Obama on His SOTU: ‘I’ve Never Been More Optimistic About a Year Ahead’

‘It’s my last one, and as I’m writing, I keep thinking about the road that we’ve traveled together these past seven years; the people I’ve met, the stories that you’ve shared’

“Since I took office seven years ago in the midst of crisis, I don't think I've ever been more optimistic about a year ahead than I am right now. And in what free moments I can take right now, I'm working on my State of the Union address. It's my last one, and as I'm writing, I keep thinking about the road that we've traveled together these past seven years, the people I've met, the stories that you've shared, the remarkable things you've done to make change happen. To recover from crisis, and set this country on a better, stronger course for tomorrow. 

That's what makes America great. Our capacity to change for the better. Our ability to come together as one American family, and pull ourselves closer to the America we believe in. It's hard to see sometimes, in the day-to-day noise of Washington, but it is who we are. And it is what I want to focus on in this State of the Union address. Not just the remarkable progress we've made, not just what I want to get done in the year ahead, but what we all need to do together in the years to come.

The big things that will guarantee an even stronger, better, more prosperous America for our kids. The America we believe in. That's what's on my mind. While I'm writing, my team is cooking up new ways you can watch and engage with the speech, and I hope you'll all tune in next Tuesday night, because this address will be for you.”

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