He weaved in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King and was quite revealing. He said he recognizes that people are disappointed that change hasn't come as quickly as they expected but people need to see that progress has been made. He said many people thought we'd magically live in a post-partisan and post racial society after he was elected. But he said people shouldn't give up on voting, activism and advocacy.
He also said that he's not always as calm as he appears. "Reggie Love knows, my wife knows." There are times when the barbs sting, he said. Sometimes he said "it feels like all these efforts are for naught." Obama says he has to confront his own doubts. He said his faith lifts him up.
Hopefully, mass inspired him to rally the people in Massachusetts today at 3 pm, and get them out to vote on Tuesday. Frankly, I think the media and the pollsters have overhyped Scott Brown's lead there. If people get out to vote, then Martha Coakley will win by a comfortable margin.
Full speech:
You know, folks ask me sometimes why I look so calm. (Laughter.) They say, all this stuff coming at you, how come you just seem calm? And I have a confession to make here. There are times where I'm not so calm. (Laughter.) Reggie Love knows. My wife knows. There are times when progress seems too slow. There are times when the words that are spoken about me hurt. There are times when the barbs sting. There are times when it feels like all these efforts are for naught, and change is so painfully slow in coming, and I have to confront my own doubts.
But let me tell you -- during those times it's faith that keeps me calm. (Applause.) It's faith that gives me peace. The same faith that leads a single mother to work two jobs to put a roof over her head when she has doubts. The same faith that keeps an unemployed father to keep on submitting job applications even after he's been rejected a hundred times. The same faith that says to a teacher even if the first nine children she's teaching she can't reach, that that 10th one she's going to be able to reach. The same faith that breaks the silence of an earthquake's wake with the sound of prayers and hymns sung by a Haitian community. A faith in things not seen, in better days ahead, in Him who holds the future in the hollow of His hand. A faith that lets us mount up on wings like eagles; lets us run and not be weary; lets us walk and not faint. Read the transcript here.
