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'It takes great courage to champion the vulnerable and the sick and the infirm.'

By Edward-Isaac Dovere

05/07/17 09:33 PM EDT

Updated 05/07/17 10:40 PM EDT

BOSTON Barack Obama on Sunday night called on members of Congress to exercise the political courage to not repeal Obamacare his first public comments about the law since the House voted to repeal it on Thursday, and a rare entry into the current political debate since leaving office.

I hope they understand that courage means not simply doing whats politically expedient, but doing what, deep in our hearts, we know is right, Obama said, in a speech here at the John F. Kennedy Library accepting the Profiles in Courage award in honor of what would have been Kennedys 100th birthday.

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I expect to be busy, if not with a second career, at least a second act, Obama said, promising more involvement.

Citing those who lost their seats after voting for the healthcare law in 2010, Obama described his fervent hope that current members recognize it takes little courage to aid those who are already powerful, already comfortable, already influential but it takes some courage to champion the vulnerable and the sick and the infirm, those who often have no access to the corridors of power.

The contrast of an Obama celebration days after the House vote on his signature law and President Donald Trumps repeated assertions that its dead, was on the minds of many in the room.

Its ironic, isnt it? said former interim Massachusetts Sen. Mo Cowan on his way into the event earlier in the evening.

I think it is altogether fitting that were here this evening, said Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.). Barack Obama was able to pass the Affordable Care Act, a continuation of the vision of President Kennedy and Ted Kennedy. Today, Donald Trump is trying to destroy that vision.

Some of that seemed to be on the mind of Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake, the lone Republican member of Congress who joined the library for the event (he's on the award committee), held in a white-and-gold draped tent behind the library building. A moderate who had a good relationship with Obama in the White House and is now one of Democrats top two Senate targets for next year, Flake said he wants to start the Obamacare conversation from scratch.

"I wouldn't expect the House bill to come through intact, he said, also repeating that he opposes Trumps border wall. We'll see. It'll be a long process."

Flake said hes been happy to see Obamas overall approach since the morning after the election to move toward unifying the country. Asked if he feels Trump has been unifying, Flake said, at times. At times, not so much.

Obama avoided any explicit comments about Trump, though he also made a passing mention of immigration reform, praising Dreamers, as the children brought undocumented by their parents to America whom he protected from deportation via executive orders while in office, who push down their fears to keep working and striving in the only country theyve ever called home."

And lamenting politics filled with division and discord, Obama said, everywhere, we see the risk of falling into the refuge of tribe and, and anger at those who don't look like us or have the same surnames, or pray like we do.

Obama has been edging slowly back into public after going dark for the first few months after leaving office. He made his first appearance, at a discussion with young leaders at the University of Chicago two weeks ago, and has since started doing paid speeches. Sunday was his first major speech as a former president, and he will now depart for an event at the Milan food summit with his friend and former White House chef Sam Kass and several other private events. He last week publicly endorsed French presidential winner Emmanuel Macron, and will travel to Berlin at the end of the month for an event with his friend and soul sister German Chancellor Angela Merkel, facing her own election campaign in the fall.

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Like many Democrats, Obama found his own understanding of American politics challenged by Trumps election, and continues to oppose the path that the new president is taking, demanding to see it as a hiccup rather than a new reality. He delivered the political but non-partisan call to action that hes trying to thread, tying that to the spirit of Kennedy, calling the current environment a turning point in world history that demands the courage that the award is meant to recognize.

At such moments, we need courage to stand up to hate not just in others, but in ourselves, Obama said. At such moments, we need courage to believe that together, we can tackle big challenges like inequality and climate change.

As he did at the Chicago event, Obama spoke about the need for more people to get involved in their communities and in politics, with a particular emphasis on young people.

The Kennedy family was happy to hear that message.

One of the heartbreaking parts of our current political dynamic at the moment is that so many young people feel that politics isnt a constructive path to address those concerns, said Rep. Joe Kennedy III. Yet many of those same young people looked at President Obama as somebody who inspired them and was willing to take on those challenges and was energized by them.

As for Obamas own record, historian David McCullough said, Well have to wait 50 years for the dust to settle. It really takes a great deal to chip away at a mountain I think he built quite a mountain over time, Cowan said.

The event was largely an Obama celebration, complete with James Taylor mini-concert Its frankly a relief to be with Obama and not thinking about Trump, the musician said as he kicked off a set that ended with a rendition of the French national anthem in honor of Macrons win.

David Letterman, in blue-tinted glasses and the raggedy mass of a beard hes grown since retiring from his late night show, said of the award, Obama should get it every year.

Despite his own dismay at Trump, Letterman said he didnt need to hear Obama talk about the new president, but did want to hear Obama talk about inspiring a new generation to get involved.

If you dont have people doing this, Letterman said, itll turn into a dictatorship.

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