Remarks by the President at Presentation of the Commander-in-Chief Trophy to the Air Force Academy

Rose Garden

***The spelling of Cadet Reggie Rembert’s name has been corrected below.

1:46 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Well, everybody, please be seated.  Welcome to the White House, and congratulations on winning the Commander-in-Chief trophy.  (Applause.)

For the first time in eight long years, this trophy is going back to Colorado Springs.  Today we’re honored to be joined by the Superintendent of the Air Force Academy, Lieutenant General Michael Gould, and the Air Force Chief of Staff, General Norton Schwartz.  Thank you both for being here.  Very much appreciate it.  (Applause.)

Most of all, though, I want to congratulate the cadets who are standing behind me.  Until this year, no one on this team knew what it felt like to beat Army, to beat Navy, to visit the White House, and to earn football bragging rights over the other branches.  Now you know the feeling.  (Applause.)  They also know what it feels like not just to be a good service academy team, but to be a good team, period.  Put up 350 rushing yards against Oklahoma.  Finished 9-4 after what Coach Calhoun called the toughest schedule a service academy ever played.  And to cap it all off, to win in a bowl game against Georgia Tech.  (Applause.)  That’s impressive.  Georgia Tech has three times as many students.

Of course, I hear the victory that was sweetest of all was finally beating that Navy team.  I’m told that as soon as the final whistle blew, the loudspeakers started blasting Etta James singing “At Last.”  (Laughter.)  The entire cadet wing -– usually some of the most disciplined young men and women you’ll ever see -– just rushed the field and sang the alma mater with the team.

So this is a group that has a lot to be proud of.  But, obviously, the most impressive thing about these young men, the thing that sets them apart, is that being a football player isn’t what defines them.  They’re airmen first.  And more important than any bowl game or trophy is the commitment that they’ve made to serve this country.

That’s why last summer, when almost every other Division I team was working out and running through drills together, these players were scattered around the world learning the skills they needed long after they take off their jerseys and hang up their helmets.

Quarterback Tim Jefferson was at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware learning about C-17s.  Tight end Josh Freeman was stationed in Japan.  Cornerback Reggie Rembert was getting up every morning at 3 a.m. to take summer classes, command a squadron of 127 freshman cadets, and spend whatever time he had left organizing 7-on-7 practices for players that were still in town.

And sometimes being away from their teammates meant that players had to come up with some creative ways to get in shape.  Quarterbacks had to find people to throw to.  Receivers had to find people to throw to them.  The conditions weren’t always ideal.  But as Coach Calhoun, a former Falcon himself, said, “The good ones will find a way.”

This team found a way.  And now that the season is over, these seniors will have to adjust to a very different life as they become part of the finest military that the world has ever known.  It won’t always be easy.  I’ve heard linemen like Tyler Schonsheck had to drop 40 or 50 pounds in order to fit in an ejection seat for pilot training this summer.  Where is this guy?  (Laughter.)  That’s a big guy.

But cadets know that what’s expected of them is to do whatever it takes.  And I know that the camaraderie, the work ethic, the brotherhood that all of you have built as part of this team will serve you well as you defend freedom around the world.  As President, I have no greater honor, no greater responsibility, than serving as your Commander in-Chief.  And as all of you begin your service to our nation, I want you to know that we are going to do everything in our power to help you succeed and help you come home safe.  You all make us incredibly proud.

So, again, congratulations and God bless you.  (Applause.)

COACH CALHOUN:  Thank you, again, Mr. President, for everybody in attendance today.  And, you know, undoubtedly these are absolutely remarkable young people.  And with the accolades the President covered there on the field -- quite, quite impressive.

And yet their greatest achievements, their greatest deeds, their greatest quality of work will begin 37 days from now when these young men graduate from the United States Air Force Academy and have an opportunity to be a part of the finest team there is -- and that is to lead, to be an officer for the United States of America.

And, Mr. President, at this time we have a couple of young men that want to share a couple of gifts with you, sir.  So first of all, Mr. Jared Tew, our starting fullback.  (Laughter and applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  That's it.

CADET TEW:  Mr. President, we’d like to present you with an official Air Force football with your name on it, and the scores of both the Army and Navy game.

THE PRESIDENT:  There you go.  (Laughter and applause.)

CADET REMBERT:  Also, sir, we’d like to present you with an official Obama jersey.  We were going to go with number one because there’s no number one on the Air Force Falcon football team because there’s only one “one” in our hearts and that's the Air Force One.  Also we were going to go with 44, but Navy did that last year, so we don't -- we didn't want to go with that.  (Laughter.)  So we wanted to be a little bit more personal, so we gave President -- Mr. President, we gave him number 23 because he’s actually worn this and played a sport in this number.

THE PRESIDENT:  My old number -- before Michael Jordan, by the way.  (Laughter and applause.)

CADET REMBERT:  Yes, sir.  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you very much, everybody.  Enjoy this wonderful day.  Thank you.

END
1:52 P.M. EDT

Weekly Address: “We Can Live Within Our Means and Live Up to the Values We Share as Americans”

WASHINGTON – In his weekly address, President Obama said that to restore fiscal responsibility, we all need to share in the sacrifice – but we don’t have to sacrifice the America we believe in. Earlier this week, the President proposed a balanced approach to cut the deficit, which matches the $4 trillion in deficit reduction put forward by House Republicans’ plan.  The President’s proposal does this by combing the entire budget for savings and asking everyone to do their part.  The Republican plan, though, would end Medicare as we know it and make drastic cuts to education, infrastructure and clean energy, while giving away $1 trillion in tax breaks to the wealthiest two percent.
 
The audio of the address is and video of the address will be available online at www.whitehouse.gov at 6:00 a.m. ET, Saturday, April 16, 2011.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
As Prepared for Delivery
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Washington, DC

This week, I laid out my plan for our fiscal future.  It’s a balanced plan that reduces spending and brings down the deficit, putting America back on track toward paying down our debt.
 
We know why this challenge is so critical.  If we don’t act, a rising tide of borrowing will damage our economy, costing us jobs and risking our future prosperity by sticking our children with the bill.
 
At the same time, we have to take a balanced approach to reducing our deficit – an approach that protects the middle class, our commitments to seniors, and job-creating investments in things like education and clean energy.  What’s required is an approach that draws support from both parties, and one that’s based on the values of shared responsibility and shared prosperity.
 
Now, one plan put forward by some Republicans in the House of Representatives aims to reduce our deficit by $4 trillion over the next ten years.  But while I think their goal is worthy, I believe their vision is wrong for America.  
 
It’s a vision that says at a time when other nations are hustling to out-compete us for the jobs and businesses of tomorrow, we have to make drastic cuts in education, infrastructure, and clean energy – the very investments we need to win that competition and get those jobs.
 
It’s a vision that says that in order to reduce the deficit, we have to end Medicare as we know it, and make cuts to Medicaid that would leave millions of seniors, poor children, and Americans with disabilities without the care they need.  
 
But even as this plan proposes these drastic cuts, it would also give $1 trillion in tax breaks to the wealthiest 2% of Americans – an extra $200,000 for every millionaire and billionaire in the country.   
 
I don’t think that’s right.  I don’t think it’s right to ask seniors to pay thousands more for health care, or ask students to postpone college, just so we don’t have to ask those who have prospered so much in this land of opportunity to give back a little more.
 
To restore fiscal responsibility, we all need to share in the sacrifice – but we don’t have to sacrifice the America we believe in.
 
That’s why I’ve proposed a balanced approach that matches that $4 trillion in deficit reduction.  It’s an approach that combs the entire budget for savings, and asks everyone to do their part.  And I’ve called on Democrats and Republicans to join me in this effort – to put aside their differences to help America meet this challenge.  That’s how we’ve balanced our budget before, and it’s how we’ll succeed again.
 
We’ll build on the savings we made from last week’s bipartisan budget agreement, while protecting the job-creating investments that are critical to our future.
 
We’ll find additional savings in our defense budget.  Over the last two years, the Secretary of Defense has taken on wasteful spending that does nothing to protect our troops or our nation, saving $400 billion in current and future spending.  I believe we can do that again.   
 
We’ll reduce health care spending, and strengthen Medicare and Medicaid through common-sense reforms that will get rid of wasteful subsidies and increase efficiency.
 
We’ll reduce spending in our tax code with tax reform that’s fair and simple – so that the amount of taxes you pay doesn’t depend on how clever an accountant you can afford.  And we should end the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, too.  Because people like me don’t need another tax cut.
 
So that’s my approach to reduce the deficit by $4 trillion over the next 12 years while protecting the middle class, keeping our promise to seniors, and securing our investments in our future.  I hope you’ll check it out for yourself on WhiteHouse.gov.  And while you’re there, you can also find what we’re calling the taxpayer receipt.  For the first time ever, there’s a way for you to see exactly how and where your tax dollars are spent, and what’s really at stake in this debate.
 
Going forward, Democrats and Republicans in Washington will have our differences, some of them strong.  But you expect us to bridge those differences.  You expect us to work together and get this done.  And I believe we can.  I believe we can live within our means and live up to the values we share as Americans.  And in the weeks to come, I’ll work with anyone who’s willing to get it done.
 
Thanks for listening.  Have a great weekend.