President Obama is typically a cool customer. But his emotion got the better of him the morning after his re-election victory as he thanked his campaign staff, and the tears starting flowing.
“What you guys have done means that the work that I'm doing is important, and I'm really proud of that,†he said, tears streaming down both cheeks. “I'm really proud of all of you.â€
The room broke out in applause, forcing Mr. Obama to pause for a few moments. The scene was captured on video by the campaign and posted online. It has now been viewed almost 1.5 million times.
During four years in office, Mr. Obama has rarely shown himself to be an emotional person. His demeanor - even during tough, emotional times - is to remain in control, somber and resolute. It's a far cry from his chief adversary in Congress, the House speaker Jo hn A. Boehner, who is known for frequently crying during emotional interviews or speeches.
Perhaps, then, are Mr. Obama's tears a sign of a new opportunity for bipartisan cooperation?
Follow Michael D. Shear on Twitter at @shearm.
