The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
September 05, 2012

Remarks by the First Lady at the Democratic National Convention

Time Warner Cable Arena
Charlotte, North Carolina

September 4, 2012
10:38 P.M. EDT
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you.  Thank you so much.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Thank you so much. 
 
AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  With your help.  With your help.  (Applause.) 
 
Let me start -- I want to start by thanking Elaine.  Elaine, thank you so much.  We are so grateful for your family’s service and sacrifice, and we will always have your back.  (Applause.)
 
Over the past few years as First Lady, I have had the extraordinary privilege of traveling all across this country.  And everywhere I’ve gone, and the people I’ve met, and the stories I’ve heard, I have seen the very best of the American spirit.  I have seen it in the incredible kindness and warmth that people have shown me and my family, especially our girls.
 
I’ve seen it in teachers in a near-bankrupt school district who vowed to keep teaching without pay.  (Applause.)  I’ve seen it in people who become heroes at a moment’s notice, diving into harm’s way to save others; flying across the country to put out a fire; driving for hours to bail out a flooded town.  
 
And I’ve seen it in our men and women in uniform and our proud military families.  (Applause.)  In wounded warriors who tell me they’re not just going to walk again, they’re going to run, and they’re going to run marathons.  (Applause.)  In the young man blinded by a bomb in Afghanistan who said, simply, "I’d give my eyes 100 times again to have the chance to do what I have done and what I can still do."
 
Every day, the people I meet inspire me.  Every day, they make me proud.  Every day, they remind me how blessed we are to live in the greatest nation on Earth.  (Applause.)
 
Serving as your First Lady is an honor and a privilege.  But back when we first came together four years ago, I still had some concerns about this journey we’d begun.  While I believed deeply in my husband’s vision for this country, and I was certain he would make an extraordinary President, like any mother, I was worried about what it would mean for our girls if he got that chance.  How will we keep them grounded under the glare of the national spotlight?  How would they feel being uprooted from their school, their friends, and the only home they’d ever known?
 
See, our life before moving to Washington was filled with simple joys -- Saturdays at soccer games, Sundays at Grandma’s house, and a date night for Barack and me was either dinner or a movie, because as an exhausted mom, I couldn’t stay awake for both.  (Laughter.)
 
And the truth is, I loved the life we had built for our girls, and I deeply loved the man I had built that life with -- and I didn’t want that to change if he became President.  (Applause.)  I loved Barack just the way he was.
 
You see, even back then, when Barack was a senator and a presidential candidate, to me, he was still the guy who picked me up for our dates in a car that was so rusted out, I could actually see the pavement going by in a hole in the passenger side door.  (Laughter.)  He was the guy whose proudest possession was a coffee table he’d found in a dumpster, and whose only pair of decent shoes was a half size too small.  (Laughter.)
 
But, see, when Barack started telling me about his family -– see, now, that’s when I knew I had found a kindred spirit, someone whose values and upbringing were so much like mine.
 
You see, Barack and I were both raised by families who didn’t have much in the way of money or material possessions but who had given us something far more valuable -- their unconditional love, their unflinching sacrifice, and the chance to go places they had never imagined for themselves.  (Applause.)
 
My father was a pump operator at the city water plant, and he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when my brother and I were young.  And even as a kid, I knew there were plenty of days when he was in pain, and I knew there were plenty of mornings when it was a struggle for him to simply get out of bed. 
 
But every morning, I watched my father wake up with a smile, grab his walker, prop himself up against the bathroom sink, and slowly shave and button his uniform.  And when he returned home after a long day’s work, my brother and I would stand at the top of the stairs of our little apartment, patiently waiting to greet him, watching as he reached down to lift one leg, and then the other, to slowly climb his way into our arms.
 
But despite these challenges, my dad hardly ever missed a day of work.  He and my mom were determined to give me and my brother the kind of education they could only dream of.  (Applause.) 
 
And when my brother and I finally made it to college, nearly all of our tuition came from student loans and grants.  But my dad still had to pay a tiny portion of that tuition himself.  And every semester, he was determined to pay that bill right on time, even taking out loans when he fell short.  He was so proud to be sending his kids to college, and he made sure we never missed a registration deadline because his check was late.
 
You see, for my dad, that’s what it meant to be a man.  (Applause.)  Like so many of us, that was the measure of his success in life -- being able to earn a decent living that allowed him to support his family.
 
And as I got to know Barack, I realized that even though he had grown up all the way across the country, he’d been brought up just like me.  Barack was raised by a single mom who struggled to pay the bills, and by grandparents who stepped in when she needed help.  Barack’s grandmother started out as a secretary at a community bank, and she moved quickly up the ranks, but like so many women, she hit a glass ceiling.  And for years, men no more qualified than she was -- men she had actually trained -- were promoted up the ladder ahead of her, earning more and more money while Barack’s family continued to scrape by.
 
But day after day, she kept on waking up at dawn to catch the bus, arriving at work before anyone else, giving her best without complaint or regret.  And she would often tell Barack, "So long as you kids do well, Bar, that’s all that really matters."
 
Like so many American families, our families weren’t asking for much.  They didn’t begrudge anyone else’s success or care that others had much more than they did -- in fact, they admired it.  (Applause.)  They simply believed in that fundamental American promise that, even if you don’t start out with much, if you work hard and do what you’re supposed to do, you should be able to build a decent life for yourself and an even better life for your kids and grandkids.  That’s how they raised us (Applause.)  That’s what we learned from their example.
 
We learned about dignity and decency -- that how hard you work matters more than how much you make; that helping others means more than just getting ahead yourself.  (Applause.)  We learned about honesty and integrity -- that the truth matters -- (applause) -- that you don’t take shortcuts or play by your own set of rules; and success doesn’t count unless you earn it fair and square.  (Applause.)  We learned about gratitude and humility -- that so many people had a hand in our success, from the teachers who inspired us to the janitors who kept our school clean.  (Applause.)  And we were taught to value everyone’s contribution and treat everyone with respect.
 
Those are the values that Barack and I -- and so many of you -- are trying to pass on to our own children.  That’s who we are.
 
And standing before you four years ago, I knew that I didn’t want any of that to change if Barack became President.  Well, today, after so many struggles and triumphs and moments that have tested my husband in ways I never could have imagined, I have seen firsthand that being President doesn’t change who you are -- no, it reveals who you are.  (Applause.)
 
You see, I’ve gotten to see up close and personal what being President really looks like.  And I’ve seen how the issues that come across a President’s desk are always the hard ones -- the problems where no amount of data or numbers will get you to the right answer; the judgment calls where the stakes are so high, and there is no margin for error.  And as President, you're going to get all kinds of advice from all kinds of people.  But at the end of the day, when it comes time to make that decision, as President, all you have to guide you are your values and your vision, and the life experiences that make you who you are.  (Applause.) 
 
So when it comes to rebuilding our economy, Barack is thinking about folks like my dad and like his grandmother.  He’s thinking about the pride that comes from a hard day’s work.  That’s why he signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to help women get equal pay for equal work.  (Applause.)  That’s why he cut taxes for working families and small businesses, and fought to get the auto industry back on its feet.  (Applause.)   
 
That’s how he brought our economy from the brink of collapse to creating jobs again -- jobs you can raise a family on, good jobs right here in the United States of America.  (Applause.) 
 
When it comes to the health of our families, Barack refused to listen to all those folks who told him to leave health reform for another day, another President.  (Applause.)  He didn’t care whether it was the easy thing to do politically -- no, that’s not how he was raised.  He cared that it was the right thing to do.  (Applause.)
 
He did it because he believes that here in America, our grandparents should be able to afford their medicine, our kids should be able to see a doctor when they’re sick, and no one in this country should ever go broke because of an accident or an illness.  (Applause.)   
 
And he believes that women are more than capable of making our own choices about our bodies and our health care.  (Applause.)  That’s what my husband stands for.  (Applause.) 
 
When it comes to giving our kids the education they deserve, Barack knows that, like me and like so many of you, he never could have attended college without financial aid.  And believe it or not, when we were first married, our combined monthly student loan bill was actually higher than our mortgage.  (Laughter.)  Yeah, we were so young, so in love -- and so in debt.  (Laughter.) 
 
And that's why Barack has fought so hard to increase student aid and keep interest rates down -- (applause) -- because he wants every young person to fulfill their promise and be able to attend college without a mountain of debt.  (Applause.)  
 
So in the end, for Barack, these issues aren’t political -- they’re personal.  Because Barack knows what it means when a family struggles.  He knows what it means to want something more for your kids and grandkids.  Barack knows the American Dream because he’s lived it.  (Applause.)  And he wants everyone in this country -- everyone -- to have that same opportunity, no matter who we are, or where we’re from, or what we look like, or who we love.  (Applause.)   
 
And he believes that when you’ve worked hard, and done well, and walked through that doorway of opportunity, you do not slam it shut behind you.  No, you reach back, and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.  (Applause.)   
 
So when people ask me whether being in the White House has changed my husband, I can honestly say that when it comes to his character, and his convictions, and his heart, Barack Obama is still the same man I fell in love with all those years ago.  (Applause.)  He’s the same man who started his career by turning down high-paying jobs and instead working in struggling neighborhoods where a steel plant had shut down, fighting to rebuild those communities and get folks back to work -- because for Barack, success isn’t about how much money you make, it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.  (Applause.)   
 
He’s the same man, when our girls were first born, would anxiously check their cribs every few minutes to ensure that they were still breathing -- (laughter) -- proudly showing them off to everyone we knew. 
 
You see, that’s the man who sits down with me and our girls for dinner nearly every night, patiently answering questions about issues in the news, strategizing about middle school friendships.  (Laughter.) 
 
That’s the man I see in those quiet moments late at night, hunched over his desk, poring over the letters people have sent him.  The letter from the father struggling to pay his bills, from the woman dying of cancer whose insurance company won’t cover her care, from the young person with so much promise but so few opportunities. 
 
I see the concern in his eyes and I hear the determination in his voice as he tells me, "You won’t believe what these folks are going through, Michelle -- it’s not right.  We’ve got to keep working to fix this.  We’ve got so much more to do."  (Applause.)
 
AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  I see how those stories -- our collection of struggles and hopes and dreams -- I see how that's what drives Barack Obama every single day. 
 
And I didn’t think that it was possible, but let me tell you, today I love my husband even more than I did four years ago, even more than I did 23 years ago, when we first met.  (Applause.)  Let me tell you why.  See, I love that he has never forgotten how he started.  I love that we can trust Barack to do what he says he’s going to do, even when it’s hard -- especially when it’s hard.  (Applause.)   
 
I love that for Barack, there is no such thing as "us" and "them" -- he doesn’t care whether you’re a Democrat, a Republican, or none of the above; he knows that we all love our country.  And he is always ready to listen to good ideas, he’s always looking for the very best in everyone he meets. 
 
And I love that even in the toughest moments, when we’re all sweating it -- when we’re worried that the bill won’t pass, and it seems like all is lost -- see, Barack never lets himself get distracted by the chatter and the noise.  No, just like his grandmother, he just keeps getting up and moving forward -- with patience and wisdom, and courage and grace.  (Applause.)    
 
And he reminds me that we are playing a long game here, and that change is hard and change is slow, and it never happens all at once.  But eventually we get there.  We always do. 
 
We get there because of folks like my dad, folks like Barack’s grandmother -- men and women who said to themselves, "I may not have a chance to fulfill my dreams, but maybe my children will, maybe my grandchildren will."
 
See, so many of us stand here tonight because of their sacrifice, and longing, and steadfast love -- they swallowed their fears and doubts and did what was hard.  (Applause.) 
 
So today, when the challenges we face start to seem overwhelming -- or even impossible -- let us never forget that doing the impossible is the history of this nation.  It is who we are as Americans.  It is how this country was built.  (Applause.)
 
And if our parents and grandparents could toil and struggle for us -- if they could raise beams of steel to the sky, send a man to the moon, connect the world with the touch of a button -- then surely we can keep on sacrificing and building for our own kids and grandkids, right?  (Applause.) 
 
And if so many brave men and women could wear our country’s uniform and sacrifice their lives for our most fundamental rights, then surely we can do our part as citizens of this great democracy to exercise those rights.  Surely we can get to the polls on Election Day and make our voices heard.  (Applause.)
 
If farmers and blacksmiths could win independence from an empire, if immigrants could leave behind everything they knew for a better life on our shores, if women could be dragged to jail for seeking the vote, if a generation could defeat a depression and define greatness for all time, if a young preacher could lift us to the mountaintop with his righteous dream -- (applause) -- and if proud Americans can be who they are and boldly stand at the altar with who they love -- (applause) -- then surely, surely we can give everyone in this country a fair chance at that great American Dream.  (Applause.)
 
Because in the end, more than anything else, that is the story of this country -- the story of unwavering hope grounded in unyielding struggle.  That is what has made my story, and Barack’s story, and so many other American stories possible.
 
And let me tell you something.  I say all of this tonight not just as First Lady, no, not just as a wife.  You see, at the end of the day, my most important title is still "mom-in-chief." (Applause.)  My daughters are still the heart of my heart and the center of my world. 
 
But let me tell you, today, I have none of those worries from four years ago -- no, not about whether Barack and I were doing what was best for our girls.  Because today, I know from experience that if I truly want to leave a better world for my daughters -- and for all of our sons and daughters, if we want to give all of our children a foundation for their dreams and opportunities worthy of their promise, if we want to give them that sense of limitless possibility -- that belief that here in America, there is always something better out there if you’re willing to work for it -- (applause) -- then we must work like never before.  (Applause.) 
 
And we must once again come together and stand together for the man we can trust to keep moving this great country forward -- my husband, our President, Barack Obama.  (Applause.) 
 
Thank you.  God bless you, and God bless America.  (Applause.) 
 
END
September 4, 2012
11:03 P.M. EDT 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 04, 2012

Remarks by the President at a Campaign Event -- Norfolk, VA

Norfolk State University
Norfolk, Virginia

12:37 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Norfolk State!  (Applause.)  Go Spartans!  (Applause.)  Can everybody please give Ed a huge round of applause not just for that introduction, but for his extraordinary service to our country and to our veterans?  (Applause.)  It’s good to see all of you. 

We’ve got Bobby Scott, your great congressman in the house.  We’ve got your next congressman, Paul Hirschbiel is here.  (Applause.)  We are very proud to have an Olympic gold medalist, Francena McCorory, 4x400 relay winner.  (Applause.)  I’m not that fast.  (Laughter.)  I was watching those folks on TV -- I said, those are some fast people.   

It is good to be back in Norfolk!  (Applause.)  And this is our last stop on the way to the convention in Charlotte.  (Applause.)  I decided to come back here today despite the fact that, back in March, Norfolk State ruined my NCAA bracket.  (Applause.)  I had Missouri going pretty deep.  But I want you to know I’ve got no hard feelings.  (Laughter.)  Let’s just say you owe me one.  (Laughter.) 

Now, I know that whatever I say here today, it’s going to be, at best, a distant second to the speech you will hear tonight from the star of the Obama family, Michelle Obama.  (Applause.)  This is just like a relay, and you start off with the fastest person.  (Laughter.)  So I’m going to be at home and I’m going to be watching it with our girls.  And I’m going to try not to let them see their daddy cry, because when Michelle starts talking I start getting all misty.

AUDIENCE:  Awww --

THE PRESIDENT:  But I’m looking forward to being in Charlotte myself; I’ll go down there tomorrow.  And last week, our friends in the other party had their convention. 

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  Don’t boo, vote!  (Applause.)  Vote!

AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!

THE PRESIDENT:  Now, just in case some of you missed it, some of you didn’t DVR the Republican Convention, let me give you a basic recap.  Basically, they said, first of all, everything is bad and it’s Obama’s fault, and Governor Romney knows the secret to creating jobs and growing the economy.  The only problem was he kept it secret.  (Laughter.)  There was a lot of talk about “hard truths” and “bold choices,” but they never bothered to tell you what they were.  And when my opponent had the chance to offer his secret sauce, he did not offer a single new idea.  It was just retreads of the same old policies that have been sticking it to the middle class for years. 

They spent a lot of time talking about me, but they didn’t spend a lot of time talking about you.  (Applause.)  They didn't talk a lot about how we’re going to move forward so that the middle class is strong, so that the economy is growing for everybody.  They spent even less time talking about their plans.  And that's not just because they know you won’t like it, but it’s because they know you saw that happened when we tried it.  You’ve lived through it, and you know we can’t afford to repeat it.  (Applause.)

Think about it, a plan that says we’re going to make middle-class families pay for another budget-busting $250,000 tax cut for people making $3 million a year or more -- that's not really persuasive to most people.  We don't think that will magically translate into jobs or prosperity for people.  We know families won’t be better off if we undo all the Wall Street reforms we’ve put into place to prevent another financial crisis; or that we’re going to be better off if we remove rules to protect our air and our water; or if we’re going to take away protections we put in place to make sure that health care is there for you when you get sick.  (Applause.)

And we are certainly positive that the best way to strengthen Medicare isn’t to turn it into a voucher that leaves seniors paying additional costs out of pocket.

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  That’s not a plan to create jobs.  It’s not a plan to lower the deficit.  It’s not a plan to strengthen the middle class.  It’s not a plan to strengthen this country.

AUDIENCE:  No!

THE PRESIDENT:  We believe in something better.  (Applause.)  We believe in an America that says our economic strength doesn't come from the top down, it comes from the middle out.  It comes from the bottom up.  It comes from workers and students, and small business owners and a strong, thriving middle class.

We believe in an America where going to school doesn’t depend on how much money you have.  (Applause.)  We believe in an America where getting decent health care doesn't depend on how much money you’ve got.  (Applause.)

We believe in an America that leads with our military, but also takes care of our veterans and stands up for our ideals and shows the power of our example.  (Applause.)

We believe in an America where no matter who you are, where you come from, what you look like, what your last name is, you can pursue your own happiness, and you can make it if you try.  (Applause.)  That’s what these last four years have been about.  That’s what this campaign is about.  And that’s why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States of America.  (Applause.)

Now, the other side may not have been eager to talk about their ideas.  But on Thursday night, I’m going to look forward to sharing mine with you.  On Thursday night, I will offer what I believe is a better path forward -- a path that will create good jobs and strengthen our middle class and grow our economy.  And the good news is, Virginia, that in just two months, you get to choose which path we take.  (Applause.)

You can choose their path -- give massive new tax cuts to folks who have already made it, or you can choose my plan.  (Applause.)  I want to keep taxes low for every American who’s out there still trying to make it.  I’ve cut taxes by a total of about $3,600 for the typical family.  I kept my promise to cut taxes for middle-class families and for small businesses.  (Applause.)

And now I’m running to make sure that taxes aren’t raised by a single dime on your family’s first $250,000 of income, which, by the way, means 98 percent of Americans wouldn’t pay a single dime more in income tax.  (Applause.)

But that will be up to you.  It will be up to your vote.  I mean, you can decide whether we give new jobs and new industries to countries like China, or whether we fight for those jobs in places like Virginia.  (Applause.)  Unlike my opponent, I want to stop giving tax breaks to companies that are shipping jobs overseas.  Let’s give those tax breaks to companies that are investing right here in American plants and American factories and American jobs so we can go out there and make products stamped with three proud words: Made in America.  That’s why I’m running for a second term.  (Applause.)

When a young person asked Governor Romney what he could do to help folks go to college, he suggested, “borrow money from your parents.”

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  Don’t boo --

AUDIENCE:  Vote!

THE PRESIDENT:  Vote!  But maybe he wasn’t aware that there are actually some young people whose parents would love to give them the money and don’t have it.  So that’s one path. 

My path is to make sure America once again leads the world in educating our kids and training our workers.  Let’s help more young people afford the kind of education you students get here at Norfolk State.  (Applause.)  Let’s keep investing more in our HBCUs.  (Applause.)  Let’s continue to make sure that Pell grants are there for folks who need it.  Let’s help more folks go to community college to get the skills and the training that companies are hiring for right now.  (Applause.)

Governor Romney wants to end the tax credit we created that is saving families up to $10,000 over four years in tuition costs.  I want to expand it.  Because higher education, that’s not a luxury anymore.  It is an economic necessity in the 21st century for every family, and every family should be able to afford it.  That’s what we’re fighting for.  That’s why I’m running for a second term.  (Applause.) 

But it’s going to be up to you.  You’ll make the choice.  Virginia, you can choose an energy plan written by and for the big oil companies -- that’s Governor Romney’s plan.  Or you can choose a strategy that taps into all of America’s resources and ingenuity.  Renewable energy isn’t “imaginary.”  Those jobs that we’re creating in wind power and solar power, those aren’t a “fad.”  And I think it’s time to stop giving $4 billion a year in taxpayer subsidies that are going to big oil companies that are making money every time you go to the pump, and let’s invest in homegrown energy sources that will create good jobs here in the United States of America.  That’s the choice in this election.  (Applause.) 

And it’s up to you whether we go back to a health care system that says insurance companies can deny you coverage whenever they want.  I think we need to keep moving forward with the new health care law -- it’s cutting costs, it’s covering more people, it’s saving lives.  They like to call it Obamacare -- well, let me tell you, I do care.  (Applause.)  I care about all the young people who are able to stay on their parent’s plans now.  I care about the seniors who are seeing lower prescription drug costs.  I care about folks with preexisting conditions who can’t be denied care now.  (Applause.)

Governor Romney has promised that he would overturn Obamacare on his first day in office, which means he’d kick nearly 7 million young people off their parent’s plans.  He’d make seniors’ prescription drugs more expensive.  Maybe we should call his plan “Romney Doesn’t Care.”  (Laughter and applause.)  But I do care.  And this law is here to stay.  And we’re not going to refight the battles we’ve already fought over the last four years.  We’re not going backwards.  We’re moving forward.  That’s why I’m running for reelection.  (Applause.)

This November, you get to decide the future of the war in Afghanistan.  By the end of this month, I will have brought home 33,000 troops.  (Applause.)  I’ve said we will end this war in 2014.  Governor Romney last week didn’t have a word to say about Afghanistan.  He said the way I ended the war in Iraq was “tragic.” 

Listen, I promised I’d end the war in Iraq, and I did.  I said we’d take out bin Laden -- we did.  (Applause.)  Getting our troops out of Iraq was the right thing to do.  Bringing our troops home from Afghanistan in a responsible way is the right thing to do.  (Applause.)  And as long as I’m Commander-in-Chief, we will serve our veterans as well as they’ve served us, because nobody who fights for this country should have to fight for a job or a roof over their heads when they come home.  That’s a solemn obligation.  (Applause.) 

That’s why I fought to strengthen the Post-9/11 GI Bill.  That’s why we secured the largest increase in VA funding in decades.  (Applause.)  That’s why I fought to create a new tax cut for business owners who hire veterans.  That’s why Michelle and Jill Biden challenged CEOs to hire 100,000 of our veterans by the end of the next year.  Last month, Michelle and Jill stood with those CEOs and announced they’ve already hit 125,000 veterans being hired.  They are beating their schedule by a year.  That’s the commitment we’ve shown.  (Applause.)

So, Virginia, Norfolk, on issue after issue, Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan, they want to take us backwards.  But the story of America is not about going backwards; it’s about going forward.  (Applause.)  And in two months, you will actually choose whether or not we travel that path. 

But I want everybody to understand, over these next two months, over these next 63 days, you will see more ads, more negative ads, more insults and distractions and baloney, than you’ve ever seen.  And it will be supported by $10 million checks from wealthy donors that like things just the way they are.  And they’re counting on you, maybe not to vote for Romney, but they’re counting on you to feel discouraged.  And they figure if you don’t vote, then big oil will write our energy future, and insurance companies will write our health care plans, and politicians will dictate what a woman can or can’t do when it comes to her own health.  They’re counting on you just to accept their version of things. 

But I’m counting on something different.  Those who oppose change, those who benefit from an unjust status quo, they’re always betting on complacency and cynicism of the American people.  But throughout America’s history, they’ve always lost that bet, and I think they’re going to lose that bet this time, too.  (Applause.)

But, Virginia, that depends on you.  It depends on you registering to vote.  It depends on you showing up to vote.  It depends on you setting an example for the next person in class, or in your workplace, or in the next town, or your cousin in the next state.  You’ve got to call them.  You’ve got to let them know what is at stake; that we can close the gap between what America should be and what it is right now -- because they may be waiting on you.  They’re waiting to see if you register.  They’re waiting to see if you vote. 

We’ve come too far to turn back now.  (Applause.)  We’ve created a lot of jobs, but we’ve got more jobs to create.  We’ve created a lot of homegrown energy, but we’ve got more energy to generate.  We’ve got a lot more young people to send to college.   We’ve got a lot more good teachers we’ve got to hire, and more good schools we’ve got to build.  (Applause.)  We’ve got more troops we’ve got to bring home, and we’ve got more veterans we’ve got to take care of.  We’ve got more doors of opportunity we’ve got to open up to everybody who is willing to work hard and walk through those doors.  And that’s why I’m running for a second term.  (Applause.) 

And if you’re willing to stand with me, and you’re willing to make some phone calls for me, if you’re willing to knock on some doors for me, if you’re willing to vote for me, we’ll win Norfolk again.  (Applause.)  We’ll win Virginia again.  (Applause.)  We’ll win this election.  We will finish what we started.  And we’ll remind the world why the United States of America is the greatest nation on Earth.

God bless you, Virginia, and God bless America.  (Applause.)

END
12:57 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 03, 2012

Remarks by the President After Touring Flood Damage from Hurricane Isaac

St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, good afternoon, everybody. I want to just say, first of all, how proud I am to be joined by Governor Jindal, Senator Mary Landrieu, Senator David Vitter, Representative Cedric Richmond. We’ve got Mayor Mitch Landrieu of New Orleans, St. John the Baptist Parish President Natalie Robottom, and we’ve also got St. John the Baptist Sheriff Mike Tregre.

As you can see, there has been enormous devastation in St. John’s Parish, and that’s not the only place that’s been hard hit. We’ve also seen enormous damage in Plaquemines Parish and in other parts of Louisiana and Mississippi.

I want to commend everybody who’s here for the extraordinary work that they’ve done in making sure that lives were saved, that although there was tremendous property damage, people were in a position to get out quickly.  And, as you can see, folks are on the ground already clearing out the debris and making sure that they’re able to recover as rapidly as possible.

I want to particularly thank FEMA and the state and local authorities, because sometimes in the past we haven’t seen the kind of coordination that is necessary in response to these kinds of disasters. This time we’ve seen it. We made sure that we had the disaster declarations happen quickly so that we weren’t behind the eight ball. We’ve approved individual assistance for this area, which means that these folks, if they’ve suffered additional losses beyond what they’re insured for, that they are potentially eligible for some help. We’re going to be providing St. John’s the Baptist Parish with help in debris removal, in some of the other losses that have been suffered. 

I particularly want to commend the sheriff and his team because they’ve been working around the clock saving lives. Some of the folks that we just walked by literally had to be saved by boat. They were in their homes, trapped. The waters came in so quickly. And this is an area that hadn’t been flooded in 17 years, so as a consequence, folks just weren’t anticipating and accustomed to the scale and scope of the destruction. But because of the great work of law enforcement, National Guard, Coast Guard, making sure that folks were out in rescue mode rapidly, even in some cases at risk of their own lives, no lives were lost.

Keep in mind that many of these folks who have been working so hard, they themselves suffered losses. So I’ve just been talking to the sheriff and his wife about the fact that they’re having to do -- actually his wife is having to do exactly what these families are having to do while he’s on the job. 

A couple of final points I want to make. Obviously, right now, we’re still in recovery mode, and that means that our biggest priority is helping to house people who have been displaced, making sure that they’ve got the resources they need to re-enroll their kids in school, make sure that they’re able to get to their jobs, make sure that they can have the kind of support that they need to get restarted. That’s in the short term. And I’m confident that with Craig Fugate and his team on the job, on the ground, that that’s going to happen in a seamless fashion.

But we’ve got a larger issue involved here, and that is how do we anticipate these storms and how do we make sure that an area like St. John’s is protected when you have these kinds of disasters. The good news is, is that the Army Corps levees that were built around New Orleans and Jefferson Parish and some of these other areas worked very well and they were done expeditiously.

And so what I’ve pledged to these folks is we’re going to make sure that at the federal level we are getting on the case very quickly about figuring out what exactly happened here, what can we do to make sure that it doesn’t happen again, and expediting some of the decisions that may need to be made to ensure that we’ve got the infrastructure in place to protect people’s property and to protect people’s lives.

So the final point I’ll make is, one thing you know about folks in Louisiana, they are resilient.  People in Mississippi, they are resilient. They know what tough times are like, but they know that they can bounce back. There is enormous faith here, enormous strength here. You can see it with these families. I mean, they were just devastated a few days ago, and they’re already smiling and laughing, and feeling confident about the future and pulling together. 

We heard one story about one of these homes where a local church group came in and did all the work that was needed to strip out the damaged interior of the house.  They did it not for any pay -- weren’t even asked.  But they did it because they care about their neighbors and they care about their friends. 

And that’s what we do here in the United States of America, and that’s what happens in Louisiana. When disasters like this happen, we set aside whatever petty disagreements we may have. Nobody is a Democrat or a Republican -- we’re all just Americans looking out for one another. And I couldn’t be prouder of this group right here that’s around me for the great work that they’ve done.

Thank you very much, everybody.

END                 6:25 P.M. CDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 03, 2012

Remarks by the President at a Campaign Event -- Toledo, OH

Scott High School, Toledo, Ohio

12:30 P.M. EDT

     THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Toledo!  (Applause.)  Thank you, thank you.  It is good to be in Toledo, Ohio.  (Applause.) 

     AUDIENCE:  Obama!  Obama!  Obama!

     THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you so much.  Now, first of all, I've got to say thank you for Kenyatta, for that outstanding introduction.  Give Kenyatta a big round of applause.  (Applause.)  I was listening backstage and I thought I heard a little preaching going on there.  (Laughter.)  Folks in the crowd were going "yeah", "wow."  (Laughter.)  So Kenyatta can talk -- no doubt about it.  

It is great to see so many good friends --

AUDIENCE:  We love you!

THE PRESIDENT:  I love you back.  (Applause.)  It's great to see so many good friends who work so hard on behalf of working families every day.  We've got Sherrod Brown -- (applause) -- one of the best senators in the country.  Marcy Kaptur, one of the best congresswomen in the country.  (Applause.)  We've got my friend and your friend, daughter of a Teamster, our Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis in the house.  (Applause.)  We've got your outstanding UAW President Bob King in the house.  (Applause.)  President of the AFL-CIO, Rich Trumka, is here.  (Applause.)  And the President of the National Education Association, Dennis van Roekel.  (Applause.)

So we've got some working people in the house here.  (Applause.)  And to everybody who is working hard each and every day, Happy Labor Day.  (Applause.)  Happy Labor Day.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We got your back, Obama.

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Now, for those of you who have got a seat, feel free to take a seat.  I've got some things to say.  I've got some things to say here.  For those of you who don't have a seat, make sure to bend your knees a little bit.  We don't want you fainting.  Sometimes, folks are standing too long -- they drop off.  (Laughter.) 

Now, we're on our way to our convention in Charlotte this week.  (Applause.)  But I wanted to stop here in Toledo to spend this day with you -- (applause) -- a day that belongs to the working men and women of America -- teachers and factory workers, construction workers and students and families and small business owners.  And I know we’ve got some proud autoworkers in the house helping to bring Toledo back.  (Applause.)

After all, it’s working folks like you who fought for jobs and opportunity for generations of American workers.  It’s working people like you who helped to lay the cornerstones of middle-class security, things that people now sometimes take for granted, but weren't always there -- the 40-hour workweek, weekends, paid leave, pensions, the minimum wage, health care, Social Security, Medicare.  Those things happened because working people organized and mobilized. 

It is unions like yours that helped to forge the basic bargain of this country -- the bargain that built the greatest middle class and the most prosperous country and the most prosperous economy that the world has ever known.  (Applause.)  

And you know what that bargain is, because it's a simple one.  It’s a bargain that says if you work hard, if you're responsible, then your work should be rewarded.  (Applause.)  That if you put in enough effort, you should be able to find a job that pays the bills.  You should afford a home to call your own.  That you'll have health care you can count on if you get sick.  That you can put away enough to retire, maybe take a vacation once in a while -- nothing fancy, but you can enjoy your friends and your family.  And, most importantly, that you can provide your children with an education to make sure that they do even better than you did.  (Applause.)  

It’s an American promise that says no matter who you are, no matter what you look like, no matter where you come from, no matter what your last name is, no matter who you love, you can make it here if you try.  (Applause.)  And that’s what we’re fighting for, Toledo.  That’s what’s at stake in this election.  And that’s why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States of America.  (Applause.)

Now, last week, the other party gave their sales pitch at their convention down in Florida. 

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  Don't boo, vote.  (Laughter and applause.)  Vote.  And I have to say, it was something to see.  Despite all the challenges that we face in this new century, we saw three straight days of an agenda out of the last century.  It was a rerun.  You might as well have watched it on black-and-white TV, with some rabbit ears on there.  (Laughter and applause.)  It should have been on "Nick at Nite."  (Laughter.)

Now, if you didn’t DVR it, let me give you a basic recap of what they said.  The economy is bad.  It's all Obama’s fault.  And Governor Romney has the secret to creating jobs and growing the economy.  That's a basic summary.  They spent the most time on me.  (Laughter.)  They were talking about me.  (Laughter.) 

And there was a lot of “hard truths” and “bold choices,” they said, but nobody ever bothered to tell you what they really were.  And when Governor Romney had his chance to let you in on the secret sauce of job creation -- (laughter) -- he did not offer you a single new idea.  It was just a retread of the same old policies that have been sticking it to the middle class for years.  (Applause.)  

And then, after the convention, Governor Romney came here to Ohio, and he said he's going to be the coach that leads America to a “winning season.”  The problem is everybody has already seen his economic playbook.  We know what’s in it.

On 1st down, he hikes taxes by nearly $2,000 on the average family with kids in order to pay for a massive tax cut for multi-millionaires.  That's on 1st down.  It sounds like unnecessary roughness to me.  (Laughter and applause.)

On 2nd down, he calls an audible, and undoes reforms that are there to prevent another financial crisis and bank bailout.  He wants to get rid of rules that are there to protect our air and our water, and workers’ rights, and protections to make sure health care is there for you when you get sick. 

And then, on 3rd down, he calls for a Hail Mary -- ending Medicare as we know it by giving seniors a voucher that leaves them to pay any additional cost out of their pocket.  There’s a flag on the play -- loss of up to an additional $6,400 a year for the same benefits you get now. 

That’s their playbook.  That’s their economic plan.  And I’ve got one piece of advice for you about the Romney/Ryan game plan, Ohio: Punt it away!  (Applause.)  It won’t work.  It won’t win the game.  You don’t need that coach.  That’s a losing season. 

Now, there was one person at Governor Romney’s convention last week who wasn’t entirely on script.  (Laughter.) 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  No, no -- because while they were busy telling folks how bad everything is, your Governor, John Kasich --

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  Don’t boo --

AUDIENCE:  Vote!  (Laughter and applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  John Kasich stood up there and told everybody that Ohio is now number one in the Midwest in job creation, fourth best in America -- which got folks kind of confused, because if it’s all Obama’s fault and nothing is going right, what’s going on in Ohio?  (Applause.)

Now, I guess the theory was that it’s all the Governor’s doing.  But I think we need to refresh his memory -- because a lot of those jobs are autoworker jobs like yours.  (Applause.)  The American auto industry supports one in eight jobs in this state.  And just a few years ago, when the auto industry was flat-lining, what was in his and Governor Romney’s playbook?  “Let Detroit go bankrupt.”  You remember that?

AUDIENCE:  Yes!

THE PRESIDENT:  Now, think about what that would have meant not just for Ohio but for America.  If we had turned our backs on you, if America had thrown in the towel like that, GM and Chrysler wouldn’t exist today.  The suppliers and the distributors that get their business from these companies would have died off, too.  Then even Ford could have gone down as well.  Production: shut down.  Factories: shuttered.  Once proud companies chopped up and sold off in scraps.  And all of you -- the men and women who built these companies with your own hands -- you would have been benched for good.  That’s not a good play.  We didn’t run that play.

More than one million Americans across the country would have lost their jobs in the middle of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.  In communities across the Midwest, it would have been another Great Depression.  And it’s not just the workers themselves; think about everybody who depends on you -- schoolteachers, small business owners, the server in the diner who knows your order before you walk in, the bartender who knows your order before you walk in.  (Applause.)  Their livelihoods were at stake as well, and so was something else. 

How many autoworkers here worked the assembly line, but your dads and your granddads, maybe your mom, grandmas worked on that same line?  How many people are second or third or fourth generation?  How many of you have sons and daughters who hope to work on those same assembly lines?  (Applause.) 

These jobs are worth more than just a paycheck.  They’re a source of pride.  They’re a ticket into a middle-class life.  These companies are worth more than just the cars that they build.  They’re a symbol of America’s innovation.  They’re a source of our manufacturing might.  If that is not worth fighting for, then what is?  

Ohio, we’re not about to take a knee and do nothing.  We weren’t going to give up on your jobs and your families and your communities.  We weren’t going to let Detroit go bankrupt, or Lordstown go bankrupt, or Toledo go bankrupt.  I stood with American workers.  I stood with American manufacturing.  I believed in you.  I bet on you.  (Applause.)  I’ll make that bet any day of the week.  And because of that bet, three years later, that bet is paying off for America.  (Applause.)  Three years later, the American auto industry has come roaring back --nearly 250,000 new jobs.

So it’s a little funny watching Governor Romney and Governor Kasich and others just try to rewrite history now that you’re back on your feet.  These are the folks who said if we went forward with our plan, then -- I’m quoting here -- “you can kiss the American automotive industry goodbye.”  Now they’re saying it was their idea all along.  (Laughter.)  Seriously.  Or what they’re saying is, well, the problem is that you, the workers, made out like bandits in this whole thing; that we did what we did because it was all about paying back unions.  Really?  I mean, even by the standards of political campaigns, that’s a lot of you know what. 

Workers made some of the biggest sacrifices.  About 700,000 retirees saw a reduction in the health benefits they had earned.  Hours were reduced, pay and wages scaled back.  You gave up promises made to you over the years for the sake and the survival of your fellow workers and their families and the company.  You made sacrifices.  (Applause.)  Which is why I don’t understand why these folks have the nerve to talk about you like you’re some greedy special interest that needs to be beaten down. 

After all that unions have done to build and protect the middle class, they were standing up there at their convention saying you’re responsible for the problems we face.  Their plan says the best way to help workers is to roll back workers’ rights; to overturn laws that make sure construction workers get a fair wage; to blame teachers and firefighters and police officers and other public servants for our economic challenges  -- instead of what happened on Wall Street and a historic financial collapse. 

So, Toledo, what you need to know is this: When they’re trying to take your collective bargaining rights away, when they’re trying to pass so-called “right to work” laws that really mean right to work for less and less, you should know this isn’t about economics.  This is about politics.

This notion that we should have let the auto industry die and that we should pursue anti-worker policies in the hopes that unions like yours will unravel -- it’s part of the same old you’re-on-your-own, top-down philosophy that says we should just leave everybody to fend for themselves. 

Now, on Thursday night, I’m going to offer you what I believe is a better path forward -- (applause) -- a path that’s going to grow this economy and create more good jobs, and strengthen the middle class.  (Applause.)  And the good news is, starting on October 2nd, Ohio gets its say because you get to vote early.  (Applause.)  You can choose which path we take.  You could choose their plan.

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  Don't boo.

AUDIENCE:  Vote!

THE PRESIDENT:  You can choose to give massive new tax cuts to folks who have already made it.  Or you can choose my plan -- to keep taxes low for every American who is in the middle class and every American who is striving to get into that middle class.  (Applause.) 

Four years ago, I promised to cut taxes by a total -- for middle-class families, and I have cut taxes by a total of about $3,600 for the typical family.  (Applause.)  And now I’m running to make sure that taxes aren’t raised a single dime on the first $250,000 of any family’s income.  Now, that's 98 percent of Americans.  It may be 99.9 percent of this auditorium.  (Applause.)  Your taxes won't go up, because my belief is you need relief.  I don't need relief.  Mitt Romney doesn't need relief.  He needs it less than me.  (Laughter.)   

But that's a choice in this election.  You can choose whether we give up new jobs and new industries to countries like China, or whether we fight to keep those jobs in states like Ohio.  (Applause.)  Unlike my opponent, I want to stop giving tax breaks to companies that are shipping jobs overseas.  I want to give those tax breaks to companies that are investing right here in Toledo, right here in the United States -- all across Ohio, all across the Midwest.  (Applause.) 

You can decide whether borrowing money from your parents is an answer when a young person asks how they’re going to go to college.  You heard about that, right?  This young college student says, how can I get some help going to college?  He says, well, you need to borrow money from your parents.  (Laughter.)  Now, I guess that's one path.  That's one approach.   

I've got a different approach that says let's make sure Americans once again lead the world in educating our kids and training our workers for the jobs of tomorrow.  (Applause.)  And that means let's hire more great teachers, especially in math and science.  Let's help more folks go to community colleges to get trained in the skills that employers are hiring for right now.  (Applause.)  Because the truth is, some sort of higher education, whether it's four-year or a two-year technical school -- some form of higher education -- that's not a luxury anymore.  That is an economic necessity that every family should be able to afford.  And that's what I'm going to be fighting for.  (Applause.)  That's what I'm going to be fighting for.  (Applause.) 

Now, Ohio, you can choose an energy plan like the other guy is offering that's written by and for the oil companies.  Or you can choose an all-of-the-above strategy for American energy, which means we drill for more oil, we mine for more coal.  But it also means that we're going after the new energy sources of the future. 

Now, my opponent said renewable energy sources are “imaginary.”  The folks here in Toledo manufacturing solar panels might disagree with that.  (Applause.)  These jobs aren’t a “fad” -- they’re not imaginary.  They're our future.  And unlike my opponent, I want to stop giving a $4 billion-a-year taxpayer subsidy to big oil companies that are making money every time you go to the pump, and I want to use that money to invest in homegrown energy sources that have never been more promising and are creating jobs right here in Ohio.  (Applause.)  

It’s up to you whether we go back to the old health care system that let insurance companies decide when to cover you and when to cover you, and drop you when you needed it most.  But I think we should keep moving forward with the new health care law that's already cutting costs and covering more people and saving lives.  They call it Obamacare.  It's true, I care.  It's true.  (Applause.)

I guess the other side's plan is the "Romney Doesn't Care" plan.  (Laughter.)  But now is not the time to refight the battles of the last four years.  We need to move forward.

You get to decide what the future of the war in Afghanistan is.  Last week, did you notice Governor Romney did not say a word about our troops who are in harm’s way over there?  And because of my plan, 33,000 of them will have come home by the end of this month.  (Applause.) 

He said ending the war in Iraq was “tragic.”  I think it was the right thing to do.  I said we’d end that war -- and we did.  (Applause.)  I said we’d go after al Qaeda -- we did.  (Applause.)  I said we'd take out bin Laden -- we did.  (Applause.) 

Our troops are out of Iraq.  We’re bringing them home from Afghanistan.  And as long as I’m Commander-in-Chief, we will serve our veterans as well as they’ve served us, because nobody who fights for this country should have to fight for a job or a roof over their heads when they come home.  That's why I'm running for a second term.  (Applause.)

So we've got some big choices we've got to make.  And the other side is going to spend the next two months -- they're fighting back with everything they’ve got.  They're going to give you an avalanche of attack ads and insults and distraction.  And they may massage the truth a little bit.  And it will be supported with $10 million checks from wealthy donors.  And they know that even if you don't buy into their plan, even if you don't vote for them, they're thinking, well, maybe we'll discourage people.  We'll get folks so disillusioned by all these negative ads, all this negativity, that you'll just decide to sit this one out.

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  But you know what, I'm counting on something different.  I’m counting on you.  (Applause.)  I’m counting on you.  If you're not registered to vote, then you've got to go to GottaRegister.com.  Now, that's not "GotToRegister.com.”  This is "gotta" -- G-o-t-t-a-Register.com  (Applause.)

If you want to find out how to vote early, starting on October 2nd, then you need to go to GottaVote.com.  That’s not "GotToVote.com,” that's "gotta vote” -- (laughter) -- GottaRegister, GottaVote -- because we’ve got a whole lot of more work to do.  (Applause.)

We’ve got more good jobs to create.  We’ve got more good cars to build.  We’ve got more schools to upgrade, and more great teachers to hire, and more young people to send to college.  (Applause.)  And we’ve got more troops we've got to bring home and more veterans we’ve got to take care of, and more doors of opportunity that we've got to open up for everybody who is willing to walk through them.  That's what's at stake in this election.  That's why I'm asking for your vote.  (Applause.)  

That's why I need you to knock on doors.  That's why I need you to get on the phone.  (Applause.)  I need you to talk to your friends.  I need you to talk to your neighbors.  I need you to stand with me, Ohio.  (Applause.)  And if we win Toledo, we will win Ohio.  And if we win Ohio, we'll win this election.  (Applause.)  And if we win this election, we will finish what we started, and we will remind the world why the United States of America is the greatest nation on Earth. 

Thank you.  God bless you.  And God bless America.  (Applause.)

                                           END                 1:00 P.M. EDT

 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 02, 2012

Remarks by the President at a Campaign Event -- Boulder, CO

University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, Colorado

1:44 P.M. MDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Colorado!  (Applause.)  Go Buffs!  (Applause.) 

Can everybody please give Ryan a huge round of applause for that beautiful introduction?  (Applause.)  Americans like Ryan are why I ran for this office in the first place and why I am running for it again. 

It’s great to see your outstanding Governor, John Hickenlooper.  (Applause.)  One of the finest senators that we’ve got in the country, Michael Bennet.  (Applause.)  Outstanding Congressman, Jared Polis.  (Applause.)  And it is good to be back in Boulder, Colorado!  (Applause.)

Now, the last time I was here, I stopped by The Sink for some pizza.  I signed my name on the ceiling.  I hope it’s still there.  I hope nobody vandalized it.  (Laughter.)  And a girl I met there was so surprised that she spilled her frozen yogurt on my pants.  (Laughter.)  But it was worth it because I’ve been told that The Sink renamed one of their pizzas after me.  (Applause.)  I’m deeply moved by this.  (Laughter.)  So the next time you go there, just ask for “The POTUS.”  It’s got pepperoni, sausage, green pepper, black olives, and onion.  We put the olives and the onion on there for Michelle so you can say that you had some vegetables on your pizza.  (Laughter.)

Now, I’ve got to address a sensitive subject.  I know you guys are a little bummed out about the game yesterday.  I know the “Rocky Mountain Showdown” did not go down the way you wanted.  So I’ll tell you what, we are going to give you a chance to get even.  We are giving the Buffs and the Rams a second chance to go at it this fall.  We’ve set up a “Rocky Mountain Rumble” to see which school can register more voters, CU or Colorado State.  (Applause.)

Now, I was at Colorado State last week, and because we had volunteers in the crowd to help, they got a little bit of a head start.  So they are up by just 41 votes.  But today, we are in Boulder, so let’s get it done.  There are volunteers throughout the audience; they can help you register today. 

When you go home, you can register your classmates, your friends.  You go online to something called GottaRegister.com.  I apologize in advance to English teachers, but this is not “Got To Register” this is gotta -- G-o-t-t-a-register.com.  And this is important because just over two months from now, for the first time in many of your lives, you will get a chance to pick a President.  And by doing so, you will get to a chance to choose the path that we take from here.

Now, last week, the other party gave their pitch at their convention down in Florida.

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  Don't boo, vote.  (Laughter and applause.)

I will say, though, that it was something to behold.  (Laughter.)  Despite all the challenges that we face in this new century, what they offered over those three days was an agenda that was better suited for the last century.  It was a rerun.  It could have been on “Nick at Nite.”  (Laughter.)  We’ve seen it before.  You might as well have watched it on a black-and-white TV, with some rabbit ears.  (Laughter.)

And if you didn’t DVR it, the basic recap goes something like this:  The economy is not doing what it should be; it’s all Obama’s fault -- that was a key theme -- (laughter) -- and Governor Romney knows the secret to creating jobs and growing the economy.

And then, there was a lot of talk about “hard truths” and “bold choices,” but the interesting thing was nobody ever bothered to tell us what they were.  And when Governor Romney finally had a chance to reveal the secret sauce, he did not offer a single new idea.  It was just retreads of the same old policies we’ve been hearing for decades, the same policies that have been sticking it to the middle class for years. 

They talked a lot about me, and they talked a lot about Governor Romney, but they didn’t spend a lot of time talking about you.  They didn't talk about families like Ryan’s, and what it might mean to go back to a time when folks with preexisting conditions couldn’t get health care.  You didn't hear them spend a lot of time talking about young people and the debt that they're incurring when they go to college.

They spent even less time talking about what plans they had to actually meet these challenges and solve these problems.  And you know why they didn't talk about it, it’s not just because they know you won’t like it -- and you won’t like it -- (laughter) -- because you’ve already seen what happens when we try what they're offering, and you’ve lived through it, and you know we can’t afford to repeat it, but it’s also that they are exhausted of ideas. 

See, it turns out we know that making the middle class pay for another budget-busting $250,000 tax cut for folks making $3 million a year or more won’t magically translate into jobs and prosperity for everybody else.  (Applause.)

We know families aren’t going to be better off if we undo Wall Street reform that we fought so hard to pass, and that can prevent another financial crisis.  We know we’re not going to be better off if we strip away regulations that protect our air and our water.  (Applause.)  We know we’re not going to be better off if we strip away protections to make sure you’ve got health care when you get sick. 

Seniors are pretty certain that the best way to strengthen Medicare isn’t to give them vouchers that leaves them to pay off any additional costs out of their own pockets. 

     The point is everything you heard from them -- what little you did hear -- we’ve heard before.  They have tried to sell us this tired, trickle-down, you’re-on-your-own snake oil before.  (Applause.)  Those ideas don't work.  They didn't work then, they won’t work now.  They did not create jobs.  They did not cut the deficit.  They did not strengthen the middle class.  They are not a plan to move this country forward. 

And we believe in something better.  (Applause.)  We believe in an America that says our economic strength has never come from the top down.  It comes from the middle out.  It comes from the bottom up.  It comes from students and workers and small business owners, and a growing, thriving middle class.  (Applause.)  It comes from teachers and receptionists and firefighters and construction workers who are helping to build this country each and every day.  That's the backbone of this country.  (Applause.)

We believe in an America that doesn’t let how much money you’ve got determine whether or not you’ve got good health care, whether or not you can get a good college education.

We believe in an America that doesn't just lead by the force of our amazing military -- and we are so grateful for their service -- but we also know that we’ve got to combine that with the strength of our ideals and the power of our example.  (Applause.)

We believe in an America where no matter what you look like, no matter where you come from, no matter who you love, you can pursue your own version of happiness, and you can make it here if you try.  (Applause.)  And that's what we’ve been working for four years now, Colorado.  That's what this campaign is about, and that's why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States of America.  (Applause.)

Now, on Thursday night, I’m going to offer you what I believe is a better path forward -- a path that will grow this economy and create more jobs and strengthen the middle class.  And the good news is you get to choose the path we take.

Now, you can go with their plan to give massive new tax cuts to folks who have already made it, or we can go forward with my plan to keep taxes low for every American who is still trying to make it.  (Applause.)  If you talk to a Republican out there who says, oh, Obama and Democrats, they're all about tax and spend and all this -- remind them I promised four years ago to cut taxes for middle-class families.  And the typical middle-class family is paying a total of about $3,600 less in taxes now than when I came into office.  (Applause.)  I kept my promise.  I kept that promise. 

And now I’m running to make sure taxes aren’t raised a single dime for the first $250,000 of income, which means 98 percent of Americans and 97 percent of small businesses will see their taxes remain low, because they're the ones who need relief, not folks like me, not folks like Mr. Romney.  He needs it even less than I do.  (Laughter and applause.)   

But this is ultimately going to be your choice.  Now, you can choose whether we cede new jobs and new industries to countries like China, or whether we fight for those jobs in states like Colorado.  (Applause.)  My opponent likes to tout his private-sector experience.  And he was incredibly successful, and clearly disciplined and hardworking.  But keep in mind that his experience was investing in companies that were called “pioneers” in the business of outsourcing jobs. 

When the auto industry was on the verge of collapse, he said, let's “let Detroit go bankrupt.”  And I've got a different vision for America.  I bet on American workers and I bet on American manufacturing.  And today, the U.S. auto industry has come roaring back.  (Applause.)  And, by the way, the cars they're making are better and more fuel efficient than ever.  That's how we move forward.  That's how we move forward.  (Applause.) 

I want to stop giving tax breaks to companies that ship jobs overseas.  I want to give tax breaks to companies that are starting businesses right here in Boulder, creating jobs right here in Colorado, making sure that here in the United States of America we're making stuff again stamped with three proud words: Made In America.  That's the path forward that I'm offering in this election.  (Applause.)

You can decide whether Governor Romney's advice -- “just borrow more money from your parents” -- is an acceptable answer to young people who are trying to go to college.  Or you can take the path that we've already started on, making sure America once again leads the world in educating our kids and training our workers for the jobs of tomorrow.  (Applause.) 

I want to make sure that we are helping more young people afford the kind of education that you can get right here at CU Boulder.  Let's make more people be able to go to community colleges to be trained for the jobs that employers are hiring for right now.  Governor Romney wants to end the tax credit that we created to help families save up to $10,000 over four years on their college tuition.  I want to extend it, I don't want to end it -- because in America today, a higher education cannot be a luxury, it is an economic necessity that every family should be able to afford. 

And you know that in your own lives.  That's why you're here.  (Applause.)  That's why you're making an investment in yourself.  And I want to make sure that America is standing by you every step of the way, because if you succeed, then we succeed.  (Applause.)  If we're producing more engineers, then America is producing more jobs.  If we've got great teachers -- (applause) -- then we're going to see the next generation be able to compete all over the world.  That's what's at stake in this election.    

Now, Colorado, you look out at this amazing vista and you say to yourself, part of what's at stake is energy and how we deal with this planet.  You can choose an energy plan written by and for the oil companies.  Or you can choose what I've offered, an all-of-the above strategy for American energy. 

Governor Romney called renewable energy “imaginary.”  He said the jobs that -- actually it was Congressman Ryan who said that the jobs they create are “fads.”  Let me tell you, there are 10,000 good Colorado jobs right now that depend on wind and solar power.  (Applause.)  These jobs are worth fighting for. 

And so I think it’s time to stop giving $4 billion a year in taxpayer subsidies to big oil companies that are making money every time you fill up a tank of gas.  Let's keep investing in homegrown energy sources that have never been more promising, that are good for our economy, that are good for our national security, that will create jobs and are good for our planet as well.  That's the path we're offering.  That's the choice we're going to have in this election.  (Applause.)

     AUDIENCE MEMBER:  I love you, Obama!

     THE PRESIDENT:  I love you back, but we got to vote.  It’s up to you whether we go back to a health care system that let insurance companies decide who to cover and when.  Or we can keep moving forward with the new health care law that’s already cut costs and covered more people and saved more lives.  (Applause.)

Governor Romney promised that on his first day of office, he’s going to sit right down and grab a pen, and end Obamacare. 

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  Now, what that means is right away he'd kick nearly 7 million young people off their parent's plan.  He'd take hope away from tens of millions of Americans with preexisting conditions by repealing reform.  He calls it Obamacare and I like the name.  I do care.  (Applause.)

We fought to pass that law for families like Ryan's.  We know the heartbreak of a broken health care system.  So I don't mind if folks think I care.  I do care.  (Applause.)  And I don't know exactly what the other side is proposing.  I guess you could call it "Romney Doesn't Care."  (Laughter.)  But this law is here to stay.  (Applause.)  We're not going to refight the battles of the last four years.  We're going to implement this law, make the health care system work for families all across America.  It is time to move forward.  That's the choice in this election.  (Applause.)  

Of course, this isn't the only battle that they want to refight.  They want to refight some battles we thought were settled in the last century.  So in November, you will have some say as to whether women should be trusted to make their own health care decisions.  I think they are.  (Applause.)

You will have some say as to whether students who were brought here by their parents as infants and have gone to school here, and understand themselves to be Americans and have pledged allegiance, that suddenly they should be kicked out of the only country they've ever known. 

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  I don't think so.  I've got a different view.  (Applause.) 

You will have some say as to whether we should rewrite the Constitution the way the other side is proposing, to prevent gay Americans from being able to marry the person they love. 

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  You can reaffirm that the strength of our character doesn’t come from shoving people to the sidelines.  It comes from hearing every voice, harnessing every talent -- realizing that in America, we are greater together than we are on our own.  That's who we are.  (Applause.)  That's who we are and that's what's at stake in this election.   

This November, you get to decide the future of the Afghanistan war.  Governor Romney had nothing to say about Afghanistan last week.  Yes, he hasn't offered a plan for the 33,000 troops who will have come home from this war by the end of this month.  (Applause.)

He said that ending the war in Iraq was “tragic.”  I think it was the right thing to do.  And I said I would do it, and we did.  (Applause.)  I said we'd take out bin Laden, and we did.  (Applause.)

We are bringing our troops home from Afghanistan.  And I've set a timetable.  We will have them all out of there by 2014.  Governor Romney doesn't have a timetable.  I think he's wrong.  That's what's at stake in this election.  And as long as I’m Commander-in-Chief, we will serve our veterans as well as they’ve served us, because nobody who fights for us should have to fight for a job or a roof over their heads when they come home.  That's the choice in this election.  (Applause.)  

So, Boulder, on issue after issue, Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan want to go backwards.  But the story of America is about going forwards.  Nobody understands that better than folks in the West, because this is a region that was settled by people who understand we're not looking back, we're going forward.  (Applause.)  We're going forward to the next frontier, to new horizons.  And in two months, you get to choose the path that will lead us to that better future. 

But understand, over the next two months the other side is going to spend more money than we've ever seen in our lives, with an avalanche of attack ads and insults and making stuff up, just making stuff up.  (Laughter.)  And they'll be supported by $10 million checks that are being written by wealthy donors who are trying to protect things just as they are.

And what they're counting on is that you get so discouraged by this, that at a certain point you just say, you know what, I'm going to leave it up to somebody else.  I'm going to let big oil write the energy bills, and I'm going to let insurance companies decide when to cover somebody, and we're going to let politicians dictate what a woman can or can’t do when it comes to her own health. 

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  They're counting on you to accept their version of the things the way they ought to be.  And I'm counting on something different.  I'm counting on you.  (Applause.)

You've always had powerful forces in this country who benefit from the status quo, and they bet against the American people.  And I've always bet on you.  I don't believe you're cynical.  I don't believe in your complacency.  Those other guys, they always lose the bet over the long term.  And they're going to lose the bet this time as well.  (Applause.) 

But that's going to depend on you.  It's going to depend on you registering to vote.  It's going to depend on you showing up to vote.  I was over at the The Buff before I came here and the food looked really good.  (Laughter.)  People were having mimosas and Bloody Mary's.  (Laughter.)  And I was thinking to myself, I could see folks, like, forgetting to vote.  (Laughter.)  They're having too much fun.  

But that's why you're so important, because you're going to have to set an example for the person next to you in class.  You're going to have to remind them, have you voted yet?  You're going to have to call up your family or your cousins in the other states.  You're going to have to reach up and close that gap between what America is and what it should be -- because you know what, you can't wait on somebody else.  It turns out other folks are waiting on you.  They're waiting to see if you'll register.  They're waiting to see if you'll vote.  They're waiting to see if you'll lead.

Colorado, we have come too far to turn back now.  We’ve got more good jobs to create.  We’ve got more homegrown energy to generate.  We’ve got more young people to send to college.  We’ve got more good teachers to hire.  (Applause.)  We’ve got more good schools to build.  We’ve got one more war to end.  We've got more troops we've got to bring home.  We've got more veterans we've got to take care of.  (Applause.)  We’ve got more doors of opportunity that we have to open for every single person who’s willing to work hard and walk through them.  (Applause.)  That’s why I’m asking you for a second term. 

And if you’re willing to work with me and knock on some doors with me, make some phone calls with me; if you’re willing to vote for me in November, we will win Boulder and we will win Colorado.  We will win this election.  (Applause.)  We will finish what we started.  And we will remind the world why it is that the United States of America is the greatest nation on Earth.

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

                                                                             END             2:08 P.M. MDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 01, 2012

Remarks by the President at Campaign Event

Morningside College, Sioux City, Iowa

5:40 P.M. CDT


     THE PRESIDENT:  How's it going, Iowa?  (Applause.)  It is good to be back in Sioux City!  (Applause.)

Please give Rob a big round of applause for that great introduction.  (Applause.)  It's good to be with my outstanding Secretary of Agriculture, your former governor, Tom Vilsack.  (Applause.)  It is great to see your Mayor, Bob Scott.  (Applause.)  And it is great to see all of you.  (Applause.)  

And the only thing that I'm not going to do, though, is get in the middle of an argument between Hawkeye and Huskers fans.  (Laughter.)  I'm not going to go there. 

Now, Iowa is our first stop this week on the road to our convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.  (Applause.)  And it was important for me to begin that journey right here in Iowa because this is where it all began for us four years ago -- right here in Iowa.  (Applause.)  Because it was you, Iowa, who kept us going when all the pundits had written us off.  It was in your living rooms and backyards and VFW halls and diners where our movement for change began.  And it will be you, Iowa, who is going to make all the difference in the world in this upcoming election.  (Applause.)

Now, last week, the other party, they gave their pitch at the convention in Florida.

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

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

I've got to say, that convention, it was something.  (Laughter.)  Despite all the challenges that we face in this new century, what they offered over their three days was an agenda that was probably a little better suited for the last century.  (Applause.)  They were going so far backwards you might as well have watched it on black-and-white TV.  (Laughter and applause.) Put some rabbit ears on the convention hall.  (Applause.)  

Now, in case you didn’t DVR it, let me give you a simple recap:  The economy is not where it needs to be, and it’s Obama’s fault, and only Mitt Romney knows the secret to creating jobs and growing the economy. 

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  And there was a lot of talk about speaking "hard truths" and making "bold choices," but the interesting thing was nobody ever bothered throughout the three days to tell you what these tough choices were going to be.  They didn’t really explain what they were going to do.

When Governor Romney had his chance to let you in on his secret sauce -- (laughter) -- he didn’t offer you a single new idea.  It was just a retread of the same old policies that have been sticking it to the middle class for years.  (Applause.)  

So you heard them talk a lot about me.  You heard them talk a lot about Mitt.  They didn’t talk a lot about you.  They didn’t talk about the challenges you face and how we could actually solve some of these challenges.  They spent less time talking about their plan than just about anything else.  Not just because they know you don’t like it -- now, the truth is if I had their plan I probably wouldn't talk about it a lot either.  (Laughter and applause.)  And they know you're not going to buy it because we’ve tried it, you saw what happened, you lived through it and you don't want to repeat it.  (Applause.)

We know that making the middle class, for example, pay for another budget-busting $250,000 tax cut for folks making $3 million a year or more is not going to translate into jobs and prosperity for working families all across Sioux City.  We know that.  (Applause.) 

We know that families aren’t going to be better off if we roll back financial reform that's there to prevent another financial crisis.  We know we're not going to be better off if suddenly we roll back the protections for our air and our water, and protections to make sure that if you get sick there's going to be health care there for you. 

We’re sure not going to be better off if suddenly, instead of having Medicare that you can count on, we've got some sort of voucher program that Mr. Romney and Mr. Ryan are proposing that leaves seniors to pay any additional costs out of their own pocket. 

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  They have been trying to sell us these tired, trickle-down, you’re-on-your-own policies before.  They did not work.  They didn’t work then, they won't work now.  They won’t create jobs.  They won't lower our deficit.  They're not going to strengthen the middle class.  They're not a plan to move our country forward. 

We believe in something better.  (Applause.)  We believe in an America that says our economic strength has never come from the top down; it comes from the middle out and the bottom up.  (Applause.)  It comes from students and workers and small business people, and a growing, thriving middle class.  That's what built this country.  (Applause.)

We believe in an America that doesn’t let how much money you’ve got determine whether or not you can afford good health care, or send your kids to get a good higher education.  (Applause.)

We believe in an America that maintains the strongest, most disciplined, most effective military in the history of the world, but that we also lead with the strength of our ideas and the power of our example.  And we believe in an America where no matter who you are, or what you look like, or where you come from or who you love -- you can pursue your own happiness, and you can make it if you try.  That's what we believe here in America.  (Applause.)

That’s what these last four years have been about.  That’s what this campaign is about.  And that’s why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States of America.  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Now, on Thursday night -- this coming Thursday night -- not last Thursday night -- (laughter) -- this coming Thursday night, I will offer you what I believe is a better path forward -- a path that will grow this economy and create more good jobs, and strengthen our middle class, and create ladders for everybody who is willing to work hard to get into the middle class.  And the good news is you're going to get to choose which path we take.

You can go with what you heard last Thursday.

AUDIENCE:  No!

THE PRESIDENT:  You can choose their plan to give massive new tax cuts to folks who've already made it.  Or you can go with my plan, which is to keep the tax cuts on every American who is still trying to make it.  (Applause.) 

Back in 2008, I promised to cut taxes for middle-class families.  And I've cut taxes by a total of about $3,600 for the typical family.  And now I’m running to make sure that taxes aren’t raised a single dime on your family’s first $250,000 of income -- which, by the way, means for 98 percent of Americans and 97 percent of small businesses, they won't see their income taxes go up.  (Applause.)  That's my path.  That's a different choice than where these other guys want to go.    

You can choose whether we give up new jobs and new industries to China and India and Germany and other countries, or whether we fight to keep those jobs here in Iowa.  (Applause.)  My opponent’s experience -- he likes to talk about his private sector experience -- well, a lot of it was investing in companies that were called "pioneers" in the business of outsourcing jobs. I don't believe in outsourcing.  I believe in insourcing.  (Applause.) 

When the America auto industry was about to go under, he said, "let Detroit go bankrupt."

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  I bet on American workers and American manufacturing, which is why the American auto industry has come roaring back.  (Applause.) 

I want to stop giving tax breaks to companies that are shipping jobs overseas.  I want to start rewarding companies that are creating jobs right here in Sioux City, right here in Iowa, right here in the United States of America.  That's the path I want to travel on.  (Applause.)

And at a moment when homegrown energy is creating new jobs all across this state and other states across the Midwest, my opponent would put those jobs at risk -- the jobs that Rob was talking about -- he'd put them at risk by ending tax credits for wind energy producers. 

Rob told you, he said these new sources of energy are "imaginary."  And Mr. Ryan called them a "fad."
You just saw Rob.  He looks pretty real to me.  (Laughter.)   I wasn't imagining him up here talking, was I?  (Laughter.)  He has been in the wind energy business for nearly 20 years.  He and his wife Tara now have 27 employees.  Nearly 7,000 jobs in Iowa depend on the wind industry.  (Applause.)  These jobs aren’t fads; they’re our future.  (Applause.)

It's time to stop giving a $4 billion taxpayer subsidy to oil companies that are making money every time you go to the pump.  (Applause.)  And let's give some tax breaks to wind energy and homegrown energy and biofuels that are creating jobs right here in Iowa.  That's the choice in this election.  That's what we're fighting for.  (Applause.)

We've got a different view when it comes to higher education.  We're at a great small college here in Iowa.  (Applause.)  Well, a young person asked my opponent, hoping to go to college, how he could help.  He said, you know what, borrow money from your parents.  (Laughter.)  That's not an answer.  That's not -- I guess it is an answer; it's not a good answer -- (laughter) -- to young people who are hoping to go to college or start a business.

My view is America has to lead once again when it comes to educating our kids and training our workers for the jobs of tomorrow.  (Applause.)  So let’s help more young people afford the kind of education they can get here at Morningside.  (Applause.)  Let’s help more young people and some not-so-young people go to community colleges, and get trained in the skills that employers are looking for right now.  (Applause.) 

We created a tax credit for middle-class families trying to send their kids to college -- up to $10,000 over four years in college tuition -- because I believe that in America, higher education is no longer a luxury.  It's a necessity that every family should be able to afford.  (Applause.)  That's the path we should be following. 

And you know what, it is up to you whether we go back to a health care system that lets insurance companies decide who to cover, when to cover it, whether they can drop you of your coverage whenever you need it most, or whether we keep moving forward with a law that is already cutting costs and covering more people and saving lives.  (Applause.)  They call it Obamacare.  I like that name, because I do care.  (Applause.)  I care about all the people that are being helped, all the folks who are going to be helped. 

And maybe they want to run on their "don't care" plan.  But because of this law, nearly 7 million young people are able to stay on their parent's plans.  Your grandparents are saving money on their medicine.  Women have gained access to preventive care like mammograms and contraception.  (Applause.)  We don't need to refight the battles of the last four years.  We need to go forward.  (Applause.)  We need to go forward.

Now, this November, you get to decide the future of this war in Afghanistan.  Governor Romney had nothing to say about Afghanistan last week -- didn't mention it, didn't offer a plan in terms of how he might end the war or if he's not going to end it.  He's got to let the American people know -- because by the end of this month, we will have brought 33,000 of our troops home.  (Applause.)

When I ended the war in Iraq, he said it was "tragic."  But you know what, I promised I was going to end that war -- and we did.  (Applause.)  I said we’d take out al Qaeda and go after bin Laden -- and we did.  (Applause.)  I put forward a specific plan to bring our troops home from Afghanistan by the end of 2014.  We are in the process of doing that right now.  And when I say I'm going to bring them home, you know they're going to come home.  (Applause.)

And as long as I am Commander-in-Chief, when they get home, they know that we will serve our veterans as well as they’ve served us, because nobody who fights for this country should have to fight for a job or a roof over their heads, or decent health care when they come home.  (Applause.)  That's a promise we will keep.  

On issue after issue, Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan, they're going to take us backwards.  The story of America is going forward.  That's what we do.  We go forward.  (Applause.) 

You will have the opportunity in two months to choose a path that will lead us to a better future.  But I have to tell you over the next two months the other side will spend more money than we have ever seen in our lifetimes.  And it's basically the same thing they said a few nights ago -- the economy is doing bad, it's Obama's fault.  They won't tell you their plan because they know their plan won't work.  Go figure that raising taxes on middle-class families to pay for a tax cut for me and Mr. Romney is not going to fly too well. 

So what they're counting on is if they can just feed enough negative information out there, you will get so discouraged that at some point you'll decide your vote doesn’t matter, that you can't compete with the $10 million checks from wealthy donors.

But you know what, I'm counting on something different.  I'm counting on you.  I need your help.  (Applause.)   I need your help Sioux City.  I need your help, Iowa.  (Applause.) 

First of all, if you're not already registered, I need you to register to vote.  Young people who are in the audience -- you know who you are -- you need to go to GottaRegister.com.  Now, that is not "got to," it's "gotta" -- g-o-t-t-a register.com.  Make sure you register to vote.  Then you can go to GottaVote.com -- that's not "got to" vote, "gotta" vote -- to find out how to cast your ballot early.  Because in Iowa you don’t have to wait until November 6th to vote.  You can be among the first to vote in this election, starting on September 27th.  (Applause.)  So that’s GottaRegister and that's GottaVote.

And the reason you've got to register and you've got to vote is because we've got more work to do.  (Applause.)  We've got more good jobs to create.  We’ve got more homegrown energy to generate.  We’ve got more young people to send to great colleges like this one.  We’ve got more great teachers we've got to hire. (Applause.)  We’ve got more good schools that we've got to build. We’ve got more troops we've got to bring home.  We've got more veterans we got to take care of.  (Applause.)  We’ve got more doors of opportunity that we have to open to every single American that's willing to work through them.  (Applause.)  And we have come too far to turn back now.  (Applause.)

That’s why I’m asking for your vote.  That's why I'm working for a second term.  (Applause.)  And if you are willing to stand with me and work with me and make phone calls with me and knock on some doors with me -- if you’re willing to vote for me this November, we're going to win Woodbury County.  (Applause.)  We will win the state of Iowa.  We will win this election.  We will finish what we started, and we'll remind the world why the United States of America is the greatest nation on Earth.

God bless you.  And God bless the United States of America.

                             END             6:02 P.M. CDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 01, 2012

Remarks by the President at Campaign Event

Living History Farms, Urbandale, Iowa

1:35 P.M. CDT


     THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Iowa!  (Applause.)  Oh, it is good to be back in Iowa!  (Applause.)

     AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We love you, Mr. President!

     THE PRESIDENT:  I love you back.  That's why I'm back.  (Applause.)  Oh, this is a great crowd. 

     It's good to see my outstanding friends -- Tom Harkin in the house.  (Applause.)  Leonard Boswell.  (Applause.)  Tom Miller.  (Applause.)  And can everybody please give Lucas a big round of applause -- not just for the introduction, but for his service to our country.  (Applause.)

And it is great to see all of you.  (Applause.)  We've got a spectacular day.  College football is in the air.  (Applause.)   We will try to get you home in time to see the Hawkeyes and the Cyclones.  I know we've got kickoff later.  (Laughter.)  And although you guys got to see the Nationals and Chris Cornell perform before I got here -- (applause) -- I just want you to know that I could not appreciate them performing -- I could not appreciate more them performing for us.  So please give them a big round of applause as well.  (Applause.)

Now, Iowa, this is our first stop on the road to our convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.  (Applause.)  But there was a reason for me to begin the journey right here in Iowa, where it first began more than four years ago.  (Applause.)  Because it was you, Iowa, who kept us going when the pundits were writing us off.  It was in your living rooms and backyards and VFW halls and diners where our movement for change began.  And it will be you, Iowa, who choose the path we take from here.  (Applause.)

Now, last week, the other party gave you their pitch at the convention down in Florida.

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

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

It was something to behold.  Despite all the challenges that we face in this new century, what they offered over those three days was more often than not an agenda that was better suited for the last century.  It was a rerun.  We’d seen it before.  You might as well have watched it on a black-and-white TV.  (Laughter.)   

If you didn’t DVR it, let me recap it for you.  (Laughter.) Everything is bad, it’s Obama’s fault -- (laughter) -- and Governor Romney is the only one who knows the secret to creating jobs and growing the economy.  That was the pitch.  There was a lot of talk about hard truths and bold choices, but nobody ever actually bothered to tell you what they were.  (Laughter.)

And when Governor Romney had his chance to let you in on his secret, he did not offer a single new idea, just retreads of the same old policies that have been sticking it to the middle class for years.  They talked a lot about me.  They talked a lot about him.  But they didn’t say much about you.  (Applause.)  And they spent even less time talking about what they planned to do -- not just because they know you won't like it, but because you've lived through it and you can't afford to repeat it.  (Applause.)

See, it turns out that we don't think making the middle class pay for another budget-busting $250,000 tax cut for folks making $3 million a year or more will magically translate into jobs and prosperity for everybody else.  We don’t think families will be better off if we undo financial reforms that are there to prevent another financial crisis, or rules that are there to protect our air and our water, protections to make sure your health care is there for you when you get sick.  (Applause.)  We really don’t think the best way to strengthen Medicare is to give seniors a voucher that leaves them to pay any additional costs out of their own pockets.
 
Iowa, they have tried to sell us these tired, trickle-down, you’re-on-your-own policies before.  They did not work.  They’ve never worked.  They won’t create jobs.  They won't cut our deficit.  They will not strengthen our middle class.  They are not a plan to move our country forward.  (Applause.)  

We believe in something better.  We believe in an America that says our economic strength has never come from the top down. It comes from the bottom up.  (Applause.)  It comes from the middle out.  It comes from students and workers and small business owners, and a growing, thriving middle class.  That's what we believe.  (Applause.)

We believe in an America that doesn’t let how much money you’ve got determine whether or not you can afford good health care or get a higher education.  (Applause.)  We believe in an America that leads not just by the force of our military, but also with the strength of our ideals and the power of our example.  (Applause.)  We believe in an America where no matter who you are, no matter what you look like, no matter where you come from, no matter who you love, you can pursue your own happiness and you can make it if you try.  (Applause.)

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

THE PRESIDENT:  That’s what the last four years have been about, Iowa.  And that’s what this campaign is about.  And that’s why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States.  (Applause.)
 
Now, this Thursday night, I will offer you what I believe is a better path forward -- a path that grows this economy, creates more good jobs, strengthens the middle class.  And the good news is you get to choose which path we take.  We can take their path or we can take the path that I'm going to present.  (Applause.) 

We can choose whether we give massive new tax cuts to folks who've already made it, or whether we keep the tax cuts for every American who’s still trying to make it.  (Applause.)  I have cut taxes by a total of about $3,600 for the typical family.  (Applause.)  And I’m now running to make sure that taxes aren’t raised a dime on your family’s first $250,000 of income.  (Applause.) 

That's the path forward.  But you're going to have to choose it.  It will be up to you.  You can choose whether we cede new jobs and new industries to countries like China and India or Germany, or whether we fight for those jobs in states like Iowa. (Applause.) 

My opponent’s experience -- he likes to talk about it -- has been investing in companies that often were called "pioneers" in the business of outsourcing jobs.  And when his advice was to "let Detroit go bankrupt," I said a million jobs were at stake, an iconic American industry is at stake -- I'm going to bet on American workers and American manufacturing.  (Applause.)  And today, the American auto industry has come roaring back.  (Applause.)  That's the choice. 

Unlike my opponent, I want to stop giving tax breaks to companies that ship jobs overseas.  I want to start rewarding companies that create jobs right here in Urbandale and Des Moines, right here in Iowa, right here in the United States of America.  (Applause.)  That's what we're fighting for. 

You can decide whether "borrow money from your parents" is an acceptable answer for a young person hoping to go to college or start a business.

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  Or you can say let’s make sure America once again leads the world in educating our kids and training our workers.  (Applause.)  Let's help more young people go to college ready to learn.  Let's hire more great teachers -- (applause) -- especially in math and science.  (Applause.)  Let’s help more Americans go to community colleges to get the skills for the jobs they need right now.  (Applause.)  Governor Romney wants to end the college tax credit we created that’s saving families up to $10,000 over four years in tuition.  I want to extend it.  (Applause.)  In America, higher education can't be a luxury.  It is an economic necessity and something everybody should be able to afford.  That's what we're fighting for.  (Applause.)

Iowa, you can choose an energy plan written by and for the big oil companies, or you can choose an all-of-the above energy strategy for America.  (Applause.)  At a time when homegrown energy is creating new jobs right here in Iowa, when farmers are helping to create new biofuels, when once-shuttered factories are churning out new wind turbines -- (applause) -- my opponent wants to end tax credits for wind energy producers.  He said new sources of energy like these are "imaginary."  His running mate calls them a "fad."  Nearly 7,000 jobs in this state depend on the wind industry.  These jobs aren’t a fad -- they are the future.  (Applause.) 

And I think it's time to stop giving $4 billion in taxpayer subsidies each year to big oil companies that are making money every time you go to the pump.  (Applause.)  Let's give some of that money to homegrown energy sources like wind that have never been more promising.  That's the choice in this election.  That's what we're fighting for.  (Applause.)  

It’s up to you whether we go back to a health care system that let insurance companies decide who to cover and when --

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  -- or whether we keep moving forward with the new health care law that’s already cutting costs and covering more people and saving lives.  (Applause.)  Now is not the time to refight the battles of the past four years.  Now is the time to move forward.  (Applause.)

This November, you get to decide the future of this war in Afghanistan.  Governor Romney had nothing to say about Afghanistan last week, let alone offer a plan for the 33,000 troops who will have come home from the war by the end of this month. (Applause.)  He said ending the war in Iraq was "tragic." I said we’d end that war -- and we did.  (Applause.)  I said we’d take out bin Laden -- and we did.  (Applause.) 

AUDIENCE:  U-S-A!  U-S-A!  U-S-A!

THE PRESIDENT:  Today, all of our troops are out of Iraq.  We are bringing them home from Afghanistan.  And as long as I’m Commander-in-Chief, we will serve our veterans as well as they served us -- (applause) -- veterans like Lucas, who got his education thanks to the Post-9/11 GI Bill -- because nobody who fights for this country should have to fight for a job or an education or a roof over their heads when they come home.  (Applause.)  That's what's at stake in this election.   

On issue after issue, Iowa, Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan will take us backwards.  But the story of America is about moving forward.  And soon you'll get a chance to choose a path that will actually lead to a better future.  But over the next two months, the other side will spend more money than we have ever seen on ads that basically tell you the same thing they told you at the convention -- the economy is not doing good and it’s Obama’s fault.  (Laughter.)  They know their economic plan isn’t popular.  Go figure that raising taxes on middle class families to pay for new tax cuts for billionaires and millionaires doesn’t go over that well.

AUDIENCE:  Booo --  

THE PRESIDENT:  So that's not what they're going to talk about.  They're counting on the fact that you get so discouraged by these negative ads, that you decide your vote doesn’t matter. You'll decide that you can’t compete with $10 million checks from wealthy donors.

I'm counting on something different.  I'm counting on you.  (Applause.)  And I need your help.  First and foremost, I need you to go to GottaRegister.com to make sure that you are registered to vote.  Now, this is GottaRegister -- I'm sorry, any English teachers who are in the room -- (laughter) -- it's not "got to," it is "gotta" -- g-o-t-t-a register.com.  And once you're registered, then you got to go to GottaVote.com.  (Applause.)  That's g-o-t-t-a vote.com -- to find out how to cast your ballot early.  Because in Iowa, you don’t have to wait until November 6th to vote.  You can be among the first to vote in this election, starting September 27th.  (Applause.) 

That’s GottaRegister.com; GottaVote.com, because we got a lot more work to do.  We "gotta" lot more work to do.  (Laughter.)

We’ve got more good jobs to create.  (Applause.)  We’ve got more homegrown energy to generate.  (Applause.)  We’ve got more young people to send to college.  (Applause.)  We’ve got more good teachers to hire.  (Applause.)  And we’ve got more good schools to build.  (Applause.)  We’ve got more troops we've got to bring home.  (Applause.)  We've got more veterans we've got to take care of.  (Applause.)  We’ve got more doors of opportunity to open to every single American who’s willing to work hard and walk through them.  We've come too far to turn back now.  (Applause.)  

That’s why I’m asking for a second term, Iowa.  And if you’re willing to stand with me, and join with me and knock on some doors with me, and make some phone calls with me, and if you're willing to vote for me in November -- we will win Polk County again.  (Applause.)  We will win Iowa again.  (Applause.) We will win this election.  (Applause.)  We will finish what we started.  And we will remind the world just why it is that the United States of America is the greatest nation on Earth.  (Applause.)

God bless you.  And God bless the United States of America.

                        END                 1:53 P.M. CDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 01, 2012

Weekly Address: Honoring Our Nation’s Service Members and Military Families

Hi, everybody.  On Friday, I visited Fort Bliss in Texas, where I met with some of our extraordinary men and women in uniform to mark the second anniversary of the end of major combat in Iraq.

It was a chance to thank our troops for the outstanding work they’ve done over the last decade.  Fort Bliss is home to soldiers who took part in every major phase of the Iraq War – from the initial assault on Baghdad; to the years of fighting block by block; to the partnership with the Iraqi people that helped give them a chance to forge their own destiny.

And while the war itself remains a source of controversy here at home, one thing will never be in doubt – the members of our armed forces are patriots in every sense of the word.  They met every mission and performed every task that was asked of them with precision, commitment and skill.  And now, with no Americans fighting in Iraq, it’s my privilege on behalf of a grateful nation to once again congratulate these men and women on a job well done.

This anniversary is a chance to appreciate how far we’ve come.  But it’s also a reminder that there is still difficult work ahead of us in Afghanistan.  Some of the soldiers I met at Fort Bliss had just come home from the battlefield, and others are getting ready to ship out. 

We’ve broken the Taliban’s momentum in Afghanistan, and begun the transition to an Afghan lead.  Next month, the last of the troops I ordered as part of the surge against the Taliban will come home, and by 2014, the transition to Afghan lead will be complete.

But as long as we have a single American in harm’s way, we will continue to do everything in our power to keep them safe and help them succeed.  That means giving them a clear mission and the equipment they need on the front lines.  But it also means taking care of our veterans and their families.  Because no one who fights for this country should have to fight for a job or a roof over their head when they come home.

I also told our soldiers at Bliss that part of honoring their service means strengthening the nation they fought so hard to protect.  As we turn the page on a decade of war, it’s time to do some nation-building here at home. 

My grandfather’s generation came back from World War II and helped form the backbone of the greatest middle-class in history.  They helped this country come back stronger than before.  Today’s veterans have the skills, the discipline, and the leadership skills to do the exact same thing – and it’s our job to give them that chance.

It’s time to build a nation that lives up to the ideals that so many Americans have fought for – a nation where they can realize the dream they sacrificed to protect.  We need to rebuild our roads and runways and ports.  We need to lay broadband lines across this country and put our veterans back to work as cops and firefighters in communities that need them.  And we need to come together to make America a place where hard work is rewarded and anyone willing to put in the effort can make it if they try.

That’s how we can honor our troops.  That’s the welcome home they’ve earned. 

Thanks, and have a great weekend

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 31, 2012

Remarks by the President to the Troops at Fort Bliss, TX

 

Fort Bliss Main Hangar
Fort Bliss, Texas
 
1:06 P.M. MDT
 
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Team Bliss! (Applause.) Hooah! Thank you so much, everybody. Hooah!
 
AUDIENCE: Hooah!
 
THE PRESIDENT: To General Lloyd Austin, thanks for the introduction and your leadership, leading our troops in Iraq and taking care of our soldiers now that they are at home. 
 
And right at the top, let me say that our hearts are obviously with all the folks who are down in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast, who are dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Isaac. Our prayers are with those who've lost loved ones. And I've directed the federal government to keep doing everything that it can to help our partners at the state and local level. As a country, we stand united with our fellow Americans in their hour of need. 
 
I want to thank General Pittard and all your great commanders for welcoming me here today. I want to give a shout-out to the Sergeant Major of the Army, Ray Chandler. (Hooah!) And Command Sergeant Major Ronnie Kelley. (Hooah!) These guys remind us that our noncommissioned officers are the backbone of our military -- (applause) -- leading the finest enlisted force in the world. (Hooah!) 
 
It is great to be back at Fort Bliss, home to the Army, Air and Missile Defense Command -- "Swift and Sure." (Hooah!) We've got Guard and Reserve here. (Hooah!) Of course, it's home to the legendary 1st Armored Division, "Old Ironsides." (Hooah!) We've got a lot of brigades here, including the "Iron Eagles," "Iron Brigade," "Bulldogs," and "Ready First." (Hooah!) 
 
And I also want to salute Lucille Pittard and Alice Kelley and all the extraordinary spouses and military families who are here. Give them a big round of applause. (Applause.) 
 
 I know that all of you are grateful for the incredible support you receive from your civilian neighbors. So I want to acknowledge two champions of Fort Bliss -- we've got Congressman Silvestre Reyes and we've got Mayor John Cook. And we've also got all the great folks in El Paso and New Mexico. Give them a big round of applause. (Applause.) 
 
I've come back to Bliss for a simple reason. Two years ago, I was here to mark a historic moment in the life of our nation and our military -- the end of major combat operations in Iraq. It was a chance for me to say on behalf of the American people to you and all who served there -- welcome home, and congratulations on a job well done. 
 
AUDIENCE: Hooah!
 
THE PRESIDENT: In every major phase of that war, you were there, the Iron Soldiers. Because of your speed and strength, American troops toppled a dictator in less than a month. Because of your commitment, you stayed on extended tours and went back, tour after tour, year after year. Because of your determination to succeed, you turned back an insurgency. You stood firm against sectarian strife. You helped pull Iraq back from the abyss and you trained Iraqis to take the lead. That was the progress you made possible with your service and your courage. 
 
And so, two years ago, I was able to come here to Bliss and mark the end of our combat mission. And that night I told the American people that all our troops would be out of Iraq by the end of the following year. At the time, I know some folks didn’t believe me. They were skeptical. Some thought the end of combat was just word games and semantics, but I meant what I said. (Hooah!)
 
So you kept training up those Iraqi forces. We removed nearly 150,000 troops, and this past December, under General Austin’s leadership, the last American troops came home, including the 4th Brigade Combat Team from Bliss. (Hooah!) (Applause.)
 
You left Iraq with honor, your mission complete, your heads held high. After nearly nine years, our war in Iraq was over. And today Iraq has a chance to forge its own destiny, and there are no American troops fighting and dying in Iraq.
 
On this anniversary, we honor the memory of all who gave their lives there -- nearly 4,500 American patriots, including 198 fallen heroes from Fort Bliss and the 1st Armored Division. And we salute all who served there.
 
When I was here two years ago I told you something else, though -- that we had more work to do, including taking the fight to al Qaeda. (Hooah!) And there, too, I meant what I said. With allies and partners, we’ve taken out more top al Qaeda terrorists than at any time since 9/11. And thanks to the courage of our forces, al Qaeda is on the road to defeat and bin Laden will never again threaten the United States of America. (Applause.)
 
Two years ago I also told you that we’d keep up the fight in Afghanistan. And I know that some of you recently got back. On behalf of a grateful nation, welcome home. 
 
Some of your buddies are in Afghanistan right now -- (Hooah!) -- and our thoughts and prayers are with all the troops from Bliss deployed around the world, including Afghanistan -- the "War Eagles" and the "Highlanders." 
 
And I know that some of you will be deploying later this year. (Hooah!) And I’ve got to tell you the truth -- this is still a very tough fight. You know this. You carry in your hearts the memory of comrades who made that ultimate sacrifice, including six heroes from Bliss who gave their lives on that awful day last month. 
 
I just had the opportunity to meet with some of our Gold Star families, and our message to them is this: Your loved ones live on in the soul of our nation and we will honor them always. 
 
Because of their sacrifice, because of your service, we pushed the Taliban back. We’re training Afghan forces. The transition to Afghan lead is underway, and as promised, more than 30,000 of our troops will have come home by next month.
 
Just as in Iraq, we are going to end this war responsibly. Next year, Afghans will take the lead for their own security. In 2014, the transition will be complete. And even as this war ends, we will stay vigilant so Afghanistan is never again a source for attacks against America. Never again. (Hooah!) (Applause.)
 
So we’re not just ending these wars. We’re doing it in a way that keeps America safe and makes America stronger. And that includes our military. 
 
Think about it. Just four years ago, there were some 180,000 American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. By next month we will have cut that number by nearly two-thirds. So most of our troops have come home. And as more Afghans step up, more of our troops will come home. 
 
And what does that mean for you? Well, after 10 years of continuous operations, it means fewer deployments. It means more time for training. It means more time to improve readiness, more time to prepare for the future. And it means more time on the home front with your families -- your spouses and your kids. (Hooah!)
 
THE PRESIDENT: So make no mistake -- ending the wars responsibly makes us safer and it makes our military even stronger. And ending these wars is letting us do something else -- restore American leadership. 
 
If you hear anyone trying to say that America is in decline or that our influence has waned, don’t you believe it. Because here's the truth -- our alliances have never been stronger. We're leading on behalf of freedom, including standing with the people of Libya that are finally free from Muammar Qaddafi. (Hooah!)
 
Around the world, there's a new attitude toward America, new confidence in our leadership. When people are asked, which country do you admire most, one nation always comes out on top: the United States of America. (Hooah!) (Applause.) 
 
And that’s the progress that we've made, thanks to your incredible service. We're winding down a decade of war. We're destroying terrorist networks that attacked us. And we've restored American leadership. And today, every American can be proud that the United States is safer, the United States is stronger, and the United States is more respected in the world.
 
Now, when I was here last, I made you a pledge. I said that, as President, I will insist that America serves you and your families as well as you've served us. And there again, I meant what I said. Because part of ending wars responsibly is caring for those who fought in it. That’s why I wanted to come back to Bliss on this anniversary to reaffirm our solemn obligations to you and your families.
 
You see, we may be turning a page on a decade of war, but America's responsibilities to you have only just begun. (Baby shouts.)
 
THE PRESIDENT: Hey! (Laughter.) I hear you. 
 
So here's my pledge to you. In a world of serious threats, I will never hesitate to use force to defend the United States of America or our interests. (Hooah!) At the same time, I will only send you into harm's way when it is absolutely necessary. And when we do, we will give you the equipment and the clear mission and the smart strategy and the support back home that you need to get the job done. We owe you that. (Applause.) 
 
With the end of the wars, our military will be leaner, but we'll keep making historic investments to keep you the absolute best military in the world -- bar none. The United States will always maintain our military superiority. (Hooah!) In you, we've got the best-trained, best-led, best-equipped military in human history. And as Commander-In-Chief, I'm going to keep it that way. (Applause.) 
 
And by the way, you've been hearing some folks out there trying to talk about the budget and trying to scare you. Last year, Congress pledged to find a plan to reduce the deficit, and they said if they couldn’t agree there would be big cuts across the board, including defense. But understand, nobody wants these cuts, and that’s why Congress threatened them, to force themselves to make hard decisions. 
 
Here's the thing. There’s no reason those cuts should happen because folks in Congress ought to come together and agree on a responsible plan that reduces the deficit and keeps our military strong. (Hooah!)
 
That's what needs to happen. That's what you and your families deserve. And that's how we’re going to keep America safe and strong and grow our economy all at the same time. (Applause.) That's a pledge that we need to make to you.
 
And just as we give you the best equipment and technology on the battlefield, we need to give you the best support and care when you come home.
 
AUDIENCE MEMBER: I say hooah!
 
THE PRESIDENT: Hooah!
 
AUDIENCE: Hooah!
 
THE PRESIDENT: We just had a roundtable with some soldiers and their families, talking about how coming home can be its own struggle, especially for our wounded warriors. So we’ve poured tremendous resources into this effort, unprecedented support for our troops with Traumatic Brain Injury, for our troops and veterans with PTSD -- more counselors, more clinicians, more care, more treatment. 
 
And I know you’ve been a leader on this here at Bliss, making it clear that everyone has a responsibility to help a comrade who's hurting. So today we’re taking another step. I’ve signed a new executive order to give our troops, our veterans, and our families better access to mental health care. (Hooah!) (Applause.) 
 
We’re going increase the number of folks manning those crisis hotlines so help is there when you need it most. We’re going to add even more counselors and mental health providers. We’re launching a new awareness campaign, starting tomorrow, and I’m directing a new task force to find out what works best so we’re doing everything we can to help those in need and save lives. And I know that you join me in saying to everyone who's ever worn the uniform: If you’re hurting, it’s not a sign of weakness to seek help; it’s a sign of strength. (Hooah!) 
 
We are here to help you stay strong -- Army Strong. (Hooah!) That's a commitment I’m making to you. 
 
And we’re going to keep taking care of our remarkable military families, too. (Hooah!) This is something I care deeply about, but even if I didn't, I’d have no choice because Michelle would tell me what to do. (Laughter.) And along with Michelle and Dr. Jill Biden, they have been doing everything they can to get civilians involved in this process, not just our government. So today more people all across America are joining forces to give our military families the respect and the support that they deserve, and that's especially important right now.
 
Now, this may be a political season, and folks may be arguing about all sorts of things. But one thing that we Americans are united on is our support for you. Only 1 percent of Americans may wear the uniform -- (Hooah!) -- but 100 percent of Americans need to be supporting you and your families 100 percent. (Hooah!)
 
And so this brings me to the final pledge I made here at Bliss two years ago. When you take off the uniform, we are going to help you fully participate in our economy. Every single one of you has defended the American Dream for the rest of us, and every single one of you deserves a chance to live the American Dream yourselves. (Hooah!) And that includes jobs worthy of your incredible talents. 
 
And by the way, it’s not just good for you. It’s good for the country -- because after a decade of war, the nation we need to be rebuilding is the United States of America. (Hooah!) (Applause.) And all of you have the skills that America needs. 
 
So with a million more of you rejoining civilian life in the years ahead, we’re upping our game at every stage of your careers. We’ve overhauled the Transition Assistance Program, creating a kind of reverse boot camp as you leave service, to help you find a job, or pursue that degree, or start that business. And hopefully this will be one boot camp you actually like. (Laughter.) 
 
We’ll keep helping you and your families pursue your education under the Post-9/11 GI Bill. (Hooah!) And by the way, we’re cracking down on those schools that have been trying to take your money and then rip you off by not giving you the education that you paid for. That needs to stop. We’re going to bring an end to that. (Hooah!)
 
We’re going to keep hiring our newest veterans in the federal government, and in communities as police officers and firefighters and first responders. Because we passed tax credits, more businesses can hire our veterans and wounded warriors. 
 
We’re making it easier for you to transfer your outstanding military skills to the licenses and credentials that you need to get that civilian job. If you’ve been a medic in theater, you shouldn’t have to start at nursing 101 if you decide you want to go into the medical profession here in the United States. (Hooah!) (Applause.) If you’ve been a mechanic on a multimillion-dollar piece of equipment, you shouldn’t have to come back and start all over again in getting credentialed to work on a car here in the United States. (Hooah!)
 
And maybe you’ve heard -- last year I challenged the private sector to hire or train 100,000 veterans or military spouses. Well, last week Michelle was able to announce that patriotic companies across America have actually exceeded that goal ahead of schedule with 125,000 jobs. (Hooah!) (Applause.)
 
But we’ve still got more work to do. So today I’m again calling on Congress to act. They’ve got some work they need to do. Pass the Veterans Jobs Corps so we can put more vets to work protecting and rebuilding America. Extend tax credits to businesses that hire our veterans. (Applause.) And I say to every company in America: If you want somebody who knows how to get the job done, if you want somebody who is going to make you proud, just like they made America proud -- then hire a vet. (Hooah!) Hire a vet. (Applause.) Because after fighting for America, you shouldn’t have to fight for a job in America. (Hooah!)
 
So, Team Bliss, these are America’s commitments to you and all who serve -- because we need to be there for you just like you were there for us -- not just this year or next, but for all the years to come. 
 
That’s the lesson of a soldier I had the honor to meet the last time I was in Afghanistan, visiting some of our wounded warriors in the hospital at Bagram. Sergeant Chase Haag is 22 years old. This past spring he was with his team when their vehicle got hit by an IED the day that I flew in. So when I arrived at his hospital room, he and his buddies were all in pretty bad shape. And he was certainly in bad shape -- his leg was broken, his back was fractured. He was laying there on his bed. He was under a lot of medication, face was swollen, his eyes were shut.
 
And at first, my attitude was I didn’t want to disturb him because I thought he was sleeping. And the doctor said, no, I think he can understand what you’re saying even if he can’t acknowledge it, and I think he’d appreciate knowing that you’re by his side. So I leaned in and I told Chase how proud I was of him and how proud the country was of him, and how we’d be praying for his recovery. 
 
And I was turning to leave and then something happened. There was a rustling under his blanket. And Chase never opened his eyes, couldn’t make a sound, but suddenly you saw the blanket lift and his arm came out. And he shook my hand -- a firm Army handshake. (Hooah!) And I don’t think there was a dry eye in that room.
 
And then a few months later I was visiting our wounded warriors at Walter Reed, and I walk around the corner and who’s there but Chase. He had endured multiple surgeries. He was persevering through physical therapy. But this time he was on his feet. He was walking again. And he had his dad next to him. And today he’s back where every soldier wants to be -- back with his unit. (Hooah!) (Applause.)
 
And it made me think, that’s just one moment in the life of one American soldier. But it captured the spirit, the resilience, the tenacity, the discipline, the resolve, the patriotism of all of you. 
 
For a decade, you have served under the dark cloud of war. You've endured great loss, and good men and women have given their last full measure of devotion. But we Americans are strong, and we are resilient, and we have resolve. And now, we can see a light -- the light of a new day on the horizon. And that’s because of you.
 
The war in Iraq is over. The transition is underway in Afghanistan. Our troops will keep coming home. And we are keeping our military ready for whatever the future may hold. But know this, Bliss -- we are moving forward stronger and more confident in knowing that when faced with great trials, we Americans do what we always do. We don’t just endure; we emerge stronger than before. 
 
And as we go forward as one nation, if the American people ever need inspiration, they just have to look at Bliss. They need only to look at you. For in you, we see the best that our country has to offer -- the virtues that have made America great for more than two centuries, and the values that will keep us great for centuries to come. 
 
It's the belief that all men are created equal; that we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, and that among these are life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It's the sense of duty that says our country and our freedoms are worth fighting for. It's the selflessness that says I don’t care who gets the credit, but I'll do my part and we'll get the job done. The trust in one another, knowing that when the chips are down, the person next to you has got your back and you've got theirs. (Hooah!) The strength you draw from every part of our American family, every color, every creed, every background, every faith coming together, succeeding together as one American team. 
 
That’s who you are. That’s who we are. We are Americans. We pledge allegiance to the same proud flag. And we all love this country and all it represents to the world -- the hope, the opportunity. And we stand united in support of our troops and your families. And when we stand together and when we work together, when we take care of each other, we remind ourselves there's nothing we can't do, America's greatest days are yet to come, and that we remain the greatest force for freedom that the world has ever known.
 
So God bless you. God bless all our men and women in uniform. And God bless the United States of America. (Applause.) 
 
END
1:32 P.M. MDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 29, 2012

Remarks by the President at Campaign Event -- Charlottesville, VA

 

University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
 
3:31 P.M. EDT
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Virginia!  (Applause.)  Go, Hoos!  (Applause.)  Wahoowah!  (Applause.)  I still don’t know what a Wahoo is.  (Laughter.)  But I know we’ve got some here today.  (Applause.)   
 
I want to thank Mathias for the great introduction.  Give him a big round of applause.  (Applause.)  I want to thank my great friends, Tom Perriello -- (applause) -- and your next United States senator, Tim Kaine.  (Applause.)  
 
It is good to be back in Charlottesville.
 
AUDIENCE MEMBER:  I love you, Obama!
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I love you back.  (Applause.)
 
Before I get started, let me just say that on the flight over here I was on the phone with our FEMA Director, Craig Fugate, and Janet Napolitano, who does our homeland security, as well as some of the governors and mayors who are now being affected and are having to deal with Hurricane Isaac.  And I think it's important for all of us -- because we know we've got some prayerful people here -- to just let people on the coast know our thoughts are with you, our prayers are with you. 
 
We are going to make sure that we are doing every single thing that we need to do to ensure that the folks down there are taken care of and have the support and the love of the rest of this country.  Because when things like this happen, there are no Democrats or Republicans.  (Applause.)  There are just Americans.  And we stand by Americans in their hour of need.  (Applause.) 
 
Now, I know for me, it's great to be back in Charlottesville.  And this is an exciting time of year.  Class is back in session.  Come on, we need a little more enthusiasm, students.  (Applause.)  The football team has got a home game on Saturday.  (Applause.)  And in just over two months -- just over two months from now, for the first time in many of your lives, you're going to get to pick the next President of the United States.  (Applause.)   
 
Now, I know that there's some young at heart here who are not so young, like me.  (Laughter.)  But let me just take a moment to speak to the young people here.  You guys have more at stake in this election than anybody.  When you step into that voting booth, the choice that you make in that one instant is going to shape your country, it's going to shape the world for decades to come.  
 
I know that’s a pretty heavy idea to lay on you on just the second day of class, but -- (laughter) -- but it’s true.  The decisions that we make as a country right now on everything from the economy and jobs and taxes, to education and energy, and war and climate change -– all these decisions -- (audience interruption) -- all these decisions are going to be affecting your lives in very personal way.
 
AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!  (Applause.)   
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Listen, I couldn't really hear what those young people were saying, but that's good that they're getting involved.  (Applause.)  But what I'm trying to tell you here is, don't just chant.  You've got to vote.  (Applause.)  You’ve got to vote.     
 
The decisions we make -- war, peace, the economy, the environment -- all those things are going to be decided.  And they're not just going to affect you; they're going to affect Malia and Sasha, too, my daughters.  (Applause.)  
 
This is how our democracy works.  Your generation is going to have to push the generations in front of you to make sure that they're making the right decisions.  Your generation will choose not just between two candidates or two political parties, but will choose the path that we take as a country.  And it will affect your lives in very personal, profound ways.
 
So you think about the questions that are at stake here.  Are we going to make sure that good jobs and opportunities take root in China or Germany, or are we going to make sure they take root in Charlottesville and Richmond -- (applause) -- right here in Virginia, and all across America?  (Applause.) 
 
Are we going to make sure that an honest day’s work is rewarded, so that somebody who really works hard, they can afford to have their own home, and they'll have health care when they get sick -- (applause) -- and they'll be able to retire with dignity and respect.  And most of all, they'll be able to make sure their kids are doing better and dreaming bigger than they did.  (Applause.) 
 
Are we going to make sure that not just you but folks who follow you can afford to get a college degree and are able to pay off their student loan debt?  (Applause.)  Are we going to build more good schools and hire more good teachers, and make sure that our young people are prepared to attend colleges like UVA?  (Applause.) 
 
Will this be a country that keeps moving away from foreign oil and invests in renewable sources of energy like wind and solar and biofuels -- (applause) -- that help our economy and make our planet more secure?  (Applause.) 
 
Will this be a nation that leads not just with the strength of our military, but with the power of our example and fidelity to our values?  Is that the kind of country we will continue to be?  (Applause.) 
 
And most of all, will this continue to be an America where no matter who you are, no matter what you look like, no matter where you come from, no matter what your last name is, no matter who you love, you can pursue your own happiness and make it if you try?  (Applause.) 
 
That’s what my presidency has been about.  That's what this campaign is about.  And that’s why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States of America.  (Applause.) 
 
That's what Tim Kaine stands for.  That's what Tom Perriello stands for.  (Applause.) 
 
And I know that right around this time, before football season has started, there are some folks who get sick of politics.  I understand that.  Sometimes the campaigns seem meaner and smaller, and Washington seems more gridlocked all the time.  And you’ve got a steady stream of cynics who are telling you change isn’t possible; you can’t make a difference; you won’t be able to close that gap between how things are and how they should be; you were naïve last time when you had all the hope and change stuff.  (Laughter.) 
 
And frankly, the other side, they’ve made this a strategy.  They will tell you how bad things are over and over again, and they’ll helpfully add that it’s all Obama’s fault.  (Laughter.)  
And what they're hoping is that even if you don't vote for them because you know that what they're peddling doesn't work, what they do hope is, is that you get so discouraged that you just stay home.
 
AUDIENCE:  No!
 
THE PRESIDENT:  That's what they're banking on.  But I don't believe that.  I don't think you believe that.   We knew that solving our biggest challenges would take more than one year, or one term, or one President.  We know we’ve still got a lot of work to do, but we are determined to get it done.  We are determined to finish the job.  (Applause.)  We’re determined to finish the race, and that's why I’m running for a second term.  (Applause.) 
 
And you know what makes me -- what makes me confident is you.  (Applause.)  The American people have gone through some tough times, but the American people are always tougher.  And this generation of young Americans, I’ve seen your passion.  I have seen your service.  I’ve seen you eager to make a difference.  You’re already proved that you can make a difference.  
 
Think about it.  Some of you did vote four years ago, and some of you, even if you were too young to vote, worked on the campaign.  And you believed four years ago that we could put a college education within reach of everybody who is willing to work for it.  That's what you believed.  (Applause.) 
 
So we created a college tax credit that’s saving middle-class families up to $10,000 on college tuition.  We fixed the student loan system that was giving billions of dollars to banks as middlemen.  We said let’s use that money to double grant aid for millions of students.  (Applause.)  We won the fight to prevent student loan rates from doubling for more than 7 million students.  
 
None of this would have happened if it hadn’t been for you, if it hadn’t been for the work that you did, if it hadn’t been the faith that you had in your ability to make a difference.  You helped millions of young people, maybe including yourself, to earn a college education.  You made that happen.  And that makes me believe, that gives me confidence.  It gives me confidence about the future.  (Applause.) 
 
Four years ago, we talked about how we could use less foreign oil, reduce the carbon footprint that threatens our planet.  And in just four years, we have doubled the generation of clean, renewable energy like wind and solar.  (Applause.)  We’ve created thousands of good American jobs because of it.  Today, we’re less dependent on foreign oil than at any time in nearly 20 years.  We’re on track to emit fewer greenhouse gases this year than we have in nearly 20 years.  We can keep those trends going.  And that is all happening because of you.  (Applause.) 
 
Four years ago, you believed that nobody in America should go broke because they get sick.  Today, because of the new health care law, affectionately known as Obamacare -- (applause) -- because of that law, nearly 7 million young people are able to stay on their parent’s health insurance plans.  (Applause.)  Your grandparents are saving money on their prescription drugs.  Women have gained access to free preventive care like mammograms and contraception.  (Applause.)  Thirty million Americans will be able to finally have the security of health care coverage.  (Applause.)  You can't be barred because of a preexisting condition.  You made that happen.  That's because of you.  (Applause.) 
 
Four years ago, we said we’d end the war in Iraq -- we did.  (Applause.)  More troops are home with their families.  They're earning their education, in some cases, with the Post-9/11 GI Bill.  They're out there starting new businesses.  But that's not the only change we made -- because no one ever again will have to hide who they love in order to serve the country they love.  We ended "don't ask, don't tell."  You made that happen.  (Applause.)  
 
The point is, Virginia, your vote mattered.  Your voice made a difference.  Change was possible because you made it possible.  So you can't get tired now.  (Laughter.)  Because we’ve got more work to do.  (Applause.)  We’ve got more work to do to grow this economy.  We’ve got more work to do to create more good jobs and strengthen the middle class.  And in November, your voice will matter more than ever.  (Applause.) 
 
And listen, if you doubt that, then pay a little attention to what’s happening in Tampa this week.  
 
AUDIENCE:  Booo --
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Don't boo -- vote.  Vote.  (Applause.) 
 
I mean, my opponents are down there, they're offering their agenda.  And it’s a pretty entertaining show.  (Laughter.)  They’ve got wonderful things to say about me.  (Laughter.)    But you know what’s interesting is you can listen very carefully, very hard, and you won’t hear them offer a clear, serious path forward.  You won’t.  I mean, they’ve got an economic plan that can be summed up very simply.  They say that if we give a $5 trillion tax cut -- which includes giving an extra $250,000 tax cut to people making $3 million a year or more -- then somehow, prosperity is going to rain down on the rest of us.  (Laughter.) 
 
Now, many of you were too young to remember, but we tried this for about a decade before I came into office.  It didn't work then; it's not going to work now.  (Applause.) 
 
I don’t want to pay for another millionaire’s tax cut by raising taxes on the middle class.  I don’t want to pay for that by cutting financial aid for tens of millions of students.  Our economic strength does not come from the top down.  It comes from students and workers and small business owners and a growing, thriving middle class.  (Applause.)  
 
That's who we're fighting for.  (Applause.)  And in just over two months, you can make a decision about which path we take.  (Applause.)  You can decide whether we give a massive new tax cut to folks like me and Mr. Romney, who don't need it -- he doesn't even need -- he needs it even less than I do -- (laughter) -- or whether we work to keep taxes low for Americans who are still trying to make it.  
 
I've cut taxes for middle-class families.  And I want to make sure that taxes aren’t raised a dime on your income tax for families' first $250,000 worth of income.  That means, by the way, 98 percent of Americans would not see any increase in their income taxes.  (Applause.)  But that depends on how you vote in November.  
 
You can choose whether we cede new jobs and new industries to countries like China, or whether we fight for those jobs here in Virginia, here in the United States -- by investing in the research of our scientists, investing in the drive of our students, and investing in the innovation that harnesses new sources of energy and brings new generations of manufacturing to places like Charlottesville and Richmond.  (Applause.) 
 
AUDIENCE:  USA!  USA!
 
THE PRESIDENT:  USA!  That's what we need -- but, again, you can't just chant, you got to vote.  (Laughter.)  
 
You will decide whether we can keep making college more affordable, or whether we take my opponent's advice and just have your parents lend you money.  (Laughter.)  See, I think that we should help more Americans earn the kind of education you receive here at UVA.  We've also got to help more Americans go to community colleges to get the skills and the training that employers are looking for right now.  (Applause.) 
 
And I'll say this again, just so you know I mean it. Michelle and I, we've been there.  We know what it's like.  We just finished paying off our student loans eight years ago.  Think about that.  We shouldn’t be making it harder for young people.  We should be making it easier for young people.  (Applause.)  We shouldn’t end the college tax credit we created.  We should be expanding it.  Higher education isn't a luxury.  It is an economic necessity for every single American.  (Applause.) 
 
You can decide that an energy plan written by and for the big oil companies will be best for America -- that's an option.  But I think that the kind of all-of-the above strategy that we're talking about -- a strategy that includes more American oil and gas, but also more wind and solar, and sets new goals for efficiency and makes sure that we're getting energy and using energy in smarter ways -- that's the key to the future.  
 
One of the things that we’ve done is develop new fuel standards so that by the middle of the next decade, your cars will get nearly 55 miles per gallon.  (Applause.)  That’s double what they are now.  That means you’ve only got to dig into your pocket to fill up your tank half as often.  But not only does it save you money at the pump, it moves us closer to energy independence.  It reduces greenhouse gas emissions by as much as all the cars in the world emit each year combined.  This is a smart thing to do.  It’s the right thing to do.  (Applause.)
 
And by the way, my opponent is against that.  So you’re going to have to make a decision.  Just yesterday, my opponent called my position on fuel-efficiency standards "extreme."  (Laughter.)  I don’t know.  (Laughter.)  It doesn’t seem extreme to me to want to have more fuel-efficient cars.  Maybe the steam engine is more his speed.  (Laughter.)  But I think that we set goals and we meet them -- that’s what we do as Americans.  (Applause.)
 
Listen, what’s extreme about the idea that instead of giving $4 billion a year in tax subsidies to oil companies that are making a profit every time you pump gas -- it makes more sense to keep investing, using that money to invest in homegrown energy sources that have never been more promising.  That’s not extreme.  That’s good for jobs.  That’s good for our economy. It’s good for our planet.  It’s good for our future.  (Applause.)  
 
That’s what’s at stake.  That’s what you’ll decide.  That’s why I’m running for President.  (Applause.)
 
We could go back to a health care system that lets insurance companies decide who and when and what to cover.  But I think we’ve got to move forward with Obamacare.  (Applause.)  It’s already cutting costs.  It’s covering more people.  It’s saving lives.  
 
Governor Romney has promised that sometime on his first day, he is going to kill Obamacare.  He’s going to sit down, grab a pen -- now, this would mean that he -- by a stroke of a pen, apparently he thinks that he can kick 7 million young people off their parent’s plan.  He can make prescription drugs higher for seniors.
 
AUDIENCE:  No!
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Suddenly folks with preexisting conditions are out of luck.
 
AUDIENCE:  Booo -- 
 
THE PRESIDENT:  He calls my health care law Obamacare; I call his plan "Romney Doesn’t Care."  (Applause.)  He’s running on the "Romney Doesn’t Care" platform.  (Applause.)  
 
This law is here to stay.  The Supreme Court has spoken.  We’re not going to refight the battles of the last four years.  We’re moving forward.  That’s what’s at stake in this election.  (Applause.)
 
I’m telling you, on almost every issue he wants to go backwards, sometimes all the way to the last century.  (Laughter.)  In November, you can say that in this century, women should be trusted to make their own health care choices.  (Applause.)  You can say that in this century we don’t think young immigrants who were brought here when they were children and understand themselves as Americans and have pledged allegiance to the flag should suddenly be deported to countries where they’ve never been.  (Applause.) 
 
You can say we shouldn’t rewrite the Constitution to prevent gay Americans who love each other from being able to marry the people they love.  (Applause.)  
 
You can reaffirm the strength of the American character.  It doesn’t come from shoving anybody to the sidelines.  It doesn’t come from kicking folks to the curb.  It comes from hearing everybody’s voices, harnessing everybody’s talents, realizing that here in the United States of America we are greater together than we are on our own.  (Applause.)  That’s what I believe.  That’s what I believe.  That’s what you believe.  That’s what’s at stake in this election.  (Applause.)
 
This November, you get to decide about the future of the war in Afghanistan.  Governor Romney said that me ending the war in Iraq was "tragic."  He doesn’t have a plan to bring home the 33,000 troops who will be coming home from Afghanistan next month.  (Applause.)  He likes to talk tough, but he doesn’t have a lot of details when it comes to these critical issues.  
 
And so what I have said not just to you but, most importantly, to those young men and women in uniform who are serving us every single day is that -- (applause) -- you will know where I stand.  When I say I will end the war in Iraq, I will end it.  When I say that we will go after bin Laden, we’ll go after him.  (Applause.)  And when I said that as we bring our troops home, first from Iraq, now from Afghanistan, that as long as I am Commander-in-Chief, we will serve our veterans as well as they’ve served us -- I mean it.  (Applause.)  Because nobody should have to fight for a job or a roof over their heads when they come home after they’ve been fighting for our freedom.  (Applause.) 
 
So here’s the bottom line.  Passing a new $5 trillion tax cut targeted at wealthiest Americans, it won’t create jobs.  It sure won’t bring down the debt -- it will increase it.  Ignoring inequalities don’t make them go away.  Denying climate change doesn’t make it stop.  (Applause.)  Looking backwards doesn’t make our future brighter.  It doesn't make your future stronger.
 
In the next two months, you get to choose.  And we've got a plan that will actually lead to a better future.  And you can prove the cynics wrong one more time.  
 
But the other side will spend the next two months, spending more money than we have ever seen in our lives -- an avalanche of attack ads and insults and distractions and sometimes they just make things up.  But they've got a bunch of folks who can write $10 million checks, and they'll just keep on running them.  
 
I mean, somebody was challenging one of their ads -- they made it up -- about work and welfare.  And every outlet said, this is just not true.  And they were asked about it and they said -- one of their campaign people said, we won't have the fact-checkers dictate our campaign.  (Laughter.)  We will not let the truth get in the way.  (Laughter.)  
 
Think about that.  They're counting on young people to just accept their version of the way things ought to be.  They expect that you will not be paying attention enough, or you will be distracted enough, or you will be discouraged enough that you walk away, and that means big oil writes the energy bills, and the insurance companies write the health care bills, and politicians in Washington decide what a woman can or can't do when it comes to her own health.  
 
And you know what, I think they're wrong.  I am counting on you.  (Applause.)  I'm counting on you because those who oppose change have always bet on your cynicism; they've always bet on a lack of hope -- and throughout American history, they have lost that bet.  And they're going to lose that bet this time too, as long as you register to vote -- (applause) -- as long as you're going out there to vote, as long as you're getting your friends to go out there and vote.  (Applause.)   
 
I need you.  America needs you to close the gap between what is and what might be.  We've got more jobs to create and more good schools to build.  We’ve got more homegrown energy to generate.  We’ve got more troops to bring home.  We've got more young people to send to college.  We've got more doors of opportunity to open to everybody who is willing to work hard and walk through them.  And it all depends on you.  (Applause.) 
 
So don't worry about letting me down -- don't let America down.  Don't let yourselves down.  (Applause.)  Go out there.  Register.  Stand up.  And if you do, we will win Virginia.  (Applause.)  And if we win Virginia, we will win this election. And we will finish what we started.  (Applause.)  And you and I together, we'll remind the world just why it is the United States of America is the greatest nation on Earth.  (Applause.) 
 
God bless you.  And God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.) 
 
END
4:05 P.M. EDT