Remarks by the President at a Campaign Event

Chicago Cultural Center
Chicago, Illinois

6:27 P.M. CDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Chicago!  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Ah, it is good to be back home.  I am sleeping in my bed tonight.  (Applause.)  I’m going to go into my kitchen; I might cook something for myself.  (Laughter.)  Putter around in the backyard a little bit.  It’s good to be home.  The White House is nice, but I’m just leasing.  (Laughter.)

It is so good to see so many great friends.  But I just have to point out the person who introduced me -- he was one of the best chiefs of staff that you could ever want to have.  He would be in the White House at 5:00 a.m. or 6:00 a.m., and he’d leave there at 7:00 p.m. or 8:00 p.m.  He’d take work home with him.  He’d be there on the weekends; sacrifices -- all the stuff that he did.  But as good as he was at being a chief of staff, I have never seen him happier than he is as Mayor of the City of Chicago.  (Applause.) 

He loves Chicago.  He loves its people.  He loves its institutions.  He loves its kids.  And so all the work that he is doing on behalf of making the schools better and streamlining government and making things work in every part of the city and not just some parts of the city -- that's all reflective -- all that energy, all that pent up energy -- (laughter) -- that's reflective of his love of the city.  So I just wanted to give -- everybody give a big round of applause to an outstanding Mayor, Rahm Emanuel.  (Applause.)

So I’m here because not only do I need your help, but your country needs your help.  Some of you have known me since I was running for the state senate.  (Applause.)  There were folks who saw me lose a congressional race and saw me win a U.S. Senate race.  And I know you, and I know your values, and I know what you care about.  And as much as we may have had friendships and relationships -- and that’s part of the reason you supported me in 2008 -- the election four years ago wasn’t just about me; it wasn’t about one person.  It was about our commitments to each other.  It was about core, basic beliefs we had in America and America’s future. 

We believed that everybody should have a fair shot, that everybody should do their fair share, and everybody should play by the same set of rules.  We believed that if you’re willing to work hard, if you’re willing to take responsibility, if you’re willing to be part of a community, then it doesn’t matter what you look like, where you come from, what your last name is, who you love -- (applause) --  the bottom line is that you should be able to make it in America.  That’s what this city is all about.  That’s reflective of this city.  You’ve got surnames from everywhere in Chicago -- not just Obamas -- because this has been a magnet for people who say if I work hard, I can make it.

CHILD:  I love you, Obama.

AUDIENCE:  Aww --

THE PRESIDENT:  Hi.  (Laughter.)  One of my younger friends was there. 

And that’s why we came together in 2008 -- because we felt as if, for a decade, those values were being betrayed, or at least we weren’t living up to them.  We had seen a surplus turned into a deficit -- massive deficits -- because folks got tax cuts who didn’t need them and weren’t even asking for them; two wars run on a credit card; first time in our history where we cut taxes while sending young men and women off to fight.

We had seen an economic system that was dependent on financial speculation and, frankly, a lot of recklessness.  We had seen manufacturing move overseas.  We became known as the country that was consuming things -- we were the engine of the world economy because of what we bought on credit cards or on home equity loans, instead of what we had previously been known as:  a country that made things and sold them all around the world with those three proud words: “Made in America.”

And all of this came tumbling down in a financial crisis that really began to happen just as we were still in the midst of the campaign.  So before I took office, we had lost 3 million jobs.  The month I took office, we lost 800,000 jobs; 8 million all told -- before our economic policies had a chance to take effect.  And so we had to make a series of tough decisions quickly.  We had to make sure that an iconic auto industry was saved.  (Applause.)  We had to make sure that the banking system was stabilized.  We had to make sure that teachers’ layoffs were minimized and states got some help, and middle-class families got tax cuts.  (Applause.)

And because of those decisions, we were able to stabilize the economy and begin to grow again -- because we had faith in the American people.  Most of those decisions weren’t easy.  We knew we’d be subject to political criticism, but they were the right thing to do for our country.  (Applause.)  And despite all the noise and the misinformation and the obfuscation and bamboozling -- (laughter) -- that you hear, what we did worked to help make sure that the economy began to grow again, so that we have now seen over two years of the economy growing and jobs being produced -- more than 4 million jobs produced; over 800,000 produced just this year alone.  (Applause.)

Now, here’s the thing, though:  We’re not where we need to be.  We’re not there yet.  We saw that in today’s jobs report.  Yes, a lot of that is attributable to Europe and the cloud that’s coming over from the Atlantic, and the whole world economy has been weakened by it.  And it’s having an impact on us.  But beyond that, we still know too many of our friends and family who are out of work.  And there are too many folks whose homes are still underwater.  Too many people still struggling to pay the bills.  Too many kids still locked out of opportunity. 

And when we embarked on this journey in 2008, it wasn’t just to get back to where we were before the financial crisis.  The idea was to start fixing things in a more fundamental way -- to make sure that every child in America gets a good education; to make sure people aren’t bankrupt when they get sick; to make sure we’ve actually got an energy policy that works for this country; to make sure we’re still a nation of innovators.  (Applause.)  To build an economy that lasts and that allows middle-class families to get a sense of security again.  That’s what we were fighting for.

And we’ve got more work to do.  On that front, we’ve got more work to do.  We are not satisfied.  As proud as we are of the work that we’ve gotten done, we’ve still got miles to go on this journey. 

Now, what makes this year so important is because we’ve got a contrast this time that we may not have seen in American politics in quite some time.  Even the last time we ran, we had a Republican candidate who -- I had some profound disagreements with him, but he acknowledged the need for immigration reform, and acknowledged the need for campaign finance reform -- (applause) -- acknowledged the need for policies that would do something about climate change. 

Now what we’ve got is not just a nominee but a Congress and a Republican Party that have a fundamentally different vision about where we need to go as a country.  Look, I believe they love this country.  The nominee, he’s achieved great personal success, seems to have a wonderful family -- God bless them.  But the vision that he has for this country, like the vision that Republicans in Congress have for this country, is exactly the vision that got us into this mess in the first place.  (Applause.)  Except, as Bill Clinton said a few weeks ago, it’s on steroids this time.  (Laughter.)

They don’t have a new idea about how to move the country forward.  They’re just regurgitating all the old ideas:  We want more tax cuts for some of the wealthiest individuals.  We want to cut back further on things like education and transportation and the basic investments that have allowed America to succeed.  They want further rollback to pay for the tax cuts -- our core social safety net of Medicare and Medicaid.  They want to strip away regulations that we fought to put in place to make sure, for example, that we don’t have the same kind of financial crisis on Wall Street that we just went through.  They want to strip it all away.

Their basic philosophy is:  If a few folks are doing really, really well, and we strip away whatever restraints on how the market operates to protect consumers and to make sure that everybody gets a chance and everybody can start a small business, or everybody can be out there and compete and succeed -- that if we just let everybody be on their own, that somehow we’re going to be better off.  And that is a fundamental misreading of American history.  That is not how Chicago became a great city.  That is not Illinois became a great state.  That’s not how America became a great nation.

We’re a nation of rugged individualists with an entrepreneurial spirit.  We believe in rewarding risk takers and innovators, but we also believe that we’re all in this together.  (Applause.)  We also believe that when we make investments together in quality public schools, then those kids who are being educated are going to be the workers of the future and the business leaders of the future, and we will all be richer for it.  We will all benefit.  So it’s worth us making that investment.  (Applause.)

As I was coming down the lakefront today and thinking about Daniel Burnham and “Make No Little Plans,” we understand that when we build our infrastructure and great roads and railways, and the 21st century broadband lines and wireless and high-speed rail, that that’s what helped drive us as an economic superpower. 

When we make investments in research and science, so that the government gets involved and suddenly there’s an Internet, that creates a platform for all kinds of private industry, all sorts of wealth creation, all sorts of opportunity.  We don’t do it for one individual, for one group -- we do it for everybody. 

The same way that together we paid for firefighting and police departments and national defense, there are some things we do better together.  That’s what we’ve always understood, and that is what has made this country great.

And so the choice in this election is going to be between a vision that didn’t work during 2000 and 2008; didn’t work right before the Great Depression.  We’ve gone through periodic spasms of this -- the Gilded Age, Roaring Twenties.  We've seen this philosophy before.  But the good thing is usually we come to our senses.  (Laughter.)  We realize, you know what, that's not the way our democracy is built.  That's not how this country is built.  And that's the vision that we're going to have to confront and address in this election.

Now, the good news is when you cut through the noise, if you just ask people, it turns out most people agree with this, the things that we've already done.  When you ask people, you know what, is it a good idea to make sure that we have more teachers in the classroom?  People say, absolutely.  When we tell them, you know what, taking tens of billions of dollars that were going to the banks in the student loan program, cutting out the middleman and giving that money directly to students so that college was more affordable, is that a good idea?  Absolutely.  (Applause.)

Does it make sense for us to double fuel efficiency standards on cars, so that a decade from now every car is going to be getting 55 miles per gallon, so that even though our oil production is higher than it's been in the last eight years and imports of foreign oil have actually dropped, we've also doubled clean energy so that we are starting to control our energy future and be able to do something about climate change?  Is that a good idea?  People say, yes.  (Applause.)

When we tell people, you know what, manufacturing is coming back -- you see more jobs in manufacturing than at any time since the 1990s, not just in the auto industry -- and companies are starting to say, you know what, it makes sense for us to reinvest in America again, because America has still got the best market and the best workers, why not bring some jobs home.  We're starting to see that happen.  And so, when you ask people, does it make sense for us to stop giving tax breaks to companies that are shipping jobs overseas, let's give those tax breaks to companies to help with their moving expenses to bring jobs back to America, they say, that's a good idea, we agree.  (Applause.)

And when we say to people, doesn't it make sense for us to make sure that young people can stay on their parents' health insurance plan until they're 26 -- (applause) -- and make seniors' prescription drug plans more affordable, and make sure that everybody is guaranteed preventive care and women are able to get preventive care and make determinations about their own health -- (applause) -- people say, yes, that's a good idea.  And we tell them, well, that's my health care bill.  (Laughter.)

So the good news is that the majority of the American people share our vision.  They believe that we have to work hard, each of us.  We have to take responsibility, each of us, for our families, for ourselves, for our neighborhoods, for our communities.  They understand government can't solve every problem and it shouldn't try.  They understand that not everybody can be helped if they're not willing to help themselves.  They understand that not every regulation is a smart one and not every dollar of government money is well spent.  They want lean and smarter government, the kind of government that Rahm is providing here in Chicago.  They understand those things.

But they also say, you know what, I've got obligations to something bigger.  I've got obligations to the next generation.  I've got obligations to the future.  That's worth fighting for.  (Applause.)  That's worth fighting for.  (Applause.)

And nowhere do we see it more than in our men and women in uniform.  Now, I talked today about one more initiative that I'm trying to push Congress to create a Veterans Jobs Corp, so that all these young men and women, now that we've ended the war in Iraq and are starting to wind down the war in Afghanistan, that anybody who fought for this country doesn't have to fight for a job when they come home or fight for a roof over their heads when they come home.  (Applause.)

But in our troops, we see that spirit, that sense of common purpose and that sense of mission and that sense of sacrifice.  And everybody feels that to some degree.  We just have to tap into it.  We know that is right, not just right for the country, but right for ourselves.  Because I don't want to live in a country where all we're doing is thinking about ourselves, where we're not thinking about future generations.

Now, when you make this argument, by the way, to the other side, what they'll say is:  We're thinking about the future --that's why we have to do something about these deficits -- that's what they call it -- out of control government spending.  And I smile, and I say, you are absolutely right.  We've got to get government spending and our deficits and our debt under control, which is why I signed a trillion dollars -- $2 trillion worth of tax cuts in this last plan.  It’s the reason why government spending has gone up at a slower rate under my administration than any administration since Dwight Eisenhower.  (Applause.) 

But I say, you know what, if you’re really serious about deficit reduction, then why don’t we get together?  We’ll build on the cuts we’ve already made.  We’ll work with you to see if there are some additional waste, and streamlining and government organization we can do.  We’ll look at health care costs in Medicare and Medicaid, which are the main drivers of the deficit.  And as long as we’re not voucherizing that program like you guys have proposed, and as long as we’re keeping that basic commitment we make to folks in their golden years, as long we’re keeping that intact, I’m happy to work with you. 

But here’s just one thing.  I think somebody like myself, I should pay a little bit more in taxes, because I don’t want us to be cutting student loans to young people or Medicaid for a disabled child or shortchanging our veterans for the care they need when they come home.  (Applause.)  I don’t want that, because I don’t need that tax cut big enough.  I don’t need it bad enough.  And you know what, it turns out most millionaires and billionaires don’t need it either.  They’re doing just fine.  Their tax rates are lower than they’ve been in 50 years. 

And what we’ve proposed is simply, well, let’s go back to the rates under the last Democratic administration when we created 22 million jobs.  It didn’t seem to be a problem for job creators then.  Why is it a problem for job creators now?  (Applause.)  What happened?  What happened?  (Applause.) 

So we put forward plans.  Here’s $4 trillion that we can reduce our deficit in a balanced way that protects the investments we need for growth and helps our middle class.  I haven’t gotten any takers so far on that side.  (Laughter.)  Actually, there are a number of Republicans who think it’s a good idea to have a balanced approach like this, but they’re out of office now.  (Laughter.) 

So don’t tell me that you’re interested in the future but you’re not willing to make just an iota of sacrifice, a little bit of modification of your ideology in order to secure that future.  And if you look at Mr. Romney's plan, he has got $5 trillion worth of additional tax cuts on top of the Bush tax cuts, and he hasn't identified how they'd be paid for.  He says, well, we'll close some loopholes.  Well, which loopholes?  I don't know.  (Laughter.) 

I mean, we put forward a detailed budget.  Here, here's how we can do it.  I haven't gotten any takers so far.  So don't buy that song and dance about, yes, we're concerned about future generations, but you don't think Warren Buffett can pay a dime more in taxes in order to support that future?  So that's the debate we're going to be having over the next several months.  It's a critical debate about the economy. 

There are a lot of other issues out there.  I believe that we've got to have comprehensive immigration reform.  We're a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.  (Applause.)  My opponent has a different view.  I believe we did the right thing in repealing "don't ask, don't tell" and that we have to fight for a future of fairness and equality in this country under the law.  (Applause.)  My opponent has a different view.  I think I did the right thing in ending the war in Iraq and in setting a timeline for getting out of Afghanistan.  (Applause.)  My opponent has a different view. 

So there are going to be a whole bunch of issues to fuss about.  But the central one, about how we build an economy that works for everybody, that's the one I want everybody to pay attention to.  But this is going to be a close race.  And the reason it's going to be a close race is we've gone through a tough four years on top of a tough decade for a lot of families before that, and folks feel worn out. 

And if you don't have a job, you don't care that there have been 4 million jobs created.  You're still waiting for yours.  Your house is $100,000 underwater, the fact that the housing market is beginning to stabilize isn't satisfactory.  You're still trying to figure out how you dig yourself out of a hole. 

And that's going to make it tough.  And, frankly, it makes it easier for the other guys, because the other side, all they’ve got to do is just say, you know what, you're frustrated things aren't where they need to be and it's Obama's fault.  And if they can spend hundreds of millions of dollars promoting that argument, then they don't have to come up with answers.  They don't have to come up with a credible plan.  They figure they can surf folks' frustrations all the way to the White House.

We've seen this game before, we've just never seen this much money behind the game.  So the question, then, for us, is going to end up being, well, how badly do we believe in what we say we believe in?  How hard are we willing to fight for the future that we say we want for our kids and our grandkids? 

The one thing I learned in 2008 -- traveling all across the country, starting in Iowa -- was for all the cynicism and negativity and phony issues, and sometimes outright lies that passed for political campaigns, when a group of ordinary citizens say, we want to bring change to our country, we want to make this work for everybody -- when voters start talking to each other and making commitments to each other, not just to a candidate but to an idea, change happens.  That's what you showed me last time.

And so, this time we're going to have to be more determined and we're going to have to make those same commitments.  I told people back in 2008, I said, I'm not a perfect man and I won't be a perfect President.  But I promise you this, I will always tell you what I think and I'll always tell you where I stand.  And I'll wake up every single day just working as hard as I can to make your lives a little better.  (Applause.)  And you know what, I've kept that promise.  (Applause.)  I've kept that promise.  (Applause.)

I still believe in you.  I still believe in the American people.  I still believe in the American idea.  And if you still believe in me -- and if you are willing to knock on some doors and make some phone calls -- and get out there and get working, and fight to finish what we started in 2008, we will not just win an election, we will continue down a path of glory for this country and remind the entire world just why it is that America is the greatest nation on earth.

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

END
6:58 P.M. CDT

Remarks by the President on Veterans Jobs -- Golden Valley, Minnesota

Honeywell Golden Valley Facility
Golden Valley, Minnesota

12:18 P.M. CDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Golden Valley!  (Applause.)  It is good to be back in Minnesota.  (Applause.)  It is good to see your Governor, Mark Dayton, here.  (Applause.)  On the way over we were talking about making sure the Vikings were staying.  (Applause.)  Now, that’s a hard thing for a Bears fan to do.  (Laughter.)  But I was rooting for the Vikings sticking around here -- and the Governor did a great job.  You were praying, too, huh?  (Laughter.)  Absolutely.  Prayer never hurts.  It helps. 

You got two outstanding Senators, Amy Klobuchar -- (applause) -- and Al Franken.  (Applause.)  Your mayor, Shep Harris is here.  (Applause.)  Outstanding congressional delegation in the house.  Give them a big round of applause.  (Applause.)  And I thought Ryan was really good, so give him a big round of applause.  (Applause.)  He’s a natural.

Now, one of the last times I was here was last August.  We took a bus tour around the state.  I needed a little “Minnesota nice.”  (Laughter.)  I stopped for some pie in Zumbrota.  I held a town hall in Cannon Falls.  Amy and Al were there.  I think Al ate my pie, in fact.  (Laughter.)  And I spent a lot of time talking with folks who’d spent the past couple years making their way through a tough economy.

And today, we’re still fighting our way back from the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.  The economy is growing again, but it’s not growing as fast as we want it to grow.  Our businesses have created almost 4.3 million new jobs over the last 27 months, but as we learned in today’s jobs report, we’re still not creating them as fast as we want.  And just like this time last year, our economy is still facing some serious headwinds.  We had high gas prices a month, two months ago, and they’re starting to come down, and they were spiking, but they’re still hitting people’s wallets pretty hard.  That has an impact.  And then, most prominently, most recently, we’ve had a crisis in Europe’s economy that is having an impact worldwide, and it’s starting to cast a shadow on our own as well.  So we’ve got a lot of work to do before we get to where we need to be.  And all these factors have made it even more challenging to not just fully recover, but also lay the foundation for an economy that’s built to last over the long term.

But that’s our job.  From the moment we first took action to prevent another depression, we knew the road to recovery would not be easy.  We knew it would take time.  We knew there would be ups and downs along the way.  But we also knew if we were willing to act wisely, and boldly, and if we were acting together, as Americans; if we were willing to keep at it; if we were willing to roll up our sleeves and never quit –- then we wouldn’t just come back, we’d come back stronger than ever.  That was our belief.  (Applause.)  And that continues to be my belief. 

We will come back stronger, we do have better days ahead, and that is because of all of you.  That’s because of all of you.  (Applause.)  I’d place my bets on American workers and American businesses any day of the week.  (Applause.)  You’ve been fighting through this tough economy with resilience and grit and innovation.  Honeywell is a great example of a company that’s doing outstanding work, and I want to acknowledge Dave Cote here who has been –- (applause) -– serving on my Jobs Council and doing a lot of great work. 

That’s why our auto industry has come roaring back.  It’s why manufacturing is consistently adding jobs for the first time since the 1990s.  (Applause.)  All that is happening because of you.  Everybody here plays by the rules.  You work hard.  You meet your responsibilities.  And you deserve leaders who do the same -- leaders who will stand shoulder to shoulder with you and do everything possible to strengthen the middle class and move this economy forward.  That’s what you deserve.  (Applause.)

Look, we can’t fully control everything that happens in other parts of the world -- disturbances in the Middle East, what’s going on in Europe.  But there are plenty of things we can control here at home.  There are plenty of steps we can take right now to help create jobs and grow this economy.

Now, let me give you a couple examples.  I sent Congress a jobs bill last September full of the kinds of bipartisan ideas that would have put our fellow Americans back to work and helped reinforce our economy against some of these outside shocks.  I sent them a plan that would have reduced the deficit by $4 trillion in a way that is balanced -- that pays for the job-creating investments we need by cutting unnecessary spending, but also by asking the wealthiest Americans to pay a little more in taxes.  (Applause.)

And I’ll give them a little bit of credit:  Congress has passed a few parts of that jobs bill, like a tax cut that’s allowing working Americans to keep more of your paychecks every week.  That was important.  I appreciated it.  But Congress has not acted on enough of the other ideas in that bill that would make a difference and help create jobs right now.  And there’s no excuse for it.  Not when there are so many people out there still looking for work.  Not when there are still folks out there struggling to pay their bills.  It’s not lost on anybody that it’s an election year –- I understand that; I’ve noticed.  (Laughter.) 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Four more years!  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  But we’ve got responsibilities that are bigger than an election.  (Applause.)  We’ve got responsibilities to you.

So my message to Congress is:  Now is not the time to play politics.  Now is not the time to sit on your hands.  The American people expect their leaders to work hard no matter what year it is.  The economy still isn’t where it needs to be.  There are steps that could make a difference right now -- steps that can also serve as a buffer in case the situation in Europe gets any worse. 

So, right now, Congress should pass a bill to help states prevent more layoffs, so we can put thousands of teachers and firefighters and police officers back on the job.  (Applause.)  Layoffs at the state and local levels have been a chronic problem for our recovery, but it’s a problem we can fix. 

Congress should have passed a bill a long time ago to put thousands of construction workers back on the job rebuilding our roads and our bridges and our runways.  (Applause.)  Since the housing bubble burst, no sector has been hit harder than the construction industry, and we’ve got all this stuff that needs fixed.  Remember that bridge here in Minnesota?  So this is a problem we can fix.  Let’s do it right away.

Instead of just talking about job creators, Congress should give small business owners a tax break for hiring more workers and paying them higher wages.  We can get that done.  (Applause.)  We can get it done right now.  Let’s not wait.

Right now, Congress should give every responsible homeowner the opportunity to save an average of $3,000 a year by refinancing their mortgage.  We’ve got historically low rates right now.  (Applause.)  I was with a family in Reno, Nevada, a couple weeks ago.  They got a chance to refinance -- even though their home was underwater -- put that money back in their pockets because we had taken some steps as an administration to make that available for those who have mortgages held by government agencies like the FHA or a government guarantee.  But not everybody has those kinds of mortgages.  I want everybody to have those same opportunities.

I assume there are some folks here who could use $3,000 a year.  (Applause.)  Let's get that done right now.  That means there are going to be -- if you have $3,000 a year extra, that helps you pay down your credit cards.  That helps you go out and buy some things that your family needs, which is good for business.  Maybe somebody will be replacing some thingamajig for their furnace.  (Laughter.)  They've been putting that off.  But if they've got that extra money, they might just go out there and buy that thing.  Right?  (Laughter and applause.)

Right now, Congress needs to extend the tax credits for clean energy manufacturers that are set to expire at the end of this year.  I was talking to Dave Cote.  The issue of energy efficiency and everything we need to do to shift away from dependence on foreign oil, we're making huge progress.  (Applause.)  We're actually importing less oil than any time in the last eight years.  We're down under 50 percent, but we can do more. 

And these clean energy companies, they're hiring folks.  They're helping us break dependence on foreign oil.  It's part of a package of stuff that Honeywell is doing a lot of work on.  But almost 40,000 jobs are on the line if these tax credits expire.  Why would anyone in Congress walk away from those jobs?  We need to pass those tax credits right now.  (Applause.)  We need to pass them right now.  (Applause.) 

It’s long past time we started encouraging what a lot of companies have been doing lately, which is bringing jobs back to this country.  (Applause.)  And some of them are coming to Minnesota.  The Governor and I were talking in the car about some companies coming back -- Red Bull, right, coming back.  But let's give more incentive.  It's time for Congress to end tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas.  Let's use that money to cover moving expenses for companies that are bringing jobs back to America.  (Applause.)  That would make a difference right now.

So those are all steps that we could be taking to strengthen the economy, to provide us some insurance if the situation overseas starts getting worse so we can control our own destiny, keep this recovery moving forward.   

Which brings me to the last thing Congress should do to help businesses create jobs -- that’s why I’m here at Honeywell today.  I believe that no one who fights for this country should ever have to fight for a job when they come home.  (Applause.)  And for Congress, that means creating a Veterans Job Corps so we can put our returning heroes back to work as cops and firefighters, on projects that protect our public lands and resources.  And they should do it right now.  They should do it right now.  But if we’re going to serve our veterans as well as they’ve served us, we’ve got to do even more.   

We just observed Memorial Day, which makes us think about the extraordinary sacrifices so many make.  But we've got to make sure we translate words into action.  We can't just be in a parade, can't just march.  We also have to deliver for our veterans. 

Over the past three decades -- over the past decades, rather, more than 3 million servicemembers have transitioned back to civilian life.  And now that the war in Iraq is over and we’re starting to wind down the war in Afghanistan -- (applause) -- over a million more of those outstanding heroes, they're going to be joining this process of transition back into civilian life over the next few years. 

Now, just think about the skills these veterans have acquired at an incredibly young age.  Think about the leadership they’ve learned -- 25-year-olds, 26-year-olds leading platoons into unbelievably dangerous situations, life-or-death situations.  Think about the cutting-edge technologies they’ve mastered; their ability to adapt to changing and unpredictable situations -- you can’t get that stuff from a classroom.

I mean, these kids, these men, these women, they’ve done incredible work, and that's exactly the kind of leadership and responsibility that every business in America should be wanting to attract, should be competing to attract.  That's the kind of talent we need to compete for the jobs and the industries of the future.  These are the kinds of Americans that every company should want to hire.  (Applause.)

And that’s why, here at Honeywell, you’ve made it a mission to hire more veterans.  (Applause.)  And let me say, Dave is incredibly patriotic, loves his veterans, but this -- Honeywell is doing this not just because it feels good.  They're doing it because it’s good for business, because veterans make outstanding workers.  So today, I’m taking executive action that will make it easier for a lot of companies to do the same thing.

I’ve told the story before of a soldier in the 82nd Airborne who served as a combat medic in Afghanistan, saved lives over there, earned a Bronze Star for his actions.  But he came home, here to Minnesota -- met him on our way to Cannon Falls.  When he first came home, he couldn’t even get a job as a first responder.  Think about it -- this guy is out there taking care of troops who are wounded in action, couldn’t initially get a job.  So then he took classes through the Post-9/11 GI Bill -- classes that he could have taught -- (laughter) -- just so he could qualify for the same duties at home that he had performed every day at war.

Let me tell you something -- if you can save a life on the battlefield, you can save a life in an ambulance.  (Applause.)  If you can oversee a convoy or millions of dollars of assets in Iraq, you can help manage a supply chain or balance its books here at home.  If you can maintain the most advanced weapons in the world, if you’re an electrician on a Navy ship, well, you can manufacture the next generation of advanced technology in our factories like this one.  (Applause.)  If you’re working on complex machinery, you should be able to take those skills and find a manufacturing job right here -- right here at home.

But, unfortunately, a lot of returning heroes with advanced skills like these, they don’t get hired simply because they don’t have the civilian licenses or certifications that a lot of companies require.  At the same time, I hear from business leaders all the time who say they can’t find enough workers with the skills necessary to fill open positions.  Eighty percent of manufacturers say this, according to one survey.  So think about it -- we got all these openings and all these skilled veterans looking for work, and somehow they’re missing each other.  That doesn’t make any sense.  So that’s where executive action comes in.  That’s where we’re going to fix it. 

Today, I’m proud to announce new partnerships between the military and manufacturing groups that will make it easier for companies to hire returning servicemembers who prove they’ve earned the skills our country needs.  (Applause.)  Soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen, Coast Guardsmen -- if they’ve got skills in machining or welding or weapons maintenance, for example, you’ll have a faster track to good-paying manufacturing jobs.  Servicemembers with experience in logistics or maintenance on the front lines, they’ll have a faster track to jobs in those fields here at home.

I’ve also directed the Department of Defense to establish a new task force charged with finding new opportunities for servicemembers to use the skills they’ve learned in the military to gain the relevant industry credentials -- the civilian certifications and licenses -- so that it doesn’t cost them and they don’t necessarily have to go back to school for three years and take out a whole bunch of student loans when, potentially, they could do it quicker, more inexpensively, and get on the job faster.  We’re talking about jobs in manufacturing, in health care, in IT, in logistics, for first responders -- so that returning combat medic that I spoke about, he doesn’t have to prove himself over and over again.

So this task force’s first action is going to create opportunities for up to 126,000 servicemembers to gain the industry-recognized certifications for high-demand manufacturing jobs like the jobs right here at this plant at Honeywell.  (Applause.)  This builds on the Skills for America’s Future partnership that we launched last year with the National Association of Manufacturers to provide 500,000 community college students with industry-recognized credentials that will help them secure good manufacturing jobs.

And all of this builds on the steps we’ve already taken to make sure our returning heroes come home able to share in the opportunities that they have defended.  Because when our men and women sign up to become a soldier, a sailor, an airman, Marine, Coast Guardsman, they don’t stop being a citizen.  When they take off that uniform, their service to this nation doesn’t stop.  Think about previous generations.  Well, today's veterans are the same.  When they come home, they're looking to continue serving America however they can.  And at a time when America needs all hands on deck, they've got the skills and the strength to help lead the way. 

Our government needs their patriotism and their sense of duty.  That’s why I ordered the hiring of more veterans by the federal government; we’ve hired more than 200,000 so far.  (Applause.)

Our economy needs their outstanding talent.  That’s why I pushed hard last year for tax breaks for businesses that hire unemployed veterans and wounded warriors.  And I’m proud to say that both parties in Congress came together to get that part done. 

That’s why we launched free personalized job services -- job search services through the Veterans Gold Card program and an online Veterans Job Bank to help veterans find jobs that meet their talents.  And, by the way, if there are any veterans here who need those services, you can find that at WhiteHouse.gov/vets.  And then, later this month, the VA will hold a jobs fair in Detroit where 12,000 more opportunities will be available to veterans.

And that’s also why I challenged business leaders to hire 100,000 post-9/11 veterans and their spouses by the end of next year -- because don't forget our military families.  They're serving alongside our veterans.  (Applause.)  Michelle and Jill Biden -- that's Michelle Obama and Jill Biden -- (laughter) -- just in case you were curious.  (Laughter.)  You might not know which Michelle I was talking about.  (Laughter.)  They're leading this effort with respect to military families, nationally.  It's called Joining Forces -- to mobilize all of us to support today’s military families and their veterans.

And so far, the good news is participating businesses have hired more than 70,000 veterans.  And they’ve pledged to hire 175,000 more in the coming years.  And I want to thank Honeywell not only for being an active partner in this initiative, but, right here, Honeywell has hired 900 veterans over the past year, and for employing 65 veterans here just here at Golden Valley.  So give them a big round of applause.  Proud of you.  (Applause.) 

Standing up for our veterans, this is not a Democratic responsibility, it's not a Republican responsibility -- it’s an American responsibility.  It’s an obligation of every citizen who enjoys the freedom that these heroes defended.  So we've got to meet our obligations today just like folks here at Honeywell are doing. 

And as Commander-in-Chief, I want all of our servicemembers and veterans to know we are forever grateful for your service and your sacrifice.  Just like you fought for us, we’ll keep fighting for you -- (applause) -- for more jobs, more security, for the opportunity to keep your families strong -- because you'll help us keep America on top in the 21st century.  (Applause.)  We're going to keep fighting, just as you did, to show just why it is that the United State of America is the greatest nation on Earth.

God bless you.  God bless America. 

END          
12:43 P.M. CDT

Remarks by the President to a Jewish American Heritage Reception

East Room

5:17 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you!  (Applause.)  Well, welcome to the White House, everybody.  I hope you're having fun.  Excellent. 

I want to recognize Ambassador Michael Oren, and thank him for his work representing our great friend, the state of Israel.  I want to recognize and thank all the members of Congress and the members of my administration who are here today.  I want to thank our musical guests, Rak Shalom.  (Applause.)  I was just meeting with all of them back there -- they said they did quite a few numbers.  And they were outstanding, I know. 

This year, we celebrate Jewish Heritage Month -- Jewish American Heritage Month, and we're also commemorating an important anniversary.  One hundred-fifty years ago, General Ulysses Grant issued an order –- known as General Orders Number 11 –- that would have expelled Jews, “as a class,” from what was then known as the military department of the Tennessee.  It was wrong.  Even if it was 1862, even if official acts of anti-Semitism were all too common around the world, it was wrong and indicative of an ugly strain of thought.

But what happened next could have only taken place in America. Groups of American Jews protested General Grant’s decision.  A Jewish merchant from Kentucky traveled here, to the White House, and met with President Lincoln in person.  After their meeting, President Lincoln revoked the order -- one more reason why we like President Lincoln.  (Laughter and applause.)

And to General Grant’s credit, he recognized that he had made a serious mistake.  So later in his life, he apologized for this order, and as President, he went out of his way to appoint Jews to public office and to condemn the persecution of Jews in Eastern Europe.

Today, we have a few documents on display –- maybe some of you saw them when you walked in.  There are two letters of protest from Jewish organizations to President Lincoln.  There is President Lincoln’s handwritten reply, saying that he had taken action.  And there is a receipt for the donation that President Grant made to the Adas Israel Synagogue here in Washington, when he attended a service there in 1876.

So together, these papers tell a story, a fundamentally American story.  Like so many groups, Jews have had to fight for their piece of the American dream.  But this country holds a special promise:  that if we stand up for the traditions we believe in and in the values we share, then our wrongs can be made right; our union can be made more perfect and our world can be repaired.

Today, it’s our turn, our generation’s turn.  And you guys, your generation’s turn.  You’re younger than us.  (Laughter.)  We got some later generations here in the front.  We’re the ones who have to stand up for our shared values.   Here at home, we have to rebuild an America where everybody gets a fair shot, and everybody is doing their fair share, and everybody is playing by the same rules.

Beyond our borders, we have to stand alongside our friends who share our commitment to freedom and democracy and universal rights; and that includes, of course, our unwavering commitment to the State of Israel and its security and the pursuit of a just and lasting peace.  (Applause.)

It’s no secret that we’ve got a lot of work to do.  But as your traditions teach us, while we are not obligated to finish the work, neither are we free to desist from that work.

So today, we don’t just celebrate all that American Jews have done for our country; we also look toward the future.  And as we do, I know that those of you in this room, but folks all across this country will continue to help perfect our union; and for that, I am extraordinarily grateful.

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

END
5:21 P.M. EDT

Remarks by the President at Presidential Medal of Freedom Ceremony

* Note – the language in asterisks below is historically inaccurate. It should instead have been: “Nazi death camps in German occupied Poland”. We regret the error.

East Room

3:45 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you very much.  Everybody, please have a seat, and welcome to the White House.  It is an extraordinary pleasure to be here with all of you to present this year’s Medals of Freedom.  And I have to say, just looking around the room, this is a packed house, which is a testament to how cool this group is.  (Laughter.)  Everybody wanted to check them out. 

This is the highest civilian honor this country can bestow, which is ironic, because nobody sets out to win it.  No one ever picks up a guitar, or fights a disease, or starts a movement, thinking, “You know what, if I keep this up, in 2012, I could get a medal in the White House from a guy named Barack Obama.”  (Laughter.)  That wasn’t in the plan. 

But that’s exactly what makes this award so special.  Every one of today’s honorees is blessed with an extraordinary amount of talent.  All of them are driven.  But, yes, we could fill this room many times over with people who are talented and driven.  What sets these men and women apart is the incredible impact they have had on so many people -- not in short, blinding bursts, but steadily, over the course of a lifetime.

Together, the honorees on this stage, and the ones who couldn’t be here, have moved us with their words; they have inspired us with their actions.  They’ve enriched our lives and they’ve changed our lives for the better.  Some of them are household names; others have labored quietly out of the public eye.  Most of them may never fully appreciate the difference they’ve made or the influence that they’ve had, but that’s where our job comes in.  It’s our job to help let them know how extraordinary their impact has been on our lives.  And so today we present this amazing group with one more accolade for a life well led, and that’s the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

So I’m going to take an opportunity -- I hope you guys don’t mind -- to brag about each of you, starting with Madeleine Albright. 

Usually, Madeleine does the talking.  (Laughter.)  Once in a while, she lets her jewelry do the talking.  (Laughter.)  When Saddam Hussein called her a “snake,” she wore a serpent on her lapel -- (laughter) -- the next time she visited Baghdad.  When Slobodan Milosevic referred to her as a “goat,” a new pin appeared in her collection. 

As the first woman to serve as America’s top diplomat, Madeleine’s courage and toughness helped bring peace to the Balkans and paved the way for progress in some of the most unstable corners of the world.  And as an immigrant herself -- the granddaughter of Holocaust victims who fled her native Czechoslovakia as a child -- Madeleine brought a unique perspective to the job.  This is one of my favorite stories.  Once, at a naturalization ceremony, an Ethiopian man came up to her and said, “Only in America can a refugee meet the Secretary of State.”  And she replied, “Only in America can a refugee become the Secretary of State.”  (Laughter.)  We’re extraordinarily honored to have Madeleine here.  And obviously, I think it’s fair to say I speak for one of your successors who is so appreciative of the work you did and the path that you laid. 

It was a scorching hot day in 1963, and Mississippi was on the verge of a massacre.  The funeral procession for Medgar Evers had just disbanded, and a group of marchers was throwing rocks at a line of equally defiant and heavily-armed policemen.  And suddenly, a white man in shirtsleeves, hands raised, walked towards the protestors and talked them into going home peacefully.  And that man was John Doar.  He was the face of the Justice Department in the South.  He was proof that the federal government was listening.  And over the years, John escorted James Meredith to the University of Mississippi.  He walked alongside the Selma-to-Montgomery March.  He laid the groundwork for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.  In the words of John Lewis, “He gave [civil rights workers] a reason not to give up on those in power.”  And he did it by never giving up on them.  And I think it's fair to say that I might not be here had it not been for his work.

Bob Dylan started out singing other people’s songs.  But, as he says, “There came a point where I had to write what I wanted to say, because what I wanted to say, nobody else was writing.”  So born in Hibbing, Minnesota -- a town, he says, where “you couldn’t be a rebel -- it was too cold” -- (laughter) -- Bob moved to New York at age 19.  By the time he was 23, Bob’s voice, with its weight, its unique, gravelly power was redefining not just what music sounded like, but the message it carried and how it made people feel.  Today, everybody from Bruce Springsteen to U2 owes Bob a debt of gratitude.  There is not a bigger giant in the history of American music.  All these years later, he’s still chasing that sound, still searching for a little bit of truth.  And I have to say that I am a really big fan.  (Laughter.)  

In the 1960s, more than 2 million people died from smallpox every year.  Just over a decade later, that number was zero -- 2 million to zero, thanks, in part, to Dr. Bill Foege.  As a young medical missionary working in Nigeria, Bill helped develop a vaccination strategy that would later be used to eliminate smallpox from the face of the Earth.  And when that war was won, he moved on to other diseases, always trying to figure out what works.  In one remote Nigerian village, after vaccinating 2,000 people in a single day, Bill asked the local chief how he had gotten so many people to show up.  And the chief explained that he had told everyone to come see -- to “come to the village and see the tallest man in the world.”  (Laughter.)  Today, that world owes that really tall man a great debt of gratitude.

On the morning that John Glenn blasted off into space, America stood still.  And for half an hour, the phones stopped ringing in Chicago police headquarters, and New York subway drivers offered a play-by-play account over the loudspeakers.  President Kennedy interrupted a breakfast with congressional leaders and joined 100 million TV viewers to hear the famous words, “Godspeed, John Glenn.”  The first American to orbit the Earth, John Glenn became a hero in every sense of the word, but he didn't stop there serving his country.  As a senator, he found new ways to make a difference.  And on his second trip into space at age 77, he defied the odds once again.  But he reminds everybody, don’t tell him he’s lived a historic life.  He says, “Are living.”  He’ll say, “Don’t put it in the past tense.”  He’s still got a lot of stuff going on.

Gordon Hirabayashi knew what it was like to stand alone.  As a student at the University of Washington, Gordon was one of only three Japanese Americans to defy the executive order that forced thousands of families to leave their homes, their jobs, and their civil rights behind and move to internment camps during World War II.  He took his case all the way to the Supreme Court, and he lost.  And it would be another 40 years before that decision was reversed, giving Asian Americans everywhere a small measure of justice.  In Gordon’s words, “It takes a crisis to tell us that unless citizens are willing to standup for the [Constitution], it’s not worth the paper it’s written on.”  And this country is better off because of citizens like him who are willing to stand up.

Similarly, when Cesar Chavez sat Dolores Huerta down at his kitchen table and told her they should start a union, she thought he was joking.  She was a single mother of seven children, so she obviously didn’t have a lot of free time.  But Dolores had been an elementary school teacher and remembered seeing children come to school hungry and without shoes.  So in the end, she agreed -- and workers everywhere are glad that she did.  Without any negotiating experience, Dolores helped lead a worldwide grape boycott that forced growers to agree to some of the country’s first farm worker contracts.  And ever since, she has fought to give more people a seat at the table.  “Don’t wait to be invited,” she says, “Step in there.”  And on a personal note, Dolores was very gracious when I told her I had stolen her slogan, “Si, se puede.”  Yes, we can.  (Laughter.)  Knowing her, I’m pleased that she let me off easy -- (laughter) -- because Dolores does not play.  (Laughter.)

For years, Jan Karski’s students at Georgetown University knew he was a great professor; what they didn't realize was he was also a hero.  Fluent in four languages, possessed of a photographic memory, Jan served as a courier for the Polish resistance during the darkest days of World War II.  Before one trip across enemy lines, resistance fighters told him that Jews were being murdered on a massive scale, and smuggled him into the Warsaw Ghetto and a *Polish death camp* to see for himself.  Jan took that information to President Franklin Roosevelt, giving one of the first accounts of the Holocaust and imploring to the world to take action.  It was decades before Jan was ready to tell his story.  By then, he said, “I don’t need courage anymore.  So I teach compassion.”

Growing up in Georgia in the late 1800s, Juliette Gordon Low was not exactly typical.  She flew airplanes.  She went swimming.  She experimented with electricity for fun.  (Laughter.)  And she recognized early on that in order to keep up with the changing times, women would have to be prepared.  So at age 52, after meeting the founder of the Boy Scouts in England, Juliette came home and called her cousin and said, “I’ve got something for the girls of Savannah, and all of America, and all the world.  And we’re going to start it tonight!”  A century later, almost 60 million Girl Scouts have gained leadership skills and self-confidence through the organization that she founded.  They include CEOs, astronauts, my own Secretary of State.  And from the very beginning, they have also included girls of different races and faiths and abilities, just the way that Juliette would have wanted it.

Toni Morrison -- she is used to a little distraction.  As a single mother working at a publishing company by day, she would carve out a little time in the evening to write, often with her two sons pulling on her hair and tugging at her earrings.  Once, a baby spit up on her tablet so she wrote around it.  (Laughter.)  Circumstances may not have been ideal, but the words that came out were magical.  Toni Morrison's prose brings us that kind of moral and emotional intensity that few writers ever attempt.  From “Song of Solomon” to “Beloved,” Toni reaches us deeply, using a tone that is lyrical, precise, distinct, and inclusive.  She believes that language “arcs toward the place where meaning might lie.”  The rest of us are lucky to be following along for the ride.

During oral argument, Justice John Paul Stevens often began his line of questioning with a polite, “May I interrupt?” or “May I ask a question?”  You can imagine the lawyers would say, "okay" -- (laughter) -- after which he would, just as politely, force a lawyer to stop dancing around and focus on the most important issues in the case.  And that was his signature style:  modest, insightful, well-prepared, razor-sharp.  He is the third-longest serving Justice in the history of the Court.  And Justice Stevens applied, throughout his career, his clear and graceful manner to the defense of individual rights and the rule of law, always favoring a pragmatic solution over an ideological one.  Ever humble, he would happily comply when unsuspecting tourists asked him to take their picture in front of the Court.  (Laughter.)  And at his vacation home in Florida, he was John from Arlington, better known for his world-class bridge game than his world-changing judicial opinions.  Even in his final days on the bench, Justice Stevens insisted he was still “learning on the job.”  But in the end, we are the ones who have learned from him.

When a doctor first told Pat Summitt she suffered from dementia, she almost punched him.  When a second doctor advised her to retire, she responded, “Do you know who you’re dealing with here?”  (Laughter.)  Obviously, they did not.  As Pat says, “I can fix a tractor, mow hay, plow a field, chop tobacco, fire a barn, and call the cows.  But what I’m really known for is winning.”  In 38 years at Tennessee, she racked up eight national championships and more than 1,000 wins -- understand, this is more than any college coach, male or female, in the history of the NCAA.  And more importantly, every player that went through her program has either graduated or is on her way to a degree.  That’s why anybody who feels sorry for Pat will find themselves on the receiving end of that famous glare, or she might punch you.  (Laughter.)  She’s still getting up every day and doing what she does best, which is teaching.  “The players,” she says, “are my best medicine.”   

Our final honoree is not here -- Shimon Peres, the President of Israel, who has done more for the cause of peace in the Middle East than just about anybody alive.  I’ll be hosting President Peres for a dinner here at the White House next month, and we’ll be presenting him with his medal and honoring his incredible contributions to the state of Israel and the world at that time.  So I’m looking forward to welcoming him.  And if it’s all right with you, I will save my best lines about him for that occasion. 

So these are the recipients of the 2012 Medals of Freedom.  And just on a personal note, I had a chance to see everybody in the back.  What’s wonderful about these events for me is so many of these people are my heroes individually.  I know how they impacted my life. 

I remember reading “Song of Solomon” when I was a kid and not just trying to figure out how to write, but also how to be and how to think.  And I remember in college listening to Bob Dylan and my world opening up because he captured something that -- about this country that was so vital.  And I think about Dolores Huerta, reading about her when I was starting off as an organizer. 

     Everybody on this stage has marked my life in profound ways.  And I was telling -- somebody like Pat Summitt -- when I think about my two daughters, who are tall and gifted, and knowing that because of folks like Coach Summitt they’re standing up straight and diving after loose balls and feeling confident and strong, then I understand that the impact that these people have had extends beyond me.  It will continue for generations to come.  What an extraordinary honor to be able to say thank you to all of them for the great work that they have done on behalf of this country and on behalf of the world.

So it is now my great honor to present them with a small token of our appreciation.  (Applause.)

MILITARY AIDE:  Presidential Medal of Freedom citations:

Madeleine Korbel Albright.  Madeleine Korbel Albright broke barriers and left an indelible mark on the world as the first female Secretary of State in the United States’ history.  Through her consummate diplomacy and steadfast democratic ideals, Secretary Albright advanced peace in the Middle East, nuclear arms control, justice in the Balkans, and human rights around the world.  With unwavering leadership and continued engagement with the global community, she continues her noble pursuit of freedom and dignity for all people.

THE PRESIDENT:  I think this goes very well with your broach.  (Laughter.)

(The medal is presented.)  (Applause.)

MILITARY AIDE:  John Doar.  As African Americans strove for justice, John Doar led federal efforts to defend equality and enforce civil rights.  Risking his life to confront the injustices around him, he prevented a violent riot, obtained convictions for the killings of civil rights activists, and stood by the first African American student at the University of Mississippi on his first day of class.  During pivotal moments in the Civil Rights Movement and in the troubled times of the Watergate scandal, John Doar fought to protect the core values of liberty, equality and democracy that have made America a leader among nations. 

(The medal is presented.)  (Applause.)

MILITARY AIDE:  Bill Foege. 

THE PRESIDENT:  He is pretty tall.  (Laughter.)

MILITARY AIDE:  A distinguished physician and epidemiologist, Bill Foege helped lead a campaign to eradicate smallpox that stands among medicine’s greatest success stories.  At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Carter Center, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, he has taken on humanity’s most intractable public health challenges from infectious diseases to child survival and development.  Bill Foege has driven decades of progress to safeguard the well-being of all, and he has inspired a generation of leaders in the fight for a healthier world.

(The medal is presented.)  (Applause.)

John Glenn has set a peerless example through his service to our nation.  As a Marine Corps pilot and the first American to orbit the Earth, he sparked our passions for ingenuity and adventure and lifted humanity’s ambitions into the expanses of space.  In the United States Senate, he worked tirelessly to ensure all Americans had the opportunity to reach for limitless dreams.  Whether by advancing legislation to limit the spread of nuclear weapons or by becoming the oldest person ever to visit space, John Glenn’s example has moved us all to look to new horizons with drive and optimism. 

(The medal is presented.)  (Applause.)

Susan Carnahan, accepting on behalf of her husband Gordon Kiyoshi Hirabayashi.  In his open defiance of discrimination against Japanese Americans during World War II, Gordon Kiyoshi Hirabayashi demanded our nation live up to its founding principles.  Imprisoned for ignoring curfew and refusing to register for internment camps, he took his case to the Supreme Court, which ruled against him in 1943.  Refusing to abandon his belief in an America that stands for fundamental human rights, he pursued justice until his conviction was overturned in 1987.  Gordon Hirabayashi's legacy reminds us that patriotism is rooted not in ethnicity, but in our shared ideals.  And his example will forever call on us to defend the liberty of all our citizens. 

(The medal is presented.)  (Applause.)

Dolores Clara Fernandez Huerta.  One of America's great labor and civil rights icons, Dolores Clara Fernandez Huerta has devoted her life to advocating for marginalized communities.  Alongside Cesar Chavez, she co-founded the United Farm Workers of America and fought to secure basic rights for migrant workers and their families, helping save thousands from neglect and abuse.  Dolores Huerta has never lost faith in the power of community organizing, and through the Dolores Huerta Foundation, she continues to train and mentor new activists to walk the streets into history. 

(The medal is presented.)  (Applause.)

Adam Daniel Rotfeld, former Polish foreign minister accepting on behalf of Jan Karski.  As a young officer in the Polish Underground, Jan Karski was among the first to relay accounts of the Holocaust to the world.  A witness to atrocity in the Warsaw Ghetto and the Nazi Izbica transit camp, he repeatedly crossed enemy line to document the face of genocide, and courageously voiced tragic truths all the way to President Roosevelt.  Jan Karski illuminated one of the darkest chapters of history, and his heroic intervention on behalf of the innocent will never be forgotten. 

(The medal is presented.)  (Applause.)

Richard Platt, accepting on behalf of his great aunt, Juliette Gordon Low.  An artist, athlete and trailblazer for America's daughters, Juliette Gordon Low founded an organization to teach young women self-reliance and resourcefulness.  A century later, during the "Year of the Girl," the Girl Scouts' more than 3 million members are leaders in their communities and are translating new skills into successful careers.  Americans of all backgrounds continue to draw inspiration from Juliette Gordon Low's remarkable vision, and we celebrate her dedication to empowering girls everywhere.

(The medal is presented.  Applause.)

Toni Morrison.  The first African American woman to win a Nobel Prize, Toni Morrison is one of our nation's most distinguished storytellers.  She has captivated readers through lyrical prose that depicts the complexities of a people and challenges our concepts of race and gender.  Her works are hallmarks of the American literary tradition, and the United States proudly honors her for her nursing of souls and strengthening the character of our union. 

(The medal is presented.)  (Applause.) 

John Paul Stevens.  From the Navy to the bench, John Paul Stevens has devoted himself to service to our nation.  After earning a Bronze Star in World War II, Stevens returned home to pursue a career in law.  As an attorney, he became a leading practitioner of anti-trust law.  And as a Supreme Court Justice, he dedicated his long and distinguished tenure to applying our Constitution with fidelity and independence.  His integrity, humility, and steadfast commitment to the rule of law have fortified the noble vision of our nation’s founders.

(The medal is presented.)  (Applause.)

Pat Summitt.  Pat Summitt is an unparalleled figure in collegiate sports.  Over 38 seasons, she proudly led the University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers to 32 SEC tournament and regular season championships and eight national titles, becoming the all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history.  On the court, Coach Summitt inspired young women across our country to shoot even higher in pursuit of their dreams.  Off the court, she has inspired us all by turning her personal struggle into a public campaign to combat Alzheimer’s disease.  Pat Summitt’s strength and character exemplify all that is best about athletics in America. 

(The medal is presented.)  (Applause.)

Bob Dylan.  A modern-day troubadour, Bob Dylan established himself as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.  The rich poetry of his lyrics opened up new possibilities for popular song and inspired generations.  His melodies have brought ancient traditions into the modern age.  More than 50 years after his career began, Bob Dylan remains an eminent voice in our national conversation and around the world. 

 (The medal is presented.)  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Can everybody please stand and give a rousing applause to our Medal of Freedom winners?  (Applause.)

Well, we could not be prouder of all of them.  We could not be more grateful to all of them.  You have had an impact on all of us, and I know that you will continue to have an impact on all of us.  So thank you for being here.  Thank you for putting yourself through White House ceremonies -- (laughter) -- which are always full of all kinds of protocol. 

Fortunately, we also have a reception afterwards.  I hear the food around here is pretty good.  (Laughter.)  So I look forward to all of you having a chance to stay and mingle, and again, thank you again, to all of you.  (Applause.)

END                4:22 P.M. EDT