Remarks by the President at a Campaign Event

Oregon Convention Center
Portland, Oregon

4:00 P.M. PDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Portland!  (Applause.)  Thank you.  (Applause.)   Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.  Well, it is -- it is great to be back in Portland.  (Applause.)  And I just want to point out every time I come to Portland, it’s like 80 degrees and sunny.  (Laughter and applause.)  I just want to make that point.  (Laughter.)  I’m not saying that I’m the reason.  (Laughter.)  But there does seem to be a correlation between --

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We love you!

THE PRESIDENT:  I love you back.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Thank you. 

A couple of people I want to acknowledge because they're doing outstanding work -- first of all, your excellent Governor, John Kitzhaber.  (Applause.)  He’s making a difference.  Former Governor Barbara Roberts.  (Applause.)  We love Barbara.  Secretary of State Kate Brown is here.  (Applause.)  Kate is making sure here in Oregon, everybody gets a chance to vote.  (Applause.)  We like that in her.  Mayor Sam Adams is here.  (Applause.)  I want to thank somebody who put so much work into this event Terry Bean.  Give Terry a big round of applause.  (Applause.)

And even if you are a Ducks fan, I want you to give a big round of applause to the best brother-in-law anybody could ever hope for and an outstanding basketball coach of the Oregon State Beavers -- Craig Robinson.  (Applause.)  So no offense Ducks fans, but I got to root for family.  (Laughter.)  All right.

Now, if folks have chairs, feel free to sit down.  If you don't -- I see a few do.  If not, just keep -- make sure to bend your legs so you don't -- (laughter) -- you don't faint.

It is wonderful to be back in Portland.  One of my favorite events ever was the rally we had by the water in Portland four years ago.  (Applause.)  It was a day just like today.  It was just as pretty as could be, and there were folks out kayaking and out in boats, and you just could see as far as -- it was just beautiful.  And the people could not have been warmer.  And so I just want to thank all of you for being so welcoming.

This is my last political campaign.  I’m term-limited.  That's the way it works.  (Laughter.)  And it got me thinking about some of my first political campaigns, when I was first running for the state Senate.  And Craig will remember this because we’d have to go to Kinko’s to print out flyers.  (Laughter.)  And he’s be drafted, along with Michelle and some friends, and we’d just go around neighborhoods knocking on doors.

And then later when I ran for the United States Senate, which was a loftier office, obviously, but I didn't have a loftier infrastructure around me -- so we didn't have Marine One, we did not have Air Force One.  I drove myself in my car, usually with one staff person.  And back then, young people, you will not remember this, but there were these things called maps -- because we did not have GPS.  (Laughter.)   And so -- and they were on paper, and you’d have to fold them.  You’d unfold them and then trying to fold them back was really difficult.  (Laughter.)

And I’d get lost because Illinois is a big state, and I’d take the wrong turn and wind up in the wrong town.  And when I finally got to the event, I’d have to look for my own parking spot and -- (laughter) -- you’d end up being late, and sometimes it would be raining and you had to see if you could find the umbrella somewhere in the back with all the junk that was there. (Laughter.)

But I have such fond memories of those campaigns because when I travel throughout Illinois -- you’d go to inner-cities, you’d go to rural, small farm towns, you’d go to suburbs, you’d meet folks from every walk of life, every race, every faith, every background, every income level -- what I’d heard are stories that reminded me of my own family’s stories.

So I’d see a retired veteran and he’d remind me of my grandfather.  And I’d think about my grandfather fighting in World War II in Patton’s Army, while my grandmother was working on a bomber assembly line, and how 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 the help of an FHA loan.  And I’d think about the incredible journey that they had traveled because they were lucky enough to live here in America.

And I’d meet a working couple.  And I’d think about Craig and Michelle’s parents.  Their dad, by the time I met him, could barely walk because he had M.S., so he had to use two canes.  And he’s have to wake up an hour earlier than everybody else just to get dressed to make sure that he punched the clock on time.  He worked a blue-collar job at the water filtration plant in Chicago.  And Craig and Michelle’s mom worked as a secretary.  But they had such strong values and such love for their family and such a sense of responsibility that they were able to give their kids everything they needed to thrive and succeed.  And I’d think back to what an incredible country it was where Craig’s mom and dad would be able to watch him succeed and Michelle become the First Lady of the United States, eventually. 

And I’d meet a single mom and I’d think about my own mom.  My dad left before I even knew him and so she had to raise me and my sister, and work and go to school at the same time.  But because she was able to get grants and scholarships, she was able not only to get a great education herself, and ultimately help women around the world develop themselves, but she was also able to give me and my sister this incredible education and these incredible opportunities.

And so, everywhere I’d go around Illinois and eventually everywhere I went as a presidential candidate, what I’d consistently see is this running thread, this core theme, this basic bargain that is at the heart of this country.  And it can be described very simply -- it’s that here in America, no matter what you look like, no matter where you come from, no matter what your last name is, no matter where you worship, here in America, if you’re willing to work hard, you can make it.  Here in America, if you are acting responsibly, you can succeed.  Here in America, this basic notion that if you’re willing to make an effort, you can find a job that pays a living wage and allows you to support a family, that you can get a home that you can call your own, that you can have the security that if somebody in your family gets sick you won’t go bankrupt, that you can send your kids to a good school, you can retire with some dignity and respect, and that your kids can do better than you ever imagined.

That’s what America is about.  That’s what has made us the envy of the world -- this idea that here you can make it, and that everybody gets a fair shot and that everybody does their fair share and everybody is playing by the same set of rules.  That’s what built the greatest middle class in the history of the world.  That’s what made us an economic superpower. 

And I'm here today for the same reason that I came four years ago.  When I ran in 2008, it was because that basic bargain, that basic notion that you could make it here if you try, that had started to slip away for more and more people. 

We've gone through a decade in which people were working harder but making less money, while the cost of everything from college education to health care were going up.  We had fought two wars on a credit card.  We had taken a surplus, and because of tax cuts that weren't paid for, we had turned them into deficits.  And it all culminated in incredible recklessness on Wall Street that resulted in the worst financial crisis and economic crisis in our history.

And so, in an environment in which jobs and factories were being shipped overseas, and folks at the top were doing very well while middle-class families were struggling, we came together saying that, yes, it would take more than one year or one term or maybe even one President to turn this thing around.  But we were going to fight for the kinds of changes that would ensure we got back to that basic American promise, that basic idea that if you work hard in this country you can make it.  (Applause.)

Now, this crisis has been deeper and more brutal than I think anybody back then anticipated.  But over the last three and a half years, everything I've done -- everything my administration has done -- has stayed focused on that goal.  (Applause.)  And so, where we were losing 800,000 jobs a month when I was sworn into office, we've been creating jobs now for almost three years straight -- 4.5 million new jobs -- (applause) -- 500,000 in manufacturing, the fastest manufacturing growth since the 1990s.  (Applause.)  We've helped to make sure that small businesses were able to survive this brutal recession and invested in them.  (Applause.)

And so, we've made progress.  But we still have millions of folks who are out of work and in homes that are underwater, so we've got a lot more work to do.  Understanding all that, though, when I hear cynics say that -- or suggest that our best days are behind us, I've got to tell them, you haven't witnessed the character of the American people.  One of the great privileges of being President is you meet people all across the country, just like I used to meet folks all across Illinois.  And when you see the character and the grit and the determination of the American people, you can't help but be optimistic. 

Anybody who thinks that our best days are behind us, they haven't met the small business owners in Minnesota who chose to sacrifice some of their own perks and pay just to avoid laying off a single worker during the recession.  (Applause.)  They haven't been to auto plants in Michigan or Ohio that were never supposed to build another car again, and now can't build them fast enough.  (Applause.)

The cynics, they must not have met the workers that I meet  -- a factory worker in her 50s in North Carolina, who decided that, when the furniture industry left town, she'd get her degree in biotechnology from a local community college -- she said, not just to get a job of the future, but also to show her kids that in this country we don't give up.  If we get knocked down, we pick ourselves back up, and we can succeed and achieve our dreams.  (Applause.)

So there are no quick fixes or easy solutions to some of the challenges we face.  They built up over decades, and we have begun to move this country in the right direction.  But I have no doubt that we got the capacity to meet every single one of these challenges. 

We've got the best workers in the world and the best entrepreneurs.  We’ve got the best scientists and the best researchers, the best colleges and the best universities.  We’ve got the greatest diversity of talent and ingenuity that's coming from all around the globe, every corner.  And no matter what the naysayers may tell us, there’s not a country on Earth that wouldn’t trade places gladly with the United States of America.  (Applause.)

So what’s standing in our way, for all the progress we’ve made, what’s preventing us from making even more progress is politics.  It’s what’s going on in Washington.  It is a stalemate in which one side has an uncompromising view that the only path forward is to go back to the stuff that didn't work before, the same top-down economics that got us into this mess in the first place. 

I disagree with them.  I think they are wrong.  (Applause.)
At stake in this election are two fundamentally different visions about how we move this country forward.  They believe in top-down economics.  I believe in middle-out economics.  I believe in bottom-up economics.  I believe we’re all in this together.  (Applause.)  That's what I’m fighting for, and that's why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States of America.  (Applause.)

Let me give you a few examples of the choice because all of you are going to ultimately be the ones who break this stalemate. Tomorrow, the Senate is going to vote on a bill that says that if you earn less than $250,000 a year, your taxes will not go up next year by a single dime.  Now, members of both parties say that they agree this should happen so that our families and our businesses have a little more security and certainty going forward, which would be good for the economy.  But, of course, we are dealing in Washington, the only place where people agree on something and still can’t get it done.  (Laughter.) 

So Republicans in Congress, they’ve decided apparently that they’re not going to let this bill pass.  Despite the fact that 98 percent of Americans make $250,000 a year or less, so we could provide 98 percent of Americans certainty that their taxes would not go up -- despite the fact that this would be good for the economy and investment climate, they’ve decided to hold middle-class tax cuts hostage until we also agree to spend another $1 trillion on tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires -- folks who don’t need tax breaks and, frankly, many of them aren’t even asking for them.

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  Now, Governor Romney doesn’t just approve of this strategy, he wants to import this into the White House.  His economic plan is -- and this is the entire gist of his economic plan -- is to cut more taxes for the most wealthy Americans; to cut more regulations for banks and corporations -- including regulations we just put in place in response to the worst financial crisis we’ve had in our lifetimes, to cut more investments in things like education and research -- all with the hopes that somehow this is going to create more jobs and prosperity.  That’s what Mitt Romney, that’s what his allies in Congress believe.

Now, there’s one problem with that.  It is an economic theory.  (Laughter.)  The hitch is that we tried this.  As Bill Clinton put it a couple of weeks ago, this is exactly what was done before I took office except on steroids.  (Laughter.)  And it didn’t work. 

So it’s not what you believe will grow the economy.  It’s not what I believe will grow the economy.  It’s not what most Americans, regardless of party, believe will grow the economy.  This country was not built that way, from the top down. 
It was built from the middle out.  It was built from the bottom up.  It was built because incredible self-reliance and rugged individualism and entrepreneurship and risk-taking was rewarded. And it was built because we invested in great schools and great universities, and we put rules of the road in place to make sure that everybody was being treated fairly.  (Applause.)  That’s how we became the most prosperous nation on Earth.  And that’s why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States  -- to go back to what works.  (Applause.)

And, by the way, let me just point out that the approach that I'm talking about has also been tested.  Just like their theories have been tested and didn't work, my theories have been tested.  The last time they were tried was by a guy named Bill Clinton.  (Applause.)  And we created 23 million new jobs, went from deficits to surplus, and we created a lot of millionaires to boot.  (Laughter.)  The well-off did well because they had a lot of customers.  (Laughter.)

That's how we've grown our economy.  In some ways, the other side understands that their theories aren't particularly popular. So rather than explain them clearly, they're going to spend most of their time trying to distort what I say.  Earlier today, Governor Romney was at it again.  He has been twisting my words around to suggest that I don't value small business.  Now, keep in mind, in politics you have to endure a certain amount of spin. Everybody does it.  I understand that.  Those are the games that are played in campaigns.  Although I have to say, when people omit entire sentences from a speech -- (laughter) -- and they start splicing and dicing, they may have tipped a little bit over their skis.  They may have gone over the edge here.  (Laughter and applause.)

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  -- his tax returns.  (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT:  But there's a real choice here.  As I said, I believe with all my heart that it is the drive and ingenuity of Americans who start businesses that lead to their success.  And by the way, that's why I've cut taxes on small businesses 18 times since I've been President.  (Applause.)  I believe the ability for somebody who is willing to work hard, and sweat and sacrifice to turn their idea into a profitable business, that's what makes us such a robust, dynamic economy.  We prize that. 

But I also believe that if you talk to any business owner -- small or large -- they'll tell you what also helps them succeed alongside their hard work, their initiative, their great ideas, is the ability to hire workers with the right skills and the right education.  What helps them succeed is the ability to ship and sell their products on new roads and bridges and ports and wireless networks.  What helps them succeed is having access to cutting-edge technology, which like the Internet often starts with publicly funded research and development.  (Applause.)  And what helps them succeed is a strong and growing middle class, so they've got a broader base of customers. 

And for two centuries, we've made these investments -- not just Democrats, but Republicans as well.  This was an American idea, the idea that what it takes to give our people and businesses the best possible chance at success involves individual initiative.  But it involves us working together as a nation to create these platforms for success, to expand opportunity. 

And Mr. Romney disagrees with this, and he is entitled to his opinion.  But the approach that he is talking about is not going to help small businesses and it's not going to create more markets for large businesses.  He is wrong.  We did not build this country on our own.  We built it together.  And if Mr. Romney doesn't understand that, then he doesn't understand what it takes to grow this economy in the 21st century for everybody. (Applause.)

Let me give you another example -- because this is going to be discussed over the next three months -- the issue of debt and deficits.  Now, we've got to reduce our debt and we've got to reduce our deficits.  I, when I came into office, had a trillion dollars of deficit waiting at my doorstep.  And, obviously, the recession made it worse.  But we've got to take this seriously over the long term.  The question is how do we reduce it in a balanced way that promotes economic growth. 

I believe you can't reduce the deficit without asking folks like me who have been incredibly blessed by this country to give up a little bit of the tax cuts that they’ve been enjoying for a decade, particularly since we’re the ones who’ve gained most of the growth in productivity over the last decade or two.  We’ve done well.  We can afford to give a little back.

So I’m going to cut government spending that we can't afford.  Not every government program works.  It’s got to be tested.  And if it doesn't work, if it’s not helping to grow the economy and give people opportunity, we can't afford it in this environment.  But I’m also going to ask folks who make over $250,000 a year to go back to the tax cuts -- or the tax rates that we had under Bill Clinton.

Now, Mitt Romney has a different theory.  He actually wants to cut taxes by an additional $5 trillion.  And the math is hard to figure.  (Laughter.)  It’s hard to figure how you reduce the deficit by blowing an additional $5-trillion hole in the deficit. And the only way you can pay for it is not only to slash and gut investments in education and research and infrastructure; it’s not only cutting back on the social safety net for vulnerable families; it’s not only that you’ve got to voucherize Medicare, as he’s proposed -- but you also ultimately over the long term end up having to impose a greater tax burden on the middle class. That's not how to grow the economy. 

That's part of the debate that we’re going to be having over the next three months.  And if you ask most Americans, and you break it down in that way, they’ll agree that we should not see a bunch of teacher layoffs or middle-class taxes go up to pay for a tax break for me.  That's part of the reason I’m running for a second term as President.  (Applause.)

Let me tell you some things that will work.  When the American auto industry was on the brink of collapse and more than 1 million jobs were on the line, Governor Romney said, let’s "let Detroit go bankrupt."  I said, let’s bet on American workers and American ingenuity, and now GM is back on top.  (Applause.)  And Ford and Chrysler are building more cars than ever.  And so what I’ve said is, let’s not stop at Detroit.  Let’s not stop at the auto industry.  Let’s make sure that we’re promoting American advanced manufacturing all across the country.  (Applause.)  

And let’s change our tax code so that we are providing tax breaks to companies not that are shipping jobs overseas -- let’s give tax breaks to companies that are investing right here in Oregon -- (applause) -- right here in the United States of America, and putting American workers back to work making American products.  That’s why I’m running for a second term.  (Applause.)

I’m running because after a decade of war, I think it’s time for us to do some nation-building here at home.  That will grow our economy.  (Applause.)  Because of the outstanding efforts of our men and women in uniform, we were able to end the war in Iraq, as I promised.  (Applause.)  Because of their outstanding efforts, we were able to refocus on those who actually carried out the 9/11 attacks, and al Qaeda is on the run and we got bin Laden.  (Applause.)  In Afghanistan, we’ve blunted the Taliban’s momentum and now we are beginning to transition so that Afghans are in the lead for their own security, and we are beginning to bring our troops home.  (Applause.) 

And so now the question is, what are they coming home to?  As long as I’m Commander-in-Chief, this country will serve and care for our veterans the same way that they served us -- because nobody who fought for American should have to fight for a job or a roof over their heads when they come home.  (Applause.)

But what will also help our veterans is what will help our entire economy, and that is making the investments that will help us grow.  I want to take half of the money that we’re saving on war and let’s put people back to work -- a whole bunch of hard hats out there -- rebuilding our roads and our bridges and our schools, laying broadband lines in rural communities, expanding our wireless networks, building high-speed rail.  That’s what’s going to help build America.  (Applause.)

I’m running to make sure that America once again leads the world when it comes to educating our kids.  (Applause.)  I want to help our schools hire and train and retain the best teachers, especially in math and science.  I want to create 2 million more slots for community colleges to train workers, including folks who've been laid off, for the jobs that local businesses are hiring right now.  And I want to make sure that we continue to work on reducing the cost of college for every young person in America -- (applause) -- because in the 21st century a higher education is not a luxury, it is an economic necessity that everybody should be able to afford.  (Applause.)  That's why I'm running for a second term.

We're starting to see glimmers of the housing market improve in some markets, but in a lot of places it's still a big drag on the economy.  So what I've said is let's make sure that every family can refinance at these historically low rates, save an average family $3,000, which they will then spend and we'll expand our economy and strengthen the housing market.  Mr. Romney's proposal is to let the foreclosure market bottom out.  I don't think that is a plan; that is a problem.  (Applause.) 

And, yes, I believe that in America nobody should go bankrupt because they get sick.  (Applause.)  We passed the Affordable Care Act.  The Supreme Court has spoken.  We are now implementing it -- 30 million people will have health insurance that didn’t have it before.  (Applause.)  Everybody who has health insurance will have greater security.  Women will have control of their health care choices.  (Applause.)  That's the right thing to do.  We're not going backwards, we're going forwards.  (Applause.)

On almost every issue there's a contrast.  I believe we did the right thing in ending "don't ask, don't tell."  (Applause.)  I believe that fairness is a hallmark of this country.  Mr. Romney disagrees when it comes to "don't ask, don't tell."  But we're not going backwards, we're going forwards.  (Applause.)

Mr. Romney wants to get rid of funding for Planned Parenthood.  I think that is a bad idea.  I’ve got two daughters. I want them to control their own health care choices.  We’re not going backwards, we’re going forwards.  (Applause.)

And all these things -- whether it’s investing in clean energy and making sure that solar panels and wind turbines are built here in the United States of America -- (applause) -- whether it’s making sure that health care is there for people who are working hard and doing the responsible thing, whether it’s making sure all our young people have access to the higher education that they need -- all these things tie together.  It goes back to that central idea, the promise that if you work hard, you can get ahead.  The same promise that our parents and our grandparents passed down to us, and that we now have a responsibility to pass on to our children and our grandchildren.

Now, over the next four months, the other side will spend more money than we’ve ever seen on ads, almost all of them negative.  They’ll tell you the same thing that you’ve been hearing for months.  As I said, they can't sell their own ideas, so they're going to go after us.  And you can boil down their message very simply:  The economy is still struggling, and it’s Obama’s fault.  That's what they will repeat.  There will be a lot of variations, but that's going to be their basic message.  (Laughter.)  And that may be a plan to win an election.  It’s not a plan to create jobs.  It’s not a plan to revive the middle class.  They don't have a plan; I do.  (Applause.)

And although -- obviously when folks are writing $10 million checks to run negative ads against you, it’s get your attention. (Laughter.)  I’ve been outspent before.  We’ve been counted out before.  But what gives me hope is that when it counts, the American people can cut through the nonsense and they can focus in on what’s true and what’s right. 

They remember the stories of their own families.  You remember the stories of parents or grandparents or great-grandparents who came here as immigrants, some who came here not of their own accord, folks who might have worked on farms or in the mines or in a factory, but understood there was something special about this country that meant your circumstances weren’t determined by your birth, that there was something around the corner, something on the horizon that you could strive towards. 

And they didn’t always know what to expect, but they understood that that is what made America special.  That in our central charter there was this idea that we were endowed with certain inalienable rights by our Creator, life and liberty and this pursuit of happiness -- not the guarantee of success every time, understanding we’d be knocked down sometimes, but this idea that we could pursue happiness. 

And our parents, grandparents -- they understood being middle class, it wasn’t just a matter of how much money you had in your bank account, it was a matter of values; understanding that you weren’t going to get a handout, that you had to take responsibility, but if you did, you’d have a shot, you’d have a fair shot.  That’s what they understood and that’s what they passed on to us. 

And when the American people latch on to that idea, when they focus on it, when you guys, as you did in 2008, understand that that’s what’s at stake, you can’t be stopped.  You make change happen.  And so, sometimes I’m asked, Mr. President, you’ve got a pretty tough job -- what gets you up every morning? It’s you.  You guys still inspire me.  (Applause.)  I still believe in you. 

And some of you may remember in 2008, I tried to not make promises I couldn’t keep.  But I made one promise.  I said, you know, I’m not a perfect man -- Michelle will tell you that -- (laughter) -- I am not going to be a perfect President.  But I can promise you this:  I will always tell you where I stand, I will always tell you what I think, and I will wake up every single day fighting as hard as I know how for you.  (Applause.) 

Because I see myself in you.  In your grandparents, I see my grandparents.  And in your kids, I see my kids.  Your story is my story.  That’s what I’m fighting for.  That’s why I’m running again.  I still believe in you.  And if you still believe in me and are willing to stand with me and knock on doors with me and make phone calls with me, we’ll finish what we started.  (Applause.)  And we’ll remind the world why America is the greatest nation on Earth. 

Thank you.  God bless you.  God bless America. 

END 
4:28 P.M. PDT

Remarks by the First Lady at a Campaign Event

Dayton Convention Center
Dayton, Ohio

3:50 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, wow!  Look at you all!  This is great!  (Applause.)  We're proud of you girls.  Girls Rock!  Keep it up.  (Applause.)

Look, I am so excited to be here today and to be with all of you.  (Applause.)  But just one thing before I get started -- and I mentioned this in Columbus as well -- I just want to take a moment to make sure that we recognize the people in Aurora, Colorado who were involved in that tragic shooting last week. Barack and I are truly heartbroken.  And he spent time with the families of the victims this weekend. 

And we can't say it enough.  We are all holding all of those families in our hearts and our prayers right now.  And I know that we will continue to come together as one American family, to mourn those who lost their lives in what was a very devastating event, and we all have to keep coming together to support their loved ones in these difficult days ahead.  So we cannot forget.

But I also want to thank you all.  I want to thank Robin for that very kind introduction.  We ought to give her another round of applause.  (Applause.)  And I also want to thank Sharen Neuhardt, who is here, for joining us today.  (Applause.)  And she is going to make an outstanding congresswoman.  She's doing a terrific job.  (Applause.)  And of course, I want to thank Niki for her remarks today and for her terrific work on the campaign.  (Applause.)

And again, to all of you, our extraordinary volunteers, our organizers.  (Applause.)  Thank you all for everything you do every day to make this campaign possible.  You all are doing that good work.  You're knocking on those doors and you're registering voters.  You're giving people the information they need about the issues they care about.  And it is truly important for you all to know that the grassroots work that you all are doing to get people focused and fired up -- that kind of work is at the core of this campaign. 

And just remember, that’s how we did it four years ago, and that’s how we’re going to do it again today, with your help.  (Applause.)  With your help.  (Applause.)

And the one thing that I know, this work is not easy.  And you all are making time to do it even though you all have your own busy lives to lead.  You’ve got jobs to do.  Hopefully there are young people who've got classes to attend -- right?  (Applause.)  And even not-so-young people attending classes.  We all have our families to raise.

But I also know that there’s a reason why we're taking time away from our lives to be here today and to do that work.  And it’s not just because we support a pretty awesome gentleman in the White House -- (applause) -- my husband, President Obama.  (Applause.)  And it’s not just because we want to win an election -- which we do and we will.  (Applause.)

What I remind people when I travel around, everywhere I go, we’re doing this because of the values we believe in -- 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 everyone in this country should have a fair shot.  That means that all of our kids should have good schools.  (Applause.)  And they should be able to attend college without a mountain of debt -- right?  (Applause.) 

We believe that everyone in America should do their fair share -- which means teachers and firefighters shouldn’t pay higher taxes than millionaires and billionaires.  (Applause.)  We believe that if you work hard, you shouldn’t go bankrupt when someone gets sick.  (Applause.)  You shouldn’t lose your home when someone loses a job.  And after a lifetime of hard work, you should be able to retire with dignity and security -- in America.  (Applause.)

And these are basic American values, the foundation of this country.  They are the values that so many of us were raised with, including myself.  I talk about my background everywhere I go because I’m proud of how I was raised.  As many of you know, my father was a pump operator at the city water plant, and neither of my parents had a college degree.  But let me tell you something.  My parents saved for us; they sacrificed everything for us.  They poured everything they had into me and my brother so that they could give us the kind of education they only dreamed of. 

And education was everything in our family.  It was our ticket to the middle class, 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.  I know a lot of people understand that. 

AUDIENCE:  Yes!

MRS. OBAMA:  But my dad still had to pay a small portion of that tuition himself.  And every semester, my father was determined to pay that bill right on time.  See, because he was proud to be sending his kids to college, and he made sure that we never missed a registration deadline because his check was late.  He didn’t want us to go through that.  Like so many people in this country, my father took great pride in being able to earn a decent living that allowed him to handle his responsibilities to his family.  That's all he wanted -- to pay his bills, and to pay them on time.  That’s all he wanted.  (Applause.)  

See, my father's life is a testament to that basic American promise that no matter who you are, or how you started out, if you work hard you can build a good life for yourself and an even better life for your kids.  (Applause.) 

And my husband understands that promise because that’s his story, too.  That’s why I married him.  (Laughter and applause.)  He is the son of a single mother who struggled to put herself through school and pay the bills.  He is 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 men no more qualified than she was were promoted up the ladder right ahead of her.  But let me tell you something.  She never complained.  How many people like that do we have in our lives?  She just kept getting up, just kept giving her best every single day to help support her family.  (Applause.)

So believe me, Barack knows what it means when a family struggles.  This is not a hypothetical for him.  He knows what it means to work hard because you want something better for your kids and your grandkids.  Like me and like so many of you, Barack knows the American dream because he’s lived it.  And he believes that when you’ve worked hard and you’ve done well and you’ve walked through that doorway of opportunity, you don’t slam it shut behind you.  (Applause.)  You reach back, and you give other folks a chance to succeed as well.  That’s what we do in America.  (Applause.)

And more than anything else, that’s what’s at stake in this election.  That’s why we’re here.  It’s that dream, that fundamental American promise. 

And let me tell you something -- from now until November, we’re going to need you all to get out there and tell everyone you know, tell them about Barack’s values.  You tell them about this vision that we share.  And tell them about the choice we face in this election -- because this election is about choices, it’s about the choice we face on 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 per family.  (Applause.)  Let them know he has cut taxes for small businesses 18 times since he’s been President -- because he knows that rebuilding our economy starts with the restaurants and the stores and the start-ups that create two-thirds of all new jobs in this country.  Let them know. 

And I also want you 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 he inherited.  That’s what welcomed him after inauguration.  But also let them know that for the past 28 straight months we’ve actually been gaining private sector jobs -- every month -- a total of more than 4 million new jobs. 

So while we still have a long way to go, we have more work to do to rebuild our economy, today millions of people are collecting a paycheck again.  Millions of people like my dad are able to pay their bills and take care of their families again.

This election is a choice about the health of our families.  The fact is that over the past century -- okay -- 100 years, so many of our Presidents have tried and failed to meet the challenge of health care reform.  But Barack was determined.  (Applause.)  See, 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 let me tell you, that is what kept him going day after day.  That’s why he fought so hard for this historic reform.  He fought for us.  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.  (Applause.)  So our young people don’t have to lose their health care when they graduate and are out there trying to build a life and look for a job. 

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

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

AUDIENCE:  No! 

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

AUDIENCE:  Yes!

MRS. OBAMA:  That is the choice in this election.  This election is a choice about whether are kids can attend college without a mountain of debt.  And believe it or not, back when Barack and I were first starting out, building a life together, -- we were so in love -- and still are, believe me -- (applause) -- but back then, our combined student loan bill each month was actually higher than our mortgage.  And I know a lot of people can relate to that.  So just understand, 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 student loan interest rates from rising.  (Applause.)  Because he wants all our young people to get the education they need for the jobs they deserve. 

He wants all our kids in this country to fulfill their promise.  And that is why he’s been fighting so hard for the DREAM Act.  I mean, understand this; he is fighting for responsible young people who came to this country as children through no fault of their own, were raised as Americans -- because he believes that these young people also deserve a chance to go to college, to contribute to our economy, to serve the country that they know and love.  (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, after so many of our heroic men and women in uniform served and sacrificed and gave their lives, Osama bin Laden is no longer a threat to this country.  (Applause.)  Remind them.  You can remind folks that Barack kept his promise to bring our troops home from Iraq.  (Applause.)  And he is working very hard to make sure that they get the benefits and support that they’ve earned.  And today, our troops no longer have to lie about who they are to serve the country they love -- because Barack ended "don’t ask, don’t tell."  (Applause.)

This election is also a choice about supporting women and families in this country.  So be sure to tell people that Barack believes women should be able to make our own choices about our health care.  (Applause.)  And remind them that it’s now easier for women to get equal pay for equal work because of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the first bill Barack signed into law as President of the United States.

And finally, please tell them about those two brilliant Supreme Court justices Barack appointed -- Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor.  Remind them that, for the first time in history, our daughters and our sons watched three women take their seat on our nation’s highest court.  (Applause.)

Dayton, when folks ask you what this President has done for our country, tell them how many jobs he’s created.  Tell them how much money he’s put back in the pockets of the American people.  Tell them that more of our kids can afford college and more of our seniors can afford their medicine.  Remind folks how Barack ended the war in Iraq, passed historic health reform and stood up for our most basic, fundamental rights and freedoms again and again and again.  (Applause.)  Let them know. 

But you also have to remind folks that all of that -- and so much more -- it’s all at stake this November.  It’s all on the line.  These are the choices we face.  Are we going to continue the change we’ve begun and the progress we’ve made? 

AUDIENCE:  Yes!

MRS. OBAMA:  Or are we going to allow everything that we’ve fought for to just slip away?

AUDIENCE:  No!

MRS. OBAMA:  No, we know what we need to do.  We have to keep moving this country forward.  Forward.  And more than anything else, that’s what we’re here for.  That’s why we’re here.  That’s what we’re working for -- the chance to finish what we started, right?

AUDIENCE:  Yes!

MRS. OBAMA:  The chance to keep fighting for the values we believe in and the vision for this country that we all share.  And let me tell you, that’s what my husband has been doing every single day as President. 

And I’ve shared this with many people, but over the past three and a half years as First Lady, I have had the opportunity to see up close and personal what being President really looks like.  And let me just share something.  I have seen how the issues that come across a President’s desk are always the hard ones.  They’re the problems with no easy solutions, the judgment calls where the stakes are so high and there’s no margin for error.  And as President, you are going to get all kinds of advice from all kinds of people.  But at the end of the day, when it comes time to make that decision, as President, all you have to guide you are your life experiences.  All you have to guide you are your values and your vision for this country. 

In the end, it all boils down to who you are and what you stand for.  See, and we all know who my husband is.  And we all definitely know what we stands for, and we have seen again and again just how hard he is willing to fight for us.  Remember when folks in Washington were telling Barack to let the auto industry go under?

AUDIENCE:  Yes!

MRS. OBAMA:  With more than a million jobs on the line -- you remember that?

AUDIENCE:  Yes!

MRS. OBAMA:  But Barack had the backs of American workers.  And as a result, the auto industry is back on its feet again and people are back at work again, earning a paycheck.  (Applause.)

Remember how folks were telling Barack -- they were telling Barack not to take on health care.  They said don’t do it -- said leave it for another day, another President, it’s too risky.  Just keep kicking that can down the road.  But Barack had the backs of American families.  And as a result, today millions of people can finally see a doctor when they’re sick.  They can get the care they need to stay well, thanks to him.  (Applause.)

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.  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 my husband -- because that’s what he’s been doing every day as President of the United States of America.  (Applause.)

But I have said this before and I will say it again:  He cannot do this alone.  Because as Barack has said, this election will be even closer than the last one.  And in the end, it could all come down to those last few thousand voters.  And while that might not sound like a lot, when you think about those votes when they're spread out across an entire state, across hundreds of cities and thousands of precincts -- think about that -- so that one new voter that you register in your precinct, that one neighbor you get to the polls on November 6th, that could be the one that makes the difference.  That could be the one. 

That one conversation you have, that one new volunteer you recruit -- that could be the one that puts this election over the top.  (Applause.)  That could be the difference between waking up on November 7th and asking yourself, could I have done more, or feeling the promise of four more years.  (Applause.) Just one.

And that is why we've launched this new effort that we're calling It Takes One.  It's as simple as it sounds.  Every time you take action to move this campaign forward, we're asking you to inspire one more person to step up and do their part as well.  We all know one person, right? 

So, if you're making phone calls or knocking on doors, bring along that friend who hasn't been involved.  If you're coming to an event, bring a neighbor who has never heard about this election, doesn't know the issues.  When you're voting early or on Election Day, bring one new voter along with you who might not be able to make it to the polls.  Find one friend, one colleague, one person in your family -- send them to BarackObama.com/one.  (Applause.)  And that's a very easy way for them to get involved in the campaign. 

And then I want you to bring them along to our very first It Takes One Weekend of Action that's happening this weekend, when folks will be meeting in cities across this country to register voters, and talk with their neighbors about this campaign.  You all here, you can sign up on the website.  We need every single one of you in this room, within the sound of my voice, to join us. 

Because it's like Barack has always said.  He said, "It takes just 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."  Just one voice.  That is the power of one person stepping up and doing their part to move their country forward -- just one.  Just one.  (Applause.)  Just one will get us over the top.

And I am not going to kid you, this journey is going to be long, it is going to be hard, and there will be plenty of twists and turns along the way.  But we have to keep reminding ourselves that is how change always happens in this country.  Real change is hard.  Real change is slow and requires some patience. 

But if we keep showing up -- if we keep fighting the good fight, doing what we know is right, then eventually we get there.  Because we always do.  We always have.  In this country, we always move forward -- (applause) -- maybe not in our lifetimes, but maybe in our children's lifetimes, maybe in our grandchildren's lifetimes. 

Because in the end, that's what this is about.  It's not about us.  In the end, that's what elections are always about.  Elections are always about hope, always about hope.  They're about our hopes for our children.  They're about the world we want to leave for the next generation.  That's what I think about when I kiss my girls goodnight, and I think about how I want to do for them what my dad did for me, what Barack's mom and grandmother did for him.  That's why we're here.

I want my daughters, and all our sons and daughters, to have a foundation for their dreams.  I want to give them opportunities worthy of their promise, because all of our kids are worthy.  I want to give them that sense of limitless possibility, that belief that here in America there is always something better out there if you're willing to work for it.  (Applause.)

See, so we cannot turn back now -- not now.  Not now.  We can't turn back.  We have so much more work to do, but we have come so far.  So I have one last question to ask you all:  Are you in?  (Applause.) 

No, you need to understand what kind of "in" I'm talking about.  Are you the kind of roll-up-your sleeves in?  "It Takes One" in?  Finding that neighbor, getting up and registering those voters kind of in?  Shaking people up, talking to the hard neighbors, the folks that aren't sure?  Are you ready to put your views on the line?  Are you ready to work hard for this President and this campaign and this vision?  Are you in like that?  (Applause.)

Because I am so in.  If you haven't noticed, I am so fired up.  I want these kids to have the future they deserve, but it is on us.  It is on us.  And we're going to need you all every step of the way. 

Thank you all.  Let's work hard.  God bless.  (Applause.)
   
END
4:18 P.M. EDT

Remarks by the President at a Campaign Event

Private Residence
Piedmont, California

5:30 P.M. PDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, to Wayne and Quinn and all of you who are here, thank you.  I have fond memories of being here.  It was, I think, just as spectacular a day, it was just as beautiful.  And I think Alice Waters was cooking.  And part of the reason I remember that is because I’ve got a staff guy, Marvin Nicholson -- some of you know Marvin -- Marvin doesn’t believe in eating vegetables.  (Laughter.)  So he’s still traumatized by -- (laughter) -- I’m just saying, I was mentioning the last time we were here and Alice Waters was cooking and -- yes.  (Laughter.)  Marvin’s general palate runs between hotdogs and hamburgers, so -- and pizza.  (Laughter.)  That’s true.  So
-- chicken tenders.  (Laughter.)

Anyway, we had a wonderful time then, and so many of you have been friends and supporters ever since.  And so I’m grateful to all of you. 

Because this is a more intimate setting, I’m not going to give a long speech.  What this gives me an opportunity to do is really have a conversation with you, and I want to save as much time as possible for questions and answers and comments that all of you may have.  But let me just summarize a little bit about what I’m seeing out there. 

First of all, obviously, yesterday I spent time in Aurora, Colorado, after the terrible tragedy that they went through.  And I spent time with the families, and the medical staff, the first responders.  And sometimes when bad things happen, horrible things happen, I think it’s easy for us to slip into despair.  And yet if you had spent some time, like I did, with those people, who had faced down just unimaginable pain with strength and grace, it would make you extraordinarily optimistic about America. 

And one of the messages that I tried to deliver -- because if you're just paying attention to debates in Washington, sometimes you feel as if the country is constantly arguing and everybody is down and out -- when you travel the country and you meet people, Americans are strong and they are resilient and they are optimistic, and they are confident about their future and their kids' futures. 

They recognize that there's dysfunction in Washington and they'd like to see it changed.  And they recognize that the economy is not working for everybody the way it should and they'd like to see that changed.  But they understand as well as anybody that we are incredibly blessed with a country that is the closest thing to, I think, a form of government that allows all of us to achieve and live out our dreams.  And they are thankful for it every day and all they want to see is that their leadership reflect the same decency and common sense that they try to apply every single day in their lives.

Now, obviously we've gone through, since I last saw you, the worst financial crisis and the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.  The good news is that we’ve made progress since that time -- added 4.5 million new jobs, half a million new manufacturing jobs.  Even the weakest sectors of the economy, like housing, are starting to pick up again.  And so we are in a much better position now, in part because of the work that my administration has done -- saving the auto industry and stabilizing the financial system -- we’re in a much stronger position now than we were the day I was sworn in.

The bad news is we’ve still got some headwinds.  There are still millions of people who are out of work, millions of people whose homes are underwater.  And people are still wondering, how do we get back to an economy where the middle class is growing and the economic growth translates into broader opportunity for everyone; where America is competitive in a global economy and hard work and responsibility pay off.

And this election, in some ways, is going to be more important than 2008, because I think right now we’ve got as clear a choice as we’ve seen in our lifetimes.  You’ve got one side that believes that the way we’re going to grow the economy and broaden opportunity is through additional tax cuts, $5 trillion worth, mostly going to folks who don’t need those tax cuts and really aren’t asking for them, and then if you combine that with stripping away regulations on Wall Street or on polluters or on insurance companies, that somehow that will unleash the free market and everybody will be better off.  That’s the theory.

It’s a theory we tested for almost a decade.  And it didn’t work.  We saw sluggish job growth.  We saw greater inequality.  We saw median incomes and wages go down.  And it culminated in the worst crisis of our lifetimes. 

I've got a different theory.  It's one that says, yes, we've got to reduce our deficits and bring down our debt, and we've got to do it in a balanced way by making sure that those of us who've been blessed by this country are giving back a little bit more and going back to the Clinton tax rates; that we're cutting out spending that we don't need, but we're also still investing in basic research and science; that we're investing in infrastructure; that we're investing in the education of every kid and not just some; that we have smart regulations in place that are going to deal with issues like climate change and that are going to make sure that our financial system operates in a transparent and effective way.

And so this debate plays itself out across the board on almost every issue.  And you are not in a battleground state here in California -- (laughter) -- and as a consequence, you are spared from the unprecedented amount of negative -- primarily negative advertising that's on TV right now.  But over the next three months, this debate is going to be joined, and we as a country are going to have to make a decision about not only how do we grow our economy but how do we make sure that this continues to be a place where if you work hard you can make it, and where everybody is doing their fair share and everybody has a fair shot and everybody is playing by the same set of rules.

I'm confident that the American people will make the right choice.  And it's interesting, when you actually present, stripped from the politics, and you just present in a fair way these two alternative visions, a strong majority agrees with us. But what's going to make this a close race is the fact that the economy is still recovering, the challenges we've seen in Europe are blowing back onto our shores, and most people analyze the economy not through some macroeconomic analysis -- they evaluate it in terms of do I have a job, do my kids have a job, how is my home value doing?  And in that environment, people are still going through a tough time.

So this is going to be a close race and it's going to be a challenging race.  But I am as invigorated and as determined as I've ever been to win it, because I believe that there's no challenge that we're facing right now that is not solvable.  The problem is we've got a stalemate in Washington, and I'm confident that if we break that stalemate, then the 21st century is going to be the American Century just like the 20th.

So thank you very much, everybody.  (Applause.)

END   
5:40 P.M. PDT

Remarks by the First Lady Previewing Trip to the 2012 Olympic Games During Press Conference Call

Via Conference Call

1:13 P.M. EDT

MS. AUGUST:  Great.  Thank you so much, and thank you to everybody for joining the call today.  All of you should already have the schedule for Mrs. Obama's trip that we put out this morning. 

Joining us on the call today we have, of course, First Lady Michelle Obama.  We also have Ben Rhodes, who is the Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications.  We also have Sam Kass, who is the Senior Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives.  We also have key members of our wonderful delegation, Dominique Dawes and Grant Hill, and we have Kevin Dowdell from the USTA who is also going to talk.

So I will turn it over to the First Lady. 

MRS. OBAMA:  Thanks so much, Hannah, and I want to thank everybody for taking time to be on this call.  We're very excited about the trip, we're excited about the call, we're excited about all that we're doing but I just wanted to take a moment before we got started because I just want to say how heartbroken Barack and I are about the tragic shootings that took place in Aurora, Colorado on Friday.  I would be remiss to mention the incident. 

Barack and I, we have seen people -- and so have people around this country -- we've seen people across this country come together as one American family to mourn the victims of this devastating event and to support their friends and families and loved ones.  And I know that we'll continue that support in the difficult time ahead.  So I know that we are all -- even as we enter the Olympics, this wonderful occasion I know that we are all holding the people of Aurora in our hearts and our prayers.  So, again, I just wanted to take a moment to say that.

But I'm also here today to discuss the upcoming Olympic Games, and I am just thrilled to have everyone on the call.  We've got Ben and Sam, but I'm so happy that Dominique and Grant are on the line.  They have just been tremendous supporters of fitness and health and exercise; they both serve on the President's Council for Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, and they've just been active and engaged and involved on so many different levels. 

And we also have Kevin Dowdell, who has been doing terrific things in tennis, but, more importantly, we went to college together.  And this is how life happens, that all of a sudden we wind up on this phone call together.  So, Kevin, it's great to have you on board.  You guys are doing terrific things.  The commitments you've made have been amazing.  And he is going to talk about that a little later in the call.

I am beyond proud to be leading the U.S. delegation to the Opening Ceremony of this year's Olympic Games.  And during my visit, in addition to cheering for Team USA, I'm going to have the chance to meet with our Olympic athletes and the folks who work in our embassy in London as well.  I'll also be hosting a Let's Move event with American and British students, including American military kids.  And that is going to be a ball.

Leading our nation's delegation and traveling to London is truly a dream come true.  If anybody had asked me when I was 10 or 11 or 20, or actually 40, whether I would be doing this, I would have bet not.  Some of my fondest memories -- when I was young and not so young -- involve watching the Olympics on TV and cheering on Team USA. 

And as part of this trip and my Let's Move initiative to solve the problem of childhood obesity, I decided that I wanted to turn that Olympic spirit and inspiration into action by using these games as a way to get more kids up and moving.  And that's why I challenged the U.S. Olympic Committee and 10 of its governing bodies to commit to helping 1 million kids get active in their communities this year.  And we thought that the goal of 1 million kids was an ambitious target, but our partners not only met that goal, they added another 700,000 more to that commitment.  So that means that 1.7 million young people are going to be participating in Olympic and Paralympic sports in their communities this year as a result of these commitments. 

So this involves sports like soccer, tennis, swimming and gymnastics.  They are expanding their beginner programming and planning exciting events in clinics to engage kids for the very first time in many of these sports. 

In addition, in conjunction with the start of the 2012 London games, we've declared July the 28th Let's Move Olympic Fun Day.  And this is going to be really cool.  On that day, kids and families across the country are going to come together to cheer on Team USA and participate in all kinds of athletic activities in their communities through meetup.com. 

So as our Olympic athletes begin to compete in London, they will truly be inspiring a generation of young people to get active and to strive for excellence.  And they're going to be reminding us all that being an Olympian isn't just about winning the gold or setting a new record.  It's really about pushing yourself.  It's about believing in yourself and refusing to give up, no matter what obstacles you might face. 

So I am very excited about this trip for so many reasons, but I'm excited that it will serve as a powerful opportunity to send another message to the kids in this country and other countries about the importance of staying fit, learning to compete, staying healthy.  And this isn't just about sports, it's about being active.

So we are very excited.  And I wish all of the members of Team USA the best of luck in these games.  And I truly look forward to cheering them on in London this week.

So with that, I’m going to turn it over to Ben, who’s going to talk a bit about more exciting stuff.  And I look forward to being a part of the Olympic tradition.  And I want to thank everybody again for joining the call.  Take care, and Ben, take it away.

MR. RHODES:  Great.  Well, thanks, everybody, for joining the call, and, of course, thanks to Mrs. Obama for her leadership and for leading this delegation to a very important event. 

Obviously, the Olympics are always a very exciting and -- event for the American people.  However, I believe that these Olympics will be even more meaningful to the United States because they are taking place in London.  The United Kingdom, of course, is one of our closest allies in the world, and the ties that we have between our countries are deep and enduring.  And so having, again, the Olympics hosted by a country that is as close to the United States as any other in the world only heightens the significance of the Olympics.

As you all know, the U.S. and the U.K. work together on just about every issue of interest to our two countries when it comes to national security and the global economy.  The U.S. and the U.K. are serving together in Afghanistan as we complete a transition to the Afghans and wind down the war there.  The U.S. and the U.K. stood side by side in Libya during our recent intervention where we were able to protect the Libyan people and help bring about the end of the Qaddafi regime.  And we cooperate really on every major issue that you can think of -- from counterterrorism to the global economy to international peace and security. 

So this, in addition to being an important visit to the Olympics, is another opportunity to reaffirm the special relationship between the U.S. and the United Kingdom.

I’d note that this is in line with a number of visits that we’ve had to the United Kingdom and opportunities we’ve had to host British leaders here in the United States.  The Obamas have traveled twice to the U.K. -- first, in 2009 for the very important G20 meeting that was hosted in London in which President Obama came together with world leaders to help rescue the global economy.  And Mrs. Obama, of course, was able to do some very exciting and meaningful outreach to the British people. 

It includes, of course, the state visit that President Obama and Mrs. Obama made to the U.K. in 2011 when, again, they were able to both have a series of meetings with the leaders of the U.K.  They were able to be hosted by Her Majesty, the Queen, and were also able to do some important outreach to the people of the United Kingdom.

And earlier this year, we reciprocated that state visit by having a very successful visit to the United States by Prime Minister and Mrs. Cameron that included an event in which the First Lady and Mrs. Cameron were able to have Olympic athletes and Paralympic athletes engage in some activities for some of the local children here in the Washington, D.C. area. 

I’d just say a couple of words about how the First Lady’s events build on the special relationship between our two countries.  First of all, Sam will follow me and discuss the Let’s Move event, but the First Lady will be able to visit with our staff at the embassy.  This is one of our most important embassies in the world, and every time we’re able to thank our civilians and other embassy personnel for their service, it’s a very meaningful opportunity.

The First Lady will also be attending the reception that the Queen is hosting for heads of delegation, which will give her an opportunity, of course, to pay her respects to the Queen and also to meet with the range of other heads of delegation, which includes a variety of heads of state and other important personalities from around the world who will be converging on London for the Olympic games.

She’ll be meeting with Samantha Cameron, and she’ll also be meeting with some of the military families -- U.S. military families that are serving in the United Kingdom in keeping with her focus on military families as a top priority through the Joining Forces initiative. 

I’d just say one other point about both her meeting with Mrs. Cameron and her visit with the military families.  In large part, because of the initiative that she -- the First Lady and Mrs. Cameron have taken together, the U.S. and the U.K. have worked together to lift up the issue of how are we caring for our troops, our veterans and our military families. 

And out of some of our earlier meetings, we established last year a U.S.-U.K. task force on our Armed Forces personnel, veterans and military families.  And the purpose of this task force, which has met a number of occasions since then, is to share best practices; in some instances, to have personnel travel to each country and discuss how we can improve our care for wounded warriors, how we can improve the way in which our military personnel transition into civilian life and seek greater opportunities in civilian life. 

It also includes a focus on how are we caring for those who suffer from mental health injuries, given that this has been a signature wound for both U.S. and U.K. personnel in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  And of course, it builds on the work that the First Lady has done on the Joining Forces initiative to, again, engage in a discussion about best practices for how our communities can support military families. 

So we’ll once again have an opportunity to spotlight our joint efforts in terms of how we’re standing by our troops who served together in Iraq and Afghanistan, how we’re caring for our veterans, and how both the United States and the United Kingdom are providing support for our military families.

So the bottom line is I think it’s important to underscore that while this visit is about the Olympics, it’s also about advancing the close ties between the U.S. and the United Kingdom -- ties that are about the close cooperation between our governments, but also about the deep bonds between our people.  And the President and Mrs. Obama have done a lot of work since they took office, again, to reach out to our closest allies, to reaffirm the bonds that our alliances depend upon, but also to reach out to publics.  And Mrs. Obama, again, has been to do that on her travel to the United Kingdom in the past, and so therefore her events I think will build on a record of reaching out to cooperate with the government of the United Kingdom but also to speak directly to the people of the United Kingdom, as well.

With that, I’ll turn it over to Sam, who can say a few words about the Let's Move event in particular.

MR. KASS:  Thank you, Ben.  And thanks, everybody, for being on the call. 

The First Lady has really seen the Olympics as obviously an amazing moment for the nation and for the world, but also an incredible opportunity to rally around the health and wellbeing of our kids and utilize all the excitement around the games to inspire our kids to move more.  So we have been hard at work at that for many, many months.

The First Lady -- we started a lot of this work hosting a mini Olympics with -- a while back in the spring to get our kids starting to get excited.  She spoke at the Wounded Warrior Games, their opening ceremony, and has announced a really exciting national initiative to have fun days through meetup.com, which will get communities active all over the country.  So right now we have already almost 200 cities and towns and communities that have signed up to do events to really give kids opportunities to play and be active in the theme of the Olympics, and we’re encouraging many, many more to join.

And the partnership and commitment from the USOC and the governing bodies are really groundbreaking efforts to expand programming in communities all over the country, particularly for those kids who don't have access to sport and play opportunities, and give them very positive experiences about being active, which can have a transformative impact on kids for the rest of their lives.  So we're very grateful that we're going to touch 1.7 million children in this next year alone and continue that work from there.  So all of this is leading up to what will be an amazing few days in London, highlighting our young people. 

So Let's Move in particular will have two great opportunities.  On Friday, the 27th, we are -- the first day we'll be going to the U.S. Olympic training facility at the University of East London to meet with many of our athletes and have a chance to honor them and thank them for their service to the nation.  And then we will be going to the Ambassador's residence later that morning to have what will be an incredible Let's Move London event where we'll have about a thousand kids, American and British kids, and incredible lineup of athletes, of entertainers, including -- even SpongeBob will be there.  And it's going to be an amazing day of fun that actually gets kids out moving and running around and playing in a very diverse set of stations, with a lot of excitement, which will hopefully send a lot of these young people on their way to living active, healthier lives.

So we're very grateful to all of the partners -- it's too long of a list to even begin, but I think everybody has it -- their efforts to make this day possible, especially Nickelodeon and others who are really putting on a lot of effort here.  And it's going to be an amazing day.  So we're really excited to get there and run around with the kids. 

So, with that, I will give it back to Hannah and I look forward to taking your questions.

MS. AUGUST:  We have two members of the First Lady's delegation on the line.  As everybody knows, the First Lady will be joined in London by Brandi Chastain, Dominique Dawes, Gabriel Diaz de Leon, Grant Hill and Summer Sanders.  And we have Dominique and Grant on the line now.  So I'd like to turn it over first to Dominique.

MS. DAWES:  Well, thank you, Hannah.  I'm very excited to be a member of the First Lady's Olympic delegation, as well as being the co-chair of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition.  I know as a veteran athlete, I just know how important it is for Americans to support fellow Olympians that are competing in the sport.  And so, to be there at the opening ceremonies with the First Lady's delegation, as well as helping out in a number of Let's Move events will be an honor for me.

I've been focusing on health, fitness and wellness since I retired 12 years ago, and kids are a targeted group that I'm very passionate about.  So to have an opportunity to work with these young kids and teach the importance of physical activity and nutrition I truly think will leave a lasting and a positive impact.

So, again, I'm thrilled to be a part of this delegation.  And I do believe that during these Olympic years it's also a great time for young kids to watch these different sports that are so popular, like gymnastics or basketball, or track and field, but to maybe look at table tennis, diving, or even trampoline, because those may be sports that they have an interest in, a passion for and a talent in, and that might be the next fitness activity that they may shine in, hopefully in the future.

Thanks again.

MS. AUGUST:  Thank you so much.  And Grant, I'll turn it over to you next.

MR. HILL:  Thank you, Hannah.  Just like Dominique, I'm very thrilled, excited and honored to be a part of this First Lady's delegation to the Olympics in London.  I, as well, am on the President's Council for Fitness, Sports and Nutrition.  And it's just a tremendous honor. 

When I think of the Olympics, to me the Olympics embodies everything that the First Lady, with her initiative, the Let's Move campaign, it's really what it's all about.  I remember as a child vividly watching the '84 Olympics and being enthralled and motivated and inspired by the commitment and the excellence of those athletes, and, like Dominique, having the opportunity to participate in the Olympics and to now -- to now watch as a veteran these great athletes, it will continue to motivate and inspire me. 

So I am forever grateful and thankful, and I'm looking forward to participating in the Let's Move event, and watching and getting to know a lot of these great Olympic athletes firsthand.

Thank you.

MS. AUGUST:  Great.  Thank you so much, Grant. 

And both Mrs. Obama and Sam touched on the 1.7 million commitment from USOC and the different Olympic sports, so we have Kevin Dowdell from the USTA on the line to just give us a little bit of a flavor about what that means and what's happening on the ground.  And USTA has been a tremendous partner in this effort.  So I'll turn it over to Kevin.

MR. DOWDELL:  Sure.  Thank you, Hannah. 

The USTA is honored to participate in the First Lady's Let's Move campaign, and I have to say I'm personally honored to support the First Lady as a friend and a former classmate.

Childhood obesity is a vital issue for all Americans, and the USTA wants to be a big part of that solution.  Introducing kids to the lifetime sport of tennis makes a lasting difference in the lives of children and it supports the goals of the Let's Move campaign as well.  And we're really excited about how the Olympics can energize us all to be even more active.

Tennis has grown dramatically over the last 10 years, and now the USTA is focused on attracting even more youth to our sport.  For example, the USTA Ten and Under Initiative, which uses smaller courts and slower, lower-bouncing balls, will introduce the game to hundreds of thousands of new kids this year alone.  And that's real.  It's happening all around the country.

Many tennis centers, including the Montgomery TennisPlex facility we're building in Germantown, Maryland, and which opens in September, use innovative new USTA programs like tennis play days and kids tennis clubs to introduce young players to the sport.  Tennis, like many sports, is holistic in the sense that it leads to improved academic performance and character development in addition to enhancing fitness and habits of good health.  So schools are an important place for the USTA to spread the word.

Many elementary schools in the Germantown area offer physical education just once a week.  So tennis play days and kids tennis clubs are especially important.  As an example of the pent-up demand for additional activities, we held a pilot program in Germantown's Spark Matsunaga Elementary School in May.  We weren’t even open and we held it in the gymnasium, and it sold out in about 48 hours.  Further, we anticipate that hundreds of Matsunaga's thousand students will enroll in tennis programs after we open them this September. 

When we had our pilot last spring, many of the parents were afraid that the programs would already be sold out in September. And that demand and energy is why thousands of tennis facilities like ours throughout the U.S. are joining to engage 750,000 youths in USTA programs to support the USOC's larger commitment to introduce 1.7 million kids to Olympic sports in 2012, as you've heard.  We know that so many kids will be inspired by this summer's Olympic Games, and we look forward to turning that inspiration into action by getting more kids out on the courts. 

MS. AUGUST:  Great.  Thank you so much.  And with that, the First Lady has to depart.  But we will open it up to questions for Ben, Sam, Dominique, Grant, or Kevin. 

Q    Hi.  My question -- is the First Lady Michelle Obama going to meet Queen Elizabeth II? 

MR. RHODES:  Well, this is Ben Rhodes.  I'm happy to take the question.  The First Lady will be meeting with Queen Elizabeth.  Queen Elizabeth is hosting a reception for all the heads of delegation from around the world.  And so, the First Lady will be attending in her capacity as head of the delegation. 

I'd also note, again, during the state visit to the United Kingdom that the President and the First Lady did in 2011, they were hosted at Buckingham Palace by Queen Elizabeth and very much appreciated the extraordinary hospitality and the chance to meet with the Queen there, and were able to reciprocate that by hosting the Queen at a dinner in her honor at the U.S. Ambassador's Residence in London shortly after that dinner.

So they were able to have that very special time with the Queen, who they have a great deal of regard for.  And then, recently, President Obama was honored to extend his greetings and congratulations to the Queen on her 60th anniversary of taking the throne through a video message and a message he delivered to the Queen and her subjects. 

So the First Lady will have a chance to meet with the Queen.  And, again, that builds on I think what has been a very valuable experience for them in terms of being able to interact with her, and, again, to reaffirm the fact that she really stands for the endurance of the relationship between the U.S. and the United Kingdom.  Again, her six decades of rule are a period of time in which the bonds between our nations have only grown stronger.  And this Olympics, again, will be an opportunity to reaffirm that. 

Q    Hi.  Thank you so much for taking my call.  I really appreciate it.  I’m curious about the meet-ups.  Do you have a number on how many meet-ups are in place for the Olympic launch, and what activities families can do if they're not able to attend one of the meet-ups?

MR. KASS:  So right now we’re approaching -- we’re almost at 200.  We expect that number to continue to grow throughout the week as we’re going to continue to add some excitement to it and as communities are becoming aware. 

And communities are going to be doing all kinds of different events from hosting mini-Olympic events, little sporting events, getting together to cheer on the athletes.  It’s going to take on many different forms.  And I think -- look, every family can host their own little Olympic party and use it as a great opportunity to get outside, to go to a park, to do races, to do swimming, to do basketball, anything you can think of. 

So I think -- it doesn't have to be formally in the meet-up frame, but the inspiration that the Olympics provides is what we’re really trying to use in every way imaginable.

Q    Thank you so much.

Q    Hi.  Thanks so much for taking my question.  This question is for Dominique.  This is the first year that there’s more female athletes than male athletes on the U.S. Olympic Team, and I just kind of wanted to get your thoughts on, growing up, I guess how far the female movement has come in the Olympics in your time, coming up through the system and now since you’ve retired?

MS. DAWES:  Yes, well, Title IX has played a huge role in that.  This year is the 40th anniversary of Title IX, and it has opened up a number of opportunities for females in sports.  And I would have to definitely give applause to all of those pioneers -- those female and male pioneers that have really pushed for Title IX to make sure that women are given equal opportunity. 

One of my fellow council members is Billie Jean King, and she does substantial work in ensuring that girls are given the opportunities to play and enjoyable opportunities to play.  And I’m very excited to hear that us women are taking advantage of those opportunities.  It’s not about having a higher percentage than the males; it’s just us embracing this opportunity and using it to reach our full potential and to help us up to the best of our abilities.

MS. AUGUST:  Thank you.  And we just have time for one last question.

Q    Hi.  I guess this question is for Sam:  Has there been any effort made to serve healthy, kid-friendly food at the Olympics?

MR. KASS:  At the Olympics more broadly, I can’t speak to, but for our Let’s Move London event, absolutely.  We’ll be having water and we’ll be having some healthy granola bars and we’ll be having some nuts and other very healthy treats.  So, yes.

Q    Great.

MR. KASS:  Everywhere we go, we try to make sure we’re giving our kids healthy options.

Q    Great.  Thank you.

MS. AUGUST:  Well, thank you all so much for joining the call.  Again, we look forward to the trip to London.  And if anybody has any follow-up, the best way is going to be to email FirstLadyPress@who.eop.gov.  Thank you so much.

END 
1:42 P.M. EDT