As President Barack Obama leaves the White House, he exists with a 55 percent approval rating, the highest mark of his second term and best since his first year in office. His eight years began with the country mired in a cataclysmic economic downturn, two major military conflicts, and the percentage of Americans without health insurance at a five-decade high. As he leaves office, the economy has dramatically improved, military operations in the Middle East and Asia have been drastically scaled back, and the percentage of Americans without healthcare is at a 50-year low.
Outside of his political achievements, Obama and his incredible wife, Michelle, brought a sense of class, dignity, humor, and inclusiveness to the White House. As the first black president, Obama skillfully navigated a treacherous web of prejudice with the dignity of Jackie Robinson. As the petty partisan squabbles of today are forgotten and the clear-eyed perspective of time comes in to focus, history will be very kind to Obama. Above all, he will be remembered for his humanity and for giving many in this country and abroad a greater sense of hope.
Here’s how people are saying farewell to President Obama on Twitter:
