In his address to the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Awards Dinner last Saturday night, the President said that he’d be personally offended if the community didn’t get out and vote this November. “A personal insult,” he said.
There’s no such thing as a vote that doesn’t matter. It all matters. And after we have achieved historic turnout in 2008 and 2012, especially in the African-American community, I will consider it a personal insult, an insult to my legacy, if this community lets down its guard and fails to activate itself in this election. (Applause.) You want to give me a good sendoff? Go vote. (Applause.) And I’m going to be working as hard as I can these next seven weeks to make sure folks do. (Applause.)
I watched the speech and thought that particular paragraph was powerful and deserved a standing ovation. I agreed wholeheartedly with the President. In the Live Blog we did for the speech, I saw not one critical comment. Imagine my surprise when I ventured from the relative safety of DailyKos and out into the wild, wild ‘net and found that people were offended — offended, I tell ya — that Mr. Obama would dare ask people to protect his legacy by voting for Sec. Clinton.
From what I saw, it was not members of the community who were spitting fire, but rather people who professed to be insulted on our behalf. People who sought to protect us from the big, bad, abusive Obama. “Emotional blackmail,” some fumed. "He thinks African American are children to be told who to vote for,” still others complained. Well, whaddya know? Thank you so much for your concern trolling.
For the record, the president has a right to want to protect his legacy. He’s done so much, but it would all be in vain if Donald J. Trump were to get his tiny-fingered, clammy little hands on the President's signing pens.
Together, we fought our way back from the worst recession in 80 years -- (applause) -- turned an economy that was in free fall, helped our businesses create more than 15 million new jobs. We declared that health care is not a privilege for a few, but a right for everybody -- (applause) -- secured coverage for another 20 million Americans, including another three million African Americans. Our high school graduation rate is at an all-time high, including for African-American students. More African-Americans are graduating from college than ever before. (Applause.)
Together, we’ve begun to work on reforming our criminal justice system -- reducing the federal prison population, ending the use of solitary confinement for juveniles, banning the box for federal employers, reinvigorating the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, pushing to make sure police and communities are working together to make sure that our streets are safe and that our law is applied equally. We’re giving opportunities for kids so that they don't get in the criminal justice system in the first place. And I want to thank all of you who’ve helped us reach nearly 250 My Brother’s Keeper communities across the country. (Applause.)
And just this week, we learned that last year, across every race and age group in America, incomes rose and poverty fell. Folks’ typical household incomes rose by about $2,800 -- which is the fastest growth rate on record. Lifted 3.5 million people out of poverty, including one million children -- the largest one-year drop in almost 50 years. (Applause.)
I’d say those are gains worth protecting, wouldn’t you? So thanks but no thanks for your concern, trolls. A vote for Hillary is a vote for Obama. A vote for Hillary is a thank-you note to Obama. A vote for Hillary ensures that the gains of the last eight years will be preserved and expanded upon.
So, say it again, Obama!