Presidents Saying Farewell: The Long Goodbye

07:22

January 10, 2017

Alex Ashlock

President Dwight D. Eisenhower is shown during his farewell television address to the nation made from the White House in Washington, Jan. 18, 1961. (Bill Allen/AP)

When President Barack Obama delivers his farewell address Tuesday night in Chicago, he'll be following a tradition that dates back to the country's first president, George Washington.

Presidents use these speeches to mark their accomplishments, their hopes for the country and to urge support for their successors. Here & Now's Alex Ashlock looks at the history of these farewell addresses.

Past Presidents' Farewell Addresses

Harry Truman

Dwight Eisenhower

Richard Nixon

Ronald Reagan

Bill Clinton

George W. Bush

This segment aired on January 10, 2017.