Obama: Time for Extraordinary Change, Don’t Elect Trump

Local Editor

US President Barack Obama told Americans nervous about terror and a changing economy that they should not fear the future, in a farewell State of the Union address Tuesday that drew sharp contrast with Republicans.

In a marquee address that bubbled with 2016 election politics, Obama assailed Republicans for talking up the threat posed by the "ISIS" group and talking down the American economy.

A self-assured and optimistic Obama cast himself as the foil of foes who warn the country is going in the wrong direction because of his seven years in office.

Hailing an epoch of "extraordinary change" that is laden with risk and opportunity, Obama called for a new "moonshot" to cure cancer, a shift away from dirty energy and for a thaw in the last remnants of the Cold War by ending the embargo on Cuba.

Obama insisted "America has been through big changes before," as he took thinly veiled shots at Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and other leading Republican candidates.

"Each time, there have been those who told us to fear the future; who claimed we could slam the brakes on change, promising to restore past glory if we just got some group or idea that was threatening America under control. And each time, we overcame those fears."

With less than three weeks until the Iowa caucuses -- the first votes cast in the process to replace him -- Obama berated Republican economic rhetoric, saying "anyone claiming that America's economy is in decline is peddling fiction."

But his toughest words may have been for their rhetoric over the rise of the "ISIS" group.
While admitting that the terrorist group operating in Syria and Iraq poses an "enormous danger," he said "they do not threaten our national existence."

"Our answer needs to be more than tough talk or calls to carpet bomb civilians. That may work as a TV sound bite, but it doesn't pass muster on the world's stage."

"Over-the-top claims that this is World War III just play into their hands," he said.

In a volley clearly aimed at Trump, Obama warned that "when politicians insult Muslims... that's not telling it like it is. It's just wrong. It diminishes us in the eyes of the world."

The Republican frontrunner was not impressed, characteristically describing the speech as "really boring, slow, lethargic - very hard to watch!"

- Last chance -Tuesday's primetime address was perhaps Obama's last big opportunity to sway a national audience and frame the 2016 race.

Around 30 million viewers are expected to watch live, a nationwide audience that may only be matched in political terms during the Democratic nominating convention later this year.

Obama did take some blame for Washington's broken, hyperpartisan politics.

"It's one of the few regrets of my presidency -- that the rancor and suspicion between the parties has gotten worse instead of better," he said in a moment of personal candor.

"There's no doubt a president with the gifts of Lincoln or Roosevelt might have better bridged the divide, and I guarantee I'll keep trying to be better so long as I hold this office."

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team