Obama Closes His Last Day Of Campaign in Iowa

Obama Closes His Last Day Of Campaign in Iowa

President Barack Obama went back to Iowa, the state where his candidacy first took root more than four years ago on the final night of his campaign for reelection.

The occasion had all the trappings of a typical Obama rally: American flags lined the risers above cheerful Democrats, generators hummed in the distance and a crowd of 20,000 filled the boulevard that led to the Iowa state capitol building. After a prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, the National Anthem, a performance by Bruce Springsteen and an introduction from his wife, Michelle, Obama approached the stage to the music of U2, just as he has done so many times before.

But this night, quite likely the final presidential rally of Obama's career, was different. The president showed more patient and familiar, taking time to tell stories instead of repeating campaign slogans. His remarks retained the outline of his stump speech, but he devoted much of the night to reminiscing about his first campaign in 2008 and tried to re-energize his supporters with anecdotes from the past. While he spoke, a photographer captured a moment when a tear appeared to flow down his cheek.

"I came back to ask you to help us finish what we've started because this is where our movement for change began," Obama said, pointing behind him to the modest building that housed his first Iowa campaign office in 2008. "Right here."

He also reflected on his own presidency, conceding that he knew that his supporters sometimes found themselves "frustrated by the pace of change."

"It's out of my hands now," Obama said. "It's in yours. All of it depends on what you do."

Update: It is now clear that resident Barack Obama has won the election and four more years in office.

Posted by James Fried on Wednesday November 07 2012, 6:18 AM EST. Ref: CNN. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, World. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0