November 8th, 2012
08:15 PM ET
10 years ago

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."


Filed under: 2012 • President Obama
soundoff (210 Responses)
  1. nobama

    Crocodile tears... just plain b.s.

    November 8, 2012 10:04 pm at 10:04 pm |
  2. Eric C. Lopez Rosario

    Keep it humble, O man.

    November 8, 2012 10:04 pm at 10:04 pm |
  3. Jen

    Couldn't be prouder of our man leading us again for four more years. Not only liked by us but most of the world. In Vancouver Canada, pubs were full everybody sitting on the edge of their seats exploding with excitement when the prez won. Found not one group in support for the GOP. Could not have been more prouder to be an American so far from home. You go Mr president, we have your back all the way.

    November 8, 2012 10:04 pm at 10:04 pm |
  4. remarkable men

    Barack Hussein Obama is a truly remarkable man.

    November 8, 2012 10:04 pm at 10:04 pm |
  5. nonami

    crocodile tears ...just plain B.S.

    November 8, 2012 10:05 pm at 10:05 pm |
  6. unknown

    There you have a direct view of whats real. Well there goes all of your conspiracy Illuminati one world order theory. of course no president is above the military or the corporate mob so you cant expect him to be able to do what he plans to do without roadblocks. Cuddos Barrack The best man for the POTUS for keeping it real. Wish you the best for the next 4 years

    November 8, 2012 10:05 pm at 10:05 pm |
  7. Jeff

    Extremely glad that I voted for him.

    November 8, 2012 10:08 pm at 10:08 pm |
  8. toby Dana

    He got emotional because he cares. He worked hard to become the President because he cares about people. So did Clinton and so did Carter. Republicans don't understand that. They only care about money.

    November 8, 2012 10:08 pm at 10:08 pm |
  9. Raju

    What with these libs? Crocodile tears. I remember Keith Elison doing the same. And a lot of Indian politians employing the same ploy to cover up thier incompetence.

    November 8, 2012 10:09 pm at 10:09 pm |
  10. Davey

    C'mon, how can you not like this guy – maybe he ain't perfect, but who is. What it'll hurt to get behind our president these next four years?

    November 8, 2012 10:09 pm at 10:09 pm |
  11. LizaMom

    That's my Pres. Very authentic and I believe him to be a genuinely good man. Romney never resonated with me like that.

    November 8, 2012 10:09 pm at 10:09 pm |
  12. Insight

    Hope your tears will turn into joy for millions of people in this nation

    November 8, 2012 10:11 pm at 10:11 pm |
  13. ellabella

    that is the man we all fell in love with 4 years ago. another human, just like us

    November 8, 2012 10:12 pm at 10:12 pm |
  14. VA Tiger

    I just watched the video. OMG....I cried too.

    November 8, 2012 10:13 pm at 10:13 pm |
  15. Tiffany

    So proud and humbled by our President and those motivated to action in this country. He could have been any kind of lawyer/advocate he wanted. But the people, he has always loved and worked for the people. So proud to be an American.

    November 8, 2012 10:13 pm at 10:13 pm |
  16. jss

    love him

    November 8, 2012 10:13 pm at 10:13 pm |
  17. Ramesh Praveenkumar

    God, please give the people the decency to recognize a genuine human being. Mr. President, we want you to succeed and we know you will succeed. In this hour of victory, I am sure you will be the better person in the room and accommodate everyone's views.

    November 8, 2012 10:14 pm at 10:14 pm |
  18. Anonymous

    Truly touching! You gotta love our President! I am so

    November 8, 2012 10:16 pm at 10:16 pm |
  19. hmmmmh

    made me cry.

    November 8, 2012 10:17 pm at 10:17 pm |
  20. justamaz

    Ol gosh, maybe he's finally coming to grips about Libya.

    November 8, 2012 10:17 pm at 10:17 pm |
  21. Obamasucks

    what a joke

    November 8, 2012 10:17 pm at 10:17 pm |
  22. Dee

    Truly touching! He is an amazing man! Sorry haters!

    November 8, 2012 10:18 pm at 10:18 pm |
  23. imuststandup

    People forget that the President is a human being with feelings too, just like the majority of us.
    An extraordinary human being with patience that only a minute portion of us can amount to, but a human being nonetheless.

    November 8, 2012 10:20 pm at 10:20 pm |
  24. iceman

    He is just human after all.

    November 8, 2012 10:20 pm at 10:20 pm |
  25. NK

    What a lovely moment. That had to melt the most cynical of hearts. All the best for your 2nd term President Obama. God bless you and the god bless the united states.

    November 8, 2012 10:21 pm at 10:21 pm |
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