Journalism of Courage
Although there are just a few days left for the swearing in of the 45th President of the United States, the harsh truth that the 'people's president' Barack Obama is going to step down, is slowly sinking in. Although, Obama was at the helm for eight years, surely, we still haven't had enough of him. He was not just a man who meant business, but was equally fun-loving. Without a doubt, rarely must have we loved seeing a leader at his candid best, be it with his own family, with staff, with elders and even with kids! Thanks to the Chief White House photographer Pete Souza, who has been presenting his annual year in photographs all these years, has put them up for the "eighth and final time". He has called it an "honour of a lifetime" to have got to witness history, so up and close, these eight years. Click through to see 15 of our favourite pictures of President Obama that Souza captured brilliantly throughout 2016.
This picture was taken on November 10, 2016. Six-year-old Alex from New York had written a letter to President Obama after seeing a heart-breaking photograph of Syrian refugee Omran Daqneesh sitting silently in an ambulance, covered in blood and dust, after an air strike on Aleppo. In his letter, Alex asked if he could adopt Daqneesh. Alex and his family were invited to the Oval Office so the President could tell him in person how much the letter had meant to him. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) (Source: The White House/Medium)
Taken on June 22, 2016: David Axelrod's granddaughter Maelin crawled onto the Vice President’s seat while the President continued his conversation with the adults. Then at one point, Maelin glanced over just as the President was looking back at her. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) (Source: The White House/Medium)
Taken on April 22, 2016: The President interacting with Prince George on the royal family's visit to the White House in April, 2016. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) (Source: The White House/Medium)
Taken on December 16, 2016: When the White House staff pulled off a prank on the President using snowmen decorations to freak him out. This was because Obama had earlier said how the snowmen decorations creeped him a little. “There’s a whole kind of Chucky element to them,” he joked. “They’re a little creepy.”(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) (Source: The White House/Medium)
Taken on November 10, 2016: This was taken two days after the US Presidentia elections' result, when the President met President-elect Donald Trump.(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) (Source: The White House/Medium)
Taken on November 8, 2016: The President spends time with Evelyn ‘Evie’ Cushman, daughter of Chase Cushman, Director of Scheduling and Advance, in the Oval office. He began playing and tossing a ball back and forth with her.” (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) (Source: The White House/Medium)
Taken on October 31, 2016: Before he was about to welcome children for Halloween trick-or-treating, the President met Superman Walker Earnest, son of Press Secretary Josh Earnest, in the Ground Floor Corridor of the White House. 'Flex those muscles,’ he has reportedly said to Walker. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) (Source: The White House/Medium)
Taken on October 21, 2016: Bill Murray, who was to be honored as the recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, stopped by the White House and demonstrated his prowess in putting, ‘sinking’ several putts into a White House drinking glass. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) (Source: The White House/Medium)
Taken on October 3, 2016: The White House was hosting South by South Lawn, an event based on the infamous South by Southwest event in Austin, Texas. The President was checking out the setup from a window in the Oval Office when he realised he wanted to get pictures with the LEGO® men. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) (Source: The White House/Medium)
Taken on September 12, 2016: This photo of the President with actor and human rights activist George Clooney created a lot of frenzy when it was hung on the walls of the West Wing.(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) (Source: The White House/Medium)
Taken on September 7, 2016: The President sips coconut water during his visit in Luang Prabang, Laos.(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) (Source: The White House/Medium)
Taken on September 1, 2011: President Obama, in Midway Atoll, as he pauses during his talk with a writer from National Geographic.(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) (Source: The White House/Medium)
Taken on September 5, 2016: President Obama in conversation with President Vladimir Putin of Russia after their meeting at the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, China. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) (Source: The White House/Medium)
Taken on August 24, 2016: The President watches a film on VR that was captured during his trip to Yosemite National Park earlier this summer as Personal Aide Govashiri continues working. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) (Source: The White House/Medium)
Taken on August 4, 2016: President Obama blows out candles after Vice President Joe Biden surprised him on his birthday with cupcakes.(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) (Source: The White House/Medium)
