Jesse Lee (NARA)

With that, signing off. Post-20th I’ll be at @JesseCharlesLee, where I'll tell all the secrets. It's been the deepest honor I could imagine

On Transitions: …Part of progress is taking your turn to defend it.

On Transitions: Pride in democracy still recognizes that it’s turbulent, chancy, littered with boasts of “permanent majorities”…

On Democracy: …We should all remind ourselves to feel that pride in our democracy more often, defend tenaciously, don’t take for granted.

On Democracy: Some conservative small towns were elated for days around Obama visits, in part bc the President is a symbol of our democracy…

Expanding Overtime pay: GOP finds reason to oppose anything that raises wages at expense of profits. Americans deserve clarity on this.

Commutations: War on drugs was a 3rd rail in ‘08. Obama methodical on sentencing disparities, commutations, took a lot of electricity out.

Cuba: Both foreign & domestic policy have to be evaluated on results, not just theory or ideology – and the American people get that.

Global climate agreement: American leadership is alive & well, and is not to be measured simply by the number of wars it engages in.

Iran nuclear agreement: Still lot of forces in GOP & media predisposed to military option even after Iraq. Vast majority of Dems not though.

Net Neutrality: A handful of bloggers & groups pushed it from obscurity to a big win. Lesson in what’s possible w/ sustained effort.

Fair Pay/Paid Leave EOs: 1st steps, palpable elation. Not flashiest issues, but can’t be forgotten. Real change, real ppl cc @nitalovesmiles

Ending Bush tax cuts for wealthy: A core Dem goal that was achieved & quickly moved past. A good thing: progressives should keep progressing

Marriage Equality: Sometimes America just awakens & conquers a prejudice. With right leadership, we find our way across the chasm together.

Auto Industry: Govt can provide faith in Americans when others have given up, but also spur reform. Unpopular decisions can see redemption.

CFPB: Power of an idea, seeing a need & filling a gap. Was thought hopeless in face of Wall St opposition, Obama & Warren busted through.

DADT: Hitting an inflection point often requires the impatience of activism & patience of leadership; out of tension can spring epic change.

Passing ACA: For all the disdain of “Washington” & Congress, when once-in-lifetime chance came to do right, Democrats took it despite risk.

Recovery Act: Averted depression, millions of jobs, near-0 fraud. But famous for nit-picked NIH studies. Need focus on forest, not weeds.

After 8 years here, 6 days left on the job, this account (oldest continuous WH Twitter account?) gets retired today. Some lessons learned…