All language subtitles for The.Obama.Years.The.Power.of.Words.720p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DDP2.0.H.264-BTN

Narrator: IN THE MOST POWERFUL
CITY IN THE WORLD,

WORDS ARE THE GUIDEPOSTS
TO THE PAST...

AND TO A NATION'S VALUES.

MOST PRESIDENTS LEAVE BEHIND
A FEW INDELIBLE IMPRESSIONS

THAT STAND THE TEST OF TIME.

Franklin D. Roosevelt:
THE ONLY THING WE HAVE TO FEAR

IS FEAR ITSELF.

John F. Kennedy: ASK NOT WHAT
YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU.

ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO
FOR YOUR COUNTRY.

Ronald Reagan: MR. GORBACHEV,
TEAR DOWN THIS WALL.

[CROWD CHEERING]

♪

Narrator: BARACK OBAMA,
OUR NATION'S 44th PRESIDENT,

WAS A BEST-SELLING AUTHOR

BEFORE HE EVER SET FOOT
IN THE OVAL OFFICE.

Douglas Brinkley: THERE ARE
ONLY A FEW PRESIDENTS

THAT I WOULD CONSIDER WRITERS.

THOMAS JEFFERSON WROTE.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT WROTE.

BARACK OBAMA WROTE.

Narrator: SO WHAT WORDS
WILL DEFINE HIM?

SIX SPEECHES MIGHT
SHAPE HIS LEGACY,

FROM A BRASH, YOUNG
STATE SENATOR...

Barack Obama: THERE IS NOT
A LIBERAL AMERICA

AND A CONSERVATIVE AMERICA,

THERE IS THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA.

Narrator: ...TO A PRESIDENT
GRAPPLING WITH TURBULENT TIMES.

Obama: JUSTICE GROWS
OUT OF RECOGNITION

OF OURSELVES IN EACH OTHER;

THAT MY LIBERTY DEPENDS
ON YOU BEING FREE, TOO.

Narrator: THE MOST MEMORABLE
SPEECHES CAN BE THE RESULT

OF CAREFUL PLANNING
AND INTENSIVE WRITING.

Cody Keenan:
THE PRESIDENT'S A WRITER.

IF HE HAD 48 HOURS IN A DAY,

I THINK HE'D PROBABLY DISPENSE
WITH HIS SPEECHWRITING TEAM

AND DO IT HIMSELF.

Narrator: BUT JUST AS OFTEN
ARE WRITTEN

UNDER EXTRAORDINARY PRESSURE,

IN THE FACE OF CHAOTIC,
UNEXPECTED EVENTS.

Valerie Jarrett:
I WAS SCARED FOR HIM,

BECAUSE I COULDN'T IMAGINE
WHAT I WOULD SAY.

David Axelrod: I WAS A WRECK
BEFORE THAT SPEECH.

Narrator: THE PAGE HAS TURNED

ON THE PRESIDENCY
OF BARACK OBAMA.

WHAT WILL HISTORY REMEMBER?

THIS IS THE STORY
OF A WRITER-IN-CHIEF

AND HIS DEFINING MOMENTS.

♪

IN MORE THAN 300 YEARS
OF AMERICAN HISTORY,

FEW SPEECHES HAVE
ACHIEVED IMMORTALITY.

TWO THAT HAVE--

PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S
GETTYSBURG ADDRESS

AND MARTIN LUTHER KING'S
"I HAVE A DREAM" SPEECH

WERE GIVEN A CENTURY APART.

Brinkley: BARACK OBAMA IS ONE
OF THE CLOSEST STUDENTS

OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.,

I KNOW, PROBABLY THE CLOSEST.

HE'S READ ABOUT THEM,
HE'S STUDIED THEM.

Doris Kearns Goodwin: I THINK
THE KINSHIP HAD SOMETHING TO DO

WITH WRITING, WITH WORDS,
WITH ORATORY.

I MEAN, LINCOLN, TOO, BELIEVED

THAT WORDS WERE CENTRAL
TO HIS LEADERSHIP.

LINCOLN, TOO, BELIEVED THAT
HE COULD HAVE A CONVERSATION

WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND
THAT THEY WOULD REALLY LISTEN.

Brinkley: IT'S THE PERFECT
ROLE MODEL FOR BARACK OBAMA,

BECAUSE LINCOLN USED WORDS
TO MOVE PEOPLE,

AND BARACK OBAMA HAS BEEN
ABLE TO DO THAT, TOO.

[CROWD CHEERING]

Narrator: BARACK OBAMA...

LAUNCHED INTO OUR NATIONAL
CONSCIOUSNESS

AS THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT THE
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION

IN 2004.

Brinkley: BARACK OBAMA WAS NOT
A HOUSEHOLD NAME IN 2004.

HE WAS MERELY A STATE SENATOR
FROM ILLINOIS.

Jarrett: AND HE HAD NEVER GIVEN
A SPEECH IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE

AS LARGE AS THE ONE HE GAVE
AT THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.

AND I WAS A NERVOUS WRECK
FOR HIM.

Axelrod: WHILE WE WERE THERE,
IN THE BOWELS OF THE ARENA,

THIS DOUGH-FACED, CREWCUTTED,
YOUNG GUY SHEEPISHLY CAME UP

AND SAID,
"WE HAVE A LITTLE PROBLEM."

Narrator: THAT YOUNG STAFFER
WAS JON FAVREAU,

A JUNIOR SPEECHWRITER
FOR SENATOR JOHN KERRY,

THE DEMOCRATS'
PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE.

FAVREAU WAS CARRYING A MESSAGE

THAT SENATOR KERRY LIKED
AN OBAMA PASSAGE SO MUCH

HE WANTED TO USE IT
IN HIS OWN CONVENTION SPEECH.

[LAUGHING]

Jon Favreau: THIS WAS MY JOB.

THEY WERE HAZING ME AT 21.

AND HE SORT OF LOOKS AT ME
AND GETS UP TO MY FACE,

AND IS LIKE,
"ARE YOU TRYING TO TELL ME

I HAVE TO TAKE OUT
MY FAVORITE LINE OF THE SPEECH?"

AND I THINK I LOST CONSCIOUSNESS
FOR A FEW SECONDS.

Axelrod: NOBODY WANTED TO TELL
SENATOR OBAMA

THAT THIS PRIZED LINE
FROM HIS SPEECH WOULD COME OUT.

BUT, I MEAN, WHAT COULD BE
MORE FLATTERING

THAN TO HAVE YOUR LINE STOLEN
BY THE NOMINEE?

John Kerry: MAYBE SOME
JUST SEE US DIVIDED

INTO THOSE RED STATES
AND BLUE STATES,

BUT I SEE US AS ONE AMERICA--
RED, WHITE AND BLUE.

Axelrod: GIVEN THE FACT
THAT THEY HAD GIVEN HIM

THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK
TO 20 MILLION AMERICANS,

IT WAS PROBABLY WORTH THE TRADE.

Announcer: THE NEXT SENATOR
FROM THE STATE OF ILLINOIS...

Narrator: DESPITE LOSING
ONE OF HIS FAVORITE LINES,

BARACK OBAMA WAS ABOUT TO BECOME
AN OVERNIGHT SENSATION.

Obama: TONIGHT IS
A PARTICULAR HONOR FOR ME,

BECAUSE, LET'S FACE IT,

MY PRESENCE ON THIS STAGE
IS PRETTY UNLIKELY.

MY FATHER WAS A FOREIGN STUDENT,

BORN AND RAISED
IN A SMALL VILLAGE IN KENYA.

HE GREW UP HERDING GOATS,

WENT TO SCHOOL
IN A TIN ROOF SHACK.

THROUGH HARD WORK
AND PERSEVERANCE

MY FATHER GOT A SCHOLARSHIP
TO STUDY IN A MAGICAL PLACE--

AMERICA.

Favreau: WHEN HE ACTUALLY
DELIVERED IT,

I THOUGHT IT WAS LIKE NOTHING
I'D EVER HEARD BEFORE.

BECAUSE HE DID AWAY
WITH A LOT OF THE CLICHEÉS

AND APPLAUSE LINES

THAT POLITICIANS OF BOTH PARTIES
ALWAYS GRAVITATE TO,

AND HE TOLD A STORY.

Obama: I STAND HERE KNOWING
THAT MY STORY

IS PART OF THE LARGER
AMERICAN STORY,

THAT I OWE A DEBT TO ALL
OF THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE ME,

AND THAT IN NO OTHER COUNTRY ON
EARTH IS MY STORY EVEN POSSIBLE.

Favreau: IT WAS A SPEECH THAT
SORT OF REDEFINED PATRIOTISM

AS THE IDEALS AND VALUES

THAT ANYONE CAN HOLD
AND BECOME AN AMERICAN.

Obama: THERE IS NOT
A LIBERAL AMERICA

AND A CONSERVATIVE AMERICA,

THERE IS THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA.

Harry Rubenstein: AND YOU CAN
SEE IN HIS PATTERN AND PACING

THAT HE IS STARTING TO FEED OFF
OF THE ENTHUSIASM OF THIS ROOM.

Obama: THERE IS NOT
A BLACK AMERICA

AND A WHITE AMERICA
AND LATINO AMERICA

AND ASIAN AMERICA;

THERE'S THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA.

Brinkley: THAT MESSAGE OF UNITY,

I THINK THAT SPEECH PROBABLY
PERSONIFIES WHO BARACK OBAMA IS.

HE IS SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T LIKE
UGLY, CLAMOROUS FINGER-POINTING.

HE'S CONSTANTLY PUSHING
THE IDEA OF HOPE FORWARD.

Obama: THE PUNDITS,

THE PUNDITS LIKE
TO SLICE AND DICE OUR COUNTRY

INTO RED STATES
AND BLUE STATES--

RED STATES FOR REPUBLICANS,
BLUE STATES FOR DEMOCRATS.

BUT I'VE GOT NEWS FOR THEM, TOO.

WE WORSHIP AN AWESOME GOD
IN THE BLUE STATES,

AND WE DON'T LIKE FEDERAL AGENTS
POKING AROUND IN OUR LIBRARIES

IN THE RED STATES.

Jarrett: IT WAS UNEXPECTED.

NO ONE THOUGHT THIS SKINNY KID
FROM THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO

WHO WAS A STATE SENATOR
RUNNING FOR THE U.S. SENATE

WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE

SUCH AN INCREDIBLE
GLOBAL APPEAL.

Obama: WE ARE ONE PEOPLE,

ALL OF US PLEDGING ALLEGIANCE
TO THE STARS AND STRIPES,

ALL OF US DEFENDING
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Brinkley: BARACK OBAMA,

LITTLE-KNOWN STATE SENATOR
FROM ILLINOIS,

GIVES THE SPEECH
THAT BEATS EVERYBODY.

HE WAS BETTER THAN BILL CLINTON,
HE WAS BETTER THAN JOHN KERRY,

THERE WAS NOTHING LIKE HIM.

Obama: THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
EVERYBODY.

GOD BLESS YOU.

Brinkley: A PHENOMENON
WAS BORN THAT DAY,

AND FROM THAT MOMENT ON,

IT WAS ALL FORWARD MOTION
FOR BARACK OBAMA.

Jarrett: I THINK IT IS
THAT VISION OF AMERICA

THAT HAS STAYED WITH HIM AND
KEPT HIM COMPANY ALL THESE YEARS

AND KEPT HIM STRONG.

Axelrod: I SAID, THIS GUY'S LIFE
JUST CHANGED,

AND I THINK OUR LIVES
MAY HAVE CHANGED, TOO.

AND IN FACT, THEY DID.

[CROWD CHEERING]

♪

Obama: IT WAS WHISPERED
BY SLAVES AND ABOLITIONISTS

AS THEY BLAZED A TRAIL
TOWARDS FREEDOM,

THROUGH THE DARKEST OF NIGHTS,
"YES WE CAN."

Narrator: JUST FOUR YEARS LATER,

BARACK OBAMA IS A U.S. SENATOR

RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES.

Obama: ...AGAINST
AN UNFORGIVING WILDERNESS.

YES WE CAN.

IT WAS THE CALL OF WORKERS
WHO ORGANIZED...

Narrator: HIS CAMPAIGN CARRIES
THE FAMILIAR MESSAGE

OF HOPE AND UNITY.

Obama: ...A PRESIDENT WHO CHOSE
THE MOON AS OUR NEW FRONTIER...

Narrator: AND "YES WE CAN"
BECOMES THE SLOGAN

THAT DEFINES HIS RACE
FOR THE WHITE HOUSE.

Obama: YES WE CAN
TO JUSTICE AND EQUALITY.

[CROWD CHEERING]

Axelrod: THROUGHOUT 2007 AND
THE RUN UP TO THE 2008 CAMPAIGN,

WE WERE VERY CAUTIOUS
ABOUT INVOKING RACE

IN ANY WAY IN THE CAMPAIGN.

WE DIDN'T WANT TO
COMMUNICATE TO PEOPLE

THAT SOMEHOW OBAMA WAS RUNNING

TO BECOME THE FIRST
BLACK PRESIDENT.

HE WAS RUNNING TO BE PRESIDENT,

AND THE FACT THAT HE WAS BLACK
WAS OBVIOUS.

Narrator: THEN, IN MARCH 2008,

IN THE MIDDLE
OF A GRUELING PRIMARY,

TAPES SURFACE
OF SENATOR OBAMA'S PASTOR,

REVEREND JEREMIAH WRIGHT,

GIVING EXPLOSIVE,
CONTROVERSIAL SERMONS.

Jeremiah Wright: NO, NO NO.

NOT GOD BLESS AMERICA,
GOD DAMN AMERICA!

THAT'S IN THE BIBLE--
FOR KILLING INNOCENT PEOPLE.

GOD DAMN AMERICA!

Narrator: THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN
FACES A MAJOR CRISIS

AS THE SERMONS DOMINATE
CAMPAIGN COVERAGE.

Wright: WE WANT REVENGE,
WE WANT PAYBACKS,

AND WE DON'T CARE WHO GETS HURT.

Favreau: WE'RE ALL WATCHING
THESE SERMONS LIKE,

WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?

Axelrod: YOU KNOW, OUR OPPONENTS
WERE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS

TO DEPICT OBAMA AS
A KIND OF SCARY BLACK MAN,

AND HE WAS HARD
TO DEPICT THAT WAY,

SO THEY SEIZED ON WRIGHT
AS THE REAL BARACK OBAMA,

BECAUSE OBAMA HAD CALLED
WRIGHT A MENTOR.

Wright: ...THAT IS CONTROLLED
BY RICH WHITE PEOPLE!

Jarrett: PEOPLE WERE CONFUSED,

AND THEY WERE TRYING
TO SORT THROUGH,

HOW DOES THIS PASTOR
WHO HAD SAID

SUCH PROVOCATIVE STATEMENTS,

MADE SUCH PROVOCATIVE
STATEMENTS,

BE THE PASTOR FOR SOMEONE WHO
HAS THIS MESSAGE OF INCLUSION

AND "WE'RE ALL
IN THIS TOGETHER"?

AND THEN SENATOR OBAMA
HAD TO MAKE A DECISION.

WAS HE GOING TO EXPLAIN IT
IN A WAY

THAT PEOPLE COULD HEAR
AND UNDERSTAND,

OR WAS HE GOING TO TRY
TO GUT THROUGH IT?

Narrator: THAT FRIDAY NIGHT,

SENATOR OBAMA DECIDES
TO GIVE A SPEECH ON RACE.

Axelrod: WE KNEW AT THAT POINT

THAT WE COULD--
THERE WAS NO HOLDING HIM BACK,

AND WE PROBABLY SHOULDN'T
HOLD HIM BACK.

SO WE SET IT UP FOR
THE CONSTITUTION CENTER

IN PHILADELPHIA,

FIGURING THAT IF YOU'RE
GOING TO GO DOWN,

GO DOWN ON A BIG STAGE.

Brinkley: THERE WAS NO WAY
HE COULD GET THE NOMINATION

IF HE COULDN'T GET OVER
THIS JEREMIAH WRIGHT HURDLE,

AND THIS WAS NOT
A COOKIE CUTTER SPEECH.

Axelrod: ON SATURDAY NIGHT,

HE CALLED JON FAVREAU,
THE SPEECHWRITER,

AND HE OUTLINED WHAT
HE WANTED TO SAY.

Favreau: HE WENT ON TO SPEAK FOR
A FULL HOUR ON THE PHONE TO ME,

AND THE FORMER LAWYER PROFESSOR
IN HIM CAME THROUGH,

BECAUSE IT WAS LIKE,
"I WANT TO SAY 1, THIS.

1A, THIS. 1B..."

SO HE HAD THE WHOLE OUTLINE
OF THE SPEECH IN HIS HEAD.

Narrator: FAVREAU WROTE
ALL DAY SUNDAY

AND SENT HIS DRAFT TO OBAMA
AT 8:00 P.M.

Favreau: AND I RECEIVED AN EMAIL
FROM HIM AT 3:00 A.M.

TRACK CHANGES, ALL BLUE.

[LAUGHS]

THERE WAS A COUPLE,

LIKE, THE PARAGRAPHS
THAT WERE MINE, YOU KNOW,

WERE LIKE SCENE SETTING,
HISTORY,

A FEW LINES HERE AND THERE,

AND HIS LINES WERE, "I CAN
NO MORE DISOWN REVEREND WRIGHT

THAN I CAN
MY WHITE GRANDMOTHER,"

WHICH IS NOT A LINE THAT
I WOULD HAVE GIVEN HIM...

DARED TO GIVE HIM.

Axelrod: HE CAMPAIGNED
ALL DAY MONDAY IN PENNSYLVANIA,

AND WE ARRIVED AT A HOTEL
IN PHILADELPHIA,

AND HE WENT OFF TO HIS ROOM
TO FINISH THE SPEECH.

I WENT OFF TO THE BAR TO WORRY.

AND ABOUT 2:00 OR 3:00
IN THE MORNING,

I GOT UP, AND I LOOKED
AT MY BLACKBERRY,

AND THERE WAS AN EMAIL FROM
OBAMA, AND THERE WAS THE SPEECH.

AND I STOOD THERE IN THE DARK

SCROLLING DOWN AND
READING THE SPEECH.

AND I EMAILED HIM BACK
WHEN I FINISHED IT,

SAYING, "THIS IS WHY
YOU SHOULD BE PRESIDENT."

Jarrett: AND I REMEMBER
HIM SAYING,

"LOOK, I NEED TO DO THIS,

AND I HAVE TO BE PREPARED
TO ACCEPT THE CONSEQUENCES,

BUT IF I DON'T TELL PEOPLE WHO
I AM, HOW WILL THEY KNOW ME?"

AND THEY HAVE A RIGHT
TO KNOW ME--

I'M RUNNING FOR THE HIGHEST
OFFICE OF THE LAND,

AND THEY ARE EXPERIENCING
A PART OF MY HISTORY

THAT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND.

[APPLAUSE]

Obama: WE'VE HEARD MY FORMER
PASTOR, JEREMIAH WRIGHT,

USE INCENDIARY LANGUAGE

TO EXPRESS VIEWS

THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL NOT ONLY

TO WIDEN THE RACIAL DIVIDE,

BUT VIEWS THAT DENIGRATE
BOTH THE GREATNESS

AND THE GOODNESS OF OUR NATION

AND THAT RIGHTLY OFFEND
WHITE AND BLACK ALIKE.

BUT THE TRUTH IS, THAT ISN'T
ALL THAT I KNOW OF THE MAN.

THE MAN I MET
MORE THAN 20 YEARS AGO

IS A MAN WHO HELPED INTRODUCE ME
TO MY CHRISTIAN FAITH,

A MAN WHO SPOKE TO ME ABOUT OUR
OBLIGATIONS TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER,

TO CARE FOR THE SICK
AND LIFT UP THE POOR.

I CAN NO MORE DISOWN HIM THAN I
CAN DISOWN MY WHITE GRANDMOTHER,

A WOMAN WHO HELPED RAISE ME,

A WOMAN WHO SACRIFICED
AGAIN AND AGAIN FOR ME,

A WOMAN WHO LOVES ME

AS MUCH AS SHE LOVES ANYTHING
IN THIS WORLD,

BUT A WOMAN WHO ONCE CONFESSED
HER FEAR OF BLACK MEN

WHO PASSED HER BY ON THE STREET,

AND WHO ON MORE THAN
ONE OCCASION

HAS UTTERED RACIAL OR ETHNIC
STEREOTYPES THAT MADE ME CRINGE.

THESE PEOPLE ARE PART OF ME.

AND THEY ARE PART OF AMERICA,
THIS COUNTRY THAT I LOVE.

Jarrett: AS HE TALKED IN SUCH
DEEPLY PERSONAL, HONEST,

CANDID, RAW TERMS
ABOUT HIS FAMILY,

HIS GRANDMOTHER AND HER FEARS.

Kearns Goodwin: HE'S CALLING ON
SOME DEEP BIFURCATION

IN HIS OWN SOUL--

THAT HE HAS A WHITE MOTHER,
HE HAD A BLACK FATHER,

HE KNOWS THE STRUGGLES
OF BOTH SIDES

IN A CERTAIN SENSE
OF BEING IN BOTH WORLDS,

AND HE SPEAKS TO BOTH WORLDS.

Obama: THE FACT IS THAT
THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE

AND THE ISSUES THAT HAVE
SURFACED OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS

REFLECT THE COMPLEXITIES OF RACE
IN THIS COUNTRY

THAT WE'VE NEVER REALLY
WORKED THROUGH;

A PART OF OUR UNION THAT
WE HAVE NOT YET MADE PERFECT.

Clark Judge: THE 2008
PHILADELPHIA SPEECH

CAME AT A CRITICAL MOMENT
IN THE CAMPAIGN.

CANDIDATE OBAMA TURNED THAT
INTO A MOMENT

TO INVOKE
THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE.

SO HE TOOK IT TO A LEVEL
OF NATIONAL UNIFICATION

AT THIS DIVISIVE MOMENT,
NATIONAL UNIFICATION.

IT WAS BEAUTIFULLY DONE,
BRILLIANTLY DONE,

AND ACTUALLY
QUITE AN IMPORTANT SPEECH.

Charles Gibson: IT MAY TURN OUT
TO BE THE SEMINAL SPEECH

OF HIS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN.

BARACK OBAMA IN PHILADELPHIA
TODAY TOOK ON THE ISSUE OF RACE.

George Stephanopoulos:
BY REFUSING TO RENOUNCE
REVEREND WRIGHT,

THAT WAS IN MANY WAYS AN ACT
OF HONOR FOR SENATOR OBAMA,

AND IT'S HARD TO KNOW HOW THAT'S
GOING TO PLAY OUT WITH VOTERS,

BUT IT HAS TO COUNT
FOR SOMETHING.

Jarrett: I THINK
HAD HE NOT HAD THE COURAGE

TO GIVE THAT HONEST SPEECH,

WHO KNOWS, I'M NOT SURE
THAT HE WOULD HAVE WON.

Narrator:
JUST A FEW MONTHS LATER,

BARACK OBAMA WINS
A HARD-FOUGHT PRIMARY

AND ACCEPTS
HIS PARTY'S NOMINATION

FOR PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES.

Kearns Goodwin: I THINK
THERE WERE CERTAIN MOMENTS

WHEN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
REALIZED,

MY GOD, WE REALLY DO HAVE
AN AFRICAN AMERICAN

WHO'S REACHED A MARKER

THAT NO ONE HAD EVER
REACHED BEFORE,

AND THE ACCEPTANCE SPEECH,
I THINK, WAS THAT MOMENT.

Jarrett:
IT WAS A BIG-TENT SPEECH

WHERE ALL ARE WELCOME.

AND I THINK IT WAS
IMPORTANT TO HIM

NOT JUST TO UNIFY
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY

BUT REALLY TO UNIFY THE COUNTRY.

Axelrod: WE WERE A FEW DAYS
FROM THAT SPEECH,

WHICH WAS GOING TO BE
A HISTORIC SPEECH

IN A STADIUM WITH 60,000 PEOPLE,
AND WE DIDN'T HAVE A SPEECH.

Favreau: SO THE SUNDAY NIGHT
BEFORE THE CONVENTION--

THE CONVENTION SPEECH
IS THURSDAY--

OBAMA SENDS ME HIS DRAFT
AT LIKE 2:00 IN THE MORNING,

AND IT IS A COMBINATION
OF OUR DRAFT AND HIS DRAFT,

AND IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE READ
AT 75, 80 MINUTES.

[LAUGHS]
IT WAS VERY, VERY LONG.

SO WE HAVE FOUR DAYS
TO CUT THIS THING DOWN.

Axelrod: WE HAMMERED THIS OUT
LATE AT NIGHT,

AND FAVREAU WENT OFF TO HIS ROOM

WITH A COUPLE CANS OF RED BULL
AND HIS COMPUTER.

Favreau: I STAYED UP ALL NIGHT.

IT WAS THE ONLY ALL-NIGHTER
THAT I'VE EVER PULLED

ON AN OBAMA SPEECH.

Axelrod: HE REALLY DIDN'T EVEN
REHEARSE THE SPEECH

UNTIL THREE HOURS
BEFORE HE GAVE IT.

Favreau:
WE'RE IN THIS HOTEL ROOM,

HE'S PRACTICING THE SPEECH,
THERE'S A KNOCK ON THE DOOR.

WHO'S INTERRUPTING
THE CANDIDATE'S SPEECH PREP?

SO OBAMA WALKS TO THE DOOR,
OPENS THE DOOR,

AND IT'S A GUY
WITH A SILVER TRAY,

"DID ANYONE ORDER
A CAESAR SALAD?"

AND THE PRESIDENT LOOKS AROUND,
AND AXELROD'S IN THE CORNER,

AND HE JUST GOES...

[LAUGHS] SO...

Axelrod: HE'S LIKE, "AXE,

I'M ABOUT TO GIVE
THE SPEECH OF MY LIFE,

AND THIS IS MY FIRST
RUN THROUGH,

AND YOU INTERRUPT IT
FOR A CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD?"

Favreau: AND WE ALL JUST
BURST OUT LAUGHING,

AND THE PRESIDENT LAUGHED, TOO.

HE WAS ABOUT TO DELIVER
THE SPEECH

ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF
THE "I HAVE A DREAM" SPEECH

FROM THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON
THAT KING GAVE,

AND SO WE HAD AN ALLUSION TO
KING AT THE END OF THE SPEECH.

AS THE PRESIDENT GOT TO THAT
PART OF THE SPEECH, HE STOPPED.

Axelrod: HE WAS OVERCOME,
AND HE STARTED TO TEAR UP.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT
YOU RARELY SEE WITH OBAMA.

HE'S GENERALLY VERY COMPOSED.

IT WAS THE MOMENT AT WHICH

THE HISTORIC NATURE
OF WHAT HE HAD ACCOMPLISHED

REALLY STRUCK HIM.

Favreau: WE WERE ALL SO BUSY
AND SO FRANTIC

BECAUSE OF THE CAMPAIGN

THAT NO ONE REALLY STOPPED
TO THINK ABOUT THE MOMENT

AND THE WEIGHT OF THE MOMENT,

AND NEITHER DID HE.

[CHEERING]

I WAS WITH HIM BACKSTAGE
RIGHT BEFORE HE WENT OUT,

AND HE STOPPED FOR A MINUTE
AND NEEDED SOME TIME TO HIMSELF,

AND HE PRAYED...
BEFORE HE WENT OUT THERE.

[CROWD CHEERING]

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Obama: THIS COUNTRY OF OURS
HAS MORE WEALTH THAN ANY NATION,

BUT THAT'S NOT
WHAT MAKES US RICH.

WE HAVE THE MOST POWERFUL
MILITARY ON EARTH,

BUT THAT'S NOT
WHAT MAKES US STRONG.

OUR UNIVERSITIES AND OUR CULTURE
ARE THE ENVY OF THE WORLD,

BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT KEEPS
THE WORLD COMING TO OUR SHORES.

INSTEAD IT IS
THAT AMERICAN SPIRIT,

THAT AMERICAN PROMISE,

THAT PUSHES US FORWARD
EVEN WHEN THE PATH IS UNCERTAIN;

THAT BINDS US TOGETHER
IN SPITE OF OUR DIFFERENCES;

THAT MAKES US FIX OUR EYE
NOT ON WHAT IS SEEN,

BUT WHAT IS UNSEEN,

THAT BETTER PLACE
AROUND THE BEND.

THAT PROMISE IS
OUR GREATEST INHERITANCE.

Brinkley: PEOPLE WERE EMOTIVE.
PEOPLE WERE HUGGING EACH OTHER.

PEOPLE WERE WANTING TO SAY,
"I WAS WITH YOU TODAY,"

BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT
HISTORY HAD BEEN MADE,

SOME KIND OF GLACIER
HAD CRACKED OPEN.

Rubenstein: EVERYBODY REALIZES
THAT THIS IS

ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS THAT MARKS
A CHANGE IN AMERICAN HISTORY.

Obama: IT IS THAT PROMISE
THAT 45 YEARS AGO TODAY

BROUGHT AMERICANS FROM
EVERY CORNER OF THIS LAND

TO STAND TOGETHER ON A MALL
IN WASHINGTON,

BEFORE LINCOLN'S MEMORIAL,

AND HEAR A YOUNG PREACHER
FROM GEORGIA SPEAK OF HIS DREAM.

[CROWD CHEERING]

Narrator: IN NOVEMBER 2008,

BARACK OBAMA IS PROPELLED
TO THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY

AND GETS HIS CHANCE
TO MAKE HISTORY.

♪

♪

OVER EIGHT YEARS,
PRESIDENT OBAMA WOULD GIVE

MORE THAN 3,500 SPEECHES
AND STATEMENTS.

JON FAVREAU AND CODY KEENAN LED
A TEAM OF SEVEN SPEECHWRITERS

TO HELP MEET THE DEMAND.

Favreau: ANY SPEECHWRITER
WHO WAS WORKING ON A SPEECH

WOULD GET TO MEET
WITH THE PRESIDENT,

BECAUSE YOU CAN'T
DO SPEECHWRITING

THROUGH A GAME OF TELEPHONE.

Keenan: IF HE HAD
48 HOURS IN A DAY,

I THINK HE'D PROBABLY DISPENSE
WITH HIS SPEECHWRITING TEAM

AND DO IT HIMSELF.

Jarrett: THE PRESIDENT
WRITES WELL UNDER PRESSURE,

BUT HE CRAFTS THE IDEA
OVER TIME.

HE DOESN'T TYPE,
HE HANDWRITES HIS WORDS,

USUALLY AT THE LAST MINUTE.

Kearns Goodwin: THE INDIVIDUAL
WORDS MADE A DIFFERENCE.

THE RHYTHM, THE ALLITERATION,
THE STORY THAT WOULD BE TOLD.

AND ONLY A WRITER
COULD KNOW THOSE THINGS.

Reagan: THE CREW OF
THE SPACE SHUTTLE CHALLENGER

HONORED US BY THE MANNER
IN WHICH THEY LIVED THEIR LIVES.

Narrator: PRESIDENTS DON'T
ALWAYS GET TO CHOOSE

WHAT THEIR NEXT SPEECH WILL BE.

WHEN TRAGEDY STRIKES, THEY HAVE
AN AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY

TO COMFORT AND HEAL THE NATION.

Reagan: SLIPPED THE SURLY
BONDS OF EARTH

TO TOUCH THE FACE OF GOD.

[SIRENS]

Reporter: I'M AFRAID
THIS IS VERY, VERY GRIM.

THERE ARE MULTIPLE PEOPLE DEAD
AT THE SHOOTING SCENE,

INCLUDING SEVERAL CHILDREN.

I'M PRETTY MUCH BEING TOLD
TO EXPECT THE WORST.

[SIRENS]

♪

Kearns Goodwin: THE HARDEST
THING FOR A PRESIDENT MUST BE

WHEN THEY HAVE TO COMFORT
A SOLDIER'S FAMILY WHO'S DIED

OR THEY HAVE TO COMFORT PEOPLE
IN MASS SHOOTINGS,

WHICH NO ONE HAD EVER HAD TO DO

IN THE SAME WAY
AS PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS.

IT MUST HAVE BEEN SEARING
TO HIS SOUL.

Rubenstein:
THIS TRADITION WAS BEGUN

AT THE VERY BEGINNING
OF THE REPUBLIC

WITH GEORGE WASHINGTON.

AND CLEARLY,
THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS

IS A SPEECH MEANT TO CONSOLE THE
NATION AND INSPIRE THE NATION.

Keenan:
THE PRESIDENT SAID BEFORE

THAT NEWTOWN WAS HIS WORST DAY
IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

I THINK THAT'S TRUE
FOR ANYBODY THAT WAS THERE.

Jarrett: I WAS THERE
WHEN HE FOUND OUT

HOW MANY PEOPLE HAD DIED,
THE 20 CHILDREN AND 6 ADULTS.

AND THE NUMBER 20,
IT TOOK A MINUTE TO SINK IN,

AND HE ASKED
THAT IT BE REPEATED,

AND I ASKED THAT IT BE REPEATED.

20 WAS JUST UNFATHOMABLE.

Narrator: CODY KEENAN DRAFTED
A QUICK STATEMENT

SO THE PRESIDENT
COULD BRIEF THE PRESS

AND DELIVERED IT
TO THE OVAL OFFICE.

Keenan: HE TEARED UP A BIT
AND SAID,

AND JUST CROSSED OUT
A FEW PARAGRAPHS,

AND SAID, "I WON'T BE ABLE
TO GET THROUGH THAT.

THAT'S TOO RAW."

HE DID CRY IN THE BRIEFING ROOM

WHEN HE WAS DOING
THAT STATEMENT.

Obama: WE'VE ENDURED TOO MANY
OF THESE TRAGEDIES

IN THE PAST FEW YEARS.

AND EACH TIME I LEARN THE NEWS,
I REACT NOT AS A PRESIDENT,

BUT AS ANYBODY ELSE WOULD--
AS A PARENT.

AND THAT WAS
ESPECIALLY TRUE TODAY.

I KNOW THERE'S NOT
A PARENT IN AMERICA

WHO DOESN'T FEEL THE SAME
OVERWHELMING GRIEF THAT I DO.

THE MAJORITY OF THOSE
WHO DIED TODAY WERE CHILDREN--

BEAUTIFUL LITTLE KIDS BETWEEN
THE AGES OF 5 AND 10 YEARS OLD.

[CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING]

THEY HAD THEIR ENTIRE LIVES
AHEAD OF THEM--

BIRTHDAYS, GRADUATIONS,
WEDDINGS, KIDS OF THEIR OWN.

[CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING]

SO OUR HEARTS ARE BROKEN TODAY.

♪

Narrator: TWO DAYS LATER,

VALERIE JARRETT
AND THE PRESIDENT

HEADED TO THE PRAYER VIGIL
IN NEWTOWN.

THE PRESIDENT BEGAN EDITING
HIS PREPARED REMARKS

IN THE LIMOUSINE

ON THE RIDE FROM THE AIRPORT
TO NEWTOWN HIGH SCHOOL.

Jarrett: AND HE READ THE SPEECH

AND HE PUT IT DOWN
ON THE SEAT NEXT TO HIM.

AND HE TOOK OUT
A YELLOW PAD OF PAPER AND A PEN,

AND HE STARTED WRITING
FROM SCRATCH.

AND HE WROTE
FOR AN HOUR AND 10 MINUTES,

AND THERE WERE TIMES WHERE
I WAS AFRAID TO BREATHE,

BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT
TO DISTRACT HIM

FROM WHAT HE WAS DOING,

AND I WAS SCARED FOR HIM,

BECAUSE I COULDN'T IMAGINE
WHAT I WOULD SAY.

♪

Obama: HERE IN NEWTOWN,

I COME TO OFFER THE LOVE
AND PRAYERS OF A NATION.

I AM VERY MINDFUL
THAT MERE WORDS

CANNOT MATCH THE DEPTHS
OF YOUR SORROW,

NOR CAN THEY HEAL
YOUR WOUNDED HEARTS.

NEWTOWN, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

BUT WE AS A NATION, WE ARE LEFT
WITH SOME HARD QUESTIONS.

YOU KNOW, SOMEONE ONCE DESCRIBED

THE JOY AND ANXIETY
OF PARENTHOOD

AS THE EQUIVALENT
OF HAVING YOUR HEART

OUTSIDE OF YOUR BODY
ALL THE TIME...

WALKING AROUND.

♪

THIS IS OUR FIRST TASK--
CARING FOR OUR CHILDREN.

IT'S OUR FIRST JOB.

IF WE DON'T GET THAT RIGHT,
WE DON'T GET ANYTHING RIGHT.

Axelrod: THAT QUALITY OF EMPATHY
IS SO IMPORTANT

TO WHO HE IS AS A PERSON,

BUT ALSO TO WHO HE IS
AS AN ORATOR,

BECAUSE HE BRINGS

THAT PASSIONATE SENSE
OF IDENTIFICATION

WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUFFERED
LOSS TO HIS WORDS,

AND IT'S VERY HEARTFELT.

Obama: CAN WE HONESTLY SAY
THAT WE'RE DOING ENOUGH

TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN,
ALL OF THEM, SAFE FROM HARM?

I'VE BEEN REFLECTING ON THIS
THE LAST FEW DAYS,

AND IF WE'RE HONEST WITH
OURSELVES, THE ANSWER'S NO.

WE'RE NOT DOING ENOUGH.

AND WE WILL HAVE TO CHANGE.

IF THERE'S EVEN ONE STEP WE CAN
TAKE TO SAVE ANOTHER CHILD

OR ANOTHER PARENT
OR ANOTHER TOWN

FROM THE GRIEF THAT'S VISITED
TUCSON AND AURORA

AND OAK CREEK AND NEWTOWN,

AND COMMUNITIES FROM COLUMBINE
TO BLACKSBURG BEFORE THAT,

THEN SURELY WE HAVE
AN OBLIGATION TO TRY.

Kearns Goodwin:
I THINK THE BULLY PULPIT

DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME POWER
THAT IT DID.

CLEARLY IN THESE EULOGIES,
WHEN THERE WAS A CALL FOR,

CAN'T WE DO SOMETHING
ABOUT REGULATING GUNS?

THE CONGRESS DID NOT RESPOND.

♪

Announcer: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

PLEASE WELCOME THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES.

[APPLAUSE]

Brinkley: HUMOR IS SO IMPORTANT
FOR A PRESIDENT.

PROBABLY THE MOST UNDERESTIMATED
ATTRIBUTE.

Obama: GOOD EVENING!

I COULD NOT BE MORE THRILLED
TO BE HERE TONIGHT,

AT THE WHITE HOUSE
CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER.

THIS IS A GREAT CROWD,
THEY'RE ALREADY LAUGHING.

Kearns Goodwin: I THINK
IT'S A WAY OF CUTTING ACROSS

THAT POLARIZED WORLD
THAT WE'RE LIVING IN, TOO,

AND IT JUST MAKES
THE PERSON SEEM HUMAN.

Obama: FOLKS ARE SAYING THAT
WITH MY SAGGING POLL NUMBERS,

MY FELLOW DEMOCRATS DON'T REALLY
WANT ME CAMPAIGNING WITH THEM.

AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S TRUE.

ALTHOUGH I DID NOTICE
THE OTHER DAY

THAT SASHA NEEDED A SPEAKER
AT CAREER DAY,

AND SHE INVITED BILL CLINTON.

[LAUGHTER]

OF COURSE WE ROLLED OUT
HEALTHCARE.GOV.

THAT COULD HAVE GONE BETTER.

[LAUGHTER]

IN 2008 MY SLOGAN WAS
"YES WE CAN."

IN 2013 MY SLOGAN WAS
"CONTROL ALT DELETE."

[LAUGHTER]

Favreau: THE BEST WHITE HOUSE
CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER SPEECH

EVER IS 2011.

WE HAD ALL THESE JOKES READY,
IT'S THE SATURDAY OF THE DINNER,

WE'RE SUPPOSED TO MEET WITH HIM
IN THE OVAL ONE LAST TIME

TO GO OVER THE JOKES.

AND THE PRESIDENT'S
PERSONAL SECRETARY SAYS

HE'S ON THE PHONE WITH
A GENERAL IN AFGHANISTAN,

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT.

AND WE'RE LIKE, UGH,
WHY DO WE HAVE TO WAIT?

LIKE, OUR JOKES
ARE SO IMPORTANT.

THE PRESIDENT OPENS THE DOOR,
HE'S TOSSING A FOOTBALL AROUND.

HE SAID, "COME IN."

HE GOES "LOOK, I LIKE
ALL THE JOKES,

I THINK EVERYTHING'S
REALLY FUNNY.

THERE'S ONE JOKE WHERE
THE PUNCHLINE IS BIN LADEN.

AND I WOULD JUST CHANGE IT

TO SOME OTHER
FOREIGN-SOUNDING NAME OF A...

LIKE HOSNI MUBARAK.
LET'S JUST DO THAT INSTEAD."

I'M LIKE, "THAT IS NOT FUNNY."

HE'S LIKE, "TRUST ME,
IT'S GOING TO BE FUNNY.

IT'S GOING TO KILL.
IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT."

WE CHANGE IT, AND THEN
RIGHT BEFORE THE DINNER,

THE PRESIDENT CALLED ME
AND SAID,

"I'M GOING TO REMEMBER THIS
MYSELF, BUT JUST IN CASE,

WOULD YOU ALSO ADD
AT THE VERY END OF THE SPEECH,

'GOD BLESS AMERICA AND
MAY GOD KEEP OUR TROOPS SAFE.'"

I WAS LIKE THAT'S
AN INTERESTING THING TO ADD

AT THE END OF THE DINNER.

AND SURE ENOUGH,
THE GENERAL IN AFGHANISTAN

THAT HE WAS ON THE PHONE
WITH WAS GENERAL McRAVEN,

HE HAD JUST GIVEN THE ORDER
FOR THE BIN LADEN MISSION.

Obama: LET ME CLOSE
ON A SERIOUS NOTE.

WE HAVE INCREDIBLE YOUNG MEN AND
WOMEN WHO ARE SERVING IN UNIFORM

OVERSEAS IN THE MOST
EXTRAORDINARY OF CIRCUMSTANCES,

AND WE...

[APPLAUSE]

WE ARE REMINDED OF THEIR COURAGE
AND THEIR VALOR.

GOD BLESS YOU AND MAY GOD BLESS
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

[APPLAUSE]

Narrator: PRESIDENTS
DON'T JUST MAKE HISTORY,

THEY'RE ALSO CALLED ON
TO HONOR MILESTONES

THAT HAVE COME BEFORE.

IN 2015, PRESIDENT OBAMA MARKED
AN IMPORTANT ANNIVERSARY

IN OUR COUNTRY'S
CIVIL RIGHTS STRUGGLE.

ON AN OVERCAST SUNDAY MORNING
IN MARCH 1965,

JOHN LEWIS LED 600 OTHERS
IN A PEACEFUL PROTEST MARCH

ACROSS A BRIDGE
IN SELMA, ALABAMA.

Jarrett: AT EACH STEP ALONG
OUR NATION'S HISTORY,

WE INEVITABLY HAVE TIMES
OF TURMOIL AND STRESS.

AND THAT'S WHAT CHANGE
IS ALL ABOUT--

IT'S MESSY, IT'S HARD,
IT'S DIFFICULT.

BUT THEN WHEN ORDINARY PEOPLE
COME TOGETHER,

THEY CAN DO, IN FACT,
EXTRAORDINARY THINGS.

Narrator: FOR DECADES,

SOUTHERN STATES USED
SPECIAL RULES

TO BLOCK AFRICAN AMERICANS
FROM REGISTERING TO VOTE.

John Lewis: WE MADE A DECISION

TO MARCH FROM SELMA
TO MONTGOMERY,

TO DRAMATIZE TO THE NATION
AND TO THE WORLD

THAT AFRICAN AMERICANS
IN THE STATE OF ALABAMA

AND THROUGHOUT THE SOUTH
WANTED TO REGISTER TO VOTE.

WE STARTED WALKING
IN AN ORDERLY, PEACEFUL,

NONVIOLENT FASHION
THROUGH THE STREETS OF SELMA,

ORDERLY, QUIET, ALMOST EERIE.

Narrator:
AT THE END OF THAT BRIDGE,

THE ALABAMA STATE TROOPERS
MET THE NONVIOLENT PROTESTERS

WITH BRUTAL FORCE.

[WHISTLES BLOWING]

[SHOUTING]

Lewis: THEY CAME TOWARD US,
BEATING US WITH NIGHTSTICKS

AND TRAMPLING US WITH HORSES.

THEY RELEASED THE TEAR GAS.

I REMEMBER BEING HIT IN THE HEAD
BY A STATE TROOPER

WITH A NIGHTSTICK.

[SIREN]

THAT SUNDAY BECAME KNOWN
AS BLOODY SUNDAY.

♪

Narrator: 50 YEARS AFTER
THE BLOODY SUNDAY MARCH,

PRESIDENT OBAMA CAME TO SELMA.

Keenan: SELMA'S MY FAVORITE
SPEECH OF THE PRESIDENT'S,

AND HE THREW HIMSELF INTO IT.

BECAUSE IT IS JUST
THE PUREST DISTILLATION

OF HIS VISION OF THIS COUNTRY.

IT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF HIS
MORE PATRIOTIC SPEECHES,

IF NOT THE MOST PATRIOTIC.

WHAT GREATER FORM OF PATRIOTISM
IS THERE

THAN THE BELIEF THAT AMERICA
IS NOT YET FINISHED?

WE ACTUALLY HAD A SNOW DAY
THAT THURSDAY,

AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
WAS CLOSED.

THE SPEECH WAS A SATURDAY,
WHICH ENDED UP BEING GREAT,

BECAUSE I GOT TO COME INTO WORK

AND ALL OF HIS MEETINGS
WERE CANCELLED,

SO WE GOT TO GO BACK AND FORTH
ON THREE OR FOUR DRAFTS.

AND, YOU KNOW, HE ALWAYS WANTS
TO GO THROUGH ONE LAST DRAFT

ON THE PLANE WHENEVER
WE'RE HEADING SOMEWHERE,

ESPECIALLY ON A BIG SPEECH,

SO HE'D MADE A FEW
FINAL LINE EDITS.

SENT THE SPEECH, AND
WE LOADED UP THE MOTORCADE

TO DRIVE TO THE SITE.

WE'RE COMING UP OVER
THE EDMUND PETTUS BRIDGE,

AND SOMEONE IN MY CAR SAID,

"WOW, WE'RE ACTUALLY
ON THE BRIDGE."

AND I WAS LIKE, THIS IS GREAT.

AND AS WE CRESTED IT
OVER THE TOP

AND STARTED LOOKING DOWN,

YOU JUST SAW, YOU KNOW, 20,000
PEOPLE DOWN THERE WAITING

AND A BIG AMERICAN FLAG.

I THINK EVERYONE JUST
KIND OF TOOK A BREATH,

AND I REMEMBER IT BEING QUIET
FOR A SECOND,

BECAUSE ANYONE COULD UNDERSTAND
THE GRAVITY OF WHAT THAT MEANT.

[CROWD CHEERING]

Jarrett: EVERYBODY IN MY CAR
GASPED AS WE WENT OVER.

AND YOU COULD JUST SEE THE SEA
OF PEOPLE WAITING BREATHLESSLY

FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA TO COME
FOR THIS COMMEMORATION.

[CHEERING]

Lewis: TO STAND THERE AND LOOK
AT THIS UNBELIEVABLE CROWD,

BLACK, WHITE, LATINO,
ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE AMERICAN,

YOUNG CHILDREN, OLDER PEOPLE,
WITH PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA,

IT WAS TOO MUCH.

IF SOMEONE HAD TOLD ME WHEN
WE WERE CROSSING THIS BRIDGE

THAT ONE DAY
I WOULD BE BACK HERE

INTRODUCING THE FIRST
AFRICAN AMERICAN PRESIDENT,

I WOULD'VE SAID YOU'RE CRAZY,
YOU'RE OUT OF YOUR MIND,

YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA!

Jarrett: YOU SEE
THAT THE BATON IS PASSED

FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT

WITH MUTUAL RESPECT
AND ADMIRATION.

Obama: IT IS A RARE HONOR
IN THIS LIFE

TO FOLLOW ONE OF YOUR HEROES.

AND JOHN LEWIS
IS ONE OF MY HEROES.

THERE ARE PLACES AND MOMENTS
IN AMERICA

WHERE THIS NATION'S DESTINY
HAS BEEN DECIDED.

MANY ARE SITES OF WAR--

CONCORD AND LEXINGTON,
APPOMATTOX, GETTYSBURG.

OTHERS ARE SITES THAT SYMBOLIZE

THE DARING OF AMERICA'S
CHARACTER--

INDEPENDENCE HALL
AND SENECA FALLS,

KITTY HAWK AND CAPE CANAVERAL.

SELMA IS SUCH A PLACE.

IN ONE AFTERNOON 50 YEARS AGO,

SO MUCH OF OUR
TURBULENT HISTORY--

THE STAIN OF SLAVERY
AND ANGUISH OF CIVIL WAR;

THE YOKE OF SEGREGATION
AND TYRANNY OF JIM CROW;

THE DEATH OF FOUR LITTLE GIRLS
IN BIRMINGHAM;

AND THE DREAM OF
A BAPTIST PREACHER--

ALL THAT HISTORY MET
ON THIS BRIDGE.

IT WAS NOT A CLASH OF ARMIES,
BUT A CLASH OF WILLS;

A CONTEST TO DETERMINE
THE TRUE MEANING OF AMERICA.

♪

WHAT THEY DID HERE WILL
REVERBERATE THROUGH THE AGES.

NOT BECAUSE THE CHANGE THEY WON
WAS PREORDAINED;

NOT BECAUSE THEIR VICTORY
WAS COMPLETE;

BUT BECAUSE THEY PROVED THAT
NONVIOLENT CHANGE IS POSSIBLE,

THAT LOVE AND HOPE
CAN CONQUER HATE.

Keenan: IT WAS THE PRESIDENT'S
IDEA TO COME UP

WITH KIND OF THE ROLL CALL
OF AMERICA AT THE END.

YOU KNOW, WE ARE SOJOURNER TRUTH
AND FANNIE LOU HAMER,

YOU KNOW, WE'RE THE SLAVES
THAT BUILT THE WHITE HOUSE,

IMMIGRANTS ACROSS
THE RIO GRANDE.

SO HE JUST SAID, YOU KNOW...

HE SAID, "THIS IS WHAT
I'M LOOKING FOR," YOU KNOW,

"GO BACK TO YOUR DESK
AND MAKE ME A LIST,

FIND ME SOME AMERICA."

Obama: WE KNOW AMERICA
IS WHAT WE MAKE OF IT.

LOOK AT OUR HISTORY.

WE ARE LEWIS AND CLARK
AND SACAGAWEA,

PIONEERS WHO BRAVED
THE UNFAMILIAR,

FOLLOWED BY A STAMPEDE
OF FARMERS AND MINERS

AND ENTREPRENEURS AND HUCKSTERS.

THAT'S OUR SPIRIT.
THAT'S WHO WE ARE.

WE'RE SOJOURNER TRUTH
AND FANNIE LOU HAMER,

WOMEN WHO COULD DO AS MUCH
AS ANY MAN AND THEN SOME.

WE'RE THE FRESH-FACED GIs WHO
FOUGHT TO LIBERATE A CONTINENT.

AND WE'RE THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN,
AND THE NAVAJO CODE TALKERS,

AND THE JAPANESE AMERICANS
WHO FOUGHT FOR THIS COUNTRY

EVEN AS THEIR OWN LIBERTY
HAD BEEN DENIED.

WE ARE JACKIE ROBINSON,
ENDURING SCORN AND SPIKED CLEATS

AND PITCHES COMING
STRAIGHT TO HIS HEAD

AND STEALING HOME
IN THE WORLD SERIES ANYWAY.

Keenan: THE PRESIDENT ADDED IN
"WE ARE JACKIE ROBINSON."

THAT'S ONE OF THE FEW MOMENTS

WHERE HE ACTUALLY CHOKES UP
A LITTLE BIT.

BECAUSE I THINK IT HITS HOME,
YOU KNOW,

TO BE THE FIRST BLACK MAN
TO DO SOMETHING

WHILE EVERYONE'S THROWING
BASEBALLS AT YOUR HEAD.

♪

Lewis: I THINK WE ALL
ARE CALLED TO DO SOMETHING,

WE ALL ARE CALLED
TO PLAY A ROLE.

I BELIEVE THAT BOTH
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.,

AND PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
HAVE BEEN TOUCHED,

HAVE BEEN INSPIRED
BY THE SPIRIT OF HISTORY

TO MOVE AMERICA
AND THE WORLD COMMUNITY

TO A HIGHER LEVEL.

Obama: IF YOU THINK NOTHING'S
CHANGED IN THE PAST 50 YEARS,

ASK SOMEBODY WHO LIVED THROUGH
THE SELMA OR CHICAGO

OR LOS ANGELES OF THE 1950s.

Lewis: OUR COUNTRY'S
A DIFFERENT COUNTRY,

AND WE ARE DIFFERENT PEOPLE,
WE'RE BETTER PEOPLE.

Obama: AND THAT'S WHAT
THE YOUNG PEOPLE HERE TODAY

AND LISTENING
ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY

MUST TAKE AWAY FROM THIS DAY.

YOU ARE AMERICA.

UNCONSTRAINED BY HABIT
AND CONVENTION.

UNENCUMBERED BY WHAT IS,

BECAUSE YOU'RE READY TO SEIZE
WHAT OUGHT TO BE.

BECAUSE SELMA SHOWS US

THAT AMERICA IS NOT THE PROJECT
OF ANY ONE PERSON.

BECAUSE THE SINGLE MOST POWERFUL
WORD IN OUR DEMOCRACY

IS THE WORD "WE."

WE THE PEOPLE.

[APPLAUSE]

WE SHALL OVERCOME.

YES WE CAN.

THAT WORD IS OWNED BY NO ONE.

IT BELONGS TO EVERYONE.

OH, WHAT A...WHAT A GLORIOUS
TASK WE ARE GIVEN,

TO CONTINUALLY TRY TO IMPROVE
THIS GREAT NATION OF OURS.

♪

Keenan: IF THERE'S ONE SPEECH

THAT I HOPE SCHOOL KIDS
ARE FORCED TO READ SOME DAY,

I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE SELMA.

[SIREN]

Narrator: THREE MONTHS AFTER
COMMEMORATING

CIVIL RIGHTS PROGRESS IN SELMA,

THE PRESIDENT IS REMINDED
OF HOW MUCH WORK REMAINS

TO PERFECT THE UNION.

Reporter: THE NATION
IS WAKING UP TO NEWS

OF A SENSELESS ACT OF VIOLENCE
IN CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.

RIGHT NOW THE SEARCH IS ON
FOR A WHITE GUNMAN

WHO ENTERED A BLACK CHURCH
LAST NIGHT AND STARTED SHOOTING.

Narrator: ON JUNE 17th,
A WHITE SUPREMACIST

BRUTALLY MURDERS
NINE AFRICAN AMERICANS

AT MOTHER EMANUEL A.M.E. CHURCH.

THE PARISHIONERS ARE SHOT DURING
AN EVENING PRAYER SERVICE.

Keenan: I WAS IN THE WHITE HOUSE
LATE ONE NIGHT WHEN, AGAIN,

NEWS OF A SHOOTING STARTED
COMING THROUGH, IN THE CHURCH,

IN A BLACK CHURCH BASEMENT.

THIS ONE WAS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT
FROM THE REST,

BECAUSE NOW YOU HAD QUESTIONS
OF RACE INVOLVED,

AND THE CONFEDERATE FLAG,

MORE DEBATES AND
RACIAL DIVISIONS LAID BARE.

Brinkley:
THE SHOOTER IN CHARLESTON

HATED ALL BLACK PEOPLE.

HE HATED HIS PRESIDENT BECAUSE
OF THE COLOR OF HIS SKIN.

Narrator: IN A STARTLING
TURN OF EVENTS,

THE FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS
FORGIVE THE SHOOTER

AT A COURT HEARING.

Brinkley: AND THEY WERE TRULY
PRACTICING THEIR RELIGION

BY TURNING ANOTHER CHEEK

AND SAYING I'M NOT GOING
TO LET HATRED TAKE OVER ME.

KEEP IN MIND THE A.M.E. CHURCH
IS THE HISTORIC FREEDOM CHURCH.

THIS WAS THE CHURCH
OF ROSA PARKS,

THE CHURCH
OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS,

THE CHURCH OF HARRIET TUBMAN.

THAT PARTICULAR CHURCH
IN CHARLESTON

WAS A BELLWETHER PLACE
FOR THE FREEDOM MOVEMENT,

AND THAT MOVED THE PRESIDENT.

Keenan: THE PRESIDENT SAID,

"LET'S MAKE A SPEECH ABOUT
GRACE, THE IDEA OF GRACE."

SO I WENT AND SAT DOWN
AND STARTED WRITING, UM...

AND, YOU KNOW, WROTE OUT
THE LYRICS TO "AMAZING GRACE"

ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH
THE SPEECH.

Narrator: KEENAN WORKED NONSTOP
ON THE SPEECH FOR TWO DAYS

BEFORE SHARING A DRAFT
WITH THE PRESIDENT.

Keenan: THE FIRST TWO PAGES
HE MAKES LINE EDITS TO.

THE SECOND TWO PAGES,

EACH ONE HAD JUST A BIG CROSS
THROUGH ALL OF IT.

ALL GONE, AND...

BUT HE WASN'T MAD.

THIS IS BARACK OBAMA.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT HE DOES.

AND HE HANDED ME
THREE HANDWRITTEN PAGES

THAT HE'D CHURNED OUT
IN JUST THOSE FIVE HOURS.

PROBABLY LESS,

BECAUSE HE PROBABLY HAD DINNER
WITH THE GIRLS FIRST, TOO.

SO I APOLOGIZED, AND HE SAID,
"DON'T YOU DARE APOLOGIZE.

YOU GAVE ME THE SCAFFOLDING
I NEEDED TO WORK WITH.

THIS IS A GOOD COLLABORATION."

AND THEN HE PUT HIS HAND
ON MY SHOULDER AND SAID,

"BESIDES, I WROTE A BOOK
ON THIS STUFF,

AND ONCE YOU'VE BEEN GRAPPLING
WITH THESE ISSUES FOR 55 YEARS,

YOU'LL KNOW WHAT
YOU WANT TO SAY, TOO."

Jarrett: ON THE WAY,
HE MENTIONED TO THOSE OF US,

INCLUDING THE FIRST LADY,

HE SAID, "I'M THINKING ABOUT
SINGING 'AMAZING GRACE.'"

AND WE WENT, "REALLY?"

SO I SAID, "WELL, IF YOU WANT
TO SING, YOU SHOULD SING."

AND THE FIRST LADY SAID, "DO
WHATEVER MAKES YOU COMFORTABLE."

Obama: FOR TOO LONG...

[CROWD MURMURING]

FOR TOO LONG WE'VE BEEN BLIND
TO THE UNIQUE MAYHEM

THAT GUN VIOLENCE INFLICTS
UPON THIS NATION.

[APPLAUSE]

FOR TOO LONG WE'VE BEEN BLIND
TO THE WAY PAST INJUSTICES

CONTINUE TO SHAPE THE PRESENT.

[APPLAUSE]

Man: THAT'S RIGHT.

Obama: PERHAPS IT CAUSES US
TO EXAMINE WHAT WE'RE DOING

TO CAUSE SOME OF OUR CHILDREN
TO HATE.

[APPLAUSE]

Kearns Goodwin: THERE'S NOTHING
MORE IMPORTANT FOR THE WORDS

NOT SIMPLY TO BE IN PEOPLE'S
HEARTS AND MINDS,

BUT TO DO SOMETHING THAT CHANGES
THE NATURE OF THE COUNTRY.

Obama: FOR TOO LONG,
WE WERE BLIND TO THE PAIN

THAT THE CONFEDERATE FLAG
STIRRED

IN TOO MANY OF OUR CITIZENS.

[APPLAUSE]

AS WE ALL HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE,

THE FLAG HAS ALWAYS REPRESENTED
MORE THAN JUST ANCESTRAL PRIDE.

Man: YES, SIR, YES, SIR.

Obama: FOR MANY,
BLACK AND WHITE,

THAT FLAG WAS A REMINDER

OF SYSTEMIC OPPRESSION

AND RACIAL SUBJUGATION.

[CROWD ASSENTS]

REMOVING THE FLAG
FROM THIS STATE'S CAPITOL

WOULD NOT BE AN ACT
OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS.

IT WOULD NOT BE AN INSULT TO THE
VALOR OF CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS.

IT WOULD SIMPLY BE
AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

THAT THE CAUSE FOR WHICH
THEY FOUGHT,

THE CAUSE OF SLAVERY, WAS WRONG.

[CHEERING]

Brinkley: CHARLESTON WAS
A TURNING POINT,

A FLASHING POINT THAT
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BURY

SOME OF THAT OLD
CONFEDERATE HISTORY.

Obama: BY TAKING DOWN THAT FLAG,
WE EXPRESS GOD'S GRACE.

[APPLAUSE]

BY MAKING THE MORAL CHOICE
TO CHANGE,

WE EXPRESS GOD'S GRACE.

Man: AMEN.
Man: YES, SIR. AMEN.

[APPLAUSE]

♪ AMAZING GRACE

[CHEERING]

♪ HOW SWEET THE SOUND

♪ THAT SAVED...

Man: SING IT, MR. PRESIDENT.

Obama: ♪ A WRETCH LIKE ME

Brinkley: THERE SEEMED TO BE
A SEA CHANGE.

YOU FELT THE WAVE BREAK

WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA
GAVE THAT SPEECH.

Kearns Goodwin: AND WHEN
THE CONFEDERATE FLAG CAME DOWN,

IT WAS A MOMENT OF HEALING

AND A MOMENT WHERE THE WORDS
REALLY DID PRODUCE THE OUTCOME

THAT YOU'RE HOPING THEY DID.

SO IT CAME FULL CIRCLE.

Obama: ♪ BUT NOW I'M FOUND

♪ WAS BLIND, BUT NOW I SEE

♪

Axelrod:
WORDS ARE POWERFUL THINGS,

AND ONE OF THE THINGS
ABOUT BARACK OBAMA

IS THAT HE REALLY VALUES WORDS,

HE UNDERSTANDS THE POWER OF
WORDS AND HOW TO DEPLOY THEM

IN WAYS THAT MATCH THE MOMENT.

IT'S AN UNUSUAL GIFT.

Kearns Goodwin:
I THINK THERE'S NO QUESTION

THAT HE'LL GO DOWN IN HISTORY

AS ONE OF THE BEST WRITERS
AND ORATORS IN THE PRESIDENCY.

MAINLY BECAUSE HE USED THE POWER
OF WORDS AT CRITICAL MOMENTS,

AND THEY TOUCHED...THEY TOUCHED
THE HEARTS OF PEOPLE.

THEY TOUCHED CHORDS.

THEY TOUCHED EMOTIONS IN PEOPLE.

Brinkley: SOMEDAY THERE WILL BE

THE COLLECTED SPEECHES
OF BARACK OBAMA,

AND I THINK THEY'LL TELL US MORE

ABOUT OUR HOPES, DREAMS,
ASPIRATIONS, AND DARK REALITIES

THAN ANY OTHER DOCUMENT
TO REPRESENT THAT ERA.

Kearns Goodwin:
THERE'S A DIGNITY TO THE WORDS

THAT YOU'LL SEE WHEN YOU PUT
ALL THOSE SPEECHES TOGETHER.

BUT I THINK HIS PRESIDENCY
WILL BE REMEMBERED AS WELL

FOR THE DIGNITY OF THE MAN.

♪

♪