President Obama on Friday unveiled his plan to launch “a living, working center for citizenship” and issued a fundraising plea to help House Democrats “protect our progress and our legacy” on inauguration morning.
The messages gave Democratic activists depressed by the sight of President-elect Trump’s inauguration a pair of action items, even as Obama met with Trump and congressional leaders for the traditional tea at the White House.
“I know things haven’t gone our way lately,” the fundraising message from the president, sent on behalf of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “But the last eight years gave us so much to be proud of … I need you by my side, fighting every day to protect our progress and our legacy. That’s why I’m asking for your help.”
Separately, the president and first lady Michelle Obama released a video describing their plans for the Obama Foundation, the Chicago-based presidential library that they hope will manage projects around the city and the world. “Send us your ideas, your hopes, your beliefs about what we can achieve together,” the first lady said in the video. “We want you to tell us what we should be thinking about as we get to work.”
“True democracy is a project that’s much bigger than any one of us,” the president continued. “It’s bigger than any one person, any one president, any one government. It’s a job for all of us. It requires everyday sustained effort from all of us. The work of perfecting our union is never finished. And we look forward to joining you in that effort as fellow citizens.”
