127+ Barack Obama Quotes [All Categories]

Barack Obama is a former President of the United States and a notable public figure known for his speeches and quotes.

Here are some characteristics of his quotes:

Inspirational: Barack Obama’s quotes are often inspiring and uplifting. He often encourages people to work towards their goals and to overcome obstacles.
Thoughtful: Obama is known for his thoughtfulness and careful consideration of issues. His quotes often reflect this, and he encourages people to think deeply about important topics.
Optimistic: Obama’s quotes are often optimistic, emphasizing the potential for positive change and progress. He encourages people to believe in themselves and their ability to make a difference.
Inclusive: Obama is known for his commitment to inclusivity and diversity. His quotes often reflect this, emphasizing the importance of equality and fairness for all.
Authentic: Obama’s quotes are often seen as authentic and genuine. He is known for his ability to connect with people on a personal level, and his quotes reflect this.
Memorable: Many of Obama’s quotes have become iconic and memorable, resonating with people around the world. He has a way with words that captures the imagination and inspires action.

Overall, Barack Obama’s quotes reflect his values and worldview.

They are often inspiring, thoughtful, and optimistic, with a focus on inclusivity and authenticity.

We have many to share.

Let’s take a look 🙂

Table of Contents

Barack Obama Quotes

Here are some quotes from Barack Obama:

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
“The future rewards those who press on. I don’t have time to feel sorry for myself. I don’t have time to complain. I’m going to press on.”
“We are the United States of America. We cannot and will not be defeated by terrorists.”
“My fellow Americans, we are and always will be a nation of immigrants. We were strangers once, too.”
“The strongest weapon against hateful speech is not repression, it is more speech.”
“The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.”
“The American Dream is something no wall will ever contain.”
“A change is brought about because ordinary people do extraordinary things.”
“Our stories may be singular, but our destination is shared.”
“America is not the project of any one person. The single most powerful word in our democracy is the word ‘We.'”
“We need to reject any politics that targets people because of race or religion.”
“I believe in evolution, scientific inquiry, and global warming; I believe in free speech, whether politically correct or politically incorrect, and I am suspicious of using government to impose anybody’s religious beliefs -including my own- on nonbelievers.”
“The role of citizen in a democracy does not end with your vote.”
“Hope is not blind optimism. It’s not ignoring the enormity of the task ahead or the roadblocks that stand in our path. It’s not sitting on the sidelines or shirking from a fight. Hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it, and to work for it, and to fight for it.”
“We can’t drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes at 72 degrees at all times… and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK.”
The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
“If you’re walking down the right path and you’re willing to keep walking, eventually you’ll make progress.”
“We don’t ask you to believe in our ability to bring change, rather, we ask you to believe in yours.”
“If the people cannot trust their government to do the job for which it exists – to protect them and to promote their common welfare – all else is lost.”
“If you’re looking for the easy way out, you’re not going to find it. Success is a result of hard work and effort.”
“To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.”
“We should do everything we can to ensure that college is affordable for every single American.”
“We have a stake in one another…what binds us together is greater than what drives us apart.”
“The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something.”
“Progress will come in fits and starts. It’s not always a straight line. It’s not always a smooth path.”
“America is not the project of any one person. The single most powerful word in our democracy is the word ‘We’.”
“Change is never easy, but always possible.”
We need to steer clear of this poverty of ambition, where people want to drive fancy cars and wear nice clothes and live in nice apartments but don’t want to work hard to accomplish these things. Everyone should try to realize their full potential.”
“I think that we all have to be better listeners, not just in politics, but in life. I try to listen more than I talk.”
“The arc of the moral universe may bend towards justice, but it doesn’t bend on its own.”
“The future belongs to young people with an education and the imagination to create.”
“My identity might begin with the fact of my race, but it didn’t, couldn’t end there.”
“We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
“A good compromise, a good piece of legislation, is like a good sentence; or a good piece of music. Everybody can recognize it. They say, ‘Huh. It works. It makes sense.'”
“You don’t get everything you want. A dictatorship would be a lot easier.”
“The true test of the American ideal is whether we’re able to recognize our failings and then rise together to meet the challenges of our time.”
“I see Americans of every party, every background, every faith who believe that we are stronger together: black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American; young and old; gay, straight, men, women, folks with disabilities, all pledging allegiance under the same proud flag to this big, bold country that we love.”
“We have to remember that we’re actually all on one team…We’re not Democrats first, we’re not Republicans first, we are Americans first. We’re patriots first. We all want what’s best for this country.”
“I’m inspired by the love people have for their children. And I’m inspired by my own children, how full they make my heart. They make me want to work to make the world a little bit better. And they make me want to be a better man.”
“Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.”
“I think when you spread the wealth around it’s good for everybody.”
“The fact that we are here tonight is a testament to the dedication of generations before us.”
“I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did.”
“The strongest democracies flourish from frequent and lively debate, but they endure when people of every background and belief find a way to set aside smaller differences in service of a greater purpose.”
“What I worry about would be that you essentially have two chambers, the House and the Senate, but you have simply, majoritarian, absolute power on either side. And that’s just not what the founders intended.”
“Let us remember we are all part of one American family. We are united in common values, and that includes belief in equality, justice, freedom, and decency.”
“We have a choice in this country. We can accept a politics that breeds division, and conflict, and cynicism…. Or, at this moment, in this election, we can come together and say, ‘Not this time.'”
“I believe that we can change the world, but we have to be willing to try.”
“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
“The future belongs to those who are willing to work hard, and to stand up for what’s right, and to keep believing in the possibility of progress.”
“I’m a big believer in persistence, and I think that when it comes to achievement and success, grit is more important than talent.”
“The American people are a decent people. They work hard and they play by the rules and they deserve a government that does the same.”
“There is not a liberal America and a conservative America – there is the United States of America.”
The world is hungry for new leadership, but the new leadership is about working together.
“We need to reject any politics that targets people because of race or religion. This isn’t a matter of political correctness. It’s a matter of understanding what makes us strong.”
“We can’t drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes at 72 degrees at all times…and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK.”
“In the end, that’s what this election is about. Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or a politics of hope?”
“We need to internalize this idea of excellence. Not many folks spend a lot of time trying to be excellent.”
“We, the People, recognize that we have responsibilities as well as rights; that our destinies are bound together; that a freedom which only asks what’s in it for me, a freedom without a commitment to others, a freedom without love or charity or duty or patriotism, is unworthy of our founding ideals, and those who died in their defense.”
“If you’re walking down the right path and you’re willing to keep walking, eventually you’ll make progress.”
“The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity, on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart – not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.”
“The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.”
“We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
“The American people are looking for a sense of leadership and vision and direction for the future.”
“America’s fighting men and women sacrifice much to ensure that our great nation stays free. We owe a debt of gratitude to the soldiers that have paid the ultimate price for this cause, as well as for those who are blessed enough to return from the battlefield unscathed.”
“The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.”
“The future rewards those who press on. I don’t have time to feel sorry for myself. I don’t have time to complain. I’m going to press on.”
“We, the People, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure.”
“I’m asking you to believe. Not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington…I’m asking you to believe in yours.”

Barack Obama Quotes on Leadership

Barack Obama Quotes on Leadership:

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
“The best leaders are the ones who are able to inspire others to be their best selves.”
“Leadership is not about being the boss. It’s about taking care of those in your charge.”
“Leadership is not about popularity, it’s about responsibility.”
“The future rewards those who press on. I don’t have time to feel sorry for myself. I don’t have time to complain. I’m going to press on.”
“A good leader can engage in a debate frankly and thoroughly, knowing that at the end he and the other side must be closer, and thus emerge stronger.”
“The most important thing for a leader is to be a good listener. You have to listen to your people and to the outside world, and then you have to be decisive.”
“It’s important to make sure that we’re talking with each other in a way that heals, not in a way that wounds.”
“The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.”
“I’m inspired by the people I meet in my travels–hearing their stories, seeing the hardships they overcome, their fundamental optimism and decency. I’m inspired by the love people have for their children. And I’m inspired by my own children, how full they make my heart. They make me want to work to make the world a little bit better. And they make me want to be a better man.”

Inspirational Barack Obama Quotes

Inspirational Barack Obama Quotes:

“The future rewards those who press on. I don’t have time to feel sorry for myself. I don’t have time to complain. I’m going to press on.”
“We are the change we have been waiting for.”
“We did not come to fear the future. We came here to shape it.”
“The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.”
“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
“We need to reject any politics that targets people because of race or religion. This isn’t a matter of political correctness. It’s a matter of understanding what makes us strong.”
“We are the United States of America. We cannot and will not be defeated by terrorists. We will not allow them to change our way of life or the values that we hold dear.”
“The best way to predict your future is to create it.”
“If you’re walking down the right path and you’re willing to keep walking, eventually you’ll make progress.”
“I believe that we can build a better world! Of course, it’ll take a whole lot of rock pulling and sand hauling, but I’m ready to do my part.”

Barack Obama Quotes on Obamacare

Barack Obama Quotes on Obamacare:

“This is the moment when we must come together to save this planet. Let us resolve that we will not leave our children a world where the oceans rise and famine spreads and terrible storms devastate our lands.”
“I have no patience for injustice, whether it’s here in the United States or around the world. No matter how hard it is to bring about change, it’s always worth it.”
“Obamacare is not perfect, but it has provided millions of people with access to healthcare who didn’t have it before.”
“Healthcare reform is not a privilege, it’s a right.”
“We can choose to believe that Superstorm Sandy, and the most severe drought in decades, and the worst wildfires some states have ever seen were all just a freak coincidence. Or we can choose to believe in the overwhelming judgment of science–and act before it’s too late.”
“No one should go broke because they get sick. Insurance companies should not be able to drop your coverage just because you get sick, and they should not be able to arbitrarily raise your premiums.”
“There are those who are opposed to Obamacare no matter what, because they don’t want to see government involved in healthcare. But the truth is that government is already involved in healthcare, and Obamacare is a way to make it work better for everyone.”
“The Affordable Care Act is not just a website. It’s not just a brochure. It’s not just a phone number. It is a law that helps millions of Americans get the care they need.”
“We need to keep working to improve the Affordable Care Act, but we should not go back to the days when insurance companies could discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions or when women could be charged more than men for the same coverage.”
“If you like your healthcare plan, you can keep your healthcare plan.”

Barack Obama Quotes on Life

Barack Obama Quotes on Life:

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
“The future rewards those who press on. I don’t have time to feel sorry for myself. I don’t have time to complain. I’m going to press on.”
“The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.”
“The world is a better place when we open our hearts and share our stories.”
“You have to remember that the world is a better place than it was 50 years ago. We have made progress. And so we have to continue to make progress.”
“The single most powerful word in our democracy is the word ‘we.’ ‘We the People.’ ‘We shall overcome.’ Yes, we can.”
“Life is never easy. There is work to be done and obligations to be met–obligations to truth, to justice, and to liberty.”
“Hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it and to work for it and to fight for it.”
“It’s important to make sure that we’re talking with each other in a way that heals, not in a way that wounds.”
“The best way to predict your future is to create it.”

Short Barack Obama Quotes

Short Barack Obama Quotes:

“Yes we can.”
“Change we can believe in.”
“Fired up, ready to go.”
“Don’t boo, vote.”
“Forward.”
“We are the change we seek.”
“I believe in you.”
“Let’s go change the world.”
“Believe in hope.”
“We’re all in this together.”

Barack Obama Quotes on Education

Barack Obama Quotes on Education:

“The future belongs to young people with an education and the imagination to create.”
“Education is the single most important investment in our future.”
“I’m convinced that we can do a better job of preparing our young people for the future and building the skills that they’ll need to succeed.”
“We need to invest in our schools and in our teachers. And we need to make sure that every child in this country gets a good education.”
“The best anti-poverty program is a world-class education.”
“In a global economy where the most valuable skill you can sell is your knowledge, a good education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity–it is a prerequisite.”
“The future of our economy depends on our ability to educate our children–to prepare them for the jobs of the future.”
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”
“We need to encourage young people to stay in school and to recognize that education is the key to their future success.”
“Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world.”

Famous Barack Obama Quotes

Famous Barack Obama Quotes:

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
“Yes we can.”
“The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.”
“The future rewards those who press on. I don’t have time to feel sorry for myself. I don’t have time to complain. I’m going to press on.”
“We did not come to fear the future. We came here to shape it.”
“We are the change we have been waiting for.”
“If you’re walking down the right path and you’re willing to keep walking, eventually you’ll make progress.”
“Change we can believe in.”
“The audacity of hope.”
“Don’t tell me words don’t matter. ‘I have a dream.’ Just words? ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’ Just words? ‘We have nothing to fear but fear itself.’ Just words? Just speeches?”

Conclusion – Barack Obama Quotes

Barack Obama is widely regarded as a gifted orator, and his quotes reflect his passion for politics, his commitment to social justice, and his belief in the power of people to make a positive difference.

His speeches and quotes have inspired millions around the world and continue to be a source of hope, encouragement, and inspiration.

Obama’s quotes often emphasize the importance of unity, inclusivity, and the power of individuals to work towards a better future.

Overall, his quotes reflect his deep commitment to democracy, equality, and human rights, and they serve as a reminder of the values that we should all strive to uphold.