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Subscribe to RSSPresident Obama speaks to supporters in Des Moines, Iowa at his final campaign event before election day.
Des Moines, Iowa — For the final campaign event of the 2012 cycle, President Barack Obama returned to where his bid for presidency began.
At a rally downtown here, against the backdrop of the capital, the president and first lady Michelle Obama took the crowd back four years ago, when they were campaigning at the state fair and celebrating the birthday of one of their daughters.
“Tomorrow we get the chance to finish what we started in Iowa,” the first lady said before introducing her husband.
Talking about those early days in Iowa, the president appeared emotional as he started by thanking the volunteers gathered.
"All of you who have lived and breathed the hard work of change, I want to thank you," Obama said.
To the others, he evoked popular lines from his 2008 stump speech.
"When the cynics said we couldn't, you said yes we can – you said yes, we can, and we did. Against all odds and we did," he said. But, he added, “We're not done yet on this journey."
About 20,000 people filled the streets downtown with signs that read “Forward!” They cheered when the president challenged them to fight with him.
"I've got a lot more fight left in me,” he said. “But to wage that fight on behalf of American families, I need you to still have some fight in you too.”
Jason Reed / Reuters
Tears were visible on President Obama's cheek during his final presidential campaign rally in Des Moines, Iowa, on Monday.
His mentions of 2008 also served as a reminder that even at larger rallies, the president’s campaign does not have the same energy as his first. The president seemed to acknowledge that as well when he said, “We’ve come too far to let our hearts grow faint.”
He also told a story he recounted during the 2008 campaign, which on Monday night took on new meaning.
The story was about Edith Childs, the South Carolinian who brought the “Fired up, Ready to Go” chant to his campaign.
This time, the story had a new twist. The Obama campaign had offered to fly Childs to Des Moines for Obama’s last event of the 2012 campaign.
But she refused, the president said, because she didn’t have time. She was organizing people to knock on doors – she thought he still had a chance to win North Carolina.
Concluding the story – and his campaign – Obama said, “And that shows you what one voice can do.”
GOP candidate Mitt Romney has added last-minute events on Tuesday, Election Day, but for Obama, the election has wrapped up.
He flies to Chicago on Tuesday and will spend the day playing basketball – which tomorrow becomes an Election Day tradition – with staff and friends, including his former bodyman Reggie Love, who made an appearance on the trail Monday as well.
"It’s out of my hands now,” Obama said. “It’s in yours. All of it depends on what you do.”
Reuters, Getty Images
Campaigning with Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, voting and election results.
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The faintness is just from being unemployed and trying to eat on welfare in Obamas world.
The ENTIRE Repubican party can't STOMACH Romnesia.......they are simply "holding their nose" and blindly voting for this Plutocrat SIMPLY because they can't handle the truth. The truth is our nation's economy IS going to thrive over the next 4 years and Repubicans can't ALLOW it to happen while a Democrat is in the White House....a Democrat who happens to be BLACK.
Not a problem. As long as a Democrat is in the White House, there is little chance of that happening.
Nibor - maybe you should run next time. You seem like the perfect example of the true republican mindset.
Sure glad Romnesia isn't in the military and in charge of OUR troops......imagine him trying to lead???? "Foward, march. Wait, I never said FORWARD...what I said was we need to move in that direction. Ready, FIRE. Wait, that's not what I said...I said we need to be ready in case of FIRE.
Flip Floppers CAN NOT BE LEADERS. IMPOSSIBLE!!!!! Romnesia is the King of Flip Flop. A disgrace!!!!! NO CREDIBILITY WHATSOEVER!!!!!
Made me chuckle Hoos!!! Bet not the Flip Flopper fans tho!!!
Were you aware that the U.S. officially ended the "combat mission" in Iraq when the Obama administration failed to negotiate an U.S.-Iraqi Status of Forces Agreement.
So although President Obama wanted to maintain a troop presence, he failed, and decided to declare a victorious end. Look where is Iraq now.
nibor......you're obviously a low-information voter.
hoosyer...."nibor...you're obviously a low-information voter"....
HoosYerDaddy....Give us your information, like: at 120,000 new jobs per month, how long will it take to get back to 2007 employment levels...or...people under 18 now owe in US debt over $200,000 per person, what will they owe if Obama's budget was passed and it went to over 20 Trillion?...or...how do the 5.2 million jobs Obama says have been added compare in pay to the 5 million lost since 2008?...or...how much was the two Obama budgets off or out of balance, that he submitted but no Democrat could support?..or...we have tripled our money supply in four years, how long will it take for super inflation to take hold?...or...how high would energy costs gone up if we had passed the Cap and Trade bill causing for a new financial market for selling carbon credits and what would have been made by controlling that market?
Just a few questions that would help me become as smart as you.
And actually betterthisway, from January 2008 to July 2010 we lost 8.8 million jobs. It is worse than even you pointed out. We are still 3.3 million short of January 2008 levels.
I just got through casting my vote for Obama! I am excited and optimistic that our president is going to win a second term. Obama/ Biden 11-06-12
I'm really excited too! I cast my vote for Romney and Ryan! I can't wait til they get the votes to move into the White House! YAY!!
I saw a young man drive up as I was going to vote, today.
He waited for a much older woman to drive up and get out
of her car, before he got out of his car and followed her
in, to vote. She showed him how to vote and stood over
him as he marked his ballot, then she ushered him to the
voting machine and directed him to feed his ballot into
the vote counter.
At first, I wondered if he was Old enough to vote, then I
wondered if he was getting Paid to vote. Now, I'm
wondering just how much Streisand, Clooney, Coombs,
Jordan and Winfrey, et al, are willing to Pay to win this
election; and how far they are willing to Go to win this
election? I hear Obama's team is Very confident of the
outcome, and I'm beginning to understand why.
"We've come to far to let our hearts grow faint."
Translation: March, lemmings, over the cliff!
Charles Woods (father Navy Seal murdered in Benghazi speaking about the President and his administration): 'Better to die the death of a hero than it is to live the life of a coward'
I love it when Obama gets emotional over this election. Too bad he had no emotion when our 4 Americans were killed in Lybia! What a looser!
Amen Doc. He didn't want to offend Libya and the muslim world and callously sacrificed brave American lives. I don't think anyone would have begrudged him if he had ordered a rescue mission (or even a AC-130 strike) and that mission didn't go well. We had assets trained for this and they were ordered to stand down.
If Obama wins, and that's a big if, his second term scandal is all set to go.
Killed and tortured! Shameful!
Why lie? Why hide the truth abouth what he knew in Libya? Obama is a loser and needs to go. I hope America gets it right today!
Romney 2012!!!
Hey Proud, kinda late in the game for Libya politics, don't ya think, especially since Lyin' Ryan voted against funding more security. Romney made such a fool of himself on the issue I'm surprised you'd even bring that up. But what the heck, desperate people do desperate things. I'll bet you even feed out of Trump's trough. Four more for Obama /Biden today. It's in the bag.
adrift: There were funds available for security. Google what state dept funds were used for instead, if you have the courage. The government knew long in advance that it would be wise to get our people out of there like the Brits did, but they refused. Sources say that a tape exists with the pleas for help out of Benghazi. If that ever becomes public, Obama will be toast even if he wins. Like I said before, his second term scandal is all set to go.
Charles Woods (father Navy Seal murdered in Benghazi speaking about the President and his administration): 'Better to die the death of a hero than it is to live the life of a coward.' Look that man in the eye, then vote for Obama.
ad: It's not a game and it's not about being late. How Obama handled the situation is appalling regardless of who wins today, the liar in this is Obama.
Romney 2012!!!
It's been a great four years! It's been a joy to have Obama represent our nation, work for our citizens and bring some respect and gravitas back to the office of the presidency. He has brought health care reform to reality, got our troops out of Iraq; two major accomplishments! Thanks, President Obama.....FORWARD!
Un-phucking believable. He's been a joy? Tell that to the millions of unemployed. Tell that to our grandkids when they have to pay $16T in debt. Dawn, you are what's wrong with this entitlement society. Good luck paying for the health care reform. Wait till you get your tax bill or your employer lays your off because he can't afford the mandate.
We've come too far??? The problem is, we haven't moved an inch. Any perceived movement in the economy, housing, unemployment are minute at best and probably due to data rigging and spin by the Democrats. Reading the vomitus from page 1 of this vine makes me ill. How can some many people be so stupid. "The evil Republican" koolaid is flowing freely here. Lemmings moving "forward" off the cliff.
ItsSimple and you are simple! How about the brave Americans in Libya who died for this country while the moron-in-chief your messiah jumps on a plane to Vegas to campaign? How about a s0-called leader of the free world who puts himself ahead of the people? Do you want to see this imbecile re-elected because of your party! The guy does not care about the people, he only cares to satisfy his lousy ego!
This country needs good honest and professional leadership and Romney knows how to get the job done and he is not a dirty scrumbag chicago politician who uses every dirty trick in the book to get his ego satisfied!
This is a loser who could care less about the people suffering from Sandy along the eastcoast! He makes a little appearance to appear as a comdr-in-chief while he can't wait to get his rearend back on the plane to campaign!
There are still millions of people without food, water, shelter, heat and hurting. Your demorat moron leader has not jumped on the FEMA losers hard enough to get them the vital assests they need to survive!
How about where you are? Do you have a home to go to? Do you have food, water, and other essentials?
I am sick and tired of listening to dumb idiots who think this current moron in charge of our country is so great!
He has put us so far in debt and so many people unemployed and keeps blaming others for his own stupid failed policies! Get you head out of it and wake up! Hopefully, we have more intelligent people voting than those idiots who continue to support an imbecile who will continue to screw America!
Obama concludes: 'We've come too far to not see the revenge we deserve.
Obama concludes: 'We've come too far to let our hearts grow faint'
The majority of voters conclude: 'You've gone too far to let us re-elect you and it's time for a change- real change'!
Romney/Ryan 2012.
R.I.P. Obama and the rest of the Democratic party
There are several of us sitting around in a police station here at the end of shift after some practical joker tuned in MSNBC in the sergeant's office of this district station. Watching these clowns on MSNBC is hilarious and they've got all of us laughing. They're doing their best to pretend they're journalists but the only ones who cannot see the clown show are those participating on MSNBC. By the end of the night Chris Matthews will be crying and screaming and will need a sedative to get to sleep. Funny & pathetic at the same time.
Let me guess,... you are going to vote for the Magic Underwear Moron... I mean Mormon!
A woman actually tweeted that we are ending wars and is why she voted for Obama. President Obama got America involved in Lybia and North Africa.
Our country has spiraled downward and our national debt has skyrocketed.
Divisive talk of African-Americans and white men, I am saddened by those who have succumbed to this dispiriting message.
I'm hopeful for our United States of America.
Mitt Romney is winning the popular vote, says something.
Four more years!!!!!! SUCK IT TEABAGGERS!!!!!!! Work with him or get your walking papers!!!!!!!!!!!