President Barack Obama puts on a gift jacket presented to him by graduates of the Lake Area Technical Institute, after delivering the commencement address to the 2015 graduating class of Lake Area Technical Institute, in Watertown, South Dakota, May 8, 2015. (AP Photo)
This past Friday, after flying to South Dakota to deliver a commencement speech, Barack Obama accomplished something that only three other U.S. presidents have managed before him — he set foot in all 50 U.S. states.
“I have now been to all 50 states as president and I was saving the best for last,” he said to the crowd at Lake Area Technical Institute. “To the other 49, I hope you take no offense.”
Other presidents who hit the 50-state mark were Richard Nixon, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
While some people in South Dakota wore “Saved the Best for Last” t-shirts ahead of the presidential visit, the commander in chief might have had his own reasons for not rushing over. South Dakota is a Republican-leaning state which voted against him in the last two presidential elections.
When announcing his final stop last month, Obama told a local television station KSFY-TV, “I can’t let my South Dakota friends feel neglected.”
In his quest to visit all 50 states, the president spent the last year visiting some red states he lost by big margins both in 2008 and 2012. This past January, he visited Idaho, which he lost 65 percent to 33 percent during the 2012 election.
“I got whupped twice,” he said while visiting Boise State University, according to CBS News. “I got whupped twice. But that’s okay, I’ve got no hard feelings.”
Pete Souza, the chief official White House photographer, tagged along on each of these visits and put together a pictorial of the president’s journey to (almost) every corner of the country he leads.
Here are a few examples:
Arizona
Arizona, Aug. 16, 2009. Viewing the Grand Canyon. (Official White House photo by Pete Souza)
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California
California, July 23, 2014. Viewing the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Connecticut
Connecticut, Dec. 16, 2012. Making last-minute edits to his speech in Newtown, before a vigil for those killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
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Georgia
Georgia, May 19, 2013. Graduates cheering the President during a heavy downpour at Morehouse College in Atlanta. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Idaho
Idaho, Jan. 21, 2015. Posing for a photo with kids at Boise Airport. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
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Michigan
Michigan, April 18, 2012. Sitting on the famed Rosa Parks bus at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
New Hampshire
New Hampshire, Sept. 7, 2012. Joking with the Vice President Joe Biden before a campaign rally in Portsmouth. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
North Carolina
North Carolina, Oct. 17, 2011. Listening to the President’s remarks in Millers Creek. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
North Dakota
North Dakota, June 13, 2014. Greeting a young boy during a Flag Day celebration at the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Reservation in Cannon Ball. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
South Dakota
South Dakota, May 8, 2015. The President shows off a note given to him by Rebecca Kelley who had written him a letter asking him to visit South Dakota. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Texas
Texas, Aug. 9, 2010. Trying on a pair of cowboy boots at the University of Texas in Austin. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Wisconsin
Wisconsin, Sept. 28, 2010. Cheering with the La Follette Lancers football team during their practice in Madison. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
To see the complete pictorial of President Obama’s visits to all 50 states, click here.
I understand President Obama “set foot in all 50 states.” Does anyone know whether he found one that will have him?
You forgot that he won the electoral and popular votes, by decent margin, twice. So what do you mean will they have him?
Great point Allforms….
Virginia The Greed state
Wow, you really zinged the President of the United States, right there!
He’s wounded now!
I take it your kids are still on your insurance and you paid the lowest increase in premiums in 50 years, and the jobs have come back, even to your red state paradise with all the teen births because of your “abstinence only!” curriculum? Shall I go on?
This website is seen worldwide, do you really want billions of people to know how stupid you are?
Well, presumably you are extremely intelligent…by applying the rules of logic you may conclude that finding a states that wants him will not be a problem…specially, in the USA the Majority rules and the fact that the people had other choices but decided to select him twice to run the country….
beautiful pictures with a excellent picks, thanks President Obama for being the 2nd best President ever…. and I keep you in pray daily..
may God bless you and the first family!
2nd best – HAHAHAH LOL 🙂 thanks Essie, I really needed that good belly laugh. I mean it I really did. I don’t think I have laughed that hard and that loud while sitting at my desk at work in years. Oh my – thanks again.
WELL DONE DUTY !
How can that be? Earlier in his presidency he claimed that there were 57 states,…….he has a few to go!!!!!!!
WOW! What a legacy
First of all, how about telling us, what this IDIOT achieved these past 6 years first? If you can come up with more than dividing the country, hate for White Cops, Black Unemployment rate the Highest Ever, Turmoil in the Mid -EAST then ask me.
blue you need help,don’t hate..
Well, let’s see. Auto industry saved. Osama Bin Laden dead. Stock market tripled. Medical insurance provided to 16 million Americans and counting. Wall street on solid footing. Corporate profits at highest level ever. Private sector employment at highest level in 50 years. More jobs created under his Presidency. Our debt falling at a fastest rate in years. Unemployment rate fell fastest from 2008 levels. We as a country are far better off than we were in January 2009 when he took office. Etc etc etc. Only a blind or hater doesn’t see that. But your response will be he had nothing to do with any of the above, because of course George W. Bush fired the shots that liberated Iraq. Reagan fired the shots in Grenada. The credit everyone gives Reagan for the economy back in the 1980s of course should not apply to Obama…why should it? He is just different from every other President….I wonder what makes him different?
Hey George, I give you credit for trying to explain the obvious for people like Joey who are blinded by their hatred for Obama. I remember clearly the economy losing an average of 600,000 jobs per MONTH in the few months leading to his election, and the DOW barely at 6000; and within 8 years, the DOW is at 18,000 and 20 plus consecutive months of job growth, and yet, the genius wants someone to explain what Obama has done. Hey Joey, the accomplishments are all in front of you, slightly move your blinders to the side, along with your partisan views, and hatred and you’ll see it.
George, What have you been smoking? most of your facts are false
@ George,
Let’s look at some of your points:
Auto industry – obuma had not part in that
OBL – What part of that do you think obuma had? All he did was say yes to a military operation.
Stock market – Ever hear of QE? It is being artificially pumped up. Not a good thing.
Medical insurance – Come on, man! Rates are going thru the roof. Deductibles are skyrocketing. The people that signed up are not paying. This disaster could be worse than Clinton’s failed housing policies.
Unemployment – More people are unemployed than ever.
More jobs – Part time jobs.
Deficit – You kidding me? This fool tripled the debt over all other Presidents combined.
What is different about obuma? He hates America and is trying to bring this country down. That is the reason, not your veiled attempt to use the race card.
What school and what grade did you stop that you cannot spell his name?
George, excellent response!! Thank you for your response.
One thing that I am hoping that you will achieve before you leave this earth is – the respect for the office of the President. Just by your tone, I can tell you don’t have respect for your parents, the law, federal officials, or for yourself. Please follow Jesus’s only commandment – “That you love one another.”
Response to Joey: One major accomplishment of President Obama upon entering the Oval Office was to save the world economy from complete collapse. Companies payrolls, credit lines, millions of jobs were being lost daily, worldwide. And, if one remembers, the prior 74th U.S., Secretary of Treasury, Henry ‘Hank’ Paulson submitted a one or two page letter to President G.W. Bush and Congress explaining dire economic worldwide consequences. In the letter he pleaded for billions of dollars to temporarily sustain the system. And, he requested immunity from all legal consequences. It took someone like President Obamas’ calm, intelligent and steady leadership to prevent all the lights from going out worldwide. Do your HOMEWORK, sir!
The issue of racism being more pronounced during the Presidency of Obama was and is unavoidable. It is a subject along with its’ bi-products; that at this time should be brought to the surface, discussed and remedy to somehow once and for all to hopefully move further past likes, dislikes, and indifferences of a person, people and races. We as the various races were put here on Mother Earth to help bring Balance, thus, to enjoy Mother Earth. Balance is overdue throughout society and the Earth.
It is easy to call another person Fool. In this case I wonder who is the fool. Is it the person you are call fool or are you not STUPID by your comments regarding the pictures. Only history will, record his achievements as president not morons like you who are consumed by hate.
Barack thank you!
Love the shot ofJoe Binden and the President. I wonder what the joke was about?
Saved the best for last ??? They must have a pretty good Golf Course there !! That’s about all he has a real concern about…
Sure it’s not 57 states?
Since we’re coping other presidents why not also do what Bill Clinton did-FIX the economy
Obama will likely be considered in the mid range of Presidents in history. He brought us back from the brink of depression, got us out of Iraq and made us more secure against the Al-Quada threat, and the ACA is a start to bring us our of an unsustainable Healthcare system. He was not able to work with the Republicans, partially because of the radicalization of them (Tea Party) and his own reluctance to do the smoozing and wheeling and dealing it requires.
According to Obama, only 7 more to go.
He fulfill 90 % his Duty for The USA and I thank him a deal for that.
NO WAY! ALL 50 states? What a guy! Why not make it to all 57 states… Now THAT would be something!
All those blindfolded about the presidents achievements should talk to those who lost loved veterans and you had one serving you would have felt the pain they did, thank Barack for stopping your grief !!!!!
Thank you Mr. President for your sensible approach to your job and the positive effects it has had on our countries in the Caribbean.
Even Jesus Christ who was unblemished was crucified. Don’t mind the crucification of your name, your good work and humble personality. Without those negative judgments, this life would be boring! You are a product of yourself!
he is ever get elementary school in Indonesia, we very proud of him