Political Quotes

Barack Obama: “The question isn't going to be, are you better off than you were four years ago, the question is are you better off than…”

On the recordOctober 19, 2008
The question isn't going to be, are you better off than you were four years ago, the question is are you better off than you were four weeks ago.
Said by
Barack Obama
Democratic · Illinois

Editor's note · Context

Obama shifts the focus of the election to recent economic conditions.

Share

More from Barack Obama

Oct 15, 2026

If I had a blame pie for why politics is so polarised and why we're seeing a rise of populism in many places, it's because of that information that is going into our brains every day.

bbc.co.uk
Oct 9, 2026

Looking forward to being in Detroit on 10/24 to campaign for Jocelyn Benson, Abdul El-Sayed and Democrats up and down the ballot in Michigan.

foxnews.com
Oct 18, 2026

When we choose, when we make that decision, I do believe – and there is evidence for this – that the world gets incrementally better, and that is a worthy goal and it’s worth fighting for.

heraldscotland.com
Oct 15, 2026

I think when we act on that basis, it doesn't always work out, but over time things do get better.

bbc.co.uk

Other voices in this conversation