Live Coverage of Obama's Farewell Speech in Chicago

Barack Obama, the President of the United States, has begun his final speech of his presidency on Tuesday evening. His presidency will end on January 20, after eight years in the White House. This speech is taking place at the McCormick Convention Center in Chicago. Michelle Obama, the President's wife, Joe Biden, his Vice President, and several other members of Barack Obama's administration are present in the hall. In this speech, Mr. Obama will discuss the achievements of his eight-year administration. American media report that Obama's average approval rating over his presidency is 52 percent. Obama stated: 'If eight years ago I had said that America would be able to reverse the largest economic recession, revive the auto industry, and have the longest job creation streak in history, you would have said these were ambitious goals.' He continued: 'Our Constitution is nothing but a piece of paper. It has no power by itself. We, the people, give it power.' Referring to the terrorist threats facing America, he said: 'Be vigilant but do not be afraid. ISIS kills innocent people, but they cannot defeat America unless we betray our Constitution and foundational principles.' He added that rivals like China and Russia cannot be effective in the world unless we abandon what we fight for and turn our country into a large nation that bullies smaller countries around it. The President emphasized that our democracy will not succeed unless it provides economic opportunities for all. Obama also mentioned that the world will witness one of the most important signs of our democracy in the next ten days, as the power transition from one democratically elected president to another will occur peacefully. He stated: 'Democracy does not require everyone to be uniform and in agreement. The founders of this country had disagreements, but ultimately they compromised. They expect us to do the same.' Addressing the American people, Obama said, 'I learned from you every day. You made me a better president, a better man.' He began his speech by recalling that when he moved to Chicago in his twenties, he was searching for himself, and that effort continues. According to CNN, Obama's speech will last 35 minutes, and he will initially refer to his early days in Chicago.