The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
May 12, 2012

Remarks by the First Lady at North Carolina A&T University Commencement

Greensboro Coliseum
Greensboro, North Carolina

10:44 A.M. EDT
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Good morning, everyone.  (Applause.) 
 
AUDIENCE:  Good morning.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  You all, rest yourselves.  (Laughter.)  First of all, let me thank Chancellor Martin for that very kind introduction.  I also want to thank Davonta and everyone from the Board of Governors, the Board of Trustees, the faculty, and all of the staff here who have worked so hard on this event and on making you the men and women that you are.
 
I also have to thank the University Choir.  You all are amazing.  (Applause.)  As the Chancellor said, you all are becoming regulars at the White House, and that’s a good thing, singing at our Black History Month events for the last two years.  It's just amazing to hear those voices pouring through the White House.  It's very powerful, and it is obviously such a pleasure to hear your beautiful music here today.
 
And of course, I want to join in on thanking all the folks who have made this day possible, the people who have been with you all every step of the way –- yes, your families, including all those watching on campus or at home. 
 
These folks have given you that shoulder to lean on, and that hug when you’ve done well, and maybe that kick in the butt when you need to do a little bit better, right?  (Laughter.)  And none of you would be where you are today without their love and support.  So, again, let’s give them all another round of applause, because today is their day too.  (Applause.)
 
And most of all, I want to thank this fine-looking group right in front of me –- (applause) -- the graduates of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Class of 2012!  (Applause.)  Congratulations!  You all have worked so hard and I know you have grown so much, and you’ve come to truly represent a little something called Aggie Pride!
 
AUDIENCE:  Aggie Pride!  (Applause.)
 
MRS. OBAMA:  All right!  I like that.  (Laughter.) 
 
Let me tell you, it is an honor to be here at North Carolina A&T, a true honor.  You all have such a proud tradition here in Greensboro.  For years, you have produced more African American engineers –- and more African American female engineers –- than just about anywhere else in America.  (Applause.)  
 
You have produced some of our nation’s finest leaders in business, government, and our military.  (Applause.)  The first African American Justice on the North Carolina Supreme Court was an Aggie.  (Applause.)  So was the second African American astronaut.  (Applause.)  And so were those four young men who sat down at a lunch counter 52 years ago and will stand forever in bronze in front of the Dudley building.  (Applause.)  
 
Now, I know that all of you know the story of the Greensboro Four and how they changed the course of our history.  But since we have the nation watching, let's talk a little bit.  (Laughter and applause.) 
 
It’s easy to forget that before they were known as heroes, they were young people just like all of you -- even younger.  They were freshmen here at A&T.  Three of them grew up right here in North Carolina; they all lived on the same floor in Scott Hall.  They weren’t trailblazers or legends back then.  So we have to ask ourselves, how did these young men get from where they were to the history books?  And believe it or not, the spark might have come on a bus ride. 
 
One of the four, Joseph McNeil, had spent Christmas in New York, and he took a bus from there back to school here in Greensboro.  When the bus stopped in Philadelphia, he could eat wherever he chose.  But when he got off the station in Greensboro, the food counter here wouldn’t serve him.
 
Now, this wasn’t exactly new.  Joseph had lived with these boundaries for years.  But this time, it really hit him.  And although he was the exact same person in Greensboro that he’d been just a few hours earlier in Philly, he was made to feel like a fraction of the man he had become.
 
Here in the state where he was born and raised, in the city where he was working so hard to get an education and grow into a responsible, self-respecting man, he was treated like he didn’t even matter; like he wasn’t even welcome in the place he called home.  Imagine the humiliation he must have felt.  Imagine his pain and his outrage.
 
So when Joseph got back to his dorm room that night, his mind was probably already racing.  He started talking to his roommates; they pulled in two friends from down the hall, and together over the next couple of weeks they decided to do more than just talk.  They decided to act.  And on a Monday afternoon, the four of them met up after class and headed downtown. 
 
And I’m sure their hearts were racing.  I’m sure they’d barely slept the night before.  Remember, everything was on the line for these young men.  They were considered the lucky ones.  They were some of the very few African American young people at the time who had the chance to attend college.  They were on the path to achieve something that most black folks could only dream of.  And here they were, risking all of that for what they believed in.
 
This was something that a lot of people -- black folks back then -- didn't do because the stakes were so high.  Because remember, this was 1960, and if you used the wrong water fountain, or sat on the wrong seat on the bus, or stepped your foot in the wrong part of the theater you might get heckled or spat on or beaten -- or even worse. 
 
So as they were walking downtown, one of the four was actually wondering to himself whether he’d wind up coming back to campus in a pine box.  But when they got downtown and saw that Woolworth’s sign, there was no turning back.  They sat down on those four stools at the lunch counter and ordered coffee.  They were refused, but they didn’t get up.  
 
And that first day, they were there for just an hour or so.  Then they went back to campus and told other students what they’d done -- and some didn’t even believe them.  But the next day, about 20 more students showed up.  And within a week, it was more than a thousand. 
 
In the coming weeks and months, the demonstrations spread from Greensboro to places like Richmond, and Nashville, and Jackson and more than 50 other cities all across the country.  (Applause.)  And by end of July, Woolworth’s -- one of the biggest chain stores in the world -- was forced to end their policy of discrimination.  And the Civil Rights movement was growing stronger every day.  (Applause.) 
 
And all of this started because of a bus ride and some dorm room conversations.  It all started because a small group of young people had their eyes open to the injustices around them.  It all started because they decided, as one of the four told the newspaper on the first day of the protests, that it was “time for someone to wake up and change the situation.”  And that, more than anything else, is the story of our nation’s progress right from the very beginning. 
    
It’s the story of the farmers and cobblers and blacksmiths who took on an empire; the abolitionists who ran that Underground Railroad; the women who mobilized; the workers who organized; the individuals of every background, color, creed and orientation who worked in ways large and small to give us the country that we have today.  Every single one of them decided that at some point, it was time to wake up and change the situation. 
 
And that is what I want to talk with all of you about today –- how all of the work and the sweat and the passion that so many people poured into this country must be met with work and sweat and passion of our own.  (Applause.)  And as graduates of this proud university, as young people like those who always stoked the fires of progress, our country is counting on all of you to step forward and help us with the work that remains.  We need you. 
 
Now, I’ll be the first to admit that it can be easy to lose sight of that responsibility -- especially when you first graduate from college.  You’re struggling to pay off your student loans, and you’re putting in extra hours to make a name for yourself at work.  You’re trying to figure out who you want to spend the rest of your life with.  Oh yeah, and I remember that like it was yesterday.  (Laughter.)
 
Like all of you, I worked hard all through school.  I earned my BA, my JD -- and I had the student loans to show for it.  So I did what I thought I should do -- I got a great job at one of the biggest law firms in Chicago, and before long, I was checking all the boxes you were supposed to check.  Fat paycheck -- got it.  Nice car -- got it.  Big, fancy office -- got it.
 
But then, when I was 26 years old, one of my best friends from college died of cancer.  Like that, she was gone.  Less than a year after that, my father died after battling multiple sclerosis for years.  Just like that, I’d lost two of the people I loved most in the world. 
 
So there I was, not much older than all of you, and I felt like my whole world was caving in.  And I began to do a little bit of soul searching.  I began to ask myself some hard questions.  Questions like:  If I die tomorrow, what did I really do with my life?  What kind of a mark would I leave?  How would I be remembered?  And none of my answers satisfied me.
 
I had everything I was told I should want, but it still wasn’t enough.  And I realized that no matter how long I stayed on that job, no matter how many years I pursued someone else’s definition of success, I was never going to have a life that felt like my own. 
 
And so, to the surprise of my family and friends, I quit that high-paying job and I took a job in the mayor’s office.  That hurt.  (Laughter.)  Then, as the Chancellor said, I became the executive director of Public Allies, a nonprofit organization that trained young people to pursue careers in public service. 
 
Oh, I was earning a fraction of my law firm salary, and I added years to my student loan repayment process.  But let me tell you, I woke up every morning feeling engaged and inspired in ways that I had never felt before.  (Applause.)  I spent every day feeling like I was doing something that truly made a difference in people’s lives.  And twenty years later, looking back on my journey, I see that all of that started with those questions I asked myself in that law office. 
 
So today, as you all are looking ahead toward your own journeys, I would like to pose three of those questions to all of you. 
 
The first question I asked myself was, “Who do I want to be?”  Not what do I want to be, but who.
 
And it’s so easy to think about your future as a series of lines on a resume.  In many ways, that’s how our society is wired.  And as an adult, when you meet somebody new, they often ask you -- the first question -- they say, what do you do?  And you quickly give the simplest answer -- I'm a nurse, I'm an engineer, I'm a teacher, I'm a lawyer, whatever it is -- and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.  A meaningful, fulfilling career that -- can be the cornerstone of a happy life. 
 
But I also want to stress that your job title and responsibilities, those things are merely what you do, and they will always be.  They are not who you are.  (Applause.)
 
So as you all are thinking about your careers, I want you to think about what’s important to you.  How does your job fit into a full life -- a complete life?  How are you going to give back?
 
Are you going to be an engineer, or are you going to be an engineer who volunteers in a science class at a local school twice a week?  (Applause.)  Are you going to go into business, or are you going to be the CEO who sponsors community theater productions, and those 5K runs, and the local little league team? 
 
Who are you going to be?
 
Are you going to be the nurse who serves in the National Guard every other weekend, and writes the weekly bulletin for church?  Are you going to be the award-winning journalist who raises a beautiful family, who serves on the PTA, who drives the carpool, who was in every single way -- voted in every election, every year, every single year?
 
It is critical that you start thinking about these things now, and keep coming back to them.  Because I'm going to warn you –- those daily to-do lists that will creep up on you, those deadlines at work, the pressure to keep climbing and achieving and acquiring –- trust me, all of that adds up.  It forms a powerful current.  And if you’re not focused on who you want to be and how you want to live your life, trust me, it will sweep you away. 
 
So you have got to keep your bearings.  You’ve got to figure out what matters to you and stay true to those values.  You’ve got to keep your eyes open as you make your way in the world.
 
And that leads me to my second question.  I want you to ask yourselves, “What’s going on in the world around me?” 
 
It’s true that the world is different today than it was for the Greensboro Four and others who came before them.  You won’t see any “whites only” water fountains.  You won’t see women turned away at the polls.  You may not hear the words of hatred and discrimination every day.  And all of that, those are signs of how much progress that we've made.  But we all know that there are still plenty of serious injustices crying out for our attention.  (Applause.)  We know this.
 
Yes, we outlawed segregation in our public schools nearly sixty years ago, but we all know that every child is not getting the same quality of education today.  (Applause.)  That we know.
 
Yes, women gained the right to vote nearly a century ago, and women now make up nearly half of our work force -- yet they still earn only 77 cents for every dollar a man earns, and for African American women, it’s just 64 cents.  (Applause.)  
 
Yes, we passed a federal hate crimes law, but we all know that prejudice of all kinds exists -- all kinds -- for all kinds of people.  Too often that still remains.
 
So take a look around, and I guarantee you that you will see that there is plenty of work left to be done. 
 
Maybe it’s the school on the other side of town with crumbling classrooms and a couple of old computers, and teachers who are as outnumbered as they are overworked.  Or maybe it’s the cash-strapped homeless shelter that keeps dozens of people warm every night, but their grant money ran out.  Maybe it’s the city hall in dire need of fresh ideas.  Maybe it’s a river lined with trash. 
 
Everywhere we look, there are wrongs just waiting to be made right.  But again, I warn you –- those wrongs won’t go away.  And they will entrench themselves deeper and deeper unless we act.
 
And that leads me to the third and final question.  We need you to ask yourselves:  "How can I help?"  It’s a simple question.  "How can I help?"  And the answers are often obvious. 
 
That failing school?  Volunteer there before work.  Donate your old laptop.  Organize a group to paint a mural on the playground.  The homeless shelter in danger of shutting its doors?  Start a fundraising drive.  That filthy river bed?  Put on some gloves and pick up a bucket.  Those nationwide inequalities?  That stagnant city hall?  Immerse yourselves in information.  Become familiar with your elected representatives.  Vote –- not just once in a while, but every year, in every election.  (Applause.)  And even better, run for a seat at the table yourself.  
 
The fact is, we simply cannot move forward unless all of us are engaged.  And being engaged means not simply recognizing what’s wrong, not simply complaining about and talking about our problems, but acting.  It means waking up and changing the situation.  And that’s a lesson that so many of you have already begun to learn during your time here at A&T. 
 
This year alone, students at this university have volunteered nearly 35,000 hours of service.  (Applause.)  You’ve mentored your peers and helped young people, students, transition to college.  You’ve marched and walked for causes you believe in.  You’ve cleaned up streets.  You’ve served at the YMCA, Habitat for Humanity and so many other organizations.  And some of you have committed yourselves to serving our country -- including 11 of you who will be commissioned as officers in the Army and the Air Force later this afternoon.  (Applause.) 
 
And with that kind of action and that kind of commitment, all of you have begun to carry on that proud legacy of the Greensboro Four.  And today, I’m reminded of a quote from one of those young men. 
 
Years after he’d made history at that lunch counter, Franklin McCain said these words.  He said:  “This is my country.  I fought for the chance to make it right.  No one's going to deny me the opportunity.  I am going to be a full participant in every aspect of this community, as well as my kids.”
 
That’s what they were fighting for.  That’s why they sat down on those stools -- so that they could be full participants in their communities, and that so could you.  They were fighting so that all of you -- and me -- could have opportunities they couldn’t even imagine.  And look around.  Just look around.  That’s exactly what we’ve got. 
 
We’re not weighed down by the kind of baggage that folks had back then.  We do live in a country that’s more supportive, more open, more inclusive than ever before.  We've got rights and freedoms and possibilities that they would have given anything to have for themselves.  But with all of those advantages comes a set of responsibilities. 
 
We’ve got a responsibility to protect the ground that’s already been won, because it can just as easily be lost.  (Applause.)  It can be gone.  We’ve got a responsibility to live up to the legacy of those who came before us by doing all that we can to help those who come after us.  That’s how we’ve always made progress -- each generation doing its part to lift up the next. 
 
Each generation does its part to perfect our union.  Each generation looks at the world around them and decides that it’s time to wake up and change the situation.  And we’ve always looked to our young people to lead the way.  We always have. 
 
So graduates, now it’s your turn.  It’s time for you to take that baton.  Take it.  It’s time for you to carry the banner forward.  It’s time for you to wake the rest of us up and show us everything you’ve got.
 
That’s what Aggies like you have always done.  (Applause.)  And that is your history, and that is your legacy.  That is who you are.  Never forget that. 
 
And let me tell you something -- that is why me and my husband and the folks all across this country, man, we are so proud of you all.  We are so proud.  And because of you, we are so hopeful about our future.  Yes we are.  Know that.  (Applause.) 
 
So graduates, I love you all.
 
AUDIENCE:  We love you too!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  I cannot wait to see that all you will achieve and all that you will contribute in the years ahead.  You have everything before you.
 
God bless you all, and good luck.
 
END               
11:08 A.M. EDT
 

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
May 11, 2012

Remarks by the First Lady at Virginia Tech Commencement

Blacksburg, Virginia

12:49 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you all.  Thank you so much.  Well, hello, Hokies!  (Applause.)  I like saying that.  It is such a pleasure and an honor to be here today to celebrate the Virginia Tech class of 2012.  Way to go.  Way to go.

I want to start by thanking President Steger for that very kind introduction, as well as the faculty, the staff, the board.  I also want to thank Senator Warner for his wonderful remarks, especially the "call your mom" part.  I like that.  I want to thank him for his outstanding service and leadership on behalf of this state.  And Senator, I accept your challenge -- (laughter) -- but you've just got to know, I play to win.  (Laughter.)  All right?  I also want to recognize Governor McDonnell and Mrs. McDonnell, who are here not just as Virginia’s Governor and First Lady but as proud parents.  Congratulations to both of you and your family.

And graduates, I have to join in in taking a moment to thank those extraordinary people up in the bleachers with the cameras and the beaming smiles on their faces.  Yes, I’m talking again about your families -- the folks who pushed you and believed in you; the folks who always picked up the phone when you called, even when you were just calling to ask for money.  (Laughter.)  Their love and support has sustained you every step of the way, so, again, let’s give them another round of applause, right?  (Applause.)

And finally, to the class of 2012, you all -- congratulations.  Congratulations.  We are so proud of you for making it to this day.  We are so proud of what you’ve achieved and who you’ve become.  And I know that as one of your commencement speakers today, I’m supposed to offer you all kinds of wisdom and advice and life lessons.  But the truth is, like so many people across this country and around the world, I have been following the journey of this school.  I have witnessed the strength and spirit of the Hokie Nation.  And I think that you all already learned plenty of lessons here at Virginia Tech.

In fact, I feel like all of you have so much to teach all of us.  And that’s really what I want to talk about today.  I want to talk about the lessons that all of us in this country can learn from this university.  I want to talk about what we can learn from the community you’ve built, from the service you’ve performed, and from the future that you all are inventing together.

And I want to start with the lesson that you all have taught us about the power of community.  As you all know and was mentioned earlier, the very first student at this university walked 26 miles just to enroll here.  Now, to normal people that might seem a little excessive, but to anyone who knows anything about Hokie pride, it's that level of enthusiasm that's pretty much par for the course here, right?  Whether you’re walking around campus decked out in your maroon and orange or cheering your hearts out to the opening beats of "Enter Sandman," few can match the school spirit on display here at Virginia Tech.

I even hear that you’ve bred your own variety of flower -- a maroon and orange daylily known as the “VT Spirit.”  And during your first days at this school you learned that when someone asks you “What is a Hokie?” -- what’s your answer?

AUDIENCE:  I am!

MRS. OBAMA:  What is a Hokie?

AUDIENCE:  I am! 

MRS. OBAMA:  And when someone says “Let’s go,” you answer --

AUDIENCE:   Hokies!

MRS. OBAMA:  They told me you’d do that.  (Laughter.)  That's very cool.

And whether you’re celebrating your triumphs or coming together in times of tragedy, what is clear is that you all didn’t just choose to attend a school, you chose to be part of a community.  And that feeling of belonging, those connections to your classmates and professors, I know for so many of you that’s what has made your time here so special.

And I know that some of you might be feeling a little sad about leaving the community that you’ve found here in Blacksburg.  But here’s the thing, graduates, the Hokie community didn’t just happen.  It didn’t just exist on its own.  All of you created it.  You worked hard for it.  You nurtured it every step of the way.  And I want you to know that you can do that again wherever your journey may take you.

Now, it’s going to be a little harder when you’re working a job and raising a family, juggling all the responsibilities of being adult.  But I promise you that no matter where you wind up, you can create a thriving community of your own if you’re willing to put in the same kind of energy and effort that you invested here at Virginia Tech.  

So that means continuing to show up -– but instead of showing up to games and extracurriculars, it might mean attending those town hall meetings, or going to that school assembly, or those neighborhood picnics.  It means reaching out like you did to your classmates here at Virginia Tech -– stopping by to welcome a new neighbor to your block, or bringing over a hot meal for someone who’s going through a hard time.  And it means continuing to serve -– volunteering in your local school, cleaning up your local park, doing your part to help others in need.

And that brings me to the second lesson all of you at Virginia Tech have taught us -– and that is the power of service.  Service is truly at the core of the Virginia Tech experience.  It’s in your motto -– Ut prosim, “That I may serve.”  It was your founding purpose as a land grant school designed to open the doors of higher education to people from all walks of life.  It’s the mission of your Corps of Cadets, men and women who have served this country in every armed conflict right from the beginning.

And every year, Virginia Tech students do tens of thousands of hours of community service here in Virginia and around the world.  I understand this year, through the Relay for Life, you’ve raised more than half a million dollars to fight cancer.  (Applause.)  And at this year’s Big Event, more than 6,800 people volunteered on 990 different projects.  And one of today’s graduates, a young man named Justin Graves, has committed himself to helping at least one person every single day.  Way to go.  As he put it, and these are his words -- Justin said, “Life is all about what you have done for other people.”

And you all haven’t just taught us about the power of service to lift up our families and heal our communities.  You’ve also shown us that through service, we can heal ourselves.  Over the past five years, students here have run memorial projects, building houses, hosting dance workshops, teaching French and German in local schools.  You’ve created a fund to honor the sacrifice of Officer Deriek Crouse.  And through these and so many other acts of service, large and small, you all have helped this community heal.

And years ago, I went through a similar process in my own life.  It was back when I wasn’t much older than all of you.  I had graduated from college and law school, and then I was -- like many of you will be -- up to my ears in debt.  So I went out, and I got a job at one of the largest law firms in Chicago.  And for a while, I was doing everything that I thought I was supposed to do.  I had a fancy office, a big fat paycheck, and a really impressive line on my resume.

But then, when I was 26 years old, one of my best friends from college in the world died of cancer suddenly.  She was gone.  Less than a year later, my father passed away after battling multiple sclerosis for years.  And just like that, I had lost two of the people I loved most in the world.  That was it.  And for months, I felt like I couldn’t breathe.  I had this almost physical sense of loss, this gaping emptiness in my life -- and I couldn’t figure out how to fill it.  I spent a lot of time mourning and questioning and reflecting.  And I thought a lot about everything my dad had done for me during his life.  I thought about how hard my dad worked to provide for our family.  I thought about how, no matter how sick my father was feeling, he still woke up every morning and he did his job at the city water plant, and he did it without complaint or regret. 

And you see, as I tell many people, my dad did not have the chance to attend college himself, but he and my mom they saved and they sacrificed.  They poured everything they had into me and my brother because they wanted us to get an education they could only dream of.  And while pretty much all of my college tuition was covered from loans and grants, my dad still paid a small portion of that tuition himself.  And let me tell you, every semester, he was determined to pay his little contribution right on time.  He was so proud to be sending his kids to college, and he couldn’t bear the thought of me or my brother missing that registration deadline because his check was late.

And as I grieved, I came to realize that the best way for me to honor my dad’s life was by how I lived my own life.  I realized that the best way to fill the hole he had left was to do for other young people what he had done for me.  So I left that fancy law firm, and I wound up ultimately running a non-profit organization that trained young people for careers in public service.  Yes, I took a pay cut that made my mother cringe, and my new office wasn’t nearly as nice as the old one.

But with every student I mentored, with every service project I organized, I felt my grief recede just a little bit.  I still miss my dad, and I always will.  But slowly, I felt myself beginning to heal.  I felt myself becoming whole again.

And all of us go through periods of sadness like this.  All of us do.  We all feel, at times, a little bit lost.  And we all have some kind of emptiness that we’re searching to fill.  And often, it is only through serving others that we find what’s been missing in our own lives.  And like so many of you, through service I was able to find what I needed and carve a path for my life that truly felt like my own.

And that brings me to the final lesson that all of you have taught us -– and that is the power of inventing the future.  And I know you hear this phrase all the time here at Virginia Tech, but today, I just want to pause for a moment on the word “invent.”  Because the phrase isn’t “succeed in the future,” it’s not “plan for the future” or “do the best you can in the future.”  It’s “invent the future.”  And with those three words comes a simple message:  a call to chart your own course and live life on your own terms.  And that’s a lesson that I first learned back when I was a teenager.

And some of you may have grown up like I did -- in neighborhoods where kids had -- very few of them had the chance to go to college; where being teased for doing well in school was just a fact of life; where well-meaning but misguided folks questioned whether a girl with my background could get into the kinds of colleges I dreamed of attending.  But I worked hard, and I did my best to tune out those voices of doubt, including the ones inside my own head.  And eventually, I was accepted to Princeton, and I got that education that my dad had always dreamed of.

But the truth is, graduates, there will always be folks who make assumptions about you based on superficial things like where you’re from, or what you’re wearing, or how you look.  There will always be folks who judge you based on just one thing that you say or do; folks who define you based on one isolated incident.  And here at Virginia Tech, I know you all know a thing or two about what that’s like. 

But you also know that in the end, people can only define you if you let them.  In the end, it’s up to each of us to define ourselves.  It’s up to each of us to invent our own future with the choices we make and the actions we take.  That’s why Norris Hall is now the home of the Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention, and West Ambler Johnston Hall will soon be reopened as a new residential college.  That is why this year, on April 16th, you started attending class again, choosing to honor their lives by moving forward with your own.

And that is why, when you all are out there in the world and you meet someone and you tell them that you’re from Virginia Tech, and they say, “Huh, isn’t that the school where” -- I want you to interrupt them right there and say, “Yes, it is the school where we have some of the best academic programs and professors in the country."  That’s what you tell them.  (Applause.)  You tell them, "Yes, it is the school where students are passionate about serving their country and supporting each other.  And by the way, which also has the best campus food you’ll ever eat."  (Applause.)  Who can say that?

You tell them, “Yes, it’s the school where we produce graduates who are leaders in their industries, and pillars of their communities, and who carry their Hokie pride with them every day for the rest of their lives."  You say, “Yes, that is the school I attend.  That is Virginia Tech.”

Graduates, that is who you are.  That is what it means to be part of the Hokie Nation.  And let me just tell you, we are all so proud of you.  And we are all so inspired by you.  And we are all determined to live up to the example you have set.  And in those ways and so many others, yes, we are all still Hokies.

Congratulations again on everything that you’ve achieved.  Thank you all.  God bless you.  (Applause.)

END                    
1:05 P.M. EDT

Recognizing the Contributions of Military Spouses

Brad Cooper
Brad Cooper
May 11, 2012
12:08 PM EST

Today is Military Spouse Appreciation Day. In reflecting on this holiday, I can’t help but think of my own wife, an incredible example of a military spouse. We met in high school, and married after I graduated from college. She finished college after we got married and earned her Master's Degree from George Washington University in between duty stations. 17 moves, 10 deployments and 2 teenagers later, she's even more wonderful than the day we met.

I'm grateful for my very special military spouse - and best friend - and encourage you to extend your appreciation to the military husbands and wives in your life, whether it’s a neighbor, a co-worker or a mom at your children’s school. Our nation's more than 1,000,000 military spouses are among the most inspirational men and women in this nation. Through more than 10 years of war, they serve bravely on the homefront as their service members deploys abroad. Our military spouses juggle all the challenges that every American family faces - but often with the added pressure of a lovedone deployed in a war zone for extended periods of time. To all of the military wives and husbands, thank you for your service.

Military spouses have given this nation so much. Now it's our turn to give back. We want this country to recognize, honor and support our military families - and not just through words, but through meaningful action. Today, we honor and show our military spouses our appreciation. But our military spouses have earned the support of our nation for all days, not just today.

Related Topics: Veterans, Women

Joining Forces Honors Military Moms

May 10, 2012 | 15:30 | Public Domain

First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden host a Joining Forces Mother’s Day event at the White House for three generations of military families – military mothers, as well as their mothers and their children.

Download mp4 (548MB) | mp3 (35MB)

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
May 10, 2012

Remarks by the First Lady and Dr. Jill Biden at Congressional Spouses Service Project

Naval Observatory
Washington, D.C.

3:17 P.M. EDT


DR. BIDEN:  Hello, everyone, and welcome to our home.  It is wonderful for you to all be here today on such a beautiful day, especially after the rain all this week.

One of the best parts of my role as Second Lady has been visiting with military families all across the country and throughout the world.  I’m always amazed by their courage, their resilience and their strength.

As you all know, the First Lady and I started Joining Forces last year as a way to honor, recognize and support our veterans and military families.  We’ve been so inspired by the many ways Americans all across this country have stepped up to show their support.

Full Circle Home is a wonderful organization started by Vicki Durfree that supports women and military families.  Vicki’s son, Gil, is a Marine.  Working with Vicki is Lisa Miller, an Army mom herself. 

When Vicki’s son was deployed, he asked him mom to help him send a gift to his girlfriend at Christmas.  That was the beginning.  Around the holidays and for Mother’s Day, Full Circle Home arranges for gift boxes to be sent on behalf of service members to their loved ones.

The boxes are filled with pampering products, and, most importantly, a handwritten note from their deployed loved one.  My son, Beau, is a major in the Delaware Army National Guard who was deployed for a year to Iraq, so I know what it feels like for a mom to see that familiar handwriting from a son or a daughter thousands of miles away.  What an incredible surprise for a mom or a spouse to receive. 

More than 4,000 gift boxes have been sent to women across the United States, and even to bases in Iraq and Afghanistan in the past five years. 

Vicki and Lisa, thank you for all you are doing to support our military families.  (Applause.)

Thank you to everyone here for taking the time to help with this service project.  Your time will help thousands of military moms and wives know their loved ones are thinking of them this Mother’s Day.

Now, it is my pleasure to introduce someone who has helped make today possible.  Sloan Gibson, President of the USO, is one of our strongest advocates for our servicemen and women and their families.

Sloan.  (Applause.)


* * * * *


DR. BIDEN:  And now, I want to introduce our First Lady, Michelle Obama, who has been just a wonderful, caring friend, partner and advocate for our U.S. military.

Michelle.  (Applause.)

MRS. OBAMA:  Well, good afternoon, everyone.  I’m not going to talk long because we’re going to get to work, as you all already have been.

I want to start by thanking Jill for opening up this beautiful home for us today.  I want to thank Sloan and the USO for everything they’ve done.  They have just been a phenomenal partner. 

And of course to Vicki and to Lisa, and everything they’re doing with Full Circle Home.  This is just the kind of partnership, just the kind of opportunities that people have in this country to give back and to be creative with the skills that they have, the ideas that they have, what impact that that can have.

But most importantly, I want to just thank all of the congressional spouses, all of the men and women who have taken time out of their busy days to be here.  It was wonderful spending time with you all yesterday at the luncheon.  Great job to the committee.  Well done.  We had a lot of fun, as we always do.  That luncheon is a very special opportunity for us to get together. 

But as I said yesterday, these kind of service opportunities make that luncheon even more special, because it is really the time that we can come together as a group and give back to the community and the country that we all love in ways that you all are doing every day in your own community.

So I am just grateful for you all taking this time out.  It means a lot to both Jill and to I, and of course to all of the military wives and mothers out there who are going to benefit from the gifts that we pack.  I will echo Sloan and Jill in saying -- I am not, have not been a military mom or a wife, but I can only imagine the challenge that this time brings for people with loved ones deployed.  And as Jill said, just getting that note, that familiar handwriting, just making sure that these women know that they’re not forgotten on a day that is so special to all of us. 

So with every package you pack, you’re just brightening up the lives of women who are doing the most, and some making the greatest sacrifice that you can make for this country.  But you all are doing the same thing in your roles as spouses.

We all know that in these roles we are sacrificing as well.  No matter what party we’re in, our husbands and wives are doing the very best for this country, looking out for it each and every day.  And with that, many of us, our families are sacrificing and giving and serving right alongside them as well.  And I know that you all are in a unique position to understand what military -- many military families are going through.  And many of you all are Blue Star families as well, so I know that this makes it even more special.

So I just want to thank you all again.  And with that, we should just get to work.  We’ve got 2,000 packages to get together, so let’s make it happen.  Thank you all.  (Applause.)

END 
3:25 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
May 10, 2012

Remarks by the First Lady and Dr. Jill Biden at Mother's Day Tea

East Room

2:07 P.M. EDT

DR. BIDEN:  Good afternoon, everyone.  And thank you all for being here.  It’s great to have you at the White House.  I want to thank my great friend and partner, First Lady Michelle Obama, who has done so much for military families.  Thank you, Michelle.  (Applause.)

Many of you know that I’m a proud military mom and grandmother, and I’m always honored to be in the presence of military families.  My son, Beau, is a major in the Delaware National Army Guard, and when he deployed to Iraq it was a tough year for our family.

I know many of you in this room have faced similar challenges.  Grandparents, moms and dads worry through deployments.  Kids miss their parents.  Throughout their service, children have to change schools, make new friends, join new sports teams.  It can really be hard.  I want all of you to know just how much we appreciate everything your families do in serving our country.

That’s why Michelle and I started our Joining Forces initiative to give something back to all of our nation’s military families.  We’re working with Americans all across the country in every sector of society to find new ways to show our support.  And Mother’s Day gives us a special opportunity to say thanks to the mothers who have shaped and supported us. 

Now it is my great pleasure to introduce a military spouse and mom, Jennifer Pilcher.  Jennifer’s husband, Eddie, is a pilot in the Navy who has been assigned to six different duty stations in the past 12 years.  With each reassignment, Jennifer has packed up their home, their two children, and started over in a new community, all while enduring Eddie’s multiple deployments.

On top of all that, Jennifer recently co-founded militaryoneclick.com, a website that connects military families with important resources.  You’ve been busy.  (Laughter.)  Jennifer, thank you for being here today, and thank you for your service.  Happy Mother’s Day.  (Applause.)

* * * * *

MRS. OBAMA:  Well, good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to the White House.  It is a beautiful day.  And I hope you all like your Mother’s Day surprises because they worked really hard on them in there.  Very focused, very diligent, very creative.  And if you want to know what the black stuff on their mouths are, they had a few of the cookies -- couldn’t help it.  (Laughter.)

Well, let me start by thanking Jennifer for that very kind introduction and for everything that you and your team do for your family, for your community, and more importantly, for our entire country.

I also have to thank my partner in crime, Jill.  She has been just a amazing friend and a role model for me of what it means to be a strong military mom.  She is terrific and we have to give her a round of applause.  (Applause.)

And it wouldn’t be a Mother’s Day tea if I didn’t thank my own mommy.  Mommy -- there you are, who is here today.  (Applause.)  And it’s a big deal when grandma does anything.  (Laughter.)  So the fact that she’s sitting in that chair is a big testimony to her respect and admiration for all of you.

But I have said it before and I will say it again -- I would not be standing here if it weren’t for her.  My mom is my rock, as many of you all know, and as many of these young people will understand what being a mom is.  She is my rock.  She has taught me to believe in myself, and more importantly, to pick myself up whenever I stumble.

She is always a shoulder to cry on and talk to, and I do that a lot.  And she has always inspired me -- something I think is amazing for my mom -- to push myself to dream even bigger than anything she could ever dream for herself, and she has always done that.  And it’s true today. 

So for me, when I think of Mother’s Day, I think of my own mom.  And this day wouldn’t be the same for me without her here.  So when we were planning this event today to honor our nation’s mothers, we wanted to make sure that all of you could bring along those special people in your own lives, as well.  And we’re thrilled to have a really wonderful group of moms and grandmas and sons and daughters who are here with us today at the White House.

As Jill and Jennifer pointed out, we have got military mothers here.  And some of you are in our country’s uniform, as you can see.  Some of you are married to someone who does wear a uniform.  But all of you are outstanding role models for your children, for your communities and for this country.

For all of you -- and I say this a lot -- service isn’t just something that you do once in a while or during the holidays, it’s how you live your lives.  Whenever there’s something going on in the community -- an opening on the PTA, or they need a leader to drive for the local car pool, or someone asks for volunteers, and then you’ve got that uncomfortable silence in the room -- (laughter) -- we all have been there.  You all are the first ones to speak up and say, how can I help?  No matter how busy you are with your own lives, you’re always filling in those gaps for your families and for the broader community.  So let’s give a big round of applause to all of our military moms here today.  (Applause.)

And another -- here’s to the grandmas here today.  I want to say a special thank you to all of our grandmas here.  Obviously, you all are mothers too, or else you wouldn’t be grandmothers.  (Laughter.)  That would be one of those obvious points that Malia would say, duh.  (Laughter.)  So, Sarah, my speechwriter -- duh.  (Laughter.)  And I can't begin to imagine what it must feel like to have your baby be far away from home and in harm’s way.

But your sons and daughters, their choice to serve this country is really a reflection of your love.  It is.  It’s a reflection of your strength and all the good decisions that you made in raising them.  That we know.  And I know that when a mom or dad is deployed, it often means that all of you grandparents, you're stepping up to help take care of your grandchildren -- you’re the first phone call when mom or dad gets tied up at work, and you’re often spending long weekends away from your own homes, filling in wherever needed.  I know that's the case in our household.

But no matter what, you all are always, always there.  And that is not just important for us as parents, but for the connection that you make with the next generation.  It is so powerful.  For that, this whole country is grateful.  And that also means that you all are -- have earned the right to spoil your grandchildren as much as you want, which happens in my house.  (Laughter.)  What happens to the grandmothers, you know?  You turn into just pieces of mush.  (Laughter.)

Yes, I tell my children to eat my vegetables, and Grandma is like, why.  (Laughter.)  Why can't they have whatever they want?  (Laughter.)  And I’m like, these were the rules you -- these were your rules.  (Laughter.)  Don't you remember?  No, no, I don't remember ever making you eat vegetables.  Ever.  (Laughter.)  How many people have grandmas like that?  (Laughter.)  So, to all the grandmas, thank you.  We love you.  (Applause.)

And to all of our kids -- (applause) -- our kids.  All of this, this day, all we do is for you.  All of this, it’s for you.  Not for us.  We don't care.  We don't matter.  It’s for you.  (Laughter.)  And you’re so cute, and you look so good.  (Laughter.) 

I want you all to know just how special you all are -- really -- each and every one of you.  And for all the kids out there, the military kids out there who will see this, you all are so special.  And I know it isn’t easy when mom or dad is away for so long.  I know it’s tough to have to be so grown up sometimes and pick up and move across the country and try to make new friends again, and again, and again.  I can't imagine how tough that must be.

But I want you all to know that what you do every day, all the good things you do, the way you handle your business -- as I tell my kids -- picking up extra chores when mom or dad is gone; taking care of your brothers and your sisters -- because we know you love them even if you act like you don't.  (Laughter.)  We know this.  Staying on top of your schoolwork, just being good people -- all of that makes you all heroes for this country too. 

So today, we are here to celebrate all of you.  Yay for our children.  (Applause.)  Keep up the good work.  And no matter what Grandma says, eat your vegetables.  (Laughter.)  Eat your vegetables.

So tomorrow is Military Spouse Appreciation Day.  May is National Military Appreciation Month, and we’re just a couple of days away from Mother’s Day.  So now is really the perfect time to thank all of you for your service to this country.  Every single day, you all are an inspiration to Jill and to me.  Whenever we think we’re tired, we just remember your stories and it gets us up.  You all are an inspiration to our husbands, more importantly, and you all are an inspiration to the entire country.  And today I think you deserve to celebrate. 

And with that, I think Jill and I are going to come down there and we’re going to take some pictures with all of you.  We’re going to go table to table and say hello to every one of you.  You all, happy Mother’s Day.  Enjoy this day and all those to come.

Thank you.

END
2:23 P.M. EDT 

Joining Forces Honors Military Moms

Posted by Ari Isaacman Astles on May 10, 2012 at 01:07 PM EST

Ed. Note: This live event has concluded. Watch the video below or on YouTube.

In honor of the upcoming Military Spouse Appreciation Day on May 11 and in support of military families celebrating Mother’s Day this Sunday, May 13, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden host a Joining Forces Mother’s Day event at the White House for three generations of military families – military mothers, as well as their mothers and their children. Tune in live as Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden deliver remarks from the East Room of the White House to honor military moms at 1:45pm today.

Learn how you can show your support for military moms by visiting our Joining Forces site dedicated to thanking military moms and contribute to the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #ThankAMilitaryMom.

Watch First Lady Michelle Obama and Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden honor military moms, here. 

 

See more about Defense, Veterans, Women  

Joining Forces Honors Military Moms

Ari Isaacman Astles
Ari Isaacman Astles
May 10, 2012
12:57 PM EST

Ed. Note: This live event has concluded. Watch the video below or on YouTube.

In honor of the upcoming Military Spouse Appreciation Day on May 11 and in support of military families celebrating Mother’s Day this Sunday, May 13, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden host a Joining Forces Mother’s Day event at the White House for three generations of military families – military mothers, as well as their mothers and their children. Tune in live as Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden deliver remarks from the East Room of the White House to honor military moms at 1:45pm today.

Learn how you can show your support for military moms by visiting our Joining Forces site dedicated to thanking military moms and contribute to the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #ThankAMilitaryMom.

 

Related Topics: Defense, Veterans, Women

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
May 07, 2012

First Lady to Welcome Spouses of Foreign Leaders to White House and Hometown of Chicago

Next week, First Lady Michelle Obama will host spouses of foreign leaders who are visiting the United States for the G-8 and NATO summits. Mrs. Obama will invite spouses to the White House and, while in Chicago, to visit the Gary Comer Youth Center which supports youth living on the South Side of Chicago, where Mrs. Obama grew up.

On May 19th, while President Obama is hosting G-8 leaders at Camp David, First Lady Michelle Obama will invite their spouses to the White House for a tour guided by White House Curator Bill Allman and an intimate lunch. Chef José Andrés will work with White House Chefs to prepare the meal using produce from the White House Kitchen Garden.

On May 20th, Mrs. Obama will then travel to Chicago where she will invite NATO leaders’ spouses to the Gary Comer Youth Center on the South Side of Chicago. The Center offers young people diverse, educational and extracurricular enrichment activities as well as support to help prepare them to graduate from high school and to pursue college and meaningful careers. The Center’s programs include academic tutoring, college readiness courses, a Youth Urban Agriculture Program held at its rooftop garden, a culinary program, visual arts opportunities, and fitness and physical education classes.

The First Lady will greet spouses and invite them to take a tour of the Gary Comer Youth Center. Following this tour, they will join the Center’s youth members and faculty at a performance by the South Shore Dance Drill Team; the Chicago-based Muntu Dance Theater known for their African and African-American dance, music and folklore performances; and Soul Children of Chicago which uses music to motivate and inspire young people. Founded in 1980, the South Shore Drill Team uses performing arts to engage urban youth by teaching responsibility and camaraderie through its dance routines and performances around the country. The Gary Comer Youth Center serves as home base to the Drill Team. Following the performance, Mrs. Obama and the NATO Leaders’ spouses will sit for a private lunch created by Chef Paul Kahan who worked with Gary Comer Youth Center youth members in preparing the meal.

Later that evening, Mrs. Obama will invite NATO Leaders’ spouses to the Art Institute of Chicago for a private dinner.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 05, 2012

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY AT A CAMPAIGN EVENT

Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia

5:05 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Hello, Virginia!  (Applause.)  It sounds like you all are already fired up.  It sounds like you all are ready to go.  (Applause.)  And let me tell you something.  Being here with all of you today, I am feeling pretty fired up and ready to go myself.  (Applause.)  Now, there is a reason why we're all here today, in addition to being fired up and ready to go.  And it's not just because we all support an extraordinary man.  (Applause.)  And I am biased.  I think our President is magnificent.  (Applause.) 

And it's not just because we want to win an election -- which we do.  (Applause.)  We are here because of the values we believe in.  We're here because of the vision for this country that we all share.  We're here because we want our children to have good schools, the kind of schools that push them, the kind of schools that inspire them and prepare them for good jobs.  (Applause.)  That's why we're here.  We want our parents and our grandparents to retire with dignity, because we believe that after a lifetime of hard work, they should enjoy their golden years.  (Applause.)

We’re here because we want to restore that basic middle-class security for our families because we believe that folks in this country shouldn't go bankrupt because they get sick.  (Applause.)  We believe they shouldn't lose their home because someone loses a job.  We believe that responsibility should be rewarded and hard work should pay off.

And the thing that we all know is that these are basic American values.  They're the values that so many of us were raised with, including myself.  (Applause.)  I told this story earlier, but my father was a blue-collar worker at the city water plant.  And my family lived in a very little apartment on the South Side of Chicago -- South Side!  (Applause.)  And neither of my parents had the chance to attend college, but let me tell you what my parents did do, which was just as important:  They saved.  And they sacrificed.  And they poured everything they had into me and my brother because they wanted us to have the kind of education they could only dream of. 

And while pretty much of all my college tuition came from student loans and grants -- (applause) -- you can relate to that -- my dad still paid a small portion of that tuition himself.  And every semester, my father was determined to pay that bill on time -- because like so many parents, he was so proud to be sending his kids to college.  And he couldn't bear the thought of me or my brother missing that registration deadline because his check was late. 

Like so many people in this country, my father took great pride in being able to earn a living that allowed him to handle his responsibilities to his family, and to pay all of his bills and to pay them on time. 

And truly, more than anything else, that is what's at stake in this election.  It's that fundamental promise that no matter who you are or how you started out, if you work hard, you can build a decent life for yourself and yes, an even better life for your kids, right?  (Applause.)

And it is that promise that binds us together as Americans.  It's what makes us who we are.  And whether it's equal pay for women, or health care for our kids; whether it's tax cuts for middle-class families, or student loans for our young people --that is what my President, my husband, your President has been fighting for every single day.  (Applause.)

And let me tell you -- as First Lady, I have had the chance to see up close and personal what being President looks like.  I have seen how the issues that come across a President’s desk are always the hard ones -- the problems with no clear solutions, the judgment calls where the stakes are so high and there is no margin for error.  And as President, you can get all kinds of advice from all kinds of people.  But at the end of the day, when it comes time to make that decision, all you have to guide you are your life experiences, your values, and your vision for this country.  (Applause.)  In the end, when you’re making those impossible choices, it all boils down to who you are and what you stand for.

     And we all know who my husband is, right?  (Applause.)  And we all know what he stands for, right?  (Applause.)  See, Barack Obama, he is the son of a single mother who struggled to put herself through school and pay the bills.  He’s the grandson of a woman who woke up before dawn every day to catch a bus to her job at a bank.  And even though Barack’s grandmother worked hard to help support her family -- and she was good at her job -- like so many women, she hit that glass ceiling.  And men no more qualified than she was were promoted up that ladder ahead of her.

So believe me, Virginia, Barack Obama knows what it means when a family struggles.  (Applause.)  He knows what it means when someone doesn’t have a chance to fulfill their potential.  Those are the experiences that have made him the man, but more importantly, the President he is today.  (Applause.) 

But I have said it before and I will say it again and again and again:  He cannot do this alone.  And fortunately, he never has.  He never has -- because we have always moved this country forward together.  (Applause.)  Yes we have.  And today, more than ever before, Barack needs your help.  He needs your help.  He needs every single one of you to give just a little part of your life each week to this campaign.

He needs you to register those voters, right?  (Applause.)  And to all the college students out here, listen up -- (applause) -- if you all are going to be moving over the summer, remember to register at your new address in the fall.  You got that?  (Applause.) 

Barack needs you to join one of our neighborhood teams and start organizing in your own communities.  And just one thing I want you all to understand:  If you have any doubt about the difference that you can make, I just want you to remember that in the end, this election could all come down to those last few thousand people who register to vote.  It could all come down to those last few thousand folks who get out to the polls on November the 6th.

And when you average all of that out over this entire state, think about it -- it might mean registering just one more person in your town.  Just one more person.  It might mean helping just one more person in your community get out and vote on Election Day.  Think about it.  One more person. 

So with every door you knock on, with every single call you make, every conversation, I want you to remember that this could be the one.  This could be the one that makes the difference.  (Applause.)  And that is the kind of impact that each of you can have in this election.  (Applause.)  Know that. 

Now, I'm not going to kid you.  This journey is going to be long.  And it is going to be hard.  But that is how change always happens in this country.  It's how it always happens.  And if we keep showing up, if we keep fighting the good fight, then eventually we'll get there.  We always have.  We always do.  Maybe not in our lifetimes, but maybe in our children's lifetimes, maybe in our grandchildren's lifetimes -- because in the end, that is what this is all about.  That's all it's about.  (Applause.)   

In the end, that's what I think about when I tuck my girls in at night.  I think about the world I want to leave for them and for all of our sons and our daughters.  I think about how I want to do for them what my dad did for me.  I want to give them a foundation for their dreams.  I want to give them opportunities worthy of their promise.  I want to give them that sense of limitless possibility, that belief that here in America, there is always something better out there if you're willing to work hard for it.  That's America.  (Applause.)

So we can't turn back now.  No, we can't!  We have to keep moving forward.  We've come so far.  We have so much more to do -- so much more to do.  And if we keep on moving forward then we need to work our hearts out, work them out, for the man that I have the pleasure of introducing here today.  (Applause.) 

Virginia, I introduce to you my husband and our President, President Barack Obama!

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Virginia!  (Applause.)  What do you think about Michelle Obama?  (Applause.)  I hate following her, she is too good.  And she looked good, too, didn’t she?  (Applause.)  I’m just saying, she looked pretty good.  (Applause.)  How’s it going, VCU?  (Applause.)   

Well, before I begin, there are a few people that I want to thank for joining us here today.  First of all, your mayor Dwight Jones is here.  (Applause.)  Representative Bobby Scott is in the house.  (Applause.)  Your former Governor Tim Kaine is here.  (Applause.)  And a guy that I gather is pretty popular in these parts, Coach Shaka Smart is in the house.  (Applause.)  When I saw Coach backstage, he said, I just want you to know, we’re going to be coming to the White House just like that Kentucky team came this week.  (Applause.)  And he wasn’t smiling.  (Laughter.)  

I also want to thank so many of our Neighborhood Team Leaders for being here today.  You guys will be the backbone of this campaign.  (Applause.)  And I want the rest of you to join a team or become a leader yourself, because we are going to win this thing door by door, block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood.  (Applause.)  

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We love you, Barack! 

THE PRESIDENT:  I love you back.  (Applause.)  I love Virginia.  (Applause.)  Virginia, four years ago, you and I began a journey together.  I didn’t run, and you did not work your hearts out, just to win an election.  We came together to reclaim the basic bargain that built the largest middle class and the most prosperous nation on Earth.

We came together because we believe that in America, your success shouldn’t be determined by the circumstances of your birth.  If you’re willing to work hard, you should be able to find a good job.  If you’re willing to meet your responsibilities, you should be able to own a home, maybe start a business, give your kids the chance to do even better -- no matter who you are, no matter where you come from, no matter what you look like, no matter what your last name is.  (Applause.)  

We believe the free market is one of the greatest forces for progress in human history; that businesses are the engine of growth, and that risk-takers and innovators should be rewarded.  But we also believe that at its best, the free market has never been a license to take whatever you want, however you can get it.  (Applause.)  We’ve understood that alongside our entrepreneurial spirit, our rugged individualism, America only prospers when we meet our obligations to one another and to future generations.  (Applause.) 

We came together in 2008 because our country had strayed from these basic American values.  A record surplus was squandered on tax cuts for people who didn’t need them and weren’t even asking for them.  (Applause.)  Two wars were being waged on a credit card.  Wall Street speculators reaped huge profits by making bets with other people’s money.  Manufacturing left our shores.  A shrinking number of Americans did fantastically well, while most people struggled with falling incomes and rising costs, and the slowest job growth in half a century. 

And in 2008, that house of cards collapsed in the most destructive crisis since the Great Depression.  In the last six months of that year, even as we campaigned, nearly three million of our neighbors lost their jobs.  Over 800,000 more were lost in the month I took the oath of office.  And it was tough.  It was tough here in Virginia.  It was tough all across the country.

But the American people are tougher.  (Applause.)  All across America, people like you dug in.  Folks like you fought back.  Some of you retrained.  Some of you went back to school.  Small business owners cut back on expenses, but did everything they could to keep their employees.  And sure, there were setbacks.  There have been disappointments.  But we didn’t quit.  We don’t quit.  Together, we are fighting our way back.  (Applause.)  Together, we’re fighting our way back.     

When some wanted to let Detroit go bankrupt, we made a bet on American workers, on the ingenuity of American companies.  And today, our auto industry is back on top of the world.  (Applause.)  Manufacturers started investing in America again, adding jobs for the first time since the 1990s.  Businesses got back to basics, exports surged.  And over 4 million jobs were created in the last two years -- more than 1 million of those in the last six months alone.  (Applause.)  Now, does this make us satisfied? 

AUDIENCE:  No!

THE PRESIDENT:  Of course not.  Too many of our friends and family are still looking for work.  The housing market is still weak, deficits are still too high.  States are still laying off teachers and first responders.  This crisis took years to develop, and the economy is still facing a bunch of headwinds.  So it’s going to take sustained, persistent effort -- yours and mine -- for America to fully recover, for us to be where we need to be.  That’s the truth.  We all know it.  (Applause.)  

But Virginia, I'm here to tell you we are making progress.  And now we face a choice.  For the last few years, the Republicans who run this Congress have insisted that we go right back to the policies that created this mess in the first place.

AUDIENCE:  Booo -- 

THE PRESIDENT:  But it gets worse, because to borrow a line from our friend Bill Clinton, now their agenda is on steroids.  This time, they want even bigger tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.  This time, they want even deeper cuts to things like education and Medicare and research and technology.  This time, they want to give banks and insurance companies even more power to do as they please.

AUDIENCE:  Booo--

And now, after a long and spirited primary, Republicans in Congress have found a champion.  They have found a nominee for President who has promised to rubber-stamp this agenda if he gets a chance. 

AUDIENCE:  Booo--

THE PRESIDENT:  But Virginia, I tell you what, we can’t give him the chance. 

AUDIENCE:  No!

THE PRESIDENT:  Not now.  Not with so much at stake.  This isn’t just another election.  This is a make-or-break moment for America's middle class.  We’ve been through much to turn back now.  We’ve come too far to abandon the change we fought for these past few years.  Virginia, we've got to move forward, to the future that we imagined in 2008.  (Applause.)  We’ve got to move forward to that future where everyone gets a fair shot, and everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same rules.    

That’s the choice in this election.  And 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!

THE PRESIDENT:  Now, Governor Romney is a patriotic American.  He's raised a wonderful family, and he has much to be proud of.  He’s run a large financial firm, and he’s run a state.  But I think he’s drawn the wrong lessons from these experiences.  He sincerely believes that if CEOs and wealthy investors like him make money, the rest of us will automatically prosper as well. 

When a woman in Iowa shared the story of her financial struggles, he responded with economic theory.  He told her “our productivity equals our income.” 

Well, let me tell you something, Virginia.  The problem with our economy is not that the American people aren’t productive enough -- you’ve never been working harder in your lives.  (Applause.)  You're working harder than ever.  The challenge we face right now -- the challenge we’ve faced for over a decade -- is that harder work hasn’t led to higher incomes.  It’s that bigger profits haven’t led to better jobs.

And Governor Romney doesn’t seem to get that.  He doesn’t seem to understand that maximizing profits by whatever means necessary -- whether through layoffs or outsourcing or tax avoidance or union-busting -- might not always be good for the average American or for our economy. 

Why else would he want to spend trillions more on tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans?  Why else would he propose cutting his own taxes while raising them on 18 million working families?

AUDIENCE:  Booo--

THE PRESIDENT:  Why else would he want to slash the investments that have always helped the economy grow, while at the same time stopping regulations of the reckless behavior on Wall Street that helped make the economy crash? 

Somehow, he and his friends in Congress think that the same bad ideas will lead to a different result.  Or they’re just hoping that you won’t remember what happened the last time we tried it their way.  (Applause.)    

Virginia, I’m here to say that we were there, we remember, and we’re not going back.  We’re moving this country forward.  (Applause.)  We remember.

Look, we want businesses to succeed.  We want entrepreneurs and investors rewarded when they take risks, when they create jobs and grow our economy.  But the true measure of our prosperity is more than just a running tally of every balance sheet and quarterly profit report.  I don’t care how many ways you try to explain it:  Corporations aren’t people.  People are people.  (Applause.)

We measure prosperity not just by our total GDP; not just by how many billionaires we produce, but by how well the typical family is doing, whether they can go as far as their dreams and hard work will take them. 

We understand that in this country, people succeed when they have the chance to get a decent education and learn new skills.  (Applause.)  And, by the way, so do the businesses that hire those people or the companies that those people start. 

We know that our economy grows when we support research into medical breakthroughs and new technologies that lead to the next Internet app or life-saving drug. 

We know that our country is stronger when we can count on affordable health care and Medicare and Social Security.  (Applause.)  When we protect our kids from toxic dumping and mercury pollution.  When there are rules to make sure we aren’t taken advantage of by credit card companies or mortgage lenders or financial institutions.  (Applause.)  These rules aren’t just good for seniors, or kids, or consumers -- they're good for business.  They're good for the marketplace.  They're good for America.  (Applause.)

Look, we don’t expect government to solve all our problems, and it shouldn’t try.  I learned from my mom that no education policy can take the place of a parent’s love and attention.  And sometimes, getting in your face and telling you what you need to do.  (Applause.)  As a young man, I worked with a group of Catholic churches who taught me that no poverty program can make as much difference as the kindness and commitment of a caring soul.  Not every regulation is smart.  Not every tax dollar is spent wisely.  Not every person can be helped who refuses to help themselves. 

That's what we believe.  People have to make an effort.  People have to try hard.  But that’s not an excuse to tell the vast majority of responsible, hardworking Americans, “You’re on your own.”  (Applause.)  That unless you’re lucky enough to have parents who can lend you the money, you may not be able to go to college.  That even if you pay your premiums every month, you’re out of luck if an insurance company decides to drop your coverage when you need it most.  

That’s not how we built America.  That’s not who we are.  We built this country together.  We built railroads and highways; the Hoover Dam, the Golden Gate Bridge -- together.  We sent my grandfather’s generation to college on the GI Bill -- together.  We instituted a minimum wage and worker safety laws -- together.  Together, we touched the surface of the moon, unlocked the mystery of the atom, connected the world through our own science and our own imaginations.  We did these things not because they benefited any particular group or individual, but because they made us all richer.  Because they gave us all opportunity.  Because they moved us forward together -- as one nation, as one people.  (Applause.)  

That’s the lesson of our past.  That’s the right vision for our future.  And that’s why I’m running for President of the United States of America.  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!

THE PRESIDENT:  I’m running to make sure that by the end of this decade, more of our citizens hold college degrees than any other nation on Earth.  (Applause.)  I want to help our schools hire and reward the best teachers, especially in math and science.  I want to give two million more Americans the chance to go to community colleges and learn the skills that local businesses are looking for right now.  Because in the 21st century, a higher education can’t be a luxury -- it’s an economic imperative that every American should be able to afford.  And that’s the choice in this election.  That’s why I’m running for President.  (Applause.)

I’m running to make sure the next generation of high-tech manufacturing takes root in places like Richmond and Columbus, and Cleveland and Pittsburgh.  I want to stop rewarding businesses that ship jobs and profits overseas.  I want us to reward companies that create jobs right here in the United States of America.  That’s the choice in this election.  (Applause.)

I’m running so that we keep moving towards a future where we control our own energy.  Our dependence on foreign oil is at its lowest point in 16 years.  (Applause.)  By the middle of the next decade, our cars will average nearly 55 miles per gallon.  That will save you money.  Thousands of Americans have jobs because the production of renewal energy in this country -- solar, wind, biofuels -- that's nearly doubled in just three years.  (Applause.)

So now is not the time to cut these investments to pay for another $4 billion giveaway to the oil companies.  Now is the time to end the subsidies for an industry that has rarely been more profitable.  Let's double down on a clean energy future that’s never been more promising -- for our economy, and our security, and for the safety of our planet.  That’s why I’m running, Virginia.  That’s the choice in this election.  (Applause.)

For the first time in nine years, there are no Americans fighting in Iraq.  (Applause.)  Osama bin Laden is no longer a threat to this country.  Al Qaeda is on the path to defeat.  (Applause.)  And by 2014, the war in Afghanistan will be over.  (Applause.)

America is safer and more respected because of the courage and selflessness of the United States Armed Forces.  A lot of them from Virginia.  A lot of folks right here in Virginia, putting on that uniform, serving on our behalf.  (Applause.)  And as long as I’m Commander-in-Chief, this country will care for our veterans and serve our veterans as well as they’ve served us -- because nobody who serves, nobody who fights for this country should have to fight for a job or a roof over their heads when they come back home.  (Applause.)

My opponent has different ideas.  My opponent has a different view.  He said it was -- and I quote -- “tragic” to end the war in Iraq.

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  He said he won’t set a timeline for ending the war in Afghanistan. 

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I have, and I intend to keep to that timeline.  (Applause.)  After a decade of war that’s cost us thousands of lives and over a trillion dollars, the nation we need to build is right here, right here at home.  So we're going to use half of what we’re no longer spending on war to pay down the deficit, and we will use the other half to repair our roads and our bridges and our airports and our wireless networks.  (Applause.)  That’s the choice in this election.  That's why I'm running for President.  (Applause.)

I am running to pay down our debt in a way that’s balanced and responsible.  We inherited a trillion-dollar deficit.  The other side doesn't like to be reminded of this.  But that's okay.  I signed $2 trillion of spending cuts into law.  And now I want to finish the job by streamlining government, and cutting more waste, and reforming our tax code so that it’s simpler, and that it's fairer, and that it asks the wealthiest Americans to pay a little bit more.  (Applause.)

Now, my opponent has a different view.  He won’t tell us how he’d pay for his new, $5 trillion tax cut -- $5 trillion -- a tax cut that gives an average of $250,000 to every millionaire in the country. 

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  But even if he won't disclose the details of how he's going to pay for it, we know the bill for that tax cut will either be passed on to our children, or it will be paid for by a whole lot of you, a whole lot of ordinary Americans. 

And Virginia, I refuse to let that happen again.  (Applause.)  I refuse to let that happen again.  I refuse to pay for another millionaire’s tax cut by eliminating medical research projects on things like cancer and Alzheimer’s.  I refuse to pay for another tax cut by kicking children off of the Head Start program; or asking students to pay more for college; or eliminating health insurance for millions of poor, and elderly, and disabled Americans on Medicaid.  We’re not going to do that.  (Applause.)

As long as I’m President of the United States, I will never allow Medicare to be turned into a voucher that would end the program as we know it.  (Applause.)  We're not going to go back to the days when our citizens spent their golden years at the mercy of private insurance companies.  We will reform Medicare -- not by shifting the cost of care to seniors, but by reducing the spending that isn’t making people healthier.  (Applause.)  That’s the right way to do it.  And that’s what’s at stake, Virginia.  On issue after issue, we just can’t afford to spend the next four years going backwards. 

America doesn’t need to refight the battles we just had over Wall Street reform and health care reform.  And, by the way, on health care reform, here’s what I know:  Allowing 2.5 million young people to stay on their parents’ health insurance -- that was the right thing to do.  (Applause.)  Cutting prescription drug costs for seniors -- that was the right thing to do.  We’re not going back to the days when insurance companies had unchecked power to cancel your policy, or deny you coverage, or charge women differently than men.  We’re not going back to that.  (Applause.) 

We certainly don’t need another political fight about ending a woman’s right to choose, or getting rid of Planned Parenthood, or taking away access to affordable birth control.  (Applause.)  I want women to control their own health choices -- (applause) -- just like I want my daughters to have the same opportunities as your son.  We’re not turning back the clock.  (Applause.)  

We’re not returning to the days when you could be kicked out of the United States military just because of who you are and who you love.  (Applause.)  We’re not going back to that.  That would be wrong for our national security.  It would be a betrayal of our values.  It’s not going to happen on my watch.  (Applause.)  

This should be the last election where multimillion-dollar donations speak louder than the voices of ordinary citizens.  (Applause.)  We need more checks on special interests and lobbyists, not fewer checks on them. 

We’re not going to eliminate the EPA.  We’re not going to roll back the bargaining rights of generations of workers.  (Applause.)  And it’s time to stop denying citizenship to responsible young people just because they’re the children of undocumented workers.  (Applause.)  This country is at its best when we harness the God-given talents of every individual, when we hear every voice, when we come together as one American family, striving for that same dream. 

That’s what we’re fighting for.  A bold America.  A competitive America.  A forward-looking America, where everybody has the chance to make of their life what they will.  That’s what made us the envy of the world.  That’s what makes us great.  That’s why I’m running again for President of the United States.  (Applause.)

And, Virginia, that’s why I need your help.  (Applause.)  This election will be even closer than the last.  Too many of our friends and neighbors are still hurting because of this crisis.  I’ve heard from too many people wondering why they haven’t been able to get one of the jobs that have been created, why their home is still underwater, why their family hasn’t yet been touched by the recovery. 

The other side won’t be offering these Americans any real answers to those questions.  They won’t be offering a better vision.  They won’t be offering new ideas.  But what they will do is spend more money than we’ve ever seen before, all on negative ads on TV and radio, in the mail, on the Internet -- probably Tweeting a few negative ads out there somewhere -- ads that exploit people’s frustration for my opponent’s political gain.  And over and over again, they will tell you that America is down and out, and they’ll tell you who to blame. 

And they’ll ask if you’re better off than you were before the worst crisis of our lifetime.  We’ve seen the play before.  We know what to expect.  But you know what, the real question -- the question that will actually make a difference in your life and in the lives of your children -- is not just about how we’re doing today.  It’s about how we’ll be doing tomorrow.  (Applause.)   

Will we be better off if more Americans get a better education?  (Applause.)  Will we better off if we depend less on foreign oil and more on our own ingenuity?  (Applause.)  Will we be better off if we start doing some nation-building at home?  Will we be better off if we bring down our deficits in a balanced, responsible way without gutting the very things that we need to grow?  (Applause.)  When we look back four years from now, or ten years from now, or twenty years from now, won’t we be better off if we have the courage to keep moving forward?  (Applause.)   

That’s the question in this election.  And that outcome is entirely up to you.  We’re going to have to contend with even more negative ads, with even more cynicism, more nastiness -- sometimes, just plain foolishness.  (Applause.)  It will be worse than we saw in the last campaign.  We know, because we’ve seen some of the foolishness over the last three and a half years.    

But if there’s one thing we learned in 2008, it’s that nothing is more powerful than millions of voices calling for change.  (Applause.)  When enough of you knock on doors and enough of you pick up the phone, when enough of you are talking to your friends and your coworkers, when you decide that it’s time for change to happen, guess what?  Change happens.  Change comes to America.  (Applause.)   

Virginia, that’s the spirit we need again.  If people ask you what’s this campaign about, you tell them it’s still about hope.  You tell them it’s still about change.  (Applause.)  You tell them it’s still about ordinary people who believe in the face of great odds that we can make a difference in the life of this country.  (Applause.)  You tell them.  

Because I still believe, Virginia.  I still believe that we’re not as divided as our politics suggest.  I still believe we still have more in common than the pundits tell us; that we’re not Democrats or Republicans first, but we are Americans first and foremost.  (Applause.

I still believe in you, and I’m asking you to keep believing in me.  (Applause.)  I told you in 2008 that I wasn’t a perfect man, and I will never be a perfect President.  But I promised you then that I would always tell you what I thought.  I would always tell you where I stood.  And I would wake up every single day fighting for you as hard as I know how.  (Applause.)

And I have kept that promise.  I have kept that promise.  And I will keep it so long as I have the honor to be your President.  (Applause.)  So if you’re willing to stick with me, and fight with me, and press on with me; if you’re willing to work even harder in this election than in the last election, I guarantee you, we will move this country forward.  We will finish what we started.  We're still fired up.  We’re still ready to go.  And we’re going to remind the world once more why it is that the United States of America is the greatest nation on Earth.  (Applause.)  

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.

                                                END               5:56 P.M. EDT