Barack Obama Quotes curated by Chris Lavergne | Quote Catalog

Chris Lavergne

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Chris Lavergne's barack obama quotes

Fear is powerful. Telling people that somebody’s out to get you, or somebody took your job, or somebody has it out for you, or is going to change you, or your community, or your way of life — that’s an old story and it has shown itself to be powerful in societies all around the world. It is a deliberate, systematic effort to tap into that part of our brain that carries fear in it.

— Barack Obama, Obama says 'You are right to be concerned’

Fear US vs. Them

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What makes us American is our fidelity to a set of ideals.

— Barack Obama, via www.facebook.com

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At a time when so much of our politics is trying to manage this clash of cultures brought about by globalization and technology and migration, the role of stories to unify — as opposed to divide, to engage rather than to marginalize — is more important than ever.

— Barack Obama, Obama’s Secret to Surviving the White House Years: Books

The Importance of Stories Storytelling Narratives Why Books Matter Stories Matter

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What’s powerful is that ideas can change on a dime.

— Barack Obama, Obama Reckons with a Trump Presidency

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Look, by dint of biography, by dint of experience, the basic optimism that I articulate and present publicly as President is real. It’s what I teach my daughters. It is how I interact with my friends and with strangers. I genuinely do not assume the worst, because I’ve seen the best so often. So it is a mistake that I think people have sometimes made to think that I’m just constantly biting my tongue and there’s this sort of roiling anger underneath the calm Hawaiian exterior. I’m not that good of an actor.

— Barack Obama, Obama Reckons with a Trump Presidency

Presidency Optimism

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For us to have had this opportunity and to be able to make this much change, as much as we wish that we could have gotten everything done, it’s remarkable.

— Barack Obama, Obama Reckons with a Trump Presidency

Presidency Quote of the Moment

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The American people did not choose this fight. It came to our shores, and started with the senseless slaughter of our citizens. After nearly 10 years of service, struggle, and sacrifice, we know well the costs of war. These efforts weigh on me every time I, as Commander-in-Chief, have to sign a letter to a family that has lost a loved one, or look into the eyes of a service member who’s been gravely wounded.

— Barack Obama, Osama Bin Laden Dead

We Hate War (But We Must Fight)War Speeches

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Justice has been done... We are once again reminded that America can do whatever we set our mind to. Thank you. May God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.

— Barack Obama, Osama Bin Laden Dead

Justice War Victory Speeches Death-For-Death

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It’s harder to end a war than begin one.

— Barack Obama, Remarks by the President and First Lady on the End of the War in Iraq

War Insights International Affairs

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So regardless of the station we occupy; we have to try harder; to start with the premise that each of our fellow citizens loves this country just as much as we do; that they value hard work and family like we do; that their children are just as curious and hopeful and worthy of love as our own.

— Barack Obama, Read the full transcript of President Obama's farewell speech

America Empathy Political Compassion Unity Quote of the Moment

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Democracy is threatened whenever we take it for granted.

— Barack Obama, Read the full transcript of President Obama's farewell speech

Democracy Political Rights

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I am asking you to believe. Not in my ability to bring about change – but in yours.

— Barack Obama, President Obama's farewell speech

Change Power of Individuals Activism Inspirational

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If you want to persuade me that everything is going to be terrible, then we can talk ourselves into that. Or we can act.

— Barack Obama, The Day After: Obama on His Legacy, Trump's Win and the Path Forward

Cynicism Action Optimism

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One of the things that I think it's important for progressives to do when we're in a reflective mode after an election like this is, we can't have it both ways. We can't say, "Why aren't you reaching out to the folks who voted against us? And by the way, why aren't you maximizing getting 100 percent for the things that those of us, you know, who are already progressive and living on the coasts think should be done right away?" The point is that politics in a big, diverse country like this requires us to move the ball forward not in one long Hail Mary to the end zone, but to, you know, systemically make progress.

— Barack Obama, The Day After: Obama on His Legacy, Trump's Win and the Path Forward

Politcs Partisanship Compromise

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Aside from any particular issue, the president needs to recognize that this is not about you.

— Barack Obama, The Day After: Obama on His Legacy, Trump's Win and the Path Forward

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If you succeed, then the country succeeds.

— Barack Obama, Trump and Obama Hold Cordial 90-Minute Meeting in Oval Office

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We are all now rooting for Trump's success.

— Barack Obama, President Obama: 'We're all rooting for Trump'

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You have to stay encouraged. Don’t get cynical. Don’t ever think you can’t make a difference.

— Barack Obama, Obama: We Are Now All Rooting Fro Trump's Success

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America will still be the greatest nation on earth.

— Barack Obama, via twitter.com

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No matter what happens, the sun will rise in the morning.

— Barack Obama, via twitter.com

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If you disrespect women before you are elected president, you will disrespect women when you're in office.

— Barack Obama, Remarks by the President at Hillary for America Rally -- Raleigh, NC

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There’s a point where the vanity burns away and you’ve had your fill of your name in the papers, or big adoring crowds, or the exercise of power. And for me that happened fairly quickly. And then you are really focused on: What am I going to get done with this strange privilege that’s been granted to me? How do I make myself worthy of it?

— Barack Obama, Barack Obama and Doris Kearns Goodwin: The Ultimate Exit Interview

Strange Privilege Ego Seeing Further Burning Focus

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I am a firm believer that you don’t do anything significant by yourself.

— Barack Obama, Barack Obama and Doris Kearns Goodwin: The Ultimate Exit Interview

It Takes A Village Community Against Individualism

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In the United States, hopefully, what we’re building are not just pyramids, are not icons to one pharaoh. What we’re building is a culture and a way of living together that we can look back on and say, this was good, was inclusive, was kind, was innovative, was able to fulfill the dreams of as many people as possible.

— Barack Obama, Barack Obama and Doris Kearns Goodwin: The Ultimate Exit Interview

The United States Politcal Experiments Building The World Political Structures Social Systems

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What is relevant is: What am I building that lasts?

— Barack Obama, Barack Obama and Doris Kearns Goodwin: The Ultimate Exit Interview

The Long View Big Picture Work Strategies Aphorisms

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If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun.

— Barack Obama, Obama: ‘If They Bring a Knife to the Fight, We Bring a Gun’

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This year, in this election, I’m asking you to join me – to reject cynicism, reject fear, to summon what’s best in us; to elect Hillary Clinton as the next President of the United States, and show the world we still believe in the promise of this great nation.

— Barack Obama, Full text: President Obama's DNC speech

They're Cynics (Not Us!)Election 2016 Rhetoric of The Same

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If you want to fight climate change, we’ve got to engage not only young people on college campuses, but reach out to the coal miner who’s worried about taking care of his family, the single mom worried about gas prices.

— Barack Obama, Full text: President Obama's DNC speech

Climate Change inclusiveness

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America has never been about what one person says he’ll do for us. It’s always been about what can be achieved by us, together, through the hard, slow, sometimes frustrating, but ultimately enduring work of self-government.

— Barack Obama, Full text: President Obama's DNC speech

Election 2016 America Against Demagogues Self-Government

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Our troops have pounded ISIL without mercy, taking out leaders, taking back territory. I know Hillary won’t relent until ISIL is destroyed. She’ll finish the job – and she’ll do it without resorting to torture, or banning entire religions from entering our country. She is fit to be the next Commander-in-Chief.

— Barack Obama, Full text: President Obama's DNC speech

Election 2016 ISIS Positive Quotes About Hillary Clinton

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I see Americans of every party, every background, every faith who believe that we are stronger together – black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American; young and old; gay, straight, men, women, folks with disabilities, all pledging allegiance, under the same proud flag, to this big, bold country that we love. That’s the America I know.

— Barack Obama, Full text: President Obama's DNC speech

A Country of Love Patriotism Election 2016

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We’re not done perfecting our union, or living up to our founding creed – that all of us are created equal and free in the eyes of God.

— Barack Obama, Full text: President Obama's DNC speech

America Election 2016 Christian Politics American Experiment Progress

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And there's one area where Donald's experience could be invaluable, and that's closing Guantanamo - because Trump knows a thing or two about running waterfront properties into the ground.

— Barack Obama, Obama didn't hold back against Donald Trump in his last correspondents' dinner

Guantanamo Election 2016 Jokes

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I’ve seen how inadequate words can be in bringing about lasting change. I’ve seen how inadequate my own words have been. And so I’m reminded of a passage in John’s Gospel: Let us love not with words or speech, but with actions and in truth. If we’re to sustain the unity we need to get through these difficult times, if we are to honor these five outstanding officers who we’ve lost, then we will need to act on the truths that we know. And that’s not easy. It makes us uncomfortable. But we’re going to have to be honest with each other and ourselves.

— Barack Obama, Remarks by the President at Memorial Service for Fallen Dallas Police Officers

Violence As The New Poetry Does Nothing Christianity Lives Towards Unity Towards Empathy

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We have our divisions, and they are not new. Around-the-clock news cycles and social media sometimes amplify these divisions, and I know we’re about to enter a couple of weeks of conventions where our political rhetoric tends to be more overheated than usual. And that is why it is so important that everyone -- regardless of race or political party or profession, regardless of what organizations you are a part of -- everyone right now focus on words and actions that can unite this country rather than divide it further.

— Barack Obama, Statement by the President on the Shootings in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The Path to the New Violence Is Old Diverse Unity Artificial Divisions of Media Media Control Of Our Minds

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Someone once wrote, ‘A bullet need happen only once, but for peace to work we need to be reminded of its existence again and again and again.’

— Barack Obama, Statement by the President on the Shootings in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Temper Our Senses On Violence Hannah Arendt & Obama

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We need to temper our words and open our hearts, all of us.

— Barack Obama, Statement by the President on the Shootings in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Temper Our Senses Gain Control Be Cool Moderation In Praise of Moderation Goldilocks Theory Be Moderate

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I believe our sorrow can make us a better country. I believe our righteous anger can be transformed into more justice and more peace. Weeping may endure for a night but I’m convinced joy comes in the morning.

— Barack Obama, Read President Obama's Speech From the Dallas Memorial Service

Sorrow Politics Obama vs. Sartre

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When all this takes place, more than 50 years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act, we cannot simply turn away and dismiss those in peaceful protest as troublemakers or paranoid.

We can’t simply dismiss it as a symptom of political correctness or reverse racism. To have your experience denied like that, dismissed by those in authority, dismissed perhaps even by your white friends and coworkers and fellow church members, again and again and again, it hurts. Surely we can see that, all of us.

We also know what Chief Brown has said is true, that so much of the tensions between police departments and minority communities that they serve is because we ask the police to do too much and we ask too little of ourselves.

— Barack Obama, Read President Obama's Speech From the Dallas Memorial Service

Dallas Shooting 2016 America 2016 Chief Brown racism Race Bias Civil Rights

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We don't have a common market in the Americas. But in all sorts of ways, the United States constrains itself in order to bind everyone under a common set of norms and rules that makes everybody more prosperous.

— Barack Obama, Remarks by the President Obama and Prime Minister Cameron in Joint Press Conference

Universalism Universal Norms Economic Configurations One Universal With Many Particulars Brexit

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I’m not coming here to fix any votes. I’m not casting a vote myself. I’m offering my opinion. And in democracies, everybody should want more information, not less. And you shouldn’t be afraid to hear an argument being made… If, right now, I’ve got access to a massive market where I sell 44 percent of my exports, and now I’m thinking about leaving the organization that gives me access to that market and that is responsible for millions of jobs in my country and responsible for an enormous amount of commerce and upon which a lot of businesses depend, that's not something I’d probably do.

— Barack Obama, Remarks by the President Obama and Prime Minister Cameron in Joint Press Conference

Brexit Example of Elegant Argument Setup Britain

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I think there's a British poet who once said, 'No man is an island' even an island as beautiful as this. We're stronger together. And if we continue to tackle our challenges together, then future generations will look back on ours, just as we look back on the previous generation of English and American citizens who worked so hard to make this world safer and more secure and more prosperous, and they'll say that we did our part, too. And that's important. That's important not just here; that's important in the United States, as well.

— Barack Obama, Remarks by the President Obama and Prime Minister Cameron in Joint Press Conference

Brexit Britain The Future of Europe in 2016 Cohesive Continental Identities

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This is not entertainment. This is not a reality show. This is a contest for the presidency of the United States.

— Barack Obama, Obama tells Trump: 'This is not a reality show'

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I just miss — I miss being anonymous.

— Barack Obama, President Obama: 'I Miss Being Anonymous'

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At the moment that we persuade a child, any child, to cross that threshold, that magic threshold into a library, we change their lives forever, for the better.

— Barack Obama, ala.org

Education Reading

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A lot of young people no longer see the trades and skilled manufacturing as a viable career. But I promise you, folks can make a lot more, potentially, with skilled manufacturing or the trades than they might with an art history degree.

— Barack Obama, insidehighered.com

Art History Education

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We need to invest in the skills and education of our people. Now, this year, we've broken through the stalemate between left and right by launching a national competition to improve our schools. And the idea here is simple: Instead of rewarding failure, we only reward success. Instead of funding the status quo, we only invest in reform--reform that raises student achievement; inspires students to excel in math and science; and turns around failing schools that steal the future of too many young Americans, from rural communities to the inner city.

— Barack Obama, Whitehouse.gov

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I try to avoid an either/or approach to solving the problems of this country. There are questions of individual responsibility and questions of societal responsibility to be dealt with. The best example is an education. I'm going to insist that we've got decent funding, enough teachers, and computers in the classroom, but unless you turn off the television set and get over a certain anti-intellectualism that I think pervades some low-income communities, our children are not going to achieve.

— Barack Obama, YouTube.co

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We know that education is everything to our children's future. We know that they will no longer just compete for good jobs with children from Indiana, but children from India and China and all over the world. We know the work and the studying and the level of education that requires.

— Barack Obama, Change We Can Believe In

Education Global

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Nothing has a bigger impact than reading to children early in life. Obviously we all have a personal obligation to turn off the TV and read to our own children; but beyond that, participating in a literacy program, working with parents who themselves may have difficulty reading, helping their children with their literacy skills, can make a huge difference in a child's life.

— Barack Obama, Amazon.com

Education Readin

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Progress on this journey often comes in small increments. Sometimes two steps forward, one step back, compelled by the persistent effort of dedicated citizens. And then sometimes there are days like this, when that slow, steady effort is rewarded with justice that arrives like a thunderbolt.

— Barack Obama, Time.com

Justice Progress Same Sex Marriage

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In few other professions are you required, each and every day, to weigh so many competing claims— between different sets of constituents, between the interests of your state and the interests of the nation, between party loyalty and your own sense of independence, between the value of service and obligations to your family. There is a constant danger, in the cacophony of voices, that a politician loses his moral bearings and finds himself entirely steered by the winds of public opinion.

— Barack Obama, The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream

Competing Interests Complexity of Political Situations (Example of Good Tags)Weight of Too Many Choices

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I am obligated to try to see the world through George Bush’s eyes, no matter how much I may disagree with him. That’s what empathy does— it calls us all to task, the conservative and the liberal, the powerful and the powerless, the oppressed and the oppressor. We are all shaken out of our complacency. We are all forced beyond our limited vision.

— Barack Obama, The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream

Empathy Polytheism Openness Seeing Through The Eyes Of Other People My Philosophy

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Today’s politician understands this. He may not lie, but he understands that there is no great reward in store for those who speak the truth, particularly when the truth may be complicated. The truth may cause consternation; the truth will be attacked; the media won’t have the patience to sort out all the facts and so the public may not know the difference between truth and falsehood. What comes to matter then is positioning— the statement on an issue that will avoid controversy or generate needed publicity, the stance that will fit both the image his press folks have constructed for him and one of the narrative boxes the media has created for politics in general.

— Barack Obama, The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream

The Media How Politicians Think Mazes of Individual References Points Contextualism Rhetoric In Politics

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