The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
October 01, 2012

Presidential Proclamation -- National Arts and Humanities Month, 2012

NATIONAL ARTS AND HUMANITIES MONTH, 2012

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BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

After the bombing of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812, a young lawyer named Francis Scott Key reached for his pen and captured the resilience of the American people. His poem became our National Anthem, and almost two centuries later, it continues to speak to the American spirit just as it did on that September day so long ago. Throughout our history, the arts and humanities have given us comfort and confidence, drawn us together, and called on us to strive for a more perfect Union. This month, we celebrate our Nation's rich artistic heritage.

Artistic expression and memorable ideas can resonate with us, challenge us, and teach us important lessons about ourselves and each other. At their best, great works of literature, theater, dance, fine art, and music reflect something common in all of us. They open dialogues between cultures and raise poignant questions about our world. They are also vital components of our children's education and our national growth -- not only teaching our youth to observe closely, interpret creatively, and think critically, but also bringing new cultural experiences to our communities and helping drive economic progress. That is why my Administration is committed to strengthening arts and humanities programs in schools and communities across our Nation.

When children read their first book, pick up their first instrument, or perform in their first play, they demonstrate the power of the arts to ignite wonder and imagination. This month, let us pledge to invest in America's next generation by ensuring our children have the opportunity to participate in and enjoy the arts and humanities. If we give them the tools to create and innovate, they will do their part to disrupt our views, challenge our perceptions, and stir us to be our best selves.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 2012 as National Arts and Humanities Month. I call upon the people of the United States to join together in observing this month with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs to celebrate the arts and the humanities in America.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.

BARACK OBAMA

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
October 01, 2012

Presidential Proclamation -- National Disability Employment Awareness Month, 2012

NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH, 2012

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BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

In the 22 years since the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, we have made significant progress in giving all Americans the freedom to make of our lives what we will. Yet, in times of prosperity as well as challenge, people with disabilities have had fewer opportunities in our workplaces than those without. As we work to revitalize our economy, it is essential that each of us can bring our talents, expertise, and passion to bear in the marketplace. But a stronger economy is not enough; we must ensure not only full participation, but also full opportunity. During National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we recognize the indispensable contributions people with disabilities make in our economy and recommit to building a country where each of us can realize the full extent of our dreams.

Because America's workforce should reflect the diversity of its people -- including people with disabilities -- my Administration remains committed to helping our businesses, schools, and communities support our entire workforce. To meet this challenge, the Federal Government must be a model employer. That is why I was proud to sign an Executive Order in 2010 that called on Federal agencies to increase recruitment, hiring, and retention of people with disabilities. In 2012, the Office of Personnel Management reported on our progress, revealing that we are moving toward meeting our goal of hiring an additional 100,000 people with disabilities into the Federal workforce over 5 years. Today, more people with disabilities work for the Federal Government than at any time in the past 20 years, and we are striving to make it easier to get and keep those jobs by improving compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

All Americans are entitled to an accessible workplace, a level playing field, and the same privileges, pursuits, and opportunities as any of their family, friends, and neighbors. This month, let us rededicate ourselves to bringing down barriers and raising up aspirations for all our people, regardless of disability, so we may share in a brighter future together.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 2012 as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. I urge all Americans to embrace the talents
and skills that individuals with disabilities bring to our workplaces and communities and to promote the right to equal employment opportunity for all people.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.

BARACK OBAMA

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
October 01, 2012

Presidential Proclamation -- National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, 2012

NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH, 2012

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BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

For far too long, domestic violence was ignored or treated as a private matter where victims were left to suffer in silence without hope of intervention. As we mark the 18th anniversary of the landmark Violence Against Women Act, authored by Vice President Joe Biden, we reflect on how far we have come. We have made significant progress in changing laws and attitudes, providing support to survivors, and reducing the incidence of domestic violence. But we also know that we have not come far enough, and that there is more work left to be done. During National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we stand with all those who have been affected by this terrible crime, recognize the individuals and groups who have stepped forward to break the cycle of violence, and recommit to putting an end to domestic violence in America.

Despite considerable progress in reducing domestic violence, an average of three women in the United States lose their lives every day as a result of these unconscionable acts. And while women between the ages of 16 and 24 are among the most vulnerable to intimate partner violence, domestic violence affects people regardless of gender, age, sexual orientation, race, or religion. Tragically, without intervention, children exposed to such violence can suffer serious long-term consequences that may include difficulty in school, post-traumatic disorders, alcohol and drug abuse, and criminal behavior.

My Administration remains committed to getting victims the help they need, from emergency shelter and legal assistance to transitional housing and services for children. We are also working to stop violence before it starts. Last year, agencies across the Federal Government held town hall meetings nationwide to promote men's roles in ending violence against women. Through Vice President Biden's 1is2many initiative, we built on that progress earlier this year by releasing a public service announcement that features professional athletes and other role models speaking out against dating violence. This April, I directed leaders throughout my Administration to increase efforts to prevent and combat domestic violence involving Federal employees and address its effects on the Federal workforce. Since August, the Affordable Care Act has required most insurance plans to make domestic violence screening and counseling available as a preventive service for women -- without co-payments, deductibles, or other cost-sharing. And most recently, we developed a new initiative to reduce domestic violence homicides through high risk screening and linking victims with services. Moreover, my Administration looks forward to working with the Congress to strengthen and reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.

While government must do its part, all Americans can play a role in ending domestic violence. Each of us can promote healthy relationships, speak out when we see injustice in our communities, stand with survivors we know, and change attitudes that perpetuate the cycle of abuse. We must also ensure that survivors of domestic violence know they are not alone, and that there are resources available to them. I encourage victims, their loved ones, and concerned citizens to learn more by calling the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE, or by visiting www.TheHotline.org.

This month, let us renew our efforts to support victims of domestic violence in their time of greatest need, and to realize an America where no one lives in fear because they feel unsafe in their own home.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 2012 as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. I call on all Americans to speak out against domestic violence and support local efforts to assist victims of these crimes in finding the help and healing they need.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.

BARACK OBAMA

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
October 01, 2012

Presidential Proclamation -- Child Health Day, 2012

CHILD HEALTH DAY, 2012

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BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

As a Nation, we share an obligation to ensure the health and well-being of our children. The youth of today will shape America's tomorrow, and on Child Health Day, we rededicate ourselves to providing our next generation with access to the quality health care and clean environment that will nurture their future success.

My Administration has made the health of our Nation's children a top priority. Because of the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies can no longer deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions. The law also allows young adults to stay on their parents' health insurance plan until age 26, which has brought coverage to more than 3 million Americans. My Administration has also taken action to ensure all our children can attend schools that are safe, where we address bullying and end the myth that it is a simple rite of passage. And through First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative, we are joining with parents, schools, and community leaders to address childhood obesity.

A safe environment in which our children can live and grow is also essential to their well-being. Because clean water is the foundation for healthy communities, we are working to reduce contaminants in our drinking water by updating standards and better protecting our water sources from pollution. We are also building on the successes of the Clean Air Act to improve our air quality and help decrease harmful toxins that can lead to acute bronchitis, asthma, cancer, and impaired development.

On Child Health Day, we are reminded that by giving our children a healthy start in life, we put them and our Nation on the path to a successful future. As we mark this important occasion, let us reaffirm our commitment to meeting that most fundamental responsibility.

The Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 18, 1928, as amended (36 U.S.C. 105), has called for the designation of the first Monday in October as Child Health Day and has requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this day.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Monday, October 1, 2012, as Child Health Day. I call upon families, child health professionals, faith-based and community organizations, and all levels of government to help ensure America's children stay healthy.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.

BARACK OBAMA

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 30, 2012

Remarks by the President at a Campaign Event

Desert Pines High School
Las Vegas, Nevada

6:44 P.M. PDT
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Las Vegas!  (Applause.)  Oh, what a beautiful evening!  (Applause.)  A spectacular evening!  This is why I like coming to Vegas -- good weather and good people.  (Applause.)
 
Now, first of all, before I get started, can everybody please give Chasstiry a big round of applause for the great introduction.  (Applause.)  I want to thank Desert Pines High School -- go, Jaguars -- for hosting us.  (Applause.)  Give it up for Maná -- (applause) -- I hear they played an outstanding set earlier.  It’s good to be back with your once -- and next -- congresswoman -- Dina Titus is here.  (Applause.)  And it’s good to see my national campaign co-chair who also happens to be one of the counselors here at Desert Pines -- Loretta Harper is in the house!  (Applause.) 
 
And it's good to see all of you.  I hope you're having a good time.  (Applause.)
 
AUDIENCE:  We love you!
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I love you back.  (Applause.)   
 
Now, you may have heard that in a few days my opponent in this election and I are going to have a debate.  (Applause.)  I'm looking forward to it.  I know folks in the media are speculating already on who's going to have the best zingers. 
 
AUDIENCE MEMBER:  You are!
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I don't know about that.  Who's going to put the most points on the board. 
 
AUDIENCE:  You are!
 
THE PRESIDENT:  No, no, Governor Romney, he's a good debater.  I'm just okay.  But what I'm most concerned about is having a serious discussion about what we need to do to keep the country growing and restore security for hardworking Americans.  That's what people are going to be listening for.  That's the debate that you deserve.  Because in the coming weeks, you're going to have a big choice to make, Nevada.  And it’s not just a choice between two candidates or two political parties.  It’s a choice between two different paths for this country.  It's a choice between two fundamentally different visions for our nation. 
 
See, I believe that as a nation, we're moving forward again. We’re not where we need to be yet.  We’ve got a lot more work to do here in Nevada and all across the country to make the middle class secure again, to give ladders of opportunity for folks who are fighting to get into the middle class.  But the question is whose plan is better for you?  (Applause.)
 
AUDIENCE:  Obama!  Obama!  Obama!   
 
THE PRESIDENT:  My opponent is a big believer in top-down economics.  He thinks that if we just spend another $5 trillion on tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, if we get rid of regulations on Wall Street, then all our problems will be solved. And jobs and prosperity will trickle down on all of you, and the deficit will disappear, and we’ll live happily ever after. 
 
There’s only one problem with that.  We just tried that in the decade before I became President.  It didn’t work.  Top-down economics never works.  We don’t need to double down on the same trickle-down policies that got us into this mess in the first place.  We don't need policies that just help folks at the very top.  That's not how the country grows.  That's not how we succeed.  We succeed when the middle class is getting bigger -- when more people have the chance to get ahead and live up to their God-given potential.  (Applause.)   
 
We don't get very far when we've got leaders who write off half the nation as a bunch of victims who don't take responsibility for their lives.  (Applause.)  Let me tell you, I've been to Nevada a lot.  You guys may get tired of me.
 
AUDIENCE:  No!
 
THE PRESIDENT:  But as I travel around the state, I don't see a lot of victims.  I see a lot of hardworking Nevadans.  (Applause.)  I see students trying to work their way through school.  (Applause.)  I see single moms trying to put in overtime to raise their kids.  (Applause.)  I see senior citizens who’ve saved all their lives because they've worked all their lives to earn their retirement.  I see veterans who’ve served this country bravely.  (Applause.)  I see soldiers who defend our freedom today.  (Applause.)
 
We don’t believe that anybody is entitled to success.  We don’t believe government should help people who aren't trying to help themselves.  But we do believe in something called opportunity.  We believe that hard work should pay off in this country; that responsibility should be rewarded in this country; that this is a country where everybody should get a fair shot, and everybody should do their fair share, and everybody is playing by the same rules.  (Applause.)  We believe in an America where no matter what you look like, or where you come from, what your last name is, who you love, that you can make it if you try.
 
That’s the country I believe in.  That’s what I’ve been fighting for.  That’s why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States of America.  (Applause.)
 
AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Now, see, what I want to promote is a new economic patriotism, one that’s rooted in the belief that we grow the economy best when everybody has got a shot and the middle class is thriving.  And I won’t pretend that it’s going to be easy to get there.  It took us a bunch of years to get us into this mess; it’s going to take a few more to get us out.  (Applause.)  But I want everybody to know that our challenges can be solved, our problems can be met.  We’ve still got the best workers in the world and the best entrepreneurs and the best scientists, the best businesses, the best colleges, the best universities.  There isn’t a country on Earth that wouldn’t trade places with the United States.  (Applause.) 
 
And you know what, the path I’m offering may be harder, but it leads to a better place.  So I’ve put forward a specific, practical plan to create jobs and grow the middle class and rebuild our economy on a stronger foundation.  I want you to know what this plan is, so when you talk to folks you can say, well, here’s what he’s going to do.
 
First, I want to export more products, but I want to outsource fewer jobs.  (Applause.)  You remember when the auto industry was about to go under, my opponent said, let’s "let Detroit go bankrupt." 
 
AUDIENCE:  Booo --
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Don’t boo -- vote.  (Applause.) 
 
I said, let’s come together and reinvent a dying auto industry, and now it’s back on top of the world.  We’ve created more than half a million new manufacturing jobs.
 
So now you’ve got a choice.  We can keep giving tax breaks to companies that ship jobs overseas, or we can reward companies that are opening new plants and hiring new workers right here in Nevada.  That’s what I want to do.  (Applause.)  I want to help big factories and small businesses exports more.  We can create a million new manufacturing jobs, but you’re going to have to vote to make it happen.  (Applause.)  
 
I want us to control more of our own energy -- that’s the second part of our plan.  After 30 years of doing nothing, we raised fuel standards so by the middle of the next decade, your cars and trucks will go twice as far on a gallon of gas.  (Applause.)  That will save you money, and it will be good for our economy, and it’s good for our national security, and it’s good for our environment.  (Applause.) 
 
We’ve doubled the amount of renewable energy we generate from sources like wind and solar right here in Nevada and all across the country.  Thousands of Americans have jobs building wind turbines and solar panels and long-lasting batteries.  Today, the United States of America is less dependent on foreign oil than at any time in the last two decades.  (Applause.)  
 
So now you’ve got a choice -- we could reverse this progress, like Governor Romney wants to do.
 
AUDIENCE:  No!
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Or we can build on it.  See, unlike my opponent, I’m not going to let the oil companies write our energy plan.  I’m not going to let oil companies collect $4 billion in corporate welfare from our taxpayers.
 
We’ve got a better plan -– where we invest in wind and solar; and farmers and scientists who are harnessing new biofuels to power our cars; and where construction workers are building homes and factories that waste less energy; and we’re investing to get at a 100-year supply of natural gas.  We can create hundreds of thousands of jobs here in Nevada and all across the country, and cut our oil imports in half by 2020.  That’s my plan.  (Applause.)  But you’ve got to vote if we’re going to make it happen.
 
I want to give more Americans the chance to get a great education and get the skills they need to compete -- that’s the third part of my plan.  (Applause.)  Education is the only reason I’m standing here today -- son of a single mom.  It’s the only reason Michelle got a chance.  And so now the question is, are we going to give that opportunity to everybody?  Right now, there are millions of students who are paying less for college because we took away billions of dollars that were going to banks and we said let’s give them directly to students.  (Applause.) 
 
So now you’ve got a choice -– we can gut our investments in education, like Governor Romney wants to do, to pay for more tax breaks for the wealthy.
 
AUDIENCE:  Booo --
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Don’t boo --
 
AUDIENCE:  Vote!
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Vote. 
 
Or we can decide here in Nevada and here in the United States of America, no child should have her dream deferred because of an overcrowded classroom.  No family should set aside a college acceptance letter because they don’t have the money.  No company should have to look in some other country because they can’t find the workers they need with the right skills here at home.  (Applause.)   
 
So, Nevada, I need you to help me recruit 100,000 new math and science teachers, improve our early education system, create 2 million more slots in the community colleges so workers can get trained for the new jobs that are out there right now.  Help us work with colleges and universities to keep tuition down.  That's a goal we can meet together.  You can choose that future for America.  But if we’re going to do that, what do you need to do?
 
AUDIENCE:  Vote!
 
THE PRESIDENT:  You’re going to need to vote.
 
Number four, I want to reduce our deficit without sticking it to the middle-class and working-class families.  My plan would do just that.  And I’ve already worked with Republicans and Democrats to cut spending by a trillion dollars.  I’m willing to do a little bit more.  I want to reform our tax code so it’s simple and it’s fair, but I also want to ask the wealthiest households in America to pay slightly higher taxes over incomes over $250,000.  (Applause.)  That's the same rate we had when Bill Clinton was President.  We created 23 million new jobs, the biggest surplus in history, and a whole lot of millionaires to boot.  (Applause.) 
 
So that’s my plan.  And in fairness, my opponent has got a plan, too.  That's only one problem -- some of you heard Bill Clinton say there's no arithmetic in it.  (Laughter.)  They think that somehow you can lower our deficits by spending another $5 trillion on new breaks for the wealthy.  But no matter how many times they try to "reboot" their campaign and try to explain it, they can’t.  They can’t explain how you spend $5 trillion on tax cuts for the wealthy without raising taxes on middle-class families.  How do you spend $2 trillion on new military spending that our military hasn’t asked for, and cut our deficit?  You can’t do it.  The math doesn’t add up. 
 
Governor Romney said he thought it was fair for somebody making $20 million a year, like him, to pay a lower tax rate than a cop or a teacher, or somebody working over at one of the casinos who’s making $50,000.  Now, I don't think that's fair. 
 
AUDIENCE:  No!
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I don't think that's how we grow our economy. 
 
AUDIENCE:  No!

THE PRESIDENT:  I refuse to ask middle-class families to give up the deductions they have for owning a home or raising their kids just so me or Governor Romney get a tax break.  I don't want to ask students to pay more for college, or kick kids out of Head Start programs, or eliminate health insurance for millions of poor, or elderly, or disabled Americans, just so millionaires and billionaires can get a tax cut.  We can’t afford it.  (Applause.) 
 
I don’t think the answer for all the hardworking folks here in Nevada and across the country whose homes are underwater is just to do nothing and wait it out.  That was Governor Romney’s advice -- just let the whole housing market bottom out.  Well, you know what?  My administration, we have already helped more than a million responsible homeowners refinance their mortgages. (Applause.)  I’m running to let them get -- I’m running to make sure that everybody, more people like them who are responsible, who have been paying and making their mortgage payments, that they have a chance to refinance and save up to $3,000 a year.  (Applause.)  
 
And by the way, I’m never going to turn Medicare into a voucher program.  (Applause.)  We’re not going to do that, either.  If you’ve been working all your life, and now you’re about to retire, you shouldn’t have to spend your golden years at the mercy of an insurance company.  (Applause.)  We’re going to reform and strengthen Medicare for the long haul the right way by reducing the cost of health care, not by shifting it onto seniors.  (Applause.)  And we’re not going to -- we are going to keep the promise of Social Security.  (Applause.)  We’re not going to turn it over to Wall Street.  (Applause.)  
 
And just like we’re doing work here at home, we’re going to continue to do work abroad.  Four years ago, I said I’d end the war in Iraq -- I did.  (Applause.)  I said we’re going to wind down the war in Afghanistan -- we are.  (Applause.)  And while a new tower rises above the New York skyline, al Qaeda is on the path to defeat, and Osama bin Laden is dead.  (Applause.) 
 
AUDIENCE:  USA!  USA!  USA!
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Well, as we saw a couple of weeks ago, we still face serious threats around the world.  And that's why, so long as I’m Commander-in-Chief, we will make sure we always have the strongest military the world has ever known.  (Applause.)  
 
But you know the thing that makes our military strongest is the amazing men and women in uniform.  (Applause.)  So when they take off that uniform, when they come home, we’ve got to serve them as well as they’ve served us -- (applause) -- because nobody who fought for us should have to fight for a job, or a roof over their heads, or the care they deserve, when they come home.  Nobody.  (Applause.) 
 
Governor Romney has got a different set of ideas.  He thinks the way I ended the war in Iraq is "tragic."  He won’t tell us how he’ll end the war in Afghanistan.  We don’t know.  I have, and I will.  And I’m going to use the money we’re no longer spending on war to do some nation-building here at home -- (applause) -- rebuilding our roads   and our bridges, and putting Americans back to work.  That's part of what makes America strong.  That's what we’re going to do.  (Applause.) 
 
So this is the choice we face in this election.  This is what the election comes down to.  And you are going to hear over the next two months -- I know you must be tired of hearing ads -- but you’re going to hear more over the next six weeks.  And over and over again you’re going to hear my opponents talk about how bigger tax cuts and fewer regulations, that's the way to go; and since government can’t do everything, it should do almost nothing.  Their basic theory is, if you can’t afford health care, then hope you don't get sick.  If you can’t afford college, borrow money from your parents.
 
AUDIENCE:  Booo -- 
 
THE PRESIDENT:  You know what -- that’s not who we are.  I don’t think government can solve all our problems, but government is not the source of all our problems, either.  There are some things we’ve got to do together.  Instead of going around blaming somebody -- unions, or immigrants, or gays, or somebody for what’s going on, what we need to do is pull together.  We’re all in this together.  (Applause.)  We believe that America only works when we all accept responsibility for ourselves and for each other.  (Applause.)  That’s how we create more opportunity, more possibility.  America is not about what can be done for you; it’s about what can be done by us, together, as one nation and one people.  (Applause.)   
 
And that’s what you understood back in 2008.  You’re the reason seniors across Nevada are averaging nearly $600 less on their medicines because of health care reform.  You did that.  (Applause.)  You’re the reason that students -- thousands of students at UNLV and schools across this state have more help paying for college.  You made that happen.  (Applause.)  You’re the reason why two grandparents in Reno could refinance their mortgage and keep their piece of the American Dream.
 
You’re the reason why a young immigrant who grew up here and went to school here, and pledged allegiance to our flag will no longer be deported from the only country she’s ever called home. (Applause.)  You’re the reason why an outstanding soldier won’t be kicked out of the military just because of who he loved.  (Applause.)  You’re the reason why thousands of families have been able to say to the loved ones who served us so bravely: "Welcome home."  (Applause.)  Welcome home.  Welcome home.  (Applause.)  You made that happen.  
 
I made this same point down in Florida the other day, and Governor Romney heard me say you can’t make change just from Washington.  And somehow, he got all excited about this.  He changed his speech; he said, I’m going to make change from the inside.  And it got me thinking -- well, what kind of inside job is he talking about?  (Laughter.) 
 
Is he talking about the inside job where outsourcers are writing the tax code?  Is he talking about the inside job where oil companies are writing the energy plan, and health insurance companies are writing the insurance plans?  Is he talking about the inside job where a bunch of men in Washington decide women can’t make their own health care decisions?  (Applause.)  Because if that’s the inside job he’s talking about, we don’t want it.  We don’t need it.
 
Change is only going to happen when ordinary Americans, working together with their elected representatives, make all our voices heard.  That’s how change happens.  (Applause.) 
 
So the question then is, how hard are you willing to work for it?
 
AUDIENCE:  Hard!
 
THE PRESIDENT:  How hard are you willing to work for it?
 
AUDIENCE:  Hard!
 
THE PRESIDENT:  We’ve got just a few more weeks left.  And in 2008, when I won, 47 percent of the people didn’t vote for me; they voted for John McCain.  And that’s the way democracy works. And I said on Election Night, I said to the people who didn’t vote for me, especially, I said, I may not have won your vote, but I heard your voice.  I need your help, and I’m going to fight for you, too.  (Applause.)  I’m going to work on your behalf, too. 
 
Because I’m not interested in creating Democratic jobs or Republican jobs -- I’m interested in creating American jobs.  (Applause.)  I’m don’t want to improve schools in the blues states or red states -- I want to improve schools in the United States of America.  (Applause.)  I’m not just fighting for values that are worker values or business values, or rich people’s values or poor people’s values, or black or white or Hispanic or Asian or Native America, or abled or not -- disabled -- I’m fighting for American values.  (Applause.)  
 
And those values of hard work and individual responsibility, but also looking out for one another, those are values that we all share.  Those are values that belong to all of us.  And now we’ve got to reclaim them. 
 
If you are willing to work hard, harder than you did four years ago, if you’re willing to knock on some doors and make some phone calls, we can reclaim those values.  We can rally around a new economic patriotism.  We can rebuild this economy.  We can strengthen the middle class.  We can keep moving forward. 
 
We’re not going backwards.  We’re not as divided as our politics suggest.  I still believe we’ve got more in common than anybody understands.  I believe in you, and I’m asking you to keep on believing in me.  (Applause.)  I’m asking for your vote. I’m asking you to stand with me.  And if you stand with me and work with me, we will win Clark County again.  (Applause.)  We will win Nevada again.  We will win this election again.  We’ll finish what we started.  And we’ll remind the world why the United States of America is the greatest nation on Earth.  (Applause.) 
 
God bless you.  God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)
 
END  
7:09 P.M. PDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 30, 2012

Press Gaggle by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest, 9/30/12

Aboard Air Force One
En Route Nevada

12:08 P.M. EDT

MR. EARNEST:  Good morning, everybody.  I actually want to start the gaggle off with a little good news.  I learned over the weekend that Mike Majchrowitz from FOX Radio will be returning to the White House beat on Monday.  So I won't be at the White House on Monday, but I hope all of those -- my colleagues at the White House and your colleagues at the White House will join me in welcoming Mike back to the White House beat.

MS. PSAKI:  Just a few quick stats for you guys.  The President has taken 16 trips to Nevada since 2009, eight trips this year. 

As you know, as we've said many times, early vote is a key priority for us.  We're very focused on it.  It's game day across the country.  Early voting starts in Nevada on -- let's see -- October 6th.  The deadline for registration is October 20th.  So these days are -- oh, sorry -- flip it.  I was reading it wrong. Early voting starts October 20th; the deadline for registering is October 6th.  My apologies.

So it's important for us to be spending time here.  While the President is here preparing for the debate on Wednesday, he also will be holding an event this evening to speak directly to the voters in the state, make the case for why he's a better choice for the American people.  And over the next few days -- you know he likes to spend some time out in the community -- so we could be making some local stops as well.

Q    Jen, is there any other details you can give us about why he picked Henderson for debate prep?  And also, can you give us any information about how he'll be spending his days when he's doing the prep?

MS. PSAKI:  Sure.  Henderson, as you know, is a suburb of Las Vegas.  This is a key state for us and for our campaign as we pursue our goal of winning 270 electoral votes.  It's a place where we think the President's commitment to fighting for middle-class tax cuts, his commitment to remaining focused on improving the housing market -- which is such a key issue in Nevada -- he spent his weekly address on that.  It's a place where people care deeply about having someone in office who will fight for comprehensive immigration reform in the White House.

He'll be talking about all these issues.  And it was an opportunity for us to spend some time in the state before early voting starts, as the voter registration deadline is approaching, and I expect he'll be doing that over the next couple of days.

I'm not going to preview for you our strategy of how we're handling debate prep, as I'm sure comes as no surprise.  I have a sneaking suspicion that the Romney team may read into what we are saying these days about that.  I will say that the President and Mitt Romney clearly view the debates as a very different opportunity.  The President sees this as an opportunity to continue his conversation with the American people as he been doing over the last several months, including at the convention, which was probably our largest audience to date.  This will be a very large audience.  He wants to speak directly to the families -- the people who are on their couches at home, having snacks, drinking a beer, drinking soda, whatever it is, and tuning in for the first time -- and that's who he's speaking directly to.

Mitt Romney and his team have been clear that this -- what they need and what they expect from the debates is a game-changing performance.  I don't know if you had the opportunity to watch Governor Christie this morning -- I know everybody was in transit -- but what he said is what they've been saying for months, that they expect that after the debates this will -- this will turn the race upside down.  He also said the entire narrative will change.  And we fully expect that that's what they're focused on and that's what their focus is on as they prep.

And the last thing I'll say is we also saw in reports that Mitt Romney and his team have been working on zingers and special lines for months.  That's not what the President's focus is on.  So if you're expecting that, that's probably not what he's going to deliver on.  As I said, he's speaking directly to the American people and we know what they want to hear is what his plan is for moving the country forward, and that's what we're hoping he can deliver on, on Wednesday.

Q    Can you talk to us a little bit -- I'll ask and you can not answer -- about timing in terms of -- is he trying to practice at night since the debate will be at night?  Is he trying to practice in short blocks or in sort of long blocks?  These are of course 15-minute segments.  Is he practicing in 15-minute segments?

MS. PSAKI:  I’m not going to get into that level of specificity.  Obviously, the debate is in the evening, that is correct -- can confirm that.  He has had less time to prepare than we anticipated.  That’s just a fact.  Obviously there have been events you all have been covering closely that have been going on the Middle East.  He’s had a very active campaign schedule, as I can attest to and many of you can.  And he’s also been focused on governing.  There’s a lot of things outside of campaigning and outside of dealing with the events in the Middle East he’s been dealing with.

So the time has been -- it’s difficult to schedule significant blocks of time when you’re the President, regardless of your party.  That’s been challenging.  We have been watching  -- our debate prep team has been watching debates back for years, both Romney’s debates and debates that have happened between Republican and Democratic candidates.  We know that it’s -- what the American are looking for is not just a professorial list of facts or accomplishments or even goals.  We know they’re looking for your vision, and that’s what the President has been focused on.

You touch on this a little bit, but for any of us who have been there, even with him over the last couple of weeks, and watched, say, the Univision debate, his interview with NBC for the Education Nation, he has a tendency to give longer, substantive answers.  It’s just his nature.  That’s something clearly we’re working on.  And the format of the debate makes that a little bit more difficult.

Romney has, as we’ve said many times, but has had more opportunities to debate over the last year, and he has used those opportunities to really bring in strong performances when it mattered during the primary season.  And he’s been disciplined and been able to give short answers, so we know that’s a strength.

Q    Is Senator Kerry on the plane?

MR. PSAKI:  I don’t believe so, no.

Q    And we saw Gene Sperling and Jack Lew on the plane this morning.  Are they doing some debate prep right now with the President -- without getting into any details, are they starting in flight or are they waiting until they get there?

MS. PSAKI:  They are on the plane.  I’m not going to read out through the next three days when we are and aren’t doing debate prep.  Right now everyone is eating lunch and watching a little sports on TV, so I can tell you that much.

Q    Do you expect Romney to try and expand the format of the debates and bring up Libya, for example?

MS. PSAKI:  It’s hard for me to read out to you what the Romney team strategy is.  I have seen them say that they’re watching out for the President to just spew lies during the debate.  So that is bordering on the complete bizarre, given that Mitt Romney’s team is the one who has said they’re not going to be dictated by facts.  He’s the same candidate who has challenged whether the President understands America, understands freedom.  And they have driven months of their campaign through bold-faced lies, whether it’s on welfare, whether it’s on Medicare.  So we know his facts are inconvenient for him.  Maybe he shouldn’t have taken those positions if they were so inconvenient.  But that’s the piece I’ve seen them preview about their strategy.

Q    Is the first debate podium?  Are they at podiums, do you know?

MS. PSAKI:  Yes, they are.

Q    Can I transition to an Afghanistan question, Josh?

MS. PSAKI:  No.  (Laughter.)

Q    Sorry, Jen.  (Laughter.) 

There was another soldier killed, it sounds like, in Afghanistan.  Do you guys have a count -- is this the 2,000th?  And what is your reaction in general to that death?

MR. EARNEST:  Well, our reaction is the President and First Lady, their thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those who sacrifice so much for this country in Afghanistan, including those -- the families of those who've paid the ultimate sacrifice in Afghanistan.

We saw the reports about the latest insider attack in Afghanistan.  The military and our allies -- ISAF and our allies on the ground in Afghanistan have taken a number of steps to try to mitigate the threat that’s posed by insider attacks.  This includes greater vetting of Afghan forces.  This includes closer coordination with village elders in some of these places in Afghanistan who can vouch for the efforts of ISAF and our allies there.  All of these are part of an effort to mitigate the threat that are posed by these insider attacks. 

Make no mistake, though, that these attacks do not diminish in any way the commitment of the President, the commitment of our men and women in uniform, or the commitment of our allies to follow through and complete successfully the mission to end the war in Afghanistan by the end of 2014, to successfully and fully train Afghan security forces so that they can take security control of their own country by the end of 2014. 

Q    Do you guys keep a tally of the deaths?  Can you confirm that it’s the 2,000th?

MR. EARNEST:  The Defense Department does keep a tally of this.  I know that a number of media organizations do -- that accounts for some of the differing counts.   But for the Department of Defense’s count, I would refer you to them.

Q    Jen, has the President made any progress on the brevity issue?

MS. PSAKI:  You’ll have to tune it and you tell me on Thursday.  It is something he is well aware, and his team has pointed out to him that he needs to work on tightening and shortening his answers.  He understands what the format of the debate is.  And as I mentioned before, the team prepping him has watching many debates that Mitt Romney has done where he’s been very disciplined with sharp, tight answers.  So we’ll see.  Tune in on Wednesday.

Q    Am I right, does early voting in Colorado start on Wednesday?

MS. PSAKI:  I’ll have to double-check on that for you.  I can get you -- I can actually get you a list of the different states, if that’s helpful.

Q    The updated guidance went out with -- which reflects that you’ll no longer be doing two days in Ohio, but a day in Wisconsin.  Does that suggest that you’re more confident about Ohio?  Do you think Ohio is locked down?  Why did you decide to go to Wisconsin?

MS. PSAKI:  Well, one thing, if you love the Buckeye State, as I do -- because I have to by marriage -- we’ll be back there. You’ll be spending some time there again in the next few weeks.  We’ve long said that we thought Wisconsin would be harder for us this year than it was four years ago.  Four years ago, we won the state by 14 points.  It’s a state where the Romney team has obviously tried to create buzz around their ticket, given Ryan is a native son.  He’s spent a lot of time there.

The good news for us is the more people are tuning in, in the state and learning about their plans to voucherize Medicare, their plans to extend tax cuts for the highest income while balancing that on the backs of middle class, their plans to cut Pell grants, the less they like what they’re hearing.  But we’re not taking anything for granted in Wisconsin, and that’s why we’re going back there.

On Ohio, we’ve been there -- I can’t remember the exact number -- I want to say it’s 14 or 15 times, and as I mentioned, we’ll be back.  We spent time there last week because early voting is starting there on Tuesday.  That’s a key part of our strategy.  We know what the polls have said, but we absolutely expect they’re going to tighten in Ohio, which is why we’re going to spend more time there, why we continue to be up with ads, why we’re very focused on our ground game. 

Just to go back to the debates for a moment, when they say that this will be a game-changing performance and this will change the course of the race, the facts you really have to look at is where do polls and where do things stand and where do they look come next Friday, next Saturday, next Sunday in states like Ohio.  Is there a two-point gap?  Is it tied?  Because that’s what game-changing means -- not the kind of zingers that you deliver on Wednesday night.

Q    One more on Henderson.  The President --

MS. PSAKI:  You’re the Nevada expert.

Q    I know, I’m going to go deep here -- frustrated -- do you remember when he made those comments about not blowing I think it was bailout money in Las Vegas, and he angered a lot of the local tourist folks and some casino heads?  I’m wondering if this trip is an attempt to make up for that.  Is he encouraging spending money in casinos in Las Vegas?

MS. PSAKI:  As you know, I expect that if he visits some local shops, he’ll be spending some of his very own money in Vegas the next few days. 

He has, not just from the number of visits that he has made here -- I mentioned those at the top of the briefing -- but also he’s taken actions, working with his Jobs Council, working with his economic team, to promote travel and tourism in Nevada.  That speaks to his -- and other states across the country where tourism is a big part of the economy.  That speaks to his commitment to driving tourism, driving the recovery of the economy here in Nevada almost more than anything else.

As you know, as a Nevada expert, another major issue here is housing.  And he believes that there’s much more we need to do.  That’s why he talked in his weekly address yesterday about the need for Congress to move on his recent housing proposals so that people in the state could get $3,000 of benefits in reducing their mortgage costs.  That stands in stark contrast to -- as you know, Mitt Romney also chose Nevada to make his comments about how we should let the housing market hit bottom. 

So there are a number of issues here where there’s a clear choice between them.  He’s here because he knows we can win the state.  He wants to spend time talking with people in the state. And we believe that his commitment to the middle class is absolutely something that can resonate here on November 6th.

MR. EARNEST:  One thing I would add to that is you’ll recall earlier this year the President did announce a We Can’t Wait initiative that involves streamlining the process for tourists in foreign countries to apply for visas, have them more quickly approved to foster foreign tourism in the U.S.  It was only within the last couple of weeks that the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security put out some metrics about the impact that this We Can’t Wait initiative was having in terms of the increased pace and the larger number of applications that is having a benefit on communities that do have a large tourism economy.

So if folks are interested in looking at that, I can pull some more statistics on that.  But there is -- for folks who are looking to write about this a little bit, we have some additional data we can provide to you.

Q    Josh, the administration, the campaign, Democrats on the Hill have accused Republicans of trying to exploit the Libya situation for political gain.  But are there not sort of legitimate questions about what kind of security Ambassador Stevens had, what is the situation in Libya now?  I mean, where does it end?  Is it not fair enough for people to be asking these questions?

MR. EARNEST:  Well, I’ll say a couple of things about that. One thing that we have done throughout this process is to inform you and the American public with the latest intelligence information about the circumstances surrounding this attack, about why it occurred, about who was responsible.  A lot of that underscores the President’s commitment to holding accountable those, bringing to justice those who perpetrated this terrible attack.  We’ve remained committed to trying to provide you and the American people the latest information on this investigation. That investigation is continuing.  It’s something that the President and other senior members of this administration are closely following.  If we get to a position where we can share more information about that investigation, then we will do so. 
In terms of those who are asking questions, the President welcomes questions about the safety of our diplomats, because that’s something that the President places a top priority on.  So this is something that the President is paying close attention to.  The State Department is currently conducting a review to take a look at the security that was in place in Benghazi; on the night of that attack there was some.  They’re also taking a look at diplomatic installations all across the country, in other hot spots to ensure that security standards are appropriate.  That is something that the President is following closely, and that’s information that he’s briefed on, on a regular basis.

So I recognize that, particularly in this political season  -- and here we are nearing October in an election year -- that there are going to be people who are going to be asking politically motivated questions.  I can’t speak for them.  I can speak for the President, and I can tell you that the President is not focused on the politics of the situation; he’s focused on the safety and security of our diplomats, and he’s focused on bringing to justice those who are responsible for perpetrating this terrible act.

MS. PSAKI:  Just two quick things to add.  There is only one candidate in this race who has politicized what is happening over in the Middle East, and that’s Mitt Romney -- as evidenced from the statement he went out and made the night that these tragic events happened.  He was criticized for that not just by Democrats, but by Republicans and people of his own party, because people recognize that this is not a time for politicizing a tragedy, it’s a time for the country to come together.

The second thing I just wanted to mention is there's only one ticket that has a budget proposal that would cut funding -- could cut funding to our security at our embassies around the world.  And this raises into question what their priorities are, too.

So I'll leave you with that.

QThank you, guys. 

END
12:28 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 29, 2012

Statement by the President on the Passing of Arthur Sulzberger

Michelle and I were saddened today to hear about the passing of Arthur Sulzberger. Over the course of more than 30 years, Arthur helped transform the New York Times and secure its status as one of the most successful and respected newspapers in the world. He was a firm believer in the importance of a free and independent press - one that isn't afraid to seek the truth, hold those in power accountable, and tell the stories that need to be told. Arthur's legacy lives on in the newspaper he loved and the journalists he inspired. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Weekly Address: It’s Time for Congress to Help Responsible Homeowners

Megan Slack
Megan Slack
September 29, 2012
05:30 AM EDT

In this week’s address, President Obama explains his administration’s steps to help the housing market, including giving responsible homeowners a chance to save thousands of dollars every year by refinancing their mortgages, but says we need Congress’s help to do more.

Transcript | Download mp4 | Download mp3

Related Topics: Economy, Housing

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 28, 2012

Remarks by the President at Campaign Event -- Capital Hilton, Washington, DC

Capital Hilton
Washington, D.C. 

7:11 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you!  Thank you, everybody.  (Applause.)  Everybody have a seat.  Have a seat.

Well, thank you so much, everybody.  I have had a chance to say hello and give people hugs and kisses -- (applause) -- but I want to just take a moment to maybe talk a little bit about this campaign.

Before I do, I want to acknowledge somebody who's been an extraordinary champion on behalf of the people of Washington, D.C. for so many years, and she's a great friend -- Eleanor Holmes Norton is here.  (Applause.)  Where's Eleanor?  She's out there somewhere. 

I've been telling a story that my campaign manager told me. About a month ago, he was meeting with this young couple that were really strong supporters.  And they were in a room and there was a picture of me -- and this young couple had this cute kid, about four years old, named Sammy.  And as they were talking, they saw the picture of me, and so they said, "Sammy, who's that?"  And Sammy says, "That's Barack Obama."  And they say, "And, Sammy, what does Barack Obama do?"  And he thinks for a moment and he says, "He approves this message."  (Laughter and applause.)  It's a true story.  (Laughter.)  True story. 

So that tells you that we are in political season.  (Laughter.)  And unless you've been living under a rock or did not pay your cable bill -- (laughter) -- you understand where Sammy is coming from.

I do approve this message, because I genuinely believe this is as consequential an election as we're going to see in our lifetime.  (Applause.)  And it's not just a choice between two candidates or two political parties; it really is a choice between two different visions for America. 

My opponent believes in top-down economics, the idea that if folks at the top are doing very, very well, then somehow prosperity rains down on everybody.  So his plans are tailored accordingly -- big tax cuts skewed towards the wealthy, and getting rid of regulations that have had an impact on Wall Street and with our health systems.  And he believes that if we just do that, then everything is going to go just right.

And I've got a different vision.  I ran four years ago, and many of you supported me four years ago, because I wanted to restore the basic bargain that I believe built this country -- the notion that in this country, if you work hard, no matter who you are, no matter what you look like, no matter where you come from, no matter who you love, you can make it.  You can make it. It doesn’t mean you're going to not have some tough times once in a while.  It doesn’t mean that you're not going to have to make sacrifices.  Ultimately, this is a country where individual initiative and personal responsibility are what counts more than anything.  But the notion is, is that in this country everybody should have a fair shot, and everybody should do their fair share and everybody plays by the same rules.

And everything we've done over the last four years has been designed to figure out how we can restore that sense that we've got a strong and broad and deep middle class, and that there are ladders of opportunity for people to get into the middle class. 

That's why we saved an auto industry that's come roaring back.  (Applause.)  That's the reason why we emphasize tax relief for middle-income folks.  That's why we fought so hard to make sure that we were expanding opportunities for young people to go to college, by keeping their interest rates low, and expanding Pell grants, and capping their payments as a percentage of income when they're paying back their student loans.  All these things were designed to make sure that those young people got a chance.

That's the reason why we passed health care reform, because I believe that part of -- (applause) -- middle-class security is not being bankrupt when you get sick.  That's the reason why we've invested so heavily in community colleges, so that our workers can be trained for the jobs that are available right now and the jobs of the future.  (Applause.)

That's the reason why we said we've got to have an energy plan that not only develops our traditional sources like oil and gas, but also that we are developing new energy sources -- wind and solar and biofuels.  (Applause.) 

And we’ve doubled the production of clean energy over the last four years.  We have cut in half fuel-efficiency standards for cars -- or we’ve actually doubled them -- so that, as a consequence, cars and trucks are going to be getting -- go twice as far on a gallon of gas as they were four years ago.  That’s good for our environment, that’s good for the economy, and it’s good for our national security.

That’s the reason why we have fought so hard to make sure that we’ve got a Consumer Finance Protection Bureau that is looking out for folks when it comes to getting a mortgage, or taking out a credit card, or going to payday loan -- all of the transactions that ordinary families are going through every single day.  It’s why we fought to help deserving families who have been making their payments and haven’t done anything wrong to avoid foreclosure and refinance their homes at historically low rates.
All these things are tied together, because it has to do with how do we make sure that we’re creating broad-based opportunity in this country.  And it’s based on not just a belief in fairness, but also evidence about how the economy grows -- because when middle-class families are doing well, when there are ladders of opportunity into the middle class for folks who are having a tough time, then suddenly you’ve got more customers for businesses, and businesses are more profitable, and businesses then hire more workers, and you get a virtuous cycle that keeps going.  (Applause.)  And that’s how America has always grown. 

So now the question is, do we build on that success, or do we return to the same policies that got us into the mess in the first place?

AUDIENCE:  No!

THE PRESIDENT:  And on each of these issues there is a stark choice.  When it comes to our tax code, I want to take away tax breaks from companies that are shipping jobs overseas; I want to give to companies that are investing here in the United States.  (Applause.)  Governor Romney has a different view.

On education, I want to make sure that not only are we expanding reform, but we’re hiring new math and science teachers who are getting in there and improving our kids’ performance; that we are expanding more slots for community colleges; that we’re working with colleges and universities to reduce tuition.  Governor Romney has a very different vision that would involve cutting education spending by 20 percent.

Governor Romney believes in oil and gas, but apparently he doesn’t believe in wind and solar, and thinks those are “imaginary” or “fads.”  (Laughter.)  No, you’re laughing, but that’s what he said.  I don’t want a situation where oil companies are writing our energy plans. 

I think we -- people should know that our oil and gas production is higher than it’s been in 50 years.  Our natural gas production is taking off in ways that will change the politics of the globe -- and we need to encourage that.  But we’re not going to cede leadership and the new sources of energy of tomorrow.  We need to go forward with that.  And that’s a choice. 

When it comes to deficit reduction, I think we have to have a balanced approach that says folks like me can pay a little bit more and go back to the Clinton rates that we had that created 23 million new jobs.  (Applause.)  I’m not going have millions of students pay more for college, or kick kids off of Head Start, or voucherize Medicare, in order to pay for a tax cut for myself or for millionaires or billionaires.  That’s now how you grow an economy. 

On foreign policy, I said I’d end the war in Iraq.  (Applause.)  Governor Romney thinks that’s “tragic.”  I don’t.  I said we’d wind down the war in Afghanistan, and that is what we are doing.  We still don’t know what my opponent’s plan is when it comes to that.  We said that we would go after al Qaeda, and they are on the run and bin Laden is dead.  (Applause.) 

And so we will maintain the strongest military the world has ever known, but we’re also going to make sure that when our troops come home, that we’re treating them with the honor and the respect that they have earned -- because they shouldn’t have to fight for a job or a roof over their heads when they come home.  (Applause.)

And it’s not just economics.  It’s not just foreign policy. It’s also what kind of society do we believe in.  I believe it was the right thing to do to end “don’t ask, don’t tell.”  (Applause.)  I believe in a country where it doesn’t matter who you love, it matters what you do and it matters how well you perform.  (Applause.)  That’s what I believe. 

I believe we did the right thing in saying that a young girl who was brought here, has gone to school here, and pledged allegiance to our flag, shouldn’t suddenly be deported to some country she’s never been to.  (Applause.) 

I believe women are very capable of making health care decisions by themselves.  That’s what I believe.  (Applause.)  And I believe in a Supreme Court that believes that.  (Applause.) 
So the stakes could not be higher.  And the question now is, how much are we willing to fight for this?  Obviously coming out of the convention we got a little bit of momentum, mainly attributable to the First Lady, Michelle Obama -- (applause) -- as well as Bill Clinton who, somebody said -- (applause) -- somebody tweeted right after he made the speech, he should be made secretary of explaining stuff.  (Laughter.)  So we got a little bit of momentum.  But the fact is this is going to be a close race.  It will go down to the wire.  There are still a lot folks hurting out there.  There are a lot of questions for people who are still anxious about their futures. 

We’ve gone through a tough time, this country has.  And nobody knows it better than me, because I’ve been talking to people all across the country every single day and they tell me the struggles they’re going through with losing a job, or losing a home, or losing their savings, or not knowing whether or not they’re going to be able to send their kids to school.  And that’s what I’m thinking about every single day.

And so as I go into the last 39 days of this campaign, their voices are what drive me.  This is not just a matter of who we elect President.  It’s also are those voices going to be heard? Do those voices have room at the table?  Do they impact policy here in Washington?  Are we thinking about those folks every single day?  And the only way that happens is if we mobilize people all across the country not just to vote, but to feel like that vote is going to count, and that citizenship matters, that it’s going to make a difference.

Somebody asked me, what lesson have you learned after four years, and I said, I’ve learned that change doesn’t just happen from the inside.  Change happens from the outside.  My opponent got very excited.  He thought, well, he’s waving the white flag, he’s giving up on change.  (Laughter.)  I had to explain it, you haven’t been paying attention.  (Laughter and applause.)

I said that -- I say that now; I said that in '08.  The whole point of our campaign the first time around was this belief, this profound belief in the decency and the goodness and the common sense of the American people, and the notion that change doesn’t start in Washington, it starts with them.  And everything we've been able to do is because they have empowered me to do it, or they have pushed Congress to do it.  But that's who I bet on.  That's who I've got faith in.  That's who I have confidence in.

And I just want to work as hard as I can over these next 39 days to earn the privilege of being able to spend the next four years, every single day, thinking about how I can make life a little bit better for people who work hard in this country.  That's what I'm fighting for.  (Applause.)

And I'm going to need you there with me.  So if you guys have already written all the checks you can -- (laughter) -- go find some friends to write some more checks.  (Laughter.)  If you haven’t been out there knocking on doors, we will send you out to knock on some doors.  (Applause.)  If you've got some phone calls to make into the battleground states, as soon as you're done here start getting that list because we're going to need to start making them.

This is going to be a sprint for the next 39 days.  And I am confident that if we do what we need to do, if I do what I need to do, that not only will we win this election, we'll be able to finish what we started and remind the world why the United States of America is the greatest nation on Earth.  (Applause.)

Thank you very much, everybody.  God bless you.  God bless America.  (Applause.)  Let's get to work.  (Applause.)  All right?  Thank you.  (Applause.)

END  
7:27 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 28, 2012

Remarks by the President at a Campaign Event

Private Residence
Washington, D.C.

5:38 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you so much, everybody, for being here.  Let me say thank you to Jay and Sharon who have just been extraordinary friends.  This is probably the fourth or fifth event that I’ve had here, and they have been with me every step of the way.  And, as Jay points out, being the beloved senator from West Virginia where my vote totals don't always match my aspirations -- (laughter) -- for Jay to have been such a great friend all these years means the world to me. 

And Sharon, who does so much to keep Jay in line -- (laughter) -- but also just a powerhouse in her own right, you guys have just both been extraordinary friends, and I’m very, very grateful.  So give them a big round of applause.  (Applause.)

I am so thankful to all of you.  As I look around the room, I see people who have been with me since I was running for Senate, and a lot of people in this space who supported me when nobody could pronounce my name.  We’ve traveled a long road. 

A friend of mine, Abner Mikva, used to say that being friends with a politician is like perpetually having a kid in college.  (Laughter.)  Every few months you have to write a check.  (Laughter.)  And it just keeps on going and going, and you're wondering when is it going to stop.  The good news is I’m about to graduate.  (Laughter.)  This is about to be my last semester when it comes to political races.  Obviously, we couldn’t have come this far without your support and friendship, and I’m grateful for that.

We are in the midst of political season.  My campaign manager, Jim Messina, tells a story from a couple of months ago.  This is a true story.  He was with a couple who -- big supporters of mine.  They had brought their four-year-old son, Sammy, and they were meeting with Jim and there was a picture of me.  And they said, “Sammy, who’s that?”  And he said, “That’s Barack Obama.”  And they said, “And what does Barack Obama do?”  And Sammy thought about it for a second and he says, “He approves this message.”  (Laughter.)  This is a true story.  (Laughter.)

And that gives you some indication that we are in political season.  (Laughter.)  The message I approve is the one that Jay just delivered, which is that this is as important an election as we’ll see in our lifetime.  This, to me, is actually a more consequential election than 2008.  Obviously, four years ago, something special happened during the campaign and we had a whole bunch of tailwinds behind Democrats. 

But between the Democrat and the Republican there was at least some sense of overlap in terms of how we viewed the world, right?  John McCain was in favor of comprehensive immigration reform.  He believed in climate change.  He believed in campaign finance reform.  There were differences, very profound differences, and yet there was still a sense I think that the differences between the parties could be bridged.

And I have to tell you, as I’ve been campaigning and as I’ve been President over the last four years, I continue to believe that the country is not as divided as our politics would indicate.  But what’s going on in this political campaign is not just a contest between two individuals -- or even two political parties.  It really, at this point, is about two fundamentally different visions for where we take the country.

My opponent believes in the sort of top-down economic theories that I think got us into this mess in the first place.  And when you look at his plans, the essence of it is massive tax cuts for folks who don’t need them, even if it means cutting education investments by 20 percent, even if it means slashing our commitment to basic research and technology, even if it means turning Medicare into a voucher system.  And then rolling back regulations that keep our air clean and our water clean, and ensure that consumers aren’t taken advantage of.  And the notion is, is that if that happens, if government just gets out of the way, then jobs and prosperity will rain down on everybody.

And I’ve got a different vision.  I deeply believe that America is built on individual initiative, and risk-taking and entrepreneurship.  And people are just putting in a lot of blood and sweat to build their lives.  And as Lincoln said, we don’t need government to do anything that we can do better ourselves.  But I also think that our history has been one in which when we are providing opportunity for everybody, regardless of what they look like or where they come from, or what their last name is, or who they love, and that middle class is broad and deep and strong, and people who are willing to work hard have ladders of opportunity into the middle class -- when that happens, we are all better off.  And that’s what I’ve tried to do over the last four years, is stay focused on how do we create opportunity for everybody.

Now, we had a lot of work to do initially -- saving an auto industry, making sure the banking system functioned, and making sure that we didn’t fall into a Great Depression.  But my job was not just to get us back to where we were in 2007; we had to tackle some issues that mattered over the long haul and problems that had been building up over decades. 

And that’s why we championed health care reform.  We knew it wasn’t going to be politically popular, but it was the right thing to do.  That’s the reason that we have emphasized having a tax code that encourages manufacturing in this country, and makes sure that we’re all doing our part in reducing the deficit.  That’s the reason why we’ve put such an emphasis on reforming our schools, and also making sure that everybody who wants to go to college can afford it. 

That’s why, internationally, our emphasis has been to make sure that we’re leading not just with the incredible military and the unbelievable men and women who are in uniform, who make sacrifices for us every single day, but that we give our military some help by having a diplomatic corps and a White House that is leading with our values and leading with our ideals.

And so, as a consequence, we’ve made great strides, but we’ve got a lot more work to do on that path to making sure that everybody has opportunity.  And that’s what this election is going to be about.

Now, we only have 39 days left, and I think that there is a tendency among Democrats to either think that the sky is falling -- (laughter) -- and that we are in the midst of utter disaster, or everything is great -- (laughter) -- and let’s start planning for the library five years from now.  And I have to tell you that this is going to be a competitive race all the way down to the wire, precisely because there are a lot of people out there who are still hurting and who have legitimate questions about how are we going to get this economy growing as fast as we want, and how are we going to bring back our deficit, and how’s my kid’s life going to be better than mine. 

And so we’re going to have to work our hearts out over the next 39 days.  The good news is that the message we’re presenting when it’s actually stripped away of partisanship, when you just present to people, here are two contrasting ideas, and no labels are attached -- these aren’t Obama’s ideas or Romney’s ideas, Democratic ideas or Republican ideas; these are just ideas for how we move the country forward -- it turns out that people think our ideas are the right ones.

So if you ask folks, how important is education, they say nothing is more important.  They know the world is getting more competitive and we’ve got to train our kids to compete.  Well, how do we do that?  My opponent has a philosophy that says we reduce our support and we rely on school vouchers, and that’s somehow going to move things forward, and let young people borrow money from their parents to go to college and we’ll be successful. 

And we present an idea that says we’re going to continue with Race to the Top to prompt reform and raise standards, and hire new teachers in math and science, and make sure that young people can afford to go to college by building on the work we’ve already done to make tuition more affordable, and work with universities and colleges to reduce tuition.  And, lo and behold, it turns out they think that’s the better way to go.

You talk to them about energy, and we try to explain -- we’ve cut oil imports by the largest amount in the last 20 years.  They’re at the lowest point they’ve been in nearly two decades.  But what we’ve said is we also want to end $4 billion a year in subsidies to oil companies and instead use that money to continue to support wind and solar and biofuels, and work to find the next technologies that can help us to gain greater fuel efficiency in our cars, and put people back to work retrofitting our homes and our businesses so that they’re more energy efficient -- which idea do you think is better, they like our ideas. 

If you talk to them about the tax code and you say, do you think it's fair that somebody making $20 million a year pays a lower tax rate than somebody making $50,000 a year, lo and behold, they don't think that's fair.  And when you ask them should we reduce the deficit by cutting out things that we don't need but also by making sure that our tax code is asking people like those of you in attendance here today to go back to the rates we had under Bill Clinton, they think that's a pretty good idea -- particularly when they know that the alternative is gutting our commitment to the things that help us grow.

And when you talk about foreign policy and you say we ended the war in Iraq, we're going after terrorists, we're winding down the war in Afghanistan, and we're going to use the money that we save fighting the wars to do some nation-building here at home, Republican or Democrat, you get a cheer. 

So we are well positioned; our ideas are right; our vision is one that is fact-based, evidence-based, and that has actually a strong bipartisan tradition.  But nevertheless, this is going to be a tough race.  So I think my main message to all of you is I could not be prouder of the support you've already given me, but our work is not yet done.  And I'm going to need all of you over the next 39 days to put as much into this thing as you can.

If everybody here has written all you can write when it comes to financial support, go find some friends.  If you've got friends and neighbors in battleground states, call them up.  Travel out there and knock on some doors.  It's good for you.  Those of you who've done it, you know.  It's an adventure, but it's important and it gives you some sense of what's at stake.

I don't want anybody to feel that somehow we're done six weeks out, because the American people are still hurting and they want to know that their President is thinking about them every single day and fighting for this job because he is passionate about moving this country forward, and passionate about advocating on their behalf.  And so I hope that all of you feel that same determination that I do. 

A lot of folks, as I do these photo lines, they say, thank you for serving.  I know that having folks write $10 million checks just to rain negative ads on top of you can't be fun, and we're so grateful -- et cetera.  And I have to remind them, as Michelle points out, I volunteered for this job.  (Laughter.)  It is the greatest privilege that anybody could ever have.  And when I think about the sacrifices that so many Americans make every single day, and have made in the past to allow me to be part of this incredible democracy, it gets me inspired.  It doesn’t get me tired.

I go to Walter Reed every so often to talk to our wounded warriors.  Most of these guys are 20, 21, 23, 25.  They've got young families.  The ones who've lost a leg are oftentimes the lucky ones.  And yet, despite everything that they go through, and their families go through, when you talk to them, they couldn't be prouder of their service to this country.  They love America so much, and they know what they're doing is important every single day. 

And when I leave there, I'm reminded that we're all called to sacrifice in some fashion for this country, and we may not be able to match the sacrifices that they're making but we better work hard.  We better try.  We better try to make sure that we've got an economy that works for everybody.  We better try to preserve freedom for women to make their own health care choices. We better fight to make sure that the progress we've made on things like "don't ask, don't tell" don't get reversed.  We better fight to make sure that we have real immigration reform, and some kid who's here, who's grown up here and pledging allegiance to our flag isn't suddenly deported from the only country they've ever know.  We've got to fight for it.

And I've still got a lot of fight in me.  So I hope you've got a lot of fight in you.  Let's get to work.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

END
5:54 P.M. EDT