Former US President Barack Obama has showered outgoing President Joe Biden with praise as his term comes to an end.
In a statement after Biden made his final address to Americans as a sitting president, Obama said that he showed up when the US needed true leadership, four years ago.
He said that at the time, the US needed someone who would put politics aside and help in rebuilding the nation, and that is exactly what Biden has done over the last four years in office.
“Four years ago, in the middle of a pandemic, we needed a leader with the character to put politics aside and do what was right. That’s what Joe Biden did.
“At a time when our economy was reeling, he drove what would become the world’s strongest recovery – with 17 million new jobs, historic wage gains, and lower health care costs. He passed landmark legislation to rebuild our nation’s infrastructure and address the threat of climate change,” Obama stated on X.
He went on to say that he is grateful for the 46th US President’s dedication to service for the people of the United States and his friendship.
“I’m grateful to Joe for his leadership, his friendship, and his lifetime of service to this country we love.”
Biden served as Obama’s Vice President for the two terms he was President of the US.
The outgoing President in his remarks said that he is proud of his achievements in the term he has been leading the US.
He noted that he has no doubt America will continue to succeed under the next administration that will be led by Donald Trump, even as he wished him well.
“I'm so proud of what we've achieved together with the American people and I wish the incoming administration well.
“I have no doubt that America will continue to succeed,” Biden said.
He, however, warned that an oligarchy is taking shape in America.
Biden stressed the importance of holding the ultra-wealthy to the same expectations as the working- and middle-class citizens.
“I want to warn the country of some things that give me great concern. And that’s the dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultra-wealthy people.
“An oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead.”
The US president made reference to the concentration of power over a century ago in the hands of “robber barons,” which was broken through antitrust practices.
He insisted that these practices, which he has been critical of did not punish the wealthy but made them play by the same rules as all Americans.
“This helped put us on a path to building the largest middle class and the most prosperous century any nation in the world has ever seen. We’ve got to do that again,” Biden in his final address.
