‘Back New Chapter With Harris’ – Barack Obama Tells Americans

Former President Barack Obama has urged Americans to move beyond the “chaos” of Donald Trump’s presidency and embrace a “new chapter” led by Vice President Kamala Harris.

Obama was met with overwhelming enthusiasm from Democratic delegates, elected officials, and party leaders as he delivered a powerful keynote address on the convention’s second night.

In his speech, Obama highlighted the stark differences between the Democratic ticket of Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and their Republican counterparts.

He warned of the consequences of a second term for Trump, stating, “We do not need four more years of bluster and bumbling and chaos. We have seen that movie before, and we all know that the sequel is usually worse.” He added, “America is ready for a new chapter. America is ready for a better story. We are ready for a President Kamala Harris.”

Obama’s speech marked a return to his hometown of Chicago, where he emphasized the historic nature of Harris’s candidacy.

He noted that as the first woman and first Black and South Asian-American vice president, Harris would shatter even more barriers if elected as the first female president of the United States.

“We have a chance to elect someone who has spent her entire life trying to give people the same chances America gave her, someone who sees you and hears you and will get up every single day and fight for you: the next president of the United States, Kamala Harris,” Obama said.

Obama’s speech came 20 years after his own rise to national prominence at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, where he delivered a memorable address as a state lawmaker from Illinois.

He was elected to the U.S. Senate later that year and went on to become the nation’s first Black president in 2008.

“I am feeling hopeful because this convention has always been pretty good to kids with funny names who believe in a country where anything is possible,” Obama said, echoing a line from his 2004 convention speech.

Even seven years after leaving the White House, Obama remains a central figure in the Democratic Party. He was quick to endorse Harris after President Biden announced his decision to end his re-election bid just a month ago.

Obama’s relationship with Harris dates back two decades, beginning when they first met on the campaign trail during Obama’s Senate run. Harris supported Obama’s presidential campaign, actively canvassing for him before the Iowa caucuses.

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Despite his strong ties with Harris, Obama’s loyalty to Biden, his former vice president, was evident. Recalling his decision to select Biden as his running mate 16 years ago, Obama said, “What I came to admire most about Joe wasn’t just his smarts, his experience. It was his empathy and his decency and his hard-earned resilience, his unshakeable belief that everyone in this country deserves a fair shot.”

He praised Biden’s leadership, saying, “History will remember Joe Biden as an outstanding president who defended democracy at a moment of great danger. And I am proud to call him my president, but I am even prouder to call him my friend.”

Obama also criticized Trump, describing him as a leader driven by “gripes” and grievances, prone to spreading conspiracy theories and using “childish nicknames.” He remarked, “Here’s a 78-year-old billionaire who has not stopped whining about his problems since he rode down that golden escalator nine years ago.”

Painting Trump as a self-serving candidate, Obama accused Republicans of pushing a fear-based agenda. However, he emphasized that Democrats must demonstrate the government’s ability to help people and offer innovative solutions to current challenges.

“Kamala and Tim have kept faith with America’s central story, a story that says we are all created equal, all of us endowed with certain inalienable rights, that everyone deserves a chance that even when we don’t agree with each other, we can find a way to live with each other,” he said.

Obama also addressed the nation’s current cultural landscape, warning that politicians and technology companies have exploited divisions to create a climate of fear.

“We live in a time of such confusion and rancour, with a culture that puts a premium on things that don’t last—money, fame, status, likes,” he said. “We chase the approval of strangers on our phones. We build all manners of walls and fences, and then we wonder why we feel so alone.”

But he struck a hopeful note, pointing to the spirit of volunteerism and national pride as signs that most Americans desire unity rather than division. “We want something better,” he said. “We want to be better, and the joy and the excitement that we’re seeing around this campaign tells us we’re not alone.”

Obama concluded by urging voters to seize the opportunity to heal the nation’s divisions in the upcoming election.

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Stephen Jesuwale

Jesuwale Stephen is a journalist who finished from the Nigerian Institute of Journalism. He is a distinctive writer, media strategist and also a Digital Marketer