Remarks by the President at a Campaign Event

Private Residence
McLean, VA

6:46 P.M. EDT
 
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody! (Applause.) Well, it is good to be with all of you. And I just want to say to Earl and Amanda, thank you so much for opening up your beautiful home. They have been great supports for a very long time.

And I want to thank all the other co-hosts -- the Moores, the Moreheads, the Slades -- thank you, all of you, who helped to put this thing together. It is a great, great event.  (Applause.)

I know it's a little warm out here, but you know, it's summertime. (Laughter.)  It's summertime, so you're supposed to bead up a little bit. (Laughter.)

You know, this is going to be my last campaign. I'm term-limited, I can't run again. Michelle is perfectly happy with that.  (Laughter.) But it's made me a little bit nostalgic about some of my first campaigns. I think back to the first time I ran as a -- for state senate in the South Side of Chicago. (Applause.) And back then, we didn’t have a lot of support there initially, so I had to go Xerox my flyers at Kinko's. (Laughter.)  And Michelle and I and some friends, we'd go and knock on doors, and people would say, "Who?"  "How do you say that name again?" (Laughter.)

I won that first race, and then I ran for the U.S. Senate. And the thing about Illinois is it's a big state and a diverse state, so I'd have to drive all around the state.  And back then I didn’t have Marine One or Air Force One, so I'd do my own driving. I might have a staff person in the passenger seat. And the young people out there, you may not understand this, but we had these things called maps. (Laughter.) So we didn’t have GPS back then. And they were on pieces of paper, and you'd have to unfold them and then fold them again. (Laughter.) And you'd get lost. And then I'd have to find my own parking spot. And if it was raining, I'd have to be reaching in the back to see if I could find an umbrella.

But wherever I went -- inner-city, farm town, suburbs -- whatever people I was meeting, whatever background they were from, they all had a similar story. It was similar to the story of my family. If I'd met an older person -- what are you talking about, young lady? (Laughter.) I'm calling you out. (Applause.) She is talking about how to get her picture right. (Laughter.)  I'm just teasing you. (Laughter.)

But if I met an older veteran, I'd think about my grandparents and how my grandfather fought in World War II. When he came back, he was able to go to college on the GI Bill. And my grandparents were able to buy their first home with an FHA loan.

And if I met a single mom, I'd think about my mom, and how, even though she didn’t have money and she only had the support of her parents -- my grandparents -- she was able to put herself through school, work at the same time, and still give her kids a great education. And I would think about -- if I'd met a working couple I'd think about Michelle's parents. Some of you may know, Michelle's dad had MS, so by the time I met him he could barely walk, had to use two canes. And he'd have to wake up an hour earlier than everybody else to get dressed and get to work on time. But he never missed a day of work. And Michelle's mom worked as a secretary most of her life at a bank. And they didn’t have a lot, but they were able to give their children, Michelle and her brother, the kind of education and love and support that would allow them to pursue their dreams.

And so the point is that everywhere I went I'd meet people with the same story. And at its core was this basic idea that here in America, no matter what you look like, no matter where you come from, you should be able to make it if you work hard. You should be able to get ahead if you act responsibly. It's that idea that built the strongest middle class on Earth, and made us an economic superpower.

And the idea that being in the middle class, by the way, was not necessarily a matter of your bank account. It had to do with could you find a job that paid a living wage, that supported a family. Could you make sure you were able to have a home that you could call you own; that you wouldn’t go bankrupt when you get sick; that you would be able to give your kids a great education and they could achieve things that you never even dreamed of, and then hopefully you could retire with some dignity and some respect.

That was the idea of America. And when we decided in 2008 to launch this improbable campaign, the idea behind it was that idea -- how do we restore an America where everybody can make it if they try. Because we had gone through a decade in which it hadn’t been true for a lot of folks.

I mean, the decade before I was sworn in, we saw the most sluggish job growth in decades. A few people were doing very well, but for the vast majority of people, wages and incomes were going down while the cost of everything from college to health care were going up. And this all culminated in the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.

So what we said was, America deserves better -- deserves better leadership, deserves a better vision. And a lot of people didn’t give us a chance.  But because of you, we were able not just to win an election but begin this process of turning America towards a better vision for the future.  (Applause.)

Now, over the last three and a half years we've had a lot of work to do. But because of our efforts, instead of losing 800,000 jobs per month we created 4.5 million jobs over the last several years -- (applause) -- half a million in manufacturing, strongest manufacturing job growth since the 1990s. We saved an auto industry that was on the brink of collapse. (Applause.) We were able to stabilize the financial system, help small businesses, and slowly the unemployment rate has begun to come down.

But we understand we've got more work to do. We're not there yet. There's still millions of people who are still out of work, and we've got too many people whose housing -- whose homes are underwater. Too many people still struggling to pay the bills. So our goal was not just to get back to where we were before the crisis. Our goal was to build an economy that would last for decades to come, for the next generation.

And that's why, even as we were working on fixing the economy, we also said let's make sure that nobody goes bankrupt when they get sick. Let's pass a health care law that can ensure that all Americans have access to high-quality to health care. (Applause.) That's the reason why we reformed our student loan system so that we could expand Pell grants and make sure that millions of people were able to get thousands of dollars of assistance in sending their kids to college -- and, by the way, also making sure that young people were dealing with less debt when they graduate. (Applause.)

That's why we put in place Wall Street reform so we don't have another taxpayer-funded bailout. (Applause.)  Because we insisted that banks have enough capital requirements and that they have a plan so that if they make bad decisions, it's not going to cost you any money, it will cost them money.

And so the question is, are we going to continue down this path of building an economy that lasts, where everybody gets a fair shot, everybody does their fair share, everybody plays by the same set of rules? I believe that's the right vision for the future. (Applause.) And that's why I'm running for a second term as President of the United States of America. (Applause.)

Now, there’s as stark a choice in this election as we’ve seen in a very long time because the other side just has some different ideas. Mr. Romney’s basic idea, and his allies in Congress, is what I call top-down economics. He wants to -- Bill Clinton a couple months ago said, they basically want to do the same thing that they did before -- except on steroids.  (Laughter.) So they don't want to just continue the Bush tax cuts; they want to add another $5 trillion of tax cuts on top of that, mostly going to folks who don't need tax cuts and weren’t even asking for tax cuts.

It will be paid for by gutting our investments in education, our investments in infrastructure, our investments in research and development; voucherizing Medicare. That is not a recipe for long-term growth.

And we’ve got an example of how they approach problems right now because the Senate just passed a bill that I have been pushing that says right now, if we don't do anything, if Congress does nothing, everybody’s taxes go up on January 1st, which would be tough on the economy and tough on a lot of families.

So what I’ve said is let’s say that everybody who makes $250,000 a year or less, that their taxes won’t go up -- the incomes taxes will not go up a dime. Let’s give them some certainty. By the way, that includes 97 percent of small businesses. The Senate passed it; the House, so far, has not. If we get 218 votes out of the House, the vast majority of the country will have certainty next year that their taxes will not go up.

But so far at least, the House’s attitude is we’re not going to do that unless we also get a trillion dollar’s worth of tax cuts for the wealthy. That's a bad bargain for America. That's not how we grow an economy. I don't believe in top-down economics. I believe in middle-out economics and bottom-up economics. I believe that when everybody is doing well, then folks at the top do well also because they’ve got customers who have money in their pockets.

AUDIENCE:  Yes!

THE PRESIDENT:  That's the choice in this election. And the good news is you’re going to be able to be the tie-breaker.  You can break this stalemate. And that is why I’m running for a second term as President, to break that stalemate once and for all.  (Applause.)

So let me tell you what my vision is. My vision is that just as we were able to make sure that the auto industry in America stayed strong, we’ve got to bet on American workers and American manufacturing, and that means we got to stop giving tax breaks to companies that ship jobs overseas. Let’s give tax breaks to companies that are investing right here in the United States of America, right here in Virginia -- (applause) -- because we’ve got the best workers in the world and the best innovation in the world. What we need is a tax code that works for folks who are investing here in the United States.  That's my vision.

My vision is to make sure that our education system is working for every child, not just some children. (Applause.)  So I want to help school districts hire the best teachers, new teachers -- especially in math and science. I want to open up community colleges for 2 million more people so that they can get trained for the jobs that local businesses are hiring for right now. And I want to make sure that college is even more affordable -- not just to continuing the tax credits we put in place, not just continuing the expansion of Pell grants we’ve put in place, but also let’s bring down tuition costs so that our young people are not burdened with debt. Because a higher education, it’s not a luxury today, it is an economic necessity in the 21st century.That's what we’re fighting for, and that's why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States. (Applause.)

I want to make sure that we are investing in America. I promised I’d end the war in Iraq -- we ended it. (Applause.)  I said we’d go after al Qaeda -- we have gone after them. (Applause.) We are now transitioning out of Afghanistan, putting Afghans in the lead for their country’s own security.

And now after a decade of war, I think it makes sense for us to take half the savings from war and let’s use it to do some nation-building here at home. Let’s make sure that we’re rebuilding our roads and our bridges. Let’s build broadband lines into rural communities and improve our wireless networks and rebuild our ports and airports.

We can put people to work right now doing the work that America needs done. It will be good for those hard hats who have more money in their pockets. They’ll go to restaurants, and they’ll shop at local businesses. And the entire economic will get a lift, plus we will make ourselves more competitive for decades to come. That's how we build an America that lasts.  That's why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States of America. (Applause.)

I don't want to refight the battles we’ve already fought. Health care was the right thing to do -- 30 million people will have health insurance that did not have it before. (Applause.) Your children can stay on your health insurance plan till they're 26 years old. Women are getting preventative care. We are not going to go back to the old days when insurance companies could just jerk you around for no reason. The Supreme Court has spoken. We are now implementing it, and America is going to be better for it. (Applause.)

The same way that we are not going back to the days when you couldn’t serve the country you love just because of you who you love. We ended “don't ask, don't tell.” That was the right thing to do. We are moving forward. We’re not going to roll back funding for Planned Parenthood -- as my opponent opposes -- because I think women should have control over their health care choices just like everybody else does. (Applause.) We’re not going backwards.

And when it comes to the debt and the deficit, we’re going to lower it, but we’re going to do it in a balanced, responsible way. We’re not going to lower it on the backs of the poor and the middle class. We’re going to make cuts in programs that don't work. We’re going to streamline government. We’ve made government already more responsive, and we’re going to continue. But we’re also going to ask the wealthiest folks, people like me -- and, yes, I’m sorry, Earl, you qualify -- (laughter) -- to do a little bit more because we have been incredibly blessed.

AUDIENCE:  Yes!

THE PRESIDENT:  And this country gave us opportunity, and we’ve got to make sure that we are giving opportunity to the next generation. That's a worthy investment. That's how America grew. We built this nation together. And I want to make sure that we continue to have that vision as we think about Malia and Sasha, your children, your grandchildren. I don't want to go backwards.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Me either!

THE PRESIDENT:  We’re going to need to go forwards. (Applause.)

Now, when we ran in 2008, I told you this would not be easy and this would not be quick. And I told you it might take more than one year, more than one term, maybe even more then one President. But we’ve made progress. And so now what you’re going to be seeing over the next three months is more money spent, mostly on negative ads than we’ve ever seen before. Some folks are writing $10 million checks to try to replace me. And basically they make the same argument all the time -- because they know their economic theories don't really work, or at least they don't sell, so their argument will be:  The economy is not where it should, and it’s Obama’s fault. They’ll have variations on it, but they’ll do the same ad over and over and over and over again. You’re already seeing them in Virginia and some other states.

And, look, you always got to be a little concerned when folks are writing $10 million checks. But what gives me confidence and what gives me faith is you. So many of you supported us in 2008. And remember, we were outspent for a time, and we were counted out. I’ve been outspent before. But what I’ve understood is that when the American people really start paying attention, they can cut through the nonsense. When the American people are paying attention, they're the ones who will determine what is true, what is right, what’s consistent with our values.

And when all of you start thinking back to your own family’s history. Some of you, parents, grandparents came here as immigrants. Some of you, your ancestors came here in chains. But the running story has been our capacity, each generation, to say if we work hard, there’s a better day ahead; that if we act responsibly -- whether we’re working on a farm or in a factory or in a mill or down in a mine -- that next generation, they're going to be able to do things I couldn’t do. So maybe I can't own a business, but if I really work hard, some day, maybe my daughter owns a business. I might not own a home, but if I work really hard, maybe some day, my son, he’ll build homes. I might not be able to vote, but some day, maybe a great grandson, or a great-great grandson will end up being a senator or a mayor or maybe even the President of the United States. That has been the story of our history.

And when the American people are reminded of that, when we focus on what’s best in our traditions, then I don't fear $10 million checks. Then I have confidence that change will happen, and we will keep moving forward.

So let me just say to all of you, in addition to thanks, we’ve got a little over a hundred days left. In that campaign in 2008, we went through a lot of ups and downs, and I tried to not make promises that I couldn’t keep. So I promised I’d end the war in Iraq -- I ended it.  I promised, we’d cut taxes for middle-class families -- we did.

But the biggest promise I made, I said, I’m not a perfect man -- Michelle can tell you that -- (laughter) -- and I won’t be a perfect President. But what I can promise you is that I will always tell you what I think, I’ll always tell you where I stand, and I will spend every single day fighting as hard as I know how for you. And I have kept that promise. (Applause.) I have kept that promise because I believe in you. And in you I see my own story. In your grandparents I see my grandparents. In your children I see Malia and Sasha. I know where you've been because that's where I've been. That's where Michelle has been. And we know what it means to struggle, but we also know what it means to receive the incredible blessings of this country.

So if you still believe in me and you're willing to stand with me -- (applause) -- and keep on going, not just today, not just tomorrow, not just next week, not just next month, but for the next 105 days, and then four more years after that -- (applause) -- then we'll finish what we started. We will bring this economy all the way back and more. And we'll remind the world just why it is the United States of America is the greatest nation on Earth. (Applause.)

Thank you, everybody. God bless you. (Applause.) God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)  Appreciate you.

END
7:07 P.M. EDT

Remarks by the President at Signing of the United States-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act

Oval Office

Please see below for a correction (marked with an asterisk*). 

10:24 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, everybody.  Hope you guys are all staying cool.  Well, listen, I just wanted to welcome these outstanding leaders to the Oval Office.  I want to in particular acknowledge Congressman Howard Berman and Senator Barbara Boxer, who have done outstanding work in shepherding through this bipartisan piece of legislation that underscores our unshakeable commitment to Israel. 

As many of you know, I have made it a top priority for my administration to deepen cooperation with Israel across the whole spectrum of security issues -- intelligence, military, technology.  And, in many ways, what this legislation does is bring together all the outstanding cooperation that we have seen, really, at an unprecedented level between our two countries that underscore our unshakeable commitment to Israel security.

I’m also very pleased that this week we are going to be able to announce $70 million in additional spending -- $70 billion [million]*, excuse me, in additional spending for Iron Dome.  This is a program that has been critical in terms of providing security and safety for the Israeli families.  It is a program that has been tested and has prevented missile strikes inside of Israel.  And it is testimony to the leadership of the folks sitting here that we’re going to be able to lock in that fund to assure that that program continues and that we are standing by our friends in Israel when it comes to these kinds of attacks.

Let me just close by saying that the tragic events that we saw in Bulgaria emphasize the degree to which this continues to be a challenge not just for Israel, but for the entire world -- preventing terrorist attacks and making sure the people of Israel are not targeted.

And I hope that, as I sign as this bill, once again everybody understands how committed all of us are -- Republicans and Democrats -- as Americans to our friends in making sure that Israel is safe and secure.

Leon Panetta, our Secretary of Defense, will be traveling to Israel to further consult and find additional ways that we can ensure such cooperation at a time when, frankly, the region is experiencing heightened tensions.

So, with that, let me sign this bill.  Again, I want to thank all who are standing beside me for their outstanding leadership and their outstanding work on this issue.

(The bill is signed.)

Let me make sure I’m using enough pens.  (Laughter.)  There you go.  Thank you.

END
10:28 A.M. EDT

Remarks by the First Lady at a Breakfast to Honor the U.S. Olympic Team

U.S. Olympic Training Facility
University of East London
London, England

9:00 A.M. BST

MRS. OBAMA:  Yay to you!  Wow!  I'm going to be saying that a lot over the next few days -- wow!  Wow!  Wow!  I can't believe I'm here with you all.  I am beyond proud.  Thank you so much.  It is a pleasure and a joy and an honor for me to be here with all of you. 

I want to start by thanking Dominique for that very kind introduction.  But she didn’t mention that I might have beat her a little bit in jumping rope, but then she popped off some flips and spun up in the air and -- (laughter) -- landed, and she was like -- looked at me like, bet you can't do that.  (Laughter.)  She didn’t mention that part.   She was right -- I can't do that. 

I want to thank Dominique and all of the other outstanding members of the delegation for coming to the Olympics, for joining me, for being here, for their absolute greatness.  These are remarkable individuals beyond sports.  They have all, and are all doing some amazing things for their communities all over the country.  So it is just a joy for me to be here with them.

I also want to acknowledge our U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom -- Ambassador Susman -- who has done a lot to make sure that this visit goes well.  He's opened up his home for what will be a very fun afternoon in a couple of hours -- is going to have a thousand kids in his backyard.  So I thank him for that.

I also want to thank Scott Blackmun for his outstanding leadership and for taking the time to be here today.  I've had a chance to meet him over the last year or so, and he's just been a terrific supporter.

I can't begin to tell you how amazing it is for me to be leading the delegation for the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Olympic Games.  Some of my fondest memories growing up -- and even as an adult, for that matter -- involved watching the Olympics on TV.  I know each of you probably were in that position.  I remember cheering on Mary Lou and Nadia and Carl Lewis and so many others.  I was just in awe of those athletes.

And my family -- I remember, we would sit together for hours watching these men and women perform feats of endurance, speed and grace that would have us cheering at the top of our lungs.  My brother and I, we would dream about how maybe one day, if we worked hard enough, we might be able to achieve something just as great for ourselves.

The Olympics was particularly powerful for my family for another reason.  As some of you may know, my father contracted MS in the prime of his life.  In a matter of several years, he went from a man who was once a thriving competitor -- he was a boxer, a swimmer throughout high school -- and then he was stripped of all of his hopes, so he thought, as an athlete.  My father wasn’t able to walk without the assistance of crutches, but he retained his love of sports, truly.  And the Olympics was a special time for him to watch amazing athletes of all abilities compete on the world stage.

So these games especially affected our little house on the South Side of Chicago.  Every few years these games bring pride, excitement and wonder to millions of people around the world.  And that must mean so much to all of you, being part of giving so many people that much hope.

And you never know who you're inspiring.  You just never know.  From a family like ours on the South Side of Chicago to young athletes who are going to pick up a soccer ball or start running after watching something that you all do.  And I know for many of you, that's how you got here, watching someone else.  So you never know who you're going to inspire, because all of you are certainly inspiring me every day. 

And this summer, all these years later, I still have those same feelings of pride, excitement and wonder.  So being here is other-worldly for me.  I am still so inspired by all of you.  And I'm still in awe of everything you have achieved.  As someone who, you know, thinks she works out -- (laughter) -- I know how hard and how much time you all put into being who you are.  And it is no small feat at all.

And I just wanted to come here and to tell you that very thing -- that we are all proud of you all.  We really are.  You've got a country back home who is rooting for you every single second.  So you've already won.  And I'm proud to have the chance to cheer you guys on, in person, for the very first time in my life -- in person at the Olympics, in London!  And then I'm going to be cheering back home, too, after they send me away -- (laughter) -- because I can only stay for three days.

And I want you all to know that this summer, people across America are going to be supporting Team USA -- and not just by cheering you on from our living rooms, but also by striving to live up to the example that all of you set. 

Thanks to the commitment from the U.S. Olympic Committee and 10 of its governing bodies, this year 1.7 million children are going to be participating in Olympic and Paralympic sports in their communities.  Many of these kids for the first time in their lives will be exposed to sports of any kind.  And tomorrow, people of all ages will be participating in the first-ever National Let's Move Olympic Fun Day.  They're going to be doing all kinds of athletic activities in cities and towns across the country.

So as you all compete here, think of your fellow competitors back home, all those young kids who are going to be thinking of the visions they see of you as they go spike a ball or put their toe in that first water.  They're going to look at you and then they're going to try something -- right?  Then they're going to get a little afraid, they're going to come back, they're going to watch you, and then they're going to try a little bit more.  Right?  That's what we're hoping to see.

Our goal is to get all kids in our country and across the world in a better state of health.  And that starts with getting up and moving -- right?  And this is a particularly special moment for them, with you all here competing, for them to have that light bulb go off in their heads.  Watching you all every step of the way may get some kid off of the couch, may encourage a mom to turn off the TV and go out and throw a ball. 

So whatever happens here, think of all that you're going to be doing for millions of kids, right this second, just by the fact that you worked so hard and got here yourselves.

So we are proud of you all.  And try to have some fun, you know.  You guys look pretty focused, and you should be, but I know I talked to Summer, and Summer is going to be going to the first opening ceremonies and she's been at the Olympics nine times -- right?  So this is going to be her first opening ceremonies.  So you all take advantage of everything.  Stop, look around you.  I know in my position, sometimes I don't get a chance to breathe or take it in.  This only happens every few years, so try and have fun.  Try to breathe a little bit.  But also win -- right?  (Laughter.)  In the end, winning is good.

You all, thank you so much.  God bless.  (Applause.)

END
9:09 A.M. BST

Remarks by the President at the National Urban League Convention

Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
New Orleans, Louisiana

7:00 P.M. CDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Urban League!  (Applause.)  Thank you.  It is good to be with the Urban League.  (Applause.)  And it's good to be in the Big Easy.  (Applause.) 

Now, I don’t know if the fact that this is called the Morial Convention Center had anything to do with folks coming down to New Orleans -- (laughter) -- but it is good to be with all of you.  And I'm glad I caught you at the beginning of the conference, before Bourbon Street has a chance to take a toll on you.  (Laughter.)  All right.  You all stay out of trouble now.  (Laughter.) 

Everybody please have a seat.  Have a seat. 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Four more years!  (Applause.) 

THE PRESIDENT:  A couple of people that I want to acknowledge.  Obviously, first of all, I want to acknowledge your outstanding president and CEO who has shown such extraordinary leadership for so many years -- Marc Morial.  (Applause.)  Just like we've got an outstanding former mayor of New Orleans, we've also got the outstanding current mayor of New Orleans -- Mitch Landrieu is in the house.  (Applause.)  Fine young congressman from this area -- Cedric Richmond, is here.  (Applause.)  And one of the best mayors in the country -- we're glad he came down from his hometown of Philadelphia -- Mayor Michael Nutter is in the house.  (Applause.)

And all of you are here, and I am grateful for it.  (Applause.)  And we love the young people who are in the house.  (Applause.)  Mitch, don’t you -- I wasn't referring to you, man, I was talking to those folks over there.  (Laughter.)  Mitch is all waving, "thank you."  (Laughter.) 

For nearly a century, the National Urban League has been inspiring people of every race and every religion and every walk of life to reach for the dream that lies at the heart of our founding -- the promise that no matter who you are, no matter what you look like, no matter where you came from, no matter how modest your beginnings, no matter what the circumstances of your birth, here in America, you can make it if you try.  (Applause.)

Of course, this dream has never come easy.  That’s why the Urban League was formed.  In the aftermath of the Civil War, with the South in the grips of Jim Crow, the waves of men and women who traveled north to urban centers discovered that even in their new homes, opportunity was not guaranteed.  It was something you had to work for, something you had to fight for –- not just on your own, but side-by-side with people who believed in that same dream. 

And so the white widow of a railroad tycoon and a black social worker from Arkansas founded what would become the Urban League, to strengthen our cities and our communities brick by brick, and block by block, and neighborhood by neighborhood, life by life.    

Decades later, I arrived in one of those cities my hometown of Chicago.  (Applause.)  South Side!  (Applause.)  And I was driven by this same cause.  Like many of my classmates, I felt, I understood, the pull of a hefty paycheck that might come from a more conventional job.  But ultimately the pull to serve was even stronger. 

So I moved to the South Side of Chicago, and I took a job with a group of churches, mostly Catholic parishes, working to help families who had no place to turn when the local steel plants shut down, and when panic-peddling had led to enormous turnover in these communities.  And we worked with laypeople and local leaders to rebuild neighborhoods and improve schools, and most of all, to broaden opportunity for young people, too many who were at risk. 

And I confess that progress didn’t come quickly and it did not come easily.  Sometimes, it didn’t come at all.  There were times where I thought about giving up and moving on.  But what kept me going, day in and day out, was the same thing that has sustained the Urban League all these years, the same thing that sustains all of you, and that is the belief that in America, change is always possible; that our union may not be perfect, but it is perfectible; that we can strive over time through effort and sweat and blood and tears until it is the place we imagine.

It may come in fits and starts, at a pace that can be slow and frustrating.  But if we are willing to push through all the doubt and the cynicism and the weariness, then, yes, we can form that more perfect union.  (Applause.)

Now, the people I worked with in those early days in Chicago, they were looking for the same thing that Americans everyplace aspire to.  We’re not a nation of people who are looking for handouts.  We certainly don’t like bailouts.  (Laughter.)  We don’t believe government should be in the business of helping people who refuse to help themselves, and we recognize not every government program works.  But we do expect hard work to pay off.  We do expect responsibility to be rewarded.  We do expect that if you put in enough effort, you should be able to find a job that pays the bills.  (Applause.)  You should be able to own a home you call your own.  You should be able to retire in dignity and respect.  You should be able to afford the security of health care and you should be able to give your kids the best possible education.  (Applause.)

That idea that everybody should have a fair shot, not just some -- that this country is special because it has grown this magnificent middle class and has provided ladders of access for those striving to get into the middle class -- that's the idea that drove me.  That's the idea that has driven the Urban League, That idea that everyone should have equal opportunity -- that's what brought me to Chicago.  That belief that this country works best when we are growing a strong middle class and prosperity is broad-based -- that's what led me into politics.  And it is those values that have guided every decision that I have made as President of the United States.  (Applause.) 

Now, today we're battling our way back from a once-in-a-lifetime economic crisis.  And make no mistake, we've made progress in that fight.  When I took office, we were losing hundreds of thousands of jobs a month.  Our auto industry was on the brink of collapse.  Factories were boarding up their windows. We'd gone through almost a decade in which job growth had been sluggish, incomes had declined, costs were going up -- all culminating in the financial system coming close to a breakdown.

Today, three and a half years later, we've had 28 straight months of private sector job growth.  (Applause.)  Three and a half years later, the auto industry has come roaring back.  (Applause.)  Three and a half years later, companies are beginning to bring thousands of jobs back to American soil.  (Applause.) 

We still have much more work to do.  There's still too many out of work, too many homes underwater, too many Americans struggling to stay afloat.  So the greater challenge that faces us is not just going back to where we were back in 2007, not just settling to get back to where we were before the crisis hit.  Our task is to return to an America that is thriving and growing out from our middle class, where hard work pays off -- where you can make it if you try.  (Applause.)

And, Urban League, I want you to know what’s holding us back from meeting these challenges is not a lack of ideas or solutions.  I have no patience with people who say our best days are behind us, because the fact of the matter is we still have the best workers in the world, the best universities in the world, the best research facilities in the world, the most entrepreneurial culture in the world.  (Applause.)  We have all the ingredients to make the 21st century the American Century just like the 20th. 

What's holding us back is a stalemate in Washington -- (applause) -- between two fundamentally different views about which path we should take as a country.  (Applause.)  And it’s up to the American people to decide what direction we should go.

Let me tell you what I believe.  I believe that strong communities are places that attract the best jobs and the newest businesses.  And you don’t build that kind of community by giving tax breaks to companies that are shipping jobs overseas.  (Applause.)  You build it by giving tax breaks to companies that create jobs in Detroit and in Cleveland and in Chicago and right here in New Orleans, right here in America -- (applause) -- using American workers, making American products that we sell around the world, stamped with three proud words -- Made In America.  (Applause.)  

You build it by investing in America’s manufacturing base and providing the dollars for research so that we have the most advanced products in the world.  You do it by investing in small businesses -- the way we’ve provided 18 tax breaks to small businesses since I’ve been in office.  And if you’re a company that wants to relocate in a community that’s been particularly hard hit when a factory left town, I believe you should get help financing that new plant or equipment, or training for your workers -- because we can’t leave anybody behind if we want to grow America the way it can grow.  (Applause.) 

We also believe that every entrepreneur should have the chance to start a business –- no matter who you are, no matter what you look like.  (Applause.)  That’s why we've supported financing and assistance and exporting to small businesses across the board.  That’s why we’ve helped African American businesses and minority-owned businesses and women-owned businesses gain access to more than $7 billion in contracts and financing -- (applause) -- that allowed them to grow and create jobs. 

That’s why we’ve emphasized helping our veterans create small businesses -- because if they fought for us, they shouldn’t have to fight to get financing when they get home.  (Applause.)  They shouldn’t have to fight for a job when they come home.  They shouldn’t have to fight for a roof over their heads when they come home.  We should honor them the way they’ve honored us with their service.  (Applause.)

I believe strong communities are places where people can afford to buy what their local businesses sell.  So I ran for President promising to cut taxes for the middle class -– and regardless of what you hear during silly political season, I have kept that promise.  (Applause.)  Today, taxes are $3,600 lower for the typical family than they were when I came into office.  (Applause.) 

Just a few hours ago, the Senate moved forward a bill that we had promoted to keep middle-class tax cuts for 98 percent of Americans next year.  (Applause.)  I will add that we didn’t get a lot of Republican votes -- but that’s okay, they’ve got time.  We passed it through the Senate and now is the time for the House to do the same.  They should not be holding middle-class tax cuts hostage just to get more tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires.  (Applause.)  At a time when so many people who have a job can barely keep up with their bills, we don’t need another trillion-dollar tax cut for folks like me.  We need tax cuts for working Americans, not for folks who don't need it and weren’t even asking for it.  (Applause.)

Millions of Americans -- including more than 2 million African American families -- are better off thanks to our extension of the child care tax credit and the earned income tax credit -- (applause) -- because nobody who works hard in America should be poor in America.  That’s how strong communities are built.  (Applause.)  And by the way when working folks have money in their pockets, businesses do well because they’ve got customers, and all of us grow.  That's been the history of this country.

I believe strong communities are built on strong schools.  (Applause.)  If this country is about anything, it’s about passing on even greater opportunity to the next generation.  And we know that has to start before a child even walks into the classroom.  It starts at home with parents who are willing to read to their children, and spend time with their children -- (applause) -- and instill a sense of curiosity and love of learning and a belief in excellence that will last a lifetime. 

But it also begins with an early childhood education, which is why we’ve invested more in child care, and in programs like Early Head Start and Head Start that help prepare our young people for success.  It’s the right thing to do for America.  (Applause.)

Our education policy hasn’t just been based on more money, we’ve also called for real reform.  So we challenged every state in the country to raise their standards for teaching and for learning.  And three years later, nearly every state has answered the call.  We have seen the biggest transformation in terms of school reform in a generation, and we've helped some of the country’s lowest-performing schools make real gains in reading and math, including here in New Orleans.  (Applause.) 

We’ve made it our mission to make a higher education more affordable for every American who wants to go to school.  That's why we fought to extend our college tuition tax credit for working families -- (applause) -- saving millions of families thousands of dollars. 

That’s why we’ve fought to make college more affordable for an additional 200,000 African American students by increasing Pell grants.  (Applause.)  That’s why we’ve strengthened this nation’s commitment to our community colleges, and to our HBCUs. (Applause.) 

That’s why, tomorrow, I’m establishing the first-ever White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans –- (applause) -- so that every child has greater access to a complete and competitive education from the time they're born all through the time they get a career.  

And that’s why we’re pushing all colleges and universities to cut their costs -- (applause) -- because we can’t keep asking taxpayers to subsidize skyrocketing tuition.  A higher education in the 21st century cannot be a luxury.  It is a vital necessity that every American should be able to afford.  (Applause.)  I want all these young people to be getting a higher education, and I don’t want them loaded up with tens of thousands of dollars of debt just to get an education.  That’s how we make America great. (Applause.)

Of course, that means all of you all have got to hit the books.  (Laughter.)  I'm just saying.  Don’t cheer and then you didn’t do your homework.  (Laughter and applause.)  Because that’s part of the bargain, that's part of the bargain -- America says we will give you opportunity, but you've got to earn your success.  (Applause.) 

You're competing against young people in Beijing and Bangalore.  They're not hanging out.  (Laughter.)  They're not getting over.  They're not playing video games.  They're not watching "Real Housewives."  (Laughter.)  I'm just saying.  It's a two-way street.  You've got to earn success.  (Applause.) 

That wasn't in my prepared remarks.  (Laughter.)  But I'm just saying.  (Applause.)

I believe strong communities are places where you and your family can work and save and buy your home.  That’s why we’ve helped more than a million responsible homeowners -- these are folks who were making their payments -- refinance their mortgages at these historically low rates, saving thousands of dollars every year.  Because people who did everything right shouldn’t pay the price for somebody else’s irresponsibility.  (Applause.)
So now we want to expand that refinancing opportunity to every homeowner who’s making their payments on time. 

And while we’re at it, let’s put construction workers back on the job -- because they've been hit by the housing bubble bursting.  Let's put them back on the job not only rebuilding roads and bridges and ports, but also rehabilitating homes in communities that have been hit by foreclosures, businesses that have been hit hardest by the housing crisis.  (Applause.)  That creates jobs.  It raises property values, and it strengthens the economy of the entire nation.  

Strong communities are healthy communities.  Because we believe that in the richest nation on Earth, you shouldn’t go broke when you get sick.  (Applause.)  And after a century of trying, and a decision now from the highest court in the land, health care reform is here to stay.  (Applause.)  We're moving forward.

Insurance companies will no longer be able to discriminate against those who are sick.  Prescription drug prices will be lower for our seniors.  We're going to close that doughnut hole. Young people will be able to stay on their parent's insurance until they’re 26 years old.  (Applause.)  Thirty million Americans without health insurance will finally know the security of affordable care.  (Applause.) 

We'll improve any aspect of this law, and any recommendations and suggestions that those who actually know the health care system and aren't just playing politics put forward. But we're going to implement this law and America is going to be better for it.  (Applause.)

Now, I've got to say that I recognize we are in political season.  But the Urban League understands that your mission transcends politics.  Good jobs, quality schools, affordable health care, affordable housing -- these are all the pillars upon which communities are built.  And yet, we've been reminded recently that all this matters little if these young people can't walk the streets of their neighborhood safely; if we can't send our kids to school without worrying they might get shot; if they can't go to the movies without fear of violence lurking in the shadows.  (Applause.)

Our hearts break for the victims of the massacre in Aurora.  (Applause.)  We pray for those who were lost and we pray for those who loved them.  We pray for those who are recovering with courage and with hope.  And we also pray for those who succumb to the less-publicized acts of violence that plague our communities in so many cities across the country every single day.  (Applause.)  We can't forget about that.     

Every day -- in fact, every day and a half, the number of young people we lose to violence is about the same as the number of people we lost in that movie theater.  For every Columbine or Virginia Tech, there are dozens gunned down on the streets of Chicago and Atlanta, and here in New Orleans.  For every Tucson or Aurora, there is daily heartbreak over young Americans shot in Milwaukee or Cleveland.  Violence plagues the biggest cities, but it also plagues the smallest towns.  It claims the lives of Americans of different ages and different races, and it’s tied together by the fact that these young people had dreams and had futures that were cut tragically short.
    
And when there is an extraordinarily heartbreaking tragedy like the one we saw, there's always an outcry immediately after for action.  And there’s talk of new reforms, and there’s talk of new legislation.  And too often, those efforts are defeated by politics and by lobbying and eventually by the pull of our collective attention elsewhere. 

But what I said in the wake of Tucson was we were going to stay on this, persistently.  So we’ve been able to take some actions on our own, recognizing that it’s not always easy to get things through Congress these days.  The background checks conducted on those looking to purchase firearms are now more thorough and more complete.  Instead of just throwing more money at the problem of violence, the federal government is now in the trenches with communities and schools and law enforcement and faith-based institutions, with outstanding mayors like Mayor Nutter and Mayor Landrieu -- recognizing that we are stronger when we work together. 

So in cities like New Orleans, we’re partnering with local officials to reduce crime, using best practices.  And in places like Boston and Chicago, we’ve been able to help connect more young people to summer jobs so that they spend less time on the streets.  In cities like Detroit and Salinas, we’re helping communities set up youth prevention and intervention programs that steer young people away from a life of gang violence, and towards the safety and promise of a classroom. 

But even though we’ve taken these actions, they’re not enough.  Other steps to reduce violence have been met with opposition in Congress.  This has been true for some time -- particularly when it touches on the issues of guns.  And I, like most Americans, believe that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual the right to bear arms.  And we recognize the traditions of gun ownership that passed on from generation to generation -– that hunting and shooting are part of a cherished national heritage.   

But I also believe that a lot of gun owners would agree that AK-47s belong in the hands of soldiers, not in the hands of criminals -- (applause) -- that they belong on the battlefield of war, not on the streets of our cities.  I believe the majority of gun owners would agree that we should do everything possible to prevent criminals and fugitives from purchasing weapons; that we should check someone’s criminal record before they can check out a gun seller; that a mentally unbalanced individual should not be able to get his hands on a gun so easily.  (Applause.)  These steps shouldn’t be controversial.  They should be common sense. 

So I’m going to continue to work with members of both parties, and with religious groups and with civic organizations, to arrive at a consensus around violence reduction -- not just of gun violence, but violence at every level, on every step, looking at everything we can do to reduce violence and keep our children safe -– from improving mental health services for troubled youth  -- (applause) -- to instituting more effective community policing strategies.  We should leave no stone unturned, and recognize that we have no greater mission as a country than keeping our young people safe.  (Applause.)

And as we do so, as we convene these conversations, let’s be clear:  Even as we debate government’s role, we have to understand that when a child opens fire on another child, there’s a hole in that child’s heart that government alone can't fill.  (Applause.)  It’s up to us, as parents and as neighbors and as teachers and as mentors, to make sure our young people don’t have that void inside them. 

It’s up to us to spend more time with them, to pay more attention to them, to show them more love so that they learn to love themselves -- (applause) -- so that they learn to love one another, so that they grow up knowing what it is to walk a mile in somebody else’s shoes and to view the world through somebody else’s eyes.  It’s up to us to provide the path toward a life worth living; toward a future that holds greater possibility than taking offense because somebody stepped on your sneakers.

That’s the difference that we can make in our children’s lives and in the lives of our communities.  That’s the legacy we must leave for the next generation.  (Applause.)  

Now, this will not be easy.  Even though it's called the Big Easy, this proud city and those who call it home, they know something about hardship.  They've been battered again and again in this new century:  One of the worst natural disasters in our history, the worst environmental disaster in our history, the worst economic crisis most of us have ever known.  So sometimes being from the Big Easy means knowing hardship and heartbreak.  (Applause.) 

But what this city also knows is resilience, and determination, and heroism.  (Applause.)  That’s one of the reasons it is one of America's jewels.  It's quintessentially American because of its resilience. 

There is no shortage of citizens in this city who's stepped up in the darkest of times.  And one person I want to end with is somebody that many of you know -- the superintendent of schools in St. Bernard's Parish, Doris Voitier.  Now, when Katrina’s waters rose, Doris and the faculty and staff of Chalmette High School saved the lives of hundreds of their neighbors, many of them old and sick, by moving them to shelter in the school’s second floor. 

Two days later, they led 1,200 people to safety.  (Applause.)  The day after that, with her community in ruins, the superintendent was on her way to Baton Rouge to make sure her schools would open that fall.  "Failure is not an option" became her motto.  When some government officials gave her the runaround, she plowed ahead on her own -- secured loans, finding portable classrooms and books, and doing everything it took to make sure her kids -– our kids -– could return to some semblance of normalcy. 

When an official told her a gas line wouldn’t be repaired in time for school to reopen, and that her kids might have to eat MREs, she hired a local restaurant owner to cook hot lunches on a barge and sent FEMA the bill.  (Applause.)  On the first day of school, less than three months after Katrina swept ashore, she heard a young child, who’d endured nearly three months of suffering and hardship, yell out loud, "Real food!  Real food!"

Of that first night she said, "There were no riots; there were no disruptions; there were just hundreds of people just like you and the person sitting next to you, in the blink of an eye, having lost everything they had worked for over their entire lifetimes, who now looked to us for rescue.  And we accepted that responsibility because that’s what school people do."  (Applause.)

Now, obviously, the superintendent is an exceptional educator and an exceptional citizen.  But as I’ve traveled around the country, what I’ve discovered is that’s not just what school people do.  That's not -- that's what Americans do.  (Applause.) That’s what Americans, at their best, do.  When I traveled to Joplin, Missouri, that's what folks in Joplin do.  When I go to Aurora, that's what people in Colorado do.  (Applause.)  In urban communities all across America, that's what you do. 

For more than two centuries, our journey has never been easy, and our victories have never come quickly.  And we have faced our share of struggles and setbacks and climbs that have seemed too steep -– just like we do today.  But we know what we’re fighting for.  We can see the America we believe in –- a country where everybody gets a fair shot and everybody is doing their fair share, where everybody is playing by the same set of rules.  And if we don’t keep fighting as hard as we know how for that America, if we don’t keep fighting for better jobs and better schools and a better future, who will?  (Applause.) 

That's our challenge.  We don’t quit.  Folks in New Orleans didn't quit.  Americans don't quit.  (Applause.)  We accept responsibility.  We keep on going.  We keep marching.  We keep moving forward.  Failure is not an option.  (Applause.)  This is not a time for cynics.  It is not a time for doubters.  It is time for believers.  It is time for folks who have faith in the future. 

I still believe in you.  And if you still believe in me, I ask you to stand with me, march with me, fight with me.  (Applause.)  And as I do, I promise we will finish what we started, turn this economy around, seize our future, and remind the world why the United States of America is the greatest nation on Earth.  (Applause.)  

Thank you, Urban League.  God bless you.  (Applause.)  God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)

END                 
7:40 P.M. CDT