Remarks by the First Lady at a Campaign Event

James L. Knight Center
Miami, Florida

6:10 P.M. EDT
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Yes!  (Applause.)  Oh, Miami!  Wow.  Thank you so much!  (Applause.) 
 
AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years! 
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Four more years, with your help.  Oh, you guys make me feel so loved.  (Applause.) 
 
But before I get started, given what has happened over the past few days on the coast, I just want to take a few moments to say that our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by Hurricane Sandy.  And of course, the President and I and I know all of you are heartbroken about the lives that have been lost, the damage that has been done in so many communities.  And as you all know, Barack has been working around the clock with governors and mayors -- (applause) -- our extraordinary first responders to make sure that they have the support and resources that they need.
 
And also, something that we all know in times like this is that when we face a crisis as a country, we always come together as one American family.  And I know that we're going to do that again, and again, and again.  (Applause.)  So even as we celebrate and we prepare for Election Day, we cannot forget that there is real life going on out there, and we have to keep everyone in our thoughts and prayers. 
 
So now, I'd like to start by thanking Josefina for that very kind introduction and all that she is doing for our campaign.  Let's give her a round of applause.  (Applause.)  I have the Deep Fried Funk Band.  (Applause.)  Yes!  I hear you have been funking it up all day long.  (Laughter.)  Good thing. 
 
I want to thank two outstanding members of Congress –- Congresswoman Wasserman-Schultz and Congresswoman Wilson.  (Applause.)  We are so proud to have them on our team.  They are representing so well.  We are so proud. 
 
And I also want to thank my girl Gabrielle Union -- (applause) -- absolutely -- and of course, my dear friend Marc Anthony for their wonderful remarks today.  (Applause.)  I know they're around here somewhere -- there they are.  Love you guys.  Thank you.  Thank you for being here.  And you too, I love you too.  I love you too.  (Applause.)  
 
And most of all -- thank all of you.  Thank you for being here, thank you for working so hard.  I can tell that you are fired up and ready to go.  (Applause.)
 
And I have to say, this is my third stop today in Florida, and I am still fired up and ready to go.  (Applause.)  Because in just five days -- five -- we have the opportunity to reelect -- let me tell you -- a decent, honest man -- (applause) -- a man whose courage and integrity we have seen every day for these last four years; the man that I have known and loved for 23 years -- (applause) -- my husband, our President, Barack Obama.  We're going to get him reelected. 
 
And I have to tell you that all those characteristics, that's what made me fall in love with Barack all those years ago.  Yes.  It was his character, his compassion, his conviction, his commitment to helping others.  But I also loved the way that Barack was so devoted to his family, especially the women in his life.  (Applause.)  See, I'm trying to help you brothers out, you know.  You've got to treat the women in your life -- you want a good woman, you've got to treat the women in your life well.  (Applause.) 
 
See, I saw, for Barack, the respect he had for his own mother.  I saw how proud he was that she had put herself through school while still struggling to support him and his sister as a single mom.  And I certainly saw the tenderness that he felt for his grandmother, how grateful he was that long after she should have retired, she was still waking up every morning, catching that bus to her job at the community bank.  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 year after year without complaint or 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 saw the way he carried himself with that dignity, with that same pride in being able to provide for his family, that same hope that his kids would one day have opportunities he never dreamed of. 
 
See, and the thing about this country -- like so many families, our families just weren’t asking for much.  They didn’t want much.  And let me tell you, they did not begrudge anyone else’s success.  They didn’t mind if others had much more than they did –- in fact, they admired it, which is why they pushed us to be the best that we could be.
 
But let me tell you what they did believe -- they simply believed in that fundamental American promise that even if you don’t start out with much, if you work hard, if you 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 grandkids.  (Applause.)
 
And here's something else they believed -- they believed that when you’ve worked hard, and done well, and you've finally walked through that doorway of opportunity, you don't slam it shut behind you.  No, 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, that is what this election is all about.  It’s a choice.  It's a choice about our values and our hopes; our aspirations.  It’s a choice about the America we want to leave for our kids and grandkids.  And let's talk a little bit about that America, what we believe.  
 
We believe in an America where every child has access to good schools that push them, and inspire them, and prepare them for college and good jobs of the future -- every child.  We believe in an America where no one goes broke or loses a home because someone gets sick or lost their job.  
 
We believe in an America where we all understand that none of us gets where we are on our own, and we treat everyone with dignity and respect -- from the teachers who inspired us to the janitors who keep our schools clean.  (Applause.)  And in this America that we're building, we believe that the truth matters, and you don’t take shortcuts or game the system. 
 
And finally, we believe in keeping our priorities straight, because we know good and well that cutting Sesame Street is no way to balance our budget.  (Applause.)  We know better than that.  Instead, yes, 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 let me tell you something -- 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 is what we’ve seen in my husband.  Think back to when Barack first took office.  Where was our economy?  It 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.”  You remember that?   
 
See, here's where we were --
 
AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years! 
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Here's where we were -- because another thing we believe in -- what did I say -- we believe in decency and respect. 
 
AUDIENCE:  Yes!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  But in that economy, if you recall, 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.  See, and this is what Barack Obama faced on day one as President of the United States. 
 
But instead of pointing fingers, instead of placing blame, your President got to work.  (Applause.)  See, because he was thinking about folks like my Dad, folks like his grandmother.  And that’s why he cut taxes for small businesses and working families -- because he believes that here in America, teachers and firefighters should not pay higher taxes than millionaires and billionaires.  (Applause.)   
 
And that’s also why, while some folks were willing to let the auto industry go under -- you remember that? 
 
AUDIENCE:  Yes!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  With more than a million jobs that would have been lost, see, 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 still have a long way to go to completely rebuild this economy, there are more and more signs every day that we're headed in the right direction:  Exports have grown by 45 percent.  Manufacturers have added 500,000 jobs.  We have had 31 straight months -- the majority of this presidency -- with private sector job growth; 5.2 million new jobs created by this President right here in the United States of America.  (Applause.)
 
Now, when it comes to providing our young people the education they deserve, see, Barack knows that like me and I know so many of you, we never could have attended college without financial aid.  (Applause.)  Let me just explain to you, we would not be here if it weren't for financial aid.  So when it comes to student debt, Barack and I have been there.  This is not a hypothetical situation for us. 
 
And that is why Barack doubled funding for Pell grants and fought to keep interest rates down for students -- (applause) -- because we have a President who understands how important it is for all of our young people to be invested in, to have the opportunities to go to college.
 
And finally, when it comes to understanding the lives of women, look, we know that my husband will always have our backs.  (Applause.)  See, because Barack knows from personal experience what it means for a family when women aren’t treated fairly in the workplace.  And that’s why the very first bill he signed into law as President was the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to help women get equal pay for equal work.  (Applause.)  And that is why he will always, always fight to make sure that we as women can make our own decisions about our bodies and our health care.  (Applause.)
 
And let us not forget that because of health reform that he passed, insurance companies can no longer charge women more than men for the same coverage.  (Applause.)  Also, because of health reform, they won’t be able to discriminate against any of you because you have a preexisting condition -- let's say asthma or diabetes.
 
Our seniors are paying hundreds less for their prescription drugs -- our seniors on Medicare, because of health reform.  And our young people can stay on our insurance until they’re 26 years old.  (Applause.)
 
And here's another one that gets me -- if you get a life-threatening illness, and you need real expensive treatment, no longer can your insurance company tell you, "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 over these next five days, when you’re out there talking to folks -- and I hope you will be -- and you're talking to folks who are trying to decide who's the best person to keep America moving forward for four more years -- (applause) -- let me just give you a few things you can tell them. 
 
I want you to tell them what Barack has done for our economy, our health care, our education, but also, I want you to tell them that, yes, Barack ended the war in Iraq.  (Applause.)  Remind them that this was the President that took out Osama bin Laden.  (Applause.)  Remind them that this is the President that is fighting every day to make sure that veterans and military families have benefits they have earned.  (Applause.)  
 
Tell them about all the young immigrants in this country who will never again have to live in fear of being deported from the only country they’ve ever called home.  (Applause.)  Tell them about the brave servicemembers who will never again have to lie about who they are to serve the country they love.  (Applause.)   
 
And if they need more information, send them to the website barackobama.com/plans, because that’s where you can get some concrete information on what our President is going to do in the next four years, including creating jobs, reducing our deficit, and so much more.
 
But here's what I really want you to tell them:  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 let’s be clear that while he is so very proud of all that we’ve achieved together -- because as President you don’t do anything alone -- my husband is nowhere near satisfied.  Barack, of all people on this planet, knows that there are still too many people hurting.  But 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.) 
 
But here’s what else I know, and this is why I am so passionate.  Over these last four years, just know that together -- together, slowly but surely, we have been pulling ourselves out of that hole that we started in.  We have been moving forward and making real, meaningful change.
 
So here is the question that everybody has got to ask themselves:  Are we going to turn around and go back to the same policies that got us into this hole in the first place?
 
AUDIENCE:  No!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Are we going to just sit back and watch everything we’ve fought for and worked for to just slip away?
 
AUDIENCE:  No!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Or are we going to keep moving this country forward?  What are we going to do?  (Applause.)  We’ve got to go forward!  We must go forward.  (Applause.) 
 
But in the end, here’s where we are:  The answer to these questions is now on us.  It is all on us.  Because, believe me, all of our hard work and all of the progress that we have made, it’s all at stake this Tuesday.
 
And as my husband has said, the only guarantee is that this election will be even closer than the last one.  And it will all come down to what happens in just a few key battleground states like right here in Florida.  Right here.  (Applause.)  So let me give you some perspective, all right?  Especially our young people -- just so that you know the power that everyone in this room has.  In 2008, Barack won Florida by about 236,000 votes.  And that might sound like a lot, but when you take that number and break that down across precincts, that is just 36 votes per precinct.  That was the margin of difference. 
 
Now, that could mean just one vote in your neighborhood, right?  Just a single additional person in your apartment building or on your college campus.
 
So if there is anyone here or anyone in your lives who might be thinking that their vote doesn’t matter, that their involvement doesn’t count, that in this complex political process that ordinary folks can’t possibly make a difference, I want you to think about and remind them about those 36 votes.  I want you to think about how with just a few more hours knocking on some doors or making some calls, with just a few hours getting folks to the polls on Election Day, just a few of you here could swing an entire precinct for Barack Obama.  (Applause.)  And know this:  When we win enough precincts, we will win this state, and when we win this state we’ll be well on our way to putting Barack back in the White House for four more years.  (Applause.)  Four more years -- you all can do it right here.
 
So here’s the plan -- because we always have a plan.  Before you leave today, sign up to volunteer with our campaign.  More importantly, for the next five days, talk to everyone you know.  Talk to everyone -- friends, neighbors.  Leave no stone unturned -- that cousin you don’t really speak to that often.  (Laughter.)  Now is the time.  Call him up. 
 
Everybody knows someone in their lives who might not vote.  You know those folks.  You know those folks who didn’t vote the last time.  Find them.  Get them.  And if you can, get them to vote early.  I voted early.  I voted for Barack Obama!  (Applause.)  Just in case you were wondering, I voted for Barack.  And one of the reasons I did that, in addition to knowing deep in my heart that he’s absolutely the best person to lead this country forward, I did it because I want to spend Election Day working to get the vote out.  We’re going to be on the phones, doing radio, calling on the air.  We’re going to be calling all across the country on Election Day.
 
And here in Florida, you can vote early through Saturday at your county supervisor of elections office and in many libraries and city halls throughout the state. 
 
But whether you vote early or on Election Day, if you need more information just go to vote.barackobama.com.  And that website, you can get everything -- all the information you need to figure out how to make your voice count.  So --
 
AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We love you, Michelle!  We’ve got your back!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  We love you.  We love you.  We love you!  (Applause.)  Well, we’re going to keep working hard.  Four more years.
 
AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  So we have less than a week.  Four more years!  Yes, you got it.  Just go for it.  Four more years!
 
AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  I’m not going to hold you back.  (Applause.)  Four more years! 
 
But make no mistake about it:  What we do over these next five days will absolutely make the difference between waking up the day after Election Day and wondering, “Oh, my goodness, could I have done more?”, or feeling that promise of four more years.
 
So from now until November the 6th, we need you to keep on working and struggling and pushing like never before.  Because what I want people to remember, especially our young people:  That is how change always happens in this country.  We know from our history that change -- real change -- is hard and it requires patience and tenacity.  Shoot, life is hard and requires patience and tenacity. 
 
But the lessons that we’ve all learned, as older folks, is that if we keep showing up, if we keep fighting the good fight and doing in our hearts what we know is right, then eventually we get there.  We always do. 
 
And that is why we all have every reason to be optimistic about what lies ahead, because we know that here in America we always move forward.  We always make progress.  (Applause.)  And in the end, that’s what this is about.  That is what elections are always about.  Don’t let anybody tell you differently, ever.  Elections are always about hope. 
 
What kind of hope am I talking about?  The hope that I saw on my father’s face as I walked across that stage to get the diploma he took out loans to help me get.  (Applause.)  The hope that Barack’s grandmother felt as she cast her ballot for the grandson she loved and raised.  It’s that kind of hope.  (Applause.)  The hope of all of those men and women in all of our lives who worked that extra shift for us, who saved and sacrificed and prayed so that we could stand here and be better.  The hope that so many of us see when we look into the eyes of our kids and our grandkids.
 
That is why we’re here.  This is about our kids, because we want all of our kids to have a solid foundation for their dreams.  We want to give all of our kids opportunities worthy of their promise -- because I don’t care where you’re from, what party you belong to, we know that all of our kids in this country are worthy.  We want to give them that sense of limitless possibility; that belief that here in America, the greatest country on the planet, there is always something better out there if you’re willing to work for it.
 
So here’s what I tell myself.  Every day I tell myself:  We cannot turn back now.  Not now.  We will not turn back now.  Not because of them.  We have come so far, but we have so much more work to do.
 
So here’s my final question.  Are you in this?  (Applause.)  Are you ready for this?  (Applause.)  Are you fired up and ready to go?  (Applause.)  Are you going to roll up your sleeves?  Five days for four more years!  We can make this happen right here in Florida.  Let’s make it -- let’s get it done. 
 
I love you all.  God bless.
 
END
6:35 P.M. EDT
 

Remarks by the First Lady at a Campaign Event

Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center
Jacksonville, Florida

1:18 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  My goodness!  (Applause.)  Oh, you guys.  Do you know how much I love you?  (Applause.)  I am thrilled to be back to see you all here.  This is an amazing turnout.  (Applause.)

The one thing before I get started, in light of what has happened on the East Coast over these past several days, I do want to take a moment to say of course that our thoughts and our prayers are with everyone affected by Hurricane Sandy. 

We are heartbroken about the lives that have been lost and all the damage that has been done in so many of our communities. And as you all know, as you have seen, Barack has been working around the clock with governors and mayors -- (applause) -- absolutely -- and our extraordinary first responders to make sure that they have all of the support and resources that they need. 

And I know that one of the things that we do in times of crisis is come together.  Yes, we do.  We will continue to come together as one American family to help our fellow citizens recover from this devastating storm.  So I just wanted to say that, to make sure that even in the midst of all this, we're staying focused on what’s important.

And with that, I also want to thank Karen for that very kind introduction and for everything she is doing on behalf of our campaign.  We've got to give Karen a big round of applause.  (Applause.) 

And of course, oh, I have to thank -- and I missed him.  I was doing an interview.  (Laughter.)  Oh, but if you don't -- if you know anything about me, you know that my favorite musician and one of my favorite people in the whole wide world is Stevie Wonder.  (Applause.)  I have loved him since I was -- the first album I bought -- well, I didn’t buy it because -- my grandfather bought me Talking Book -- it was my first album.  (Applause.)  So I just want to thank him, as always, for continuing to grace us with his words and with his song.  Let’s give Stevie Wonder a round of applause.  (Applause.)

But most of all, I want to continue to thank all of you.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Thank you for just being right there.  Thank you for being here today.  Thank you for everything that you’ve done for us not just throughout this campaign, but for over the last four years. 

And I know you all are fired up and ready to go.  I know it. (Applause.)  I know it.  And let me tell you, sometimes when I get -- I went home, I got to see Malia and Sasha, check homework, all that stuff.  I got up this morning, I was a little tired.  But let me tell you, right now I am fired up and ready to go.  (Applause.)  Because in just five days -- five days -- (applause) -- we have the opportunity to re-elect such a decent, honest man -- (applause) -- honest man, a man whose courage and integrity we have seen every day for the last four years, the man I have known and loved for 23 years -- my husband, our President, Barack Obama.  (Applause.)

And I have to tell you that all that you see in this man, all that compassion and commitment -- that's why I fell in love with him all those years ago.  (Applause.)  It was his character. It was his commitment to helping others.  I loved that Barack was also so devoted to his family.  I watched for that, ladies.  (Laughter.)  That was important.  Especially the women in his life.  I saw the respect he had for his own mother.  I saw how proud he was that she put herself through school while still working to support he and his sister as a single mom. 

And I saw the tenderness that he felt for his grandmother.  Yes, how grateful he was that long after she should have retired, she was still waking up every morning, catching that bus to her job at the bank.  And he watched as she was passed over for promotions simply because she was a woman.  But he also saw how she kept on getting up every day, doing that same job without complaint or regret. 

See, 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 I saw how he carried himself with that dignity, with that same pride in being able to provide for his family, that same hope that his kids would one day have opportunities he never dreamed of. 

See, and here’s the thing we all know as Americans.  Like so many families in this country, our families just weren’t asking for much.  They didn’t want much.  They didn’t begrudge anyone else’s success.  They didn’t mind if others had much more than they did -- in fact, they admired it -- which is why they pushed us to be the best we could be.  (Applause.)  They simply believed in 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 grandkids.  (Applause.)

And they also believed that when you’ve worked hard and done well, and you finally walked through that doorway of opportunity, here’s what you don't do -- you don't slam it shut behind you.  No, 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 -- that's how we were raised.  And more than anything else, as we enter these last five days, that is what this election is all about.  It’s a choice.  It’s a choice about our values, our hopes and our aspirations.  It’s a choice about the America that we want to hand over to our kids and our grandkids.

So let’s talk a little bit about that America.  See, we believe in that America, every child has access to good schools, that inspire them and prepare them for jobs of the future.  Every child.  (Applause.)  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.)  We believe that the truth matters.  (Applause.)  And you don't take shortcuts and game the system.  And finally, we believe in keeping our priorities straight -- because we know good and well that cutting Sesame Street is no way to balance our budget.  (Laughter and applause.)  We know better than that.

Instead we need to cut wasteful spending, but also make smart investments in things like education and infrastructure, or an economy that's built to last.  We know that.  And that's what my husband stands for.  That is the country he’s been working to build for the last four years.  (Applause.)

And let me tell you something.  Since the day he took office, on issue after issue, crisis after crisis, that's what we’ve seen in our President.  (Applause.)

Think back to when Barack first took office, and our economy was on the brink of collapse.  You don't have to take my word for it.  Newspapers were using words like "meltdown," "calamity," declaring "Wall Street implodes," "Economy in Shock."  See, the auto industry was in crisis.  The economy was losing 800,000 jobs a month.  You hear me -- 800,000 jobs a month.  And a lot of folks wondered whether we were heading for another Great Depression. 

See, this is what Barack faced on day one as President.  But instead of pointing fingers and placing blame, your President got to work.  (Applause.)  See, because he was thinking about folks like my dad, folks like his grandmother.  See, and that’s why he cut taxes for small businesses and working families -- because he believes that here in America, teachers and firefighters should not pay higher tax rates than millionaires and billionaires.  (Applause.)  Not in America.  That's not right.  And we know. 

And that's also why, while some folks, if you recall, were willing to let the auto industry go under -- you remember that?

AUDIENCE:  Yes!

MRS. OBAMA:  You know who I'm talking about. 

AUDIENCE:  Yes!

MRS. OBAMA:  With a million jobs that would have been lost, your President had the backs of American workers.  And that is why today, the American auto industry is back on its feet again. (Applause.)  And, yes, while we still have a way to go to completely rebuild our economy, there are more and more signs every day that we are headed in the right direction.  (Applause.) Exports have grown by 45 percent.  Manufacturers have added 500,000 jobs.  We’ve had 31 straight months of private sector job growth -- a majority of the President’s term -- 5.2 million new jobs right here in the United States of America.  (Applause.)

Now, when it comes to giving young people the education they deserve, see, Barack knows, like me, and like so many of you, we never could have afforded college without financial aid.  Never.  I tell young people, I would not be here if it weren’t for financial aid.  My parents didn’t have money to pay for my college.  (Applause.)  So when it comes to student debt, see, Barack and I, we've been there.  This is not a hypothetical situation for us. 

And that is why Barack doubled funding for Pell grants and fought hard to keep student interest rates low.  (Applause.)  See, because we have a President who understands how important it is to invest in every young person -- every young person.  (Applause.) 

And finally, when it comes to understanding the lives of women -- (applause) -- see, we know that my husband will always have our backs.  (Applause.)  Always.  Always.  Because Barack knows from personal experience what it means for a family when women aren’t treated fairly in the workplace.  And that’s why the very first bill he signed into law was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, to make sure women get equal pay for equal work.  (Applause.) 

And let me tell you another thing.  He will always, always fight to ensure that we as women can make our own decisions about our bodies and our health care.  (Applause.)  Yes, he will.

And let’s not forget that because of health reform, the health reform he passed, insurance companies can no longer charge women more than men for the same coverage.  (Applause.)  Also because of this reform, this historic legislation, they won't be able to discriminate against us because we have preexisting conditions like diabetes, like asthma.  (Applause.)

Our seniors on Medicare are paying hundreds less for their prescription drugs.  (Applause.)  And because of health reform, our young people can stay on their parents insurance until they’re 26 years old.  (Applause.)

See, and here’s one that really gets me because a lot of people have been affected by this.  If you get a life-threatening illness and you need expensive treatment, insurance companies can no longer tell you, sorry, you hit your lifetime limit and we're not paying a penny more.  That is now illegal because of health reform.  (Applause.)

So I could go on, but when you're out there over these next five days, and you're talking to folks who are trying to decide who will keep America moving forward for four more years -- because I know you're going to be out there talking --

AUDIENCE:  Yes!

MRS. OBAMA:  I want you to tell everyone you -- tell them what Barack has done for our economy, our health care, our education.  But here’s what I also want you to tell them.  Tell them how Barack ended the war in Iraq.  (Applause.)  Tell them how we took out Osama bin Laden.  (Applause.)  Remind them how this President has been fighting for veterans and military families to make sure they get the benefits they have earned.  (Applause.)  

And remind them about all -- all of the young immigrants who will no longer have to live in fear of being deported from the only country they’ve ever called home.  (Applause.)  And tell them about all the brave servicemembers who will never again have to lie about who they are to serve the country they love.  (Applause.)

And when you're out there, make sure you send them to our website, BarackObama.com/plans -- where they can learn about all of the concrete things Barack has laid out for the next four years.  Things like creating jobs, reducing our deficit, and so much more. 

But here’s what I really thing is important -- not just as a wife, not as a First Lady, but as a mother, as a citizen -- I want you to remind people that their President, Barack Obama, knows the American Dream because he’s lived it.  (Applause.)  And he is fighting every day so that everyone of us in this country 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.)  

So I want you to make sure that people are clear that while he is very proud of all that we’ve achieve together -- see, because he knows he couldn’t have done any of this without all of us working together -- remind them that my husband knows all too well that there is more work to do.  He is nowhere near satisfied.  He knows there are people still hurting.  And as President Clinton said, it is going to take a lot longer than four years to rebuild an economy from the brink of collapse.  (Applause.) 

But here’s what I know for sure, what I have seen every day -- every day -- that over the past four years, together, slowly but surely, we have been pulling ourselves out of that hole that we started in.  We have been moving forward, and making real and meaningful change.  (Applause.) 

So in these last days, we have got to ask ourselves, are we going to turn around and go back to the same policies that got us into this hole in the first place?  Are we just going to sit back and watch everything that we worked for and fought for to just slip away?  Or are we going to do our part, everything it takes, to keep moving this country forward?  What are we going to do?

AUDIENCE:  Forward!

MRS. OBAMA:  What are we going to do?

AUDIENCE:  Forward!

MRS. OBAMA:  Forward!  We’ve got to keep moving forward.

But in the end, the answers to these questions right now is on us.  It is all on us.  You hear?  It’s on us -- because all our hard work, all the progress, yes, it’s all on the line, it’s all at stake on Tuesday.  You’ve got it.  You know it. 

And as Barack has said, the only guarantee is that this election will be closer than the last one, and it could all come down to what happens in just a few key battleground states like right here in Florida.  Right here.  (Applause.)  Right here.  You all have the power right here. 

Now, in 2008, here in this state, Barack won by about 236,000 votes.  And while that might sound like a lot -- and I point this out everywhere I go, because when I got these statistics I was blown away.  But when you break that total down by precincts, that’s just 36 votes per precinct.  I’ll say that again -- 36.  Shoot, that could mean just one vote in your neighborhood, just a single vote in an apartment building, on a college campus.

So here’s the thing -- and this isn’t just for this election, it is for every election -- because if that’s close for the presidential, it is even closer for anything else you vote for.  So if there is anyone here who might be thinking that their vote doesn’t matter, if you know anyone in your life who thinks, oh, my involvement doesn’t count, that in this complex political process, that ordinary folks can’t possibly make a difference -- see, I want you to think about those 36 votes, 26 people, determined everything about this country. 

And I want you to think about how with just a few more hours knocking on doors, you leave here -- just a little more work, a few more calls, with just a few hours getting folks to the polls on Election Day; just a few of you here -- you could swing an entire precinct for Barack Obama.  And if we win enough precincts, we will win this state, and we will be on our way to four more years in the White House.  (Applause.)  You have the power right here in this room.  Just think about it.  Own that.  That is the beauty of our democracy. 

So before you leave today, sign up with one of our campaign staffers, and volunteer over these last few days, if you’re not already doing it.  But for the next five days here is what you can do:  You can talk to everybody you know.  Everybody you know -- the friends, the neighbors, the cousins.  The folks you know may just not vote; might just skip it.  and we all have those people in our lives.  So we have to be responsible for those folks.  And if you can, get them to vote early.  All right?  We’re pushing early vote, and I voted early.  (Applause.)  I did. We got a lot of early voters here.  Because you never know what’s going to happen on Election Day.  Life happens.  And with 36 votes in the balance, we can’t afford for any life to happen.  So vote early. 

We’re going to win here in Florida!  (Applause.)  Here in Florida, we’re going to make it happen.  You can vote early all the way through Saturday, okay?  There is still time.  You can do at your county supervisor of elections office, many of the libraries, city halls.  So whether you do it early on Election Day, November the 6th, you can easily go to Vote.BarackObama.com, and you can learn how and where to cast your vote and make your voices heard anywhere in this country.  Just go to that website.

So that is the plan.  That is our five-day plan.  It’s on you all.  Right?  And if you’ve already voted early, spend Election Day helping to get people to the polls.  That’s what we’re going to be doing.

Now, we have got less than a week to go until Election Day. But make no mistake about it, what we do over these next five days will absolutely make the difference between us waking up the day after Election Day and asking ourselves, could we have done more, or feeling the promise of four more years.

So we have got to keep working and struggling and pushing.  Don’t get tired.  Now is not the time -- because that -- what we have to remember, that struggle, that push, that focus, that is how change always happens in this country.  (Applause.)  We know from our history that change is hard; that change requires patience and tenacity.  But we also know that 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 why we have every reason to be optimistic about what lies ahead for our future -- because we know that here in America, we always move forward.  We always make progress.  We always do it. 

And in the end, that’s what this is about.  That’s what elections are always about.  Elections are always about hope.  (Applause.)  The hope that I saw on my father’s face as I crossed the stage to get my college diploma -- the diploma that he took out loans to help me get.  It’s that kind of hope.  The hope that Barack’s grandmother felt as she cast her ballot for the grandson she loved and raised.  That’s the hope I’m talking about.  (Applause.)  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 here.  (Applause.)  The hope that so many of us feel when we look into the eyes of our own kids and grandkids.  That’s what’s at stake.

That’s why we’re here.  We’re here for our kids -- because we want to give all of our children that solid foundation for their dreams.  You know what I mean?  We want to give all of our kids in this country -- all of them -- opportunities worthy of their promise.  Because we know good and well, regardless of where we’re from or what party we believe in, all of our kids are worthy.  (Applause.) 

We want to give our kids that sense of limitless possibility -- that belief that here 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 here’s what I tell myself every day:  We cannot turn back now.  We will not turn back now -- not now.  We have come so far, but we have so much more work to do.  So here’s my last question: Are you ready for this?  (Applause.)  Are you fired up?  Are you ready to go?  (Applause.)  Five days!  Get to work!  Talk to everybody you know.  We are going to make this happen right here in Florida.

Thank you, guys.  God bless.  (Applause.)

END
1:43 P.M. EDT

Remarks by the First Lady at a Campaign Event

Sheraton Iowa City 
Iowa City, Iowa

1:19 P.M. CDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, my goodness!  (Applause.)  I think I came out before Taylor was done, but she was really introducing me, so I figured I'd just come out.  (Laughter.) 

How are my Hawkeyes!  You guys good?  (Applause.)  Thank you --

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We love you!

MRS. OBAMA:  We love you guys.  I can't tell you -- (applause.)  This is so full circle -- being back in Iowa City.  I mean, this is the state where it all started for us.  (Applause.)  Right here.  So being back here with all of you today, it touches me in more ways than I can even imagine.  And I'm not going to cry right here -- (laughter) -- not in front of all those cameras.  But let me just tell you we love you so much. We love you so much.  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We love you!

MRS. OBAMA:  But before we get started, I do want to take a moment to just say that our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by Hurricane Sandy.  And Barack has assured state and local authorities that he is going to cut through red tape and be there to assist with whatever resources and support that are going to be needed over these next few days.  He has made this storm his priority.  (Applause.)  And he's going to do whatever it takes to make sure that the American people are safe and secure.

And the thing that we have to remember, that in times of crisis, we all pull together as one American family.  We absolutely do.  (Applause.)  And I know that all of us are going to do whatever we need to, to help our fellow citizens as they weather this storm and as they recover.  So I didn’t want to get started without saying that. 

But today I also want to thank Taylor for that very kind introduction that I interrupted.  (Applause.)   And I want to thank her for everything that she's doing on behalf of the campaign. 

I also want to recognize a few people -- I want to recognize Congressman Loebsack.  (Applause.)  There's our Congressman.  Mayor Hayek, as well -- the Mayor was here.  Not sure if he's still here.  (Applause.)  Attorney General Tom Miller.  (Applause.)  Treasurer Mike Fitzgerald -- I know they were all here.  (Applause.)

Let me just say this -- these guys and their families -- their wives, their loved ones -- have been with us from the very beginning, before anybody knew anything about Barack Obama.  (Laughter.)  It was just this guy from Chicago with a funny name -- they were always, always there.  And it really means a lot to be here with you guys.  Thank you so much.  (Applause.)

And of course I want to thank all of you all for joining us today and for working so hard.  And I love that you all are fired up and ready to go!  (Applause.)  Let me tell you I am fired up and ready to go.  And this campaign has been just a wonderful blessing and a gift.  We have worked hard over these last four years, but --

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Four more years!

MRS. OBAMA:  Four more -- and we'll be ready to work for four more years!  (Applause.) 

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

MRS. OBAMA:  Four more years!  We are ready!  We are ready! We're going to make it happen!  (Applause.)  

But when I campaign, I get to do one of my favorite things, and that's to brag about the man that I have loved and admired for 23 years, since the day we met.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Amen!

MRS. OBAMA:  My husband, you know him.  I get to say all these wonderful things -- because after this campaign we're going to go back to normal where I tell him, pick up his shoes, and all that great stuff.  (Laughter.) 

But although Barack is handsome and charming and smart, what I tell people around the country -- that's really not why I married him.  (Laughter.)  And that is not why I've stuck by his side for 23 years.  The thing that made me fall in love with Barack is the thing that we have all seen -- you all have seen it probably even more than the rest of the nation because you've known him for a bit longer -- but it's his character.  (Applause.)  It's that decency and honesty that we see.  It’s that compassion and conviction that you have come to know. 

When we first met, I loved that Barack, he was always committed to helping; so committed that he turned down high-paying jobs and instead started his career doing what he has always done, helping folks in struggling communities get back to work.  That's how he started his career.  And I respected him for that -- still do.  (Applause.)  

And one of the things that makes Barack such a fighter for all of us -- and I saw back then -- was how devoted he was to his own family, especially the women in his life.  (Applause.)  Yes, indeed.  And, ladies, I looked for that when I was choosing a husband.  (Laughter.)  I saw the respect that he had for his own mother, how proud he was that she was able to put herself through school and still support him and his sister as a single mom. 

I saw the tenderness that he felt for his grandmother, how grateful he was that long after she should have retired, she was still getting up every day, going to her job at that community bank, catching that bus every morning, doing whatever it took to support their family.  And he watched as she was passed over again and again for promotions simply because she was a woman.  But what he learned from her struggle was that he saw a woman who got up every day, year after year, doing that same job without complaint or regret. 

See, and 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 own father make that same uncomplaining journey every day to his job at the city water plant.  And I saw how he carried himself with that dignity, that same pride that you get when you can support your family -- that same hope that his kids would one day have opportunities he never dreamed of for himself. 

And see, this is the thing.  Like so many families in this country -- and I know there are so many of you here who can relate to our families' stories -- our families just 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 -- that wasn’t how they measured their worth in life.  In fact, they admired it.  And that’s why they pushed us to be the very best that we could be.  But they simply believed in that fundamental American promise that even if you don’t start out with much, if you do what you’re supposed to do, in this country, if you work hard, then you should be able to build a decent life for yourself and an even better life for your kids and grandkids. (Applause.)

And they also believed in something that I think is very important -- they believed that when you worked hard and done well, and you finally walked through that doorway of opportunity, you don’t slam it shut behind you.  (Applause.)  You reach back and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.  (Applause.)

Yes, that is how Barack and I and I know so many of you were raised.  Those are the values we were taught.  And more than anything else, that is what this election is all about.  It is a choice about our values and our hopes and our aspirations.  It’s truly a choice about the America that we want to leave for our kids and our grandkids. 

And what does that America look like?  Well, we believe in an America where every child -- you hear me -- every child in this country, no matter where they’re born or how much money their parents have, every child should have good schools -- the kind of schools that push them and inspire them and prepare them for college and jobs of the future.  (Applause.)  Every one of our children deserves that.

We believe in an America where no one goes broke because someone gets sick -- (applause) -- where no one loses their home because someone loses a job.  (Applause.)  We believe in an America where we all understand that none of us gets where we are on our own; that each of us has a community of people lifting us up -- (applause) -- where we treat everyone with dignity and respect, from the teachers who inspire us to the janitors who keep our schools clean.  (Applause.)

And in this America that we’ve been building together, when one of us stumbles -- and all of us have the potential to stumble -- when one of us falls on hard times, we don’t turn our backs and tell them, tough luck, you’re on your own.  No, instead we extend a helping hand until they can get back on their feet again. (Applause.) 

Oh, and we absolutely believe that the truth matters.  (Applause.)  You don’t game the system.  You don’t play by your own set of rules.  You don’t --

AUDIENCE:  Buy your way.  (Laughter.)

MRS. OBAMA:  I didn’t say that.  (Laughter.) 

And finally, we believe in keeping our priorities straight
-- because everyone in this country knows very well that cutting Sesame Street isn’t the way to balance our budget.  (Laughter and applause.)  We know better than that.  We know that shortchanging our kids is not how we tackle the deficit. 

If we truly want to build opportunities for all Americans we know that we need to cut wasteful spending, but we also have to make smart investments in things like education and infrastructure if we want an economy that’s built to last.  (Applause.)  That is what my husband stands for.  That is the country he has working to build for four years.  Those are his values.

And let me just tell you, over the past four years as First Lady, I have seen up close and personal just how critical those values are for leading this country.  I have seen how the issues that come across a President’s desk, let me tell you, they’re always the hard ones -- the decisions that are not just about the bottom line, but they’re about laying a foundation for the next generation.

And I have seen how important it is to have a President who doesn’t just tell us what we want to hear, but who tells us the truth even when it’s hard.  (Applause.)  And I’ve also seen that when it comes time to make those tough calls and everyone around you is urging you to do what’s easy, what polls best, what gets good headlines, as President you have to be guided by the struggles and hopes and dreams of all of the people you serve.  And that’s how you make the right decisions for this country.  That’s what it takes to be a leader.  And since the day he took office, on issue after issue, crisis after crisis, that is exactly what we’ve seen in my husband.

Let us think back to when Barack first took office.  So many of you were right there.  This economy was on the brink of collapse.  Newspapers were using words like “meltdown” and “calamity”; declaring “Wall Street implodes”; “Economy in Shock.” It’s not my words -- those were their words for years.

Folks had been lured into buying homes they couldn’t afford so their mortgages were underwater.  The auto industry was in crisis.  And this economy was losing 800,000 jobs a month.  A lot of folks wondered whether we were headed for another Great Depression. 

That is what Barack faced on day one as President.  He inherited an economy in rapid decline.  But instead of pointing fingers, instead of placing blame, because of that character that we talked about, your President got to work.  (Applause.)  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 here in America, teachers and firefighters should not pay higher tax rates than millionaires and billionaires.  That doesn’t make any sense.  (Applause.)

And that’s why, while some folks, if you recall, were willing to let the auto industry go under -- you remember that?

AUDIENCE:  Yes!

MRS. OBAMA:  With more than a million jobs that would have been lost, your President had the backs of American workers.  He fought hard to protect jobs for American families.  And that’s why today the American auto industry is back on its feet again.  (Applause.)

And, yes, while we still have more work to do to completely rebuild our economy, there are more and more signs every day that we are headed in the right direction.  The stock market has doubled.  Exports have grown by 45 percent.  Manufacturers have added 500,000 jobs.  We have had 31 straight months -- that is the majority of my husband’s presidency -- with private sector job growth.  More than 5.2 million new jobs created under this President, good jobs right here in the United States of America. (Applause.)

Now, in addition to focusing on creating jobs -- because as President, you’ve got to be able to do more than one thing at the same time -- (laughter) -- our President also focused on improving access to health care for millions of Americans.  (Applause.) 

And here’s another thing that I love about our President -- Barack didn’t care whether health reform was the easy thing to do politically, because that’s not who he is.  He cared that it was the right thing to do -- because he was thinking about all the folks he had met around the country, all the struggles they were facing because of health care -- the woman diagnosed with breast cancer whose insurance company wouldn’t cover her care.  The seniors in our lives pinching pennies to save up for the medicines they need.  The parents who couldn’t afford lifesaving treatment for a child because someone lost a job.  Those are the stories that guided him.

And today, because he fought for health reform, today, our parents and grandparents on Medicare are saving [paying] hundreds less for their prescription drugs.  (Applause.)  Because of health care, young people can stay on their parent’s insurance until they’re 26 years old.  (Applause.)

Today, because of health reform -- the reform our President fought for -- insurance companies now have to cover basic preventative care with no out-of-pocket cost -- things like contraception, cancer screenings.  (Applause.)  Because of the health reform our President fought for, insurance companies won’t be able to discriminate against us because we have a preexisting condition -- let’s say, diabetes or asthma.  (Applause.) 

And if you get a life-threatening illness -- this is the thing that gets me -- and you need really expensive treatment, no longer can they tell you, sorry, you’ve hit your lifetime limit, and we’re not paying a penny more.  That is now illegal because of health reform.  (Applause.)

Now, when it comes to our young people and giving them the education they deserve, believe me, Barack knows that like me and like so many of you, he never could have attended college without financial aid.  We would not be here if it weren’t for financial aid.  We didn’t have parents who could help us through.  (Laughter.)  In fact, when we were first married, our combined monthly student loan bills were actually higher than our mortgage.  And I know there are a lot of people here who can relate to that.

So when it comes to student debt, Barack and I, we have been there.  This is not a hypothetical situation for us.  (Laughter.) And this is why Barack fought so hard to double funding for Pell grants and keep interest rates low.  (Applause.)  Because he knows how important this is to ensure that all of our young people -- all of them, not just the lucky ones, not just the wealthy ones -- that all of them can afford to attend college.  All of them.  (Applause.) 

And finally, when it comes to understanding the lives of women -- (applause) -- when it comes to standing up for our rights and opportunities -- you know that Barack will always have your back -- always.  (Applause.)  Because Barack knows from personal experience what it means for a family when women aren’t treated fairly in the workplace.  And believe me, as a father of two beautiful girls, he knows what it means to want our daughters in this country to have the same freedoms and opportunities as our sons. 

And that is why the first bill he signed into law, the first thing he did as President of the United States was to sign the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to ensure that women get equal pay for equal work.  (Applause.)

And that is why he will always, always fight to ensure that we as women can make our own decisions about our bodies and about our health care.  (Applause.)  That is what my husband stands for.

So we got eight days.  Eight days.  And I know you all are going to be out there.  You and many, many more people are going to be out there.  So when people ask you what this President has done for our country, when you’re talking to folks who are deciding which of these two people are going to keep this country moving forward for four years, in addition to everything that your President has done for our economy, our health care, and education, I want you to remind them of a few more things.
 
Tell them about how this President ended the war in Iraq.  (Applause.)  Tell them how he took out Osama bin Laden.  (Applause.)  Tell them how their President is fighting every day to make sure veterans and military families get the benefits they have earned.  (Applause.)  

Remind them about all of the young immigrants who will no longer have to live in fear of being deported from the only country they’ve ever called home.  (Applause.) 

Tell them about our brave servicemembers who will never again have to lie about who they are to serve the country they love.  (Applause.)

Remind them of the concrete plans your President has laid out for the next four years.  And, yes, we, too, have a website. (Laughter.)  BarackObama.com/plans.  (Applause.)  Send them there.  And the folks who are still figuring out can learn how this President is going to create millions of new jobs, train the best workforce in the world, boost American-made energy, reduce our deficit, and end the war in Afghanistan so that we can do some nation building here at home.  (Applause.)  Send them to the website.

But of all the things that I want you to tell them, here’s what I really think is the most important thing for people to know:  Tell them that Barack Obama knows the American Dream because he’s lived it.  He has lived it, and he is fighting every day -- every day -- so that everyone in this country 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 let’s also be clear, while he is so very proud of all that we’ve achieved together -- because understand this, none of this happens without all of us -- but my husband is nowhere near satisfied -- nowhere near satisfied.  Barack, of all people on this planet, knows that there are still too many people hurting. He knows that there’s plenty of work left to be done.  But as President Clinton said, it’s going to take a lot longer than four years to rebuild an economy from the brink of collapse.  Everyone knows better than that.  (Applause.)

But here’s what I tell myself every day.  Every day, what makes me so proud as a wife and a citizen, that, thankfully, in Barack, we have a leader with a deep and unyielding faith in the American people; a leader who understands that this country was built by men and women who wake up every day and work hard for their families without complaint or regret.  

And as President, that is what my husband has been fighting for.  As President, he’s been fighting for us.  And that’s why, when the stakes are so high, we can always trust Barack to have our backs.  And over these past four years, together -- we have to know this -- slowly but surely, together, we have been pulling ourselves out of that hole that we started in.  We are steadily moving this country forward and making real and meaningful change. 

So here is the question that we have to ask ourselves sincerely, and all those that you come in contact with:  Are we going to turn around and go back to the same policies that got us into this hole in the first place?

AUDIENCE:  No!

MRS. OBAMA:  Are we going to sit back and watch everything that we worked for and fought for to just slip away?

AUDIENCE:  No!

MRS. OBAMA:  Or are we going to keep moving this country moving forward?  (Applause.)  Forward!  (Applause.)  What are we going to do?

AUDIENCE:  Forward!

MRS. OBAMA:  But, see, the thing is, in the end, the answer to these questions is now on us.  It’s on us.  Because understand this very clearly:  All of the hard work, all that progress that we’ve made, it is all on the line.  The choices couldn’t be more clear.  It’s all at stake this November.  

And as my husband said -- she doesn’t have to shush; she’s having a good time in that little corner -- (laughter and applause.)  Whoever that little one is, there is a party going on right there.  (Applause.)  So you just let her have fun -- (laughter) -- or him, whoever is down there.  (Laughter.) 

But as my husband has said, this election is going to be closer than the last one, and it could all come down to what happens in just a few key battleground states like right here in Iowa.  (Applause.)  See?  Right here.

And just to put it in perspective so that we know what kind of work we have to do, let’s look back at what happened in this state in 2008.  Back then, we won Iowa by about 147,000 votes.  (Applause.)  Now, good stuff.  Good stuff.  But to give you a sense of how close these elections are -- all of them can be -- when you break that number down across precincts throughout the state, that’s just 87 votes per precinct.  Right?

Now, when we caucus, we see those numbers because we’re in there.  But these general elections -- and I make this point for every single battleground state.  That’s why they’re battleground states, because it’s close.  (Laughter.)  So 87 votes -- now, that could mean just one vote on a block, right?  Just a couple of votes in a neighborhood.  Just a single vote in an apartment building or a dorm room, right?  (Applause.) 

So here’s what I want you to think about for these next eight days.  If there is anyone here or anyone you know in your life who could possibly be thinking that their vote doesn’t matter, that their involvement doesn’t count, that in this complex political process that ordinary folks can’t possibly make a difference -- because you can see how people can feel a little frustrated about this process -- but I want you to remind them about those 87 votes.  Just think about the power that voters truly have.  Regardless of the money and the ads, it all comes down to 87 people who are willing to get out there and talk and build, and talk to the next person, and leave no stone unturned.

So I want you to think about how, with just a few more evenings on a phone bank -- we’re right there -- just a few more hours knocking on doors, just a few of you -- a few of you people, you in this room alone could swing an entire precinct for Barack Obama.  You can do it.  (Applause.)

And when we win enough precincts, we will win this state.  And when we win Iowa, we will be well on our way to putting Barack Obama back in the White House for four more years.  Right here!  (Applause.) 

It is breathtaking how much power folks have.  So for the next eight days, we need you to work like never before -- never before.  Be focused.  Sign up.  If you haven’t, sign up with one of our volunteers that are here today.  Make some phone calls.  Knock on some doors.  But more importantly, talk to everyone you know -- your neighbors, the friends, the cousin that you haven’t seen in a while, that classmate -- all students here, you know that classmate.  (Laughter.)  They’re not quite going to wake up on Election Day.  You know them.  (Laughter.)  Talk to them.  Tell them what’s at stake. 

Especially for our young people, here’s something that I always remind young people, because I’ve met so young people over these four years who said -- told me, my parents and grandparents were not going to vote for Barack in 2008 until I talked to them and I told them what this election means for my future, and because of that conversation they voted for him.  Now, that’s the power that young people can have.

And it doesn’t matter how old you are.  I’ve had 10-year-olds who are on a phone bank -- (laughter) -- 14-year-olds.  I mean, I’m telling you, there is power because this is your future.  And you can tell people that they don’t have to wait until November the 6th to cast their ballots.  We all know that early voting has started, and there’s some good early voting happening right here in this state.  I voted by mail early already, a couple of weeks ago.  (Applause.)  And I voted for Barack Obama, just in case you were wondering.  (Applause.)  I really, objectively feel that he’s the best man for the job.  (Laughter.)  There are a few things he’s done for this country.  He’s the man for me.  (Laughter.)

But one of the reasons why I voted early is that I’m going to spend the rest of this time, including Election Day, working to get the vote out, doing events like this in small groups and big groups, just making sure people vote.

And I hope that you do the same.  I really do, because we need the vote, but we also need the manpower.  And here in Iowa, voting, as you know, has already begun.  In fact, right after this event, we’ve got a group that’s going to walk to the Iowa City Public Library to cast their votes.  (Applause.)  So after I’m done speaking -- don’t leave yet, don’t leave just yet -- (laughter) -- I want you all -- all of you -- as many of you to go upstairs, follow the volunteers across the Ped Mall, and do your part to move this country forward.

And then after you vote, I want you to tell everyone you know that from now until Election Day, they can vote early in person, too.  Because the other thing about early voting is that you can do it on your own timeframe.  Because you wake up on Election Day, babysitter might not show up, maybe you’re sick, car might not start -- life happens.  (Laughter.)  But in the span of eight days, at some point you can make it happen.  So take advantage of early voting. 

And here in Iowa, if you’re not registered you don’t have to worry.  You can tell people that if they’re not registered, they can register on the spot when they vote here in the state.  (Applause.)  And that’s a beautiful system, because that’s not true in every state.  (Applause.)  But if anybody has questions, just send them to vote.BarackObama.com to find their nearest voting location.  And if they don’t vote early, then make sure that they get to the polls on Election Day. 

Are we going to do that?  That’s our plan.  (Applause.)  That’s our plan.  (Applause.)  That’s our plan.  We can make it happen.  (Applause.)

Now with eight days to go, I’m going to be honest with you, this is the hard part right here, that waiting and those last few days of wondering, oh, my goodness, what’s going to happen?  And there will still be plenty of ups and downs for these next eight days.  I mean, just think of what has happened over this past year, over the past couple of weeks. 

But here’s the thing, when you start getting tired -- and you will when you start thinking about taking the day off -- don’t do it.  (Laughter.)  But I just want you to remember that what we do -- all of us, what we do for the next eight days will absolutely make the difference between waking up the day after an Election Day and wondering, could we have done more?  And let me tell you, I don’t want to feel that feeling.  Or the alternative is feeling the promise of four more years.  That’s the difference.  That is the difference.  (Applause.)
 
Eight days.  So from now until November the 6th, we need you to push and work and struggle like never before.  (Applause.)    Because here’s what we have to remember -- that kind of struggle for change, that is how change always happens in this country. 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Michelle, will you marry me?  (Laughter.)

MRS. OBAMA:  I’m already taken.  (Laughter and applause.)

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Want one more?  (Laughter.)

MRS. OBAMA:  I’ll see you after the speech.  (Laughter.)
 
But here’s what I want our young people to know, because this --

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Our kids have school today.

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, okay, so that means you really got to vote. (Laughter.)  You got it make it worthwhile. 

But for our young people, here’s what I want you all to know, that we know from our history in this country change is hard.  Shoot, life is hard, right?  How many of us old people know in life you just hit bump after bump after bump.  There is always somebody there telling you what you can’t do. 

But see, if you’ve got that patience and that tenacity that we want all our young people to have -- you all hear me -- with that patience and tenacity, if we keep showing up, if we keep fighting the good fight and more importantly doing in our hearts what we know is right, there is just a truth about who we are as a nation.  Eventually, if we fight that fight we get there.  We always do.

So I don’t want anybody to let -- don’t let anybody talk down your dreams.  Don’t let anybody squash your aspirations.  Now, think of where Barack would be.  I wouldn’t be standing here.  You see me?  (Laughter.)  I wouldn’t be here.  Don’t let anyone talk down our country or our country’s future, because you all have every reason to be optimistic about what lies ahead -- do you hear me -- every reason, because here in America, we always move forward.  We always have.  We never go backwards. 

And in the end, that is what this election is about.  And that is what elections are always about.  Elections are always about hope.  Don’t let anybody tell you differently -- they’re always about hope.  The hope that I saw on my father’s beaming face as I crossed the stage to get my college diploma, the diploma he took out loans to help me get -- that’s the kind of hope we’re talking about.  The hope that Barack’s grandmother felt as she cast her ballot for the grandson she loved and raised.  The hope that all of those men and women in our lives who worked that extra shift for us, who saved and sacrificed and prayed so that we could stand here.  We are standing on their shoulders.  The hope that so many of us feel when we look into the eyes of our kids and grandkids, that’s the kind of hope that we’re working for.

That is why we’re here today, because we want all of our kids to have that foundation for their dreams.  We want all of our kids to have opportunities worthy of their promise, because I don’t care where you’re from or what party you belong to, we all know that all of our kids are worthy.  That’s just the beauty of it.  We want to give them all that sense of limitless possibility -- that belief that here in America, the greatest country on the planet -- (applause) -- that there is always something better out there if you’re willing to work for it. 

So this is what I tell myself.  For the next eight days and for the next four years, we will not turn back, not ever.  We cannot turn back, because we have come so far.  But we still have more work to do.

So here’s my last question:  Are we ready for this?

AUDIENCE:  Yes!

MRS. OBAMA:  Are we ready to work for eight more days and then four more years and roll up our sleeves, do the hard work, keep pushing and be patient and work hard?  Are we willing to do that?  (Applause.) 

Then let’s get it done.  Eight more days, I know we can make it happen.  (Applause.)   

Thank you all.  We love you so much.  God bless.  (Applause.)   

END
1:58 P.M. CDT

Remarks by the First Lady at a Campaign Event -- Davie, Florida

Broward College
Davie, Florida

3:12 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Yes!  (Applause.)  Now, this is what I call a rally!  Yes!  (Applause.) 

AUDIENCE:   We love you, Michelle!

MRS. OBAMA:  We love you so much.  We are ready for four more years' worth of love.  (Applause.)  Four more years!  

Look, let me just tell you that I am more than honored and thrilled to be with you all here at Broward College, our wonderful host.  I want to start by thanking Paola for that very kind introduction and for everything she is doing on behalf of the campaign.  Let’s give her a round of applause.  (Applause.)
 
And I also want to thank Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.  (Applause.)  I know she was here earlier, and we are so grateful for her leadership and her service, and we are beyond thrilled to have her on our team. 
 
And I want to recognize your terrific mayor, Mayor Judy Paul.  (Applause.)  Yes, Mayor Paul.  And we’re so glad that she could be with us today.  There -- Judy!  What’s happening?  You fired up?  That’s it.  (Applause.)
 
But most of all, I want to thank all of you for being here today.  Thank you, guys.  Thank you so much.  (Applause.) See, I can tell you all seem pretty fired up and ready to go.  (Applause.)  And that’s a good thing, because I’m pretty fired up and ready to go myself because today, like I’ve been doing for a couple of years now on this campaign trail, I get to do one of my favorite things, and that is to talk about the man that I have loved and admired since I first met him 23 years ago.  (Applause.)  Yeah.  Yeah, what did you say?
 
AUDIENCE:  Cute!

MRS. OBAMA:  He’s cute!  Yes!  (Applause.)  And as some in other rallies -- he’s downright fine.  (Applause.)  But here’s the thing, although my husband is handsome and charming and incredibly smart -- (applause) -- yes, indeed -- that is not why I married him. 

Listen closely.  (Laughter.)  What truly made me fall in love with Barack Obama was something that you all see every day -- it is his character.  It’s his decency and his honesty, the compassion and conviction that we have seen for four years in this man.

See, when we first met, I loved that Barack was so committed to serving others that he turned down high-paying jobs, and instead, started his career fighting to get folks back to work in struggling neighborhoods.  That’s what I loved about him.  I loved that he was so devoted to his family, especially the women in his life.  I paid attention to that.  I saw the respect he had for his mother, and how proud he was that she was able to put herself through school and still support him and his little sister as a single mom. 

And I definitely saw the tenderness that he felt for his grandmother.  I saw how grateful he was that long after this woman should have retired, she was still getting up every day, going to her job at a community bank day after day, doing what it took to support their family.  And he saw how she was passed over for promotions simply because she was a woman.  But one of the things he saw in his grandmother was a woman who just kept getting up -- you know what I’m saying?  (Applause.)  She kept going to that same job year after year without complaint and without regret. 
 
And with Barack, I found a real connection, because in his life story I saw so much of my own.  See, growing up on the South Side of Chicago, I watched my own father make that same uncomplaining journey every day to his job at the city water plant.  And I saw how my father carried himself with that dignity -- you know?  That same pride in being able to provide for his family, that same hope that one day his kids would have opportunities he never dreamed of.  Now, how many people like that do we have in our lives?  (Applause.) 

See, like so many families in this country, our families just weren’t asking for much.  See, that’s the thing -- they didn’t want much.  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.  (Applause.)

But they did believe in that fundamental American promise that even if you don’t start out with much, in America, if you work hard, if you do what you’re supposed to do, then you should be able to provide a decent life for yourself and an even better life for your kids and your grandkids.  (Applause.)

And they also believed something very important that they taught us -- that when you’ve worked hard, and done well, and you’ve walked through that doorway of opportunity, you don’t slam it shut behind you.  No -- you reach back, and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.  (Applause.)  That’s what we were taught.  That’s how Barack and I and I know so many of you were raised.  Those are the values we were taught.

And more than anything else, the reason why you see any passion coming out of me -- that is what’s at stake in this election.  That’s what it’s all about.  It’s a choice about our values, our hopes, and our aspirations for our children.  It’s a choice about the America we want to leave for our kids and our grandkids.  

And let’s talk about that America.  Let’s lay it on the table.  Because we believe in an America where every child –- you hear me -- every child, no matter where they’re born, or how much money their parents have –- every child in this country should have good schools -- (applause) -- the kind that push them, and inspire them, and prepare them for jobs and college. 
 
We believe in an America where no one goes broke because someone gets sick -- (applause) -- where no one loses their home because someone loses a job.  Not in this America.
 
We believe in an America where all of us -- where we understand that none of us gets where we are on our own; that we all have a community of people lifting us up; where we treat everyone with dignity and respect, from the teachers who inspire us to the janitors who keep our schools clean.  (Applause.)
 
And in this America that we are building together, see, when one of us stumbles -- and we all stumble -- when one of us falls on hard times, we don’t turn our backs and say, “Tough luck, you’re on your own.”  Not in our America, no.  Instead, we extend a helping hand until they get back on their feet. 
 
In our America, we believe that the truth matters -- (applause) -- so you don’t take shortcuts, you don’t game the system.  You don’t play by your own set of rules. 
 
And we also believe in keeping our priorities straight.  See, because we all know good and well that cutting Sesame Street is no way to balance our budget.  (Applause.)  We absolutely know better than that.  We know that shortchanging our children is not how we tackle the deficit.  (Applause.)  
 
If we want to build opportunities for all Americans, then, yes, we have to cut wasteful spending, but we also have to make smart investments in our future -- things like education and infrastructure for an economy built to last. 
 
That is what my husband stands for.  That’s the country he has been working to build for the last four years.  Those are his values.  
 
And let me tell you, as First Lady, I have seen up close and personal just how critical those values are for leading this country.  I have seen how the issues that come across a President’s desk, they are always the hard ones -– the decisions that aren’t just about the bottom line, but they’re about laying a foundation for the next generation.  And I have seen how important it is to have a President who doesn’t just tell us what we want to hear but who tells us the truth, even when it’s hard -- especially when it’s hard.  (Applause.)
 
And I’ve seen that when it comes time to make those tough decisions, when everybody around you is urging you to do what’s easy, what polls best, what gets good headlines, as President, you have to be driven by the struggles and hopes and dreams of all the people you serve.  It’s all right here.  And that is how you make the right decisions for this country.  That’s what it takes to be a leader. 
 
And let me tell you, since the day he took office, on issue after issue, crisis after crisis, believe me, I have been there.  That is what we’ve seen in my husband. 
 
Think back to when Barack first took office.  Our economy was on the brink of collapse -- do you hear me?  (Applause.)  And don’t take my word for it.  Newspapers were using words like “meltdown,” “calamity;” declaring “Wall Street Implodes.” Do we remember any of this?
 
AUDIENCE:  Yes!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  “Economy in Shock.”
 
AUDIENCE:  Yes!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  How did we get there?  For years, folks had been lured into buying homes they couldn’t afford so their mortgages were underwater.  The auto industry was in crisis.  Do we recall?
 
AUDIENCE:  Yes!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  This economy was losing 800,000 jobs a month, and a lot of folks wondered whether we were headed for another Great Depression.
 
See, that is what Barack faced on day one as President.  He inherited an economy in rapid decline.  But instead of pointing fingers, instead of placing blame, what did your President do?  He got to work.  (Applause.) 
 
He got to work because he was thinking about folks like my dad, folks like his grandmother.  And that’s why he cut taxes for small businesses and working families -- because we have a President who believes that teachers and firefighters should not pay higher tax rates than millionaires and billionaires -- not in America.  Not in America.  (Applause.)
 
And that’s why, while some folks if you recall were willing to let the auto industry go under -- do you remember that?
 
AUDIENCE:  Yes!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  With more than a million jobs that would have been lost, Barack had the backs of American workers.  He put his faith in the American people.  He fought hard to protect jobs for American families, and thankfully, because of that fight, today the auto industry is back.  (Applause.)  New cars are rolling off the lines of proud American companies like GM. 
 
And yes, we have a long way to go to completely rebuild our economy, but understand this -- there are more and more signs every day that we are headed in the right direction:  The stock market has doubled.  Exports have grown by 45 percent.  Manufacturers have added 500,000 jobs.  We’ve had 31 straight months of private sector job growth -- the majority of Barack’s presidency.  5.2 million jobs -- new jobs, right here in the United States of America.
 
In addition to focusing on job creation -- because as President, you’ve got to be able to do more than one thing at the same time.  (Laughter and applause.)  And fortunately, your President was also focusing on improving access to health care for millions of Americans.  (Applause.)
 
And another thing I love about my husband -- he didn’t care whether health reform was the easy thing to do politically, because that’s not who he is.  He cared that it was the right thing to do.  And when you hear stories like he did, meeting folks all around the country -- the woman diagnosed with breast cancer whose insurance company wouldn’t cover her care, the seniors pinching pennies to save up to buy the medicines they need, the parents who couldn’t get life-saving treatment for their children because someone lost a job -- those are the stories that drove him. 
 
And today, because of health reform, because of what he did to fight for us, our parents and grandparents on Medicare are paying hundreds less for their prescription drugs.  Today, young people can stay on their parent’s insurance until they’re 26 years old -- because of health reform.  (Applause.) 
 
Today, because of health reform, insurance companies now have to cover basic preventative care -- contraception, breast cancer screenings, mammograms -- without any out-of-pocket cost.  They won’t be able to discriminate against you because you have a preexisting condition like diabetes or asthma.  (Applause.)
 
And if you get a life-threatening illness and you need expensive treatment, no longer can they tell you, "Sorry, you’ve hit your lifetime limit and we’re not paying a penny more."  That is now illegal because of health reform.  (Applause.)
 
And when it comes to giving our young people the education they deserve, let me tell you something -- Barack knows that like me and like so many of you, we never could have gone to college without financial aid -- never.  We would not be standing here today if it weren’t for financial aid.  (Applause.)  In fact, when we were first married, our combined student loan bill was actually higher than our mortgage. 
 
So understand, when it comes to student debt, Barack and I, we have been there.  This is not a hypothetical conversation for us.  (Laughter.)  And that is why Barack fought to double Pell grants for our kids, and fought to keep interest rates down.  (Applause.)  Because we have a President who understands it’s important -- how important it is to have all our young people be able to afford a college education.  (Applause.)
 
And finally, when it comes to understanding the lives of women -- (applause) -- when it comes to standing up for our rights and opportunities, we know that my husband will always have our backs.  (Applause.)  And why do we know this?  Let me tell you. 
 
Barack knows from personal experience what it means for a family when women aren’t treated fairly in the workplace.  And believe me, as a father of two girls -- two beautiful girls -- (applause) -- he knows what it means to want our daughters to have the same freedoms and opportunities as our sons.
 
And that is why the very first bill he signed in law as President was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to help women get equal pay for equal work.  (Applause.)  And that is why he will always, always fight to ensure that we as women can make our own decisions about our bodies and about our health care.  (Applause.)  That is what my husband stands for. 
 
So we have 15 days to go -- 15.  We’ve got a couple of weeks.  And I know you all are going to be out there, right?  (Applause.)  So when you’re out there and people come up to you and ask you, well, what has this President done for our country' when you’re talking to folks who are deciding which candidate will be the best one to keep moving this country forward, here are just a few things you can just lay on them. 
 
Start by telling them about the millions of jobs that Barack created.  Tell them about all the kids in this country who can finally afford college.  Tell them about the millions of lives that will be changed because of health reform.  Tell them how Barack ended the war in Iraq, took out Osama bin Laden.  (Applause.)
 
Tell them how their President has been fighting every day to make sure that veterans and military families get the benefits they have earned.  (Applause.)  Tell them about all of the young immigrants who will no longer have to live in fear of being deported from the only country they have ever called home.  Tell them about our brave servicemembers who will never again have to lie about who they are to serve the country they love.  (Applause.)
 
Look, I could go on and on and on, but I know it’s hot.  (Laughter.)  And I don’t want anybody to pass out.  (Laughter and applause.)  But here’s what I really want you to tell them -- I want you to tell them that their President, Barack Obama, knows the American dream because he’s lived it.  (Applause.)  And we have a President who is fighting every day so that every one of us in this country can have that same opportunity -- no matter who we are or what we look like or where we’re from or who we love.  (Applause.)
 
But let’s be clear.  While he is proud of everything that we have achieved together -- because we don’t get anywhere unless we’re doing it together -- my husband is nowhere near satisfied.  Do you hear me?
 
AUDIENCE:  Yes!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Of all the people on this Earth, Barack knows that too many people are still hurting.  He of all people knows that there’s plenty of work left to be done.  And as President Clinton said, it is going to take a lot longer than four years to finish rebuilding an economy from the brink of collapse.  (Applause.)
 
But here’s what I know:  Thankfully, in Barack, we have a leader with a deep and unyielding faith in the American people; a leader who understands that this country was built by men and women like so many here who wake up every day, and work hard, and work hard for their families, and they do it without complaint and without regret.  And as President, that’s what my husband has been fighting for.  As President he has been fighting for us.  And that’s why, when the stakes are so high, let me tell you, you can always trust Barack to have our backs -- always.  (Applause.)
 
And what we have to understand, especially our young people -- over the past four years, together, slowly but surely, we have been pulling ourselves out of that deep hole that we started in.  We are steadily moving this country forward and making real and important change. 
 
So now is the time that we have to ask ourselves a very important question:  Are we going to turn around, after all this work, and go back to the same policies that got us into that hole in the first place?  It’s a simple question.  Are we going to just sit back and watch everything that we’ve worked so hard for to just slip away?  (Applause.)  Or are we going to keep moving this country forward?  (Applause.)  What are we going to do? 
 
AUDIENCE:  Forward!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  There is no place to go but forward. 
 
But in the end, the answer to these questions is on us.  It is on each and every one of us.  Because trust me, all of this hard work and progress, it is all on the line.  It’s all at stake this November.  
 
And as Barack has said, this election will be closer than the last one -- that’s the only guarantee.  And it could all come down to what happens in just a few key battleground states like right here in Florida -- and you all know all about that, don’t you?  (Applause.)
 
So to put it in some perspective, if we think back to where things were, what happened in this state in 2008, back then Barack won Florida by about 236,000 votes.  But let's see what that looks like, because when you take that number and you break that down across precincts in this state, that’s just 36 votes per precinct.  That’s how elections are -- 36 votes.
 
So that could mean just one vote in a neighborhood, you know what I'm saying?  That could mean just a single vote in an apartment building -- in a dorm room, my young people.  (Applause.)  So if there is anyone here -- and this is true regardless of who you're going to vote for -- understand this:  If there is anyone here who thinks that their voice doesn’t matter, that their vote doesn’t count, that their involvement won't make a difference, that in this complex political process that ordinary folks can't possibly make a difference -- if there is anyone here who believes that, I just want you to think about those 36 votes. 
 
See, because we all know 36 vote -- people who didn’t vote.  We all know 36 people who weren't registered, 36 people who just didn’t bother.  And I want you to think about how with just a few more evenings on a phone bank -- because we only have a few more evenings left; just a couple of more weekends are left -- just a couple of more hours knocking on some doors, talking to your neighbors, just a few of you here -- shoot, look at this room.  This whole room, if everyone focuses, could swing an entire precinct for Barack Obama.  (Applause.) 
 
And if we win enough precincts, we will win this state.  And if we win this state, we'll be well on our way to putting Barack back in the White House for four more years.  (Applause.)  Four more years.
 
So here's the plan -- we've got a plan.  Listen up -- it's a secret plan.  (Laughter.)  So I want all the press to cover your ears for a second while we talk quietly.  (Laughter.) 
 
But for the next 15 days, we're going to need you to work like you've never worked before.  I mean, take this very seriously.  Sign up with one of our volunteers if you're not already volunteering.  It's just two more weeks.  I don’t care what's going on, everybody has got some time between now and Election Day.
 
Sign up to make phone calls, to knock on doors.  But most importantly -- see, and this is the power that we all have -- talk to everyone you know -- your neighbors, your friends, that cousin you haven’t seen in a while, that student sitting next to you in class -- you know he's not voting.  Take him by the arm, shake him a little bit and help him get to the polls.  (Laughter.) 
 
But tell them what's at stake.  Give them the information that they may not have, especially for our young people.  I am talking to our young people so much because this isn't about this election, this is about the rest of your lives and how you -- what you have to do forever.  (Applause.) 
 
And I can't tell you how many people that I've met who told me, you know, my parents and grandparents weren't going to vote for Barack in 2008, but because I spent some time really sitting down with them and explaining what this election means to my future, they voted for Barack.  I can't tell you how many young people.
 
And I want you all to know that that is the power that you have, and you always have.  Because your parents and grandparents love you; sometimes they get focused on what they need, but if they understand what kind of America you all are trying to build, and they hear it from you, and they hear it with passion, and they hear -- understand your positions and your fears and your worries about the future, that makes all the difference in the world. 
 
So don’t ever underestimate the power of your voice in your own house, in your own family.  And once you've done all this convincing that you're going to do -- (laughter) -- then you can tell people that they don’t have to wait until November the 6th to cast their ballots. 
 
Look, I voted early last week by mail.  I did it.  (Applause.)  And if you were curious, I voted for Barack Obama. (Applause.)  Yes, I did.  There was no hesitation.  I read his record, I took an objective look, and I said, this is the only one who can move this country forward -- Barack Obama.  (Applause.)  Seems pretty clear to me. 
 
But one of the other reasons why I voted early, in addition to being so excited about impacting the future of my country --
 
AUDIENCE MEMBER:  It's to help others.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  -- is to help others.  That’s exactly right.  I wanted to -- I'm going to spend Election Day getting the vote out, and that’s some of what I want you all to think about. 
 
Because if you vote early, number one, you get it out of the way.  So if you wake up on Election Day and you're sick, the car broke down, there's no babysitter, somebody is throwing up, wake up with an ear infection -- this is that time of year.  Your kids wake up, it's like, oh Lord, your ear hurts -- just take an Anacin.  (Laughter.)  Just get to school, whatever you do.  We mothers understand that.  (Laughter.) 
 
So you don’t have to take it for -- you don’t have to chance it.  And if you vote early, you can help someone else get to the polls, because there are going to be a lot of first-time voters.  And sometimes voting seems intimidating, right?  Sometimes new voters just need someone they know just to go along and make sure that they understand the process -- you could be that person for someone in your lives. 
 
So think about it -- in fact, in Florida, you all can vote now, before early voting begins here.  You can vote soon.  Here in Broward County, just call your county Supervisor of Elections.  Ask for an absentee ballot -- because you can vote absentee now -- and then go pick it up, fill it out, turn it in; you can turn it in on the spot, I understand.  But we want as many people as possible to vote now. 
 
In addition, starting this Saturday, October the 27th through November the 3rd, you can vote early at your Supervisor of Elections office; at many libraries and city halls.  And if you need more information, just go to vote.BarackObama.com, and that’s another website you can get every -- all the information.  If you didn’t remember or write down anything I said, you can go to that website and it will tell you everything you have to know to make your voices heard on Election Day.  Do you hear me?
 
AUDIENCE:  Yes!  
 
MRS. OBAMA:  That’s our plan!  (Applause.) 
 
So I'm not going to kid you, this journey, it's going to be hard, and these next 15 days, they're going to feel long.  You hear me? 
 
AUDIENCE MEMBER:  This is the choir!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  This is the choir?  (Applause.) 
 
AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Four more years.  (Applause.)  Just stay focused on that. 
 
But there are going to be ups and downs.  There will be ups and downs for the next 15 days.  But when you start to get tired -- and I know you will -- when you start thinking about taking a day off -- and I know you will -- I just want you to remember that what you do for the next 15 days will absolutely make the difference between waking up the day after Election Day and asking ourselves "Could we have done more?", or feeling the promise of four more years.
 
So from now until Election Day, we need you to keep working, and struggling, and pushing.  See, because that’s how change always happens in this country.  I mean, I am saying this everywhere I go, and I'm talking to that next generation.  See, because life throws you some stuff, right?  We have all experienced what life does to you -- all of us. 
 
But we know from our history -- the history of this great country -- that change is hard, and it requires a level of patience and tenacity -- do you hear me, young people?  When you run against a roadblock, you've got to keep pushing forward.  Because we know that when we hit those roadblocks, if we keep showing up -- how many times have you heard somebody in your life just -- half of it is just showing up -- and you keep fighting the good fight, if we keep doing what we know in our hearts is the right thing to do, then know that eventually we get there.  I am living proof of that.  (Applause.)
 
So I don’t want anybody here to let anybody talk down your dreams or your aspirations.  There are always doubters and naysayers, and folks standing in the way -- don’t ever let them do that.  Don’t let anyone talk down our country or this country's future.  (Applause.) 
 
Because you all have every reason to be optimistic about what lies ahead, because here in America, we always move forward.  We always make progress.  We always have.  And in the end, see, that’s what this election is about.  That’s what elections are always about -- don’t let anybody tell you differently.  Elections are always about hope -- do you hear me?  Elections are always about hope.  (Applause.)
 
The kind of hope that I saw on my father's beaming face as he watched me walk across that stage to get the college diploma that he helped pay for.  (Applause.)  The hope that Barack’s grandmother saw as she cast her ballot for the grandson she loved and raised -- that’s the kind of hope I'm talking about.  (Applause.)  The hope that all of those women and men in our lives who worked that extra shift for us, who saved and sacrificed and prayed so that we could stand here and be something more.  The hope that so many of us feel when we look into the eyes of our kids and our grandkids, and all of these young people -- that’s the kind of hope that I'm talking about
 
And that is why we are all here today -- because we want to give all of our children a foundation for their dreams -- do you know what I'm saying?  (Applause.)  We want to give all of our kids opportunities worthy of their promise, because all of our kids are worthy, and we know that.  I don’t care what party you belong to, we want to give our children that sense of limitless possibility; that belief that here in America, the greatest country on the planet, there is always something better out there if you’re willing to work for it. 
 
So what I tell myself now is we will not turn back now.  Not now.  We have come so far, but we've got so much more work to do.
 
So my last question is:  Are you in?  (Applause.)  Are you ready for this?  Can you get this done?  Can you roll up your sleeves and make it happen?  (Applause.)  15 more days.  We need you to work like never before.
 
Thank you guys.  Love you.  God bless.  (Applause.)
 

END
3:45 P.M. EDT