Find the differences with Trump: Obama’s call for democracy when inaugurating his presidential center

Between spectacularity and nostalgia, the former president of the United States, Democrat Barack Obama, formally inaugurated his long-awaited Presidential Center in Chicago tonight. What could have been a traditional ribbon cutting was transformed into a display of political and cultural power unprecedented in other former leaders, marked by an urgent call for unity and the protection of the democratic system.

Obama is not a saint. His two mandates left mass deportations and intensive surveillance programs, bailouts to Wall Street and inequality, questioned interventions in Libya or Syria, and unrestrained use of drones. But he was also the executor of Obamacare, who brought the country out of the economic crisis, who advanced civil rights and environmental protection, who promoted the last Israel-Palestine peace process in memory.

He was a president who also expanded executive power, but he is not Donald Trump by any stretch of the imagination. That’s why last night what was seen on stage seemed like a game of differences with the current American president, the MAGA Republican. In this new context, the defense of democracy, diplomacy, dialogue and equality made by the first African-American president in the country’s history was a balm and an incentive for many.

“I hope this center serves as an affirmation of how special and precious our democracy truly is, and reminds us of what we can achieve when we embrace our shared responsibilities as citizens,” he declared moved before a dedicated crowd. “It’s tempting to give in to cynicism and even despair,” he said, adding, “I don’t think that’s the American story that will prevail in the end.”

Obama urged Americans to look to the future, saying, “We want to find a way to look back at each other, not away from each other.” For this reason, he did not hesitate to harshly criticize President Trump – without mentioning his successor by name, of course – when speaking of “belief in the peaceful transfer of power.” He praised former Sen. Mitt Romney and the late former Sen. John McCain, Obama’s two Republican opponents in his presidential campaigns, who became prominent critics of Trump.

However, the former president did not hide the outstanding debts of his mandate and admitted certain regrets, among them, the increase in political polarization during his two terms in office. “Some of the exhibits reflect unfinished tasks,” he confessed. All of this can now be read in that dazzling library.

The inauguration gave an unrepeatable image by bringing together four American leaders on stage. Barack and Michelle Obama, accompanied by their daughters Sasha and Malia, shared the spotlight with former President Joe Biden, former President George W. Bush and former President Bill Clinton. Joining them were former first ladies Jill Biden, Laura Bush and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

He dedicated one of the most applauded moments of his speech to his wife: “She has always helped me be a better person. And I couldn’t be more grateful.” The former first lady also intervened, by the way. He didn’t mention anyone specifically in the Trump Administration, but he was fully present when he criticized immigration policies: “No one has the right to judge who is American enough.”

Below, among the VIP audience, was former Vice President Kamala Harris along with several of the figures who already sound like possible Democratic candidates for the 2028 presidential elections. Historical civil rights leaders such as Andrew Young and Al Sharpton, as well as international leaders of the caliber of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, also did not want to miss the event.

The South Side, in gala: from Hollywood to stadium rock

The event, which lasted three hours and was followed by thousands of people through screens in a nearby park and via streaming, had a guest list worthy of the Oscars. From entertainment titans like Oprah Winfrey, Tom Hanks, David Letterman, Conan O’Brien and Stephen Colbert, to tennis legend Billie Jean King and Chicago Cubs president Tom Ricketts.

Music, AP reports, was the common thread of an emotionally charged evening. John Legend opened the day performing Someday We’ll All Be Freethen joining rapper Common and the Uniting Voices Chicago choir in a powerful version of Glorythe Academy Award-winning song. For their part, Bono and The Edge, representing Ireland, made the venue vibrate with the U2 classic City of Blinding Lightswhile Christina Aguilera, Marc Anthony and Eddie Vedder also took turns on stage backed by the show’s original band, The Roots.

The final touch came from Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder, who closed the show singing a duet Higher Groundunleashing general euphoria and even making former presidents and world leaders themselves dance on stage.

Much more than a museum

Beyond the celebrities, the real protagonist is the monumental urban campus. The Obama Presidential Center is an ambitious $850 million development funded through private donations managed by the Obama Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in the same city.

Located on 19.3 acres of historic Jackson Park, on the shores of Lake Michigan, local historians highlight that it represents the largest single investment in a century in Chicago’s South Side, a traditionally underserved area. The complex – most of which will be free to enter – is estimated to attract between 750,000 and 1 million visitors a year. The Center will officially open its doors to the general public this Friday, significantly coinciding with the Juneteenth holiday, which commemorates the end of slavery in the country.

The architectural complex interweaves nature, culture and sport. Thus, the heart of the campus is an irregular eight-story tower clad in granite dedicated to Obama’s personal history and his two presidential terms (2009-2017). Its bold visual proposal has already aroused divided opinions in a city recognized worldwide for its avant-garde architecture. It’s the museum.

Community spaces include a concert hall, children’s play areas, a basketball court with official NBA dimensions and a new branch of the Chicago Public Library. The complex also has the Great Lawn (a large garden ideal for picnics in the summer and sledding in the winter) and a fruit and vegetable garden named in honor of former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

Despite the magnitude of the work, the organizers insist that the focus lies not on ego, but on community activism. “This is not a monument to the Obamas,” emphasized forcefully Valerie Jarrett, executive director of the Obama Foundation and former senior advisor to the former president. “This is a tribute to all those who made this trip possible.”