1/3 Obama Speaks! @ Bell MTS Place, Winnipeg, MB, Canada 3/04/19

Winnipeggers gathered at Bell MTS Place to hear former U.S. President Barack Obama speak on Monday night and a packed house of 13,500 did not leave disappointed.

Billed as “A Conversation with President Barack Obama,” the audience was treated to a short video before the 44th president took the stage to a thunderous applause and standing ovation as part of a Canadian tour which includes stops this week in Calgary and Vancouver.

“It’s great to be in Winnipeg,” said Obama, who joked about the cold weather and the fact the Jets were in first place while his beloved Chicago Blackhawks were in last although he was quick to bring up their Winnipeg-born captain Jonathan Toews. “As soon as I hit the cold wind at the airport, I felt homesick.”

The two-term Democratic president spoke for roughly 90 minutes, answering questions from former CEO of the 2017 Toronto Invictus Games, CEO of the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation and moderator Michael Burns and hitting on topics ranging from the Affordable Care Act, the Iran Nuclear Deal and the Paris Accord to how he choose his staff in the White House, demanding integrity and healthy respect for differing views.

Obama borrowed a line from the 2006 Martin Scorsese movie The Departed when Mark Wahlberg is berating a fellow officer for messing up by saying, “I’m the guy who does his job. You must be the other guy.”

“Don’t be the other guy,” said Obama, who steered the United States through the economic meltdown of 2008-09 to lead the longest stretch of job creation in America’s history, while overhauling the U.S. health-care system with the Affordable Care Act, often referred to as Obamacare.

As for the future, Obama is full of optimism due to what he sees in young people.

“Younger people are trying to get away from the baggage that we older people heaped on them,” said Obama. “And that makes me feel optimistic.”

One subject he did not address at least directly is the current occupant of the White House Donald Trump, who has targeted many of his policies since taking office. The closest he got was when Burns was discussing his birth in Honolulu and Obama joked, “Allegedly.”

In Winnipeg, Obama found a very receptive audience.

“I think President Obama is an inspiration even after his presidency for the entire world,” said Melissa Schlichting, prior to Obama’s address.

“It’s nice to have that perspective. Even though he’s not the current president, he is very influential and it’s very meaningful to hear his words.”

“He’s just a very unique man and a great speaker so we just figured we’d like to come and hear what he’s got to say,” said Allan Yascheshyn who came with his 28-year-old daughter Katie.

“We’re not sure what to expect but we’re expecting (to hear) some really good things. He’s just such an articulate man, articulate speaker.”

Katie, who reached voting age the year Obama was first elected president, was expecting to hear a positive and inclusive message and was sure she wouldn’t be disappointed. “I think that’s something that everyone needs to hear as many times as people like him will continue to say it,” she said.

The event was sponsored by the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber’s president and CEO could not have been happier how things turned out.

“He was in politics but the nature of his presidency and the nature of the person transcends politics. He was an inspirational, generational speaker (who) motivated Americans at a time when maybe their economy and their confidence was at a all-time low and really gave them a renewed scene of purpose, passion and energy,” said Loren Remillard.

“People will walk away feeling that they personally connected with the president.”

[Photo] Former President Barack Obama shakes hands with former CEO of the 2017 Toronto Invictus Games and moderator Michael Burns prior to the start of his presentation at the Bell MTS Place on Monday. A packed house of 13,500 were treated to a 90-minute talk with the 44th U.S. President and first African-American to occupy the White House. Dwayne Larsen / Tinepublic Inc.

gdawkins@postmedia.om

Twitter: @SunGlenDawkins

https://winnipegsun.com/news/news-news/obama-thrills-winnipeg-audience-with-90-minute-talk

Видео 1/3 Obama Speaks! @ Bell MTS Place, Winnipeg, MB, Canada 3/04/19 канала wojo4hitz