President Obama calls on voters to 'reject fear' and 'choose hope'

President Obama, speaking at a massive rally for Hillary Clinton Monday night in front of Philadelphia's Independence Hall, said he's always bet on Americans to do the right thing, and on Election Day, he's certain they will "reject fear" and instead "choose hope."

Obama said the United States cannot elect Donald Trump, who he argued has "utter contempt for the values that make our nation great." Anyone who "sees women as objects, minorities and immigrants as inferior, other faiths as presumably un-American, cannot lead this diverse, dynamic, big-hearted country that we love," he said. That's enough to get people out to vote on Tuesday, but it's more than just going out to vote against Trump, the president added: "You have somebody extraordinary to vote for in Hillary Clinton."

Throughout the campaign, Obama said he has had to "bite my tongue" due to the "nonsense people have said about Hillary Clinton." She's been subject to "vicious crazy attacks" and a "double standard" like "nothing we've ever seen before," he said, and "what makes it worse is most of the people saying this stuff, they don't really believe it, they know better." He reminded the crowd that while Clinton was a senator and secretary of state, "she was really popular, people saw how effective she was, how she crossed party lines."

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Obama ran on hope and change, and he let the crowd know he is still a believer and "as optimistic as ever about our future, and that's because of you, the American people." In 2008, "you bet on me... and I will always be grateful for the privilege you gave me to serve. But I'll be honest with you, I've always had the better odds because I've always bet on you." He's betting on most parents refusing to "cast their votes for someone who denigrates their daughters from the highest office in the land" and someone who "considers minorities and immigrants and people with disabilities as inferior." The time to reject the "politics of resentment and the politics of blame" is now, he added, and by rejecting fear and choosing hope, "I'm betting the wisdom and decency and generosity of the American people will once again win the day, and that is a bet that I have never ever lost." Catherine Garcia