Remarks by the President at the Democratic National Convention

Time Warner Cable Arena
Charlotte, North Carolina

September 6, 2012

10:24 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  I am so thrilled and so honored and so proud to introduce the love of my life, the father of our two girls, and the President of the United States of America -- Barack Obama.  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Thank you so much.

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

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you so much.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you very much, everybody.  Thank you.

Michelle, I love you so much.  A few nights ago, everybody was reminded just what a lucky man I am.  (Applause.)  Malia and Sasha, we are so proud of you.  And, yes, you do have to go to school in the morning.  (Laughter.)

And, Joe Biden, thank you for being the very best Vice President I could have ever hoped for, and being a strong and loyal friend.  (Applause.)
 
Madam Chairwoman, delegates, I accept your nomination for President of the United States.  (Applause.)

Now, the first time I addressed this convention in 2004, I was a younger man, a Senate candidate from Illinois, who spoke about hope -- not blind optimism, not wishful thinking, but hope in the face of difficulty; hope in the face of uncertainty; that dogged faith in the future which has pushed this nation forward, even when the odds are great, even when the road is long.
 
Eight years later, that hope has been tested by the cost of war, by one of the worst economic crises in history, and by political gridlock that’s left us wondering whether it’s still even possible to tackle the challenges of our time.
  
I know campaigns can seem small, even silly sometimes.  Trivial things become big distractions.  Serious issues become sound bites.  The truth gets buried under an avalanche of money and advertising.  If you’re sick of hearing me approve this message, believe me, so am I.  (Laughter and applause.)
 
But when all is said and done -- when you pick up that ballot to vote -- you will face the clearest choice of any time in a generation.  Over the next few years, big decisions will be made in Washington on jobs, the economy, taxes and deficits, energy, education, war and peace -- decisions that will have a huge impact on our lives and on our children’s lives for decades to come. 
   
And on every issue, the choice you face won’t just be between two candidates or two parties.  It will be a choice between two different paths for America, a choice between two fundamentally different visions for the future.

Ours is a fight to restore the values that built the largest middle class and the strongest economy the world has ever known  -- (applause) -- the values my grandfather defended as a soldier in Patton’s Army, the values that drove my grandmother to work on a bomber assembly line while he was gone.

They knew they were part of something larger -- a nation that triumphed over fascism and depression; a nation where the most innovative businesses turned out the world’s best products. And everyone shared in that pride and success, from the corner office to the factory floor.
 
My grandparents were given the chance to go to college, buy their own home, and fulfill the basic bargain at the heart of America’s story -- the promise that hard work will pay off, that responsibility will be rewarded, that everyone gets a fair shot and everyone does their fair share and everyone plays by the same rules from Main Street to Wall Street to Washington, D.C.  (Applause.)
 
And I ran for President because I saw that basic bargain slipping away.  I began my career helping people in the shadow of a shuttered steel mill at a time when too many good jobs were starting to move overseas.  And by 2008, we had seen nearly a decade in which families struggled with costs that kept rising but paychecks that didn’the; folks racking up more and more debt just to make the mortgage or pay tuition, put gas in the car or food on the table.  And when the house of cards collapsed in the Great Recession, millions of innocent Americans lost their jobs, their homes, their life savings -- a tragedy from which we’re still fighting to recover.
  
Now, our friends down in Tampa at the Republican Convention were more than happy to talk about everything they think is wrong with America.  But they didn’t have much to say about how they’d make it right.  (Applause.)  They want your vote, but they don’t want you to know their plan.  And that’s because all they have to offer is the same prescriptions they’ve had for the last 30 years -- Have a surplus?  Try a tax cut.  Deficit too high?  Try another.  Feel a cold coming on?  Take two tax cuts, roll back some regulations and call us in the morning.  (Applause.)
 
Now, I’ve cut taxes for those who need it -- middle-class families, small businesses.  But I don’t believe that another round of tax breaks for millionaires will bring good jobs to our shores or pay down our deficit.  I don’t believe that firing teachers or kicking students off financial aid will grow the economy, or help us compete with the scientists and engineers coming out of China.  (Applause.)

After all we’ve been through, I don’t believe that rolling back regulations on Wall Street will help the small businesswoman expand or the laid-off construction worker keep his home. 

We have been there.  We’ve tried that and we’re not going back.  We are moving forward, America.  (Applause.)
  
Now, I won’t pretend the path I’m offering is quick or easy. I never have.  You didn’t elect me to tell you what you wanted to hear.  You elected me to tell you the truth.  (Applause.)

And the truth is it will take more than a few years for us to solve challenges that have built up over decades.  It will require common effort and shared responsibility, and the kind of bold, persistent experimentation that Franklin Roosevelt pursued during the only crisis worse than this one.  (Applause.)  And, by the way, those of us who carry on his party’s legacy should remember that not every problem can be remedied with another government program or dictate from Washington.
 
But know this, America -- our problems can be solved.  (Applause.)  Our challenges can be met.  The path we offer may be harder, but it leads to a better place.  And I’m asking you to choose that future.  (Applause.)
 
I’m asking you to rally around a set of goals for your country -- goals in manufacturing, energy, education, national security, and the deficit -- real, achievable plans that will lead to new jobs, more opportunity and rebuild this economy on a stronger foundation.   That’s what we can do in the next four years -- and that is 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 can choose a future where we export more products and outsource fewer jobs.  After a decade that was defined by what we bought and borrowed, we’re getting back to basics, and doing what America has always done best:  We are making things again.  (Applause.) 

I’ve met workers in Detroit and Toledo -- (applause) -- who feared they’d never build another American car.  And today, they can’t build them fast enough, because we reinvented a dying auto industry that’s back on the top of the world.  (Applause.)   

I’ve worked with business leaders who are bringing jobs back to America -- not because our workers make less pay, but because we make better products.  Because we work harder and smarter than anyone else.  (Applause.) 

I’ve signed trade agreements that are helping our companies sell more goods to millions of new customers -- goods that are stamped with three proud words:  Made in America.  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE:  U.S.A!  U.S.A.!  U.S.A.!

THE PRESIDENT:  And after a decade of decline, this country created over half a million manufacturing jobs in the last two and a half years. 

And now you have a choice:  We can give more tax breaks to corporations that ship jobs overseas, or we can start rewarding companies that open new plants and train new workers and create new jobs here, in the United States of America.  (Applause.)  We can help big factories and small businesses double their exports, and if we choose this path, we can create a million new manufacturing jobs in the next four years.  You can make that happen.  You can choose that future.

You can choose the path where we control more of our own energy.  After 30 years of inaction, we raised fuel standards so that by the middle of the next decade, cars and trucks will go twice as far on a gallon of gas.  (Applause.)  We have doubled our use of renewable energy, and thousands of Americans have jobs today building wind turbines and long-lasting batteries.  In the last year alone, we cut oil imports by 1 million barrels a day -- more than any administration in recent history.  And today, the United States of America is less dependent on foreign oil than at any time in the last two decades.  (Applause.)

So now you have a choice -- between a strategy that reverses this progress, or one that builds on it.  We’ve opened millions of new acres for oil and gas exploration in the last three years, and we’ll open more.  But unlike my opponent, I will not let oil companies write this country’s energy plan, or endanger our coastlines, or collect another $4 billion in corporate welfare from our taxpayers.  We’re offering a better path.  (Applause.)  
We’re offering a better path, where we -- a future where we keep investing in wind and solar and clean coal; where farmers and scientists harness new biofuels to power our cars and trucks; where construction workers build homes and factories that waste less energy; where we develop a hundred-year supply of natural gas that’s right beneath our feet.  If you choose this path, we can cut our oil imports in half by 2020 and support more than 600,000 new jobs in natural gas alone.  (Applause.) 

And, yes, my plan will continue to reduce the carbon pollution that is heating our planet -- because climate change is not a hoax.  More droughts and floods and wildfires are not a joke.  They are a threat to our children’s future.  And in this election, you can do something about it.  (Applause.)

You can choose a future where more Americans have the chance to gain the skills they need to compete, no matter how old they are or how much money they have.  Education was the gateway to opportunity for me.  It was the gateway for Michelle.  It was the gateway for most of you.  And now more than ever, it is the gateway to a middle-class life. 

For the first time in a generation, nearly every state has answered our call to raise their standards for teaching and learning.  Some of the worst schools in the country have made real gains in math and reading.  Millions of students are paying less for college today because we finally took on a system that wasted billions of taxpayer dollars on banks and lenders.  (Applause.)

And now you have a choice -- we can gut education, or we can decide that in the United States of America, no child should have her dreams deferred because of a crowded classroom or a crumbling school.  (Applause.)  No family should have to set aside a college acceptance letter because they don’t have the money.  No company should have to look for workers overseas because they couldn’t find any with the right skills here at home.  That’s not our future.  That is not our future.  (Applause.)   

And government has a role in this.  But teachers must inspire; principals must lead; parents must instill a thirst for learning.  And, students, you’ve got to do the work.  (Applause.) And together, I promise you, we can out-educate and out-compete any nation on Earth.  (Applause.)   

So help me.  Help me recruit 100,000 math and science teachers within 10 years and improve early-childhood education.  Help give 2 million workers the chance to learn skills at their community college that will lead directly to a job.  (Applause.) Help us work with colleges and universities to cut in half the growth of tuition costs over the next 10 years.  We can meet that goal together.  You can choose that future for America.  (Applause.)  That’s our future.

In a world of new threats and new challenges, you can choose leadership that has been tested and proven.  Four years ago, I promised to end the war in Iraq.  We did.  (Applause.)  I promised to refocus on the terrorists who actually attacked us on 9/11.  And we have.  (Applause.)  We’ve blunted the Taliban’s momentum in Afghanistan, and in 2014, our longest war will be over.  (Applause.) 

A new tower rises above the New York skyline; al Qaeda is on the path to defeat; and Osama bin Laden is dead.  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE:  U.S.A.!  U.S.A.!  U.S.A.!

THE PRESIDENT:  Tonight, we pay tribute to the Americans who still serve in harm’s way.  We are forever in debt to a generation whose sacrifice has made this country safer and more respected.  We will never forget you.  And so long as I’m Commander-in-Chief, we will sustain the strongest military the world has ever known.  (Applause.)  When you take off the uniform, we will serve you as well as you’ve served us -- because no one who fights for this country should have to fight for a job, or a roof over their heads, or the care that they need when they come home.  (Applause.)

Around the world, we’ve strengthened old alliances and forged new coalitions to stop the spread of nuclear weapons.  We’ve reasserted our power across the Pacific and stood up to China on behalf of our workers.  From Burma to Libya to South Sudan, we have advanced the rights and dignity of all human beings -- men and women; Christians and Muslims and Jews.  (Applause.)

But for all the progress that we’ve made, challenges remain. Terrorist plots must be disrupted.  Europe’s crisis must be contained.  Our commitment to Israel’s security must not waver, and neither must our pursuit of peace.  (Applause.)  The Iranian government must face a world that stays united against its nuclear ambitions.  The historic change sweeping across the Arab world must be defined not by the iron fist of a dictator or the hate of extremists, but by the hopes and aspirations of ordinary people who are reaching for the same rights that we celebrate here today.  (Applause.)

So now we have a choice.  My opponent and his running mate are new to foreign policy -- (laughter and applause) -- but from all that we’ve seen and heard, they want to take us back to an era of blustering and blundering that cost America so dearly.
After all, you don’t call Russia our number-one enemy -- not al Qaeda -- Russia -- unless you’re still stuck in a Cold War mind warp.  (Applause.)  You might not be ready for diplomacy with Beijing if you can’t visit the Olympics without insulting our closest ally.  (Applause.) 

My opponent said that it was "tragic" to end the war in Iraq.  And he won’t tell us how he’ll end the war in Afghanistan. Well, I have -- and I will.  (Applause.)

And while my opponent would spend more money on military hardware that our Joint Chiefs don’t even want, I will use the money we’re no longer spending on war to pay down our debt and put more people back to work rebuilding roads and bridges and schools and runways.  Because after two wars that have cost us thousands of live and over a trillion dollars, it’s time to do some nation-building right here at home.  (Applause.)

You can choose a future where we reduce our deficit without sticking it to the middle class.  Independent experts say that my plan would cut our deficit by $4 trillion.  And last summer I worked with Republicans in Congress to cut a billion [trillion] dollars in spending -- because those of us who believe government can be a force for good should work harder than anyone to reform it so that it’s leaner and more efficient and more responsive to the American people.  (Applause.)

I want to reform the tax code so that it’s simple, fair, and asks the wealthiest households to pay higher taxes on incomes over $250,000 -- the same rate we had when Bill Clinton was President; the same rate when our economy created nearly 23 million new jobs, the biggest surplus in history and a whole lot of millionaires to boot.  (Applause.)

Now, I’m still eager to reach an agreement based on the principles of my bipartisan debt commission.  No party has a monopoly on wisdom.  No democracy works without compromise.  I want to get this done, and we can get it done.  But when Governor Romney and his friends in Congress tell us we can somehow lower our deficits by spending trillions more on new tax breaks for the wealthy, well, what did Bill Clinton call it -- you do the arithmetic.  (Applause.)  You do the math.  (Applause.)

I refuse to go along with that and as long as I’m President, I never will.  (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 and elderly or disabled -- all so those with the most can pay less.  I’m not going along with that.  (Applause.)

And I will never -- I will never -- turn Medicare into a voucher.  (Applause.)  No American should ever have to spend their golden years at the mercy of insurance companies.  They should retire with the care and the dignity that they have earned.  Yes, we will reform and strengthen Medicare for the long haul, but we’ll do it by reducing the cost of health care -- not by asking seniors to pay thousands of dollars more.  (Applause.)

And we will keep the promise of Social Security by taking the responsible steps to strengthen it, not by turning it over to Wall Street.  (Applause.)

This is the choice we now face.  This is what the election comes down to.  Over and over, we’ve been told by our opponents that bigger tax cuts and fewer regulations are the only way -- that since government can’t do everything, it should do almost nothing.  If you can’t afford health insurance, hope that you don’t get sick.  If a company releases toxic 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, take my opponent’s advice and borrow money from your parents.  (Laughter and applause.)

You know what, that’s not who we are.  That’s not what this country’s about.  As Americans, we believe we are endowed by our Creator with certain, inalienable rights -- rights that no man or government can take away.  We insist on personal responsibility and we celebrate individual initiative.  We’re not entitled to success -- we have to earn it.  We honor the strivers, the dreamers, the risk-takers, the entrepreneurs who have always been the driving force behind our free enterprise system, the greatest engine of growth and prosperity that the world’s ever known.

But we also believe in something called citizenship.  (Applause.)  Citizenship:  a word at the very heart of our founding; a word at the very essence of our democracy; the idea that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another and to future generations. 

We believe that when a CEO pays his autoworkers enough to buy the cars that they build, the whole company does better.  (Applause.)  We believe that when a family can no longer be tricked into signing a mortgage they can’t afford, that family is protected, but so is the value of other people’s homes and so is the entire economy.  (Applause.)  We believe the little girl who’s offered an escape from poverty by a great teacher or a grant for college could become the next Steve Jobs or the scientist who cures cancer or the President of the United States, and it is in our power to give her that chance.  (Applause.)

We know that churches and charities can often make more of a difference than a poverty program alone.  We don’t want handouts for people who refuse to help themselves and we certainly don’t want bailouts for banks that break the rules.  (Applause.)  We don’t think that government can solve all of our problems, but we don’t think that government is the source of all of our problems -- any more than are welfare recipients, or corporations, or unions, or immigrants, or gays, or any other group we’re told to blame for our troubles.  (Applause.)

Because, America, we understand that this democracy is ours. We, the people, recognize that we have responsibilities as well as rights; that our destinies are bound together; that a freedom which asks only "what’s in it for me," a freedom without commitment to others, a freedom without love or charity or duty or patriotism is unworthy of our founding ideals and those who died in their defense.  (Applause.)

As citizens, we understand that America is not about what can be done for us; it’s about what can be done by us, together, through the hard and frustrating, but necessary work of self-government.  That’s what we believe.  (Applause.)

So, you see, the election four years ago wasn’t about me.  It was about you.  (Applause.)  My fellow citizens, you were the change.  (Applause.)  You’re the reason there’s a little girl with a heart disorder in Phoenix who will get the surgery she needs because an insurance company can’t limit her coverage.  You did that.  (Applause.) 

You’re the reason a young man in Colorado who never thought he’d be able to afford his dream of earning a medical degree is about to get that chance.  You made that possible.  (Applause.)

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) -- why selfless soldiers won’t be kicked out of the military because of who they are or who they love; why thousands of families have finally been able to say to the loved ones who served us so bravely: “Welcome home."  "Welcome home.”  You did that.  You did that.  You did that.  (Applause.) 

If you turn away now -- if you buy into the cynicism that the change we fought for isn’t possible, well, change will not 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 special interests; the people with the $10 million checks who are trying to buy this election and those who are making it harder for you to vote; Washington politicians who want to decide who you can marry, or control health care choices that women should be making for themselves.  (Applause.)

Only you can make sure that doesn’t happen.  Only you have the power to move us forward.  (Applause.)   

I recognize that times have changed since I first spoke to this convention.  The times have changed, and so have I.  I’m no longer just a candidate.  I’m the President.  (Applause.) 

And that means I know what it means to send young Americans into battle, for I have held in my arms the mothers and fathers of those who didn’t return.  I’ve shared the pain of families who’ve lost their homes, and the frustration of workers who’ve lost their jobs. 

If the critics are right that I’ve made all my decisions based on polls, then I must not be very good at reading them.  (Laughter.)  And while I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved together, I’m far more mindful of my own failings, knowing exactly what Lincoln meant when he said, "I have been driven to my knees many times by the overwhelming conviction that I had no place else to go."  (Applause.)

But as I stand here tonight, I have never been more hopeful about America.  Not because I think I have all the answers.  Not because I’m naïve about the magnitude of our challenges.  I’m hopeful because of you. 

The young woman I met at a science fair who won national recognition for her biology research while living with her family at a homeless shelter -- she gives me hope.  (Applause.)

The autoworker who won the lottery after his plant almost closed, but kept coming to work every day, and bought flags for his whole town, and one of the cars that he built to surprise his wife -- he gives me hope.  (Applause.)

The family business in Warroad, Minnesota, that didn’t lay off a single one of their 4,000 employees when the recession hit, even when their competitors shut down dozens of plants, even when it meant the owner gave up some perks and some pay because they understood that their biggest asset was the community and the workers who had helped build that business -- they give me hope. (Applause.)  

I think about the young sailor I met at Walter Reed hospital, still recovering from a grenade attack that would cause him to have his leg amputated above the knee.  Six months ago, we would watch him walk into a White House dinner honoring those who served in Iraq, tall and 20 pounds heavier, dashing in his uniform, with a big grin on his face, sturdy on his new leg.  And I remember how a few months after that I would watch him on a bicycle, racing with his fellow wounded warriors on a sparkling spring day, inspiring other heroes who had just begun the hard path he had traveled -- he gives me hope.  He gives me hope.  (Applause.)  

I don’t know what party these men and women belong to.  I don’t know if they’ll vote for me.  But I know that their spirit defines us.  They remind me, in the words of Scripture, that ours is a "future filled with hope." 

And if you share that faith with me -- if you share that hope with me -- I ask you tonight for your vote.  (Applause.)  If you reject the notion that this nation’s promise is reserved for the few, your voice must be heard in this election.  If you reject the notion that our government is forever beholden to the highest bidder, you need to stand up in this election.  (Applause.)  

If you believe that new plants and factories can dot our landscape, that new energy can power our future, that new schools can provide ladders of opportunity to this nation of dreamers; if you believe in a country where everyone gets a fair shot, and everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same rules -- then I need you to vote this November.  (Applause.)  

America, I never said this journey would be easy, and I won’t promise that now.  Yes, our path is harder, but it leads to a better place.  Yes, our road is longer, but we travel it together.  We don’t turn back.  We leave no one behind.  We pull each other up.  We draw strength from our victories, and we learn from our mistakes, but we keep our eyes fixed on that distant horizon, knowing that Providence is with us, and that we are surely blessed to be citizens of the greatest nation on Earth.  

Thank you.  God bless you.  (Applause.)  And God bless these United States.  (Applause.)

END
11:04 P.M. EDT

Remarks by Dr. Jill Biden at the Democratic National Convention

Charlotte Convention Center
Charlotte, North Carolina

9:15 P.M. EDT

DR. BIDEN:  What a night!  What a crowd!  (Applause.)  

Thank you, Angie.  I’m so proud of you and how far you’ve come.

I’m so proud to stand before you tonight not only as the wife of our Vice President, but as a full-time teacher and a military mom.  (Applause.)  I’m here for our son, Beau, and for all of our troops, veterans and military families.  (Applause.)

Four years ago, Beau stood on this stage to introduce his father, and soon afterward, he deployed to Iraq for a year with the Delaware Army National Guard.  (Applause.)  Tonight, thanks to the leadership of President Obama and my husband, Joe, the war in Iraq is over.  (Applause.) 

I’m also here tonight for my students -- students like Angie who work so hard to create a better life for themselves and their families.  I’ve been a teacher for more than 30 years, and to this day, I continue to teach full-time at a community college in Northern Virginia.  (Applause.)    

Not long after Joe was elected Vice President, people started questioning whether I could keep teaching.  Not Joe.  He was there, standing by my side, saying, "Of course you should. It’s who you are, Jill."  For me, being a teacher isn’t just what I do -- it’s who I am.  (Applause.)  These issues are personal to me.  And for the more than 37 years that I’ve known Joe, I’ve seen firsthand just how personal they are to him, too.

Joe often tells people that I didn’t agree to marry him until the fifth time he asked me.  (Laughter.)  The truth is that I loved him from the start.  I saw in him then the same character that I see in him today.  I’ve seen Joe’s character in his optimism.  For families who have lost a loved one, kids struggling to find their way, workers out of a job, Joe always works to give people a sense of hope.  (Applause.)   

I’ve also seen Joe’s character in his determination.  Two decades ago, when Joe started working on the Violence Against Women Act -- (applause) -- domestic violence was often treated as a private family matter rather than the crime it is.  But Joe knew that he had to bring this issue out into the open.  And in the years since that bill has passed, I’ve had women tell me that their sisters or their friends wouldn’t be alive today if it weren’t for Joe.  (Applause.)  

Finally, I’ve seen Joe’s character in his heart.  When I first met him, Joe had already seen just how fragile life could be.  When he was 29 years old, Joe lost his first wife and baby daughter in a tragic car accident while they were out getting their Christmas tree, and their boys were critically injured.
Joe’s life was shattered.  But through his strong Catholic faith and his fierce love for our boys, Joe found the strength to get back up.

That’s Joe -- (applause) -- that optimism, that determination, that big, strong heart that drives him forward every day.  It’s what he learned as a young boy growing up with two hardworking parents in Scranton, Pennsylvania.  (Applause.)  It’s what makes him such a loving and supportive father of our three children -- Beau, Hunter, and Ashley.  And it’s what drives him today as he and President Obama fight to strengthen the middle class they grew up in.

For as long as I’ve known him, Joe has never given up, never failed to see the possibilities, and never had any doubt about who he’s fighting for.  And as long as he has the privilege of serving this nation, I know, from the bottom of my heart, that he will continue to fight for you every day.

Thank you.  God bless our troops, and God bless our military families.  Thank you.  (Applause.) 

END                         
9:21 P.M. EDT

Remarks by the First Lady and Dr. Jill Biden to the Women's Caucus at the Democratic National Convention

Charlotte Convention Center
Charlotte, North Carolina

11:37 A.M. EDT
 
MRS. BIDEN: Thank you, Mame, for that introduction and for your leadership of the Women’s Caucus. It’s so exciting to be here. (Applause.) I know you are hearing speeches all week, so I’m going to be brief. Mostly I want to thank you -- I want you all to know how much we appreciate everything that you are doing for this campaign all across the country.
 
And as you know, there’s so much at stake in this election. I don’t know about you, but over these last few weeks and months, it’s become more and more clear that we can’t go back and fight the same battles we’ve fought. (Applause.)
 
We’ve been fighting them for years, and even decades, and believe me, I’m old enough that I know those fights in the '60s. From the choices we’ve made about health care to the pay we earn at the workplace, the choice women face in this election couldn’t be clearer. One thing we know for sure is that our President and our Vice President have our backs. (Applause.) And we’ve got to make sure that the other women in our lives know just how important it is that we’ve got Joe and Barack’s backs as well. (Applause.)
 
So I want to ask you to do your part to move this country forward. We simply can’t leave all the passion and enthusiasm right here in Charlotte, North Carolina. We’ve got to get out and work all across this country.
 
That’s something that Michelle is going to talk to you about in a few minutes. She's someone who has been a wonderful supporter and partner to me over the past four years. She has been an incredible, inspiring example for all of us, but more than ever, I’m just proud to call her my friend. (Applause.)
 
So please join me in welcoming our First Lady, Michelle Obama. (Applause.)
 
MRS. OBAMA: Oh, yes! (Applause.) All right. This is good stuff. Okay, everybody, rest yourselves -- (laughter) -- because I’m going to ask you to do some work. So I want you to be sitting -- (laughter) -- when I give you that charge.
 
AUDIENCE MEMBER: We love you, Michelle!
 
MRS. OBAMA: Love you guys. Love you so much. (Applause.)
 
And let me just say, to say that I am thrilled to be here is an understatement. For me and Jill, you all fire us up. you get us focused on what we need to do. So thank you all so much.
 
And I want to thank Jill, because there is nothing “second” about this lady. (Laughter and applause.) I am always amazed. First of all, she always looks good. She looks like this in the morning, she looks like this when we’re doing service, when she’s playing with that big, huge dog they have. (Laughter.) He’s like a wolf. (Laughter.) But he’s very sweet.
 
So she is beautiful, she is incredibly kind, and the fact that she has been able to manage this role as being the wife of the Vice President -- and she is a full-time teacher -- is just a testament to her. (Applause.) And she has got the best kids and grandkids you’d ever want to meet. So she is still mom-in-chief as well. So let’s give a hand to my partner and friend, Jill Biden. (Applause.)
 
And again, I want to thank Mame for her leadership, for that wonderful, kind, generous introduction. Mame, you’re doing an outstanding job. Thank you so much. (Applause.)
 
And I know that we have a lot of elected officials and members of the administration here today. I see all of my good women out there. Thank you, guys, for being here. Thank you for working so hard and fighting the good fight every single day. Thank you, guys. (Applause.)
 
Now, I don’t know about all of you, but I think we have had a pretty amazing week here in Charlotte. (Applause.) And from the energy and enthusiasm that we’re seeing, again, not just in the caucuses, but on the streets and just in -- it’s just palpable. It is so clear that folks are fired up. That’s for sure.
 
And I think President Clinton did a phenomenal job last night, didn’t he? (Applause.) I think that he and the other speakers once again reminded us of the values and vision that we all share. That’s all we’ve been talking about, right? The values we’re talking about are ones that we all hold dear. Hard work should be rewarded -- that’s how we were raised, that everyone in this country has something special and valuable to contribute, and that we should all have a fair chance to succeed if we’re willing to put that work in -- which we are.
 
And today, I want to thank all of you -- all of you and so many more. There are women all over this country who are doing that work, playing that critical role in making that vision a reality. Because we have to work for that vision, women. It just doesn’t happen. And I want to thank you for everything that you’ve been doing every day to lift up our communities and to move this country forward -- and make sure that all of our children have opportunities worthy of their promise, right?
 
And whether it’s investing in our schools, whether it’s signing the Lilly Ledbetter Act to help women get equal pay for equal work -- (applause) -- whether it’s passing health reform so that all of our families can get the care they deserve, my husband and his partner, Joe Biden, have had our backs as women every single day. Every single day. (Applause.)
 
And I know that my husband has fought these battles not just as President -- I said this in my speech -- he’s fought them as a son, as a grandson, as a husband, and as the father of our two amazing daughters. (Applause.) So Barack understands the challenges women face. I think that’s been made abundantly clear.
 
And we know that he will keep fighting every single day to ensure that all of our daughters have no limits to their dreams. That’s over. (Applause.) That there are no second-class citizens in our workplace -- that’s got to be over. That we as women can make our own decisions about our bodies and about our health care -- that is over. (Applause.)
 
And that’s why I know all of you are here today -- because you know that all of that and so much more, it’s on the line. It’s all at stake this November. All those gains, all that struggle can be gone.
 
And I know that you’re here because you believe, like I believe, that my husband has been an extraordinary President. (Applause.) And he has what it takes -- he’s got the vision, he’s got the character, the wisdom, the judgment, the courage, the experience to keep moving this country forward for four more years.
 
AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
 
MRS. OBAMA: Four more years. But one thing I’ve been reminding people -- just after the speeches and all of the excitement, that we can’t forget that this election is about even more than the issues that are at stake right now. And it’s about even more than the candidates that are on the ballot this year. This election more than any other in history is about how we want our democracy to function for decades to come.
 
Listen, it’s about the lessons we want our kids and grandkids to learn as they watch these campaigns and they look on election night and see those results. And we need to step back and ask ourselves, here in America, do we want to give just a few individuals a far bigger say in our democracy than anybody else?
 
AUDIENCE: No!
 
MRS. OBAMA: Do we want our elections to be all about who buys the most ads on TV?
 
AUDIENCE: No!
 
MRS. OBAMA: Do we want our kids and grandkids to walk away from this election feeling like ordinary folks and their voices can no longer be heard?
 
AUDIENCE: No!
 
MRS. OBAMA: Or are we going to show our next generation that here in America we all have an equal voice in the voting booth --(applause) -- and we all have a say in our country’s future -- no matter how much we make, or what we look like, or who we love, that we’re all equal when it comes to our democracy? (Applause.) Are we going to show them that a bottom-up, grassroots movement of people who love this country can still come together to move it forward? What are going to do? What do we want to teach our kids? (Applause.)
 
And make no mistake about it -- see, this is where you all come in, because with everything you do -- every call you make, every door you knock on, with every voter that you register, you all are providing the answers to those questions. Understand that. You all are making a powerful statement about how we want our democracy to work.
 
And by taking part in the democratic process that for more than 200 [sic] centuries has made America the greatest country on Earth. You all are helping to preserve that legacy for the next generations that take this stuff over.
 
So we don’t have a minute to waste. That is the call to action. We don't have a minute to waste. We all need to work like we’ve never worked before. We need to do every single thing that we can. We need every single one of you out there every day between now and November 6th. You get me?
 
AUDIENCE: Yes!
 
MRS. OBAMA: That means when you get up from those chairs and you walk out that room, the work begins. It continues for so many us. but for some of us, it will begin. And what you need to know is that we have a first-rate campaign -- we really do -- with offices all across this country. (Applause.) We have countless people who are volunteering, giving their time and their energy, taking time out of their busy lives.
 
We have many, many ways to volunteer and get involved. So if you aren't already involved in this campaign in a real, passionate way, start by going to barackobama.com. (Applause.) Just go there -- today. You can sign up. You can find out how to help. If you don't live in a battleground state, get to one. (Applause.) We all live near a battleground state if we don't live in one. Look around. This election is going to be won in those battleground states. If you can afford it, write a check. And if you haven’t maxed out, max out. (Laughter and applause.) Now is the time. (Laughter.)
 
But more importantly than any of that, make sure that every single person that you know -- I mean, everybody that you know, everybody within the length of your influence, the touch of your hand, the sound of your voice -- your friends, your neighbors, that nephew you haven’t seen in a while, that college roommate you haven’t spoken to in decades -- now is the time. Pick up the phone. Call them. Make sure every single one of them gets to the polls and casts their votes on November 7th [6th.] (Applause.) That's what we need you to do.
 
Because here is your power -- understand your power. And these numbers really amaze me. Barack has said that this election is going to be even closer than the last one -- because all elections in this country are close. Let's just not forget that. They're always close. But like the others, this one could come down to those last few thousand votes in a single battleground state.
 
So let's put this in perspective. Let's think back to 2008 -- wonderful victory, right? (Applause.) Back then, we won Florida by about 236,000 votes. And while that might sound like a lot, understand that that is just 36 votes per precinct in that state -- 36 people in a precinct. That's how these numbers shake out.
 
And if you think that's close, don't forget that we won North Carolina by just 14,000 votes. Now, that’s just five votes per precinct. You understand what I'm getting at? (Applause.) You understand how real these numbers -- how doable that is with focus?
 
And just think about this room. You all know somebody who is not registered to vote, not focused, doesn't understand the issues completely, doesn't know -- we all know those people. They're in our church. They're on our boards. They're our colleagues. They're our neighbors. They're in our -- they're in every aspect of our lives.
 
So starting the minute you get up out of your seats, we need you to get out there and get your 36 votes. Get your five votes. Just think about it. Get your five votes. (Applause.) We talk about it -- it takes one. Look at this room. (Applause.) Look at just this room. And if everybody is that focused between now and November 6th, if everybody who feels the passion of this convention and understands what's at stake is really willing to do that hard work -- reach out to the people in their lives and explain these issues, and understand what this election means for women, for our children, for our daughters, then we will win this.
 
But you have to do that. And you cannot stop until the polls close on November the 6th. (Applause.) Because what we do every day for the next 61 days is going to make the difference between waking up on November 7th and asking ourselves, could we have done more, or feeling the promise of four more years. That's the difference.
 
So let me just ask you, do you understand the charge?
 
AUDIENCE: Yes!
 
MRS. OBAMA: Are you feeling fired up about the charge?
 
AUDIENCE: Yes!
 
MRS. OBAMA: Are you feeling ready to go about the charge? (Applause.) Because if you haven't noticed, I'm pretty fired up and ready to go myself. (Applause.)
 
I look forward to seeing you all out there on the campaign trail. Let's get this done, women! (Applause.)
 
Thank you so much. We love you. God bless.
 
END
11:54 A.M. EDT

Remarks by the First Lady to the Human Rights Campaign/Victory Fund Luncheon Honoring LGBT Elected Officials

2012 DNC LGBT Delegates Luncheon sponsored by the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and the Human Rights Campaign
Marriott City Center
Charlotte, North Carolina

1:06 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you all so much.  (Applause.)  Oh, my goodness!  You all, rest yourselves if you’re anything like me.  I’m a little tired after last night.  (Laughter.)

But I am beyond thrilled and proud to be with all of you today.  Thank you.  Thank you so much.  Thank you for having me.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Thank you!

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, my gosh.  (Applause.) 

I’m not going to talk long because I think you might be a little sick of me.  (Laughter.)

AUDIENCE:  No!

MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you so much. 

I want to start by thanking Chad for that very kind introduction and for his terrific leadership.  I love him dearly.  I think he’s a terrific individual and he is doing a great job here at the HRC.  So let’s give him another round of applause.  (Applause.) 

And I also want to thank Mayor Villaraigosa for joining us today and for his outstanding service.  He is doing a phenomenal job as Chairman of this convention, but he’s also been a terrific advocate with me as we stand together to fight the issue of childhood obesity.  So he’s been a terrific leader there as well.

And I also want to recognize a Congresswoman who has been a great leader in the House of Representatives, and who I know will make an outstanding senator for the state of Wisconsin -- Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin.  Tammy, where are you?  (Applause.)  Yes, Tammy!  That’s my girl.  We got to hang out at one of our rallies in Wisconsin.  People were fired up.  Fired up.  (Laughter.)  It’s good to see you, Tammy.

So how about that opening night last night?  Yes.  (Applause.)  The energy and the enthusiasm that we saw last night made it clear that folks are pretty fired up, right?  (Applause.)  I didn’t see any enthusiasm gap, right?  Everybody was pretty excited.  But more importantly, last night truly set the stage for what’s at stake in this election and it set the stage for what we need to guide us forward for these next four years, because we have so much more work to do.

The evening reflected Barack’s broad and inclusive vision for this country as a place where every single one of us has something unique and special to contribute.  That’s the beauty of this party and last night.  And we should all have a chance to make a place in this country, to have a stake in this if we’re willing to work hard. 

And today, I want to thank all of you, truly, for playing a critical role in making that vision a reality.  We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the hard work of the people in this room and around the country.  I want to thank you for doing everything that you do every single day to lift up our communities and move this country forward, and ensure that all Americans are treated fairly no matter who they are or who they love. 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  I love Barack!

MRS. OBAMA:  Yes, I do, too.  (Applause.)  We have something in common.  (Laughter.) 

But whether it’s passing hate crimes legislation or refusing to defend DOMA; whether it’s ending “don’t ask, don’t tell” or ensuring that -- yes, yes -- (applause) -- or ensuring that people can be at their loved one’s hospital bedside -- (applause) -- or speaking out for the rights of all Americans to be able to do what Barack and I did and marry the love of our lives -- (applause) -- as President, my husband has stood strong for the basic values of freedom, justice and equality that make this country great.  And he always will. 

And that’s why all of you are here today, because you know that all of that and so much more is at stake in this election.  We can’t take anything for granted because it’s all still on the line.  And I know you’re here today because you believe, like I believe, that our President, my husband, he’s done an extraordinary job.  Truly, I am so proud of him.  (Applause.)  And as I said last night, he has done it with vision, with character, with wisdom, with grace, with the experience that we need to keep moving this country forward for four more years. 

But the one thing I want to point out here today is that we don’t want to make any mistake about it -- this election is about even more than the issues that are at stake right now.  It’s about even more than the candidates that are on the ballot this year.  This election, more than any other in history, is about how we want our democracy to function for decades to come.  (Applause.)  It’s about the lessons that we want to teach our kids and our grandkids as they watch these campaigns and they see those results on election night. 

And we have to ask ourselves, do we want to give a few individuals in this country a far bigger say in our democracy than anybody else?

AUDIENCE:  No!

MRS. OBAMA:  Do we want our elections to be about who buys the most ads on TV?

AUDIENCE:  No!

MRS. OBAMA:  Do we want our kids and grandkids to walk away from this election feeling like regular folks can no longer be heard?

AUDIENCE:  No!

MRS. OBAMA:  Or are we going to show them that here in America, we all have an equal voice in the voting booth, and we all have a say in our country’s future, and a bottom-up, grassroots movement of people who love this country can always come together to move this country forward?  (Applause.) 

And what I want you all to focus on, because we can be fired up, which we are -- (laughter) -- and we can be ready to go, but you know it’s the work on the ground that makes the difference.  So with every call that you make -- and I hope you are out there making calls; with every door you knock on -- this is an active campaign; with every voter you register -- because there are so many young people who are not registered, that are not focused, that are not paying attention, you all are providing the answers to those questions.  You all are making a powerful statement about how we want our democracy to work.  And by taking part in the democratic process that, for more than two centuries, has made this country one of the greatest countries on Earth, you all are helping to preserve that legacy for generations to come. 

So what I want to say here today is that we don’t have a single minute to waste.  We really don’t.  Time is of the essence.  And we need you all to be fired up, but we need you to work like never before.  I mean, truly work like never before.  We need you out there every single day between now and November the 6th.  You see my face?  I’m serious.  (Laughter and applause.)  It’s my serious-First-Lady face.  (Laughter.) 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Your mom face.

MRS. OBAMA:  My mom face, that’s right.  (Laughter.)  That’s it.  You heard me, Sasha.  (Laughter.)  Yes, that’s how it works.  (Laughter and applause.)

But I’ve been out there, and I’ve been traveling.  I will be out there.  I’m going to be working as hard as I can and going every place I can go.  (Applause.)  And let me tell you what I have seen out there:  We have a first-rate campaign.  I am so proud of the campaign that we are building, because it is a truly grassroots foundation.  We’ve got thousands of offices all across this country.  People who have been out there, you know our offices, our volunteers, our team leaders -- we have millions of people who are taking time out of their lives, who don’t have time or money to spare, but they’re going into these campaign offices, they’re making calls, they’re knocking on doors -- millions of people. 

And we also have millions of ways for people to get involved and volunteer.  That is never the excuse.  People can go to barackobama.com today and find out how they can sign up to get involved.  So we have the resources to really handle all of this energy in this room and beyond. 

So here’s what I want you to think about:  If you do not live in a battleground state, get to one.  (Laughter.)  Get your suitcase, pack it up, get a car, do something, find that neighbor -- get to a battleground state.  If you can afford it, write a check -– and if you haven’t maxed out, max out.  Max out.  (Laughter and applause.)

But the more powerful thing that you can do is that you can make sure that every single person that you know -- truly, leave no stone unturned; those friends, those neighbors, that nephew or niece who is kind of wayward and maybe you haven’t seen them since Christmas -- (laughter) -- that college roommate you haven’t spoken to in a while -- yes, see, you’re looking.  You know that guy, don’t you?  (Laughter.)  Call him.  Make sure that every single one of them gets to the poll and casts their votes.

Because, as Barack has said, this election is going to be even closer than the last one.  And quite frankly, all of these elections are close.  Since I have been an adult paying attention to this stuff, they’re always close.  But in the end, this election, like many, could come down to that last few thousand votes in a single battleground state.  And what I’ve been doing is just sort of trying to put that in perspective, because when I see the numbers it’s pretty telling about how much power individuals have. 

But if you think back to what happened in 2008, Barack then -- back then we won Florida by about 236,000 votes, okay?  (Applause.)  And while that might sound like a lot, when we break that down, that’s just 36 votes per precinct.  Think about that -- just 36 votes in a precinct.  So where you live, that means -- if where you live, you are pulling out 36, 40, 50 new people, you might be the person that carries the day in the state of Florida.  And if you think that’s close, don’t forget that we won North Carolina by just 14,000 votes, which means just five votes per precinct.  Five votes per precinct!  That’s what makes the difference.

So no one here can sit back and say, “I can’t possibly have an impact in this election,” because that is absolutely not true.  Everyone here can really, truly make a difference.  So starting the minute that you get up out of these chairs -- whenever that’s going to be, because you still have food -- (laughter) -- you may finish lunch -- (laughter and applause) -- but after that, I want you all to get out there and think about who your 36 votes are going to be.  Get out there.  Find out who are your five votes.  Then when you get that 36 or you get that five, then get five more, and then get five more, and again and again, and don’t stop until the polls close on November the 6th.

Because what we all do every day for the next 62 days, that is going to be the difference between us waking up on November the 7th and looking at each other wondering, “Could I have done more?”, or feeling the promise of four more years and all that can be accomplished in four more years.  (Applause.)

So that’s a direct action item, right?  That’s clear, it’s consistent, it’s something that everybody can do.  Everybody has somebody in their lives that they can influence, whether it’s just getting them to register to vote, really challenging them on the issues if they’re on the fence, pulling somebody in who is not engaged, finding that person who hasn’t written a check yet “just because.”  We all know those people.  So we need you to be fired up and ready to go and ready to really roll up your sleeves and make this happen.  Because, as Barack and I say time and time again, we have come so far, but we have so much more to do.  And we can’t afford to turn back now.  Not now.  All our kids are watching this.  They are counting on us to step up and, as I said last night, to do what was hard, like our parents and grandparents did for us.

So let’s make this happen.  Let’s make this happen.  We need your help.

Thank you all so much.  God bless you.  Love you all.  (Applause.)

END
1:21 P.M. EDT