Washington – Obama Says He Won’t Fade Away In Final Year

Washington – Closing out a tumultuous year, President Barack Obama sought to lay the groundwork Friday for his last year in office by vowing not to fade in the background but instead use his remaining months to push longstanding goals to fruition.

“In 2016, I’m going to leave it all out on the field,” he said.

In his annual year-end news conference, Obama portrayed 2015 as one of significant progress for his agenda, pointing to diplomacy with Iran and Cuba and an Asia-Pacific trade agreement as big wins for his administration. He also praised a Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay marriage and a congressional rewrite of the No Child Left Behind law as further victories for causes he’s made central to his presidency.

Still, he said, he plans to do much more in 2016.

“We have shown what is possible when America leads,” the president said.