The First Lady Passes 1 Million Followers on Twitter and Instagram

Ken Meyer
Ken Meyer
September 22, 2014
02:37 PM EST

After just over a year on Twitter and Instagram, First Lady Michelle Obama's social media accounts both passed 1 million followers this summer!

The First Lady uses Twitter and Instagram to connect with people around the country and keep her followers up-to-date on the latest news from her initiatives, Joining Forces, Let's Move, and Reach Higher. From participating in a Google+ Hangout during her trip to Africa to her Twitter Q&A #LunchWithFlotus on healthy school lunches, the First Lady is continually looking for new ways to connect with the public and answer their questions. 

To celebrate passing 1 million followers, we’ve put together a list of highlights from @FLOTUS and @MichelleObama.

Have a favorite moment of your own or ideas about new ways the First Lady could use social media? We want to hear from you! Let us know by tweeting at @FLOTUS or gramming at @MichelleObama. We’ll feature some of our favorite responses. And, don't forget to check out her board on Pinterest.

Here's a look back at some of our top social media moments from the First Lady.

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The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 20, 2014

President Obama and the First Lady to Travel to New York, NY

Washington, DC – On Tuesday, September 23, the President and the First Lady will travel to New York City for the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). In the afternoon, the President will deliver remarks at the Climate Summit 2014. Afterward, the President will deliver remarks at the Clinton Global Initiative 2014 Annual Meeting. In the evening, the President will attend a DSCC event. Afterward, the President and First Lady will attend a reception for visiting Heads of State and Government. The President and First Lady will remain overnight in New York City.

On Wednesday, September 24, the President will address the United Nations General Assembly. The First Lady will also attend. In the afternoon, the President will meet with Sam Kutesa, President of the United Nations General Assembly. Afterward, the President will attend a luncheon hosted by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Later in the afternoon, the President will chair a United Nations Security Council summit on foreign terrorist fighters. Afterward, the President will attend a meeting of the Open Government Partnership. The President and First Lady will remain overnight in New York City.

On Wednesday, the First Lady will deliver the special keynote address at the UN's Global Education First Initiative's (GEFI) high-level event at the UN Headquarters. The UN Secretary-General launched this Initiative in September 2012, with the UN Special Envoy Gordon Brown and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). GEFI aims to accelerate progress towards quality education for all children and young people. With the 2015 deadline for the Millennium Development Goals approaching and discussions on the next set of development goals underway, this event is an important opportunity for leaders around the world to advocate their ambitious vision for quality education for all. The event will feature a conversation among world leaders, highlighting why quality education should be at the heart of the world we want.

On Thursday, September 25, the President will deliver remarks at a United Nations meeting on the Ebola epidemic.  In the afternoon, the President and First Lady will return to the White House.

The arrival and departure of Air Force One in New York are open to pre-credentialed media, but closed to the public.  There will be print pool coverage of the President’s remarks at the DSCC event.  Inquiries regarding credentials for the UN events and Clinton Global Initiative can be directed to those respective organizations.

Members of the media who wish to cover the arrival of Air Force One in New York on September 23 should RSVP HERE by Monday, September 22 at 9:00 AM ET.

Members of the media who wish to cover the departure of Air Force One from New York on September 25 should RSVP HERE by Monday, September 22 at 9:00 AM ET.

FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY, NOT FOR REPORTING

All times are Eastern Daylight Time.

TUESDAY, September 23, 2014

Air Force One Arrival

John F. Kennedy Airport

Building 208

New York, NY

Media Coverage:  The arrival of Air Force One is open to pre-credentialed media but closed to the public. 

Air Force One Estimated Arrival Time: 11:30 AM

Media Check-in & Entrance: Gate 2 at 10:30 AM (located on the west side of Building 208).

Directions: Use the Van Wyck Expressway and follow signs toward Kennedy Airport- 678 South / Approaching the airport / take Exit B and yield right at the fork on to 130th Place Road / Take a left at West Hangar Road and continue halfway down the road to Building 208 (if you make it to the guard post you have gone too far). Turn right at the unmarked road directly before building 208. Drive down the road next to building 208 and the parking lot will be at the end on the left side.

All media interested in covering the arrival of Air Force One must be at Building 208 no later than 10:45 AM.

Media pre-set: 7:00 AM – 7:30 AM

Live Truck Parking: All live trucks wishing to cover the arrival of Air Force One must arrive at Gate 2 no later than 7:00 AM to be escorted onto the ramp.

No Access to Equipment: 7:30 AM – 10:30 AM

Media Access: 10:30 AM

Final Media Access: 10:45 AM

Throw (distance from media riser to Air Force One): 150 feet

Cable Run (distance from live truck to media riser): 400 feet

Workspace and power are not available. Wireless Internet is not available.

All names submitted for credentials must be accurate and reflect the identification media presents at checkpoints for entrance.  RSVPs do not guarantee access. You will receive a confirmation e-mail if you will receive a credential to cover the event after the deadline to RSVP has passed.

Media contact for logistical and planning purposes only: Daniel Heller at DHeller_associate@who.eop.gov or 202.503.5701

FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY, NOT FOR REPORTING

All times are Eastern Daylight Time.

THURSDAY, September 25, 2014

Air Force One Departure

John F. Kennedy Airport

Building 208

New York, NY

Media Coverage:  The departure of Air Force One is open to pre-credentialed media but closed to the public. 

Air Force One Estimated Departure Time: 2:45 PM

Media Check-in & Entrance: Gate 2 at 1:45 PM (located on the west side of Building 208).

Directions: Use the Van Wyck Expressway and follow signs toward Kennedy Airport- 678 South / Approaching the airport / take Exit B and yield right at the fork on to 130th Place Road / Take a left at West Hangar Road and continue halfway down the road to Building 208 (if you make it to the guard post you have gone too far). Turn right at the unmarked road directly before building 208. Drive down the road next to building 208 and the parking lot will be at the end on the left side.

All media interested in covering the arrival of Air Force One must be at Building 208 no later than 2:00 PM.

Media pre-set: 9:45 AM – 10:15 AM

Live Truck Parking: All live trucks wishing to cover the departure of Air Force One must arrive at Gate 2 no later than 10:15 AM to be escorted onto the ramp.

No Access to Equipment: 10:45 AM – 1:45 PM

Media Access: 1:45 PM

Final Media Access: 2:00 PM

Throw (distance from media riser to Air Force One): 150 feet

Cable Run (distance from live truck to media riser): 400 feet

Workspace and power are not available. Wireless Internet is not available.

All names submitted for credentials must be accurate and reflect the identification media presents at checkpoints for entrance.  RSVPs do not guarantee access. You will receive a confirmation e-mail if you will receive a credential to cover the event after the deadline to RSVP has passed.

Media contact for logistical and planning purposes only: Daniel Heller at DHeller_associate@who.eop.gov or 202.503.5701

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
September 18, 2014

Remarks by the First Lady to Women's Leadership Fund Conference

Marriott Marquis Hotel
Washington, D.C.

4:12 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Are you guys fired up?  (Applause.)  You have to be.  You really do have to be.  But let me just thank you so much.  It is really a pleasure to be here with so many fabulous women -- and I see a few brave men, too.  (Laughter.)  Some of my favorites are back there. 

And speaking of fabulous women, let me by start by thanking my dear friend, Dr. Jill Biden, not just for her wonderful introduction, but she is a passionate, dedicated partner in so much that we do together, particularly our work to support military families.  And so let’s give Jill another round of applause.  We have some Blue Star moms, some family members here.  We love you guys.  Jill, thank you so much. 

And while she wasn’t able to join us today, I also want to recognize another fabulous woman –- our extraordinary DNC Chair, Congressman Debbie Wasserman Shultz.  Yay!  (Applause.)  And I also have to give a shoutout to our terrific CEO, Amy Dacey, who is doing such an amazing job.  (Applause.)  She’s been traveling around -- there you go, Amy.  How are you?  My partner in crime.  She’s heard me ranting on many an occasion.  Thanks, Amy, for the great work that you’re doing.

But most of all, I want to thank all of you.  I definitely see many old friends here today –-

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Georgia.

MRS. OBAMA:  From Georgia specifically.  (Laughter.)  And Georgia, we need you.  Georgia, you’ve got to do it all in Georgia.  (Laughter.) 

But I see folks who’ve been with us from the very beginning -- (applause) -- yes, back when we were out in Iowa and New Hampshire, talking about hope and change and getting folks fired up and ready to go -- remember all that?  (Applause.)  And then you all were with us when Barack first took office, and took a look at the mess he’d been handed and wondered what on Earth he had gotten himself into.  (Laughter.) 

Let me just take you back to how bad things were back then.  We were in full-blown crisis mode -- do you remember that?  Our economy was literally on the brink of collapse.  Wall Street banks were folding.  Businesses were losing 800,000 jobs a month.  Folks on TV were panicking about whether we were headed for another Great Depression -– and that wasn’t just talk, that was a real possibility.  This is what Barack walked into on day one as President.  I could go on.

Now, think about how things look today, less than six years later.  (Applause.)  Our businesses have created 10 million new jobs.  The long-term unemployment rate has dropped by more than half over the past four years.  We’ve now had the longest period of job growth since World War II.  (Applause.)  And as folks across the country have gone back to work, overall unemployment is the lowest it’s been in nearly six years. 

We’ve cut our deficit by more than half.  We’re sending more kids to college.  (Applause.)  And after -- yes, indeed.  And here’s my favorite -- after decades of trying to pass health reform, today, millions of Americans finally have health insurance because of the Affordable Care Act.

And then just think about how different our country looks to children growing up today.  Think about how our kids take for granted that a black person or a woman can be President of the United States.  (Applause.)  They take it for granted that for the first time in history, there are three brilliant women serving on our Supreme Court.  (Applause.)  They take for granted that their President will end hurtful policies like
don’t ask, don’t tell,” they’ll speak out for gay marriage.

So today, when folks ask me whether I still believe everything we said about change and hope back in 2008, I tell them that I believe it more strongly now than ever before, because, look, I’ve seen it with my own eyes.  I’ve seen veterans finding jobs as our nation proudly supports their transition to civilian life.  I’ve seen children getting better nutrition and growing up healthier.  I’ve seen young people from the most underserved areas reaching higher and going back to college, and reaching back to serve their communities.  So while we still have plenty of work to do, we have truly made so much of that change we were talking about. 

But here’s the thing I want you to remember, is that Barack didn’t do all this just sitting alone in the Oval Office.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  You were there.  (Laughter.) 

MRS. OBAMA:  I was there.  But remember the Recovery Act that helped rescue our economy?  Remember the legislation that helped save the auto industry?  And the Affordable Care Act that gave all those folks health insurance?  Those bills were passed by a Democratic Congress back in 2008, 2009 and 2010.  And it’s so easy to lose sight of that reality.

Too often, we forget what we learned back in civics class in middle school about how we have a separation of powers between three branches of government.  I can’t tell you how many folks have asked me, well, the President passed health care, why can’t he just fix the infrastructure yet?  Why can’t he just raise the minimum wage?  And I have to tell them that infrastructure is a budget issue; minimum wage is a legislative issue.  And we all know who has the final say on all of that -- it’s Congress.  It’s Congress.

So the truth is, if we want to keep making that change we all believe in, then we need a President who will fight for that change, but we also need a Congress who will pass it, and leaders at our state level who will support it.  (Applause.)  So make no mistake about it, Barack’s last campaign was not in 2012.  Barack’s last campaign is this year, 2014 -- (applause) -- because that election in 2012 wasn’t the change we sought, it was only the chance to make that change.

And frankly, if we lose these midterm elections, it’s going to be a whole lot harder to finish what we’ve started.  Because things will be even worse here in Washington.  We will see more conflict, more obstruction, more lawsuits and talk about impeachment, more votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act or even shut down the government -- behavior that just wastes time and wastes our money. 

In fact, it’s gotten so bad, they’ve even tried to block the work I do on child obesity -- and that’s really saying something.  I mean, for most folks in this country, making sure our kids get decent nutrition isn’t all that controversial -- it shouldn’t be.  (Child falls.)  Because as parents, there is nothing we wouldn’t do for our kids, even when they’re falling over tired.  (Laughter.)  He’s just done.  But we still love him!  This is all for you!

We always put our kids’ interests first.  We wake up every morning, we go to bed every night worrying about their health, their happiness, their futures.  So we deserve leaders across the country who will do the same.  We deserve leaders who will believe like we do that no matter how our kids start out in life, if they’re willing to work for it, they should have every opportunity to fulfill their boundless promise.  They should have every opportunity to get a good education, build a decent life for themselves and an even better life for their own kids.  That is the American Dream we all believe in.  And that’s what this midterm election -- these elections are all about.

And here’s the thing that we know -- that we can win these elections.  No, no, no, we can really win these elections.  And I want you to understand just how easily we can win.  Right now, we are just 17 seats away from taking back the House.  Now, also understand we’re just six seats away from losing the Senate –- just six seats.  And we have tight governors’ races and legislative races in states all across the country, races that are won or lost by just a few thousand, or even a few hundred, or even a few dozen votes. 

So here’s the good news I was talking about:  We have all the votes we need right now to win so many of these races if we get folks registered and if we get them out to vote in November.  So here are some of the numbers.  In some of our Senate for example, in Iowa, if just 70 percent of the folks who voted for Barack in 2012 show up and vote for Bruce Braley, Congressman Braley will be the next Senator from Iowa.  (Applause.)  If just -- now, these are our votes.  If just 69 percent of Obama voters show up in Colorado and just 63 percent show up in North Carolina, then Senator Udall and Senator Hagan will win reelection.  (Applause.)  These are our people.  We don’t have to convince anybody about anything except just voting.

So let’s be clear:  This is on us.  That’s the thing -- it’s on us.  We can’t wait around for anybody else to do this for us.  Now, it’s true that there is too much money in politics -- that’s true.  And it’s true that special interests have too much influence.  But let me tell you something, they had plenty of money and influence back in 2008 and 2012 –- and we won those elections.  (Applause.)   

And you want to know why we won?  Because we showed up and we voted.  And at the end of the day, we have to remember that the folks running those special interest groups, the folks pouring millions of dollars into those elections, they each have just one vote.  And so do each of us.  And ultimately, the only thing that counts are those votes.  That’s what decides elections in the United States of America.  And that’s why Barack Obama is President right now –- he’s President because a whole bunch of folks who never voted before showed up to vote in 2008 and 2012.  (Applause.)   

And you remember, a lot of people were shocked when Barack won because they were counting on folks like us to stay home.  They were counting on it.  And we proved them wrong.  Barack won because record numbers of women and minorities and young people showed up to vote.

But here’s where we fall short -- when the midterms come along, too many of our people just tune out.  And that’s what folks on the other side are counting on this year, because when we stay home, they win.  So they’re assuming that we won’t care.  They’re hoping, they’re assuming that we won’t be organized and energized.  And only we can prove them wrong.

And that’s where all of you come in -- all my lady friends.  (Applause.)  This is the crew.  You all have already made such generous contributions to the DNC, and we are grateful.  And because of you, right now, campaign offices around the country are open.  Because of you, ads are running.  Because of you, our candidates are getting their message out and doing their thing all across the country.

So tonight, for once, I’m not going to ask you for more money -- not tonight.  I reserve the right to do that later on, but not tonight.  (Laughter.)  But I am going to ask for your help in getting folks organized and out to the polls on November the 4th.  Because I know that you all have networks -- you all have people, lots of people -- and when you ask folks to do something, they listen to you.  That’s why you’re here.  And that’s what we need you to do –- we need you to make those calls. You all -- we all know how to do this.  We’ve done this.  We need you to knock on those doors and get people registered and then out to vote on Election Day.

And you can start by going to Commit2Vote.com –- that’s Commit2Vote.com.  This is a new website from the DNC where you can commit to casting your vote, and then you can reach out to your friends and family and neighbors and get them to commit as well.  Everyone you sign up through this website will receive reminders to vote -- so this is really good, this is a good tool -- and they’ll be sent all the information they need about early voting -- which you know how key that is, because that was the ticket in the presidential elections -- early voting.  They’ll receive information about the location of their polling place, and so much more. 

And I want you all to send everybody you know to this website –- Commit2Vote.com -– and don’t wait another minute to get started on this.  Because we’ve got less than two months until Election Day, and we need you to be as passionate and as hungry for these midterm elections as we all were back in 2008 and 2012.  In fact, we need you to be even more passionate and more hungry, because these midterm elections will be even harder and even closer than those presidential elections.  And they’re just as important.  You all know that. 

The stakes this year simply could not be higher.  Because if we don’t show up at the polls this November, if we don’t elect leaders in Congress and across America who will put people first instead of fighting for special interests, then we know exactly what will happen.  We will see more folks interfering in women’s private decisions about our health care.  We’ll see more folks denying that climate change even exists.  We’ll see more votes against immigration reform and raising the minimum wage for hardworking folks.

So I want to be very clear:  If you think people who work 40 or 50 hours a week shouldn’t have to live in poverty in the wealthiest nation on Earth; if you don’t want women’s bosses making decisions about their birth control; if you think women should get equal pay for equal work, and you believe that women in this country, when we succeed, America succeeds; if you want your kids to have quality preschool and the college education they need to fulfill every last bit of their God-given potential -- then you need to step up and get everyone you know out to vote this November.  (Applause.) 

That’s what’s at stake in this election -– the kind of country we want to leave behind for our kids and our grandkids.  And here’s the thing -- those kids are counting on us to stand up for them. 

They’re kids like Lawrence Lawson, who I met earlier this year -- wonderful kid, but he’s got a tough story.  Lawrence’s father died when he was just eight years old.  Then, at the age of nine, Lawrence suffered a major seizure and had to learn to read and walk and speak again.  Then, when he was 12, his mother passed, and Lawrence was then moved to an aunt in Atlanta, and then to a sister in Baltimore.  But no matter where he was, Lawrence, this kid did his best in school.  He joined the marching band.  He interned at Johns Hopkins hospital.  And he graduated as the valedictorian of his high school class.

And as I travel across this country, I meet so many kids like Lawrence -- kids who are doing everything they’re supposed to do.  Kids who wake up early and take the long route to school to avoid the gangs.  Kids who juggle afterschool jobs to support their families, stay up late to get their homework done.  Kids whose parents don’t speak a word of English, but who are fighting every day to realize their dream of a better life.  

These kids have every reason to give up, but they are so hungry -- you know these kids.  They are so desperate to lift themselves up, and that’s why we’re here today –- because if those kids never give up, then neither can we.  Between now and November, we need to be energized for them.  We need to be inspired for them.  We need to pour everything we have into these elections so that they can have the opportunities they need to build the future they deserve.

And if we all do that, if we all keep stepping up and bringing others along with us -- it is so simple -- then I know that we can keep making that change we believe in, and I know we can keep moving this country forward.  And I know that together, that we can build a future worthy of all our children.

So we need you.  Did I make that clear?  (Applause.)  You all understand?  These elections are in our hands.  Women -- we don’t turn out for midterms.  Minorities -- we don’t turn out.  We don’t have to convince anybody new; we just have to find us and get us registered.  So we should be able to do this, right?  (Applause.)  We should be able to do this.  And I fully expect that we will do this.  We are going to get this done, and we are going to keep making change and making our country stronger.

Thank you all so much.  God bless you.  Love you so much.  (Applause.)
   
END  
4:32 P.M. EDT

First Lady Highlights College Signing Day in Latest Upworthy Post

Cameron Brenchley
Cameron Brenchley
September 18, 2014
03:20 PM EST

Last week, First Lady Michelle Obama joined the site Upworthy as a guest curator to share content to inspire young people to reach higher and take charge of their future. Her first post highlighted inspiring stories from first-generation students at Kansas State University who have overcome challenges, and in her latest post she shares a powerful video of a College Signing Day assembly in San Antonio.

College Signing Day is special event to honor students who have committed to continue their education beyond high school. In May, the First Lady joined more than 2,000 San Antonio high school seniors for the community-wide event:

The fact is, a generation ago our country had the highest percentage of college graduates in the world. But today, we have dropped all the way to 12th. And that’s unacceptable. That’s not who we are. And all of you have a role to play to help get us get back on top, because the education you get today won’t just help you compete; it’s going to help our entire country compete in a global economy. 

Related Topics: Reach Higher, Education, Kansas

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
September 18, 2014

Remarks by the First Lady at National Student Poet Reading

Blue Room

10:55 A.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Good morning, you guys.  Please, rest.  (Laughter.)  Welcome to the White House.  Yes!  Let’s stand back, take it in.  (Laughter.)  This is for you.  Look around, we’re in the Blue Room.  It’s good.  You guys are winners, champs.

I want to start by thanking everyone from the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, and the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences for everything that all of these folks are doing to lift up young people like these and a program like this one.  We’re so proud of you guys.  I especially want to recognize Olivia -- right there.  (Applause.)  Her happy dance.  You’ve done such a tremendous job in leading this program and launching it three years ago.  It’s good, and we’re going to make it bigger and bigger and bigger.  You’ve done such a terrific job.  We’re so proud of you and proud of what you’re doing for young people and for the arts.  So thank you so much.

And of course, Richard Blanco, our friend who is here.  And carrying on -- we’re going to keep pulling you in.  (Laughter.)  So thank you for being here and thank you for your work.  

But most of all, it’s my honor to introduce the third class of National Student Poets.  We have Weston Clark, from Zionsville, Indiana.  (Applause.)  No, no, I’m just giving you your time.  I’m going to give you your moment.  (Laughter.)  They’re listening to instructions.  I’m going to get you guys loosened up and -- realize that there’s -- silliness abounds in the White House, so you can relax.  Madeleine LeCesne from New Orleans, Louisiana.  (Applause.)  Ashley Gong from Sandy Hook, Connecticut.  (Applause.)  Cameron Messinides from Camden, South Carolina.  (Applause.)  And Julia Falkner, from Louisville, Colorado.  (Applause.)  Yay.  (Laughter.)  And their parents -- you guys, stand up.  Families.  (Applause.)  You should be so proud.  Aren’t you proud?  This is pretty cool.  You could never say they never did anything for you.  (Laughter.)  They got you to the White House. 

Now, we started this program because we wanted to nurture the passion and creativity of our young people.  And we wanted to help them engage with their communities, and we wanted to do our part to share the gifts and wonders that poetry offers with a new generation.

As my favorite poet, Maya Angelou, once said, nothing is so frightening as writing, but nothing so satisfies me.  So what these young people are doing doesn’t just take talent, it doesn’t just take hard work, it actually takes a lot of courage.  It takes courage to open your soul to the whole world.  It takes courage to think hard and feel deeply, and then turn those thoughts and feelings into something that you’re willing to share with others.  And that’s exactly what these young people are doing every day with their works, which is why it’s just so phenomenal.

Young people at this age tend to close down, shut down.  And through your words, you’re just sort of letting it all go.  In one of her poems, Julia says, she used to write what she called “passive aggressive prose poems” -- (laughter) -- because, as she says -- she said, “I did not know how to scream in a three-dimensional world.”  Really powerful.

So today, we celebrate not just the wonderful, finished poems that you will hear in a moment from these gifted young people, but we’re also here to celebrate the journey that these young people took to get where they are today -– the endless drafts, the late-night struggles with writer’s block, and all those moments, I’m sure, of fear and doubt. 

And make no mistake about it, the process for these young people isn’t just about how they create great works of poetry.  It’s what we have said time and time again -- it’s the key to success, period, in school and in life.  And that’s why it’s so critical that every child in this country has access to the arts in schools.  We can’t say it enough.  We know this is the right thing to do for our kids.  We know it’s a must.  It’s as essential as what they eat, what they drink, what they breathe in.  Our kids deserve and need this. 

Because whether it’s poetry or band or drama or painting, access to the arts gives kids a reason to get out of bed, and a reason to get up and go to school, and some of the other stuff that sometimes isn’t so fun.  (Laughter.)  It gives them that chance for self-expression, and gives them the skills and the experiences they’ll need to realize their boundless potential, and to reach higher, and to write their own story in the years ahead.

And so I am thrilled to have the chance to showcase that potential and celebrate those stories.  This is something that we talked about after last year’s event.  I said, let’s hear from them.  Let’s take it to the next level.  So you guys represent the next level.  (Laughter.)  Because we want to really hear your voices, and give you the opportunity to stand in the White House and to recite your words. 

So I really do want you guys to be relaxed about this.  I know that’s hard to say.  (Laughter.)  But you know, treat this as a gift.  There’s no pressure.  Forget those guys back there.  (Laughter.)  It’s us; we are all family.  We’ve all read your stuff and it’s amazing.  That’s why you’re here.  The President actually read it, too; he loves poetry.  He could not be here, but he is amazed by what you do.

So this is really a gift.  This is fun.  So relax.  There’s no right or wrong.  This is the brave part of it -- actually sharing your stuff with the world.  And forget that you’re in the Blue Room of the White House.  (Laughter.)  The historic significance, the -- I don’t want that to add any pressure to you at all. 

But we’re very excited to hear from you.  And, Weston, you’re first.  That’s why he was coming to the -- okay, we’ll all sit and join you.  You’re up first.  Do your thing, guy.  (Applause.) 

END
11:03 A.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
September 17, 2014

Remarks by the First Lady in Q&A with Patients

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Memphis, Tennessee

5:51 P.M. CDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Don’t be shy.  I figured out -- I know you all aren’t shy.  Kayla -- okay.  Josue.

Q    Can I take a selfie with you?  (Laughter.) 

MRS. OBAMA:  Absolutely. 

Q    Can I have one too?

MRS. OBAMA:  We’ll all do a selfie, okay?  And you know what, I am -- I don’t like selfies, but I’m going to do selfies for you guys, okay?  All right.  Because we’ve already had a good conversation.  But we’re going to do selfies.

Tyler!

Q    Does your dog ride the plane with you? 

MRS. OBAMA:  No, no, they didn’t come with me today.  They’re at home with Malia and Sasha.  But they ride on the plane when we go on vacation.  We take them on vacations with us, and they ride on the planes.  And they’re good on the planes, actually.  They sit in their little chairs, wait for takeoff, and then they try to get to where the food is.  That’s usually the challenge on the plane -- they’re trying to find the food. 

Q    They’re just looking for the food while you’re like, I don’t even care?  (Laughter.)

MRS. OBAMA:  They just -- they will leave us to go find whatever food they’re smelling.  They will go to the food.  They don’t care about us when there’s food around, unless we have the food. 

Kayla.

Q    What is your favorite part about being in the White House?

MRS. OBAMA:  About being in the -- about being First Lady is being able to do stuff like this, really.  And it is so special for me to get to meet kids like you guys.  Because sometimes living in the White House and being married to the President and trying to live a life like that, it can be hard.  But when I meet you guys, I am so inspired, which is one of the reasons why I like to come and spend time with you guys.  You all are smart, and you’re focused, and you’re just so courageous.  And it’s just fun to be able -- I could be here all day with you, if you haven’t noticed.  (Laughter.) 

So this is a cool part.  But living in the White House, actually living in the White House, what’s the best part?  The best part is -- I like the South Lawn, I like the Truman Balcony -- I was telling Austin that, that that’s one of my favorite places to be, because we can be outside and you can look over the fountain, and you see the Washington Memorial, and it’s a really pretty view.  And it’s peaceful.

Q    Is that selfie going to be an “ussie?”

MRS. OBAMA:  Say that again.

Q    Is that selfie going to be an “ussie?” 

MRS. OBAMA:  We will all do a selfie.  (Laughter.) 

Q    Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  Everyone -- we will do --

Q    An “ussie.”

MRS. OBAMA:  An “ussie.”

Q    It’s called an “ussie” when it’s more than one person. 

MRS. OBAMA:  Whatever you guys want to do, is my point.  (Laughter.)  An “ussie,” a selfie, a yousie, a weesie -- I don’t know.  (Laughter.)  I will do whatever you guys want. 

Nicholas.

Q    What made you decide to come visit St. Jude?

MRS. OBAMA:  Well, first of all, before I was First Lady, in my former career, I worked for a hospital.  I was the vice president of community affairs for the University of Chicago Hospitals.  And they had a really big children’s hospital there, the Comer Children’s Hospital.  So that’s sort of my world -- making sure that kids in the neighborhood I grew up with were getting the kind of care that they needed.

And I have always wanted to come to St. Jude’s.  Marlo Thomas invited me to come.  So it was just a matter of finding the right time, and this was a good time in my schedule to come.  And so we got on a plane and popped down.

And I think it’s really good to be able to highlight the great work that’s going on here.  I mean, St. Jude’s is -- you guys know.  You can tell the world better than anyone just how important this institution is to so many kids and families.  (Applause.)  So if you haven’t noticed, when I go somewhere, cameras follow.  So I like to go places where -- when the cameras are on, the rest of the world can see some good stuff that’s going on.  So that’s one of the reasons why I wanted to come. 

And I get to hang out with you guys.  Yes!  (Laughter.) 

Austin, were you raising your hand?

Q    Yes.  (Laughter.) 

MRS. OBAMA:  Yes, sir.

Q    Where’s the best place you went so far?

MRS. OBAMA:  The best place I’ve been anywhere ever?

Q    Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  Anywhere in the world?  That’s hard.  (Laughter.)  That’s hard.  I enjoyed meeting the Pope, visiting the Vatican.  It was really cool going to a state dinner at Buckingham Palace with the Queen of England. 

Q    Ooh!

MRS. OBAMA:  I know!  (Laughter.)  I also got to hang out in the beehive at a Beyoncé concert.  Oh, my stars!  (Laughter.)  I had a fun time taping with the iCarly cast.  We did a real cool skit -- or a show on military families and military kids.  We just did a really cool trip to China, where I got to visit schools there and talk about education.

So that’s one of the best things about being here, is that I get to do a lot of cool stuff.

Q    Do you get to meet new people?

MRS. OBAMA:  I get to meet lots of new people, yes.  Like you guys.  This is pretty cool too, wouldn’t you say?  I think this is one of the cooler things I get to do.  Because, see, the one thing I don’t do everywhere I go, I don’t have time to talk and answer questions -- especially not in front of the press.  We don’t usually do that.  But when I’m with kids, I love to talk to you guys.  So this is cool stuff for me.

Courtney.

Q    What made you start coming to hospitals and doing things with the community?

MRS. OBAMA:  You know, it was the work that I did in Chicago.  I got to know the work of the University of Chicago Hospital, and I wanted to be a part of that.  I was a lawyer first, but I wanted to do more stuff that affected the community.  So I kind of worked my way into working with the medical community.  And it just is kind of cool.

So I try to do stuff whenever possible.  In Washington, D.C. they have a wonderful children’s hospital there; I make sure to go there at least once a year, around Christmas.  And I was telling these guys over here, I take Bo and Sunny now.  They get to come.  And I hope that this won’t be my last visit here to St. Jude, right?  Yes.

Sam.

Q    What’s your favorite sports team?

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, that’s so hard.  (Laughter.)  That’s hard.  Okay.  I don’t think I have one right now.  I don’t have a favorite team.  I mean, I love all the Chicago teams.  Yay, I do -- the Bears, the Cubs, the Bulls, all those people.  I love the Miami Heat, I love the Heat.  I love players -- I love LeBron James.  I love -- I’m not even going to start there because I’m going to get myself into trouble.  (Laughter.)  I’m not even going there. 

Kayla says Drew Brees.  He’s pretty cool, too.  Yes, there are a lot of cool athletes, a lot of cool teams.  What about you?  Do you have a favorite team, Sam?  Yes, it’s hard.

Q    I like them all.

MRS. OBAMA:  Yeah, it’s hard -- it’s hard to pick. 

Q    49ers.

MRS. OBAMA:  Except Austin loves the 49ers.  (Laughter.)  Who is your favorite player?

Q    Frank Gore.

MRS. OBAMA:  Okay.  What about Colin Kaepernick? 

Q    Him too.

MRS. OBAMA:  Okay.  Just trying to get a plug in there for Colin.  (Laughter.) 

Sunny.

Q    Did you ever think that you would marry the President?

MRS. OBAMA:  No.  (Laughter.)  I didn’t.  Because when I married him he was just Barack.  (Laughter.)  A lot of people were like, Barack?  Who’s that?  No, I didn’t. 

But I knew when I married my husband that he was committed to service, some way, shape or form; that he wanted to do things in the community.  And that’s one of the things I really love and -- loved and love about him, is that he’s always trying to figure out how to help people.  And we had that common interest -- we both left the law and working in corporate firms to find ways to work in the community.  So we shared that in common. 

So I didn’t know he was going to be President.  Actually, I tried to talk him out of it, but he didn’t listen.  (Laughter.)  He didn’t listen.

Breanna.

Q    What have you loved most about being at St. Jude?

MRS. OBAMA:  What have I loved most about being at St. Jude?  You guys.  All of you.  You all are smart, you have good questions.  You have great personalities.  You’re outgoing.  You’re funny.  You’re all of that -- you’re all that and a bag of chips.  (Laughter.) 

All right, Devon, my man.  Are you ready to talk to me?  (Laughter.)  You got a question?  What do you want to know?  Take your time.  (Laughter.)  I know.  We’ll come back. 

Q    What’s your favorite thing to do?

MRS. OBAMA:  My favorite thing to do is to hang out with my daughters.  They’re pretty cool, too.  Although they’re getting kind of busy, so they don't want to be bothered with me -- which is why I have to come here and hang out with you.  (Laughter.)  I'm stealing your energy because my children really -- they don't even want to be around us anymore.  (Laughter.)  You all -- are you like that?  Especially you 13-year-olds.  (Laughter.)  Yeah.  So it's not just me.  I shouldn’t take this personally.  (Laughter.)  All right.

Chelsea, what do you want to ask?

Q    What’s your favorite holiday?

MRS. OBAMA:  My favorite holiday is Christmas.  Ah, Christmas.  I like Thanksgiving, too, but Christmas is just everything.  And the White House is decorated and we open it up to all kinds of guests and visitors. 

You guys have an invitation from me to come and visit the White House, okay?  When you guys -- we'll make sure that we coordinate, but all you guys, when you get well and you're up and about, you got to come see me.  Maybe you can come at Christmastime, but there are a lot of fun things like the Easter Egg Roll, Fourth of July.  But you all have an open invitation -- all right?  Cool.  (Applause.)  You're going to go!  (Laughter.)

Josue? 

Q    Do you ever feel overwhelmed being the First Lady?

MRS. OBAMA:  You know, you kind of get used to the pace of it.  Who would ever -- I would have never thought that by now I'd say, actually, I'm kind of used to it, but you get used to it.  And you learn your rhythm and you figure out how much you can do and how much you can balance. 

I think in many ways I'm like any working mom.  I've got to make sure that I do my job and that I try to do it well, but I’ve got to make sure my girls are good.  They’re going to school and I've got an open house to go to tomorrow night, and I've got to make sure that –- Malia just started driving -- whew!  I know, that's scary.  (Laughter.)  I've got to hang out with my husband.  He needs attention, too.  So it's all a balance, just like your parents.  It's the same thing.  So you just learn that rhythm.  You got to do it and you’ve got to do it all well. 

And I want to be a good First Lady, so I try to put as much effort into that as possible, focusing on the issues that I care about not just here in the United States but around the world, trying to make sure that for the short time we're here that we actually do something that's meaningful, that we're not just hanging out at the White House.

So it keeps us busy.  But what else would we be doing?  (Laughter.)  

All right, okay --

MODERATOR:  Sebastian has been hiding.

MRS. OBAMA:  Sebastian, where have you been?

Q    Right there.  (Laughter.) 

MRS. OBAMA:  You came out!  All right, Sebastian.

Q    What is your favorite soccer team?

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, gosh, I don't know.  I don't know.  Who’s your favorite soccer team?

Q    The Colombians.

MRS. OBAMA:  Ohhh -- (laughter.)  Did you watch the World Cup?

Q    Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  How did they do?

Q    They won five times until they needed to face Brazilian and then Brazil won.

MRS. OBAMA:  Yes.  We're you disappointed?

Q    No.

MRS. OBAMA:  You weren’t?  (Laughter.) 

Q    It doesn’t matter.

MRS. OBAMA:  This is why I love kids.  (Laughter.)  They just say, it wasn’t me.  (Laughter.)  Like, I was fine.  (Laughter.) 

Well, thank you for that question, Sebastian. 

Tyler, do you have another question?

Q    When you first got your dogs were they puppies?

MRS. OBAMA:  Well, Bo was -- he was five months, so he was an older puppy.  And Sunny was already like 12 months.  So they weren’t itty-bitty puppies.

Q    But they were little?

MRS. OBAMA:  They were sort of little, yes.  Do you have a pet, Tyler?

Q    Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  What do you have?

Q    A chocolate lab.

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh!  Is he big?  Is he a puppy?

Q    It's a girl and she is (inaudible) puppy.

MRS. OBAMA:  Yeah?  Did you just get her?

Q    No, we got her a couple years -- like a few months ago.

MRS. OBAMA:  Uh-huh.  Do you like her?

Q    Yes.  And I got fish.

MRS. OBAMA:  And fish!  (Laughter.) 

Q    One of the fish kept on having babies like crazy.

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, my goodness.  (Laughter.) 

What, Mom?  We are learning so much from Tyler.  (Laughter.)  You are so red right now.  (Laughter.)  But it's all good.  It's all good.

Okay, Devon, you ready?  Got another?

Q    Do the White House have a secret stash?  (Laughter.)
 
MRS. OBAMA:  A secret stash of what?  (Laughter.)  A secret stash of what?  I'm going to have you clarify that.  (Laughter.) Just a secret place, secret places of stuff?  Well, if I told you then it wouldn't be a secret.  (Laughter.)  That's highly classified information.  (Laughter.)  Here, come here, I'll whisper to you.  All right, you can tell the others once the cameras are gone.  (Laughter.)  But it's highly classified information. 

All right, Austin.

Q    Can I go to the White House?

MRS. OBAMA:  Where are your parents?  All right.  Austin is ready to leave you and come with me. 

PARENT:  That's not going to work tonight.  (Laughter.) 

MRS. OBAMA:  Your mom said not tonight.  All right.  Maybe some other time.

Kayla?  Where’s -- your children are ready to leave you now.

PARENT:  Maybe an hour.

MRS. OBAMA:  She’s like, you can get her ready in an hour.  (Laughter.)  Well, maybe we’ll work on coordinating these visits a little more.

All right, Sebastian.

Q    What is your favorite place that you go?

MRS. OBAMA:  That I go every day?

Q    I said, what’s the --

MRS. OBAMA:  I know, I know.  I’m slow.  (Laughter.)  I’m slow. 

Q    How many places have you visited?  That’s what I was wondering.

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, hundreds and hundreds of places.  Hundreds.  Hundreds of different countries.  Hundreds -- I’ve been to probably almost every state in the United States -- almost.  Have I? 

STAFF:  We landed in Alaska.

MRS. OBAMA:  We landed in Alaska.  So, yes, I’ve been to every state in the United States.

Q    Wow.

MRS. OBAMA:  Breanna?

Q    What is your favorite vacation?

MRS. OBAMA:  Hawaii.  Yeah.  (Laughter.)  Yeah, that’s where we go on Christmas, because that’s where the President grew up, so he still has his family there.  We’ve been going there every year since we started dating. 

Q    Wow.

MRS. OBAMA:  Yeah, so that’s our family tradition.  So it’s really beautiful and it’s relaxing.

Q    I’m thinking about going there. 

MRS. OBAMA:  You’re thinking about going?  When?  When are you going to go?  And does your mom know?  (Laughter.)  It would be great.  It would be great.  You would love it.

Q    I’m going next year.

MRS. OBAMA:  You’re going next year?

Q    To visit grandparents.

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, excellent.  That’s cool.  You’re going to have a ball.  You’re going to have a ball.

Okay, Sunny, then Courtney.

Q    Which dog do you like better?  Bo or Sunny?

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, I like them both equally.  They could be listening.  (Laughter.)  Sunny -- I couldn’t pick between them.  That would be terrible.  They’re smart.  They would know.  And then I’d come home and one would be like, you were at St. Jude and you picked the other one.  (Laughter.)  I couldn’t.  I love them both. 

Courtney.

Q    How did you meet the President?  Well, how did you all, like, meet?

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, you want to know how we met?  (Laughter.)  Okay, let me think about this.  It’s been a while.  We met actually when we were both -- I had finished law school, I was working in a law firm, and the President was just in law school.  And when you work at a firm, they do these summer internship programs, and the President was an intern and I was his summer advisor. 

Q    Wow.

MRS. OBAMA:  Yeah.  So I was the first person he met when he started at the firm that summer.  And we were friends.  We didn’t date right away.  But then later on in the summer he asked me out.  Good question.

Tyler.

Q    Who do you like to prank the most?

MRS. OBAMA:  Prank the most?  Oh, the President.  (Laughter.)  We love to scare each other.  Malia and Sasha, they always try to scare us.  They’re real bad at it, too, because they’re loud.  You can give them tips?  There’s a lot of scaring going on.

Q    What about pouring water on their heads?

MRS. OBAMA:  I’ll try that when I get home.  (Laughter.)

Q    Find a water bucket, and then when the President comes in he’ll be like, what happened?  (Laughter.) 

All right, Kristen, mark that down.  When we get home -- should I put it over the door?

Q    Put it where he can’t see it.

MRS. OBAMA:  Okay.  This is going to be good.  (Laughter.) 

Josue, you had your hand up.

Q    Are you a good cook?

MRS. OBAMA:  Yes!  I am.  (Laughter.)  I’m an excellent cook.  I haven’t done it in a while because there are chefs -- people at the White House cook for us.  But before I came here, yes, I was a good cook.  I had a few good solid dishes that I loved to cook.  The fast ones that everybody was sick of, like -- well, I didn’t do sandwiches, I did like baked chicken and brown rice and broccoli.  I had this great shrimp pasta with garlic that I did.  The President, he can cook too, but he just didn’t cook that much.  He has this great chili that he would do, but I wound up making it more than he did.  (Laughter.)  Yeah, you guys know that drill, how that goes.  But I do enjoy cooking.  Do you like to cook?  What’s your best dish?

Q    It’s an Italian sandwich.

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, what do you put in it?

Q    I put red bell peppers, salami, mozzarella cheese, and (inaudible).

MRS. OBAMA:  Ooh -- what kind of bread?  It’s like a focaccia?

Q    We make the bread. 

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, I’m so hungry.  (Laughter.)  You did me in on that one.  That sounds good.

All right, are you guys all questioned out?  I don’t believe it.  I knew it -- Tyler.  (Laughter.)  Wait, wait, let’s let Carrie-Lynn.  She hasn’t asked a question yet.  And then, Tyler, we’ll get back to you.

Q    Who’s your favorite artist?

MRS. OBAMA:  My favorite musical artist?  Oh, I love all types of artists.  Stevie Wonder.  Everybody probably on the planet knows that Stevie Wonder is my favorite artist of all time.  But I love Beyoncé.  I love -- let’s see -- I’m blanking now because I’m on the spot.  But I love jazz; I love jazz artists.  Tell me, who’s your favorite artist?  Maybe that will spark my memory of who I like.

Q    I like Rihanna.

MRS. OBAMA:  You like Rihanna?  You both like Rihanna.  Me too, girl.  (Laughter.)  All right, yeah, she’s all right.  She’s good.  Malia and Sasha like her, too. 

All right, Devon?

Q    Do you like Michael Jackson?

MRS. OBAMA:  I do.  Do you?  What’s your favorite song of Michael Jackson’s?

Q    The Halloween song.

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, Thriller.  (Laughter.) 

Q    Sing it!  Sing it!

MRS. OBAMA:  Sing it, sing it, sing it.  All right, Sebastian is going -- we’re going to put on a show.  Can you sing?  Kayla sings.  I thought I’d give it a try.  (Child sings.)  Who did that?  Josue?  This is hard.  This is a hard crowd.  When they leave, we can sing and dance when they go.

All right, Tyler, you get the last question.

Q    What do you like -- who do you like to scare the most on Halloween?

MRS. OBAMA:  What’s with you and all the scaring?  (Laughter.)  Are you scaring people at your house?

Q    Maybe.  (Laughter.) 

MRS. OBAMA:  What are you going to be for Halloween this year?

Q    I don’t know. 

MRS. OBAMA:  Is it going to be scary?  I try not to scare people on Halloween.  We do a big Trick-or-Treat -- we do Trick-or-Treating at the White House.  The White House -- they put an orange light on the White House, and kids from the neighborhood come up to the South Lawn.  So we try not to make it scary, because the little kids -- you don’t want people scared when they come to the White House.

Q    Yeah, you do.

MRS. OBAMA:  Aw, Tyler.  (Laughter.)  What about the little kids? 

Q    They’ll leave, then.

MRS. OBAMA:  They run away crying from the White House?  No, we can’t do that.  You have to keep it wholesome.  We’ll leave the scaring to you.  (Laughter.)  I’ll try the bucket trick, but I don’t know about the scaring.

Q    Why don’t you do slime and it will feel like they got ghost goo on them.  They’ll be like, ah, ghost goo!

MRS. OBAMA:  You got some great ideas.  I need to connect you with the social office.  (Laughter.) 

Okay, last two.  Sebastian, then Kayla, and then we’ll do some selfies, ussies, or whatever you call it.  Yes, Sebastian.

Q    My family is big on travel.

MRS. OBAMA:  Big on travel?

Q    What’s been your favorite place to travel?

MRS. OBAMA:  All of them.  (Laughter.)  Give me one.  Name a place that you remember. 

Q    Colombia.

MRS. OBAMA:  Colombia.  Now, I’ve never been to Colombia.

Q    I’ve been to Colombia, Ecuador, L.A.  I’ve been to New York City.  I’ve been to --

MRS. OBAMA:  Yeah, you guys do a lot of traveling.

Q    Yep.

MRS. OBAMA:  That’s awesome.  Do you like to travel?

Q    Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA:  Travel is good.  Do you guys get to travel?  All you guys get to travel?

Q    A lot. 

Q    What else?  Ecuador --

MRS. OBAMA:  He’s looking for some assistance.  (Laughter.) 

PARENT:  Mexico.

Q    No? 

MRS. OBAMA:  All right, there’s a debate.  He’s disagreeing with you.  I don’t think you know where you’ve been. 

Q    When did we go there?

MRS. OBAMA:  Is that your dad?

PARENT:  (Inaudible.)

Q    Oh, yeah, we went to Mexico.  We went to --

MRS. OBAMA:  You guys have traveled a lot.  I get it.  I get it. 

All right, Kayla, last question.

Q    Do you have a fashion designer?

MRS. OBAMA:  Do I have a fashion designer?

Q    Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  No, I don’t have one.  There are many.  I buy clothes from many different people.

Q    Oh.

MRS. OBAMA:  Do you have a fashion designer that you like the most?

Q    I don’t know them.  I just pick out whoever has the most sparkles.

MRS. OBAMA:  You like sparkles.  Yeah, sparkles are good.  Sparkles work.

Q    I like my shoes.

MRS. OBAMA:  I see those shoes.  Those are awesome.  Awesome.

All right, you guys, let’s do some selfies -- ussies!

END
6:17 P.M. CDT

West Wing Week: 9/12/14 or, "Meeting Those Threats with Strength and Resolve"

September 11, 2014 | 4:03 | Public Domain

This week the President concluded a summit in Wales with NATO allies, hosted a White House meeting with Congressional leadership on foreign policy, addressed the nation in primetime and commemorated the 13th anniversary of the September 11th attacks.

Download mp4 (169.3MB)

Honoring 9/11 Through Service

Jonathan Greenblatt
Jonathan Greenblatt
September 11, 2014
01:40 PM EST
President Obama Greets Volunteers on September 11, 2013

President Barack Obama greets volunteers at Food & Friends during a service project to commemorate the September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance, in Washington, D.C. September 11, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Today, millions of people across the country will commemorate the anniversary of 9/11 through acts of service. To honor the memories of those we lost, we come together to make our communities better and our world a brighter place through acts of volunteerism.

Jonathan Greenblatt is the Special Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation.
Related Topics: Service, New York

"We Will Only Grow Stronger": President Obama Commemorates the 13th Anniversary of the 9/11 Attacks

Tanya Somanader
Tanya Somanader
September 11, 2014
11:21 AM EST
President Obama, Defense Secretary Hagel, and Gen. Martin Dempsey listen to the national anthem, Sept. 11, 2014

President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, and Gen. Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, listen to the national anthem during the September 11th Observance Ceremony at the Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Va., Sept. 11, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Thirteen years ago today, our nation was irrevocably changed by horrific acts of terror that took the lives of thousands of innocent people. Across the country, Americans pay tribute to their memories and honor all those who have made great sacrifices in service to our country. 

At 8:46 a.m. ET this morning, the time that the first plane hit the World Trade Center, President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Vice President Joe Biden joined Americans in observing a moment of silence:

Related Topics: Homeland Security, Virginia

The First Lady Holds Prep Rally to Encourage Higher Ed Preparation

Cameron Brenchley
Cameron Brenchley
September 09, 2014
10:48 AM EST
Students at Booker T. Washington High School Listen to First Lady Michelle Obama

Students at Booker T. Washington High School in Atlanta listen to First Lady Michelle Obama speak on preparing for higher education. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of Education by Joshua Hoover.

First Lady Michelle Obama was at Booker T. Washington High School in Atlanta, Ga., yesterday, to help kick off the Department of Education’s annual back-to-school bus tour, and to encourage students to take charge of their futures and complete an education beyond high school as part of her Reach Higher initiative.

Booker T. Washington High School opened its doors in 1924 and was the first public high school for African-Americans in Georgia. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is among the school’s graduates. The First Lady began her visit by joining Secretary of Education Arne Duncan for a quick stop at a college fair, and to listen to students talk about their experience in searching out schools and getting help from their counselors.

Related Topics: Higher Education, Reach Higher, Education, Georgia