I'm watching President Obama on Bill Maher and I'm in tears.

[musicblind]

Listening to President Barack Obama in that interview, so intelligent and compassionate, it just hit me that no matter how long I live, I have witnessed the greatest President of my lifetime.

I don't say that lightly. In fact, I voted for Hillary Clinton during the 2008 primary because I stupidly assumed experience was the be all and end all. I worried Obama wouldn't have the experience with only one term in the Senate.

God, I was so wrong and I am so very, very lucky to be alive during this man's Presidency.

Barack Obama was too good for a country that questioned his birth, his religion, and his patriotism.

I have health insurance because of Barack Obama. I was born with profound hearing loss, severe muscle spasms and severe anxiety that landed me in the hospital for the first time when I was just 4 years old. I've had many surgeries and no insurance company would touch me because of my pre-existing conditions.

I can get married because of Barack Obama. Obama appointed Supreme Court Justices who legalized same-sex marriage. I remember crying in despair when the paper's in my home state announced a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage and I remember crying with joy when that was overturned nationwide. I still have an image of the White House, lit up in rainbow colors, saved on my laptop.

Because of Obama, unemployment is 4.9%, Cuba-American relations are restored, the Paris talks and Climate change, the Credit Card accountability bill... Heck, even gas is below $2.50.

I voted for Obama in the general election, and I did so with pride. His legacy is unforgettable. Over the course of 8 years, "Yes we can" became "Yes we did."

[Mr. A]

2. President Obama

I'm going to miss listening to his speeches. He is one of the most elegant, intelligent people of our time.

[Warren DeMontague]

8. Well said.

[yodermon]

25. Well he can't be president any more but he can certainly still give speeches!!

at least I hope so!
welcome to DU

[Lindalouuu]

3. The Obama interview was awesome

Did you find the rest of the show as troubling as I did. Bill and guests have Orange boy elected and taking away our rights. This is serious.

[bdamomma]

37. Troubling and informative

Yes Bill spelled it out as a coup/or fascism is on its way if tRump gets in this is serious stuff. Only we have the power to change this.

Welcome to DU!!

[MyNameIsKhan]

4. President Obama will be remembered as most influential and wise president in 100 years, history

will tell, he will be graded above holy grail of Republicans who is called Reagan.

I will not be surprised he will get second Nobel Prize.

[moonscape]

7. And he governed without any help, against all odds. I weep thinking what he could

have accomplished had govt worked the way it is supposed to.

[MyNameIsKhan]

9. Right but he go to the top slop of logarithmic curve where is just flat.. so he go the maximum

with zero support... I am sure, he will do more out of white house ... more...

[Warren DeMontague]

6. He really gave some solid, in-depth answers.

such a smart man. We have been truly fortunate, these past 8 years.

[LisaM]

10. I think Hillary can be as great, or greater, than Obama.

I don't think we need to wring our hands over our candidate. I voted for Hillary in 2008, too, and I am still proud of that vote. I certainly don't consider it stupid.

[Rorey]

14. '08

I would have been equally happy if Hillary had been elected in '08, but I think it went the right way. I know many of the citizens of this country don't feel as I do, but I feel that Barack Obama was a great leader. He could have done so, so, so much more if it weren't for obstructionist anti-American Republicans. I am looking forward to seeing what Hillary will do and we all need to show her our utmost support and do everything we can to make the obstructionists ineffective and her presidency as effective and positive as it can possibly be.

And we have not seen the last of Barack Obama and his awesome family. I am not sad that he's passing the torch. He's passing it to an equally amazing person. I'm very excited.

[musicblind]

39. I should have phrased that part better.

I was stupid to think that President Obama would not be as good a President because experience was all that mattered. I was stupid to think that his inexperience equaled ineptness.

I think that Hillary is going to make an outstanding President and I can't wait to cast my vote for her on November 8th.

[LisaM]

41. Yay!

I have been letting myself get ruffled over everything lately.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

11. Just imagine how much more he could have done without lawmakers that did their jobs

instead of just trying to block everything he wanted to do...

[tavernier]

12. Impossible shoes to fill.

Only a pair of heels can match them.

[musicblind]

40. Epic response. n/t

[boat-tail]

13. Love to see Obama re-elected to a third term.

The guy's finally got this president thing down cold and the rule the stupid RePugs passed after WW2 won't let him (as in the 22nd amendment).

[Jarqui]

15. I'd take another 8 years of him in a heartbeat

The majority of the rest of the world would too.

Best president of my lifetime - going back to Eisenhower - hands down for me - nobody close in second place.

I have been disappointed by what has gone on and the lack of progress he might have otherwise achieved but I pin little of that on him. I'm a bit saddened by opportunity lost because he could have done more that the obstructionists would not permit - for too many, because of his pigmentation.

When the Kennedys and MLK got shot, I felt cheated. Obama's presidency has helped soothe that some in that I got to experience a great man as President of the United States for two terms - a life long hope or dream fulfilled.

My big motivation for fighting for him was that he would help keep the world a safer place for my children. He's lived up to that and I've slept better and felt safer knowing he was in the White House. I will really miss that.

I am very grateful for his family's sacrifices supporting him. Imagine what it was like for Michelle who lived through a 400% rise in death threats against this president - wondering if he was going to come home after a rally. No one talks much about this but this President has a lot of courage - how he could come off so relaxed in front of a crowd knowing some whack job could be out there wanting to blow his head off. And his young kids had to go to sleep some nights knowing some of this stuff - trying to get their heads around people wanting to kill their Daddy or people saying hateful things about their father. And throughout they took the high road and were a picture of decency, goodwill and put the country first.

I'm very appreciative of his two terms and his great team that helped him every step of the way.

It's been (almost) an amazing eight years and I feel very fortunate to have experienced them.

It's not very often you can say such a thing about a politician after eight years in office.

[allan01]

16. will miss this man greatly.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

17. K & R I've appreciated him more and more and I will miss him so much.

[hibbing]

18. Beautiful post n/t

[Hekate]

19. Many hugs to you. I don't get HBO, so won't see that interview--thanks for your post.

Best president of my lifetime, too. We'll do our best to see his work is continued.

[Kahuna]

20. YAAASSS!

"I voted for Obama in the general election, and I did so with pride. His legacy is unforgettable. Over the course of 8 years, "Yes we can" became "Yes we did."

[Dworkin]

21. Agonising

Hi,

It is agonising to see Obama measured against Trump, in fact grotesque. The worst thing is feeling the pain that Barack Obama is holding in after 8 yrs of the haters witchhunting him over stuff that was never his fault. Maybe that mantle of suffering will be passed on to Hillary, maybe not.

I hope there really is 'karma' in this world and the next.

D.

[Demsrule86]

23. I agree.

My daughter has health care thanks to Pres. Obama, My other daughter can marry who she loves thanks to President Obama, My son and hubs have jobs thanks to Pres. Obama(autos)...people can talk about Roosevelt all they want...I think Pres. Obama was just as good during a dreadful time in our history.

[Raster]

24. President Barrack Obama was a GOOD President,...

...and unfortunately because of his skin color, was not allowed to be a GREAT President. The Republican Party and the Republicans in Congress made it their sworn mission FOR EIGHT YEARS to cheapen, minimize, obstruct and sabotage President Obama at every turn.

Bill Clinton showed us there was "life", if you will, after Raygun. President Obama showed us there was HOPE after cheney*/bush*.

[Lotusflower70]

26. President Obama

It was a phenomenal interview. President Obama is a remarkable man. It's amazing how he has handled all the adversity he has faced. I am pleased with the efforts to legalize marijuana as well. I don't smoke it myself but I know people who see pain relief and help for PTSD from it. We had it good with President Obama and I am going to miss him.

[stamp the rooster]

28. Obama

I proudly agree with all of that. He not only is one of the greats, he is the most inspirational. He has accomplished so much at a time when a major political party turned its back on country and did everything in their power to stop him. Not because of policy but bc of hatred. And they fed that hatred into the minds of 35% of the country. They now have their Trump which will hang around their necks for decades as absolute proof that they never really believed in anything. Every GOP policy has been found to be totally fungible in the pursuit of power.

[True Dough]

29. I love Obama's message

Always have enjoyed listening to him speak, and because of his integrity I overlook the "uhs" and "annnnds" that are frequent speech habits.

This interview is assisted by Maher's lack of aggression. He asks the questions and then allows the Commander in Chief the time to give a complete response. It was conducted respectfully, as it should have been.

[lostnfound]

31. I didn't get health insurance because of him but I got pride in America

I agree with you completely.

[DFW]

32. Bill Maher, the comedian is a better interviewer than 90% of today's "journalists."

Last edited Sun Nov 6, 2016, 01:33 PM - Edit history (1)

At least the ones I see on American TV. They ask some question and then immediately interrupt to either insert their own answer or twist it when they don't get the answer they want. An interview with the President becomes an ego trip with POTUS as a background drawing card. Maher showed more respect and deference--not to mention his pointed, relevant questions. He is a better journalist than many of today's "journalists" in America.

A side note--Obama made one comment that I was surprised to hear from him--he said that it was time for him to move on and implied that the founders had shown wisdom in making it so he had to. It was the 22nd Amendment that made it so that he had to move on, not some wisdom thought up by James Madison. The Republicans pushed that one through while Harry Truman was president. They were completely traumatized that FDR had won four terms in a row, and wanted to make sure no Democrat ever did that again. Of course, in doing so, they also made sure no Republican EVER would get more than two terms, but maybe in some temporary moment of lucidity, realized that no Republican, with the policies they were touting, stood a good chance of being elected three times in a row anyway.

[hollowdweller]

33. I was thinking SAME thing as you. Agree 100%

Maher actually let Obama answer. Also Obama pretty much answered all his questions point by point and did not try to talk around an answer.

[mehrrh]

35. Washington?

Was he referring to George Washington?

[DFW]

38. The term limit is a constitutional issue, and constitutional law is his specialty

His is term-limited by the Constitution, but not by any amendment dreamed up in the 1780s, but rather in the 1940s/50s.

[mehrrh]

34. sad departure

I will miss that man so much. I am so proud he has been president and showed everyone what good, decency intelligence and calmness means.
To even think that he legacy could end with the rise of a childish, vindictive, mean-spirited, willfully ignorant demagogue like Trump gives me chills. The contrast is almost too much to consider

[bdamomma]

36. We will never see or have a President Obama again

going to miss him terribly. and of course Joe Biden too.