WEBVTT - Obama Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett talks Obama Presidential Center Opening

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<v Speaker 1>Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio news. The former President Barack

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<v Speaker 1>Obama is opening his Presidential Center. The official opening coming

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<v Speaker 1>to mar excuse me on the eighteenth, with the public

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<v Speaker 1>allowed to start accessing it. On June nineteenth, we had

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<v Speaker 1>a chance to catch up with Valerie Jarrett, the longtime

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<v Speaker 1>advisor to the President who is now the CEO of

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<v Speaker 1>the Obama Foundation. We asked her about the legacy of

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<v Speaker 1>the forty fourth president of the United States and what

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<v Speaker 1>this means for the city of Chicago.

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<v Speaker 2>We are very excited to open the Obama Presidential Center

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<v Speaker 2>this week.

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<v Speaker 3>I think that it is very timely on the two.

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<v Speaker 2>Hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the birth of our country,

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<v Speaker 2>and in fact, our museum begins on the ground floor,

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<v Speaker 2>not with the election of President Obama, but rather with

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<v Speaker 2>the declaration of Independence, and it tells the story of all

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<v Speaker 2>the zigzags of our country, from the suffrage movement to

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<v Speaker 2>civil rights, going back to slavery, then reconstruction, the immigration

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<v Speaker 2>rights movement, the LGBTQ rights movement, all of the different

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<v Speaker 2>movements in our country and zigs and zags and progress

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<v Speaker 2>that we took led to the President's election and then

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<v Speaker 2>the story of his presidency, and so the timing is

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<v Speaker 2>just right.

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<v Speaker 1>The timing is right. It's also somewhat auspicious. We talk

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<v Speaker 1>about that arc of our country from the signing of

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<v Speaker 1>the Declaration of Independence two hundred and fifty years ago,

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<v Speaker 1>of course, to that night back in two thousand and eight,

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<v Speaker 1>with Obama just a few miles away in Grant Park

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<v Speaker 1>giving that victory speech. There was Some will say that

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<v Speaker 1>that arc of history in eight and the eight years

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<v Speaker 1>that came after it might have been our peak.

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<v Speaker 2>How do you answer that, Oh, quite the contrary. We

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<v Speaker 2>are always a work in progress, and in fact, the

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<v Speaker 2>outside of the business of the building says that we

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<v Speaker 2>are all responsible for that glorious, glorious task of continuing

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<v Speaker 2>to improve our nation. In the middle of our plaza,

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<v Speaker 2>we have an arc designed by Martin Purier, the ark

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<v Speaker 2>of the moral universe.

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<v Speaker 3>That does bend towards justice.

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<v Speaker 2>But it's a long arc of the universe, and it

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<v Speaker 2>bends over time as we each push incrementally, and it's

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<v Speaker 2>sometimes zigs and zags, but it does bend. And so

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<v Speaker 2>now we haven't peaked, We're just beginning. Compared to most democracies,

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<v Speaker 2>we're still a baby.

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<v Speaker 4>Well, absolutely here what you're saying, of course, that you

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<v Speaker 4>think about the arc of time and progress, it certainly

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<v Speaker 4>isn't linear here. But I do want to talk a

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<v Speaker 4>little bit more about this moment that remain brought up

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<v Speaker 4>because you know, you think about how it's been thirteen

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<v Speaker 4>years since we saw the last presidential Library dedication. What

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<v Speaker 4>a thirteen years that has been. And now, of course

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<v Speaker 4>this opening is happening at a time when you think

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<v Speaker 4>about some of the policies that President Obama really made

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<v Speaker 4>his landmark and are really known for, have been sort

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<v Speaker 4>of dismantled over the past several years. And I wonder,

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<v Speaker 4>you know what this moment feels like right now.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, I'm very excited because our opportunity now is to

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<v Speaker 2>instill in people a sense of hope that ordinary people

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<v Speaker 2>can still do extraordinary things. And so the status quo

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<v Speaker 2>is not going to be permanent. It never has been

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<v Speaker 2>in our nation's history. And so the question is are

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<v Speaker 2>people ready to take up the baton and run the

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<v Speaker 2>next mile?

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<v Speaker 3>And that's how our.

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<v Speaker 2>Country has always made progress. And I talk about the

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<v Speaker 2>zigzo and zags because that's been the history of this country.

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<v Speaker 2>And so in this moment, we want people to still

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<v Speaker 2>feel hopeful. We want them to feel that they have

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<v Speaker 2>the capacity to make the world a better place, that

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<v Speaker 2>we have more in common than we have differences, that

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<v Speaker 2>we welcome people to the campus who have different ideas

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<v Speaker 2>than we do, and let's have a debate without being disagreeable.

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<v Speaker 2>Let's all work to actually strengthen our democracy. That's our

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<v Speaker 2>message and that's what we think people will feel, this

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<v Speaker 2>sense of hopefulness when they leave the campus and come

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<v Speaker 2>back time and time again.

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<v Speaker 4>Well, Valerie, you mentioned different ideas, and I do want

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<v Speaker 4>to bring up President Donald Trump directly here because my

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<v Speaker 4>understanding is that this opening, it will be the first

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<v Speaker 4>time that a sitting president won't be at the center

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<v Speaker 4>stage in a modern presidential library and museum opening. And

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<v Speaker 4>you have said publicly that President Trump has not been

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<v Speaker 4>invited to the opening ceremony that is this week, but

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<v Speaker 4>that you would welcome him for a tour. So I

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<v Speaker 4>am curious. Is that an invitation that you have extended

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<v Speaker 4>at this point and have you gotten a response.

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<v Speaker 2>It's an open invitation and we have not yet heard

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<v Speaker 2>a response. And look, keep in mind, this is a

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<v Speaker 2>celebration for all of the votes who enabled President Obama

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<v Speaker 2>to serve our country for all eight years successfully. We

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<v Speaker 2>have the construction workers who worked on this campus, and

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<v Speaker 2>we have an alumni who worked on the campaign in

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<v Speaker 2>any administration. We have our generous supporters coming. We have

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<v Speaker 2>state and local and federal elected officials who all in

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<v Speaker 2>supportive of President Obama.

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<v Speaker 3>So this is a celebration for them.

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<v Speaker 2>But when we're open to the public, well, then of

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<v Speaker 2>course everyone is welcome.

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<v Speaker 1>A velder, I do want to talk about the physical

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<v Speaker 1>structure itself. We've talked about the thirteen presidential libraries that

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<v Speaker 1>had opened officially. We should point out that this particular

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<v Speaker 1>one is actually not the official library. Most of those

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<v Speaker 1>records are going to be at a site in Maryland.

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<v Speaker 1>Was there a reason why the Council made this decision

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<v Speaker 1>to kind of circumvent or at least not to go

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<v Speaker 1>through the National Archives in the traditional sense of having

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<v Speaker 1>an actual library and making this more of a quote

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<v Speaker 1>presidential center or museum or however we want to characterize it.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, So President Obama is the first digital president. We

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<v Speaker 2>have the ability to digitize all of his presidential records,

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<v Speaker 2>which we are paying for, and the National Archives is

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<v Speaker 2>doing that, and so all of his records, all of

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<v Speaker 2>them will.

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<v Speaker 3>Be available online.

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<v Speaker 2>In addition to that, for people who still like to

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<v Speaker 2>feel a piece of paper, they'll be able to go

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<v Speaker 2>to the archive led Obama Presidential Library that houses all

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<v Speaker 2>those papers and see them. But when they come here instead,

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<v Speaker 2>they can experience the Chicago Public Library for our children.

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<v Speaker 3>Why would we take.

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<v Speaker 2>Up space on our campus in the middle of this

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<v Speaker 2>incredible city with paper when it could be digitized. And so, yes,

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<v Speaker 2>it's different than all the other presidential vibrates the time

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<v Speaker 2>that we're in. So in a sense, we have the

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<v Speaker 2>best of both worlds. You can go online and access

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<v Speaker 2>all of the president's records. We have borrowed from the

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<v Speaker 2>National Archives certain artifacts and records, and then the rest

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<v Speaker 2>of the records will be available.

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<v Speaker 3>In Maryland.

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<v Speaker 2>And so it's the nature of where we are, I think,

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<v Speaker 2>with the availability of technology, and we were able to

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<v Speaker 2>design a broader campus that has an athletics center, the

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<v Speaker 2>public library mentioned not a tour music studios, restaurants, retail stores,

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<v Speaker 2>all blending into.

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<v Speaker 3>The urban fabric.

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<v Speaker 2>And it's the first presidential center that's located in an

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<v Speaker 2>urban area.

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<v Speaker 1>I grew up in Hyde Park right on forty ninth

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<v Speaker 1>And you know, I'm very familiar with what Jackson Park

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<v Speaker 1>is and what it used to be before this came

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<v Speaker 1>into place. I used to, you know, every day, leave

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<v Speaker 1>Saint Thomas and we run over to the Point and

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<v Speaker 1>hang out there. This is also altered physically the Frederick

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<v Speaker 1>Law Olmsted map of what Jackson Park was, And I

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<v Speaker 1>know there was some controversy in that, And I am

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<v Speaker 1>curious as to what you think the overall net benefit

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<v Speaker 1>will be of this larger footprint of the reimagining of

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<v Speaker 1>Jackson Park. Overall, is that going to benefit the community,

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<v Speaker 1>the surrounding community, or is that solely for the benefit

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<v Speaker 1>of the Obama Foundation.

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<v Speaker 3>Great question. And I grew up here too.

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<v Speaker 2>I grew up on forty ninth Street and rode my

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<v Speaker 2>bike through Jackson Park and hung out over at the point.

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<v Speaker 2>So you and I had a very similar experience, and

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<v Speaker 2>this is a net benefit. We got rid of Cornell Drive,

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<v Speaker 2>which you will remember was that sixth lane highway that

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<v Speaker 2>separated Jackson Park from the Museum of Science and Industry.

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<v Speaker 2>And so with all of our buildings, we have added

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<v Speaker 2>three point seven acres of open space. There's far more

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<v Speaker 2>open space on the site. Now than there was before,

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<v Speaker 2>and we have world class playgrounds and the athletics center

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<v Speaker 2>and the library, and walking trails and a vegetable garden

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<v Speaker 2>and picnic tables and barbecue bits and so yes, if

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<v Speaker 2>you ask the surrounding community, as we did a few

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<v Speaker 2>weeks ago at our public hearing, is the community thrilled

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<v Speaker 2>by what we have produced?

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<v Speaker 3>Absolutely? Absolutely, we have enhanced this home design park.

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<v Speaker 2>We've stored the women's garden on the north side of

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<v Speaker 2>the property. We've built another park across the street, owned

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<v Speaker 2>and managed now by the Chicago Park District that is

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<v Speaker 2>the most accessible park in the city of Chicago.

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<v Speaker 3>When you add all of that together.

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<v Speaker 2>Absolutely, I would much rather be a young person today

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<v Speaker 2>riding my bike through the Obama Presidential Center than the

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<v Speaker 2>experience I had at Jackson Park.

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<v Speaker 4>Many of your well, Valerie, you mentioned all the different features

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<v Speaker 4>that will be on this campus, the vegetable garden. There's

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<v Speaker 4>also an NBA regulation basketball court. As I understand, I mean,

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<v Speaker 4>at this point, I'm curious what was left sort of

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<v Speaker 4>on the cutting room floor, because it sounds like, again

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<v Speaker 4>that we're talking about quite an expansive campus. What didn't

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<v Speaker 4>actually make it in to the final here.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, we are still a work in progress.

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<v Speaker 2>We are going to have more books in the library,

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<v Speaker 2>both the Presidential Reading Room and the.

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<v Speaker 3>Chicago Public Library. We're going to have more art. We

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<v Speaker 3>haven't talked about the art yet.

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<v Speaker 2>We have twenty eight original commission pieces of art, twenty

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<v Speaker 2>six of which will be in the public space free spaces.

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<v Speaker 2>So we are an art exhibit as well, which reflects

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<v Speaker 2>the rich diversity of talent that we have and the

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<v Speaker 2>artists done amazing pieces of art, and.

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<v Speaker 3>So we're going to add to that. We have room

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<v Speaker 3>for a.

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<v Speaker 2>Special exhibit that will be located inside of the museum

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<v Speaker 2>that's yet to come, so we're just getting started. We

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<v Speaker 2>have programs that have been yet to be developed that

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<v Speaker 2>will be on our campus. We have a terrific weekend

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<v Speaker 2>coming up with programming and lectures and music and dance

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<v Speaker 2>and balloons and bubble for the kids. It's going to

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<v Speaker 2>be a great time and we just have to duplicate

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<v Speaker 2>that throughout the year.

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<v Speaker 1>I do have to ask you, Valerie, just about the

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<v Speaker 1>political climate and the security measures that may need to

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<v Speaker 1>be in place. Obviously, Obama's legacy has been criticized by

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of folks for let's just say a variety

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<v Speaker 1>of reasons. There have been a lot of threats directed

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<v Speaker 1>towards his family, towards his legacy, and some questions as

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<v Speaker 1>to whether such an expansive monument to his presidency might

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<v Speaker 1>become a target for those who may be weren't necessarily

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<v Speaker 1>happy with what he brought to this country. How do

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<v Speaker 1>you assure that not only the people coming to visit

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<v Speaker 1>there are going to be safe, but everything that you've

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<v Speaker 1>built will remain intact as intended.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, I want to just say, this is not a

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<v Speaker 2>monument to President Obama. It's really a testament to all

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<v Speaker 2>of the people who work so hard to create the

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<v Speaker 2>legacy that he's had so far, and who are going

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<v Speaker 2>to be a part the legacy going forward, reflected.

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<v Speaker 3>In all these change makers who were going to help.

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<v Speaker 2>Our first objective is to ensure everyone is say that

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<v Speaker 2>is our first priority, and you can imagine that we're

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<v Speaker 2>going to do everything that we can to make sure

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<v Speaker 2>that we do keep.

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<v Speaker 1>People And last question, valor, just so we don't end

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<v Speaker 1>on a down note like that. I am curious. I've

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<v Speaker 1>gotten a look at a lot of the exhibits in there,

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<v Speaker 1>and I am curious you were basically Obama's longest serving advisor,

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<v Speaker 1>continuous serving advisor. I am curious from your time over

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<v Speaker 1>those eight years in the White House specifically, what is

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<v Speaker 1>kind of that one moment that really stands out that

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<v Speaker 1>I guess you look back on and makes you feel

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<v Speaker 1>like those eight years for you was worth it.

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<v Speaker 3>I'll give you one.

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<v Speaker 2>It was the night that the Affordable Care Act passed

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<v Speaker 2>and President Obama asked everyone who had worked on it

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<v Speaker 2>to come back to the White House and eat together

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<v Speaker 2>from the vote, and we gathered in the Roosevelt Room,

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<v Speaker 2>and then he invited everybody up to the residence and

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<v Speaker 2>spilling out on the Truman balcony. And at the end

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<v Speaker 2>of the evening, in the wee hours, I walked up

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<v Speaker 2>to President Obama and it was a really warm spring evening,

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<v Speaker 2>and I asked him how he felt that night compared

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<v Speaker 2>to Grant Park, which the night of his election, where

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<v Speaker 2>again unseasonably warm, and a million people were gathering together

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<v Speaker 2>in Grant Park so enthusiastic about his presidency. And he

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<v Speaker 2>said to me, Valerie, there's no comparison. Election night was

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<v Speaker 2>simply the means to get to this night where we

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<v Speaker 2>could do something so profoundly meaningful, The American people