WATCH: Obama Makes Powerful Plea To Black Leaders: ‘Everything We Stand For Is At Stake’

‘My Name May Not Be On The Ballot, But Our Progress Is On The Ballot,’ President Tells Congressional Black Caucus Dinner

Speaking at the Congressional Black Caucus dinner in Washington on Saturday night, President Barack Obama declared that “democracy is on the ballot” in the race between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. 

“If I hear anybody saying their vote does not matter, that it doesn’t matter who we elect, read up on your history. It matters,” Obama said. “If you want to give Michelle and me a good sendoff … don’t just watch us walk off into the sunset, get people registered to vote. If you care about our legacy, realize everything we stand for is at stake, all the progress we’ve made is at stake in this election. My name may not be on the ballot, but our progress is on the ballot. Tolerance is on the ballot. Democracy is on the ballot. Justice is on the ballot. Good schools are on the ballot. Ending mass incarceration, that’s on the ballot right now.”

Obama added that Clinton “will advance those things,” while the central theme of Trump’s campaign is “opposition to all that we’ve done.”

“I will consider it a personal insult, an insult to my legacy, if this community lets down its guard, and fails to activate itself in this election.” 

C-SPAN has Obama’s full speech.