Why President Obama Will Be One of the Most Unique Presidents We've Ever Had

After President Donald Trump recently took office, millions mourned as they watched the Obama family leave the White House, expressing how much Obama will be missed. While President Obama at first received a lot of judgment and criticism, many are now realizing how different he turned out to be, some even wishing he could stay another term.

When he started, his race defined him in many’s eyes, rather than his vision for a new America. Obama was also the fifth youngest President in history, which further sparked doubt among the people he was ready to help.

Thomas Jefferson once said, “We should never judge a president by his age, only by his works,” and right after his looks and age, his works were quickly judged. However, Obama overlooked all the criticism as he sought to spark change in America. But most importantly, President Obama overcame racism and showed how coming from a different background can make an extraordinary presidency.

If only people knew from the beginning how much Obama intended to help every single kind of person, and his great vision of what equality should be like in the world. Every single president, no matter how hard they try, will be harshly judged. No matter what they say, their appearance, or their history, there will always be Americans who overestimate how much control a president has over our country, or determine their abilities based on factors that have nothing to do with their capacity, such as what they look like.

However, President Obama rose above all the accusations, and in his well-known Inaugural Address in January 2009, he stated that day that, “We continue a never-ending journey to bridge the meaning of [equality] with the realities of our time.”

At that time, he envisioned a “new era of responsibility,” and powerful would be an understatement in terms of how he delivered that goal.

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As the first African-American President of the United States, he faced a tougher position than most but was able to make a strong statement about how much America had accomplished in terms of accepting everyone. Obama recognized our nation as one of unique individuals that come together as a whole, saying, “We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth.”

His ethnicity may have led to a lot of judgment about him, but it mostly helped him see things from a different perspective, one that not many other presidents had.

In addition to having the perspective of someone who came from a middle-class and not an upper-class family, and someone who came from another culture, Obama sought to empower groups he didn’t even relate to.

Obama constantly stood up for women’s rights when he powerfully stated that, “We know we are better off when women are treated fairly and equally in every aspect of American life, whether it’s the salary you earn or the health decisions you make.”

He couldn’t have done a better job at emphasizing the issue of gender equality that still persists, and in the most diligent manner. Obama fought for women as strong as a woman president would fight for them. Obama fought just as strongly for women as he did for veterans, stopping at nothing to help them obtain the benefits, resources, and opportunities they all deserve. When Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009, it really displayed his motive to make everyone feel equal, because he knew we couldn’t have a successful country without everyone feeling like they belong.

As for his many other accomplishments, while there are some policies he could have done better on, something not many people realize is that Obama is the only president who achieved comprehensive health care. For years, our country has had those who struggled to afford health care or didn’t understand the benefits of it. Obama knew that, in order to a unified country, we had to allow everyone the best quality of life. Obama also gracefully brought our troops home and got the unemployment rate to just below five percent.

It’s not possible for us to ever have a perfect president, but a very ideal one stands up for every single person and part of their country, and goes beyond the duty of a president using the power to influence, striving for not only their own success as president but also to help everyone else achieve it also. Obama proved that we need not only a president who understands politics, but also someone with a heart. He was someone for world peace and bringing everyone together, rather than separating people; someone who thought everyone, no matter their wealth or status, is equal; and someone who was for everything that benefits all in our nation, not leaving anyone out.

Obama saw his presidency as a chance to make everyone feel equally important and really establish international democracy, and he wasn’t afraid to admit when he made mistakes, either. We should all remember from him the power of coming together, and the significance of always being hopeful. His voice is one we will always remember, no matter who we are, or where we came from, and we probably won’t have a president like him for a long time.