Remarks by the President at a Campaign Event

Grand Junction High School
Grand Junction, Colorado

4:20 P.M. MDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Colorado!  It is good to be back in Grand Junction.  Love Grand Junction.  (Applause.)  It was about four years ago, around this time, that I was first in Grand Junction.  (Applause.)  We had a bunch of bales of hay.  (Laughter.)  You remember that?  Everybody was nice.  Weather was a little warm.  (Laughter.)  And it is great to be back.

I’ve got a couple of people I want to acknowledge.  First of all, please give Deanne a big round of applause for the great introduction.  (Applause.)  And I’m a little sweet on Deanne, not just because of a great introduction, but also because she’s a nurse, and I just love nurses because they -- (applause) -- they do such a great job every day.

Also, we’ve got one of your outstanding U.S. senators, Michael Bennet, in the house.  (Applause.)  There he is.  And one of your former senators, who is now doing an outstanding job looking after the natural resources of this great country of ours -- Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar.  (Applause.) 

Now, those of you who have a seat, feel free to take a seat.  (Laughter.)  Those of you who don’t, just remember to bend your knees because -- (laughter) -- sometimes I have people drop off in the middle of -- (laughter) -- even when I’m not talking too long, just because they’ve been standing too long.  So especially when it’s warm like this.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We love you!

THE PRESIDENT:  I love you back.  Who was that?  (Applause.) 
    
Now, obviously, this is a smart crowd and so I know that most of the last couple of weeks you’ve been watching the Olympics, cheering on our U.S. athletes over in London.  You’ve been spending time with family, trying to get outdoors, at least when it cools off.  But unless you’ve been able to hide the television completely or your cable is broke, then you may be aware there’s a pretty intense campaign going on right now.  (Applause.)  And the reason it’s such an intense campaign is because the choice that we face in November could not be bigger. 

This is not just a choice between two candidates or two political parties.  It’s a choice about two fundamentally different visions for the country, two fundamentally different paths.  And the direction that we choose -- the direction that you choose when you walk into that voting booth in less than three months -- is going to have a direct impact not just on our lives, but on the lives of our children and our grandchildren for decades to come.

Now, four years ago, we came together -- Democrats, but also independents and some Republicans -- to restore the basic bargain that had built this country, that had made us the most prosperous nation on Earth.  And it’s a very simple bargain.  It says, if you work hard, your work will be rewarded.  (Applause.)  It says that if you put in enough effort, you can find a job that pays a decent wage, pays the bills; that you can afford to have a home that you call your own; that you have health care you can count on when you get sick.  (Applause.)  That after a lifetime of labor, you can put away enough to retire with dignity and respect.  And, most importantly, that you can give your kids the kind of education and opportunity that allows them to dream even bigger and do even better than you could ever imagine.  That’s the promise of America.  That’s the promise of America.  (Applause.)

Now, when we came together, we knew restoring that bargain -- that deal, that compact -- was not going to be easy.  We knew it would take more than one year or one term or maybe even one President, because --

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Four more years!  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  -- because we had seen what had happened in the previous decade.  Jobs had moved overseas.  Folks were working harder and harder, but their wages or incomes, they were staying flat, sometimes even going down.  The cost of everything from health care to college was going up.  And then, it all culminated in the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression -- a crisis that robbed too many of our friends and our neighbors of jobs, the value of their homes, their savings.  And all that pushed the American Dream even further out of reach for too many working people.

But, you know what, we’ve spent the last three and a half years digging ourselves out of that hole.  (Applause.)  We averted a depression; created 4.5 million new jobs -- 500,000 in manufacturing.  We saved an auto industry.  (Applause.)  We made sure that we worked to make college more affordable.  We worked to make sure that health care was secure for families. 

And what we discovered during the course of these difficult times is that a crisis doesn’t change our character.  It doesn’t change who we are as a people.  It doesn’t change what makes us great -- our toughness, our grit, our resilience, and our ability to come together and work together on behalf of this country.  And when we came together in 2008, we understood that there is a core decency, that there is a goodness to the American people, and we need to make sure that that’s reflected in what happens in Washington.  And our mission has never been more urgent.  (Applause.)

So after three and a half tough years, we’re still going.  We’re here to build an economy where hard work pays off -- so that no matter who you are, or what you look like, or where you come from, here in America, you can make it if you try.  (Applause.)

That’s what this campaign is about, Colorado!  (Applause.)  And that’s why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States of America.  (Applause.)

Now, understand, there are no quick fixes or easy solutions to some of these challenges.  But here’s the thing that I constantly am reminded of wherever I travel across the country:  We have the capacity to meet any challenge, because we’ve still got the best workers in the world.  (Applause.)  We’ve got the best entrepreneurs in the world.  We’ve got the best scientists and researchers in the world, and the best colleges and the best universities in the world.  (Applause.)  We’re still a young nation, and we’ve got the greatest diversity of talent and ingenuity and people who want to come here from every corner of the globe. 

And so no matter what the naysayers tell us, no matter how dark the other side tries to make things look, the fact is there is not another country on Earth that would not gladly trade places with the United States of America.  (Applause.)  

So we can solve our problems.  What’s standing in our way is not that we don’t have good ideas or we don’t have solutions to problems like energy independence or improving our schools.  What is standing in our way is our politics.  You’ve got a bunch of folks in Washington who think the only way is their way, and who think that the only way to go forward is to go right back to the same policies that got us into this mess in the first place.

AUDIENCE:  No!

THE PRESIDENT:  They believe in the old top-down economics that we spent an entire decade trying and that did not work.

And look, I'm not exaggerating here.  My opponent, Mr. Romney, and his friends in Congress, when you look at their economic ideas, when you look at -- you know, they've spent a lot of time on commercials, saying how there aren’t enough jobs, and the economy is not growing fast enough.  And then you ask them, okay, well, what is it that you're thinking about doing?  And you know, I am not exaggerating, it boils down to two things.  First of all, they want to give more tax cuts to folks at the very top --

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  -- $5 trillion worth of tax cuts on top of the Bush tax cuts.  And then -- so that's idea number one.  Idea number two is let's get rid of regulations that we put into place to make sure that Wall Street does not misbehave again and we don't have another meltdown, or getting rid of regulations that help protect our air and our water, or getting rid of regulations that protect consumers from unscrupulous lenders.  That's their basic idea.  You get rid of regulations and you cut taxes for wealthy Americans, and somehow jobs and prosperity will all rain down on all of us.

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  This is the path they're proposing.  If you think I'm exaggerating, you go to their websites, you look at the bills that have been passed by this House of Representatives.  That is where they will take us if they win.  In fact, the centerpiece of Mr. Romney's entire economic plan is this new $5 trillion tax cut.  And now, I want you to pay attention here -- we're going to do a little math.  I know it's not everybody's favorite subject, but math is important. 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  I love math!

THE PRESIDENT:  I like that -- somebody said they love math.  There you go.  (Applause.) 

All right, so we've known for a while that a lot of this new $5 trillion tax cut would go to the wealthiest 1 percent of all households.  But, last week, an independent nonpartisan organization crunched the numbers.  They look -- what does this mean, $5 trillion?  Keep in mind, by the way, the defense budget is about $500 billion.  So a $5 trillion tax cut is -- over 10 years is like a tax cut that's as big as our entire defense budget every single year.  So these guys were trying to analyze what does this mean.  They found that Governor Romney's plan would raise taxes on middle-class families with children by an average of $2,000. 

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  Now, the reason is -- as he says -- that this $5 trillion tax cut he'll pay for by doing other things, by slashing education or making Medicare into a voucher. 

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  But even after he makes all the cuts to education and training and science and research and transportation and environmental protection -- you name it -- it turns out he is still short.  So the only way that you could actually pay for it is to have you pick up the bill.

So you would then pay $2,000 extra every year not to reduce the deficit, not to help our kids get an education, not to rebuild our roads and our bridges or lay broadband lines into rural communities.  He would ask the middle class to pay more in taxes so he could give another $250,000 to people making more than $3 million a year. 

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  Now, he was asked about this, his campaign was asked about it, and if this sounds like an idea that would be difficult to explain to the American people, you're right.  (Laughter.)  Let's just say there was a whole different kind of gymnastics being performed by Mr. Romney than what's been happening in the Olympics.  (Laughter and applause.)

So they were twisting and they were turning and doing backflips, and trying to say, well, this is a biased report -- despite the fact that the head of this nonpartisan center used to work for President Bush.  But it's not surprising that he was trying to scramble a little bit, because they've tried to sell this old, trickle-down tax cut fairy dust before.  (Laughter.) 

And, you know what, it did not work then.  It won't work now.  It's not a plan to create jobs.  It's not a plan to lower the deficit.  It's not a plan to move our economy forward.  It's not a plan to build the middle class.  We don't need more tax cuts for folks like me.  We need tax cuts for working Americans who are trying to raise a family -- (applause) -- and keep our families healthy, and send our kids to college and keep a roof over their heads.  That's who needs some help.  (Applause.)  That’s the choice in this election and that’s why I’m running for President -- to fight for you.  (Applause.) 

Are you guys still bending your knees?  (Laughter.)  You got some water, get hydrated. 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Sing for us!

THE PRESIDENT:  Michelle made me promise that I can't sing to others anymore --

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  -- because she wants me to just sing to her, you know?  (Laughter and applause.)

But look, Grand Junction, I've got a different plan for America.  Their ideas aren't going to work. 

Four years ago, I promised to cut middle-class taxes.  That’s exactly what I've done.  (Applause.)  The typical family has seen their taxes go down by about $3,600.  So when you talk to your friends or neighbors and they say, he's a big, spending, tax-raising Democrat -- (laughter) -- you've got to tell them, no, actually, if you're in the middle class, your taxes have gone down.  (Applause.)  

So now, I want to keep taxes exactly where they are for the first $250,000 of everybody's income.  So if your family makes under $250,000 -- which, by the way, 98 percent of Americans do -- (applause) -- 97 percent of small businesses do, you will not see your income taxes increase by a single dime next year.  That’s my plan.  (Applause.)  And, by the way, I’ve told Congress -- I told the Republicans in Congress, I said, let's do it now.  You guys say you don’t want to see anybody's taxes go up; I don’t want to see anybody who's making $250,000 or less see their taxes go up -- let's go ahead and sign a bill.  (Applause.)  But, shockingly enough -- (laughter) -- they haven't agreed so far because they're holding you guys hostage to try to get tax cuts for the top 2 percent.

Now, look, if you're fortunate enough to be in the other 2 percent of Americans, you're still going to get a tax cut on the first $250,000 of your income.  So if you make $260,000, the first $250,000, you're still keeping all that tax cut.  It's just that little bit over $250,000.  Now, if you're making $5 million, you can afford it.  Right?  (Applause.) 

All we're asking for folks who have been blessed -- like me -- I mean, I'm not being self-interested here.  It's not like I love paying taxes, but I understand I've got certain obligations because this country has been so good to me.  (Applause.)  So what I've -- all we're saying is for folks in the top 2 percent, let's go back to what we were paying under Bill Clinton.  Let's contribute a little bit more so we pay down our deficit, and we can still invest in things like education to help our kids succeed.  (Applause.) 

Now, keep in mind, just in case you’re talking to your friends or neighbors again and they say, well, that just -- a little bit of tax increase on the top 2 percent, that won’t cut the deficit -- they’re right.  We got to do more.  So we’ve already cut a trillion dollars.  Federal spending is growing at a slower rate than any time since Dwight Eisenhower.  (Applause.)  I’ll make sure government continues to do its part, and we’ll cut out spending we don’t need.  But I’m not going to pay for a massive new tax cut for millionaires and billionaires by gutting investments that have always made us strong as a country.  (Applause.) 

And, by the way, just like we tested their plan under the previous administration and it didn’t work, we’ve tested my plan because, as you’ll recall, under Bill Clinton, when those taxes were a little bit higher on folks like me, the economy grew faster than it has in years -- 23 million new jobs.  (Applause.)  We went from a deficit to a surplus.  (Applause.)  And folks at the top did well.  We created a lot of millionaires to boot.  And the reason is that -- look, when a construction worker has a got a little money in his pocket, now he starts thinking about buying a new car.  When a teacher has security in her job, now she might go to a restaurant once in a while.  (Applause.) 

And so what happens is, when the middle class is strong, suddenly businesses have more customers, businesses have more profits, businesses decide to hire more workers.  Everybody does well.  That’s how we build a strong economy -- not from the top down, from the middle out, from the bottom up.  That’s the choice in this election.  That’s why I’m running for a second term for President of the United States.  (Applause.)

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

THE PRESIDENT:  Now, let me say, you can see how this plays out on a whole bunch of issues -- not just taxes and the deficit.  When the American auto industry was on the brink of collapse, more than one million jobs at stake, Governor Romney says, let’s “let Detroit go bankrupt.” 

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  I said let’s bet on American workers.  (Applause.)  And the American auto industry has come roaring back.  (Applause.) 

So now, I want to make sure that the jobs of tomorrow, including advanced manufacturing jobs, that they’re not taking root in China or Germany.  I want them to take root in Colorado, in Ohio, in Michigan.  (Applause.) 

Governor Romney and I have a different theory.  He spent his private sector experience investing in companies that were called "pioneers" of outsourcing.  I want to insource.  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 in Colorado, investing in Grand Junction, hiring American workers, selling American products, stamping those goods with three proud words:  Made in America.  That’s what I believe.  (Applause.) 

Mr. Romney says it was "tragic" for me to end the war in Iraq, like I promised.  I think after a decade of war it's time to do some nation-building here at home.  (Applause.)  Thanks to the incredible service of our men and women in uniform -- (applause) -- Iraq is in charge of its own destiny.  We are bringing troops home from Afghanistan.  We went after bin Laden and al Qaeda and we got them.  (Applause.) 

So now, let's take half of the savings that we were spending on war and let's use it to put people back to work rebuilding schools, rebuilding bridges, rebuilding roads, improving our airport systems, improving our ports so that we can move goods and services that will make our economy strong not just now, but in the future.  And, by the way, that also helps us pay for providing services that our men and women in uniform have earned.  Our veterans fought too hard for us for them to have to fight for a job or a roof over their heads when they come home.  (Applause.)  That is a sacred trust we've got to keep.  (Applause.) 

I'm running to make sure America once again leads the world in educating our kids.  (Applause.)  I want to hire new teachers, especially in math and science.  (Applause.)  Help 2 million people go to community colleges to train for the jobs that businesses are hiring for right now.  (Applause.)  And I want to make sure that every young person can afford to go to college.  We have already expanded student aid; now we need to bring tuitions down.  (Applause.)  That’s why I'm running for President -- to give our young people a chance.  (Applause.)

On every issue, there's a difference.  On housing and foreclosures, Mr. Romney says let the market just bottom out.  I say let's let every American refinance their homes at historically low rates, save $3,000 per family, per homeowner.  That could actually boost the economy and strengthen the housing market.  (Applause.)

When it comes to health care, he wants to kill Obamacare.  I'm implementing Obamacare because it was the right thing to do.  (Applause.)  Already, as we speak, 6.5 million young people under the age of 26 can stay on their parent’s plan.  (Applause.)  Millions of seniors have saved hundreds of dollars on their prescription drugs, and we're closing the doughnut hole.  (Applause.)  Individuals and businesses are getting rebates from their insurance companies because insurance companies have to use most of the money they get in premiums to provide care, not for CEO bonuses and administrative costs.  (Applause.)  If your child has a preexisting condition, insurance companies can't turn them down.  (Applause.)  Soon, adults who have preexisting conditions cannot be turned down.  (Applause.) 

So if that’s what Mr. Romney wants to get rid of -- despite the fact that he did the same thing in Massachusetts and it worked pretty well -- (laughter) -- then that’s a different --that's a choice in this election.

You know, I don't think we should be refighting some of the battles he wants to refight.  I think it was the right thing to do to end "don't ask, don't tell."  (Applause.)  I think you should be able to serve your country no matter who you are.  (Applause.)  I don't think it makes sense for us to take away control that women have over their own health care decisions.  (Applause.) 

But most of all, most of all, I want to make sure that that original bargain that made this country great, that basic idea that if you work hard you can make it, that that is restored.  And everything we do -- from health care to education, to manufacturing, to our infrastructure, to our investment in science and research -- all of this is designed to make sure that we've got a strong middle class going forward; that no matter what you look like, where you come from, that everybody has got a fair shot, and everybody is doing their fair share, and everybody is playing by the same set of rules.  (Applause.) 

That's the same promise our parents and our grandparents and our great-grandparents believed in.  And now we've got to pass on that same promise to the next generation. 

Now, over the last -- over the next three months -- 89 days, to be precise -- (laughter) -- the other side will be spending more money than we've ever seen.  You've got these guys writing $10 million checks.  You've got these super PACs that are just going crazy.

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  And now, here's the thing.  I don't know why they're running all these ads, because basically they only have one ad.  It's just a variation on the same ad, which is the economy is not where it should be and it's Obama's fault.  That's their basic argument.  Because they know they can't sell their actual plans -- they don't have plans.  (Applause.)  Their message is designed to try to win an election, but it's not a plan to create jobs.  They don't have a plan to grow the economy.  They don't have a plan to revive the middle class.  But I do.  (Applause.) 

And so when you're talking to your friends and your neighbors, and they say, well, I don't know, Mr. Romney, he ran a business and I think maybe that might work -- look, if you believe that trying what we already tried and it didn’t work is worth trying again; if you believe it's okay to cut taxes for folks who are doing really well and ask folks who are struggling to do more; if you think it's okay for us to cut back on our investments in education and science and set our sights lower -- then that's your choice.  That's how our democracy works.  Try it out.

But, you know what, if you believe that we're on the right track -- (applause) -- if you think like I do that we've come too far to turn back now, then I'm going to need you, Colorado.  (Applause.)  We’ve got too many good jobs to create.  We’ve got too many good teachers to hire.  We’ve got too many great schools to build.  We’ve got too many students we need to help go to college.  We’ve got too much homegrown clean energy to generate.  We’ve got more troops to bring home.  We’ve got more doors of opportunity to open to everybody who is willing to work hard, to walk through that door.  We’ve got to leave something behind for the next generation, so they can do even better, so they can do even bigger than we ever imagined.  (Applause.)

That’s what’s at stake.  That's why I'm running.  And if you're willing to stand with me and if you still believe in me just like I believe in you, we will win, Colorado.  We will win this election.  (Applause.)  We'll 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.  God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)  

END
4:54 P.M. MDT

Remarks by the President at Rural Council Meeting

Roosevelt Room

Please see below for a correction to a typo, marked with an asterisk, in the transcript.

4:21 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, everybody.  I think all of you are aware that we are seeing devastating drought throughout the country.  It is a historic drought, and it’s having a profound impact on farmers and ranchers all across many states.

Now, at my direction, the Department of Agriculture, led by Secretary Vilsack, has been working with every other agency across the federal government to make sure that we are taking every single possible step to help farmers and ranchers to fight back and recover from this disaster. 

We’ve already designated over 1,500 counties across 32 states as disaster areas, which gives qualified farmers access to low-interest emergency loans.  We’ve also opened up more land for haying and grazing.  And we’ve worked with crop insurance companies to give farmers a short grace period on unpaid insurance premiums, since some families will be struggling to make ends meet at the end of this crop year.

This has been an all-hands-on-deck response.  I want to thank Tom for his leadership.  But obviously, we’ve got a lot more to do, because a lot of folks are being affected by this.

So today, the Department of Agriculture is announcing an additional $30 million to get more water to livestock and restore land impacted by drought.  The National Credit Union Administration is allowing an additional thousand credit unions to increase lending to small businesses.  The Department of Transportation is ready to help more commercial truck drivers to provide much-needed supplies to farmers and ranchers.  And the SBA, the Small Business Administration, is working with other government agencies to connect even more eligible farmers, ranchers and businesses with low-interest emergency loans as well as counseling and workforce programs.

Now, those are the ideas that have already been presented and are in the process of being implemented, but my instructions to all the agencies is we need to keep working and to see if there is more that we can do.  And we’re going to continue to solicit ideas from state and local organizations, state-based [faith-based]* organizations, not-for-profit groups, the private sector, and most of all, the farmers and ranchers that are directly impacted, to find additional ways that we can help -- because when there’s a disaster like this, everybody needs to pull together.

Obviously, Congress has a role.  Congress needs to pass a farm bill that will not only provide important disaster relief tools, but also make necessary reforms and give farmers the certainty that they deserve.  That’s the single-best way that we can help rural communities both in the short term, but also in the long term.  And we’ve already seen some good bipartisan work done in the Senate. 

Now is the time for us to come together and go ahead and get this done.  And my hope is that Congress, many of whom will be traveling back to their districts, in some cases in rural communities, and see what’s taking place there, will feel a greater sense of urgency and be prepared to get this done immediately upon their return. 

In the meantime, my administration is going to use the full extent of our administrative powers to make sure that we’re responding appropriately.

All right, thank you very much, everybody.

END
4:25 P.M. EDT

Remarks by the President at Campaign Event -- Stamford, CT

Stamford Marriott Hotel
Stamford, Connecticut

6:35 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you so much.  (Applause.)  Well, it is wonderful to be back in Connecticut.  A couple of people I want to give a shout-out to -- first of all, your outstanding Governor, Dan Malloy, is here.  (Applause.)  Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman is here.  (Applause.)  Senator Dick Blumenthal is here.  (Applause.)  A outstanding trio of Congressmen -- Rosa DeLauro, Jim Himes, Chris Murphy.  (Applause.)  And please give it up for Ben Harper.  (Applause.)  We are so grateful to him.

It was my birthday this weekend.  (Applause.)  I was 51 years old.  Michelle says I don't look a day over 50.  (Laughter.)  She was pointing out, I think in the last week you've gotten more gray hair.  (Laughter.)  But that's okay. 

Obviously I know that all of you have been spending most of this week rooting for our unbelievable athletes in London.  (Applause.)  On the flight over here, I've got to admit I was spending most of my time watching U.S. women's soccer.  They won, by the way, 4 to 3 -- (applause.)  It was a tight game.  And it's just an extraordinary reminder of the fact that even when we've got political differences, when it comes to our love of this country and the incredible people who represent us, we are unified.  And it's a very gratifying feeling during the course of a political season, where sometimes the fact that we are unified around so many important things gets hidden. 
   
But unless you’ve been able to hide from your television, or your cable is broke -- (laughter) -- you are aware that there is a pretty intense campaign going on right now.  And it's a healthy thing because that's what our democracy is about.  Sometimes it's messy and folks get excited.  But in this election in particular, the reason that there is such an intensity is because the choice that we face in November could not be bigger.  Could not be bigger.

It's not just a choice between two candidates or two political parties.  More than any election in recent memory, it is a choice about two fundamentally different paths for our country.  And the direction that we choose -- the direction that you choose when you step into that ballot box in November -- in that voting booth -- I guess you shouldn’t step into the ballot box.  (Laughter.)  Step into the voting booth.  That's probably illegal.  (Laughter.)  The impact that you'll have not just on our lives, but on our kids and our grandkids for decades to come is remarkable.

Now, four years ago, we came together -- and it wasn't just Democrats, we had independents and Republicans coming together to restore that basic bargain that made America an economic superpower, made us the most prosperous economy in the world.  And it's a bargain that says if you work hard in this country, then your work should be rewarded.  It’s an idea that says if you put in enough effort, if you act responsibly, then you can find a job that pays the bills, and you can afford a home that you can call our own, and you can count on health care if you get sick, and put away a little bit for retirement, and most importantly, give your kids the kind of education that allows them to dream even bigger and do even better than you did.

That's at the core of what America is about.  That's the American promise.  And we understood that restoring it wouldn’t be easy.  We had gone through a decade in which jobs were being shipped overseas and job growth was sluggish and incomes were falling even as the costs of health care and college and gas and groceries were going up.  So we understood that it was going to take more than one year, or one term, or even one President to meet these challenges. 

And that was before the middle class was hammered by the worst economic crisis in most of our lifetimes -- a crisis that robbed many of our friends and neighbors of the security of a job, or their homes, or their savings.  That crisis pushed the American Dream even further out of reach for too many working people.

But one of the great privileges of being President is you get to see Americans from every walk of life, and one consistent theme is we don’t buckle, we don’t break, we’re tougher than tough times.  And so over the last three and a half years, we have devoted ourselves to bringing this country back to where it needs to be. 

And we’re not there yet, but we created 4.5 million new jobs and 500,000 in manufacturing.  (Applause.)  An auto industry that was on its knees has come roaring back.  We’ve said that we’ve got to make college more accessible, and been able to provide millions of more young people access to higher education.  We made sure that in a country as remarkable as ours that nobody is going to go bankrupt when they get sick.  (Applause.)   

And through all these battles, through all these struggles, understanding that we’re not where we need to be, what we’ve constantly been able to affirm is that this economic crisis didn’t change our character.  It didn’t change who we are.  It didn’t change what made us great.  It didn’t change our determination and our resilience. 

And what also hasn’t changed is what we came together for in 2008.  It’s just made our mission that much more urgent.  We are here to build an economy where work pays off so that no matter what you look like or where you come from, you can make it here if you try.  That’s what this campaign is about.  (Applause.)  That’s what this campaign is about, Connecticut, and that’s why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States.  (Applause.)

And we understand there are no quick fixes or easy solutions to these challenges, but we know that we have the capacity to meet them.  We’ve got the best workers in the world. We’ve got the best entrepreneurs in the world.  We have the best scientists and the best researchers in the world.  We have the best universities and the best colleges in the world.  We are a young nation, and we’ve got the greatest diversity of talent and ingenuity from every corner of the globe.  (Applause.)  So, no matter what the naysayers may say, no matter how dark the picture they try to paint, there’s not another country on Earth that wouldn’t gladly trade places with the United States of America.  (Applause.) 

So what’s standing in our way right now is not the lack of technical solutions to the deficit or to education or to energy.  What’s standing in our way is our politics -- the uncompromising view that says we should be going back to the old, top-down economics that got us into this mess in the first place.  (Applause.) 

And I don’t exaggerate when it comes to how my opponent and his allies in Congress view this economy.  They believe -- and this is the sum total of their economic package -- that if we give more tax breaks to some of the wealthiest Americans, and we get rid of regulations that keep our air clean and our water clean and make sure consumers aren’t getting cheated and make sure insurance companies aren’t taking advantage of you, that somehow prosperity will rain down on everybody.  That’s their theory.  That’s the path they’re proposing.  That’s where they will take us if we [sic] win.  It is on Mr. Romney’s website.  It is in the form of a bill that passed through the House of Representatives by this Republican Congress. 

In fact, the entire centerpiece of Mitt Romney’s economic plan is a new $5 trillion tax cut.  And we’ve known for a while that a lot of this tax cut would go to the wealthiest 1 percent of all households.  But just last week, an independent, non-partisan organization crunched the numbers.  They went through what would it mean to add a $5 trillion tax cut.  Just to give you a sense of perspective here -- our entire defense budget is about -- it’s over $500 billion a year, but it’s less than $600 billion. 

So you’re talking about each year, a tax cut that’s equivalent of our defense budget for the next 10 years.  And what this policy center did was -- it just ran the numbers -- if you wanted to actually pay for that, what would that mean.  And they determined that Governor Romney’s plan would effectively raise taxes on middle-class families with children by an average of $2,000 -- to pay for this tax cut.  Not to reduce the deficit.  Not to invest in things that grow our economy, like education or roads or basic research.  He’d ask the middle class to pay more in taxes so that he could give another $250,000 tax cut to people making more than $3 million a year. 

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  It’s like Robin Hood in reverse.  (Laughter.)  It’s Romney Hood.  (Applause.)

And if this sounds like an idea that’s difficult to explain or sell to the American people, you’d be right.  (Laughter.)  So there were all kinds of different gymnastics being performed by the Romney campaign last week.  They have tried to sell us this trickle-down, tax cut fairy dust before.  And guess what -- it does not work.  It didn’t work then; it won’t work now.  It’s not a plan to create jobs.  It’s not a plan to reduce our deficit.  And it is not a plan to move our economy forward.   

We do not need -- I do not need a tax cut.  We need tax cuts for working Americans.  We need tax cuts for families who are trying to raise kids, and keep them healthy, and send them to college, and keep a roof over their heads. 

So that’s the choice in this election.  That’s what this is about.  That’s why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States.  (Applause.)

See, I’ve got a different plan for America.  Four years ago, I promised to cut middle-class taxes -- that’s exactly what I’ve done, by a total of about $3,600 for the typical family.  (Applause.)  So I want to keep taxes exactly where they are for the first $250,000 of everybody’s income.  If your family makes under $250,000 -- like 98 percent of Americans do -- you will not see your income taxes increase by a single dime next year.

And if you’re fortunate enough -- as many of you are, as I am -- to be in the other 2 percent, you still keep the tax cut on the first $250,000 of your income.  All we’re asking is that, after that, you contribute a little bit more so we can pay down our deficit and invest in things like education that will help us grow.  (Applause.) 

And by the way, we’re going to make sure that government does its part.  Government is going to have to cut away the spending that we don’t need.  We’ve already cut a trillion dollars’ worth of spending that wasn’t necessary, and we can find more.  Members of Congress here are committed to doing that.  We can’t waste taxpayer dollars.  But we’re not going to pay for a massive new tax cut for folks who don’t need it by gutting investments that have always kept the middle class strong. 

We’re going to have to make sure that college is affordable.  We’ve got to make sure that we’re rebuilding our infrastructure.  We’ve got to make sure that we’re investing in science and technology in this competitive 21st century economy.  We’ve got to make sure that Medicare is there for our seniors after they’ve worked hard all their lives.  And we can do all that simply by having folks like me go back to the rates that we paid under Bill Clinton.  And if you remember, that was when the economy created nearly 23 million new jobs, the biggest budget surplus in history, and a whole lot of millionaires to boot.  (Applause.)

The interesting thing when you look at our economic history is, when a construction worker has got some money in his pocket, he goes out and buys a new car.  When a teacher is getting paid a decent wage, that means they can maybe take their family to a restaurant once in a while.  And when the middle class is doing well, then business is doing well, and those at the top do well.  Everybody does well.  That’s what we believe in -- an economy that grows from the middle class out and the bottom up.  That’s the choice in this election.  That’s why I’m running for a second term as President.  (Applause.)

But, look, we’re going to have -- that’s just on tax policy and fiscal issues.  There are going to be contrasts throughout this election.  When the American auto industry was on the brink of collapse, more than 1 million jobs on the line, Governor Romney said, let’s "let Detroit go bankrupt."  I refused to turn back on a great American industry and its workers.  We bet on America’s workers.  Three years later, the American auto industry has come roaring back.  (Applause.)

So I want to make sure that this happens not just in the auto industry; let’s replicate that.  There are manufacturing opportunities -- advanced manufacturing, high-tech manufacturing opportunities all across America, because I want those jobs here -- not in China, not in Germany.  I want them in Connecticut.  I want them in the United States of America.  (Applause.) 

And so Governor Romney extolls his experience in the private sector, investing in companies that have been called "pioneers" of outsourcing.  I believe in insourcing.  I want to give -- I want to take away tax breaks for companies shipping jobs overseas.  Let’s give them to companies that are investing right here in Connecticut, investing in American workers.  (Applause.) 

I said in 2008 I wanted to end the war in Iraq -- we ended it.  (Applause.)  I said we’d go after bin Laden -- we got him.  (Applause.)  I said that we would blunt the Taliban’s momentum, and now we can begin transitioning our troops home.  And so, after a decade of war, I think it’s time to do some nation-building here at home.  (Applause.)

Our freedom was secured because of the courage and selflessness of our men and women in the United States armed forces.  I want to make sure that they don’t have to scramble for a job when they come home.  I want to make sure that we’re investing in a Veterans Job Corps that can give them a chance to go back to work.  I want to make sure that they’re getting the services that they need.  We can take half the savings that we spent on war, and let’s use it to do some nation-building here in the United States of America.  Let’s rebuild America -- rebuilding schools, rebuilding roads, hiring our veterans, making sure they get the care that they have earned.  That’s the choice in this election.  (Applause.)

Because Mr. Romney has got a different idea -- he said me ending the war in Iraq was "tragic."  (Laughter.)  I disagree.  (Laughter.)  That’s the choice in this election.

Connecticut, I’m running to make sure that America once again is a leader in educating our kids and training our workers.  I want to help our schools hire and reward the best teachers, especially in math and science.  (Applause.)  Let’s give 2 million more Americans the chance to go to community colleges and get the skills that local businesses are looking for right now.  We’ve already done a lot to make millions of young people in a better place to be able to go to college, but I want to also work to help colleges and universities bring the cost of tuition down once and for all.  Higher education cannot be a luxury; it is a economic necessity that every American should be able to afford.  (Applause.)

When it comes to the housing market, Mr. Romney says just let foreclosures bottom out.  I don’t think that’s a solution -- I think that’s the problem.  I want to give every American homeowner the opportunity to take advantage of historically low rates and refinance their homes, save $3,000, use that money to recirculate in the economy.  (Applause.)  That will help the entire economy grow and improve the housing market. 

I’m running because I continue to believe that no American should go broke because they get sick.  Health care was the right thing to do.  The Supreme Court has spoken.  We are implementing it now.  (Applause.)  That’s a choice in this election. 

I believe it was the right thing to do to end "don’t ask, don’t tell."  You shouldn’t have to hide who you love to serve the country that you love.  (Applause.)  That’s a choice in this election.

I don’t believe that it is Congress’s job to take away the decisions around women’s health.  I think women should be in charge of their own health care.  That’s a choice in this election.  (Applause.)

So all these things, Connecticut -- whether it’s bringing manufacturing and construction jobs back, or protecting your health care, or making sure our children get the best education they deserve, or making sure that veterans get the care that they have earned -- all these things that help make up a middle-class life, they all tie together.  They’re all central to the idea that made this country great -- the promise that if you work hard, you can get ahead.  The same promise our parents and our grandparents passed down to us.  And now it’s our responsibility to make sure that our children and grandchildren can enjoy that same American Dream.    

And over the course of the next three months, the other side is going to spend more money than we have ever seen on ads that basically say the same thing you've been hearing for months.  They know their economics theory won't sell, so their ads are going to say the same thing over and over again, which is:  The economy is not where it needs to be and it's Obama's fault.  I mean, there will be variations on the theme, but it's basically -- (laughter) -- that's basically their message. 
    
And I'm not exaggerating.  Their strategists admit it.  They say, you know, we're not going to put out any plans.  We're just going to see if this works.  (Laughter.)  Now, that may be a plan to win the election, but that's not a plan to create jobs.  That's not a plan to grow the economy or revive the middle class. 

They don’t have that plan.  I do.  (Applause.)  So, Connecticut, let me say this.  When you're talking to your friends and your neighbors, and they're saying, well, I don't know, I'm not sure -- you just tell them, look, if you believe that a plan to just cut taxes and eliminate regulations is going to make our economy stronger, even if it means gutting investments in education or infrastructure or science, if you want an America that essentially sets our sights lower, then by all means send these folks to Washington for the next few years.

AUDIENCE:  No! 

THE PRESIDENT:  But you need to ask your friends and your neighbors, you need to ask them wouldn't you be better off if we kept fighting for the things that always made us strong -- (applause) -- if we fight to make sure more of our students can afford to go to college?  Won't we be better off if we kept developing new sources of American energy?  Won't we be better off if we invest in manufacturing and we're selling goods around the world stamped with three proud words:  Made in America?  Five years from now, or 10 years from now, or 20 years from now, won't we be better off if we had the courage to keep working and to keep fighting and moving forward -- understanding that it's not easy -- change has never been easy.  I told you in 2008, it wasn't easy.  And I told you I’m not a perfect man.  I told you I wouldn’t be a perfect President.  But I always said that I’d tell you what I thought and where I stood.  And, most of all, I told you I would wake up every single day, fighting as hard as I knew how to make your lives a little bit better.  (Applause.)

And, Connecticut, I have kept that promise.  I've kept that promise, because I still believe in you.  And if you still believe in me, and you're willing to stand with me, and knock on some doors for me, make some phone calls with me, work hard and organize and mobilize with me for the next three months, we will finish what we started in 2008, and we will show the world why the United States of America is the greatest nation on Earth.  (Applause.)   

Thank you, everybody.  God bless you.  God bless America.  (Applause.)

END
6:58 P.M EDT

REMARKS BY THE FIRST LADY AT A CAMPAIGN EVENT

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Springfield, Massachusetts

MRS. OBAMA:  Yay!  (Applause.)  All right.  You guys are already fired up.  I can go home.  (Applause.)  Thank you so much.  You all, rest yourselves, rest yourselves.  Let me check the mic -- can you all hear me? 

AUDIENCE:  Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  Is everybody good?  All right, I just wanted to make sure.  Since I’m going to be talking, I want to make sure you can hear me, right?  (Laughter.)

Let me tell you, I am beyond thrilled to be with all of you this afternoon.  Your warmth, your enthusiasm, it really fills me up; it fills up me and Barack.  So it means a lot. 

I want to start by thanking Tom for that very kind and very moving introduction, for me at least.  He’s just been a true supporter, he and his family, and we’re just so grateful.  I also want to thank Nicole as well for all of her hard work, as both of them have been terrific hosts for this event.  So let’s give them a round of applause.  (Applause.)

And I want to thank my dear friend, Governor Patrick.  He’s meeting me, I think, at the next event, but he was here.  I want to thank my new buddy -- I don’t think you realize -- Grant Hill.  I mean, we were hanging out at the Opening Ceremonies.  (Laughter.)  I want to adopt you as my younger brother, all right?  (Laughter.)  I won’t say son yet.  I don’t think I’m that old.  (Laughter.)  But he is an amazing individual, and we had a terrific time.  Thank you, thanks for being here, and thanks for your words earlier. 

I know that State Auditor Suzanne Bump is here, and I want to thank her for joining us.  There she is.  (Applause.)  And Mayor Sarno is here as well.  I got a chance to say hello to him.  Thank you, Mayor, for being here as well.  Thank you for your kind words of support.  Not sure if he’s still here, but he was.

And finally, of course, I want to thank all of you for taking time to join us today.  And I know that all of you are busy.  Every time I come to these things I’m amazed at how much people are -- time people are willing to take out of their lives.  Because I know folks have jobs to do; we’ve got young people who have got classes to attend; people are investing and raising their families. 

So I know that it takes something to come out and be here.  Even if we all know we support Barack Obama, it’s still time out of your busy lives.  But I also know there’s a reason why all of you are here, and it’s not just because we support what I think we all agree is an outstanding President of the United States, my husband, Barack Obama.  (Applause.)  And I know you’re not just here because you want to win an election -- which I know we will indeed win.  (Applause.)

We’re all here, investing ourselves in this way, because of the values we believe in.  I say this everywhere I go, because I think it’s important for people to understand what this is all about.  This is about our values.  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 some of them; all of them -- should be able to go to good schools, should be able to attend college without a mountain of debt. 

We believe that everyone in this country should do their fair share.  That means that teachers and firefighters shouldn’t pay higher tax rates than millionaires and billionaires.  Not in this country.  (Applause.)  We believe that if you work hard, you shouldn’t go bankrupt because someone gets sick.  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 dignity and security.

And what I remind people is, these are basic American values, right?  This is the foundation of this country.  They’re the values that so many of us were raised with, including myself.  And I share my story everywhere I go because I’m proud of where I came from.  My father was a pump operator at the city water plant in Chicago -- many people know that already.  But neither of my parents had a college degree.  But what my folks did for us is that they saved for us, and they sacrificed everything; they poured everything 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. 

Education was everything in my family.  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, like so many people.  But my dad still had to pay a small portion of that tuition himself.  And let me tell you, every semester my father was determined to pay his little portion, and to pay it on time.  He was so proud to be sending his kids to college, and he made sure that we never had to miss a registration deadline because his check was late.  Like so many people in this country, my father took great pride in being able to earn the kind of living that allowed him to handle his responsibilities to his family -- to pay his bills and to pay them on time.  That’s all my father wanted.  That’s it.

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

He’s the son of a single mother who struggled to pay the bills and put herself through school.  He’s the grandson of a woman who woke up before dawn 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 her job, like so many women she hit that glass ceiling and saw men no more qualified than she was be promoted up that ladder ahead of her.  But let me tell you something that Barack saw -- a woman that never complained.  No, she never complained.  She just kept getting up, giving her best every single day to help support her family.

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.  And like me, and like all of you, Barack knows the American Dream because he’s lived it.  And he believes 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.  Not in America.  You reach back and you give other folks a chance to succeed as well.  (Applause.) 

And more than anything else, that’s why we’re here.  That’s what this election is all about.  That’s what’s at stake -- it’s that dream, that fundamental American promise.  And let me just tell you, from now until November -- what is it, 95, 96 -- can’t keep count, how many days?

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Ninety-five.

MRS. OBAMA:  Ninety-five -- 95 days.  We are going to need all of you to get out there and tell everyone you know about your President.  Tell them about his values.  Tell them about our vision and about the choice we face in this election.  That’s what we need from you.

This election is a choice about our economy.  It’s about building a strong and growing middle class.  So I want you to remind folks that Barack has cut taxes for working families by $3,600, and he has cut taxes for small businesses 18 times -- 18 times.  Because what your President understands is that building our economy starts with the restaurants and the stores and the startups that create two-thirds of all new jobs in this economy.  That’s what we need you to do.

And I want you to be sure to remind people how, back when Barack first took office, this economy was losing an average of 750,000 jobs every single month.  That’s what awaited him after the inauguration.  But I also want you to remind people that for the past 29 straight, consecutive months, we’ve actually been gaining private sector jobs -- more than 4.5 million jobs under this administration.

So, yes, while we have a long way to go to rebuild this economy, people should understand that, today, millions of people are collecting a paycheck again; millions of people like my dad are able to pay their bills again.

But this election is also a choice about the health of our family.  I mean, the fact is that over the past century -- understand this:  Over the past 100 years, so many of our Presidents have tried and failed to meet the challenge of health care reform.  But let me tell you something, your President was determined.  That’s the difference.  He was driven by the stories of the people he’d met -- 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 that’s what kept him going day after day.  That’s why he fought so hard for this historic reform.

And today, because of this reform, our parents and grandparents are paying hundreds less for their prescription drugs.  Our kids can stay on our insurance until they’re 26 years old, so they don’t lose their health care when they graduate and they’re just starting out, trying to build a life. 

Because of this reform, insurance companies now have to cover basic preventative care -- things like contraception, cancer screenings, prenatal care, at no extra cost.  (Applause.)  They can’t discriminate against you because you have an illness that they call a preexisting condition.  (Applause.)  And if you get really sick -- something real serious like breast cancer -- and you need real 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.

But make no mistake about it, this November we get to decide.  Are we going to see these reforms repealed?  Or do we want the people we love to have the care they need?  That’s our choice.  That’s what this is about.

This election is a choice about whether our kids can attend college without a mountain of debt.  I mean, what I’ve shared with people is that when Barack and I were first starting out, and we were so in love, building a life together -- (laughter) -- we’re still in love -- (laughter) -- we are; I love him -- (laughter and applause) -- but when we were young, just starting out, our combined student loan bill each month was actually higher than our mortgage.  And that is not uncommon, unfortunately. 

So when it comes to student debt, my husband and I, we’ve been there.  And that’s why Barack doubled funding for Pell Grants and fought so hard to stop interest -- loan rates from rising.  Because he wants all our young people to be able to get the education they need for the jobs and career options they deserve. 

Your President wants all of our kids to fulfill their promise in this country.  And that’s why he’s been fighting so hard for the DREAM Act.  I mean, think about this:  He is fighting for responsible young people who came to this country as children, through no fault of their own, and were raised as Americans because he believes that these young people, too, deserve the chance to go to college, to contribute to our economy -- yes -- and serve the country that they love.  All of our kids deserve this promise.  (Applause.)

This election is also a choice about keeping our country safe.  So I want you to remind people that after 10 long years of war -- 10 long years, where we’ve seen our men and women in uniform sacrificing, serving, giving their lives -- finally, Osama bin Laden is no longer a threat to this country.  I want you to remind people.  (Applause.)

You can also remind people that Barack kept his promise to bring our troops home from Iraq, and he’s been working very hard to make sure that they get the benefits and the support that they’ve earned.  (Applause.)

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

This election is also a choice about supporting women and families in this country.  So please, please, be sure to tell people that Barack believes firmly that women should be able to make our own choices about our health care, plain and simple.  (Applause.) 

Remind them that it’s now easier for women to get equal pay for equal work because Barack signed into law the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act -- the first bill he signed into law as President of the United States.  (Applause.) 

And finally, remind people about those two brilliant Supreme Court Justices he appointed and how, for the first time in history, our daughters and sons watched three women take their seat on our nation’s highest court.  (Applause.)

I could go on.  (Laughter.)  So when folks ask you what this President has done for our country, why don’t you tell them about how many jobs he’s created.  Tell them how much money he’s put back in the pockets of American people.  Tell them that more of our kids can afford college; more of our seniors can afford their medicine.  Remind folks how he ended the war in Iraq, passed historic health reform, and stood up for our most fundamental, basic rights again and again and again.  That’s what you tell them.  (Applause.)

But also remind them that all of that -- all of it and so much more -- all of it’s at stake.  It’s all on the line in November.  That’s the choice we face.  Are we going to continue the change we’ve begun and the progress we’ve made?  Or are we going to just sit by and allow everything we fought for to just slip away?  Who are we?  We know what we need to do -- I hope we do.  We can’t turn back now.  This country needs to keep moving forward.  Forward.

And more than anything else, that’s what we’re working for.  Hopefully, that’s why you’re here -- the chance to finish what we’ve started; the chance to keep fighting for the values that we believe in and the vision for this country that we all share.  This is our vision.  And that’s what my husband has been doing every single day as President of the United States.

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

But as President, I’ve seen how you’re going to get all kinds of advice, all kinds of opinions from all kinds of people.  But let me tell you, at the end of the day, when it’s time to make that decision, as President, all you have to guide you are your life experiences.  All you have to guide you are your values -- is your vision for this country.  Let me tell you something, in the end, what I have learned is that it all boils down to who you are and what you stand for. 

And what I remind people is, we all know who my husband is, don’t we?  And we all know what he stands for.  And we have seen again and again just how hard he’s willing to fight for us.  I mean, remember when Barack -- back in Washington, folks were telling him to let the auto industry go under -- you remember that? -- with more than a million jobs on the line.  That’s the advice he was getting.  But fortunately, your President had the backs of American workers.  He put his faith in the American people.  And fortunately, as a result, today, the auto industry is back on its feet again, and more importantly, people are back at work collecting a paycheck, taking care of their families. 

Remember how folks were telling Barack not to take on health care?  You remember that?  I certainly do.  They said, leave it for another day, another President.  Just keep kicking that can down the road.  That’s what they told him.  But fortunately, Barack had the backs of American families.  And as a result, today, millions of people in this country can finally see a doctor when they’re sick; they can get the care that they need to stay well.

So when it comes time to stand up for the middle class so that our kids can go to college and our families can make a decent living and save for retirement, you know what my husband is going to do, right?  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, you know you can count on this President because that is what he’s been doing every single day.

But I have said this before and I will say it again and again:  He cannot do this alone.  That was never the promise.  Barack has said this election is going to be closer than ever before.  And what I try to remind people is that, in the end, it could all come down to those last few thousand votes. 

I mean, think about it -- think about those small number of votes spread out over an entire state, across hundreds of cities and thousands of precincts.  So what I try to get people to imagine is that that one new voter that you register in your precinct, that one neighbor that you help get to the polls on November the 6th, that could be the one that makes the difference in this election.  That’s how I’m trying to get you all to think.  That one conversation -- don’t take for granted that one volunteer that you recruit.  That could be the one that puts us over the top.  That could be the difference, as Tom said, of waking up on November 7th and asking yourself, “Could I have done more?”, or feeling the promise of four more years.  It’s as simple as that.

And that’s one of the reasons why we launched this new effort called “It Takes One,” because I’m trying to get people to think about multiplying themselves.  It takes one -- it’s a simple concept.  Every time you take an action to move this campaign forward, we want you to inspire just one more person to step in there with you.  I mean, think about it, it’s not enough that you do it; bring one more person. 

So if you’re making phone calls, bring somebody along.  If you’re knocking on doors, find that neighbor that is not involved, that’s not focused.  If you’re writing a check, find somebody to write another check.  (Laughter.)  When you’re voting early or on Election Day, find that person that may not make it to the polls.  Bring them with you.  Everyone counts -- that one friend, that one colleague, that one person in your family.  Everybody has one.  Shake them up.  Shake them up!  (Applause.) 

This is not a passive process.  Send them to barackobama.com/one.  They don’t even have to leave their house to get involved with the campaign.  And you can get started right now.  I mean, I’m an action-oriented kind of First Lady -- (laughter) -- so I want you to think about signing up with one of our grassroots volunteers who are with us today.  Sign up.  We want you to get to work.  We’ve going to need every single one of you to join us.

It’s like Barack has always 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 a nation.  That’s what this election is about.  That is the power of one -- the one act you can do to keep moving this country forward. 

And I’m not going to kid you, because I never do.  This election is going to be long.  It’s getting shorter by the moment, but it doesn’t feel that way to me.  (Laughter.)  And it’s going to be hard, and there will be plenty of twists and turns along the way.  But what I remind people is that that’s how change always happens in this country.  That’s how it always happens.  Real change takes time, requires patience.  But if you keep showing up, if we keep fighting that good fight and doing what we know is right, then eventually we’ll get there, because we always do.  We have never gone backwards in this country.  Maybe not in our lifetimes, though, but maybe in our children’s lifetimes; maybe in our grandchildren’s lifetimes.

Because in the end, what I remind myself is that’s what this is about.  This is not about us.  It’s about them.  In the end, that’s what elections 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 that we want to leave behind for them, the next generation. 

And that’s what I think about every night when I kiss my girls and put them to bed.  I think about how I want to do for them what my dad did for me, what Barack’s mother and grandmother did for them.  I want to give my daughters, and all of our sons and daughters, a foundation for their dreams -- a solid foundation.  I want to give them opportunities worthy of their promise.  All these kids are worthy -- all of them.  I want our children in this country to have that sense of limitless possibility -- the belief that here in America, there is always something better if you’re willing to work for it.  That’s why we’re here.

So let me just tell you this:  We have come too far.  We cannot turn back now.  We owe more to our kids than that.  But we have so much more work to do. 

So I have one final question to ask you, after all of my talking.  (Laughter.)  Are you in?  (Applause.)  No, I’m not sure how in you are.  Yes, is that you’re kind of in, or are you all the way in?  (Applause.)  We need you to be fired-up kind of in.  We need you to be actively and passionately engaged in the process of getting this done.  We need you to be fired up and shaking everybody in your lives, whether they’re here in this state or outside.  We need you to remind them why we’re here, what we’re fighting for.  That’s the kind of in we need you to be.  Are you in?

AUDIENCE:  Yes!  (Applause.)

You all, thank you so much.  Let’s get it done.  God bless.  (Applause.)