--- title: President Barack Obama's Farewell Speech: Watch Highlights description: The 50-minute address in Chicago on Tuesday covered everything from American democracy to Obama's gratitude to his wife Michelle canonical: https://time.com/4631137/president-obama-farewell-speech-highlights/ author: Kevin Lui article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-01-11T06:56:08.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-23T02:39:32.899Z article:section: Politics og:title: President Obama's Farewell Speech: Watch the Highlights og:description: He spoke of everything from American democracy to his gratitude to his family og:url: https://time.com/4631137/president-obama-farewell-speech-highlights/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4cbf777ed9beaf35/6988b5160a4a2264b79cc84c/gettyimages-631440578.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: US President Barack Obama delivers his farewell address og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: President Obama's Farewell Speech: Watch the Highlights twitter:description: He spoke of everything from American democracy to his gratitude to his family twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4cbf777ed9beaf35/6988b5160a4a2264b79cc84c/gettyimages-631440578.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Watch Highlights From President Barack Obama's Farewell Speech by [Kevin Lui](https://time.com/author/kevin-lui/) ## Kevin Lui Jan 11, 2017 6:56 AM UTC  President Barack Obama speaks to supporters during his farewell speech at the McCormick Place, the largest convention center in North America, Jan. 10, 2017 in Chicago. President Barack Obama speaks to supporters during his farewell speech at the McCormick Place, the largest convention center in North America, Jan. 10, 2017 in Chicago.Bilgin Sasmaz—Anadolu Agency/Getty Images by [Kevin Lui](https://time.com/author/kevin-lui/) ## Kevin Lui Jan 11, 2017 6:56 AM UTC In a [forceful farewell speech](http://time.com/4631089/barack-obama-farewell-speech-analysis/) — interrupted by cheers and calls for “four more years” — President Barack Obama reviewed his legacy in his [final address to the nation](http://time.com/4631007/president-obama-farewell-speech-transcript/) Tuesday night in Chicago, and sought to address the uncertainties many Americans feel as they face an imminent change of leadership. From normalizing links with Cuba to expanding health care coverage for Americans, from the death of Osama bin Laden to marriage equality, Obama touched on the many achievements his Administration made since he took office in January 2009. He also devoted a significant portion of his speech to calling on Americans to be proactive in mapping the country’s way forward, and expressed a solid optimism: “America is a better, stronger place than it was when we started,” he said. Ending on a note of gratitude, Obama took time to give tribute to [Vice President Joe Biden](http://time.com/4631086/president-obama-farewell-speech-joe-biden/) and his “remarkable” staff. He also [teared up](http://time.com/4631041/barack-obama-farewell-speech-michelle-tribute-sasha-malia/) as he thanked First Lady Michelle Obama and his daughters. 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