Remarks by the First Lady at the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards

East Room

2:40 P.M. EST

MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thanks so much.  Well, good afternoon. 

AUDIENCE:  Good afternoon.

MRS. OBAMA:  And welcome to the White House.  It’s good to have you here.  I am thrilled that all of you are here joining us today. 

I want to start by thanking the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, and all their work for sponsoring these awards each year.  They’ve just done an amazing job.  And I’d like to ask all of the members of the committee to please stand so that we can recognize you for all of your hard work.  (Applause.)  It’s a pretty impressive group.

I also want to specifically acknowledge -- I’m off my game.  (Laughter.)  I haven’t been -- I’ve been speaking a lot, and then sort of took a little time off -- but our committee co-chairs George Stevens and Margo Lion for all of their hard work.  Thank you both.  (Applause.)  And we also have Jim Leach, Rocco Landesman, Susan Hildreth, Mary Schmidt Campbell; we have Minister Deng who is here, and our youth program speaker, Starr Arroyo who’s going to -- you’ll hear from Starr.  (Applause.)

And I also want to thank Congressman Platts for joining us today.  Where’s the Congressman?  There you are.  I walked right past you.  Thank you so much for being here today.  (Applause.)

And finally, I want to thank all of the educators, the artists, leaders, all of you who are working every day in communities all across this country to run the programs that we are going to recognize here today.

And every day, you all are doing the hard work.  You are pushing and inspiring our kids.  You’re revealing their boundless promise, and teaching them to believe in themselves.  Because of the programs that you all run, young people are learning breakdancing, hip hop, African drumming -- a lot of stuff going on, right? -- a little traditional music.  They’re putting on plays, publishing poems and articles, and working on  museum exhibits.  They’re becoming historians, designers and champion debaters.  Yes.  (Laughter.) 

And the young people from the Mariachi Master Apprentice Program who will perform for us a little later on, they have even recorded their own CD.  That’s pretty good.  (Applause.)  So we are looking forward to that.  I got to hear a little bit of their practice yesterday.  They’re pretty good, pretty good.  (Laughter.)  Very proud to have you guys here. 

And I know that many of you who are here today, you make all this happen on shoestring budgets; you do it in unbelievable ways, in some of the most difficult circumstances imaginable.  And I know that you put a lot of late nights and long hours in to give these kids opportunities worthy of their promise.

But you keep on doing this year after year because you have seen firsthand the transformative power of the arts and arts education in the lives of young people across this country.  You know that the skills that you’re teaching -- skills like problem-solving and teamwork, self-expression -- these skills aren’t just valuable in the studio or in the theater, but they are critical in the classroom and will be in the workplace when you all get there, right? 

You all see that every day -- the promise of the work in the rising GPAs, because all of these students are doing wonderful things.  I met a young woman who is going to go into biology, studying at UCLA, in our mariachi band -- women in science, great things. 

You see it in rising graduation rates, because all of these kids are going to college, right?  Let’s hear it again. 

AUDIENCE:  Yes!  (Laughter.)

MRS. OBAMA:  Yes, indeed.  You see kids who never considered going to college finally saying to themselves, well, if I can publish my own writing; if I can create my own artwork; if I can get up in front of all these people and perform anywhere, including the East Room of the White House, well, then certainly I can go to college, right?  (Laughter.)  Of course I can continue my education and expand my ambitions and pursue my dreams, right?  You are here.  You can do anything.

And that’s why it is so critical that we preserve arts education in our schools.  It is absolutely critical because we know how important it is for our children’s development.  We all know.  Every one of us who are here in this room will do whatever it takes to make sure that our own kids get access to sports and music and arts and recreation.  So if it’s good enough for our kids, it’s good enough for all of our kids, right?  (Applause.)

And that’s one of the reasons why we’ve worked so very hard, and it’s been a labor of love to make sure that the White House is a showcase for America’s rich cultural life.  And we’ve worked to open our doors as often as possible to as many young people as we possibly can.  We have hosted youth workshops on everything from modern dance to classical music to spoken word poetry and so much more.  And we’re looking for another four years to do even more.  (Applause.)   

Because what we do know is that ultimately, arts education doesn’t just teach our kids valuable skills, it doesn’t just give them an important forum of self-expression and self-reflection, it also helps to shape their character.  In so many ways it shapes who they are. 

And I think that one of today’s programs -- Arts Corps -- really says it best in their motto.  Their motto is, “Make art anyway.”  Right, make art anyway.  That’s what your programs are doing every single day.  In spite of all the challenges and obstacles that our young people may face out there in the world -- because life is hard, right?  I say that to Malia and Sasha every morning when they get up tired.  I’m like, yes, life is hard!  (Laughter.)  You’ve still got to get up.  You’ve got to get up.  (Laughter.)  But in spite of all of this, all of your fears and your doubts, you teach them art -- to make art anyway.  To make art anyway. 

You teach them that no matter what life throws their way, if they draw on their own talent and courage and creativity, if they are persistent and tenacious and bold -- bold, right? -- then they can truly make something extraordinary of their lives.  Because that’s what we expect:  nothing but extraordinary.  You all can do this, right?  That’s what we expect.

And that is why it is such a pleasure to honor you all here today -- for the work that you do, for inspiring our kids, for keeping their promise alive, loving them, supporting them.  We thank you.  We honor you, and we are so proud to support you as you continue your outstanding work.  So don’t get tired.  (Laughter.)  Because I know it gets hard, but don’t get tired.  The work you do is so critical, and we thank you.

And with that, it is now my pleasure to introduce one of the distinguished co-chairs of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities -– a man whose tremendous career in the arts and tremendous service to our country is such an inspiration to us all.  And this is the time of year when you really get sick of me -- (laughter) -- because we spend a lot of time together.  Please welcome George Stevens.  (Applause.)

* * * * *

(The awards are presented.)

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, my goodness.  Well, see, this is why we do what we do.  This is why we’re here -- because there are thousands of young people out there with this level of talent and passion and energy.  And to think that we wouldn’t invest in this, that we wouldn’t find the resources to continue to allow these gifts to grow, that is why what you all do is just so amazing and so important and so necessary. 

We are so proud to have you all here.  You did an amazing job.  We want to thank you.  We want to thank Starr for that phenomenal speech.  I’m glad I went before you.  Yes.  (Applause.)

And to all of our award recipients, to all of the young people who benefit from it, just understand this as young people -- this is what I say to all of the young people here -- your job is to pass it on, right?  It’s not enough just to receive these gifts and blessings, but to understand that you are blessed and your job now is to pass it on, to find someone in your life that you are going to mentor, that you are going to pull up.

And whether it’s in the arts, or whether it’s academically, your job is to find the next you and hold them tight and make sure they get the same chances that you got, right? 

Thank you so much for being here.  It is always a joy to host these awards.  I want to thank our committee.  I want to thank all of our guests.  Now, enjoy the reception.  We’ve got good food.  We’ve got good stuff in there.  (Laughter.) 

So thank you all.  It’s been a wonderful afternoon, and we’ll see you again next year.  (Applause.)

END
3:20 P.M. EST

Remarks by the First Lady and the President at Final Campaign Rally -- Des Moines, IA

Intersection of East 4th and East Locust Streets
Des Moines, Iowa

9:58 P.M. CST

MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you, guys.  Thanks so much.

AUDIENCE:  We love Michelle!  We love Michelle!

MRS. OBAMA:  (Laughter.)  And I love you.  I love you from the bottom of my heart.  And I am beyond thrilled to be here with all of you. 

But we have to give some love up for Bruce Springsteen.  I mean, gosh.  (Applause.)  For months, I have heard his songs played at our rallies.  But I have to say, there's nothing like seeing The Boss in person.  (Applause.)  Nothing like it.  He has just been tremendous.  He and his family and his team, they've just been amazing.  So we want to thank Bruce for everything that he's done for us. 

And more than anything else, I want to thank you all for being here tonight.  I mean, as you know this is a pretty emotional time for us, because this is the final event of my husband's final campaign.  (Applause.)  So this is the last time that he and I will be onstage together at a campaign rally.  And that's why we wanted to come here to Iowa tonight -- (applause)  -- because truly this is where it all began, right here.

And I have so many fond memories of this state -- the house parties in Sioux City and Cedar Rapids; celebrating Malia's birthday in Pella; and seeing my husband's face carved in butter. (Applause.)  Believe me, we still talk about that at Christmas.  (Laughter.) 

But I will never forget the kindness and warmth and love that you all showed me and my family, especially our girls.  That is truly what made the difference back in those early days when I wasn't so sure about this whole process; back when I was still wondering what it would mean for our girls and our family if Barack got the chance to serve as President. 

But the truth is while I had my worries and my fears, I also realized that this decision affected not only me as a wife and a mother, but as a voter, as an American.  And I started envisioning the kind of person that I wanted to lead our country. And I knew that I wanted a President with a steady character, with deep compassion and strong convictions.  I wanted a President who was smart.  (Applause.)  I wanted someone we could trust -- (applause) -- someone who would always, always tell us the truth even when it's hard.  (Applause.)  And I wanted a President driven not by politics or which way the wind is blowing, but by the struggles, hopes and dreams of all Americans. (Applause.)

And the more I thought about it, the more I knew in my heart that I was describing Barack.  I knew he could be that President. And for four years, that's exactly what he's done.  He has stayed true to himself, and with your help, he's worked day after day to make this country better, to move it forward.  He's rescued our economy from the brink of collapse and saved the auto industry.  (Applause.)  He's passed historic health reform -- (applause) -- ended the war in Iraq.  (Applause.)  He's fought so women get equal pay and students can afford college.  (Applause.)  He's fought for our seniors, so that they can retire with dignit;, and our veterans, so that they can give the benefits they earned and the respect they deserve.  (Applause.)  

For four years, Barack has been fighting to give every single one of us a fair shot at that great American Dream, no matter what we look like or where we come from or who we love.  (Applause.)  And for four years, we have all seen what I've seen for the past 23 years.  We've seen a man of honor and integrity who knows what he believes and stays true to his values.  (Applause.)  I'm so proud of my husband.  We have seen an honest man who knows the facts and always gives it to us straight.  We've seen a man whose strength and resolve to build a better tomorrow has never wavered, never. 

And that's why I am so thrilled to be here in Iowa tonight  -- (applause) -- because long before most people even knew his name, you all saw what I saw.  So you did all this crazy stuff.  You showed up at campaign offices here in Des Moines and offices all over the state.  More importantly, you opened your homes.  You held caucus trainings.  You marched with us at the Jefferson-Jackson dinner.  (Applause.)  And then, on a cold January night, you stood up for Barack, because you knew that he would stand up for you.  (Applause.) 

And over these past four years, our family has been truly blessed -- truly blessed -- by all of the love and support and prayers that we have received from every corner of this country. And Barack has been truly blessed to have all of you by his side as we have worked together to bring that change we can believe in.

It is an honor and a privilege to serve this nation -- just know that.  And tomorrow, we get the chance to finish what we started here in Iowa.  (Applause.)  Tomorrow, all across this state, all across this country, we will line up and vote in libraries and community centers, in school gyms.  We're going to knock on doors until our fingers are numb.  We're going to make calls until our voices are hoarse.  (Applause.)  And we won't stop until every voice and every last vote is counted.  (Applause.) 

And we will do it.  We will do it, because while we have come so far, we know that there is so much more to do.  And what we really, truly know is that we cannot turn back now.  We need to keep moving this country forward.  (Applause.) 

So that means that we need to reelect the man who has been fighting for us every single day -- my husband, the love of my life -- the President of the United States Barack Obama.  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Iowa!  (Applause.)  Tomorrow.  Tomorrow, Iowa.  Tomorrow, from the granite of New Hampshire to the Rockies of Colorado, from the coastlines of Florida to Virginia’s rolling hills, from the valleys of Ohio to these Iowa fields -- we will keep America moving forward.  (Applause.) 

I’ve come back to Iowa one more time to ask for your vote.  (Applause.)  I came back to ask you to help us finish what we’ve started.  (Applause.) Because this is where our movement for change began.  (Applause.)  Right here.  Right here. 

Right behind these bleachers is the building that was home to our Iowa headquarters in 2008.  (Applause.)  I was just inside, and it brought back a whole lot of memories.  This was where some of the first young people who joined our campaign set up shop, willing to work for little pay and less sleep because they believed that people who love their country can change it. 

This was where so many of you who shared that belief came to help.  When the heat didn’t work for the first week or so -- (laughter) -- some of you brought hats and gloves for the staff. These poor kids, they weren’t prepared.  (Laughter.)  When the walls inside were bare, one of you painted a mural to lift everybody’s spirits.  When we had a Steak Fry to march to, when we had a J-J Dinner to fire up -- (applause) -- you brought your neighbors and you made homemade signs.  When we had calls to make, teachers and nurses showed up after work, already bone-tired, but staying anyway, late into the night.

And you welcomed me and Michelle into your homes.  And you picked us up when we needed a lift.  And your faces gave me new hope for this country’s future, and your stories filled me with resolve to fight for you every single day I set foot in the Oval Office.  (Applause.)

You inspired us.  And I want to take this opportunity to say one thing to all the young people and not-so-young people who’ve given so much to this campaign over the years -- those of you who haven’t done this just for me, but for each other -- for a laid-off family member, for a sick child, for a fallen friend -- to all of you who’ve lived and breathed the hard work of change:  I want to thank you. 

You took this campaign and you made it your own.  And you organized yourselves, block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood, county by county, starting a movement that spread across the country -- (applause) -- a movement made up of young and old, and rich and poor, and black and white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, Democrats, Republicans, who believe we’ve all got something to contribute; that we all deserve a shot at our own American Dream.  (Applause.)

And when the cynics said we couldn’t, you said “Yes, we can.”

AUDIENCE:  Yes, we can!  (Applause.) 

THE PRESIDENT:  You said, “Yes, we can” -- and we did.  Against all odds, we did.  We didn’t know what challenges would come when we began this journey.  We didn’t know how deep the crisis would turn out.  But we knew we would get through those challenges the same way this nation always has -- with that determined, unconquerable American spirit that says no matter how bad the storm gets, no matter how tough times are, we’re all in this together.  We rise or fall as one nation and as one people. (Applause.)

That’s the spirit that’s carried us through the trials and tribulations of the last four years.  In 2008, we were in the middle of two wars and the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.  And today, our businesses have created nearly five and a half million new jobs.  (Applause.)  The American auto industry is back.  Home values are on the rise.  We’re less dependent on foreign oil than any time in the last 20 years.  We’ve doubled the production of clean energy.  Because of the service and sacrifice of our brave men and women in uniform, the war in Iraq is over.  The war in Afghanistan is ending.  Al Qaeda is on the run.  Osama bin Laden is dead.  (Applause.)

We’ve made real progress these past four years.  But, Iowa, we’re here tonight because we’ve got more work to do.  We’re not done yet on this journey.  We’ve got more road to travel.  As long as there’s a single American who wants a job but can’t find one; as long as there are families working harder but still falling behind; as long as there’s a child anywhere in Des Moines, anywhere in Iowa, anywhere in this country languishing in poverty, barred from opportunity -- our work isn’t done.  (Applause.)  Our fight for change goes on. 

Because we know this nation cannot succeed without a growing, thriving middle class and sturdy ladders for everybody who is willing to work to get into that middle class.  (Applause.)  Our fight goes on because America has always done best when everybody has got a fair shot, and everybody is doing their fair share, and everybody plays by the same rules.  The people of Iowa understand that.  That’s what we believe.  That’s why you elected me in 2008.  And, Iowa, that’s why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States.  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!

THE PRESIDENT:  Now, the choice you make tomorrow -- and you understand this; Iowans, you guys pay attention -- (laughter and applause) -- the choice you make is not just between two candidates or parties.  It’s a choice between two different visions of America -- who we are; what we believe; what we care about.  It’s a choice between going back to the top-down policies that caused the mess we’ve been fighting our way out of for four years -- or moving forward to a future that’s built on a strong and growing middle class.

And, Iowa, you know me as well as anybody.  You’ve seen a lot of me these last six years.  (Laughter.)  And you know what, you may not agree with every decision I’ve made -- Michelle doesn’t.  (Laughter.)  There may be times where you’ve been frustrated at the pace of change.  I promise you, so have I.  But I tell you what, you know what I believe.  You know where I stand.  You know I tell the truth.  (Applause.)  You know I’ll fight for you and your families every single day, as hard as I know how.  (Applause.) 

And that’s why, when we talk about change, we know what real change looks like because we’ve fought for it.  We've got the scars to prove it.  I've got the gray hair to show it.  (Laughter.)  I wasn’t this gray when I first showed up in Iowa.  (Applause.)  And sometimes it’s been hard.  Sometimes it’s been frustrating.  We understand that.  But what we also know is that when we decide to make a difference, when Americans come together, determined to bring about change, nobody can stop us.  We cannot be stopped. 

And after all we've been through together, after all that we fought through together, we cannot give up on change now.  (Applause.) 

We know what real change looks like.  Change is a country where every American has a shot at a great education -- where we recruit new teachers, train new workers, bring down tuition, so that no one in this country is forced to give up the dream of a college education.  (Applause.)  

Change comes when we live up to this country’s legacy of innovation by investing in the next generation of technology and manufacturing.  Instead of subsidizing oil company profits, I want to support energy jobs of tomorrow.  And Iowa knows about clean energy and biodiesel and wind turbines that will free this country from the grip of foreign oil.  (Applause.)

I don’t want a tax code that rewards companies for creating jobs overseas; I want to reward companies that create jobs right here in America.  That’s what change is, Iowa.  (Applause.)
  
Change is turning the page on a decade of war so we can do some nation-building here at home -- repairing our roads and our bridges, making our schools state of the art; putting our veterans back to work -- because nobody who fights for this country’s freedom should have to fight for a job, or a roof over their heads when they come home.  (Applause.)  That's what we're fighting for.  That's why we're not done.  (Applause.)  

Change is a future where we reduce our deficit by asking the wealthiest Americans to go back to the tax rates they paid when Bill Clinton was in office.  (Applause.)  We’ll cut out spending we don't need.  But as long as I’m President, we're not going to turn Medicare into a voucher just to pay for another millionaire’s tax cut.  (Applause.)  We're not going to kick a kid off of Head Start just to pay for a millionaire’s tax cut.  (Applause.)  

Because our budget reflects our priorities and our values.  And we know what our future requires.  We know what real change is.  You helped teach me that, here in Iowa.  (Applause.)  And what we also know is that change isn't easy.  Remember, a lot of you showed up to town hall meetings back in 2007, 2008, and I used to talk about change.  But I also said I'm not just talking about changing presidents.  I'm not just talking about changing parties.  I'm talking about changing our politics.  (Applause.)  
I told you I ran because your voices had been shut out of our democracy for way too long by special interests and politicians who will do whatever it takes to keep things just the way they are.  And we've seen over the last four years, the status quo in Washington, they are powerful and they have fought us every step of the way. 

When we tried -- and succeeded in reforming our health care system, they spent millions trying to stop us.  When we tried -- and succeeded -- in reforming Wall Street, they spent millions to push us back.  And we kept on going.  But those were tough fights. 

And what the protectors of the status quo in Washington are counting on now is that you’ll get worn down by all the squabbling.  You’ll get fed up with the dysfunction.  You’ll give up on the change we’ve fought for.  You’ll walk away and leave them to make decisions that affect every American.  In other words, their bet is on cynicism.  But, Iowa, you taught me to bet on you.  (Applause.)  You taught me to bet on hope.  (Applause.)  
I’ll work with anybody, of any party, to move this country forward.  And if you want to break the gridlock in Congress, you’ll vote for leaders who feel the same way -- whether they’re Democrats, or Republicans, or independents -- the kind of Iowa leaders you’ve always had -- Tom and Christie Vilsack, and Tom Harkin, and Leonard Boswell and Bruce Braley, and my great friends, Tom Miller and Mike Fitzgerald.  (Applause.)  

But there’s some principles you got to fight for.  There are times where you’ve got to take a stand.  If the price of peace in Washington is cutting deals to kick students off of financial aid, or get rid of funding for Planned Parenthood, or let insurance companies discriminate against kids with preexisting conditions, or eliminate health care for millions on Medicaid who are poor, or elderly, or disabled -- I won't pay that price.  That's not a deal I will make.  (Applause.)  That’s not bipartisanship.  That’s not change.  That’s surrender to the same forces of the status quo that has squeezed middle-class families for way too long.

And, Iowa, I’m not ready to give up on the fight.  (Applause.)  I've got a lot more fight left in me.  (Applause.)  But to wage that fight on behalf of American families, I need you to still have some fight in you, too.  (Applause.)  

The folks at the top in this country, it turns out they don’t need another champion in Washington.  They’ll always have a seat at the table.  They’ll always have access and influence.  The people who need a champion are the Americans whose letters I read late at night after a long day in the office; the men and women I meet on the campaign trail every day. 

The laid-off furniture worker who’s retraining at the age of 55 for a new career at a community college -- she needs a champion.  The restaurant owner who needs a loan to expand -- he’s got great food but the bank turned him down -- he needs help.  He needs a champion.  The cooks and the waiters and cleaning staff, working overtime in a hotel in Des Moines or Vegas, trying to save enough to buy a first home or send their kid to college -- they need a champion.  (Applause.)  

The autoworker who was laid off, thought the plant would never reopen, and is now back on the job, filled with pride and dignity, building a great car, building America -- he needs a champion.  (Applause.)   The teacher in an overcrowded classroom with outdated schoolbooks, digging into her own pocket to buy school supplies, not always feeling like she’s got the support she needs, but showing up every day because she knows that this might be the day that she’s got a breakthrough and she makes a difference in one child’s life -- she needs a champion.  (Applause.)

All those kids in inner cities, small farm towns -- kids dreaming of becoming scientists or doctors, engineers or entrepreneurs, diplomats or even a President -- they need a champion in Washington, because the future will never have as many lobbyists as the status quo -- children don't have lobbyists the way oil companies or banks do.  But it’s the dreams of those children that will be our saving grace. 

That’s what we fight for.  That’s why I need you, Iowa.  To make sure their voices are heard.  To make sure your voices are heard.  (Applause.)  And that's why we’ve come too far to turn back now.  We’ve come too far to let our hearts grow faint.  Now is the time to keep pushing forward -- (applause) -- to educate all our kids, and train all our workers, and to create new jobs, and rebuild our roads, and bring back our troops, and care for our veterans, and broaden opportunity, and grow our middle class, and restore our democracy -- and make sure that no matter who you are, or where you come from, or how you started out, what you look like, who you love, what your last name is, here in America, you can make it if you try.  That's what we're fighting for.  (Applause.)

And, Iowa, after all the months of campaigning, after all the rallies, after the millions of dollars of ads, it all comes down to you.  It’s out of my hands now.  It’s in yours.  All of it depends on what you do when you step into that voting booth tomorrow.  It’s just a remarkable thing, the way our democracy works.  And at a certain point, all this effort and all these campaign rallies -- and then it just comes down to each of us, as citizens.  All of it depends on you bringing your friend, or your neighbor, your coworker, your mom, your dad, your wife, your husband to the polls. 

That's how our democracy is supposed to be.  The single most powerful force in our democracy is you.  Moving this country forward begins with you.  (Applause.)  Don’t ever let anybody tell you your voice doesn’t matter.  Don't let anybody tell you your voice can't make a difference.  It makes a difference. 

I got a powerful reminder of this myself on our last campaign.  Folks in Iowa, I know you may have heard this story but it was early in the primaries, and we were still way down in the polls.  I think this office had just finally gotten the heat turned on.  (Laughter.)  And at the time, I was still competing in South Carolina -- it was one of the early primary states.  And I really wanted the endorsement of a state representative down there.  I met her at some function where nobody knew me, nobody could pronounce my name.  They’re wondering, what’s he thinking? (Laughter.) 

So I asked her for her endorsement.  And she said, “I tell you what, Obama -- I will give you my endorsement if you come to my hometown of Greenwood, South Carolina.”  And I think I had a little bit of wine during dinner, because right away I said “okay.”  (Laughter.)

So it’s about a month later, and I'm traveling back to South Carolina.  And we flew in late -- I think we were coming from Iowa.  We had been campaigning non-stop, traveling all through towns and having town hall meetings and shaking hands.  And in between, I'm making phone calls, asking people for support.  And so we land in Greenwood, South Carolina, at around midnight.  We get to the hotel about 1 o’clock in the morning.  I am wiped out. I'm exhausted.  And I'm dragging my bags to my room.  Back then we didn’t fly on Air Force One.  (Laughter.)  And the accommodations were a little different.  (Laughter.)

And just as I'm about to walk into the room, one of my staf taps me on the shoulder to say, “Excuse me, Senator” --I was a senator back then.  “We're going to have to wake up and be on the road at 6:30 a.m. in the morning.”  And I said, “What?” (Laughter.)  “Why?”  “Well, you made this promise to go to Greenwood, and it’s several hours away.”  (Laughter.) 

And you know, Iowa, I try to keep my promises.  So a few hours later, I wake up -- and I'm feeling terrible.  I think a cold is coming on.  And I open up the curtains to try to get some light to wake me up, but it’s pouring down rain.  Terrible storm. And I take a shower and get some coffee, and I open up the newspaper and there’s a bad story about me in The New York Times. (Laughter.)  I was much more sensitive at that time to bad stories.  (Laughter.)  I've become more accustomed to these now.

And finally I get dressed, I go downstairs and I'm walking out to the car, and my umbrella blows open -- and I'm soaked.  So by the time I'm in the car I'm wet and I'm mad and I'm still kind of sleepy.  And it turns out that Greenwood is several hours away from everyplace else.  (Laughter.) 

And so we drive, and we drive, and we drive, and we drive.  And finally we get to Greenwood -- although you don't know you're in Greenwood right away because there are not a lot of tall buildings around.  And we pull up to a small field house, and I walked in, and I'm looking around.  I don't hear a lot going on. And the state representative said she was going to organize a little meeting for us, and we walked in and there are about 20 people there.  And they’re all kind of wet, too, and they don't look very excited to see me.  (Laughter.) 

But I'm running for President, so I do what I'm supposed to do -- and I'm shaking hands, I say, “How do you do?  Nice to meet you.”  And I'm making my way around the room, and suddenly I hear this voice cry out behind me:  “Fired up.”

AUDIENCE:  Ready to go!

THE PRESIDENT:  And I'm startled, and I don't know what’s going on.  But everybody in the room -- this is a small room -- they act like this is normal.  (Laughter.)  And when the voice says, “Fired up,” they all say, “Ready to go.”

And so once again, I hear the voice:  “Fired up.”  They say, “Fired up.”  They say, “Ready to go!”  “Ready to go!”

I look around, I turned behind me -- there’s this small woman.  She’s about 60 years old; looks like she just came from church -- she got a big church hat.  (Laughter.)  And she’s looking at me, kind of peering at me, and she’s grinning, smiling, looking happy.  Turns out she’s a city councilwoman from Greenwood -- who also moonlights as a private detective.  I'm not making this up.  (Laughter.)  This is true.  And it turns out she’s famous throughout the area.  When she goes to football games and when she goes to rallies and she goes to community events, she does this chant of hers.  She does it wherever she goes.  So for the next few minutes, she just keeps on saying “Fired up.”

AUDIENCE:  Ready to go!

THE PRESIDENT:  And everybody says “Fired up,” and she says she’s “Ready to go,” and everybody else says “Ready to go.”

And I’m thinking, this woman is showing me up.  (Laughter.) This is my meeting.  I’m running for President.  (Laughter.)  And she’s dominating the room.  And I look at my staff, and they just shrug their shoulders.  They don’t know what to do. 

So this goes on for a few minutes.  Now, here’s the thing, Iowa.  After a few minutes, I’m feeling kind of fired up.  (Laughter.)  I’m feeling like I’m ready to go.  (Laughter.)  So I start joining in the chant, and my staff starts joining in the chant.  And somehow I feel pretty good. 

And we go on to talk about the lives of the people in the room, and their families and their struggles and their hopes for their kids and their grandkids.  And we drive out and it’s still raining, but it doesn’t seem so bad.  And we go to our next stop, and for the rest of the day, even after we left Greenwood, even though we still weren’t getting any big crowds anyplace, even though people still couldn’t pronounce my name, I felt good.  (Laughter.)   

And I’d see my staff, and I’d say, “Are you fired up?”  They’d say, “We’re fired up.”  I’d say, “Are you ready to go?”  And they’d say, “We’re ready to go.”  (Applause.)

And we brought that to Iowa.  And during our rallies, this became a chant, and we’d have signs saying “Fired up, Ready to go.”  And the woman, her name was Edith Childs -- she became a celebrity, and she was written up in The Wall Street Journal -- (laughter) -- and folks did news stories on her.  And this became one of the anthems of our campaign back in 2008. 

Now, here’s the end of the story, though.  We knew we were coming back to Des Moines for the last campaign rally I’ll ever do for me.  And so we were getting kind of sentimental.  And we called up Edith Childs.  And we said, why don’t you come on up?  (Applause.)  No, no, listen to this.  We said, why don’t you come on up; we’ll fly you up from South Carolina and you can do this chant one more time, just for old good-time sake.  It’s like getting the band back together again.  (Laughter.) 

And you know what Edith said?  She said, I’d love to see you, but I think we can still win North Carolina, so I’m taking a crew into North Carolina to knock on doors on Election Day -- I don’t have time just to be talking about it.  (Applause.)  I’ve got to knock on some doors.  (Applause.)  I’ve got to turn out the vote.  (Applause.)  I’m still fired up, but I’ve got work to do.  (Applause.) 

And that shows you what one voice can do.  One voice can change a room.  And if it can change a room, it can change a city.  And if it can change a city, it can change a state.  And if it can change a state, it can change a nation.  (Applause.)  And if it can change a nation, it can change the world.  (Applause.) 

And, Iowa, in 2008, your voice changed the world.  And Edith Childs asked me to ask you that if you’re willing to still stand with me tomorrow, if you’re willing to get your friends and your neighbors and your coworkers to the polls tomorrow, if you’re willing to make sure we finish what we started, she’s pretty sure we’ll win Iowa.  (Applause.)  She’s pretty sure we’ll win this election.  (Applause.)  And she just had one question for you, and that is:  Are you fired up? 

AUDIENCE:  Ready to go! 

THE PRESIDENT:  Are you fired up?

AUDIENCE:  Ready to go!

THE PRESIDENT:  Are you fired up?

AUDIENCE:  Ready to go!

THE PRESIDENT:  Are you fired up?

AUDIENCE:  Ready to go!

THE PRESIDENT:  Iowa, tomorrow let’s remind the world just why it is the United States of America is the greatest nation on Earth.  (Applause.)

I love you.  (Applause.)  Let’s go vote.  Let’s keep moving forward.  God bless you.  And God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)

END
10:35 P.M. CST

Remarks by the First Lady at a Campaign Event

Flight Operations Center
Charlotte, North Carolina

3:12 P.M. EST
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Whoa!  (Applause.)  That’s right.  Wow.  (Applause.)  Thank you!  Very nice.  Wow!  (Applause.)  Well, this is very exciting.  Thank you so much.  You know what, this is an exciting day; we're going to have an exciting day tomorrow.
 
But before we get started, something that I've been doing in light of what has happened on the east coast with the devastating storm is just to make sure that we take a moment and remember that there are folks still suffering.  And our hearts and prayers are going out to all those who have been affected this storm. 
 
I know that you know that over the past week, Barack has been in constant contact with the governors and our mayors and our extraordinary first responders to make sure that everyone has the support they need.  But one of the things that we do know -- as a country, whenever there is a crisis, we always come together as one American family.  (Applause.)  So we have to remember that even in these times of great excitement.
 
So with that said, I want to just thank a few people.  First of all, I know that you got to see some good folks here.  I know that Congressman Watt is here; Mayor Foxx, Governor Hunt.  (Applause.)  Thank you all.  We love you.  We are so grateful.  You all are just phenomenal leaders.  They've been terrific all through these last four years.  Let's give them a round of applause.  (Applause.) 
 
And of course, you had a few special guests.  (Applause.)   I want to thank Mariah Carey -- (applause) -- and, of course, Derek Fisher. (Applause.)  Yes.  We are so blessed to have just some wonderful supporters in both Mariah and Derek.  The fact that they have come all this way to be here to support not just us but to support this country means a great deal.  And we have to show them our love and thank them again.  (Applause.) 
 
But most of all, I want to thank all of you.  This is phenomenal.  It really is.  (Applause.)  It really, really is.  And it's good to see you all so fired up and ready to go.  (Applause.) 
 
Because, yes, I, too, am fired up and ready to go.  (Applause.)  Because tomorrow -- tomorrow -- (applause) -- we have the opportunity to reelect such a decent, honest man -- (applause) -- a man whose courage and integrity we have seen every day for the past four years, the man that I have known and loved for 23 years -- (applause) -- my husband, our President, Barack Obama.  We will get it done.  (Applause.) 
 
And the thing I have to tell you is that all that wonderful stuff, all those wonderful qualities in my husband -- that’s not just the reason why I fell in love with him.  I fell in love with Barack because of his character, his compassion, his conviction; the fact that he has always been committed to helping others.
 
And I also loved the fact that Barack was always so devoted to his family, especially the women in his life.  (Applause.)  Yes.  I talk about this everywhere I go because I think these qualities are so important.  But I saw the respect that Barack had for his mother, and how proud he was that she put herself through school while still supporting him and his sister as a single mom -- because I know there are a lot of folks out there in that same situation. 
 
I saw the tenderness that he felt for his grandmother, and how grateful he was that long after she should have retired she was still waking up every morning, catching her bus to the job at that community bank, doing whatever it took to support their family.  And he also watched as she was passed over for promotions simply because she was a woman, but he also saw how she kept getting up every day, year after year, going to that same job without complaint and without regret.
 
See, the thing is, with Barack, I found a real connection because in his life story, I saw so much of my own.  Growing up on the South Side of Chicago, I watched my father make that same uncomplaining journey every day to his job at the city water plant.  And let me tell you something, I still remember my father getting up on his crutches because he had MS -- carrying himself with that same dignity, that same pride in being able to do whatever it took to provide for his family; that same hope that his kids one day would have opportunities he never dreamed of for himself.
 
And like so many families in this country -- this is the beauty about America -- see, our families weren’t asking for much.  They didn’t want much, and they didn’t begrudge anyone else’s success.  They didn’t mind if others had much more -- in fact, they admired it.  And that’s why they pushed us to be the best that we could be. 
 
But here's the thing -- what they did believe in was that fundamental American promise that even if you don’t start out with much, if you work hard and do what you’re supposed to do, then you should be able to build a decent life for yourself and an even better life for your kids and your grandkids.  (Applause.)  And they believed that when you’ve worked hard, and done well, when you've walked through that doorway of opportunity, you don't slam it shut behind you.  You reach back, and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.  (Applause.)  
 
And that is how Barack and I and I know so many of you were raised.  And more than anything else, what keeps me going in this job, on this campaign is that that's what this election is all about.  It’s about choices.  It's a choice about our values, our hopes, and our aspirations.  It’s a choice about the America we want to leave for our kids and our grandkids.  
 
We believe in an America where every child has access to good schools -- the kind that push them and inspire them and prepare them for jobs of the future.  We believe in an America where no one goes broke or loses their home because someone gets sick or loses a job.  (Applause.)
 
We believe in an America where we all understand that none of us gets where we are on our own; where we treat everyone with dignity and respect, from the teachers who inspire us to the janitors who keep our schools clean.  (Applause.)  And here's something we also believe -- we believe that the truth matters, and you don’t take shortcuts, you don’t game the system. 
 
And finally, we believe in keeping our priorities straight.  Because we all know good and well that cutting Sesame Street is no way to balance our budget.  We know better than that.  (Applause.)  Instead, we know that we need to cut wasteful spending, but we also have to make smart investments in things like education and infrastructure for an economy that’s built to last.  And that is what my husband stands for.  That's the country he’s been working to build for the last four years.
 
And let me tell you, since the day he took office, on issue after issue, crisis after crisis that's exactly what we’ve seen in our President. 
 
Let's go back to when Barack first took office.  Where were we as a country?  Our economy was on the brink of collapse.  And you don’t have to take my word for it.  Newspapers were using words like “meltdown," “calamity;” declaring “Wall street implodes," “Economy in Shock.”  The auto industry was in crisis.  This economy was losing 800,000 jobs a month, and a lot of folks wondered whether we were headed for another Great Depression. 
 
And this is what Barack faced on day one as President.  But instead of pointing fingers or placing blame, our President got to work.  (Applause.)  Because he was thinking about folks like my Dad and like his grandmother.  And that’s why he cut taxes for small businesses and working families -- because he believes that in America, teachers and firefighters should not pay higher tax rates than millionaires and billionaires.  That’s not right.  (Applause.) 
 
And while some folks were willing to let the auto industry go under -- you know who I'm talking about.  (Laughter.)  With more than a million jobs that would have been lost, Barack had the backs of American workers, and that’s why, today, the American auto industry is back on its feet again.  (Applause.)  
 
And, yes, while we have more work to do to completely rebuild our economy, we all know there are more and more clear signs every day that we are on the road to recovery.  What do we know?  Exports have grown by 45 percent.  Companies hired more workers in October than at any time in the last eight months.  We have had, under this President, 32 straight months of private sector job growth -- the majority of his presidency -- more than five and a half million jobs created right here in the United States of America.  (Applause.) 
 
And we also know that when it comes to giving our young people the education they deserve, let me tell you something -- Barack knows all too well like me and I know like so many of you, we never could have gone to college without financial aid -- never.  (Applause.)  Barack and I wouldn't be here.  See, our parents just couldn’t write a check for our tuition.  (Applause.)  They couldn’t do it.
 
So when it comes to student debt, believe me, Barack and I, we've been there.  And that’s why Barack doubled funding for Pell grants -- (applause) -- and fought so hard to keep interest rates down -- because fortunately, we have a President who understands how important it is for all of our young people --all of them -- to have the opportunity to go to college without a mountain of debt.  (Applause.) 
 
And finally, when it comes to understanding the lives of women -- look, here's the thing I can tell you -- we know that Barack will always have our backs -- always.  Because Barack knows from personal experience what it means for a family when women aren’t treated fairly in the workplace.  (Applause.)  And that is why the very first bill -- do you hear me -- the very first thing he signed as President was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.  (Applause.)  And here is what we do know -- our President will always, always fight to ensure that we as women can make our own decisions about our bodies and our health care.  (Applause.) 
 
And let us not forget about the historic health reform that my husband passed.  Because of that reform, insurance companies can no longer charge women more than men for the same coverage.  (Applause.)  Because of health reform, they won't be able to discriminate against any of us because we have a preexisting condition like diabetes or asthma. (Applause.)  Our seniors on Medicare are paying hundreds less for their prescription drugs, and our young people can stay on their parent’s insurance until they're 26 years old.  (Applause.)
 
And here is the thing that has crushed so many families -- if you get a life-threatening illness -- and so many families are facing this -- and you need expensive treatment, insurance companies can no longer tell us, "sorry, you’ve hit your lifetime limit and we’re not paying a penny more."  That is now illegal because of health reform.  (Applause.) 
 
So this is the last day before the election.  This is it.   And I know many of you voted already.  (Applause.)  That’s a good thing.  And I know that many of you will be voting tomorrow.  (Applause.)  And I know all of you are going to be out there talking to folks.  (Applause.)  So when you're out there and you're reaching out to folks who are deciding who will keep this country moving forward for four more years, here are some things I want you to tell folks. 
 
In addition to all that Barack has done for our economy, our health care and education, I want you to remind them that this is the President who ended the war in Iraq.  (Applause.)  This is the President that worked with us to take out Osama bin Laden.  (Applause.)  Barack is the President who has been fighting every day to make sure that our veterans and our military families get the benefits they have earned.  (Applause.)
 
Tell them about all the young immigrants in this country who will no longer have to live in fear of being deported from the only country they have ever called home.  (Applause.)  Tell them about our brave servicemembers who will never have to lie about who they are to serve the country they love.  (Applause.) 
 
I could go on and on and on, but you don’t have to tell them everything -- just send them to the website:  barackobama.com/plans.  And there, they can learn not just about all he has done, but all he is going to do to create even more jobs, reduce our deficit -- and so much more.
 
But here’s what I want you to really tell them about my husband:  Tell them about this President.  Tell them about this man who has been leading us with such poise and grace.  (Applause.)  I want you to tell them that Barack Obama knows the American Dream because he’s lived it.  (Applause.)  And he is fighting every day so that every one of us can have that same opportunity no matter who we are, or where we’re from, or what we look like, or who we love.  (Applause.)
 
But also be clear -- while he is very proud of all that we’ve achieved together -- because the thing that this President understands is we don’t do anything alone.  It is all up to all of us.  So while he is very proud, my husband is nowhere near satisfied.  Barack of all people knows that there are too many people still hurting.  And as President Clinton said, it’s going to take a lot longer than four years to finish rebuilding an economy from the brink of collapse.  (Applause.)  That is clear.
 
But let me tell you this -- what I have seen is that over these past four years -- this is the beauty -- together, slowly but surely, we have been pulling ourselves out of that hole we started in.  We have been moving forward and making real and meaningful progress.
 
So here's the question that anybody you talk to has to really confront:  Are we going to turn around and go back to the same policies that got us into that hole in the first place?
 
AUDIENCE:  No!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Are we going to just to sit back and watch everything we’ve worked for and fought for to just slip away.
 
AUDIENCE:  No!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  What are we going to do?  Are we going to keep moving this country forward? 
 
AUDIENCE:  Forward!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  It is all about going forward.  And in the end, it is now up to somebody other than us.  We are handing it over.  This question, now, is up to the voters.  It's all on us.  Because, truly, all of our hard work, all of the progress that we’ve made, it's all at stake tomorrow.  Tomorrow is the day.
 
And as Barack has said since he started running, this election will be even closer than the last one -- just know that.  Own that.  Believe that.  And it is all going to come down to what happens in just a few key battleground states like right here in North Carolina -- right here.  (Applause.)
 
When we win this state, with your help -- (applause) -- we'll be well on our way.  But understand -- and I've said this everywhere I go, just putting it in perspective -- because all of you have voted, but if you know anyone out there who hasn't, understand the impact.
 
Because in 2008, Barack won North Carolina, but he won by 14,000 votes.  And when you spread that number across precincts, that’s just five votes per precinct.  I say that everywhere I go.  And that has been the margin -- the typical margin of victory in all of these battleground states -- five votes here, 40 votes over here.  That is the margin of difference.
 
So this is why -- when you leave here and you reach out to anyone you know, anyone who might be sitting around thinking that maybe my vote doesn’t matter, that my involvement doesn’t count, that in this complex political process that ordinary folks somehow cannot possibly make a difference, I want you to remind them of those five votes. 
 
Because we all know five people who might not vote.  We all know five people who might not make it to -- might roll over tomorrow and just go, you know, never mind.  And that -- the difference in this election could be one vote in your neighborhood; could be just one vote in a single apartment building or on a college campus. 
 
So understand that -- the power that all of you have.  We all know that one person, right?  So our job is reach out and get to that one person.  (Applause.)  That’s your job right now. 
 
So tomorrow is the day that you can make it happen if you haven't already.  I voted early.  (Applause.)  A lot of you all voted early.  And the whole strategy behind voting early is that tomorrow, you can spend the day working -- that’s right.  You spend tomorrow helping other people get to the polls. 
 
Barack and I, we are going to be on the radio, on TV; we're going to be talking -- reminding people when the polls open, what they can do.  And it's important to know that the polls stay open until 7:00 p.m. here in North Carolina.  And it's very important for people to understand that as long as you are in line at 7:00 p.m. --
 
AUDIENCE:  7:30 p.m.!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  7:30 p.m.?  Is it 7:00 p.m. or 7:30 p.m?  I don’t want to give out any -- 7:30 p.m.  As long as you are in line --
 
AUDIENCE MEMBER:  (Inaudible.)
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Well, we'll get you the right time.  (Laughter.)  But once you are in that line, do not get out.  (Applause.)  Don’t get out -- and the waits could be long.  We need you to wait it out, because I want you to think about those five votes.  Do everything you can between now and tomorrow to make your voices heard. 
 
Because make no mistake about it -- what we do for the next day will absolutely make the difference between us waking up on Wednesday and asking ourselves, “Could I have done more?”, or feeling the promise of four more years.  You all are the difference.  (Applause.)
 
So from now until the time the polls close, we need you working and struggling and pushing like never before.  Because here is the thing -- that is how change happens in this country.  That’s how change happens. 
 
And I take this time to talk to young people, because what we have to realize is that, from our history as a country, we know that change is hard, right?  Shoot, we know life is hard.  And especially our young people -- you watched this President; how many bumps and bruises, how much he confronts on a daily basis -- we all deal with that.  That is life.  And it requires a level of patience and tenacity. 
 
But the thing we have to know -- and our young people have to know -- if we keep showing up, if we keep fighting that good fight and doing in our hearts what we know is right, then eventually we get there.  We always do.  That is the reason we have every reason in this country to be optimistic about what lies ahead, because we know that here in America, we always move forward.  We always make progress.
 
And in the end -- know this for sure -- that’s what this is about.  That’s what elections are always about.  Don’t let anybody tell you differently.  Elections are always about hope. 
 
The hope that I saw on my father’s beaming face as I walked across the stage to get my college diploma -- the diploma that he took out loans to help me get.  The hope that Barack’s grandmother felt as she cast her ballot for the grandson she loved and raised -- that’s the hope that I'm talking about.  The hope of all those men and women in our lives who worked that extra shift for us, who saved and sacrificed and prayed so that we could be standing here.  The hope that so many of us feel when we look into the eyes of our kids and our grandkids -- that’s the hope I’m talking about. 
 
Because in the end, we are here today for our children.  We want to give all of our children a solid foundation for their dreams.  We want to give all of our kids opportunities worthy of their promise.  Because we know good and well -- I don’t care where we're from, what party we belong to -- we know good and well that every single child in this country is worthy, and we want them to have that sense of limitless possibility -- you know what I'm talking about -- that belief that in America, the greatest country on the planet, there is always something better out there if you’re willing to work for it.  (Applause.) 
 
So this is what I tell myself every day as First Lady; this is how your President operates -- we know that we cannot turn back now.  We will not turn back now.  Now now.  (Applause.)  We have come so far, but we have so much more work to do.
 
So here's my last question:  Are we ready to work for this?  (Applause.)  One more day -- are we ready to roll up our sleeves?  (Applause.)  Are we ready to talk to everyone we know -- our friends, our neighbors?  (Applause.)  Get them to the polls. 
 
We've got one more day to make it happen.  Are you all fired up?  (Applause.)  All right, let's make it happen.
 
Love you all so much. 
 
END 
3:39 P.M. EST