Former President Barack Obama, joined by three former presidents, celebrated the opening of his presidential museum in Chicago in an extraordinary event Thursday that brought together politicians, A-list celebrities, athletes and other internationally known figures.

Obama’s Remarks

Obama voiced his support for character, honesty, integrity, kindness, compassion and sense of duty, praising both Democrats and Republicans, including those he defeated. “Every president here today, as different as we are, has tried our best to uphold values that John McCain and Mitt Romney believed in no less than I did,” Obama said.

Reflecting on his arrival in Chicago in 1985 as an untested political organizer, Obama said he could not have built the center anywhere else. He met his future wife Michelle nearby, their wedding reception was within walking distance, his children were born in the neighborhood and he launched his first candidacy not far away.

Michelle Obama’s Remarks

Michelle Obama spoke directly to her husband when she stepped up to the podium. “Eight years in the crucible and not once did you melt in the heat. Not once did you let it harden you. Instead, you used it to reveal your truest essence,” she said.

Michelle Obama also referenced the current “anxious and divisive times” and warned against being cynical or complacent as “everything feels so upside down.” She pitched the center as “a respite from all that.”

Entertainment

The event featured performances by Bono, John Legend, Christina Aguilera, Marc Anthony and Eddie Vedder, among others. Jennifer Hudson sang the national anthem and Aguilera delivered a rousing rendition of “What a Wonderful World.”

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.