Remarks by the First Lady at a Campaign Event -- Sterling, VA

Loudoun County Fairgrounds
Sterling, Virginia

5:34 P.M. EDT
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Yes!  (Applause.)  Oh, yes!  Now, this is what I call a rally!  Yes!  (Applause.)  Wow.  Thank you all so much.  (Applause.) 
 
Let me start by saying a -- I want to -- I have to do a few thank-yous.  You guys, keep it up.  Stay fired up.  (Applause.)  But I have to start by thanking Dana.  Truly, this is what keeps your President going.  It's stories like Dana and her familY, which remind all of us what's at stake.  So I want to thank her for all her work and her sacrifice, for her introduction, for everything she's doing on behalf of this campaign.  (Applause.)  We are going to keep working for Dana and for her family. 
 
I also want to acknowledge Mayor Umstattd who's here, I believe, and your former First Lady and my dear friend, Anne Holton.  (Applause.)  We are so thrilled that they're here.  And we know that Anne's husband, former governor Tim Kaine, will make an outstanding senator.  (Applause.) 
 
But most of all, I want to thank all of you.  We are so proud of you all, so proud of the work that you're doing.  Thank you for joining us today.  We're more proud of you!  (Applause.)  We stand here because of you.  Absolutely. 
 
And it seems like you're a little fired up and ready to go, right?  (Applause.)  Well, I am feeling pretty fired up and ready to go myself. 
 
AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We love you, Michelle!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Love you -- yes.  You're making me blush now.  (Laughter.) 
 
But let me tell you, one of the many things that I love about campaigning is I get to talk about the man I have loved and admired since we met 23 years ago.  (Applause.)  And I am proud of my husband.  Now, although Barack is handsome, charming and incredibly smart -- (applause) -- that is not why I married him.  No, no, not for a second.  What truly made me fall in love with Barack Obama was his character.  It was his decency and honesty; it was his compassion and conviction.
 
Look, 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 communities.  I love that Barack was so devoted to his family -- especially the women in his life.  (Applause.)
 
I saw the respect he had for his mother.  I saw how proud he was that she had put herself through school while supporting 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 morning, catching that bus to her job at that community bank to help support his family. 
 
And he watched as she was passed over for promotions simply because she was a woman, but he also saw how she kept on doing that same job, kept getting up every day, year after year, 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.  I saw how my father carried himself with that same dignity, that same pride and determination in providing for his family –- always saving and sacrificing so that we could one day have opportunities he never dreamed of.  Now, how many people have folks like that in their lives?  (Applause.)  How many folks here?
 
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, and they didn’t mind if others had much more than they did –- in fact, they admired it.  And that’s why they pushed us to be the best that we could be.  They simply believed in that fundamental American promise that even if you don’t start out with much, in America, 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 our families also believed that when you’ve worked hard and done well, and when you've walked through that doorway of opportunity, you don't slam it shut behind you -- you reach back and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.  (Applause.)  That’s how Barack and I and so many of us 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, our hopes, and our aspirations.  It’s a choice about the America we want to leave for our kids and grandkids.  
 
See, we believe in an America where every child –- no matter where they’re born, or how much money their parents have –- every child should have good schools.  We know those schools -- the kind of schools that push them -- (applause) -- and inspire them, and prepare them for college and jobs for the future.  We believe in an America where no one goes broke because someone gets sick -- (applause) -- where no one loses their home because someone loses their job.
 
We believe in an America where we all understand that none of us gets where we are on our own; that there is always 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 when one of us stumbles, when one of us falls on hard times, we don’t tell them, “tough luck, you’re on your own.”  No.  Instead, we extend that helping hand while they get back on their feet again. 
 
We believe that the truth matters, that you don’t take shortcuts -- (applause) -- you don’t game the system, you don’t play by your own set of rules.  Instead, we reward hard work and success that’s earned fair and square.  (Applause.) 
 
And finally, we believe in keeping our priorities straight.  We all know good and well that cutting Sesame Street is no way to balance the budget -- (applause) -- that shortchanging our kids is not how we tackle our deficit.  Because if we truly want to build opportunities for all Americans, we know that we have to have a balanced fiscal strategy, one that cuts wasteful spending but makes sure that we're investing in our future -- like in education and infrastructure for an economy that’s build to last. 
 
See, that’s what my husband stands for.  That’s the country he wants to build.  Those are his values.  (Applause.)  And let me tell you something, for the last three and a half years as First Lady, I have seen up close and personal what being President really looks like, and I have seen how critical those values are for leading this country. 
 
I’ve seen how the issues that come across a President’s desk 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’ve 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 when it comes time to make those tough calls, and everyone’s urging you to do what’s easy or what polls best or what gets good headlines, as President, you have to be driven by the struggles, hopes, and dreams of all the people you serve.  You need to be committed to lifting up every single American.  That’s how you make the right decisions for this country.  That’s what it takes to be a leader.  (Applause.)  
 
And since the day he took office, on issue after issue, crisis after crisis, that is exactly what we’ve seen in my husband.  We’ve seen his values at work.  We’ve seen his vision unfold.  We’ve seen the depths of his character, courage, and his conviction.
 
Think back to when Barack first took office.  Where were we? 
 
AUDIENCE MEMBER:  A mess!  (Laughter.) 
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Our economy was on the brink of collapse.  Newspapers were using words like “meltdown," “calamity;" declaring “Wall Street Implodes," “Economy in Shock.”  You know what was going on. 
 
For years, folks had been lured into buying homes they couldn’t afford, their mortgages were underwater.  Banks weren’t lending, companies weren’t hiring.  The auto industry was in crisis.  This economy was losing 800,000 jobs every single 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 or placing blame, your President got to work.  See, because he was thinking about folks like my Dad, folks like his grandmother.  (Applause.)
 
And that’s why he cut taxes for small businesses and working families -- because he believes that in America, teachers and firefighters shouldn’t pay higher tax rates than millionaires and billionaires.  (Applause.)  And that is why, while some folks were willing to let the auto industry go under with more than a million jobs that would have been lost, Barack had the backs of the American workers.  He ignored the naysayers, and fought hard to protect jobs for families across America.  That’s why, today, the auto industry is back on its feet -- (applause) -- and new cars are rolling off the line at proud American companies like GM. 
 
And yes, while we still have a long way to go to completely rebuild our economy, there are so many signs that we are headed in the right direction.  The stock market has doubled.  Housing prices are rising.  The unemployment rate is the lowest it’s been since my husband took office.  (Applause.)  We have had 31 straight months of private sector job growth and 5.2 million new jobs have been created under this administration -- good jobs right here in the United States of America.  (Applause.) 
 
Now, in addition to focusing on job creation, Barack was also focused on improving access to health care for millions of Americans.  (Applause.)  And let me tell you, 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.
 
And today, because of health reform -- you've heard -- our parents and grandparents on Medicare are paying hundreds less for their prescription drugs.  Our kids, our children can stay on their parent's insurance until they’re 26 years old.  (Applause.) 
 
Insurance companies now have to cover basic preventative care -- things like contraception, cancer screenings -- with no out-of-pocket cost.  (Applause.)  They won’t be able to discriminate against you because you have a preexisting condition like diabetes or asthma.  (Applause.)  
 
And here's the one that still gets me -- if you get a serious illness -- let's say breast cancer -- 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.”  (Applause.)  That is now illegal because of health reform. 
 
And for our young people, when it comes to giving them the education they deserve, Barack knows that like me and like so many of you, he never, never could have attended college without financial aid -- never.  In fact, when we were first married, our combined monthly student loan bills were actually higher than our mortgage.  So when it comes to student debt, Barack and I have been there.  This is not a hypothetical for us.  (Applause.) 
 
And that is why Barack doubled funding for Pell grants and fought so hard to keep interest rates down -- because he wants all of our young people to have the skills they need for jobs of the future, jobs that will drive an economy for decades to come.
 
Are we good right there?  We got somebody down right here.  Bring -- get water.  We're coming.  Help is on the way.  (Applause.)  Just bend your knees.  Here's the trick when you're standing up:  You've got to bend those knees.  Bend the knees.  You got it?  (Applause.)  Together.  Together. 
 
Now, finally, when it comes to understanding the lives of women, when it comes to standing up for our rights and opportunities, we know that my husband will always have our backs.  (Applause.)  Because Barack knows from personal experience what it means for a family when women aren’t treated fairly in the workplace.  (Applause.)  And believe me, today, as a father, he knows what it means to want our daughters to have the same rights and freedoms and opportunities as our sons.  (Applause.)   
 
And that is why the very first bill he signed into law as President was to make sure that women get equal pay for equal work.  (Applause.)  And that is why he will always, always fight to ensure that women, that we can make our own decisions about our bodies and our health care.  That’s what my husband stands for.  (Applause.) 
 
So I want to make sure we're good.  Are we good?  Yay!  (Applause.)  Do we need water over there?  Water!  (Laughter.)  You know, it's hard to stay fired up.  I want to make sure everybody is okay. 
 
So here's the thing -- listen up -- so when people ask you what this President has done for our country, when you're running into folks who are deciding who will keep America moving forward for four more years, here's what I want you to tell them -- just a few things.  I want you to tell them about the millions of jobs Barack has 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.  (Applause.)  Tell them how, together, we took out Osama bin Laden.  (Applause.)  Tell them how Barack fought to get veterans and military families the benefits they have earned. 
 
Tell them about young immigrants who will no longer 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.)  
 
Look, I could go on and on and on, but here's what I really want you to tell them -- tell them that Barack Obama knows the American Dream because he’s lived it -- (applause) -- and he is fighting 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 be clear --
 
AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Love you, Michelle!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Love you guys.  We will do this together.  (Applause.)  But I want to be clear --  
 
AUDIENCE MEMBERS:  Love you, Michelle!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Are we up?  We're up?  We're up!  (Applause.)  All right.  Now I'm happy. 
 
AUDIENCE MEMBER:  I love you, Michelle!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Love you, sweetie.  (Applause.) 
 
But let's be clear -- while he is proud of what we’ve all achieved together, my husband is nowhere near satisfied -- understand that.  Because Barack knows better than anyone that too many people are still hurting.  He knows that there’s plenty of work left to be done.  And as President Clinton said, it’s going to take a lot longer than four years to finish rebuilding an economy from the brink of collapse.  (Applause.)
 
But here's what we know -- we know that together, slowly but surely, we have been pulling ourselves out of that hole that we started in.  We are steadily moving this country forward and making real change. 
 
So we have to ask ourselves, in the midst of this, are we going to turn around and go back to the same policies that got us into that hole in the first place?  Are we going to just sit back and watch everything we’ve worked for and fought for to just slip away? 
 
AUDIENCE:  No!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Or are we going to keep moving this country forward? 
 
AUDIENCE:  Yes!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  What are we going to do?  Forward!  (Applause.)  Yes, you all -- fired up. 
 
But in the end -- so here's the serious business -- the answer to these questions is up to us.  It's on us.  Because all our hard work, all of the wonderful progress we’ve made, it is all on the line.  It’s all at stake this November -- 28 days.   
 
And as my husband has said -- he's always said this election will be even 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 Virginia.  (Applause.)  You know it.  You all hold the key.
 
Now, back when -- I want to put this in perspective, especially for the young people, especially for new voters.  See, back in 2008, we won Virginia by about 235,000 votes.  And to some, that may sound like a lot.  But when you break that down, that’s just 100 votes per precinct.  All right?  You understand, right?  In many states it's even lower than that.  That could mean just a couple of votes in a neighborhood, right?  Just a single vote in an apartment building.  Somebody in your dorm room who wakes up and votes can make the difference.  (Applause.)  
 
So if there is anyone here who might be thinking that their vote doesn’t matter; if you know someone out there who is thinking that their involvement doesn’t count, that in this complex political process, that ordinary people can’t possibly make a difference -- if you know anybody like that, I want you to get them to think about that 100 votes, 100 people.  I want you to think about how, with just a few evenings on a phone bank, with just a few weekends knocking on doors -- because we only have a few weekends left -- a few of you here, right here today, could swing an entire precinct for Barack Obama.  (Applause.)   
 
And if we win enough precincts, we will win this state once again.  And when we win Virginia, we’ll be well on our way to putting Barack Obama back in the White House for four more years.  (Applause.)
 
So for the next 28 days -- 28 days -- we need you to work like you’ve never worked before.  You hear me?  Sign up with one of our volunteers here today to make phone calls, to knock on doors.  I want you -- more importantly -- to talk to everyone you know –- your friends, your neighbors, that nephew you know who's not registered.  Smack him in the back of the head.  (Laughter.)  The classmate you haven't talked to in years -- call them.  Tell them what’s at stake.  Make sure they register to vote. 
 
And see, this is important, because the voter registration deadline here in Virginia is Monday, October the 15th.  So it's coming, right?  So I don’t want anybody waking up on Election Day going, "I'm going to vote!" and they didn’t register.  (Laughter.)  Especially if you're a new voter, if you've moved, right?  Students, you've got a new address, you've got to reregister.  So you can get registered today, because we've got volunteers here with clipboards and forms today.  We are about action today. 
 
So if you are not registered, if you know somebody that you're with who's not registered, do not leave here until you've registered, okay?  You promise me?  (Applause.)  And you can also go to VoteBarackObama.com.  You can go to that website for everything you need to make your voices heard.  And then once folks are registered, make sure you get to the polls and cast your ballots on Election Day -- do that. 
 
And I'm going to be honest with you, because I have said this for the entire campaign -- this journey is going to be hard, all right?  Are we ready for this?  And there will be plenty of ups and downs over the next 28 days.  You understand?
 
AUDIENCE:  Yes!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  See, but when you start to get tired –- and you will -- when you start to think about taking a day off -– and you will -- I want you to remember, don’t do it!  (Laughter.)  And remember that what we do for the next 28 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.  (Applause.)  Four more years. 
 
So we need you all on board.  From now until November the 6th, we need you to keep on working, and struggling, and pushing forward.  Because that is how change always happens in this country -- I was just talking to some folks -- that’s how change always happens. 
 
But if we keep showing up, if we keep fighting the good fight, then eventually we get there -- we always do.  In America, we always move forward.  We always have.  Maybe not in our lifetimes, though -- here's the trick -- maybe in our children’s lifetimes, maybe in our grandchildren’s lifetimes.
 
Because in the end, that is what this is about.  That is what elections are always about -- don’t let anyone tell you any differently.  Elections are always about hope.  
 
The hope that I saw on my dad’s beaming face as I crossed the stage to get my college diploma.  The hope Barack’s grandmother felt as she cast her ballot for the grandson she loved and raised.  The hope that 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 have something more.  The hope that so many of us feel when we look into the eyes of our kids and grandkids today.  That’s what we're talking about.  That’s why we're here today -- because we want to give all our kids a foundation for their dreams -- all of them.
 
We want to give all of our children opportunities worthy of their promise, because we know that all of our kids are worthy -- opportunities to fulfill every last bit of their God-given potential.  We want to give these kids that sense of limitless possibility -- the 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 this is what I tell myself every morning:  We cannot turn back now.  Not now.  Not now.  We have come so far, but we've got so much more to do.
 
So let me ask you all one last thing, because I know you're already fired up -- (applause) -- but are you in?  Are you ready for this?  (Applause.)  28 days!  Roll up your sleeves!  We've got to get it done.  We need each and every one of you to work like never before.  Are you with me?  (Applause.) 
 
Thank you guys.  God bless.  Love you all so much.

END
6:03 P.M. EDT

Remarks by the President at a Campaign Event -- San Francisco, CA

Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
San Francisco, California

9:29 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, San Francisco!  (Applause.)  Thank you!  (Applause.)  Thank you, guys.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you, everybody.  I love you back.  Thank you, everybody.  (Applause.)

Now, there are a couple of people I want to acknowledge who are here tonight.  First of all, give it up for your mayor, Ed Lee, in the house.  (Applause.)  Your attorney general, Kamala Harris, is here.  (Applause.)  Got a couple of outstanding members of Congress -- Barbara Lee and Pete Stark.  (Applause.)  It appears that John Legend and Michael Franti did a pretty good job of firing you up.  (Applause.) 

And we’ve got two San Francisco 49ers, Alex Smith -- your quarterback Alex Smith, that tight-end Vernon Davis.  (Applause.)  I’ve had a chance to meet them.  They seem like wonderful young men and just so impressive and poised.  So I can’t help but wish them the best of luck until they play my Bears in Week 11.

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  What happened, what happened?  Come on.  (Laughter.)  Now, I know that was quite a show.  You guys have been having fun.  But now we’ve got to get down to business.  We’re here because we’ve got some work to do.  We’re here because we’ve got an election to win.  (Applause.)  We’re here because everything we fought for in 2008 is on the line in 2012.  And I’m going to need your help to finish what we started.  (Applause.)

Now, four years ago, I made a few commitments to you.  I told you I’d end the war in Iraq, and I did.  (Applause.)  I said I’d end the war in Afghanistan, and we are.  (Applause.)  I said we’d refocus on the people who actually attacked us on 9/11 -- and today, al Qaeda is on its heels and Osama bin Laden is no more.  (Applause.) 

Four years ago, I promised to cut taxes for middle-class families, and we have by $3600.  (Applause.)  I promised to cut taxes for small business owners, and we have 18 times.  We got back every dime used to rescue the banks, and we passed a law to end taxpayer-funded Wall Street bailouts for good.  (Applause.)

We passed health care reform, also known as, aka Obamacare -- (applause) -- and we did so because I do care.  I care that folks with preexisting conditions can still get insurance.  I care that your insurance companies don’t jerk you around.  I care that we make sure that being a woman is not considered a preexisting condition and an excuse to pay people more.  (Applause.) 

I told you that we would make sure that nobody who serves this country so bravely will ever be kicked out of the military because of who they are or who they love.  We ended “don’t ask, don’t tell.”  (Applause.) 

When Governor Romney said we should let Detroit go bankrupt, we said I don’t think we’re going to take your business advice.  We reinvented a dying auto industry that’s now back on top of the world.  (Applause.) 

Three years -- three years after the worst economic crisis of our lifetimes, our businesses have created more than 5 million new jobs.  (Applause.)  This past Friday, we found out that the unemployment rate had fallen from a height of 10 percent down to 7.8 [percent], the lowest level since I took office.  (Applause.)  Manufacturers are coming back to America.  Home values are on the rise. 

We are not there yet.  We’re not where we need to be yet.  There are still too many Americans looking for work, too many families who are having trouble paying the bills, too many homes underwater, too many young people burdened with debt from going to school.  But if there’s one thing I know, it is this:  We have come too far to turn back now.  (Applause.) 

The last thing we can afford, California, right now is four years of the very same policies that led us into the mess in the first place.  We’ve spent four years cleaning it up.  We don’t want another mess.  We can’t allow that to happen.  I won’t allow it to happen.  And that’s why I’m running for a second term for President of the United States of America.  (Applause.)  

I’ve seen too much pain and too much struggle to let this country get hit with another round of top-down economics.  The centerpiece of my opponent Governor Romney’s economic plan is a $5 trillion tax cut skewed towards the wealthy.  He’s been pitching this plan for almost two years now. 

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  No, no -- don’t boo, vote.  (Applause.)  He stood up on stage during one of the primary debates, proudly promised that he -- that his tax cuts would include the top 1 percent.  He promised this.  But most of the economists who crunched the numbers said Governor Romney’s plan would either blow up the deficit or raise taxes on the middle class.  It’s one or the other.  That's how arithmetic works.  (Laughter and applause.) 

So a few weeks ago, you can start seeing he’s figuring out, well, this isn’t maybe selling that well.  (Laughter.)  And then, a few nights ago -- (laughter) -- suddenly a guy pretending to be Mitt Romney stood on a stage next to me -- (laughter and applause) -- and said he’s changing his plan.  He is just going to pretend it doesn’t exist.  What $5 trillion tax cut?  (Laughter.)  I don’t know anything about a $5 trillion tax cut.  Don’t pay attention to that tax cut behind the curtain.  (Laughter.)  During the debate he said, “There is no economist who can say Mitt Romney’s tax plan adds $5 trillion to the deficit if I say I will not add to the deficit with my tax plan.”  (Laughter.) 

Thanks for clearing that up.  (Laughter.)  We’ll take your word for it.  (Laughter.)  This was almost as believable as when he said he’d bring down our deficit by going after what has been the biggest driver of our debt and deficits over the last decade -- public television, PBS.  (Laughter.)  You didn’t know this, but for all you moms and kids out there, you should have confidence that finally somebody is cracking down on Big Bird.  (Laughter.)  Elmo has been seen in a white Suburban.  He’s driving for the border.  (Laughter.)  Oscar is hiding out in his trashcan.  (Laughter.)  We’re cracking down on them.  Governor Romney’s plan is to let Wall Street run wild again, but he’s going to bring the hammer down on “Sesame Street.”  (Laughter and applause.)

Listen, after the debate, I had a bunch of folks come to me -- “Don't be so polite, don’t be so nice.”  (Laughter and applause.)  But I want everybody to understand something -- what was being presented wasn’t leadership, that's salesmanship.  (Applause.)  And we cannot afford another round of tax cuts for the wealthy.  We can’t afford to gut investments in education or clean energy or research and technology.  We can’t afford to roll back regulations on Wall Street banks, or major polluters, or insurance companies.  That is not a jobs plan.  That’s not a plan to grow the economy.  That’s not change we can believe in.  That's a relapse.  We have been there.  We have tried that.  We are not going back, we are moving forward.  That's why you’re here.  That's why I’m here.  That's why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States.  (Applause.) 

AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!

THE PRESIDENT:  We have a different vision about how you create jobs and prosperity in America.  We have to change our tax code so it stops rewarding companies that are shipping jobs overseas.  I want to reward small businesses and manufacturers who are investing and taking route right here in the United States of America.  (Applause.) 

We can create more jobs controlling our own energy.  After 30 years of inaction, we raised fuel standards so that by the middle of the next decade, your cars and trucks will go twice as far on a gallon of gas.  (Applause.)  That's good for our economy.  It’s good for our national security.  It’s good for our environment.  And today, the United States of America is less dependent on foreign oil than at any time in the last two decades.  (Applause.) 

So we don’t want to reverse that progress.  We’ve got to build on it.  My plan would cut our oil imports in half.  And we can invest in the clean energy that’s creating thousands of jobs all across America right now -- (applause) -- wind power and solar power and clean coal, fuel-efficient cars and long-lasting batteries.  We’re producing oil and natural gas at record rates.  But we have to make sure that we’re also grabbing for the future.  We can’t cede that to somebody else. 

And unlike my opponent, I will not allow oil companies to collect another $4 billion every single year in taxpayer-funded corporate welfare.  (Applause.)  I’m not going to let China win the race for clean energy technologies.  I want to see those technologies developed right here in California, right here in the United States of America.  (Applause.)  And as I said at the convention, yes, my plan will continue to reduce carbon pollution because climate change is not a hoax.  (Applause.)  \

Droughts, floods, wildfires -- they’re not a joke.  They’re a threat to our kids’ future.  That's what we’re fighting for. 
I believe we’ve got to have the best education system in the world.  (Applause.)  That will create jobs.  That's good for business -- making sure that everybody has the skills they need to compete and to be good citizens.  Education is the reason I’m standing here today.  (Applause.)  It’s why Michelle was able to do everything she’s done in her life.  It’s true for so many of all the folks here. 

So now we’ve got a choice.  We can gut education to pay for tax breaks that we don't need, or we can recruit 100,000 new math and science teachers -- (applause) -- focus on early childhood education, provide job training for 2 million more workers in our community colleges, help to lower tuition costs for our students going to college.  We can meet those goals.  That's what we’re fighting for.  That's what's at stake in the next 29 days.  That's why I’m running for a second term as President.  (Applause.) 

I want to use some of the money we’re saving from ending the wars in Iraq and winding down our efforts in Afghanistan to pay down our deficit; put people back to work all across America rebuilding roads and bridges, airports and schools.  Infrastructure -- that's what I’m talking about.  (Laughter.)  I’m pitching, you’re catching.

Governor Romney, he has a different view.  He said it was tragic to end the war in Iraq.  In a speech today, he doubled down on that belief.  He said ending the war was a mistake.  I disagree.  Bringing our troops home was the right thing to do.  (Applause.)

And every brave American who wears the uniform of this country should know that as long as I’m Commander-in-Chief we will sustain the strongest military the world has ever known.  And when our troops take off their uniforms, we will serve them as well as they’ve served us -- because nobody who has fought for us should have to fight for a job or a roof over their heads when they come home.  (Applause.)

And yes, we need to cut our deficit and reduce our debt.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  I love you.

THE PRESIDENT:  I love you back.  (Laughter.)  But we do have to reduce our debt and our deficits, and I’ve put forward a $4 trillion plan to get it done over the next 10 years.  We’ve already worked with Democrats and Republicans to cut a trillion dollars in spending.  I am ready to do more.  But we cannot just cut our way to prosperity.  We cannot get this done unless we ask the wealthiest households to pay higher taxes on incomes over $250,000 -- the same rate we had when Bill Clinton was President, we created 23 million new jobs, went from deficit to surplus, created a whole lot of millionaires and successful small businesses, as well.  (Applause.)

Governor Romney says it’s fair that he pays a lower tax rate than a teacher or an autoworker who makes $50,000.

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  Don't boo -- vote.  You know what, I refuse to ask middle-class families to give up their deductions for owning a home, or raising their kids to pay for a tax cut we don't need.  I refuse to pay for a tax cut for millionaires and billionaires by asking those students who are here today to pay more for college, or kicking kids off of Head Start, or eliminating health insurance for millions of Americans who are poor or elderly or disabled.  That is not what has built this country.  (Applause.)  That is not what we believe.  That is not what’s going to happen.  We are going to go forward, not backwards.  That's why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States.  (Applause.)

So, San Francisco, California, this is the choice we now face.  It’s what the election comes down to.  Over and over, we are told by opponents that since government can't do everything, it should do almost nothing.  Basic philosophy is, you’re on your own.  If you can't afford health insurance, hope you don't get sick.  Companies are releasing pollution that our kids are breathing, well, that's just the price of progress.  You can't afford to start a business or go to college, just borrow money from your parents.  (Laughter.)

That's not who we are.  That's not what this country is about.  Here in America, we believe in individual initiative.  We believe that we can't help folks who don't want to try to help themselves, but we also believe in opportunity.  We also believe we’re all in this together.  We also understand that America is not about what can be done for us; it’s about what can be done by us, together, as one nation, as one people.  (Applause.)  

That's what you all understood in 2008.  That's what change was about.  You -- all of us -- coming together.  You’re the reason there’s a little girl somewhere here in California who is going to get the care she needs because an insurance company can't impose some sort of lifetime limit on her coverage.  (Applause.) 

You’re the reason a factory worker who lost his job in Toledo or Lordstown, Ohio is back on the line building some of the best cars in the world. You’re the reason that a student right here has help paying for a college education, or a veteran can go to school on the New GI Bill. 

You’re the reason a young immigrant who grew up here and went to school here, pledged allegiance to our flag will no longer be deported from the only country she’s ever called home.  (Applause.)

You’re the reason why a soldier who has served us so bravely will not be kicked out of the military because of who they love.  (Applause.)  You made that happen.  You’re the reason that soldier can come home to his loved ones and hear those words, “welcome home.”  You made that happen.  (Applause.)

And so I need you in this election.  The next 29 days -- we cannot afford to be complacent, and we cannot afford to be cynical.  We’ve got to look back at the progress we’ve made, and that should give us confidence.  But we have to understand we’ve got a lot more to do, and if we don't do it, then change won’t happen.

Your voice will make a difference.  And if you don't make that difference, then other people will fill the void -- lobbyists and special interests, and the folks who write the $10 million checks to try to win this race, and the ones who are trying to make it harder for people to vote; the politicians in Washington who somehow think that they’ve got a better idea than women about women’s health care choices.  (Applause.)  Those are the folks that are going to be making decisions if you are not making those decisions.

Only you can make sure those things don't happen.  Only you’ve got the power to move us forward.  I will be there with you, but this is a team, people. 

From the day we began this campaign, I always said that change takes time.  We always said that it would take more than one term or even one President.  We said it would take more than one party.  And, by the way, no, it doesn't just take me.  That's not the deal.  The deal is it takes all of us.  That's the deal.  (Applause.)
It won’t happen if you’ve got somebody who writes off half the nation even before he takes office.  But it also won’t happen if half the nation writes off itself by not participating, or doesn't vote.  (Applause.) 

In 2008, 47 percent of the country didn't vote for me.  But on the night of the election, I said to all those Americans, I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices.  I need your help.  I’ll be your President, too.  (Applause.)  
I don't know how many of you will be with me this time around, but I’ll be with you.  I’ll be there fighting for you because I’m not fighting to create Democratic jobs or Republican jobs -- I’m fighting to create American jobs.  I’m not fighting to improve schools in red states or blue states -- I’m fighting to improve schools it the United States.  (Applause.)  I’m not fighting for red values or white values or black values or Latino values or gay or straight values -- I’m fighting for American values.  They belong to all of us.  (Applause.)

San Francisco, we are not as divided as our politics would suggest.  We’ve got more in common than our pundits believe.  I still believe in you.  I’m asking you to keep believing in me.  I’m asking for your vote.  I’m asking you to knock on doors.  I’m asking you to make phone calls.  And if you do, we will win this election.  We’ll finish what we started, and we’ll remind the world why the United States of America is the greatest nation on Earth.  (Applause.)

God bless you.  God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)

END
9:51 P.M. PDT

Remarks by the President at the Dedication of the Cesar Chavez National Monument, Keene, CA

La Paz, Chavez National Monument
Keene, California

11:50 A.M. PDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning!  Buenos dias!  (Applause.)  Si, se puede!  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Thank you so much.

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

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, everybody.  Thank you so much.  I am truly grateful to be here.  It is such a great honor to be with you on this beautiful day, a day that has been a long time coming. 

To the members of the Chavez family and those who knew and loved Cesar; to the men and women who've worked so hard for so long to preserve this place -- I want to say to all of you, thank you.  Your dedication, your perseverance made this day possible.
 
I want to acknowledge the members of my administration who have championed this project from the very beginning -- Secretary Ken Salazar, Secretary Hilda Solis, Nancy Sutley.  (Applause.)  To Governor Brown, Mayor Villaraigosa -- (applause) -- Congressman Grijalva -- they are here.  We are grateful for your presence.  And I also want to recognize my dear friend, somebody we're so proud of -- Arturo Rodriguez, the current president of the UFW.  (Applause.)   

Most of all, I want to thank Helen Chavez.  (Applause.)    In the years to come, generations of Americans will stand where we stand and see a piece of history -- a tribute to a great man and a great movement.  But to Helen, this will always be home.  It’s where she fought alongside the man that she loved; where she raised eight children and spoiled 31 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.  (Applause.)  This is where she continues to live out the rest of her days. 

So, Helen, today we are your guests.  We appreciate your hospitality, and you should feel free to kick us out whenever you want.  (Laughter.)

Today, La Paz joins a long line of national monuments -- stretching from the Statue of Liberty to the Grand Canyon -- monuments that tell the story of who we are as Americans.  It's a story of natural wonders and modern marvels; of fierce battles and quiet progress.  But it's also a story of people -- of determined, fearless, hopeful people who have always been willing to devote their lives to making this country a little more just and a little more free. 

One of those people lies here, beneath a rose garden at the foot of a hill he used to climb to watch the sun rise.  And so today we celebrate Cesar Chavez.  (Applause.) 

Cesar would be the first to say that this is not a monument to one man.  The movement he helped to lead was sustained by a generation of organizers who stood up and spoke out, and urged others to do the same -- including the great Dolores Huerta, who is here today.  (Applause.)  

It drew strength from Americans of every race and every background who marched and boycotted together on behalf of "La Causa."  And it was always inspired by the farm workers themselves, some of whom are with us.  This place belongs to you, too. 

But the truth is we would not be here if it weren’t for Cesar.  Growing up as the son of migrant workers who had lost their home in the Great Depression, Cesar wasn’t easy on his parents.  He described himself as "caprichoso" -- (laughter) -- capricious.  His brother Richard had another word for him -- (applause) -- stubborn. 

By the time he reached 7th grade, Cesar estimated he had attended 65 elementary schools, following the crop cycles with his family, working odd jobs, sometimes living in roadside tents without electricity or plumbing.  It wasn’t an easy childhood.  But Caesar always was different.  While other kids could identify all the hottest cars, he memorized the names of labor leaders and politicians.

After serving in the Navy during World War II, Cesar returned to the fields.  And it was a time of great change in America, but too often that change was only framed in terms of war and peace, black and white, young and old.  No one seemed to care about the invisible farm workers who picked the nation’s food -- bent down in the beating sun, living in poverty, cheated by growers, abandoned in old age, unable to demand even the most basic rights. 

But Cesar cared.  And in his own peaceful, eloquent way, he made other people care, too.  A march that started in Delano with a handful of activists -- (applause) -- that march ended 300 miles away in Sacramento with a crowd 10,000 strong.   (Applause.)  A boycott of table grapes that began in California eventually drew 17 million supporters across the country, forcing growers to agree to some of the first farm worker contracts in history.  Where there had once been despair, Cesar gave workers a reason to hope.  "What [the growers] don't know," he said, "is that it's not bananas or grapes or lettuce.  It's people."

It’s people.  More than higher wages or better working conditions, that was Cesar’s gift to us -- a reminder that we are all God’s children, that every life has value, that, in the words of one of his heroes, Dr. King, "we are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny."

Cesar didn’t believe in helping those who refused to help themselves, but he did believe that when someone who works 12 hours a day in the fields can earn enough to put food on the table and maybe save up enough to buy a home, that that makes our communities stronger, that lifts up our entire economy.

He believed that when a worker is treated fairly and humanely by their employer that adds meaning to the values this country was founded upon, and credence to the claim that out of many, we are one.  And he believed that when a child anywhere in America can dream beyond her circumstances and work to realize that dream, it makes all our futures just a little bit brighter. (Applause.) 

It was that vision, that belief in the power of opportunity that drove Cesar every day of his life.  It’s a vision that says, maybe I never had a chance to get a good education, but I want my daughter to go to college.  Maybe I started out working in the fields, but someday I’ll own my own business.  Maybe I have to make sacrifices, but those sacrifices are worth it if it means a better life for my family.

That’s the story of my ancestors; that’s the story of your ancestors.  It’s the promise that has attracted generations of immigrants to our shores from every corner of the globe, sometimes at great risk, drawn by the idea that no matter who you are, or what you look like, or where you come from, this is the place where you can make it if you try.  (Applause.)

Today, we have more work to do to fulfill that promise.  The recession we're fighting our way back from is still taking a toll, especially in Latino communities, which already faced higher unemployment and poverty rates.  Even with the strides we’ve made, too many workers are still being denied basic rights and simple respect.  But thanks to the strength and character of the American people, we are making progress.  Our businesses are creating more jobs.  More Americans are getting back to work.

And even though we have a difficult road ahead, I know we can keep moving forward together.  (Applause.)  I know it because Cesar himself worked for 20 years as an organizer without a single major victory -- think about that -- but he refused to give up.  He refused to scale back his dreams.  He just kept fasting and marching and speaking out, confident that his day would come. 

And when it finally did, he still wasn’t satisfied.  After the struggle for higher wages, Cesar pushed for fresh drinking water and worker’s compensation, for pension plans and safety from pesticides -- always moving, always striving for the America he knew we could be.

More than anything, that’s what I hope our children and grandchildren will take away from this place.  Every time somebody’s son or daughter comes and learns about the history of this movement, I want them to know that our journey is never hopeless, our work is never done.  I want them to learn about a small man guided by enormous faith -- in a righteous cause, a loving God, the dignity of every human being.  I want them to remember that true courage is revealed when the night is darkest and the resistance is strongest and we somehow find it within ourselves to stand up for what we believe in.  (Applause.)  

Cesar once wrote a prayer for the farm workers that ends with these words: 

Let the Spirit flourish and grow,
So that we will never tire of the struggle. 

Let us remember those who have died for justice,
For they have given us life. 

Help us love even those who hate,
So we can change the world.  (Applause.)

Our world is a better place because Cesar Chavez decided to change it.  Let us honor his memory.  But most importantly, let’s live up to his example.  (Applause.)   

Thank you.  God bless you.  (Applause.)  God bless America.  Si, se puede!  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE:  Si, se puede!  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Si, se puede.  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE:  Si, se puede!  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, everybody.  (Applause.)

END
12:04 P.M. PDT  

Remarks by the President at a Campaign Event

Nokia Theater

Los Angeles, California

6:20 P.M. PDT 

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, L.A.!  (Applause.)  Are you fired up?

AUDIENCE:  Fired up!

THE PRESIDENT:  Are you ready to go?

AUDIENCE:  Ready to go!

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you!  Thank you, L.A.!  (Applause.)  Thank you so much, everybody.  Everybody, thank you.  (Applause.) Thank you.  Thank you so much.  Thank you.  (Applause.) 

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

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you so much.  Thank you, everybody.  Everybody, have a seat.  Have a seat.  Now, first of all, I've got some thank-yous to make.  I am so grateful to George Clooney. Give it up for George.  (Applause.)  Jennifer Hudson.  (Applause.)  Old school -- Earth, Wind and Fire.  (Applause.)  Jon Bon Jovi.  (Applause.)  New school -- Katy Perry.  (Applause.)  Stevie Wonder.  (Applause.)  And I understand Katy had some choirs out, so give it up for the choirs.  (Applause.) 

I want to thank the members of Congress who came today, and I also want to thank two of our country's outstanding mayors -- Julian Castro, and your very own Antonio Villaraigosa.  (Applause.) 

Now, I've got to admit that even though my staff all came over early to get the show, I got left behind.  (Laughter.)  But my understanding is it was an incredible show.  (Applause.)  These guys -- and everybody here are just incredible professionals.  They're such great friends, and they just perform flawlessly night after night.  I can't always say the same.  (Laughter and applause.)  But here's the good news, is we've got a better vision for our country.  We have a better plan for the next four years.  (Applause.)  And that's why we're here tonight.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Love you!

THE PRESIDENT:  Love you back.  (Applause.) 

We've got some work to do.  We've got an election to win.  Everything we fought for in 2008 is on the line here in 2012.  And I need your help to finish what we started.  I need your help.  (Applause.) 

Four years ago, I told you I'd end the war in Iraq, and we did.  (Applause.)  I said I'd end the war in Afghanistan -- we are.  (Applause.)  I said we'd focus on the people who actually attacked us on 9/11, and today Osama bin Laden is no more.  (Applause.) 

Four years ago, I promised to cut taxes for middle-class families, and we have, by $3,600.  (Applause.)  I promised to cut taxes for small business owners, and we have, 18 times.  (Applause.) 

We got every dime back that was used to rescue the banks.  We passed a law to end taxpayer-funded Wall Street bailouts for good.  We passed health care reform -- also known as Obamacare -- because I do care about the American people.  (Applause.)  So your insurance companies can't jerk you around anymore, or tell you that being a women is somehow a preexisting condition.  (Applause.) 

We repealed "don't ask, don't tell" so no outstanding soldier is ever kicked out of the military because of who they love.  (Applause.) 

When Governor Romney tried to give us his business advice about the economy and said that we should "let Detroit go bankrupt," we said, no, thanks, we're not going to take that advice.  We reinvented a dying auto industry that's back on top of the world.  (Applause.) 

So three years ago, four years after that campaign that you were watching on that video, after the worst economic crisis of our lifetimes, our businesses have now created more than 5 million jobs.

(Applause.)  On Friday, we found out the unemployment rate has fallen from the height of 10 percent down to 7.8 percent -- (applause) -- the lowest since I took office.  Manufacturing is coming back to America.  Home values are on the rise. 

Now, we’re not there yet.  We’ve still got too many Americans looking for work, too many families who can’t pay the bills, too many homes underwater, too many young people graduating with too much debt.  (Applause.)  But if there’s one thing I know, we’ve come a long way and we’ve come too far to turn back now.  (Applause.) 

The last thing we can afford right now is four years of the very same policies that led us to this crisis in the first place. I cannot allow that to happen.  I will not let it happen.  That’s why I am running for a second term for President of the United States, and that’s why I need your help.  (Applause.)

I have seen too much pain and too much struggle to let this country go through another round of top-down economics.  One of the main reasons we had this crisis in the first place is because we had big banks on Wall Street that were allowed to make big bets with other people’s money on the line.  And now, Governor Romney wants to roll back the rules so we go back to that behavior?  Not if I have anything to say about it.

One of the main reasons we went from record surpluses under Bill Clinton to record deficits under George Bush is because we put two wars and two tax cuts on a credit card.  And now, Governor Romney wants another $5 trillion in tax cuts that he can’t pay for?  Not if I’ve got anything to say about it.  (Applause.)

Obviously, the Governor knows his $5 trillion isn’t too popular, so a few weeks before this election he’s trying to pretend it doesn’t exist, because that’s a lot easier than trying to explain how he’d pay for it without asking middle-class families to pick up the tab.  The other night he ruled out asking millionaires and billionaires to pay even a dime more in taxes to help us bring down our deficit.  Not a dime.  When he was asked what he’d actually do to cut spending, he said he’d go after public television.  So for all you moms and kids out there, don’t worry, somebody is finally cracking down on Big Bird -- cracking down on him.  (Laughter.)  Elmo has made a run for the border.

Governor Romney plans to let Wall Street run wild again, but he’s bringing the hammer down on Sesame Street.  (Laughter.) 

L.A., we can’t afford another round of tax cuts for folks who don’t need them.  We can’t afford to gut our investments in education or clean energy or research and technology.  We can’t afford to roll back regulations not just on Wall Street, but on oil companies and insurance companies.  That’s not a jobs plan.  That’s not a plan to grow our economy.  That’s not change.  It’s a relapse.  We’ve been there.  We have tried that.  We’re not going back.  (Applause.)  We are moving forward.  That’s why I’m running again.  That’s why I need your help.  (Applause.)

See, we’ve got a different view about how we create jobs and prosperity in America.  This country doesn’t succeed when only the top are doing well.  We succeed when the middle class is getting bigger, and people have ladders of opportunity to live out their dreams.  Our economy doesn’t grow from the top down.  It grows from the middle out and the bottom up.  We don’t believe that anybody is entitled to success in this country.  But we do believe in something called opportunity.  (Applause.)  

We believe in a country where hard work pays off and responsibility is rewarded, and everybody is getting a fair shot and everybody is doing their fair share and everybody is playing by the same rules.  That’s the country that I believe in.  That’s the country you believe in.  (Applause.)  That’s what I’ve been fighting for, for the last four years.  That’s why I’m running for a second term.  We’ve got a lot more work to do to make sure that everybody is taking part.  (Applause.)

So here's what we need to do.  We’ve got a lot more to do.  I think it’s time to change our tax code so we’re not rewarding jobs -- companies that are shipping jobs overseas.  (Applause.) 

I want to reward small businesses and manufacturers who make products that are stamped with three proud words:  Made in America.  (Applause.) 

I want us to control our own energy here in America.  After 30 years of inaction, we raised fuel standards so by the middle of the next decade, your cars and trucks will go twice as far on a gallon of gas -- and that means something here in Los Angeles. (Applause.) 

Today, the United States of America is less dependent on foreign oil than any time in the last two decades.  (Applause.)  So now it’s time to move forward.  My plan would cut our oil import in half, by investing in the clean energy that’s creating thousands of jobs all across America right now -- not just oil and natural gas, but wind power and solar and fuel-efficient cars and long-lasting batteries.  And unlike my opponent, I’m not going to allow oil companies to collect another $4 billion in taxpayer-funded corporate welfare.  (Applause.)  We’re not going to let China win the race for clean energy technology.  I want that technology developed right here in the United States, creating jobs right here in the United States, helping our environment right here in the United States.  That’s what we’re fighting for.  (Applause.) 

I want us to have the best education system in the world, make sure that Americans from every walk of life are getting the chance they need to get the skills they need to succeed.  I would not be standing here if it weren’t for an education that I couldn’t necessarily afford on my own.  (Applause.)  It was the gateway of opportunity for me, for Michelle, for so many of you. And now you’ve got a choice.  We could gut education to pay for Governor Romney’ $5 trillion tax break. 

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  Don’t boo -- vote.  (Applause.) 

Or we can recruit 100,000 new math and science teachers; improve our early-childhood education system; provide job training for 2 million workers at our community colleges; work with colleges and universities to cut the growth of tuition costs.  We can meet those goals.  We can make sure that every young person here in Los Angeles, here in California, here in the United States of America, no matter what they look like, no matter where they come from, if they’re willing to work hard, they can succeed, too.  That’s our goal.  That’s what we’re fighting for.  (Applause.) 

We'd use the money we’re saving from ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to pay down our deficit, but also to put people back to work -- rebuilding roads and bridges and schools all across America.  And every brave American who wears the uniform of this country should know that as long as I am Commander-in-Chief, we will sustain the strongest military the world has ever known.  And when our troops take off their uniform, we will serve them as well as they’ve served us -- because nobody who has fought for this country should have to fight for a job or a roof over their heads when they come home.  Let’s not just talk about honoring our veterans; let’s put our money where our mouth is.  That’s why I’m running for a second term.  (Applause.) 

Fifth, we need to cut the deficit, but we’ve got to do it in an intelligent way.  I’ve proposed cutting it by $4 trillion over the next 10 years, and I’ve already worked with Republicans to cut a trillion dollars of spending.  But we can’t get this done unless we also look at the other side of the ledger.  We don’t cut our way to prosperity.  We’ve got to ask the wealthiest among us to pay higher taxes on incomes over $250,000, which is the same rate we had when Bill Clinton was President -- our economy created nearly 23 million new jobs, the biggest surplus in history, and a lot of millionaires did well, too -- because when we give tax breaks to middle-income folks, to lower-income folks, they spend it.  They need to, to pay the bills, which means businesses end up with more customers, they make more profits, and that means they hire more workers.

Governor Romney said it’s fair that he pays a lower tax rate than a teacher or an auto worker that makes $50,000.  I think he’s wrong.

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  Don’t boo -- vote.  (Applause.) 

I refuse to ask middle-class families to give up their deductions for owning a home or raising their kids just to pay for another millionaire’s tax cut.  (Applause.)  I refuse to ask students to pay more for college, or kick children out of Head Start programs, or eliminate health insurance for millions of Americans who are poor or elderly or disabled just to pay for tax cuts we can’t afford.  And that’s the choice that we face in this election.  That’s what this election comes down to.

Over and over again, we’re told that since government can’t do everything, it should do almost nothing.  If you can’t afford health insurance, hope you don't get sick.  If a company releases pollution into the air your children breathe, well, that's the price of progress.  If you can’t afford to start a business or go to college, just borrow money from your parents.  (Laughter.) 

That's not who we are.  That's not what this country is about.  Here in America, we believe in individual initiative and self-reliance, but we also believe there are some things we do together.  We understand America is not just about what can be done for us.  It’s about what can be done by us, together, as one nation, as one people.  (Applause.)  You understood that in 2008. It’s true even more so now in 2012. 

Because of you, we’ve made progress.  You’re the reason there's a little girl with a heart disorder in Phoenix who gets the surgery she needs because insurance companies can’t limit her coverage.  (Applause.)  You’re the reason a factory worker who lost his job in Toledo is back on the line building the best cars in the world.  You’re the reason a student here in L.A. has help paying for her college.  (Applause.)  The reason a veteran can go to college on the New G.I. bill. 

You’re the reason a young immigrant who grew up here and went to school here and pledged allegiance to our flag will no longer be deported from the only country she’s ever called home. (Applause.)  You’re the reason that an outstanding soldier won’t be kicked out of the military because of who they are or who they love.  You’re the reason why thousands of families have finally been able to say to loved ones who served us so bravely:  "Welcome home."  (Applause.)  You’re the reason.

And if you turn back now, if you buy into the cynicism that everything that we fought for somehow isn’t possible, then of course change won’t happen.  If you give up on the idea that your voice can make a difference, then other voices will fill the void -- the lobbyists and the special interests, and the folks who are writing $10 million checks to beat me, and folks who are trying to keep making it harder for you to vote, the politicians in Washington who want to control the health care choices that women are perfectly capable of making themselves.  (Applause.) 

You’ve got to make sure that your voice is heard.  Only you can make sure that those things don't happen.  Only you’ve got the power to move us forward.  

I’ve always said -- I said this back in 2008 -- that change, real change, takes time.  It takes more than one term or one President.  It takes more than one party.  (Applause.)  It can’t happen if you write off half the nation before you even take office.  (Applause.)   

Back in 2008 -- everybody always remembers the victory, but they don't always remember the bumps in the road.  Things always look good in retrospect.  But in the middle of it, we were -- we made all kinds of mistakes.  We goofed up.  I goofed up.  But the American people carried us forward.  (Applause.)  And even with all the things we had going for us -- all the way that things just kind of converged, 47 percent of the country still didn’t vote for me.  (Laughter.)  I just want to point that out.  (Laughter.)  

But on the night of the election, I said to all those Americans, I may not have your vote, but I hear your voices.  I need your help.  I’ll be your President, too.  (Applause.)  And I don't know how many will vote for me this time, but I want you to know I’ll be there for you no matter what.  (Applause.)  I’ll be fighting just as hard for you as I am for somebody who did vote for me -- because I’m not fighting to create Republican jobs or Democratic jobs; I’m fighting to create American jobs.  (Applause.)  I’m not fighting to improve schools in red states or blue states; I’m fighting to improve schools in the United States. 

The values we believe in don’t belong to any one group or one party -- they’re not black or white, or Asian or Latino or Native American, gay, straight, abled, disabled -- they are American values; they belong to all of us.  (Applause.)   

And I still believe we’re not as divided as our politics suggest.  (Applause.)  I still believe we’ve got more in common than the pundits tell us.  And most of all, I still believe in you.  (Applause.)  I still believe in you, and I am asking you to keep on believing in me.  (Applause.)  I am asking you for your vote.  I am asking you to get out there and work. 

If you are willing to stand with me, if you’re willing to work with me, if you’re willing to knock on some doors with me and make some phone calls with me -- (applause) -- if you’re willing to email and tweet, and call your friends and call your neighbors, talk to your cousins, talk to grandma and grandpa -- if you will do that, we will finish what we started in 2008.  (Applause.)  We will win this election.  And we’ll remind the world why the United States of America is the greatest nation on Earth.  (Applause.)  

Thank you, California.  God bless you and God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.) 

                         END     6:42 P.M. PDT