Obama’s speech marks nine years since his presidential campaign announcement in Springfield, a campaign marked by Obama’s expressed desire to promote bipartisanship. “Being here today calls to mind the first time I spoke on the senate floor nearly 20 yrs ago”, Obama said as he began his remarks.
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In a speech to IL state lawmakers on Wednesday, Obama plans to detail “what we can do together as a country to build a better politics, and one that reflects our better selves”, according to White House spokesman Josh Earnest.
In fact, David Yepsen, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, says bi-partisanship is more hard to achieve today because of modern technology and media. On Thursday, Dunkin took it in stride, noting that he had received an invitation to the White House before Obama’s visit. The message comes just as both Republican and Democratic presidential campaigns become more aggressive in their attacks heading into the SC primaries and Nevada caucuses.
Obama called “my inability to reduce the polarization and meanness in our politics” one of his few regrets as president, although he didn’t acknowledge any specific mistakes.
“When I hear either side talking about refusal to compromise as actual accomplishment, I’m not impressed”, Obama said. Obama continued by saying finding common ground between parties doesn’t make lawmakers worse or less of Democrats or Republicans. “Divided, we are bound to fail”, Obama said in 2007 to the thousands of supporters gathered that blisteringly cold Saturday in Springfield. According to an article in the Chicago Tribune by Kim Geiger, Rauner has promised to use his own personal wealth to support Republican candidates challenging the Democrat’s supermajority in the Illinois General Assembly.
“I served alongside Barack Obama in the state senate and have attempted to work with him during my time in Congress. One thing in particular I’ve noticed about the President is his utter incapacity to be reflective about the weaknesses of his worldview”.
But he warned that any progress is threatened by a cynical citizenry prodded by combative politics, and he asked, “What can we try to do together to make our politics better?”
The speech began shortly after 1:00 p.m., as President Obama started by thanking everyone in attendance for the warm welcome he received upon returning to Springfield.
Obama returned to a statehouse that has weathered its share of turmoil since he left it behind in 2004.
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“Nine years to the day I first announced for this office, I still believe in the politics of hope”. “Americans are no longer looking in the rear view mirror, we turned a page, and it’s time to write a new chapter”. He called on IL lawmakers to approve pending legislation that would make voter registration automatic when people get their drivers’ licenses.
