal definition of treason is met, call it treason. If the facts support obstruction, conspiracy, abuse of power, corruption, sedition, or betrayal of oath, call it that.
But whatever the final legal label may be, public office cannot become a sanctuary for people who betray the constitutional order they swore to defend.
I fully agree. I wish there was a way to make this happen, but I cannot figure out how to displace corruption that is replete in the most powerful positions of government.
Any paragraph in this speech would be beyond Trump's intellectual capabilities
... or any word over 5 letters. trump's speeches are usually a collection of his greatest lies, fact free insults, and assignment of blame for his failures all strung together ...
You're being generous
It was a truly inspiring speech. Amazing the he didn't spend most of the speech running down the country like Trump always does.
That's because Mr. Obama is a good man
It's sad people fall for his schtick. Victor Davis Hanson captured his syle perfectly:
Maybe he should use all that money he makes from Wall Street to pay off the minority contractors her stiffed....
Are you hoping that the people sitting in front of their devices will not use those devices to corroborate your stories that you tell?
If contractors are owed money, pay them.
Now show me where a subcontractor payment dispute with the construction manager becomes “Obama stiffed them.” That is the claim you made. Prove that part.
Are you hoping that the people sitting in front of their devices will not use those devices to corroborate your stories that you tell?
Of course I hope they look it up. It’s very sad contractors are owed millions for their work. Maybe they’ll pressure their savior the lightbringer Obama to pay them.
Obama stiffed them
its his foundation that owns the library that could end up having liens put against it because of workers aren’t getting paid.
The former POTUS and First lady are no more personally responsible for the Center's legal battles with suppliers and contractors than
the head of any other non profit that hires professionals like Lakeside Alliance to build a project.
Contractor Issues on Large-Scale Construction Projects
Yes — contractor issues are not unusual on a $850 million construction project . Large-scale developments, especially those with complex scopes, multiple subcontractors, and tight deadlines, often face disputes, delays, and payment disagreements.
Why Contractor Issues Are Common
Complexity and scale : Projects like the Obama Presidential Center involve dozens of specialized contractors, each with different scopes of work, timelines, and contractual obligations. Miscommunications, scope creep, or design changes can quickly escalate into disputes Atlanta Black Star .
Payment disputes : Subcontractors frequently claim they are owed millions for work completed, sometimes citing delays, cost overruns, or unexpected changes factually.co +1 . These can range from contractual closeout disagreements to outright legal claims.
Delays and cost overruns : Major projects often experience repeated delays and budget overruns, which can strain relationships and lead to litigation Atlanta Black Star .
Regulatory and community pressures : Large developments can face community benefits agreements, environmental reviews, and political scrutiny, all of which can complicate construction timelines and contractor operations news.meaww.com .
Examples from the Obama Presidential Center
Unpaid subcontractors : Multiple firms have publicly claimed millions in unpaid invoices, with some filing lawsuits factually.co .
Lawsuits over discrimination and delays : A Black concrete contractor sued for $41 million, alleging racial discrimination and design changes that caused long delays and financial harm Atlanta Black Star .
Safety incidents : A worker fell into a ventilation duct, prompting OSHA investigations and raising safety concerns Atlanta Black Star .
Bottom Line
On a $850 million project, contractor issues — from payment disputes to legal battles and safety concerns — are not only normal but often expected . The key factors that influence the severity of these issues are:
Contract management and communication
Change control processes
Financial and legal safeguards
Community and political context
In high-profile, multi-billion-dollar projects, these challenges are part of the risk profile, and proactive risk management is essential to mitigate their impact.
LOL.
Not going down this rabbit hole with you. Feel free to descend into the depths of despair.
The reporting says the Obama Foundation hired Lakeside Alliance as construction manager. The Foundation says Lakeside was responsible for hiring, managing, and paying the subcontractors. If that is wrong, show me the contract path.
A possible lien against the project property may show that subcontractors are trying to secure payment. It does not prove that Obama “stiffed” them.
So far, you have shown a subcontractor payment dispute. You have not shown that Obama personally cheated anybody, or that his foundation failed to pay the construction manager.
There really isn't a depth some people won't go to in order to stain and destroy the legacy of our first black President. It's rather sad and tells everyone everything they need to know about a person so deeply marinated in bigotry desperately clinging to conspiracy theories and conjecture all to fashion some horrible monster strawman to avoid having to admit to themselves that they aren't the master race.
But let's face it, these folk are just foolhardy idiots who chose to squander their opportunity to get educated, learn more and be more than just basic bigoted bumbling bible braggarts. So, in a way, it's understandable as to why they're so jealous and envious of the Obama Presidency that forced them to look in the mirror at their own obvious inadequacies.
That introspection can lead to either growth, or bitter denial and anger and a refusal to imagine anything other than a white conservative Christian male president and a white conservative Christian family and their blonde Aryan dog as the ideal for America while everyone else gets stuffed back in the closet so as not to upset the white conservative Christian rulers.
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I've seen those general contractor cookie cutter 105 page contracts that basically state if one sub fucks up, nobody gets paid until the general contractor sorts it out, in addition to a minefield of other unbelievably ridiculous requirements and a thousand ways to get sued thru no fault of your own. they've been around for at least 20 years, probably longer in the east. the last time I saw one, I refused to sign it and told the general contractor to fuck off and get the product somewhere else, knowing they couldn't. they became a lot more cooperative the further their project fell behind.
How ironic for any Trump sycophantic to bring up anyone else not living up to contractual obligations in regards to construction. If there is one area that Trump can honestly claim to be a king in, it’s this.
Lol. The same people who've spent a decade attacking Trump as a worthless human because of disputes just like this involving corporate entities he's involved with and the general contractors he hired.
But when Obama's involved???? He has no control!!! It's a different entity!!!
It cracks me up.
Lol. The whole point is watching the Obamaites who've spent a decade attacking Trump for the same type of disputes fall all over themselves to defend Obama in the same situation.
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You are obviously ignoring the scale of the comparison. Obama is not a developer, Trump is the absolute worst kind of developer. You are once again comparing a mole hill to a mountain.
What's hilarious to anyone with more than half a brain is that conservatives are trying to equate Obama and his actions and character to Trumps actions and character and saying they're somehow the same. Anyone who is saying "Look at Obama! He's the same as Trump!" is a fucking lying sack of racist shit because the two could not be more different. Trump is a proven lying sack of shit who has a LOOOOOONG list of literal crimes and impeachments and an attempted insurrection, a true vile corrupt human being. Obama is not a felon and hasn't cheated even on his one wife let alone three, hasn't said on tape that he just grabs women he finds attractive by the pussy, didn't say if he wasn't her father he'd be dating his daughter, wasn't found liable for sexual assault, didn't have his charity fined and shut down for fraud, didn't run a business that was found guilty of tax fraud, none of it.
So why do conservatives claim they're the same? Because conservatives made up a whole bunch of shit they've never proven about some horse shit corruption that they claim but again NOT PROVEN, all in an attempt to smear the legacy of a black man who dared to sit atop what some konservative knuckleheads klearly imagine is a throne only meant for white males.
If you're desperately trying to prove the black man with no criminal history who personifies dignity, intelligence and strength is the same as the low IQ stupid white criminal that some basic bigots elected, then it's safe to assume that person is nothing but a useless white supremacist not worth listening to who clearly couldn't think themselves out of a wet paper bag. But it is rather hilarious watching them try.
konservative knuckleheads klearly
Lol, that reminded me of a recent meal I had at a little restaurant in Thurmont, MD (home of Camp David). I’ve heard rumors from multiple sources that this town has a kkk presence. While the food was actually really good, the sign above the door confirmed the rumors for me. Nobody would unintentionally write this.
Right. It took one project. Just one for him to oversee for him to sow chaos and cause exactly the sort of problems you eviscerate Trump for whose company developed property all over the country.
You are once again comparing a mole hill to a mountain.
I'm sure the contractors who are owed millions and face solvency issues agree with you. They are suffering for the cause!
What does Obama being black have to do with this? The obsession with race racialists have must be so exhausting...
I'm laughing at self righteous progressives who have no standards other than "progressive good" embarrass themselves trying to justify the exact behavior they condemn in Trump.
You are basically arguing since Obama is black and has no criminal record (really bizarre thing to bring up and raises lots of red flags) he can't be held to the same standard progressives hold Trump. Bizarre.
"Country Kitchen" is trademarked, spelling "Country" with a "K" gets around it, then you might as well continue with it. And who would want to go to a place as it's motto "Kooking".
As has been brought to your attention multiple times here, Obama is not controlling or managing construction. In any project like this it is normal to have unresolved punch list items that lead to payment disagreements. You are insisting that the guy who isn’t managing the project just ignore precedent and shower undeserved cash on anyone who files a claim. Trump otoh has a history so rich in scamming and stiffing contractors that it was his legacy before he ever even got into politics. Just like how he runs the government, he forces everyone into lawsuits with hopes that the cost of defending themselves will deter them from fighting for what is right. Trump is a sleazy piece of shit. This is no secret.
Now let's see if you can apply that argument to the projects Trump's company was involved in....
Trump otoh has a history so rich in scamming and stiffing contractors that it was his legacy before he ever even got into politics
Lol. Nope. When the normal disputes happen to a Trump company, it's "scamming and stiffing contractors.."
Adding a third word misspelled with a k is not an innocent decision, imo. The menu is huge, the food is above average, and the prices are dirt cheap. I’d eat there again for those reasons. The place has been there forever and I’m sure it has evolved. I wouldn’t say the current place gave off any overt racist vibes other than the sign, but if I remember correctly there was one menu item called Honky Chicken, lol.
Trump runs all of his construction projects from the top down, whether in private life or as POTUS. What would anyone expect from Donald Trump? You are clearly ignoring what is so fucking in-your-face obvious about him, as usual. You are a sycophant.
lol. Now trump is the hands on micro- manager and Obama is the lazy tv watching celeb who just slaps his name on things. Okay.
You’re like a machine with your idiotic comebacks. Hmmm.
Of course it's intentional, as is the tired lame defense of it. And what's really sad is that they both likely think they're clever.
... some people like to ignore reality. trump usually acted as the general contractor on his projects, because it's a license to steal ...
as a bit of a social justice warrior operating within the sewer of commercial construction decades ago, I had a lot of fun fucking over unscrupulous operators. I really enjoyed getting in touch with my inner asshole-ishness, especially when they were most likely all republicans, which was very motivational for me, since I'm a bit sensitive to ignorant vermin and scum thinking they could ever tell me what to do.
I excelled at that job, probably because I was having so much fun fucking over white collar criminals. the NPO's loved me, and they were my favorite clients to work with. for years after I retired from that flesh eating business, I got phone calls from former clients and happily consulted on their ongoing projects free of charge and steered them away from the contractors, that for the most part, belonged in prisons. I really enjoyed sticking arrogant scumbags to the hilt and twisting the knife ...
Always has been, Sean. Have you read his books? Have you read any of the dozens of books about him? He picks out every material of his projects himself.
Have you or your family dealt with Trump in NY, NJ or PA, I have. He was the antichrist of NY & NJ rea estate for 30 years.
Trump has stiffed the small contractors in NJ & NY all of his life. The small contractors not on his NY & NJ enemies list are forced to add a 20% Trump surcharge to bids for when he starts stalling payments or asking for endless adjustments or do overs.
That's in part, how he got caught importing Polish steel workers;
Undocumented immigrants? Say it ain't so but conservatives only have issues when it doesn't benefit them, I guess.
Even Mar a Lago and his NJ resorts hire undocumented workers, hell back in the day it was hard to find a server in his Atlantic City Casinos that weren't from Ukraine or some Baltic shit hole. He liked Slavs, not Mexicans.
hmm. Personal insults when you can't answer. Nice!
Victor from the Hoover Institute? No wonder he sounds green with envy, lol.
Microsoft Copilot: Your AI companion
It took Obama overseeing 1 project to start well down that road....
So says the white supremacist Victor on X.
just ... RACE RACE RACE.....
What else could it be when one ignores the MOUNTAIN of lies, felonies, impeachments, sexual misconduct, incitement of an insurrection, pardoning of violent co-conspirators and then starting and promptly losing an unnecessary war in Iran that's cost us American lives and billions in taxpayer money of a white President, but then has the temerity to whine and complain about a successful respected former two term black President. I mean, if it's not race, what else could it be? Jealousy? Pianist envy?
ld it be when one ignores the MOUNTAIN of lies
Believe it or not, it is possible to discuss and even criticize Barack Obama on his own terms without comparing him to Trump or any other white person in order to racialize it. Maybe you'll be able to do that someday.
Pianist envy?
You really have somethings to work through.
People have a right to think Trumps policies are better. Its a free country. But to try and equate their respective characters and morals and ethics is preposterous. They know that, they just dont care.
Not necessarily that they don't care. They just feel policies are more important than the guy is an asshole. It is called individual priorities.
Trump is an asshole, but he is much more than that. He is a crook, cheat, pathological liar and moron. He has no business being president of the United States.
Except for the fact he won an election and that is the only thing that actually counts.
I agree. And when anyone wants to rationally discuss the problems they had with Obama's presidency, by all means, let's have that discussion. But when obvious MAGAites crawl out of the woodwork to hurl rightwing conservative bullshit from some loser on X calling it the " narcissistic Obama Presidential Center" and whines like a little bitch about Obama's completely legal and above-board Netflix deal, while also singing the praises of the white convicted felon dear Leader that the guy you're quoting, Victor David Hanson, called "A Great Man of History", it seems pretty obvious race is part of their equation.
Oh, please do tell me what my 'somethings' are...
to our shame
Well, I guess everyone has the right to be attracted to assholes.
I just didn't think we'd all have to watch as some people try to prove how deeply they love them.
I forgot to mention that he is a traitor. That belongs at the top of the list.
Maybe to your shame. I dont feel shame at all.
We know.
That's because magas love having a convicted felon and traitor as their President.
... and most of them give his sexual history with women and children a pass.
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Lot had sex with his two daughters and all three of them are still considered faithful righteous God-fearing worshipers of the Christians God. Sexual perversion is negotiable in the Christian faith. When Trump said he'd be dating his daughter if he wasn't her father, he likely got a lot of nods and "I hear ya's" from his religious conservative base.
Anyone who defends Trump at this stage has zero footing to claim lack of credibility by others.
You hold that a PotUS can do whatever he wants merely because he won the election?
I can't speak for others, but I have two feet
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according to thumpers, we're all here because of 2 millenniums of an ongoing family fuckfest of incest and pedophilia ...
Link?
But that would explain a lot of what's going on in the democratic party right now
Your claim is absurd. Another feeble attempt to defend Trump.
My claim is accurate. The question is not a serious question and is not worthy of a serious response.
Trump's Post-Election Actions | Use AI
Here are ten of the most consequential actions Trump took after the 2020 election, drawing on documented reporting and legal filings:
1. Pressuring State Officials to Overturn Results
Trump personally called officials in Georgia, Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin to urge them to "find" votes or decertify results. The most infamous example: a January 2, 2021 call asking Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to "find 11,780 votes." en.wikipedia.org
2. Organizing Fake Elector Slates
His campaign coordinated slates of sham electors in seven states to submit fraudulent certificates to Congress and the National Archives, hoping to give Vice President Pence a pretext to reject legitimate results. statesunited.org
3. Pressuring the Justice Department
Trump repeatedly pushed DOJ leaders—including Acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen—to publicly declare the election "corrupt" and to file suits challenging results, despite officials telling him claims were baseless. en.wikipedia.org
4. Pressuring Mike Pence to Block Certification
In the days before January 6, Trump publicly and privately demanded that Pence refuse to certify Electoral College votes—a power the Vice President does not have. Pence refused. en.wikipedia.org
5. The January 6 Rally and Capitol Attack
Trump held a rally near the Capitol on January 6, 2021, urging supporters to "fight like hell" before a mob stormed the building. He delayed calling in the National Guard for hours while the attack unfolded. reddit.com
6. Spreading the "Big Lie"
Even after courts, election officials, and his own attorney general rejected fraud claims, Trump continued promoting the false narrative that the election was stolen—fueling distrust in democratic institutions. en.wikipedia.org
7. Pardoning January 6 Defendants (2025)
After returning to office, Trump pardoned hundreds of January 6 participants—including those convicted of violence—an action opposed by 86 percent of the public in polling. reddit.com
8. Targeting Election Officials and Institutions
The Trump administration has threatened or pursued investigations against election officials, nonprofits, and agencies that defended the 2020 results, echoing Project 2025 proposals to prosecute those who helped voters cast ballots. brennancenter.org
9. Undermining Future Election Integrity
Executive actions in 2025–2026 have sought to rewrite election rules, usurp state control of election systems, and roll back voter protections—moves the Brennan Center calls "unprecedented and in some cases illegal." brennancenter.org
10. Installing Louis DeJoy and Postal Service Disruptions
Trump's 2020 appointment of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy led to operational changes that slowed mail delivery during a pandemic election reliant on mail-in voting—raising concerns about voter suppression that prompted lawsuits and congressional hearings. citizensforethics.org
I thought his speech was wonderful and uplifting to all Americans.
This is how a President should behave. Unlike Donald Trump, Barack Obama chose to include all people as Americans, not just those whom he likes at the present moment.
It makes me wonder what you-all are blabbing about. The question of who is responsible for paying the subcontractors is settled contractually. All of the verbiage trying to tie the non-payment of subcontractors to President Obama is wasted.
Unless, of course, the point was never the subcontractors. If the point was to derail a conversation about Obama’s speech, then I suppose the effort was at least partially successful.
Another feeble response from you.
Merely winning an election does not mean that Trump should be PotUS. It simply means that he is PotUS.
What drives you to defend Trump?
Electing Trump as PotUS was a profound mistake by the US electorate. Do you not see that?
I dont know anyone could support a "president" who acted like this. And these items are not even in serious dispute.
Really? You need a link to do the math?
There ya go. That's exactly what a typical maga looks like.
After a lengthy consultation with my editorial assistant, this is how I am expressing my thoughts:
Confusion and distrust are not accidental byproducts of Trump’s conduct. They are the method. Putin’s Russia has long used contradictory lies, not necessarily to make everyone believe one story, but to make people give up on the possibility of knowing the truth at all.
Trump has adopted that same political technology. Whether he is a Russian asset in the literal intelligence sense is a separate question. But in practical effect, he has done more to advance Russian interests inside the United States than any American politician I can name.
If we follow Trump, we follow the path to stagnation, division, suspicion, and hatred of our fellow citizens.
If we follow the lead of Obama, we can at least hold on to the hope that this country is not finished, that justice is not dead, and that better things are still possible. Trump offers no such future. He offers only more grievance, more distrust, more decay, and more of the same.
Fun with symantics. He won an election, so he should be president and he is president
Your question is still not serious and still doesn't deserve a serious response
Weak sauce. Try something without going back a couple thousand years
? Okay...
He said " according to thumpers, we're all here because of 2 millenniums of an ongoing family fuckfest of incest and pedophilia ..." and you asked for a link. I "linked" proof from the book that Christians believe in that proves his statement true and you want something more recent? What other book do they believe in? What other document should I have used other than the foundation of their faith?
that's why there's usually a couple of 3 month old babies with teen mothers at most typical goober family's annual reunions ...
Semantics: ‘should be' connotes fitness, ‘is’ connotes legal standing.
I doubt anyone is fooled by your wishy-washy language games.
Link?
Non serious question and projection
I guess I shouldn't have assumed that modern day evangelical Christians still worship the God in the bible. It's quite clear who they worship now.
2 millenniums of an ongoing family fuckfest of incest and pedophilia ..."
Link it is ongoing?
“I’ve said that if Ivanka weren’t my daughter, perhaps I’d be dating her,” - Donald Trump
Link it is still rampant? 2 millenniums of an ongoing family fuckfest of incest and pedophilia ..."
Simply no point in continuing this game of semantics.
Better watch out, you don’t seem to realize how the tide has turned, European progressives are way ahead of you, their , progressives doctors issues reports detailing the benefits of first cousin marriage and defending the rape of tens of thousands of young girls in the name of diversity.
As the evolution on Nazi imagery demonstrates, progressives will passionate support those things once their party tell them too. Diversity is their religion and they are the most most extreme of zealots.
Agree. You cant link nonsense
Just because some loser conservatives have labeled some psycho dipshits "progressives" does not in any way reflect on liberals and progressives here in America. And even here, there is a very broad spectrum of both "progressive" and "conservative". Not all conservatives are conceited poorly educated reject neanderthals, some can even do math and know the difference between 'there', 'their' and 'they're'.
Lol. Now the NHS is a" psycho dipshit" after decades of holding up it as a model. Whatever the talking point of the hour demands, right?
Again, ten years ago, you'd have ridiculed the idea the Democratic party would be rallying around a guy toting an SS tattoo or volunteers for an Al-Queda front.
And look at you now! You must be so proud!
e, there is a very broad spectrum of both "progressive" and "conservative
Do you read your own comments? You should probably lecture yourself about that.
But it's the type of progressive who rationalize supporting politicians with Nazi symbol tattoos , or supporting Al-Queda sympathizers that we are talking about. Their ideology is premised on on a combination of ignorance, racism and arrogance. Having been raised in a western culture premised on Christian values, they understand that cousin marriage and child rape is bad, but that knowledge gets twisted through their racism. As we see on this site, the most extreme race communists will constantly attack their enemies, white people and Christians for examples for these things. It's constant. And they'll gladly attribute every other "ill" to their race and ideological enemies. Like the other day when one of the more insane one claimed "white people" present the most danger to people on the street. It's dogma totally detached from reality.
They simply can't imagine that other cultures, that aren't the enemies they hate, might actually have different values than them. They think "diversity" means liking different food, music or clothes while believing in same leftist religion. They can't process that other cultures might have values that they can't tolerate (see progressive leaders trying to teach American soldiers to deal with Afghan "allies" raping children on American bases. When the conflict arises between rejecting practices from cultures they view as "friends" they simply can't do it. They'll accept mass child rape, or cousin marriage, or looting of charity funds instead of having to face the heretical idea that all cultures aren't equal and that the other cultures they've been taught to celebrate embrace really monstrous practices. When push comes to shove, they'll bow the knee to those that oppose western culture or America in particular. That's their religion's true enemy and any opponent of it is their friend.
Thus Platner.
difference between 'there', 'their' and 'they're'.
When you can't answer the argument, you attack the grammar and proofreading.
Nice look
Well now, let’s see here.
Now, do I think these examples prove that all Republicans support Nazi imagery, white nationalism, rape jokes, or racism?
No.
That would be a stupid argument.
And that is exactly the point.
I am progressive. I do not defend Nazi imagery. I do not support al-Qaeda, child rape, etc. Why do you persist in the painting of these traits to all progressives? Why do you do it over and over on most every comment you make?
I reject your habit of taking some ugly example, attaching it to every progressive as a class, and pretending that you have made an argument. I give you the crown "King of Strawman Building". Wear it with pride.
Now back to the topic: Obama's Speech.
they wish they had that kind of history....or any sexual history at all
Watching the Obamas speak is a joy. It takes you back to a time when the country was not led by a childish moron. He and Michelle are never at a loss for meaningful discourse, they think about what comes out of their mouth, whether scripted or impromptu, and it is never embarrassing to America. Trump is none of that.
obama is the only person standing in the way of a trump 3rd term, and the POS occupying the oval office now, knows it ...
michelle obama on her own would sweep the '28 DNC POTUS nomination and general election, and maga knows it ...
it mentally tortures trump that he can't buy the national political stature that was earned by the obama's ...
Just perfect…. You need a photo id to enter Obama’s Bond villain fortress of doom.
shows what progressives think is worth protecting, and it’s not democracy.
Didn't the Dems also require photo ID for those entering the Democrat Conventions?
Yep, and for the 2016 dem convention they were very proud of the phrase “build bridges, not walls” as they built a tall, sturdy fence around their convention, lol.