Watch Obama's Tearful Salute To His Family At Farewell Address

By Stephen Gossett in News on Jan 11, 2017 3:16AM

Barack Obama’s farewell-address-meets-homecoming on Tuesday night was chockablock with emotional moments, whether it was his real-talk call to stand firm against racial discrimination or his defense of noble bubble-bursting in the name of non-partisanship. But the moment that got us—and POTUS himself—most was his heart-tugging nod to his family.

“Michelle LeVaughn Robinson, girl of the South Side, for the past twenty-five years, you’ve been not only my wife and mother of my children, but my best friend. You took on a role you didn’t ask for and made it your own with grace and grit and style and good humor,” Obama said, then joining all of us in wiping away a tear.

“You made the White House a place that belongs to everybody. And a new generation sets its sights higher because it has you as a role model. You’ve made me proud. You’ve made the country proud.”

Obama then continued the stirring tribute to his family by moving to his daughters—even though Sasha was not in attendance because she has a report due in the morning and this is a school night.

“Malia and Sasha, under the strangest of circumstances, you have become two amazing young women, smart and beautiful, but more importantly, kind and thoughtful and full of passion,” Obama said. “You wore the burden of years in the spotlight so easily. Of all that I’ve done in my life, I’m most proud to be your dad.”

Almost as moving was his testament to Joe and Jill Biden. “I gained a brother. We love you and Jill like family, and your friendship has been one of the great joys of our life.”

To which Biden responded in prototypically Biden fashion:

Gonna miss this group.