Obama 's Last , Hopeful State of the Union . 
"Let me tell you something ," President Barack Obama said in his final State of the Union address , on Tuesday night . 
The audience , made up of Congress and other government officials and their guests , was applauding , but Obama kept going . 
But Obama , it seems , has had enough of hearing about how he has , in Donald Trump 's words , "crippled" America . 
And we are great at home : "The United States of America , right now , has the strongest , most durable economy in the world ," Obama said . 
At times , and in a narrower sense , it has included Obama himself , who spent less time than he might have last night on hard economic issues like inequality . 
Because this was his last State of the Union , the White House had suggested that Obama would be less constrained , and , in terms of the format , he was . 
This State of the Union was not a list of items that the Administration would send to Congress or otherwise pursue -- "do n't worry , I 've got plenty ," Obama said , before offering a rushed statement on immigration , gun violence , and the minimum wage . 
Sitting with Michelle Obama , who stood out in a bright saffron Narciso Rodriguez dress -LRB- "marigold ," according to the designer -RRB- , there was , as always , a slate of guests whose presence made various points -LRB- James Obergefell , the lead plaintiff in the Supreme Court 's marriage-equality case ; Spencer Stone , who tackled a terrorist on a French train ; an empty seat for a victim of gun violence -RRB- , but Obama left it to the press to tell their stories , rather than working them into his speech . 
Perhaps we needed to hear it ; perhaps Obama himself did , too . 
Among the Republicans running to replace him , it is a truism that Obama is weak -- "weak and uncertain" -LRB- Jeb Bush -RRB- , a "feckless weakling" -LRB- Chris Christie -RRB- , whose "unbelievable weakness" -LRB- Ted Cruz -RRB- has "deliberately weakened America ." 
And yet , Obama said , "Surveys show our standing around the world is higher than when I was elected to this office ." 
A few terrorists could do a lot of harm , Obama said , "But , as we focus on destroying ISIL , over-the-top claims that this is World War III just play into their hands ." 
Dealing with such groups , Obama said , would require "more than tough talk or calls to carpet-bomb civilians ." 
In the end , though , Obama said , "when it comes to every important international issue , people of the world do not look to Beijing or Moscow to lead . 
Obama is not known as the most social of Washingtonians , and yet sociability was the great theme of his speech . 
Speaking to the assembled senators and representatives , Cabinet secretaries , Supreme Court Justices -LRB- six , anyway -- Antonin Scalia , Samuel Alito , and Clarence Thomas stayed home -RRB- , and guests , Obama seemed to want to make it clear that he was n't the lonesome one in the room . 
"Sixty years ago , when the Russians beat us into space , we did n't deny Sputnik was up there ," Obama said ; we just went to the moon . 
Vice-President Joseph Biden had raised the idea of another moon shot to cure cancer after the death of his son , Beau , from the disease last year , and Obama announced that there would be "a new national effort" to get it done and that , "because he 's gone to the mat for all of us on so many issues over the past forty years , I 'm putting Joe in charge of mission control ." 
Progress is a choice in the way that friendship is a choice , Obama suggested . 
Obama acknowledged that , in the strongest part of his speech . 
Redistricting , campaign-finance reform , and better voter access would help , but Obama was asking , most of all , that people not only vote but be part of public life , and add their voices to the conversation . 
Clear-eyed , big-hearted , undaunted by challenge , optimistic that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word ," Obama said . 
Obama tried , in his speech , to illustrate something that has , so far , eluded the candidates running to succeed him : how to talk back to Donald Trump without sounding petty , scared , resentful , or otherwise miserable .
"Let me tell you something ," [TGT] said in [TGT] final State of the Union address , on Tuesday night . 
The audience , made up of Congress and other government officials and their guests , was applauding , but [TGT] kept going . 
But [TGT] , it seems , has had enough of hearing about how [TGT] has , in Donald Trump 's words , "crippled" America . 
And we are great at home : "The United States of America , right now , has the strongest , most durable economy in the world ," [TGT] said . 
At times , and in a narrower sense , it has included [TGT] himself , who spent less time than [TGT] might have last night on hard economic issues like inequality . 
Because this was [TGT] last State of the Union , the White House had suggested that [TGT] would be less constrained , and , in terms of the format , [TGT] was . 
This State of the Union was not a list of items that the Administration would send to Congress or otherwise pursue -- "do n't worry , I 've got plenty ," [TGT] said , before offering a rushed statement on immigration , gun violence , and the minimum wage . 
Sitting with Michelle Obama , who stood out in a bright saffron Narciso Rodriguez dress -LRB- "marigold ," according to the designer -RRB- , there was , as always , a slate of guests whose presence made various points -LRB- James Obergefell , the lead plaintiff in the Supreme Court 's marriage-equality case ; Spencer Stone , who tackled a terrorist on a French train ; an empty seat for a victim of gun violence -RRB- , but [TGT] left it to the press to tell their stories , rather than working them into his speech . 
Perhaps we needed to hear it ; perhaps [TGT] himself did , too . 
Among the Republicans running to replace [TGT] , it is a truism that [TGT] is weak -- "weak and uncertain" -LRB- Jeb Bush -RRB- , a "feckless weakling" -LRB- Chris Christie -RRB- , whose "unbelievable weakness" -LRB- Ted Cruz -RRB- has "deliberately weakened America ." 
And yet , [TGT] said , "Surveys show our standing around the world is higher than when I was elected to this office ." 
A few terrorists could do a lot of harm , [TGT] said , "But , as we focus on destroying ISIL , over-the-top claims that this is World War III just play into their hands ." 
Dealing with such groups , [TGT] said , would require "more than tough talk or calls to carpet-bomb civilians ." 
In the end , though , [TGT] said , "when it comes to every important international issue , people of the world do not look to Beijing or Moscow to lead . 
[TGT] is not known as the most social of Washingtonians , and yet sociability was the great theme of [TGT] speech . 
Speaking to the assembled senators and representatives , Cabinet secretaries , Supreme Court Justices -LRB- six , anyway -- Antonin Scalia , Samuel Alito , and Clarence Thomas stayed home -RRB- , and guests , [TGT] seemed to want to make it clear that he was n't the lonesome one in the room . 
"Sixty years ago , when the Russians beat us into space , we did n't deny Sputnik was up there ," [TGT] said ; we just went to the moon . 
Vice-President Joseph Biden had raised the idea of another moon shot to cure cancer after the death of his son , Beau , from the disease last year , and [TGT] announced that there would be "a new national effort" to get it done and that , "because he 's gone to the mat for all of us on so many issues over the past forty years , I 'm putting Joe in charge of mission control ." 
Progress is a choice in the way that friendship is a choice , [TGT] suggested . 
[TGT] acknowledged that , in the strongest part of [TGT] speech . 
Redistricting , campaign-finance reform , and better voter access would help , but [TGT] was asking , most of all , that people not only vote but be part of public life , and add their voices to the conversation . 
Clear-eyed , big-hearted , undaunted by challenge , optimistic that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word ," [TGT] said . 
[TGT] tried , in [TGT] speech , to illustrate something that has , so far , eluded the candidates running to succeed [TGT] : how to talk back to Donald Trump without sounding petty , scared , resentful , or otherwise miserable .