Ellen DeGeneres has farewelled Barack Obama with a touching tribute on Thursday, paying particular attention to his work on marriage equality.
The talk show host said Obama's dedication to legalising same-sex marriage – an issue on which he shifted during his time as president, after only supporting same-sex civil unions when he originally ran for office in 2008 – had altered her life.
"I want to personally thank him for changing my life," DeGeneres said. "I am a legally married woman because of him, and so is my wife."
DeGeneres married Australian actress Portia De Rossi in August 2008, when same-sex marriage was legalised in the state of California. When Proposition 8 threatened to redefine marriage in the state as between a man and a woman, DeGeneres was one of many celebrity opponents of the amendment, which Obama also opposed.
She continued by thanking the outgoing president for his pursuit of equal rights.
"His courage and compassion created equality for everyone. He moved us forward and made more happen in the past eight years than I ever dreamed possible. I love him. I love Michelle."
Over their eight years in office, Barack and Michelle Obama made multiple appearances on The Ellen Show.
Barack first appeared on the show in 2007, before he was elected president. He appeared on the show last year to meet (and quiz) a kindergarten presidential history expert.
Michelle made more appearances than her husband, often taking the opportunity to promote her healthy living initiatives. Over her years as First Lady, she challenged DeGeneres to a push-up competition and performed a choreographed dance routine to Uptown Funk.
In November last year, the US president honoured DeGeneres with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honour a US civilian can receive. The medals are awarded in recognition of extraordinary contributions to world peace, culture, or other national interests.
"It's easy to forget now just how much courage was required for Ellen to come out on the most public of stages 20 years ago," Obama said after presenting her with the award, adding that her dedication to LGBT issues helped "push [their] country in the direction of justice".
