Throngs of people gathered Thursday outside the White House to watch President Obama light the National Christmas Tree one last time. The annual ceremony seemed almost as nostalgic about his administration as it was the spirit of the season.
Obama’s standard speech stayed just as eternally optimistic as the now-illuminated tree is evergreen, even as Donald Trump’s electoral victory has led many to question whether the arc of history really is in their favor.
Perhaps expressing his progressive optimism that peace on Earth and goodwill toward men is achieved through diversity, the coordinators decked the halls with artists hailing from a variety of genres and personal backgrounds. Many of these performers supported the first African-American president in the past and hoped his legacy would continue with the election of the first female president. In the final number, the Obama family joined the all the performers on stage to sing along to the Spanish and English lyrics of the modern classic “Feliz Navidad.”
The songs were largely upbeat, reflecting hopes for joy and unity as many try to avoid a post-election blue Christmas. Democratic activist and actress Eva Longoria broke the ice at one point, saying from the stage she was certain that she speaks for many people as she told the president “you will be missed.” Some in the crowd started chanting “four more years.”
Singer-songwriter James Taylor, who campaigned for Hillary Clinton this election cycle and has called Obama his favorite president of all-time, gave a melancholy performance of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” that seemed to capture the mood of the evening.
Even though progressives’ troubles are far from out of sight, right now they can make the yuletide gay. They’ll have to muddle through somehow. But they’ll have a merry little Christmas now.
Mariana Barillas is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog. She is a Washington, DC-based journalist who has written for a number of news outlets including the Washington Examiner, The Daily Signal and Campus Reform. Thinking of submitting an op-ed to the Washington Examiner? Be sure to read our guidelines on submissions.
