Obama's farewell address – his last chance to protect his legacy.

Barack Obama could follow in the footsteps of his predecessors, defending his legacy and outlining a path for the Democratic Party's future in his farewell address.

US President Barack Obama disembarks from the Marine One helicopter on the South Lawn of the White House on January 7. Photo: Time

On the evening of January 10th (morning of November 11th in Hanoi time), US President Barack Obama delivered a farewell address to the nation in Chicago. This is considered the closing speech of his eight-year term in office, filled with countless ups and downs, according to US News.

According to experts, Obama will likely draw inspiration for his speech from the farewell addresses of his two predecessors, Presidents George Washington and Dwight Eisenhower. In addition, many speculate that the US President will use his final speech to highlight the problems plaguing the health of American politics, strongly defend the legacy he has painstakingly built, and chart a course for the Democrats, who for the first time in decades have lost control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

At the same time, with his farewell address, President Obama is expected to implicitly confirm what he has publicly stated since New York tycoon Donald Trump won the White House race: that Obama wants to continue his political activity and rebuild the powerful coalition that brought him to the Oval Office in 2008, observer Joseph P. Williams assessed.

"I've just started writing the speech," the Associated Press quoted Obama as saying in an email to supporters on January 2. "But I was thinking of using this as an opportunity to thank you for an incredible journey, to look back at the way you've changed this country for the better over the past eight years, and to share some thoughts on where we go from here."

Obama's decision to deliver a farewell address before stepping back is nothing new. Former U.S. presidents George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan did the same. But this time, Obama may be sending a message to history, observes William Galston, a senior analyst at the Brookings Institute.

"I'm reminded of some very famous farewell speeches from previous presidents, Washington or Eisenhower, for example," said Galston, a former advisor to former U.S. President Bill Clinton. "What's unusual is that the president expresses a desire to remain politically active after leaving office."

"Most previous U.S. presidents haven't done this for a number of reasons," including the potential impact it could have on the American political system as a whole, Galston said. What President Obama said about his successor's unexpected victory and the challenges facing the nation and the Democratic Party "will have particularly significant political implications," Galston emphasized.

In an email sent to supporters on January 2nd, President Obama also revealed that, in his farewell address, he would remind the public of the tradition of "peaceful and democratic transfer of power."

Analysts believe Obama could also use the speech to highlight his achievements during his two terms as president, particularly the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). However, repealing Obamacare is one of the top priorities on Trump's post-inauguration list.

President Obama, on the other hand, is likely to issue a call for unity to progressive voters and Democrats on Capitol Hill, comments Williams from US News.

Despite leaving the White House, Obama likely has no intention of retiring from the political stage, observers believe. Last October, the US president announced that he and former Attorney General Eric Holder, a close ally, would establish a non-profit organization to fight for voting rights and combat state-sponsored election fraud. The goal is to promote reforms and help Democrats return to the White House within the next decade.

President and First Lady Michelle Obama plan to live in Washington for at least two more years, until their youngest daughter graduates from high school. Obama would be the first former U.S. president since Woodrow Wilson to remain in Washington D.C. after leaving the White House.

However, Galston added that a U.S. president spending too much time on the political stage also carries potential risks.

"He's a mighty oak tree, but under its shade, young oaks struggle to grow," Galston said metaphorically, alluding to the frustration felt by Democrats in both the Senate and House of Representatives at the time of the election, as well as the fact that many party leaders are now in their 60s or older. "The Democratic Party needs a new generation of leadership," he remarked.

A message from history

Although no one knows exactly what Obama will say in his farewell address, analysts have found some clues in the speeches given by the US President since billionaire Trump won the White House race.

In a speech in Athens, Greece, last December, President Obama defended the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the post-World War II military alliance that President Trump dislikes, and praised his foreign-first policy. Obama emphasized America's commitment to ensuring racial and gender equality—areas that critics argue President-elect Trump downplayed during his campaign.

According to Galston, in his farewell speech, Obama is likely to issue a call to rein in President-elect Trump, much like the warning from President Washington 300 years ago about the dangers of partisan divisions or President Eisenhower's advice against allowing "military-industrial complexes" to develop unchecked.

"If he followed Washington or Eisenhower, Obama would say something significant. He could, on the one hand, list future opportunities, but on the other hand, also warn of potential risks," Galston observed.

According to VNE