--- title: President Obama's Final Thoughts: 'We're Going to Be O.K.' description: President Obama ended his final press conference as he started his campaign for the White House nearly 10 years ago: optimistic canonical: https://time.com/4638301/barack-obama-final-white-house-press-conference/ author: Maya Rhodan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-01-18T21:14:05.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-07T07:13:55.555Z article:section: Politics og:title: President Obama's Final Thoughts: 'We're Going to Be O.K.' og:description: "I believe in this country. I believe in the American people." og:url: https://time.com/4638301/barack-obama-final-white-house-press-conference/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt159db2379a6c3cc8/6988b60aa988ca38856baac9/barack-obama-out.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4500 og:image:height: 2531 og:image:alt: President Barack Obama waves as he leaves after his final press conference at the White House on Jan. 18, 2017 in Washington. og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: President Obama's Final Thoughts: 'We're Going to Be O.K.' twitter:description: "I believe in this country. I believe in the American people." twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt159db2379a6c3cc8/6988b60aa988ca38856baac9/barack-obama-out.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # President Obama's Final Thoughts: 'We're Going to Be O.K.' > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=3182bb9a-916a-4425-b869-a5fe473ddbab&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Weekdays | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Weekly | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Twice a week | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=3182bb9a-916a-4425-b869-a5fe473ddbab&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=3182bb9a-916a-4425-b869-a5fe473ddbab&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (health, weekdays), Worth Your Time (culture, weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=3182bb9a-916a-4425-b869-a5fe473ddbab&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: President Obama’s Final Thoughts: ‘We’re Going to Be OK’ [Watch (HLS stream): President Obama’s Final Thoughts: ‘We’re Going to Be OK’](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/FyZTlUwr.m3u8) (1:18)  _Published 2017-01-18. President Obama ended his final press conference as he started his campaign for the White House nearly 10 years ago: optimistic and full of hope._ by [Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Jan 18, 2017 9:14 PM UTC President Obama ended his final press conference as he started his campaign for the White House nearly 10 years ago: optimistic and full of hope. by [Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Jan 18, 2017 9:14 PM UTC President Obama [ended his final press conference](http://time.com/4638194/president-obama-final-press-conference/) as he started his campaign for the White House nearly 10 years ago: optimistic and full of hope. Two days before he hands the White House over to a predecessor who has criticized much of his actions and agenda, the President said that he thinks things are going to turn out all right. “I believe in this country. I believe in the American people. I believe that people are more good than bad,” Obama said. “This is not just a matter of ‘no-drama Obama,’ but this is truly what I believe. At my core, I think we’re going to be O.K. We just have to work for it.” Obama’s remarks to the White House press corps, like [many of his comments in recent days](http://time.com/4631089/barack-obama-farewell-speech-analysis/), seemed to address the state of the country under President-elect Donald Trump both directly and indirectly. He warned his successor that he should think through the consequences of policies that he enacts, noted that there were “still going to be some battles that need to take place” on gay rights and said that there is a “stew bubbling up” in the country on race relations. He also subtly underscored his differences with Trump, who [refused to answer a question from a CNN reporter](http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/313777-trump-berates-cnn-reporter-for-fake-news) at a recent press conference, by complimenting the press, arguing that it plays a vital role in safeguarding democracy. He also pointedly called on a diverse array of reporters from Fox News, Univision, al-Arabiya and an LGBT newspaper. When Obama and his family head off to Palm Springs, Calif., on Friday, it’ll be the start of a long-awaited vacation that he said would include quality time with his wife and two daughters and some writing. “It’s important for me to take some time to process this amazing experience that we’ve gone through,” Obama said. “I want to be quiet a little bit.” Still, he reiterated that there are issues that would spur him to jump back into the political arena as a private citizen. Among the subjects that he expressed continued concern about were systemic discrimination, voting rights and the deportation of undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. Obama also took a moment to reflect on his status as the first African-American President, saying that he hoped in the future there would be a Jewish President, a Hindu president and even some “mixed-up” Presidents from multiracial backgrounds. “I think we’re going to see people of merit of every race, faith, corner of this country rise up,” he said. “That’s the strength of America.” ## Transcript [00:00] I believe in this country. I believe in the American [00:03] people. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] [00:07] I believe that people are more good than bad. [00:10] [ BLANK_AUDIO ] [00:15] I believe tragic things happen. I think there's evil in the [00:18] world, but I think that At the end of the day if we work [00:22] hard, and if we're true to those things [00:26] in us that feel true and feel right, that [00:31] the world gets a little better each time. That's what [00:35] this presidency's tried to be about. And I see that in [00:38] [ SOUND ] The young people I've worked with. I [00:42] couldn't be prouder of [ SOUND ] them. And so this is [00:46] not just a matter of no- drama Obama, this is what I [00:50] really believe. It is true that behind closed doors I [00:52] curse more than I do in public. [ LAUGH ] And [00:56] sometimes I get mad and frustrated like everybody [00:58] else does. But at my core I [01:04] think we're gonna be okay. We just have to fight for it. [01:05] We have to work for it and not take it for granted. And [01:08] I know that you will help us do that. Thank you very [01:11] much, press corps. Good luck. [ CROSSTALK ] Mr [01:12] President. [ CROSSTALK ] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4638301/barack-obama-final-white-house-press-conference/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4638301/barack-obama-final-white-house-press-conference/"},"headline":"President Obama's Final Thoughts: 'We're Going to Be O.K.'","datePublished":"2017-01-18T21:14:05.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-07T07:13:55.555Z","description":"\"I believe in this country\"","url":"https://time.com/4638301/barack-obama-final-white-house-press-conference/","keywords":["White House","Barack Obama","Donald Trump"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt159db2379a6c3cc8/6988b60aa988ca38856baac9/barack-obama-out.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Maya Rhodan","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt159db2379a6c3cc8/6988b60aa988ca38856baac9/barack-obama-out.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"President Barack Obama waves as he leaves after his final press conference at the White House on Jan. 18, 2017 in Washington.","caption":"President Barack Obama waves as he leaves after his final press conference at the White House on Jan. 18, 2017 in Washington.","creditText":"Brendan Smialowski—AFP/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/white-house/","name":"White House"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4638301/barack-obama-final-white-house-press-conference/","name":"President Obama's Final Thoughts: 'We're Going to Be O.K.'"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"President Obama’s Final Thoughts: ‘We’re Going to Be OK’","description":"President Obama ended his final press conference as he started his campaign for the White House nearly 10 years ago: optimistic and full of hope.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/FyZTlUwr/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2017-01-18T21:37:49.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/FyZTlUwr.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4638301/barack-obama-final-white-house-press-conference/","duration":"PT1M18S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4638301/barack-obama-final-white-house-press-conference/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```