Remarks by the President on Tropical Storm Isaac

Remarks by the First Lady at Campaign Event

Bradley Tech High School
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

2:03 P.M. CDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Yeah!  (Applause.)  Wow.  You guys, thank you so much.  (Applause.)  Oh, my goodness.  I am so thrilled, so honored to be here.

But let me just say one thing.  We just had a medical emergency over here, and I do not like to not regard that.  And I know things are warm, so if anybody is feeling hot, just sit down.  Just sit down.  (Laughter.)  Take your jackets off, gentlemen.  Take that tie off, relax yourself.  (Laughter and applause.)

Oh, thank you all.  Thank you for being here.  It is so overwhelming.  I want to start by thanking Cheryl for that very kind introduction and for everything she is doing not just for this campaign, but to make sure this community stays active and healthy.  Let’s give her a round of applause.  (Applause.) 

And there are a few other people that I want to thank.  I want to thank Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, who is going -- (applause) -- yes, Tammy.  She is going to make a tremendous senator for all of you here in Wisconsin, so we’ve got to make sure we’ve got her back.  (Applause.)  I have to thank my dear friend, who may be here -- I didn’t see her.  Gwen?  There’s my girl.  (Laughter.)  Hey, Gwen -- Congresswoman Gwen Moore.  (Applause.)  And Mayor Barrett is here as well.  It’s so good to see you.  (Applause.)  And County Executive Chris Abele is here as well.  Thank you all.  (Applause.)

And finally, I want to thank all of you -- (applause) -- our extraordinary volunteers and organizers.  Thank you for everything you do every day, day in and day out, to make this campaign possible.  And I know you all are doing that hard work -- knocking on doors, registering voters, giving people the information they need about the issues they care about.  You all are doing that work. 

And it’s important for you to know that the kind of grassroots work that you all are doing every day to get people focused and fired up, that is really the core work of this campaign -- because that’s how we did it four years ago, and that’s how we’re going to do it again today -- (applause) -- with your help.  With your help.

And I know -- I’ve had a little experience with some campaigns.  (Laughter.)  And I know that this work is not easy, and I know that you do it at great personal sacrifice, because everybody here is busy.  You all have busy lives -- you’ve got jobs to do, classes to attend.  Yes, I know school is getting ready to start again, young people.  We’re fired up about school, right?  Yeah, yeah.  (Applause.)  He’s not so convinced.  (Laughter.)  Trust me, we have a few of you in my house, too.  (Laughter.)  We have our families to raise.  So we are busy. 

But I also know that there’s a reason why we’re all here, and it’s not just because we support one extraordinary, awesome, cute man, who happens to be my husband, our President, Barack Obama.  (Applause.)  And it’s not just because we want to win an election -- which we do, and we will.  (Applause.)  Yes, we will. 

It’s important to remember that we’re doing this because of the values we believe in.  We’re doing this because of the vision for this country that we all share.  We’re doing this because we believe that in America, everyone should have a fair shot.  And that means that all of our kids -- not just some of them, but all of them deserve good schools.  All of them.  (Applause.)  All of our kids deserve the chance to attend college without a mountain of debt -- all of our young people.  (Applause.) 

We believe that in this country, everyone should do their fair share.  That means that teachers and firefighters shouldn’t pay higher tax rates than millionaires and billionaires.  (Applause.)  We’re doing this because we believe that hard work should pay off, and that if you work hard you shouldn’t go bankrupt just because you get sick.  (Applause.)  In America, you shouldn’t lose your home because someone loses a job.  And after a lifetime of hard work, you should be able to retire with some dignity and security.  (Applause.) 

And what we have to remember is that these are basic American values.  This is the foundation upon which this country was built.  They’re the values that so many of us were raised with, including myself.  And, yes, I tell my story everywhere I go because I’m proud of where I came from.  (Applause.)  I’ve got my family here -- I’ve got some of my Milwaukee cousins here, and they know how I grew up.  (Applause.)  My father was a pump operator at the city water plant in Chicago, and neither of my parents had a college degree.  But let me tell you what they did do for us.  Like so many people here, they saved for us, they sacrificed everything.  They poured every little ounce of anything they had into me and my brother so that we could get the kind of education and have the kind of opportunities they could only dream of. 

And let me tell you, education was everything in our family, young people -- everything.  (Applause.)  For us, education was our ticket to the middle class.  (Applause.)  It was our pathway to the American Dream.  And so when my brother and I finally made it to college, pretty much all of our tuition came from student loans and grants.  I’m sure there are people here who can understand that.  (Applause.)  But my dad still paid a tiny portion of that tuition himself.  And let me tell you, every semester my father did everything he had to do to pay that bill right on time, because he was so proud to be able to send his kids to college, to have a role in that.  And he made sure that we never missed a registration deadline because his check was late. 

See, like so many people in this country, my father took great pride in earning a decent living -- the kind of living that let him meet his responsibilities to his family.  That’s all he ever wanted to do.  He just wanted to be able to pay his -- all of them -- and pay them on time.  He wasn’t asking for much.  (Applause.)

My father’s life is a testament to that basic American promise that no matter who you are, no matter how you started out, if you work hard you can build a decent life for yourself and an even better life for your kids.  (Applause.)  And let me tell you something, your President, my husband, understands that promise because that is his story as well.  That’s the reason I married him.  (Applause.) 

See, Barack is the son of a single mother who struggled to put herself through school and pay the bills.  That’s how he grew up.  He’s the grandson of a woman who woke up before dawn every day to catch a bus to her job at the bank.  And even though Barack’s grandmother worked hard to help support his family, and she was good at what she did, like so many women she hit that glass ceiling and watched men no more qualified than she was -- men she had actually trained -- climb that corporate ladder ahead of her.  But let me tell you what Barack saw.  She was a woman who never complained -- never complained.  He saw how she just kept getting up, just kept giving her very best every day.

So let me tell you something, your President knows what it means when a family struggles.  This is not a hypothetical situation for him.  (Applause.)  He knows what it means to work hard because you want something better for your kids and your grandkids.  And like me, and like so many of you, Barack knows the American Dream because he’s lived it.  (Applause.)  And he believes something very important:  That when you’ve worked hard, and you’ve done well -- and there’s nothing wrong with doing well -- and you’ve walked through that doorway of opportunity, he believes that you do not slam it shut behind you.  You reach back and you give folks the same opportunities you had to get ahead.  (Applause.) 

And more than anything else, that’s what’s at stake.  That’s why we’re here.  That’s what this election is about.  It’s that dream; it’s that fundamental American promise.  And let me tell you something, Milwaukee, from now until November we are going to need every single one of you out there.  We’re going to need you to tell everybody -- remind them -- remind them about Barack’s values.  Tell them about this vision that we have, about the choices that we face in this election, because this is an election about choices. 

It’s an election about the choice of our economy.  It’s about whether we’re going to build a strong and growing middle class.  So I want you to remind folks, as Cheryl said, Barack has cut taxes for working families by $3,600.  He’s cut taxes for small businesses 18 times.  (Applause.)  Because what Barack understands is that rebuilding our economy, it starts with the restaurants and the mom-and-pop stores and the startups that create two-thirds of all new jobs in this economy. 

And I want you to be sure to remind people that, back when Barack first took office, what awaited him after his inauguration was an economy that was losing an average of 750,000 jobs every month -- every month.  That’s what awaited him.  But I also want you to let people know that for the past 29 straight months, we’ve actually been gaining private sector jobs -- a total of 4.5 million new jobs in this country under this President.  (Applause.) 

So while we still have a long way to go, we’ve got more work to do to rebuild this economy.  We have to remember that today millions of people are collecting a paycheck again; millions of people like my dad are able to pay their bills again.  

This election is a choice about the health of our families.  So let me give you some historical context here on this issue.  Because the fact is that over the past century -- okay, 100 years -- so many Presidents have tried and failed to meet the challenge of health care reform.  But your President was determined.  (Applause.)  Your President was driven by the stories of the people he’d met, stories in our lives -- the grandparents who couldn’t afford their medications; the families going broke because a child got sick; the woman dying of cancer whose insurance company wouldn’t cover her care.  And let me tell you, that’s what kept him pushing day after day.  That’s why he fought so hard for this historic reform.  (Applause.) 

And today -- understand what this reform means.  Because of this reform, our parents and grandparents are paying hundreds less already for their prescription drugs.  (Applause.)  Our kids, our young people can now stay on our insurance until they’re 26 years old.  (Applause.)  And we all know what that means for young people graduating, trying to get themselves together, find a job -- being able to do that now, knowing that they have the care that they need. 

Because of this reform, insurance companies, they now have to cover basic preventative care -- things like contraception, cancer screenings, prenatal care, at no extra cost.  (Applause.)  They can no longer discriminate against you because you have an illness they call a preexisting condition.  (Applause.)  And here’s one that really gets me:  If you get really sick -- you’ve got a serious illness, like breast cancer -- and you need really expensive treatment, your insurance company can no longer tell you, sorry, you’ve hit your lifetime limit and we’re not paying a penny more.  No longer.  Because of this reform, that is now illegal.  (Applause.) 

So make no mistake about it, this November we get to decide.  Do we want these reforms to be repealed?

AUDIENCE:  No!

MRS. OBAMA:  Or do we want the people we love to have the care that we need? 

AUDIENCE:  Yes!  (Applause.) 

MRS. OBAMA:  That’s the choice in this election.  That’s why we’re here.

This election is a choice about whether our kids can attend college without a mountain of debt.  Now, believe it or not, back when Barack and I, we were first starting out our lives together, so in love -- (laughter) -- so broke -- (laughter) -- our combined student loan bill each month was actually higher than our mortgage.  And I know there are people here who can relate to that.  So when it comes to student debt, believe me, my husband and I, we’ve been there. 

And that’s why Barack worked so hard to double funding for Pell grants and to stop student loan interest rates from rising -- (applause) -- because he wants all of our young people to get the education they need for the jobs of the future, the jobs that they need to able to compete for.  They’ve got to have that education. 

Your President wants all our young people to fulfill their promise -- all of them.  And that’s why he’s been fighting so hard for the DREAM Act.  (Applause.)  Understand this -- he’s been fighting for responsible young people who came to this country as children through no fault of their own and were raised as Americans.  This is the only country they know.  Because he believes that they, those young people, too, deserve the chance to go to college -- (applause) -- to contribute to our economy, to serve the country they know and love -- all of our young people. (Applause.)

This election is also about keeping our country safe.  So I want you to remind people that after 10 long years of war  -- a decade of fighting -- after so many of our heroic men and women in uniform served, and sacrificed, and gave their lives -- Osama bin Laden is no longer a threat to this country.  (Applause.)

On top of that, your President kept his promise -- brought our troops home from Iraq, and he’s working -- he and I are working every day to make sure that they get the support and the benefits that they’ve earned.  (Applause.)

And today, our troops no longer have to lie about who they are to serve the country they love -- (applause) -- because Barack finally ended “don’t ask, don’t tell.”  (Applause.)

This election is a choice about our Supreme Court.  So make sure that you remind people about those two brilliant justices Barack appointed -- Elena Kagan and Justice Sonia Sotomayor -- (applause) -- and how, for the first time in history, our daughters and our sons watched three women take their seat on our nation’s highest court.  (Applause.)

And finally, this election is a choice about supporting women and families in this country.  (Applause.)  So please tell people that it is now easier for women to get equal pay for equal work because of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act -- (applause) -- the first bill Barack signed into law.

And remind them that your President believes that women should be able to make our own choices about our health care.  (Applause.)

So when you’re out there talking to folks -- which I know you will be -- and when folks ask you, well, what has this President done for our country, here’s what I want you tell them -- just some of it:  Tell them how many jobs he’s created.  Tell them how much money he’s put back in the pockets of American working-class folks.  You can tell them that more of our kids can afford college; more of our seniors can afford their medicine. 

Remind folks that Barack ended the war in Iraq, passed historic health reform, and stood up for our most basic rights again and again and again.  That’s what you tell them.  (Applause.)  That’s what I want you to tell them. 

But here’s the thing.  You also have to remind them that all of this that I just talked about -- and so much more -- it’s all at stake this November.  All of it is on the line.  That’s the choice we face.

Are we going to continue the change we’ve begun and the progress we’ve made?  (Applause.)  Are we going to sit back and just watch everything we’ve worked so hard for to just slip away? 

AUDIENCE:  No!

MRS. OBAMA:  No -- we know what we have to do.  We’ve got to keep moving this country forward.  (Applause.)  Forward!  Forward!

AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!

MRS. OBAMA:  With your help, and really more than anything else, that’s why we’re here, that’s what we’re working for -- the chance to finish what we’ve started, the chance to keep fighting for the values we believe in and the vision we all share.  I don’t care who you are, these are not new values.  And that is what my husband has been doing every single day as President. 

And let me just share something you, because as First Lady, over the last three and a half years, I’ve had the chance to see up close and personal what being President really looks like.  And I’ve seen some things.  (Laughter and applause.)  But one of the most important things that I have seen is I have seen how the issues that come across a President’s desk are always the hard ones -- always the problems with no easy solutions, the judgment calls where the stakes are so high and there is no margin for error.

And I have also seen that, as President, how you’re going to get all kinds of advice and opinions from all kinds of folks -- you just are.  But at the end of the day, when it comes time to make that decision, as President, I have seen that all you have really to guide you are your life experiences.  All you have to lead you are your values, is your vision for this country.  In the end, it all boils down to who you are and what you stand for.  (Applause.)

See, and the thing I want to remind you is that we all know who my husband is, don’t we? 

AUDIENCE:  Yes!

MRS. OBAMA:  And we know what he stands for.  (Applause.)  And we have seen again and again just how hard he’s willing to fight for us.  (Applause.)  Remember when folks in Washington were telling Barack to let the auto industry go under?  Do you remember that?  With more than a million jobs on the line?  That was the advice he was getting. 

But, fortunately, for us, our President had the backs of American workers.  He put his faith in the American people.  And as a result, today, the auto industry is back on its feet again, and more importantly, people are back at work providing for their families again.  (Applause.)

Remember when folks were telling Barack not to take on health care?  They said, leave it for another day, another President; just keep kicking that can down the road.  But thank goodness Barack had the backs of American families.  (Applause.)  And as a result, today, millions of people -- millions of people in this country can finally see a doctor when they’re sick.  They can get the care they need to stay well. 

So before you step into that voting booth on Election Day, you have got to ask yourself, “Who is going to stand up for me?
Who is looking out for my family?”  (Applause.)  Because when it comes time to stand up for the middle class, for working folks, so our kids can go to college, and our families can make a decent living, save for retirement, you know my husband has your back, you know what he’s going to do.  (Applause.)  

When we need a President to protect our most basic rights -- no matter who we are, or what we look like, where we’re from, or who we love, you know you can count on my husband, because that’s what he’s been doing every single day as President of the United States.  (Applause.)

But I have said this before, and I will say it again and again: He cannot do it alone.  That was never the promise.  That’s not how it works.  He needs your help.  And Barack has said that this election will be even closer than the last one.  That’s the only guarantee.

And in the end, understand this -- it could all come down to those last few thousand votes.  And just think about a few thousand folks, when they’re spread out across an entire state, across hundreds of cities and thousands of precincts -- those numbers get smaller.  So I want you to think about that.  With that one new voter that you register in your precinct, understand the impact that one neighbor you help get to the polls on November the 6th, understand that that could be the one that makes the difference.  (Applause.)  So never underestimate the power that you have. 

That one conversation that you have, that one new volunteer that you recruit, that could be the one that puts this election over the top.  That could be the difference between us waking up on November the 7th and asking ourselves, “Could we have done more?” or feeling the promise of four more years.  That’s the difference -- the power of one.  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!

MRS. OBAMA:  With your help -- just look at this room.  Look at this room.  Just look at this room.  That’s why we launched this new initiative we’re calling, “It Takes One.”  Look at this room.  It takes one. 

It’s as simple as it sounds.  Every time each of you takes an action to move this campaign forward, we’re asking you to inspire one more person to step up -- one more person -- help them step up and get involved as well. 

So if you’re making phone calls, knocking on doors, bring that one friend.  We all got that one friend, right?  If you’re coming to an event, bring that neighbor who’s never been involved in a campaign.  We all have that neighbor. 

When you’re voting early or on Election Day, take that one person with you who might not be able to make it on their own.  Maybe they slept late.  (Laughter.)  You know those.  You know that one.  (Laughter.)  Find one friend, that one colleague, that one person in your life.  You can even just have them go to
BarackObama.com/one.  They don’t even have to get out of their bed to get involved in this campaign.  (Laughter.)  Because it’s like Barack has always said -- it takes just one room -- one voice to change a room.

And if a voice can change a room, it can certainly change a city.  And if it can change a city, it can change a state.  And if it can change a state, it can change the nation.  (Applause.)  That is the power of one person moving this country forward.  (Applause.)  So think about that. 

And I’m not going to kid you, this journey is going to be long -- even though it’s getting shorter by the moment.  It is going to be hard.  And there will be plenty of twists and turns along the way.

But what I remind myself -- and I try to remind every person that I talk to -- that’s how change always happens in this country.  Real change takes time, requires patience and tenacity.  But if we keep showing up, if we keep fighting that good fight, doing what we know is right, then eventually we get there, because we always do.

In this country, we always keep moving forward -- but maybe not in our lifetimes.  See, this is the trick -- maybe in our children’s lifetimes, maybe in our grandchildren’s lifetimes.  Because in the end, hopefully, that’s why we’re here.  In the end, that’s what elections are always about.  Don’t let anybody tell you differently.  Elections are always about hope.  (Applause.)  They’re about our hopes for our children.  (Applause.)  They’re about the world that we want to leave behind for the next generation.

And let me tell you something.  Why do I get so fired up?  Why am I so passionate?  Because I think about that every time I look at my girls in the eye.  And I think about how I want to do for them what my dad did for me, what Barack’s grandma did for him.  (Applause.)  

I think about how I want to give my girls that solid foundation for their dreams.  I want to give them opportunities worthy of their promise.  See, because the one thing we can all agree on in this country is that all of our kids are worthy.  All of our kids are worthy.  (Applause.)  I want to give all of our children that sense of limitless possibility -- the belief that here in America, in the greatest country on the planet, there’s always something better out there if you’re willing to work for it.  That’s why we’re here.

So my last question, Milwaukee: Are you in?  (Applause.)  Are you ready to roll up your sleeves?  (Applause.)  Are you ready to find that one person?  (Applause.)  Shake them up!  Get them involved!  We’re going to need every last one of you. 

We love you so much.  We would not be here without you.  God bless you.  God bless America.  (Applause.)

END
2:37 P.M. CDT

Remarks by the First Lady at a Campaign Event

War Memorial Auditorium
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

5:28 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Wow!  (Applause.)  Oh, wow!  It goes all the way back!  (Applause.)  All right.  I don’t know about you, but this crowd feels a lot like four more years, doesn’t it?  (Applause.) 

Thank you all so much.  You know, I am beyond thrilled.  I am overwhelmed by this room -- overwhelmed.  (Applause.) 

Let me start with a few -- I want to start with a few thank-yous.  I want to make sure everybody can hear me, right?

AUDIENCE:  No!

MRS. OBAMA:  No?  All right.  You hear that, sound people?  Everybody can't hear me.  (Laughter.)  Love you guys!  (Applause.)  All right, let me start by thanking a few people while the audio people get their acts together and raise the level.

But let me start by thanking Claudia for that very kind introduction and for everything she's doing for our campaign.  And I also want to thank our outstanding DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz.  (Applause.)  Mayor Seiler, I want to thank him for his kind words, and for all the work that both Debbie and the mayor are doing every single day -- every single day.  (Applause.) 

And we also have with us Representatives Frederica Wilson and Congressman Deutch -- (applause) -- as well as State Senator Chris Smith.  (Applause.)  And I want to thank them all for being here today. 

How's the sound?  Is it getting any better?

AUDIENCE:  Yes!

MRS. OBAMA:  All right, that’s good.  Because now -- I want to make sure you all hear this -- because I'm really here, actually, to thank all of you.  I want to thank all of you.  I want to thank our extraordinary volunteers, our organizers.  (Applause.)  Thank you all for everything you do every day, day in and day out, to make this campaign possible. 

I want to thank you for doing the hard work of knocking on those doors -- (applause) -- registering all of those voters, and giving your neighbors, the people in your lives the information they need about the issues they care about.  Because that kind of grassroots work that you all are doing, you have to know that that is what's at the core of this campaign.  That’s the core of this campaign.  That’s how we did it four years ago, and that’s how we're going to do it again, today.  (Applause.)  

And let me tell you something -- I've worked on a couple of campaigns myself and I know that the work you all are doing, that it is not easy.  And I know that you're doing it even though you have busy lives.  Everybody here has stuff on their plates -- I know that.  You all have jobs to do; hopefully we've got young people who have classes to attend.  School is back in session, everybody should be doing their homework.  (Laughter.)  We all have families to raise. 

But I also know that there's a reason why all of us are here today.  (Applause.)  And it's not just because you love me or that extraordinary man who happens to be my husband, the President of the United States.  (Applause.)  And it's not just because we want to win an election -- which we do and we will.  (Applause.) 

We're all here, we're here and we're doing this work truly because of the values we believe in.  And we cannot lose sight of that.  We're doing this because of the vision for this country that we all share. 

We're doing this because we believe that here in America, everyone should have a fair shot.  (Applause.)  And what does that mean?  That means that we want all of our kids -- not just some of them -- all of them to have good schools.  They should all be able to attend college without a mountain of debt -- all of our kids.  (Applause.) 

We believe that everyone in America should do their fair share.  (Applause.)   What does that mean?  It means that teachers and firefighters shouldn’t pay higher tax rates than millionaires and billionaires.  (Applause.)  Here in America, we believe that if you work hard you shouldn’t go bankrupt just because someone gets sick.  You shouldn’t lose your home because someone has lost a job.  And we believe that after a lifetime of hard work, you should be able to retire with a little dignity and security.  (Applause.) 

These are basic American values.  This isn't anything new.  These are the basics.  They're the values that so many of us were raised with, including myself.  And I share my story everywhere I go -- you all know it.

My father was a pump operator for the city water plant, and neither of my parents had a college degree.  But let me tell you what they did do -- and I know there are a lot of young people in this room -- a lot of people who can relate to this -- my parents saved and they sacrificed everything.  They poured everything they had into me and my brother because they wanted us to have the kind of education and opportunities they could only dream of.  (Applause.)

And listen, young people, because education was everything in our family.  It was everything.  Don’t forget that -- education was everything.  It was our ticket to the middle class.  It was our pathway to the American Dream.  And when my brother and I finally made it to college, pretty much all of our tuition came from student loans and grants.  That’s how we went to school.  Can I get an amen on that?  (Applause.)  But my dad still had to pay a small portion of that tuition himself.  And let me tell you, every semester he was determined to pay that bill right on time.

See, because like so many parents, my father was so proud to be able to play a part in sending his kids to college.  So he made sure that we never missed a registration deadline because his check was late.  Like so many people in this country, my father took great pride in earning the kind of living that allowed him to handle his responsibilities to his family.  That’s all he wanted.  (Applause.)  He wanted to be able to pay his bills and pay them on time -- all of them. 

And why I share my story is because my father's life is a testament to that basic American promise that no matter who you are or how you started out, if you work hard, in America, you can build a decent life for yourself and an even better life for your kids.  (Applause.) 

And let me tell you, your President, my husband -- (applause) -- he understands that promise because that’s his story, too.  See, you want to know why I married him?  That’s why.  (Applause.) 

He is the son of a single mother who struggled to put herself through school and pay the bills.  He's the grandson of a woman who woke up before dawn every day to catch a bus to her job at the bank.  And even though Barack's grandmother worked hard and worked to support his family, she was good at her job, like so many women she hit that glass ceiling and watched men no more qualified than she was be promoted up that ladder ahead of her. 

But you know what else he saw?  He saw a grandmother, a woman who never complained -- never complained.  She just kept getting up every day, just kept giving her very best to help support his family.  How many people do we know like that in our lives?  (Applause.)

So what I remind people is that Barack knows what it means when a family struggles.  This is not a hypothetical for him.  He knows what it means to work hard because you want something better for your kids and your grandkids.  Like me and like so many of you, Barack knows the American Dream because he's lived it. 

And one important thing he believes is that when you've worked hard, and you've done well, and you've walked through that doorway of opportunity, you do not slam it shut behind you.  (Applause.)  You reach back and you give other folks a chance to succeed as well -- the same chance as you had.  (Applause.) 

And more than anything else, that’s what's at stake in this election.  That’s why we're here.  It's that dream I'm talking about, that fundamental American promise that we are working for. 

And from now until November, we are going to need all of you all.  Get out there.  We want you to tell everyone about Barack.  Tell them about his values, tell them about our vision.  Tell them about the choice we face in this election -- because this is an election about choices. 

This election is a choice about our economy.  It's about building a strong and growing middle class.  So what I want you to remind people when you're out there, remind them that Barack has cut taxes for working families by $3,600.  Remind them who he's working for.  (Applause.)  Let them know that he cut taxes for small businesses 18 times because he knows that rebuilding our economy, it starts with those restaurants and stores and mom-and-pop startups that create two-thirds of all new jobs in this economy.

And I want you to be sure to remind them that back when Barack first took office, this economy was losing an average of 750,000 jobs every month.  That’s what he inherited.  That’s what awaited him after he took the oath of office.  But I also want you to tell them that for the past 29 straight months, we have actually been gaining private sector jobs steadily, a total of 4.5 million new jobs.  (Applause.)  Let them know.

So while we have a long way to go, we have more work to do to rebuild this economy, we cannot forget that today, millions of people are collecting a paycheck today, millions of people like my dad are able to pay their bills again.  You've got to let them know.

This election is also a choice about the health of our families -- and this is something I want you to understand.  Putting it in historical context, the fact is that over the past century -- you heard me right, 100 years -- so many of our presidents have tried and failed to meet the challenge of health care reform.  (Applause.)  See, but your President was determined.  (Applause.)  Yes, your President was driven by the stories of people he had met -- the grandparents who couldn’t afford their medicine, the families going broke because a child got sick, the woman dying of cancer whose insurance company wouldn’t cover her care. 

See, and those were the stories that kept him going day after day.  And thanks to his fight, he was able to get historic reform passed, and today, because of that reform -- (applause) -- because of that reform, today, where are we?  Our parents and grandparents are paying hundreds less for their prescription medication.  Our children can stay on our insurance until they're 26 years old.  (Applause.)  And we all know the value of that -- so that our kids, when they're out there just graduating and trying to build their lives, they're not out there without health insurance.

Because of this reform, insurance companies now have to cover basic preventative care -- things like contraception, cancer screenings, prenatal care at no [extra] cost.  No [extra] cost.  (Applause.)  They can't discriminate you -- against you because you have an illness that they call a preexisting condition.  (Applause.)

See, and here's another one -- if you get a serious illness -- let's say breast cancer -- and you need expensive treatment, your insurance company can no longer tell you, sorry, you've hit your lifetime limit and we're not paying a penny more.  (Applause.)  No more.  Thanks to health reform, that is now illegal -- cannot happen. 

But make no mistake about it -- this November, we get to decide.  Are we going watch these reforms be repealed?

AUDIENCE:  No!

MRS. OBAMA:  Or are we going to work for insurance for the people that we love and we care about.  What are we going to do?  (Applause.)  But that’s the choice we face.  That’s what's at stake.

This election is a choice about our kids, and whether they can attend college without a mountain of debt.  (Applause.)  Let me share something with you -- back when Barack and I were just starting out our lives together -- no kids, just the two of us -- (laughter) -- yes, it was a beautiful time.  (Laughter.)  But our combined student loan bill each month was actually higher than our mortgage.  Now, I know I can get an amen on that one.  (Applause.)

So believe me, when it comes to student debt, my husband and I, we've been there.  We've felt that sting.  And that’s why Barack worked so hard to double funding for Pell grants -- (applause) -- fought so hard to stop student loan interest rates from rising.  (Applause.)  Because, as I said earlier, he wants all of our young people to get the kind of education they need to compete for the jobs of the future. 

He wants all of our kids -- all of them -- to fulfill their promise.  And that is why he's been fighting so hard for the DREAM Act.  (Applause.)  He has been fighting for responsible young people who came to this country as children through no fault of their own and were raised as Americans -- the only country they know -- because your President believes that, yes, these young people also deserve the chance to go to college, to contribute to our economy, to serve the country that they know and love -- all of our kids.  (Applause.)

This election is also about keeping our country safe.  So I want you to remind people that after 10 long years of war, after so many of our heroic men and women in uniform saved and sacrificed and gave their lives, Osama bin Laden is no longer a threat to this country.  (Applause.)  You can remind folks that Barack kept his promise to bring our troops home from Iraq.  (Applause.)  And he's working hard -- we are both working hard -- to make sure that they get the benefits and the support that they've earned.  (Applause.)  And today, thankfully, our troops no longer have to lie about who they are to serve the country they love because Barack ended "don't ask, don't tell."  (Applause.)

This election -- ladies -- is a choice about supporting women and families in this country.  (Applause.)  So it is up to us -- to remind people that it's now easier for women to get equal pay for equal work because of the very first bill he signed into law -- the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.  (Applause.)  I want you to tell them about those two brilliant Supreme Court Justices he appointed -- Justice Elena Kagan, Justice Sonia Sotomayor -- and how, for the first time in history, our sons and daughters watched three women take their seat on our nation's highest court.  (Applause.)

And finally, make sure that you tell people that your President believes that women should be able to make our own choices about our health care.  (Applause.)  You've got to tell them. 

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

MRS. OBAMA:  So when folks ask you -- because you're going to go out there, right?  (Applause.)  So when they ask you what this President has done for our country, here's what I want you to tell them -- tell them how many jobs he's created.  Tell them how much money he's put back in the pockets of the American people.  Tell them that our kids can afford college -- more of them can afford college.  Tell them that more of our seniors can afford their medicine. 

Remind folks how Barack ended the war in Iraq, passed historic health reform, and stood up for our most fundamental rights again and again and again.  (Applause.)  That’s what you tell them.  (Applause.)

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

MRS. OBAMA:  Here's the thing -- you also have to remind them that all of that and so much more -- understand -- all of that’s at stake this November.  It's all on the line.  And that’s the choice we face.  That’s on us.

Are we going to continue the change we've begun and progress we've made, or are we going to just sit back and watch everything we've worked so hard for to just slip away?

AUDIENCE:  No!

MRS. OBAMA:  No.  We can't turn back now.  We have to keep moving forward.  Forward!  Forward!  (Applause.)  We keep moving forward!

And truly, more than anything else --

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We love you, Michelle!  (Applause.) 

MRS. OBAMA:  -- that’s what we're working for.  That’s why we're here.  We're working for the chance to finish what we started -- the chance to keep fighting for the values we believe in and the vision that we all share. 

And I really want you to listen to this, because something that I share with people -- that’s what my husband has been doing every single day as President.  And as First Lady, one of the things that I've been able to see over the last three and a half years -- I've been able to see up close and personal what being President really looks like, you know?  And I want to share something with you, because I think it's important for you to know as you go forward -- I have seen how the issues that come across a President's desk are always the hard ones; the problems with no easy solutions, the judgment calls where the stakes are so high and there is absolutely no margin for error.

And I have watched and seen how, as President, you are going to get all kinds of advice and opinions from all kinds of people.  But let me tell you something -- at the end of the day, when it comes time to make that decision, as President, truly, all you have to guide you are your life experiences.  You understand me?  All you have to guide you are your values and your vision for this country.  Because in the end, it does all boil down to who you are and what you stand for -- know that.  (Applause.)

And we all know who my husband is, don’t we?  (Applause.)  We all know what Barack Obama stands for, don't we?  (Applause.)  And we have seen time and time again just how hard he's willing to fight for us.  (Applause.) 

Remember when folks in Washington were telling Barack to let the auto industry go under with more than a million jobs on the line?  That was the advice he was getting.  But fortunately for us, Barack had the backs of American workers.  He put his faith in the American people, and as a result, today, the auto industry is back on its feet again, and, more importantly, people are back at work collecting a paycheck again.  (Applause.)

And remember how folks were telling Barack not to take on health care?  They said, leave it for another day, another President; just keep kicking that can down the road.  But fortunately for us, our President had the backs of American families.  (Applause.)  And as a result, today, millions of people in this country can finally see a doctor when they're sick, they can finally get the care they need to stay well. 

So here's what I want you to ask yourselves -- when it comes time to stand up for the middle class so our kids can go to college and our families can make a decent living and save for retirement, who's going to have your back? 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Barack!  (Applause.)

MRS. OBAMA:  When we need a President to protect our most basic rights, no matter who we are or where we're from or what we look like or who we love, who is going to have your back?  (Applause.)  It's going to be Barack Obama, because that’s what he's been doing every single day as President of the United States -- every day.  (Applause.)

But I have said this before and I will say it again -- he cannot do this alone.  He cannot do this alone.  He, we are going to need every single one of you.  Because as Barack has said, this election will be even closer than the last one.  That is the only guarantee. 

And in the end -- I want you to think about this -- this election, like so many others, could come down to those last few thousands votes -- especially in states like Florida.  (Applause.)  And so let's just think about that, so you understand the power that you have.  Because while a few thousand votes may sound -- not sound like a lot, but think about those numbers when they're spread out across an entire state.  Those few thousand votes are spread across hundreds of cities and thousands of precincts -- think about that.  That makes those numbers smaller, right? 

So that one new voter that you register in your precinct -- think about it -- that one neighbor that you get to the polls on November the 2 [6] I want you to understand, that could be the one that makes the difference.  (Applause.)  That one conversation, that one new volunteer you recruit, that could be the one that puts this over the top.  It could be the difference between us waking up on November the 7th and asking ourselves, "could I have done more?" or feeling the promise of four more years.  (Applause.)  That’s the difference.  That is the difference.

And that’s why I wanted to launch this new effort that we're calling It Takes One, because it is so simple.  It just takes one.  So every time you take an action to move this campaign forward, we want you to think about bringing in that one more person -- because we all know that one person in our lives.  We all have them, right?  That one person who's not registered to vote; that one person who's not focused, doesn’t understand what's going on in the campaign yet; that one person who's never been involved.  We all know that one person. 

So if you're making calls or knocking on doors, bring one friend.  If you're coming to an event like this, bring that new neighbor who's never been involved in an election.  When you vote early or on Election Day, bring one more new voter with you -- just one.  Find one friend, one colleague, one person in your family.  They don’t even have to leave their house -- send them to barackobama.com/one -- (applause) -- and help them get involved. 

Our goal is to multiply ourselves.  Because it's like Barack has always said -- Barack said, it just takes one voice to change a room.  And if a voice can change a room, it can change a city.  And if it can change a city, it can change a state.  And if it can change a state, it can change the nation.  (Applause.)  That’s the power of one.  (Applause.) 

So think about that.  Just this room alone -- if everybody in this room brings in one more person, that could make all the difference.  The power of one. 

Now, I'm not going to kid you, this journey is going to be long -- even though it's getting shorter every day -- and it is going to be hard.  And there will be plenty of twists and turns along the way.  But what I try to remind myself and others is, that’s how change always happens in this country. 

Real change takes time.  It takes patience and tenacity.  But if we keep showing up, if we keep fighting the good fight, if we keep doing what we know is right, then eventually we get there -- because we always do.  In this country, we always move forward.  We always have.  Maybe not in our lifetimes -- here's the trick -- maybe in our children's lifetimes.  Maybe in our grandchildren's lifetimes.  Because in the end, hopefully, that’s why we're here.  Hopefully that’s what this is about.  (Applause.) 

Know this -- in the end, that’s what election are always about.  Don’t let anybody tell you differently -- elections are always about hope.  They're about our hopes for our children.  They're about the world we want to leave for the next generation.  And let me tell you, that is what I think about every day when I get my girls up.  I look them in the face -- that’s why I come out here so passionately -- I think about them.  I think about how I want to do for them what my dad did for me, what Barack's grandmother did for him.  (Applause.)

I want to give my daughters -- and all of our sons and daughters -- a real foundation for their dreams.  I want to give them opportunities worthy of their promise, because we do -- I don’t care what we believe in -- all of our kids have promise -- all of them.  I want to give them that sense of limitless possibility; that belief that here in America, the greatest country on the planet, there is always something better out there if you're willing to work for it.

So I tell myself, real seriously, we cannot turn back now.  Not now.  We have come so far, but we have so much more work to do.

So I have one last question to ask you all:  Are you ready for this?  (Applause.)  Are you in?  We need you so in.  I'm so in.  We need you to roll up your sleeves, get it done.  (Applause.)  We need you to find that one more person. 

Are you ready?  Are you in?  (Applause.)  From now until Election Day, we need you to work as hard as you've ever worked.  Find the people in your lives, let them know what's at stake.  Remember what we're working for:  We're working for our children.  We're going to need you every step of the way.

We love you so much.  God bless.

END                
6:01 P.M. EDT

Remarks by the First Lady at Joining Forces Veterans Hiring Event

Mayport Naval Station
Mayport, Florida

1:35 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you all so much.  Please be seated.  Forgot you all take orders really well.  (Laughter.)  I am beyond thrilled to be here with all of you today at Naval Station Mayport.  And I want to start by thanking Paul for that very kind and, for me, moving introduction.  And I also want to thank Vice Admiral Van Buskirk for his remarks as well today and for his strong leadership in America’s Navy.

And I also want to recognize a couple of people who are here -- Representative Brown for her service.  I understand the Mayor is here as well.  But I also want to thank Rear Admiral Sinclair Harris and his wife, Cora; Captain Douglas Cochrane and his wife, Anne; as well as Command Master Chief Robert White and his wife, Lesley.  Thank you for hosting us here today.

But most of all, I want to thank all of you, our extraordinary men and women in uniform and veterans, and your extraordinary families. 

I know that we’re being broadcast live into every U.S. military base –- here in America and around the world –- and we’ve got folks tuning in from as close by as Tampa and Pensacola, and as far away as Kabul and Seoul.  And on behalf of myself and my husband, I want to start off by saying that we are so proud of your service and so grateful for your sacrifice. 

You all -- and I say this time and time again, and I mean it every time I say it -- you all are the very best of America.  You all have given so much to this country.  And I’m here today because I want to talk with you about what this country is doing to give back to all of you. 

As you all may know, last August -- I think you saw a video -- my husband issued a challenge to American businesses.  He challenged them to hire or train 100,000 veterans and military spouses by the end of 2013.  And since Jill Biden and I launched Joining Forces, he asked the two of us to take the lead on working with companies to fulfill this challenge.  And I have to admit, when you get an order from the President, it’s a little daunting, even if he is your husband.  (Laughter.) 

So I was a little nervous, and I thought this challenge was pretty ambitious.  And when we first started out, we only had two companies as our partners, and I wondered to myself how we were going to get from there to 100,000 new jobs in two years.

But, fortunately, I didn’t have much time to sit around and worry, because before long, companies across this country started stepping up -- big companies like Siemens and Sears; small businesses like tech startups and restaurants and transportation providers.  And soon, those two companies became 20, and then 200, and then 2,000.

And by mid-March, these companies had already hired 50,000 veterans and military spouses.  By mid-April, it was 60,000.  By May, we had 80,000.  And today, I am so proud to announce that these 2,000 companies have not just met our challenge -- they’ve exceeded it. 

As of today, they have hired or trained 125,000 veterans and military spouses –- 125,000.  (Applause.)  And they’ve done it more than a year ahead of schedule.  That’s pretty impressive. 

And it would be understandable if these companies just stopped now and patted themselves on the back for a job well done and called it a day.  But instead, these companies are doing just the opposite –- they’re doubling down on their commitment to all of you.  And today, they’re pledging to hire or train another quarter of a million of our nation’s heroes -- a quarter of a million -- 250,000 -– including at least 50,000 military spouses. (Applause.)

I want to send a very clear message to the men and women who are wearing or who have worn our country’s uniform, and to their spouses:  When you have finished your service to our nation, you have got 2,000 great American companies ready and waiting to bring you on board. 

Because the truth is, they know, they’ve learned what you all have to offer.  And I can’t say this enough.  These companies are not making these commitments just because it’s the right thing to do -- which it is -- they’re doing this because it’s the smart thing to do for their bottom lines.  I think the CEO of Sears put it best when he said at one of our events -- and this is a quote -- he said, "The men and women of our military, their spouses and their families are some of the most gifted, talented employees that we have in the company."   That's what he said based on his experience.

And that’s a story that we have heard thousands of times over, because these companies know that if you can repair a helicopter engine in Mayport, if you can coordinate thousands of pounds of supplies being delivered to villages across Afghanistan, then clearly, you have what it takes for a manufacturing or a logistics job right here in the U.S.  

If you can work with sophisticated radar that guide high-speed missiles into other places, outer space, if you can operate complex communications systems from a tent in a desert, then clearly, you’re ready to succeed in our high-tech industries here at home.

If you can work with people from all different cultures and backgrounds, if you can lead dozens, even hundreds of your peers in life-or-death missions, then clearly, you’ve got the management and interpersonal skills that we need in every sector of this economy.

So make no mistake about it, you all have the talent, you’ve got the training and the experience to lead America’s economic comeback, and America’s businesses understand that.  And that's why they’ve stepped up so readily to answer this call.  That’s why they’re hiring folks like all of you every day all across this country.

And that’s part of the reason why the unemployment rate for veterans has been dropping.  And so far this year, the number of unemployed veterans is nearly 20 percent lower than it was a year ago.  So we are moving in the right direction.  But let’s be very clear that we are nowhere near where we need to be -- nowhere near.  When it comes to employment for our veterans and military spouses, we have still got a long way to go. 

So while our businesses are doing their part, my husband is making sure that our government is doing its part, as well.  That’s why he’s proposed a Veterans Job Corps, investing $1 billion to help our veterans become police officers, EMTs and other jobs serving our communities here at home.  And last year, he signed two new tax credits to make it easier for businesses to create jobs for veterans, including wounded warriors -– and he’s fighting to extend those credits before they expire at the end of this year.

And to make sure that you all know about all the jobs being created, we’ve worked with companies like Google and Linkedin to create the Veterans Job Bank.  Now, this is a website where companies who want to hire veterans can post their jobs.  And you all can find it, anyone listening, you can right to nrd.gov.

There are now more than 1 million jobs posted on that site  –- 1 million jobs today, right now, along with the skills translator, special software that takes your military specialty  -– your NEC -– and it shows you what jobs would be a good fit for you in the civilian world.  So that website is out there, and it’s available for everyone who is watching.

And finally, we’re making it easier for our military spouses to actually get these jobs by challenging all 50 states to help them transfer their professional licenses when they move from state to state.  Because if you’re a nurse or a teacher or a real estate agent or a dental hygienist, or have one of the many jobs that require a professional license, we know that you shouldn’t have to face a new licensing effort -- new fees, new paperwork and red tape every time your family moves to a new state.  That's ridiculous.  And so far, 26 states have adopted measures to help military spouses transfer their licenses or more easily obtain new ones. 

And today, again, I want to renew our challenge to those remaining 24 states to find their own solutions to ensure that our military spouses can continue to provide for their families and practice the professions they love, because more than anything else, truly, that is the story of Joining Forces.  That’s why we started this effort -- because it’s the story of folks across this country stepping up and doing everything they can to serve all of you as well as you have served this country. 
Whether it’s doctors and nurses improving treatment for PTSD and TBI, whether it’s teachers reaching out to our military kids, whether it’s TV shows like Sesame Street and organizations like NASCAR sharing the stories of military families, or people spending millions of hours serving veterans and military families in their communities, since we launched Joining Forces, what I have to just let you know is that not a single person that we’ve approached or talked to has ever told us that they couldn’t help. Not one.  Instead, they ask us, what more can I do, and what else can I do? 

And every day, we’re seeing the impact of these efforts in communities across this country –- in the military kids whose teachers finally understand what they’re going through; in veterans who are finally getting the quality care they’ve earned.
And today, we’re seeing it in 125,000 men and women who have now -- have the jobs and training they deserve -- 125,000 people who are providing for their families and contributing to our economy and continuing every day to serve the country they love.

And this is just the beginning.  We are only scratching the surface.  We’re just getting started.  And we’re not going to stop until all of our veterans know that when they hit that job market, their skills will be rewarded.  We won’t stop until all of our military spouses know that the next time their family is transferred, they won’t have to leave behind their professional lives.  And I won’t be satisfied -- nor will my husband -– until every single veteran and military spouse who wants a job has one. All of you deserve nothing less.  Nothing less.

So today, I want to once again thank you all.  Thank you for your service to our country.  You all make us so incredibly proud.  So let the work continue. 

Thank you all.  God bless.

END
1:48 P.M. EDT