Obama gets emotional talking to campaign staff
(CNN) - Video of President Barack Obama's visit Wednesday to his campaign headquarters in Chicago shows the newly re-elected commander in chief becoming emotional while heralding the hard work of his young staffers.
"I am absolutely confident that all of you are going to do amazing things in your lives," Obama says in the video, which was posted on his campaign's official Youtube page Thursday.
In his brief speech to the young crowd, Obama drew parallels to the work his team had just finished and the community organizing post he took up when he first moved to the Windy City at 25, saying his campaign team was "so much better than I was" at accomplishing their goals.
Toward the end of his five-minute-long remarks, Obama got choked up telling the staffers how proud he was of their hard work.
"Even before last night's results, I felt that the work I had done in running for office had come full circle. Because what you guys have done means that the work I am doing is important. And I'm really proud of that. I'm really proud of you," Obama said, wiping away tears.
The show of emotion - extremely rare for Obama - was met with loud applause.
"What you guys have accomplished will go in the annals of history," Obama said.
At his final campaign rally Monday in Iowa, a few tears rolled down Obama's cheek as he delivered his last stump speech.
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, speaking on CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight," said he found Obama's emotional display in the campaign video "incredibly moving."
"Putting aside whose side you're on, who you voted for, to see a president of the United States being that raw, that emotional with his campaign volunteers and to see Barack Obama openly weeping at one stage, very unusual, very moving," said Patrick, a Democrat.
Dan Rather, the former CBS anchor, said the moment was "unique in the history of the American presidency."
"I'm not sure there has ever been any American president, perhaps no world leader that I know of in my lifetime, who has come out with that raw emotion in a very attractive way," Rather said on CNN. "Again, whether you like his politics or not, for a lot of people this is going to be a case of ‘the ice man cracketh’ because he had this image of President Barack Obama as cool, ice water in his veins kind of person, and he can be that way."
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He and Boehner can relate now!
Regardless of what side you stand on, the POTUS is still a man. This display was very moving and let's hope it was sincere.
Wow!!!! Thank you Mr. President. I stayed in line and voted!
Obama was re-elected because he is a good man. Plain and simple.
Congrats Mr. President!
We are so blessed.
The President is an incredibly sensitive individual who is intelligent and sincere. To see him get emotional is very moving. That's why I voted for him–he's genuine.
Ignorant GOPers call him a socialist when the don't even know how to spell that word. I call him a remarkable humanist. Look it up. Learn what that means.
As real as it gets.
Our President has been humbled, and I believe as a result is now prepared to be a better President for the good of our country. When good people believe in you, many times you lose the doubts you may have in yourself for the challenges ahead. God bless USA!
We should move to Minosota
Two things make me proud. That we have elected a black president for a second term, and that he is a caring human being.
Maybe he just got something in his eye.
These young people are our future and I salute them all, they're just incredible.
an amazing man forced to work with a bunch of intransigent idiots in the house of representatives...so sad!
Omana is a good president and a great man.
And Obama Wept.He is finally letting his emotions out.Africa is proud.
An Amazing man!
A man humbled by the people who worked so hard for him. Very genuine. Adelante con Obama/Biden!!!
So PROUD I voted for this man. Not sure what I was really thinking supporting McCain in '08 lol
Mr. President, you will be one of the best American presidents. History will prove that.
This man has a heart. It is nice to see that in a leader for a change.
Hip Hip Hooray! Hip Hip Hooray! Hip Hip Hooray!
Barack Obama is reelected to lead the land! Here today, the history is now! Only once! We, all people, stand as the ambassadors to our ancestry, as witnesses to the Democratic Party that tenders the our beloved nation!!!!!
Hoorah for freedom!!!
Great the President showing how much he really cares.
I casted the correct vote, I truly believe this.