Former President Barack Obama told The Gateway Center in College Park that he understands that times are difficult and things won’t change overnight, but if they vote for Democrats up and down the ballot, the state of the country will improve.

He said his wife, Michelle, can be a “glass-half-empty” person sometimes.

“I’m the ‘hope and change’ guy, I need you to be a little more optimistic,” he said. “I tell her everything will be ok, and I believe it will, but i also know that things will not be OK on their own.”

Gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, former president Barack Obama, and U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock campaign at an early voter rally in Atlanta on Oct. 28, 2022.  (Arvin Temkar / arvin.temkar@ajc.com)

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In what was the theme of the night, Obama urged Democrats not to despair and to head to the polls one more time.

“If enough of us make our voices heard, I promise you things will get better,” he said. “We will heal what ails us. We will build a democracy that is more just and more fair and more equal. Let’s go do it.”

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