The next president may well make me cry, though outrage and disgust are likelier reactions; but I doubt he will ever make me cry the way President Obama did at his final news conference on Wednesday in discussing the progress for LGBT people during his White House years. He rightfully gave the principal credit to the activists who pushed for it, both loudly and quietly, and who helped change minds and hearts. But he played an indispensable part, from his public remarks to his personal example to his support for the Justice Department’s role in historic court cases and the State Department’s role around the world. God bless you, Mr. President, and keep you and your family safe and well.
Congrats, BTW, to Washington Blade reporter Chris Johnson, who asked the question.
Obama also defended his commutation of the sentence of Chelsea Manning, saying she had already served a tough sentence and that her original 35-year sentence was far greater than other convicted leakers of classified documents.
.@POTUS on Chelsea Manning commutation: she had "served a tough prison sentence" which was "very disproportionate" to other leaking sent.
— Jessica Taylor (@JessicaTaylor) January 18, 2017