U.S. President Barack Obama wipes a tear from his face during remarks at his final presidential campaign rally in Des Moines, Iowa, November 5, 2012, on the eve of the U.S. presidential elections.
*President Obama appeared to wipe a tear away during the last stop of his 2012 presidential campaign Monday night with an emotional appeal to voters in the state that started it all, asking Iowans to help him finish what he started four years ago.
“We have made real progress over these last four years,” the president told an estimated crowd of 20,000 standing outside in the bitter cold. “But Iowa we are here tonight because we have more work to do. We are not done yet on this journey. We have more road to travel.”
Just steps away from the campaign office set up for his improbable victory in the 2008 Iowa Caucuses, a nostalgic Obama told Iowans they taught him “to bet on hope.”
“To all of you who have lived and breathed the hard work of change, I want to thank you. You took this campaign and you made it your own,” he said as he wiped away a tear streaming from his left eye. Obama concluded the final event of his self-proclaimed “last campaign” by retelling the story of Edith Childs, the South Carolina woman who coined his “fired up, ready to go” rallying cry. It’s the same anecdote he told in the final rally of his 2008 campaign.
“That shows you what one voice can do. One voice can change a room. And if it can change a room, it can change a city. And if it can change a city, it can change a state. And if it can change a state, it can change a nation. And if it can change a nation, it can change a world,” Obama said as he fought through a hoarse voice at his third rally of the day in as many states.
President Barack Obama speaks during his last rally the night before the general election November 5, 2012 in Des Moines, Iowa.
The president said that he’d tried to arrange for Childs to attend this final rally, but she told him she still believed he could win North Carolina on Tuesday, and she was going to knock on doors to help get out the vote.
“Iowa, in 2008 your voice changed the world. And Edith Childs asked me to ask you that if you’re willing to still stand with me tomorrow… If you’re willing to make sure we finish what we started, she’s pretty sure we’ll win Iowa. She’s pretty sure we’ll win this election ,” he continued to cheers and applause.
“She just had one question for you. Are you fired up?,” he asked as the crowd chanted back “ready to go!” “Iowa, tomorrow let’s remind the world just why the United States of America is the greatest nation on earth.”
Watch below.
Iam fired up, you have my vote in mississippi, love me some Obama.
So who hasn’t voted as yet?
You going to have a loooong day.
BTW, y’all nervous?
I’m sensing this vibe since this weekend, like folks are a bit worried. Not much talk about the election, and not much posts, period. Quite a contrast from the last time.
I’m the one that’s normally predicting doom and gloom as the Republicans seem poise to steal another election, but I’m a bit less pessimistic this time, even considering all the voter suppression that’s going on and how close the polls are.
They are saying that Obama should prevail in the Electoral College.
Nate Silver: Obama Has 86 Percent Chance of Winning
NYT number-cruncher Nate Silver says national and state polls on Sunday are coming into agreement with one another as we round the final curve of the 2012 presidential horse race, and showing a marginal advantage for Obama not unlike that which he enjoyed before his first disastrous debate against Mitt Romney.
Silver also looks at the popular vote and its relationship to the electoral vote:
Mr. Obama would be almost certain to win the Electoral College if he won the popular vote by a percentage point or so.
Instead, the model estimates that Mr. Romney would need to win the national popular vote by about one percentage point to avert a tossup, or a loss, in the Electoral College. A tied popular vote, as Mr. Romney’s better national surveys now indicate, would likely yield an unhappy outcome for him.
@Reds: I am nervous! I have been somewhat nervous for a few weeks now. I am feeling like history is repeating itself.
There has been a NASTY turn. The level of disrespect is incredible. The HUGE amounts of money provided by COWARDS to pay for robo calls providing WRONG information, television ads that are outright lying, challenges based on your race / ethnicity… and other dirty tricks…
I know that historically America used to be the super-power swooping in to help smaller countries when they have voting irregularities. Now the GOP is doing it. How do you handle that?
You have employers telling their employees that if they don’t vote a certain way they will be fired! Those with the $$$ are really flexing their power!
While there are far more have-nots than there are haves … unless we band TOGETHER we have no power!
I’ve already voted, the line was not ridiculously long like I expected it to be, I’m nervous.
Just voted here in PA. 8:30 a.m. A little controversy at the polling place, but quickly resolved.
Y’all need to stop worrying. Obama will prevail in the electoral college. Just a few minutes ago, Romney was leading 153/128. But I’m looking and I don’t see where Romney going to get that much more votes. All he got are states like MT, WY, ND, SD, UT, ID. Nobody doesn’t live there. That’s like a total of around 20 plus votes. Well, Obama just gets PA which took it to 153/148. So wait until later when the west coast tsunami of CA, WA and OR hits.
There is a wild card though. FL. It’s now 50/50. The way it looks now, if Obama wins that, nothing can stop him from being president. And I still think the west coast tsunami could take him home even without FL.
Told y’all. Obama got this.
Romney might as well concede. FL has 90% of the results in and they are mostly waiting on Miami_Dade which Obama is winning even more convincingly this time. So after FL 29 electoral votes it’s way past over.
Well where are your tears for Benghazi Mr President???? Four brave Americans deaths need to be accounted for, as Petraus said, you were the only one who could make that call. Now you fire/destroy anyone who is speaking out! It really is true, you (and Jarrett & Holder) are part of the Chicago Mob, just a Bill Clinton said!