The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 17, 2011

WEEKLY ADDRESS: Honoring Those Who Served in Iraq, as the War Comes to An End

WASHINGTON— In this week’s address, President Obama expressed the gratitude of the entire nation to the brave men and women who have served in the war in Iraq, and welcomed our troops home as we mark the official end to the war.  This historic achievement would not be possible without the skill and dedication of the men and women of the United States Armed Forces.  They prove every day that when we come together, there is nothing we cannot do.  Now it’s time to follow their example, put aside partisanship, and rebuild our economy so that every American who wants to work can find a job, and everyone has the opportunity to make it if they try.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
December 17, 2011

This week marked an historic moment in the life of our country and our military. 
 
For nearly nine years, our nation has been at war in Iraq.  More than 1.5 million Americans have served there with honor, skill, and bravery.  Tens of thousands have been wounded.  Military families have sacrificed greatly – none more so than the families of those nearly 4,500 Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice.  All of them – our troops, veterans, and their families – will always have the thanks of a grateful nation.
 
On Thursday, the colors our Armed Forces fought under in Iraq were formally cased in a ceremony in Baghdad before beginning their journey back home.  Our troops are now preparing to make their final march across the border and out of the country.  Iraq’s future will be in the hands of its own people.  Our war there will be over.  All of our troops will be out of Iraq.  And this holiday season, all of us can finally say: welcome home.
 
This is an extraordinary achievement – one made possible by the hard work and sacrifice of the men and women who had the courage to serve.  And there’s a lesson to learn from that – a lesson about our character as a nation.
 
See, there’s a reason our military is the most respected institution in America.  They don’t see themselves or each other as Democrats first or Republicans first.  They see themselves as Americans first. 
 
For all our differences and disagreements, they remind us that we are all a part of something bigger; that we are one nation and one people.  And for all our challenges, they remind us that there is nothing we can’t do when we stick together. 
 
They’re the finest our nation has to offer.  Many will remain in the military and go on to the next mission.  Others will take off the uniform and become veterans.  But their commitment to service doesn’t end when they take off the uniform – in fact, I’m confident the story of their service to America is just beginning. 
 
After years of rebuilding Iraq, it is time to enlist our veterans and all our people in the work of rebuilding America.
 
Folks like my grandfather came back from World War II to form the backbone of the largest middle class in history.  And today’s generation of veterans – the 9/11 Generation of veterans – is armed with the skills, discipline, and leadership to attack the defining challenge of our time: rebuilding an economy where hard work pays off, where responsibility is rewarded, where anyone can make it if they try.
 
Now it is up to us to serve these brave men and women as well as they serve us.  Every day, they meet their responsibilities to their families and their country.  Now it’s time to meet ours – especially those of us who you sent to serve in Washington.  This cannot be a country where division and discord stand in the way of our progress.  This is a moment where we must come together to ensure that every American has the chance to work for a decent living, own their own home, send their kids to college, and secure a decent retirement.
 
This is a moment for us to build a country that lives up to the ideals that so many of our bravest Americans have fought and even died for.  That is our highest obligation as citizens.  That is the welcome home that our troops deserve.
 
Thank you.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 16, 2011

Remarks by the President at the 71st General Assembly of the Union for Reform Judaism

Gaylord Hotel
National Harbor, Maryland

2:37 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you so much.  Thank you, everybody.  Thank you.  Please, please have a seat.  You’re making me blush.  (Laughter.)  Thank you, Eric, for that extraordinary introduction and for your many years of leadership in the Reform movement.  And even though it is a few hours early, I’d like to wish all of you Shabbat shalom.  (Applause.) 

Now, there are a lot of familiar faces in the house:  David Saperstein.  (Applause.)  Alan Solow, Rick Jacobs.  (Applause.)  Howard Kohr.

I want to welcome Israel’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Ehud Barak.  (Applause.)  The cooperation between our militaries has never been stronger, and I want to thank Ehud for his leadership and his lifelong commitment to Israel’s security and the quest for a just and lasting peace.  (Applause.) 

I also want to recognize Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren, who’s with us here today.  (Applause.)

And finally, I want to give a shout-out to NFTY, I understand is in the house.  (Applause.)  Young people are going to lead the way, and they’re leading the way.  (Applause.)  There you go.  I’m fired up just listening to them.  (Laughter and applause.) 

I am honored to be here because of the proud history and tradition of the Union for Reform Judaism, representing more than 900 congregations, around 1.5 million American Jews.

I want to congratulate all of you on the golden anniversary of the Religious Action Center.  (Applause.)   As Eric mentioned, When President Kennedy spoke to leaders from the RAC in 1961, I was three months old, so my memory is a bit hazy.  (Laughter.)  But I am very familiar with the work that you’ve done ever since, and so is the rest of America.

And that’s because you helped draft the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act.  (Applause.)  You helped to liberate Soviet Jews.  (Applause.)  You have made a difference on so many of the defining issues of the last half-century.  And without these efforts, I probably wouldn’t be standing here today.  So thank you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  You have brought to life your faith and your values, and the world is a better place for it.

Now, since my daughter Malia has reached the age where it seems like there’s always a Bar or Bat Mitzvah -- (laughter) -- every weekend, and there is quite a bit of negotiations around the skirts that she wears at these Bat Mitzvahs -- (laughter) -- do you guys have these conversations as well?  (Laughter.)  All right.  I just wanted to be clear it wasn’t just me.  (Laughter.) What time you get home. 

As a consequence, she’s become the family expert on Jewish tradition.  (Laughter.)  And if there’s one thing I’ve learned from her, it’s that it never hurts to begin a speech by discussing the Torah portion.  It doesn’t hurt.  (Laughter and applause.) 

So this week -- (applause) -- congregations around the world will retell the story of Joseph.  (Applause.)  As any fan of Broadway musicals will tell you -- (laughter) -- there is a lot going on in this reading.  (Laughter.)  But many scholars have focused on a single word that Joseph uses when he replies to his father Jacob.

In Hebrew, that word is “hineni.”  It translates -- (applause) -- it translates to “Here I am.”  Hineni.  It’s the same word Abraham uses to reply to God before the binding of Isaac.  It’s the same word Moses uses when God summons him from the burning bush.  Hineni.  The text is telling us that while Joseph does not know what lies ahead, he is ready to answer the call.

In this case, “hineni” leads Joseph to Egypt.  It sets in motion a story of enslavement and exodus that would come to inspire leaders like Martin Luther King as they sought freedom.  It’s a story of persecution and perseverance that has repeated itself from Inquisition-era Spain to Tsarist Russia to Hitler’s Germany.  

And in that often-tragic history, this place, America, stands out.  (Applause.)  Now, we can’t whitewash the past.  Like so many ethnic groups, Jews faced prejudice, and sometimes violence, as they sought their piece of the American Dream.  But here, Jews finally found a place where their faith was protected; where hard work and responsibility paid off; where no matter who you were or where you came from, you could make it if you tried.  Here in America, you really could build a better life for your children.

I know how much that story means to many of you, because I know how much that story means to me.  My father was from Kenya; my mother was from Kansas –- not places with a large Jewish community.  (Laughter.)  But when my Jewish friends tell me about their ancestors, I feel a connection.  I know what it’s like to think, “Only in America is my story even possible.”  (Applause.) 

Now -- I have to interrupt.  My friend Debbie Wasserman Schultz just got in the house.  (Applause.)  Now, the Jewish community has always understood that the dream we share is about more than just doing well for yourself.  From the moment our country was founded, American Jews have helped make our union more perfect.  Your parents, your grandparents, your great-grandparents, they remembered what it was like to be a stranger, and as a result treated strangers with compassion.  They pursued tikkun olam, the hard work of repairing the world.  (Applause.)

They fought bigotry because they had experienced bigotry.  They fought for freedom of religion because they understood what it meant to be persecuted for your religious beliefs.  Our country is a better place because they did.  The same values that bring you here today led Justice Brandeis to fight for an America that protects the least of these.  (Applause.)  Those same values led Jewish leaders to found RAC 50 years ago.  (Applause.)  They led Abraham Joshua Heschel to pray with his feet and march with Dr. King.  (Applause.)  And over the last three years, they have brought us together on the most important issues of our time.

When we began this journey, we knew we would have to take on powerful special interests.  We would have to take on a Washington culture where doing what’s politically convenient is often valued above doing what’s right; where the focus is too often on the next election instead of the next generation.  (Applause.)

And so time and time again, we’ve been reminded that change is never easy.  And a number of the rabbis who are here today, when I see them, they’d been saying a prayer.  They noticed my hair is grayer.  (Laughter.)  But we didn’t quit.  You didn’t quit.  And today, we’re beginning to see what change looks like. 

And Eric mentioned what change looks like.  Change is the very first bill I signed, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which says in this country an equal day’s work gets an equal day’s pay.  That’s change.  (Applause.)

Change is finally doing something about our addiction to oil and raising fuel-efficiency standards for the first time in 30 years.  That’s good for our economy.  It’s good for our national security.  (Applause.)  And it’s good for our environment.

Change is confirming two Supreme Court justices who will defend our rights, including our First Amendment rights surrounding religion -- happen to be two women, by the way.  That’s also a good thing.  (Applause.)

Change is repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell,” so that in the first time in history, you don’t have to hide who you love to serve the country that you love.  That’s change.  (Applause.)

Change is working with the Reform movement, and other faith-based groups, to reform the federal faith-based initiatives, improving the way we partner with organizations that serve people in need.  Change is health care reform that we passed after a century of trying, reform that will finally ensure that in the United States of America, nobody goes bankrupt just because they get sick.  That’s change.  (Applause.)

Change is the 2.5 million young people -- maybe some of those NFTY folks who have already -- (applause) -- who have health insurance on their parents’ plans because of Affordable Care Act.  That’s change.  (Applause.)

It’s making family planning more accessible to millions of Americans.  (Applause.)  It’s insurance companies not being able to charge you more just because you’re a woman, or deny you coverage if you have breast cancer.  (Applause.)

Change is committing to real, persistent education reform, because every child in America deserves access to a good school and to higher education -- every child.  (Applause.)  

And change is keeping one of the first promises I made in 2008:  After nearly nine years, our war in Iraq is ending this month and our troops are coming home.  (Applause.)

That’s what change is.  And none of this would have happened without you.  That’s the kind of change we’ll keep fighting for in the months and years ahead.

And just last night, you took another step towards the change we need and voted for a set of principles of economic justice in a time of fiscal crisis.  (Applause.)  And I want to thank you for your courage.  That statement could not have come at a more important time.  For as you put it, we’re at a crossroads in American history.  Last Tuesday, I gave a speech in Osawatomie, Kansas, where I described that crossroads.  And I laid out a vision of our country where everybody gets a fair shot, and everybody does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same rules.  (Applause.)  And these are not Democratic values or Republican values; they’re not Christian values or Jewish values or Hindu or Muslim values -- they’re shared values, and we have to reclaim them.  We have to restore them to a central place in America’s political life.  (Applause.)

I said it last week, I’ll say it again:  This is not just a political debate.  This is a moral debate.  This is an ethical debate.  It’s a values debate.  It’s the defining issue of our time.  It is a make-or-break moment for the middle class and for all those who are fighting to get into the middle class.  (Applause.)  And for those of us who remember parents or grandparents or great-grandparents who had to fight to get in the middle class, but they understood that the American Dream was available to them because we were all in it together -- that’s what this is about.  (Applause.)  And last night, you reaffirmed the moral dimension of this debate.  (Applause.) 

We have to decide who we are as a country.  Is this a place where everyone is left to fend for themselves?  The most powerful can play by their own rules?  Or do we come together to make sure that working people can earn enough to raise a family, send their kids to college, buy their own home, have a secure health care and a secure retirement?  That is the story that almost all of us here share, in one way or another.  This is a room full of folks who come from immigrants, and remember what it was like to scratch and claw and work.  You haven’t forgotten.  You know what it’s like to see those in your own family struggle. 

Well, we have to apply those same values to the American family.  We’re not a country that says, you’re on your own.  When we see neighbors who can’t find work or pay for college or get the health care they need, we answer the call -- we say, “Here I am.”  And we will do our part.  (Applause.) 

That’s what you affirmed last night.  But more importantly, it’s what you affirm every day with your words and your actions.  And I promise you that as you pray with your feet, I will be right there with you every step of the way.  (Applause.)  I’ll be fighting to create jobs, and give small businesses a chance to succeed.  I’ll be fighting to invest in education and technology.  I will fight to strengthen programs like Medicare and Social Security.  (Applause.)  I will fight to put more money in the pockets of working families.  I won’t be afraid to ask the most well-off among us -– Americans like me –- to pay our fair share, to make sure that everybody has got a shot.  I will fight alongside you every inch of the way.  (Applause.) 

And as all of you know, standing up for our values at home is only part of our work.  Around the world, we stand up for values that are universal -- including the right of all people to live in peace and security and dignity.  (Applause.)  That’s why we’ve worked on the international stage to promote the rights of women -- (applause) -- to promote strategies to alleviate poverty -- (applause) -- to promote the dignity of all people, including gays and lesbians -- (applause) -- and people with disabilities -- (applause) -- to promote human rights and democracy.  And that’s why, as President, I have never wavered in pursuit of a just and lasting peace -- two states for two peoples; an independent Palestine alongside a secure Jewish State of Israel.  (Applause.)  I have not wavered and will not waver.  That is our shared vision.  (Applause.)

Now, I know that many of you share my frustration sometimes, in terms of the state of the peace process.  There’s so much work to do.  But here’s what I know –- there’s no question about how lasting peace will be achieved.  Peace can’t be imposed from the outside.  Ultimately, it is the Israelis and the Palestinians who must reach agreement on the issues that divide them.  (Applause.)

And the fact that peace is hard can’t deter us from trying.  Because now more than ever, it’s clear that a just and lasting peace is in the long-term interests of Israel.  It is in the long-term interests of the Palestinian people.  It is in the interest of the region.  It is the interest of the United States, and it is in the interest of the world.  And I am not going to stop in pursuit of that vision.  It is the right thing to do.  (Applause.) 

Now, that vision begins with a strong and secure State of Israel.  (Applause.)  And the special bonds between our nations are ones that all Americans hold dear because they’re bonds forged by common interests and shared values.  They’re bonds that transcend partisan politics -- or at least they should.  (Applause.)
 
We stand with Israel as a Jewish democratic state because we know that Israel is born of firmly held values that we, as Americans, share:  a culture committed to justice, a land that welcomes the weary, a people devoted to tikkun olam.  (Applause.)
 
So America’s commitment -- America’s commitment and my commitment to Israel and Israel’s security is unshakeable.  It is unshakeable.  (Applause.)

I said it in September at the United Nations.  I said it when I stood amid the homes in Sderot that had been struck by missiles:  No nation can tolerate terror.  And no nation can accept rockets targeting innocent men, women and children.  No nation can yield to suicide bombers.  (Applause.)

And as Ehud has said, it is hard to remember a time when the United States has given stronger support to Israel on its security.  In fact, I am proud to say that no U.S. administration has done more in support of Israel’s security than ours.  None.  Don’t let anybody else tell you otherwise.  It is a fact.  (Applause.)
   
I’m proud that even in these difficult times we’ve fought for and secured the most funding for Israel in history.  I’m proud that we helped Israel develop a missile defense system that’s already protecting civilians from rocket attacks.  (Applause.)

Another grave concern -– and a threat to the security of Israel, the United States and the world -– is Iran’s nuclear program.  And that’s why our policy has been absolutely clear:  We are determined to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.  (Applause.)  And that’s why we’ve worked painstakingly from the moment I took office with allies and partners, and we have imposed the most comprehensive, the hardest-hitting sanctions that the Iranian regime has ever faced.  We haven’t just talked about it, we have done it.  And we’re going to keep up the pressure.  (Applause.)  And that’s why, rest assured, we will take no options off the table.  We have been clear. 

We’re going to keep standing with our Israeli friends and allies, just as we’ve been doing when they’ve needed us most.  In September, when a mob threatened the Israeli embassy in Cairo, we worked to ensure that the men and women working there were able to get out safely.  (Applause.)  Last year, when raging fires threatened Haifa, we dispatched fire-fighting planes to help put out the blaze. (Applause.)

On my watch, the United States of America has led the way, from Durban to the United Nations, against attempts to use international forums to delegitimize Israel.  And we will continue to do so.  (Applause.)  That’s what friends and allies do for each other.  So don’t let anybody else tell a different story.  We have been there, and we will continue to be there.  Those are the facts.  (Applause.)

And when I look back on the last few years, I’m proud of the decisions I’ve made, and I’m proud of what we’ve done together.  But today isn’t about resting on our laurels.  As your tradition teaches, we’re not obligated to finish the work, but neither are we free to desist from it.  (Applause.)

We’ve got to keep going.  So today we look forward to the world not just as it is but as it could be.  And when we do, the truth is clear:  Our union is not yet perfect.  Our world is still in desperate need of repair.  And each of us still hears that call.

And the question is, how we will respond?  In this moment, every American, of every faith, every background has the opportunity to stand up and say:  Here I am.  Hineni.  Here I am.  I am ready to keep alive our country’s promise.  I am ready to speak up for our values at home and abroad.  I am ready to do what needs to be done.  The work may not be finished in a day, in a year, in a term, in a lifetime, but I’m ready to do my part.  (Applause.)

And I believe that with tradition as our guide, we will seize that opportunity.  And in the face of daunting odds, we will make the choices that are hard but are right.  That’s how we’ve overcome tougher times before.  That’s how we will overcome the challenges that we face today.  And together, we will rewrite the next chapter in America’s story and prove that our best days are still to come.

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

END
3:08 P.M. EST

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
December 16, 2011

First Lady's Remarks at "Toys for Tots" Drive

Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling

1:09 P.M. EST

MRS. OBAMA:  Thanks so much.  (Applause.)  Well, good afternoon, everyone.  And thank you, General Osman, for not just that very kind and generous introduction but for all that you do for "Toys for Tots" and for this country.

As he said, this is my third year doing this, and every year, truly, I look forward to coming by and seeing folks come together to make the holidays just a little bit brighter for their neighbors.

This is my last official visit.  This is a way to cap off my holiday season.  This is my last official visit before I get my kids out of here and we actually spend some time together as a family.  And this is a great way for me, personally, to end the season -- being with all of you and doing what we can for kids who don't have the fortune of -- the good fortune of having people who can provide a wonderful Christmas.

But it's also important for people to know what this tradition is and how it started.  It's been going on for more than 60 years, and it started with a simple idea.  It was a Marine’s wife who fashioned a handmade doll, and then asked her husband to donate that doll to children in need for the holidays.  This was 60 years ago.  But that Marine couldn’t find a place to donate the doll, because no such organization existed. 

So this couple decided to do something about it.  And that’s really what military families do.  I'll share a story with you:  This morning, I was laying in bed with Malia, before they were getting ready for school, and she asked me what I was going to do today, and I said I'm doing "Toys for Tots," and she said, that's really a great program.  And she said, how did it start?  And I said, you know, Marines started it.  And most people don't realize that, because "Toys for Tots" has become a national organization, a national brand; so many people adopt it, they forget that this is something that's done by military families.  And Malia said, you know what?  It is so impressive that given all military families have to do anyway, that on top of what they do, they're doing this as well.  And I'm like, look, if a 13-year-old can get it and understand that that's who our military families are, then we all should get it as a country.  And it was a very powerful example of just how valuable and just how constant our military families -- how selfless they are. 

So soon enough, this toy drive turned into the national organization that we now know today as "Toys for Tots."

So today, we’re here to continue that tradition.  And we couldn’t do it without all of the volunteers, all of the donors who work so hard during the holiday season.  This is hard work.  It takes people who take time out of their own families, time to come, shop, sort toys, make sure things get out.  I mean, this doesn't happen automatically; it happens because people give up time, precious time with their families to make this happen.  So this wouldn't be possible without all of the volunteers.  So I want to extend a very big thank you to all of you, especially all of our troops and all of our military families who have led this effort this year, and who lead it every year.  You all have given so much to our country, as Malia has recognized, and then you keep giving more to your neighbors and the broader community.  And it is truly inspiring. 

"Toys for Tots," my relationship that I've had with military families all across the country, folks like you is one of the reasons why Jill Biden and I started "Joining Forces," which is our major campaign to rally all Americans to honor, recognize, and support our veterans and military families.  And we’ve had wonderful success with this program, and it hasn’t been difficult at all.  People have been stepping up in ways big and small -- businesses making a point to hire veterans and military spouses; local schools partnering to reach out to military kids. 

America is behind our families, and a lot of it is because of this kind of work that you do every single day.  And it has been a true honor and a gift for me to get to know many of these families and to be able to champion your work to the rest of the country.  And "Toys for Tots" is just another one of those examples, and that’s why it’s so important for me to be involved this year, and to make sure that the White House is involved.

And this year is no different.  At the White House, we’re paying tribute to our military this holiday season.  All over the White House there are signs of your strength and your sacrifice and your courage.  At the White House, we’re showcasing the stories and the pictures of our fallen heroes.  We’re giving guests an opportunity to send a thank-you note to troops overseas.  And once again, we collected hundreds of toys from White House staff, which I’ve had the honor of bringing here today.

We had a 27 percent increase from last year.  That's good, but we can do more.  We will be doing more next year.  So hopefully we’re doing our part.

But one of the important mottos of "Joining Forces" is that everyone can do something.  That's what Jill and I are saying.  You don't have to live in the White House.  You don't have to spend a fortune.  You don't have to be an expert in military life to be a part of this effort and to lift families up.  You just have to be willing to give just a little bit back to your community and to your country.  And that's the spirit that led the Marine and his wife to start "Toys for Tots" all those years ago, and it’s what will make this year’s drive successful once again.

Now before I go and we start getting to work, I just want to remind everyone out there who is watching this event that it is not too late to donate.  You can donate through the holiday season, and this year is like no other.  The demand increases even as giving increases.  There are more and more families that need support and help, so it is not too late.  So anybody who is watching this, any of our press who are writing about this, it is still important to nudge our neighbors; to say, give, give, give.  We need people to bring in toys like never before.

And I always point out that we always like to get those cute little gifts for the little kids -- the stuffed animals, the little dolls, all the fun games.  But I always urge people to remember the older children, because these toys are going to families and there are kids from infants all the way into their teen years.  And we’re encouraging people to donate clothes, to get those fun games that you might think an average teen would get -- think of somebody 11 to 14.  Many of you have kids; you know what these kids are into.  Those are the kind of toys that oftentimes we’re short on, so I urge people to keep the age spread in mind as they go out and pick up gifts.

And once you do that, you can still go to toysfortots.org to donate or to find a drop-off location.  So there is still time.  There is still a huge demand.  So anybody out there who has an extra toy -- even wonderful, homemade gifts can be nice for some of these children.  So, again, it doesn't take much.

But there are families -- millions of families who are in need, millions of families who rely on this gift to make their holiday season special for their children, and there are so many of us who are blessed, who have the fortune, the good fortune to be doing well this holiday season.  And it’s up to us to dig deep and to make sure we take care of our neighbors out there who may be struggling.

So hopefully people will hear this message and they’ll go out and they’ll make this year’s drive the most successful ever.

I want to congratulate once again the Marines for their hard work.  I want to thank all the families once again for all that you do.  I hope you all get some rest, you get an opportunity to enjoy your holiday season.  We are so grateful and thankful to all of you.  God bless you all, and happy holidays. 

And now I get to do a little work.  I’m going to do some toy sorting.  I assume I will get some instructions on what I’m to do, but we’re going to get to work.  So, you all, thank you so much.  (Applause.)

END
1:19 P.M. EST

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 15, 2011

Remarks by the President on Minimum Wage and Overtime Protections for In-Home Care Workers

Eisenhower Executive Office Building

12:13 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, everybody.  As I said in Kansas last week, the defining issue of our time is whether we can build an economy where hard work pays off and responsibility is rewarded.  It’s whether this is going to be a country where working people can earn enough to raise a family and build a modest savings and own a home, secure their own retirement, look after their kids.  That’s the test of our time.

In some cases, building this kind of economy is going to require some action from Congress.  And right now, Congress needs to make sure that 160 million working Americans don’t see their taxes go up on January 1st.  None of the workers who’ve joined us here today can afford a $1,000 tax increase next year.  And it wouldn’t be good for the economy.  Every economist indicates that it’s important for us to extend the payroll tax cut and make sure that unemployment insurance is extended.  So this Congress cannot and should not leave for vacation until that -- until they have made sure that that tax increase doesn’t happen.  Let me repeat that:  Congress should not and cannot go on vacation before they have made sure that working families aren’t seeing their taxes go up by $1,000 and those who are out there looking for work don’t see their unemployment insurance expire.

There’s no reason why we shouldn’t be able to extend these items -- the payroll tax cut, UI -- before the holidays.  There’s no reason the government should shut down over this.  And I expect all of us to do what’s necessary in order to do the people’s business and make sure that it’s done before the end of the year.

Now, only Congress can prevent the payroll tax from going up next year.  But there are also some things that we can do without Congress to help make sure that hard work pays off.  And that’s why we’re here today. 

Right behind me here is my friend Pauline Beck.  One day, back in 2007, Pauline was my boss.  I was in California to take part in an event called “Walk a Day in My Shoes,” where you’d spend the day working the job of someone who was in the service industry.  And I was lucky enough to be paired up with Pauline, and I have tell you, it ended up being one of my favorite days of the entire campaign.

Pauline is a home health care worker.  When we met, she was getting up every day at 5:00 a.m. to go to work taking care of an 86-year-old amputee named “Mr. John.”  And each day, she’d dress Mr. John and help him into his wheelchair.  She’d make him breakfast.  She’d scrub his floors.  She’d clean his bathroom.  She was his connection to the outside world.  And when the workday was done, she would go home to take care of a grandnephew and two foster children who didn’t have families of their own.  Heroic work, and hard work.  That’s what Pauline was all about.

And one of the things I remember about Pauline was her patience.  She was patient with me even when I didn’t wring out the mop properly or didn’t shake out the sheets before putting them in the laundry bin.  But I also remember listening to her talk about the hardships in her life, and she did so without any self-pity.  She was glad to be working hard and she was glad to be helping someone.  All she wanted in return for a hard day’s work was enough to take care of those kids she was going home to, enough to save a little bit for retirement, maybe take a day off once in a while to rest her aching back. 

Each of the folks who are here today has a story like Pauline’s.  They represent nearly 1.8 million homecare workers across the country -- hardworking professionals, mostly women, who work around the clock so that folks who need help, including many of our family members, can live independently in their own home.  Right now, homecare is one of the fastest-growing industries in America, partly because we’re getting older as a society.  And as the baby boom generation heads into retirement, more and more Americans are going to need the services of these outstanding workers.

But here’s the thing:  As the homecare business has changed over the years, the law hasn’t changed to keep up.  So even though workers like Pauline do everything from bathing to cooking, they’re still lumped in the same category as teenage babysitters when it comes to how much they make.  That means employers are allowed to pay these workers less than minimum wage with no overtime.  That’s right -- you can wake up at 5:00 in the morning, care for somebody every minute of the day, take the late bus home at night, and still make less than the minimum wage.  And this means that many homecare workers are forced to rely on things like food stamps just to make ends meet.

That’s just wrong.  In this country, it’s unexcusable.  I can tell you firsthand that these men and women, they work their tails off, and they don’t complain.  They deserve to be treated fairly.  They deserve to be paid fairly for a service that many older Americans couldn’t live without.  And companies who do pay fair wages to these women shouldn’t be put at a disadvantage.

Four years ago, a homecare worker named Evelyn Coke took her case all the way up to the Supreme Court.  And Evelyn was working up to 70 hours a week with no overtime pay.  But the Court ruled against her, saying that to change the law would require action from Congress or the Department of Labor.  I’m sure many of you won’t be surprised to know that Congress hasn’t acted on this issue so far.

Today, I will.  Today, we’re guaranteeing homecare workers minimum wage and overtime pay protection.  And that’s thanks to the hard work of my Secretary of Labor, Hilda Solis.  We are going to make sure that over a million men and women in one of the fastest-growing professions in the country don’t slip through the cracks.  We’re going to make sure that companies who do right by their workers aren’t undercut by companies who don’t.  We’re going to do what’s fair, and we’re going to do what’s right.

Evelyn Coke didn’t live to see this day.  But the truth is, Americans like Evelyn and Pauline and the rest of the workers who are here today, they’re one of the reasons that I ran for President.  They work hard.  They play by the rules.  In exchange, they just want to see that their hard work and their responsibility is rewarded.  It’s that simple.  Americans all deserve a fair shake and a fair shot.  And as long as I have the honor of serving as President, I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure that those very modest expectations are fulfilled.  I’m going to make sure that they are treated right.  I’m going to make sure that every American is treated fairly.

Thanks very much, everybody.  Thank you. 

END
12:20 P.M. EST

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 14, 2011

Remarks by the President and First Lady on the End of the War in Iraq

Fort Bragg, North Carolina

11:52 A.M. EST

MRS. OBAMA:  Hello, everyone!  I get to start you all off.  I want to begin by thanking General Anderson for that introduction, but more importantly for his leadership here at Fort Bragg.  I can’t tell you what a pleasure and an honor it is to be back here.  I have so many wonderful memories of this place. 

A couple of years ago, I came here on my very first official trip as First Lady.  And I spent some -- a great time with some of the amazing military spouses, and I visited again this summer to help to put on the finishing touches on an amazing new home for a veteran and her family.  So when I heard that I had the opportunity to come back and to be a part of welcoming you all home, to say I was excited was an understatement. 

And I have to tell you that when I look out at this crowd, I am simply overwhelmed.  I am overwhelmed and proud, because I know the level of strength and commitment that you all display every single day.  Whenever this country calls, you all are the ones who answer, no matter the circumstance, no matter the danger, no matter the sacrifice. 

And I know that you do this not just as soldiers, not just as patriots, but as fathers and mothers, as brothers and sisters, as sons and daughters.  And I know that while your children and your spouses and your parents and siblings might not wear uniforms, they serve right alongside you. 

AUDIENCE:  Hooah!  (Applause.)

MRS. OBAMA:  I know that your sacrifice is their sacrifice, too.  So when I think of all that you do and all that your families do, I am so proud and so grateful.  But more importantly, I’m inspired.  But like so many Americans, I never feel like I can fully convey just how thankful I am, because words just don’t seem to be enough. 

And that’s why I have been working so hard, along with Jill Biden, on a campaign that we call Joining Forces.  It’s a campaign that we hope goes beyond words.  It’s a campaign that is about action.  It’s about rallying all Americans to give you the honor, the appreciation and the support that you have all earned.  And I don’t have to tell you that this hasn’t been a difficult campaign.  We haven’t had to do much convincing because American have been lining up to show their appreciation for you and your families in very concrete and meaningful ways. 

Businesses are hiring tens of thousands of veterans and military spouses.  Schools all across the country and PTAs are reaching out to our military children.  And individuals are serving their neighbors and their communities all over this country in your honor.

So I want you to know that this nation’s support doesn’t end as this war ends.  Not by a long shot.  We’re going to keep on doing this.  We have so much more work to do.  We’re going to keep finding new ways to serve all of you as well as you have served us.  And the man leading the way is standing right here.  (Applause.)  He is fighting for you and your families every single day.  He’s helped more than half a million veterans and military family members go to college through the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill.  (Applause.)

He’s taken unprecedented steps to improve mental health care.  He’s cut taxes for businesses that hire a veteran or a wounded warrior.  And he has kept his promise to responsibly bring you home from Iraq. 

So please join me in welcoming someone who’s your strongest advocate, someone who shows his support for our military not only in words, but in deeds, my husband, our President, and your Commander-in-Chief, Barack Obama.  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, everybody!  (Applause.)  Hello, Fort Bragg!  All the way!

AUDIENCE:  Airborne!

THE PRESIDENT:  Now, I’m sure you realize why I don’t like following Michelle Obama.  (Laughter.)  She’s pretty good.  And it is true, I am a little biased, but let me just say it:  Michelle, you are a remarkable First Lady.  You are a great advocate for military families.  (Applause.)  And you’re cute.  (Applause.)  I’m just saying -- gentlemen, that’s your goal:  to marry up.  (Laughter.)  Punch above your weight. 

Fort Bragg, we’re here to mark a historic moment in the life of our country and our military.  For nearly nine years, our nation has been at war in Iraq.  And you -- the incredible men and women of Fort Bragg -- have been there every step of the way, serving with honor, sacrificing greatly, from the first waves of the invasion to some of the last troops to come home.  So, as your Commander-in-Chief, and on behalf of a grateful nation, I’m proud to finally say these two words, and I know your families agree:  Welcome home!  (Applause.)  Welcome home.  Welcome home.  (Applause.)  Welcome home.

It is great to be here at Fort Bragg -- home of the Airborne and Special Operations Forces.  I want to thank General Anderson and all your outstanding leaders for welcoming us here today, including General Dave Rodriguez, General John Mulholland.  And I want to give a shout-out to your outstanding senior enlisted leaders, including Command Sergeant Major Roger Howard, Darrin Bohn, Parry Baer.  And give a big round of applause to the Ground Forces Band.  (Applause.)

We’ve got a lot of folks in the house today.  We’ve got the 18th Airborne Corps -- the Sky Dragons.  (Applause.)  We’ve got the legendary, All-American 82nd Airborne Division.  (Applause.)  We’ve got America’s quiet professionals -- our Special Operations Forces.  (Applause.)  From Pope Field, we’ve got Air Force.  (Applause.)  And I do believe we’ve got some Navy and Marine Corps here, too. 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Yes!  (Laughter.)  

THE PRESIDENT:  And though they’re not here with us today, we send our thoughts and prayers to General Helmick, Sergeant Major Rice and all the folks from the 18th Airborne and Bragg who are bringing our troops back from Iraq.  (Applause.)  We honor everyone from the 82nd Airborne and Bragg serving and succeeding in Afghanistan, and General Votel and those serving around the world.  

And let me just say, one of the most humbling moments I’ve had as President was when I presented our nation’s highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, to the parents of one of those patriots from Fort Bragg who gave his life in Afghanistan -- Staff Sergeant Robert Miller.

I want to salute Ginny Rodriguez, Miriam Mulholland, Linda Anderson, Melissa Helmick, Michelle Votel and all the inspiring military families here today.  We honor your service as well.  (Applause.)

And finally, I want to acknowledge your neighbors and friends who help keep your -- this outstanding operation going, all who help to keep you Army Strong, and that includes Representatives Mike McIntyre, and Dave Price, and Heath Shuler, and Governor Bev Perdue.  I know Bev is so proud to have done so much for our military families.  So give them a big round of applause.  (Applause.)

Today, I’ve come to speak to you about the end of the war in Iraq.  Over the last few months, the final work of leaving Iraq has been done.  Dozens of bases with American names that housed thousands of American troops have been closed down or turned over to the Iraqis.  Thousands of tons of equipment have been packed up and shipped out.  Tomorrow, the colors of United States Forces-Iraq -- the colors you fought under -- will be formally cased in a ceremony in Baghdad.  Then they’ll begin their journey across an ocean, back home.

Over the last three years, nearly 150,000 U.S. troops have left Iraq.  And over the next few days, a small group of American soldiers will begin the final march out of that country.  Some of them are on their way back to Fort Bragg.  As General Helmick said, “They know that the last tactical road march out of Iraq will be a symbol, and they’re going to be a part of history.”

As your Commander-in-Chief, I can tell you that it will indeed be a part of history.  Those last American troops will move south on desert sands, and then they will cross the border out of Iraq with their heads held high.  One of the most extraordinary chapters in the history of the American military will come to an end.  Iraq’s future will be in the hands of its people.  America’s war in Iraq will be over.

AUDIENCE:  Hooah!

THE PRESIDENT:  Now, we knew this day would come.  We’ve known it for some time.  But still, there is something profound about the end of a war that has lasted so long.

Now, nine years ago, American troops were preparing to deploy to the Persian Gulf and the possibility that they would be sent to war.  Many of you were in grade school.  I was a state senator.  Many of the leaders now governing Iraq -- including the Prime Minister -- were living in exile.  And since then, our efforts in Iraq have taken many twists and turns.  It was a source of great controversy here at home, with patriots on both sides of the debate.  But there was one constant -- there was one constant:  your patriotism, your commitment to fulfill your mission, your abiding commitment to one another.  That was constant.  That did not change.  That did not waiver.

It’s harder to end a war than begin one.  Indeed, everything that American troops have done in Iraq -– all the fighting and all the dying, the bleeding and the building, and the training and the partnering -– all of it has led to this moment of success.  Now, Iraq is not a perfect place.  It has many challenges ahead.  But we’re leaving behind a sovereign, stable and self-reliant Iraq, with a representative government that was elected by its people.  We’re building a new partnership between our nations.  And we are ending a war not with a final battle, but with a final march toward home.

This is an extraordinary achievement, nearly nine years in the making.  And today, we remember everything that you did to make it possible.

We remember the early days -– the American units that streaked across the sands and skies of Iraq; the battles from Karbala to Baghdad, American troops breaking the back of a brutal dictator in less than a month.

We remember the grind of the insurgency -– the roadside bombs, the sniper fire, the suicide attacks.  From the “triangle of death” to the fight for Ramadi; from Mosul in the north to Basra in the south -– your will proved stronger than the terror of those who tried to break it.

We remember the specter of sectarian violence -– al Qaeda’s attacks on mosques and pilgrims, militias that carried out campaigns of intimidation and campaigns of assassination.  And in the face of ancient divisions, you stood firm to help those Iraqis who put their faith in the future.

We remember the surge and we remember the Awakening -– when the abyss of chaos turned toward the promise of reconciliation.  By battling and building block by block in Baghdad, by bringing tribes into the fold and partnering with the Iraqi army and police, you helped turn the tide toward peace.

And we remember the end of our combat mission and the emergence of a new dawn -– the precision of our efforts against al Qaeda in Iraq, the professionalism of the training of Iraqi security forces, and the steady drawdown of our forces.  In handing over responsibility to the Iraqis, you preserved the gains of the last four years and made this day possible.

Just last month, some of you -- members of the Falcon Brigade --

AUDIENCE:  Hooah!

THE PRESIDENT:  -- turned over the Anbar Operations Center to the Iraqis in the type of ceremony that has become commonplace over these last several months.  In an area that was once the heart of the insurgency, a combination of fighting and training, politics and partnership brought the promise of peace.  And here’s what the local Iraqi deputy governor said:  “This is all because of the U.S. forces’ hard work and sacrifice.”

That’s in the words of an Iraqi.  Hard work and sacrifice.  Those words only begin to describe the costs of this war and the courage of the men and women who fought it.

We know too well the heavy cost of this war.  More than 1.5 million Americans have served in Iraq -- 1.5 million.  Over 30,000 Americans have been wounded, and those are only the wounds that show.  Nearly 4,500 Americans made the ultimate sacrifice -- including 202 fallen heroes from here at Fort Bragg -- 202.  So today, we pause to say a prayer for all those families who have lost their loved ones, for they are part of our broader American family.  We grieve with them.

We also know that these numbers don’t tell the full story of the Iraq war -– not even close.  Our civilians have represented our country with skill and bravery.  Our troops have served tour after tour of duty, with precious little dwell time in between.  Our Guard and Reserve units stepped up with unprecedented service.  You’ve endured dangerous foot patrols and you’ve endured the pain of seeing your friends and comrades fall.  You’ve had to be more than soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen –- you’ve also had to be diplomats and development workers and trainers and peacemakers.  Through all this, you have shown why the United States military is the finest fighting force in the history of the world. 

AUDIENCE:  Hooah!  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  As Michelle mentioned, we also know that the burden of war is borne by your families.  In countless base communities like Bragg, folks have come together in the absence of a loved one.  As the Mayor of Fayetteville put it, “War is not a political word here.  War is where our friends and neighbors go.”  So there have been missed birthday parties and graduations.  There are bills to pay and jobs that have to be juggled while picking up the kids.  For every soldier that goes on patrol, there are the husbands and the wives, the mothers, the fathers, the sons, the daughters praying that they come back.

So today, as we mark the end of the war, let us acknowledge, let us give a heartfelt round of applause for every military family that has carried that load over the last nine years.  You too have the thanks of a grateful nation.  (Applause.)  

Part of ending a war responsibly is standing by those who fought it.  It’s not enough to honor you with words.  Words are cheap.  We must do it with deeds.  You stood up for America; America needs to stand up for you.

AUDIENCE:  Hooah!

THE PRESIDENT:  That’s why, as your Commander-in Chief, I am committed to making sure that you get the care and the benefits and the opportunities that you’ve earned. For those of you who remain in uniform, we will do whatever it takes to ensure the health of our force –- including your families.  We will keep faith with you. 

We will help our wounded warriors heal, and we will stand by those who’ve suffered the unseen wounds of war.  And make no mistake -- as we go forward as a nation, we are going to keep America’s armed forces the strongest fighting force the world has ever seen.  That will not stop.

AUDIENCE:  Hooah!  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  That will not stop.  But our commitment doesn’t end when you take off the uniform.  You’re the finest that our nation has to offer.  And after years of rebuilding Iraq, we want to enlist our veterans in the work of rebuilding America.  That’s why we’re committed to doing everything we can to extend more opportunities to those who have served.

That includes the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, so that you and your families can get the education that allows you to live out your dreams.  That includes a national effort to put our veterans to work.  We’ve worked with Congress to pass a tax credit so that companies have the incentive to hire vets.  And Michelle has worked with the private sector to get commitments to create 100,000 jobs for those who’ve served. 

AUDIENCE:  Hooah!

THE PRESIDENT:  And by the way, we’re doing this not just because it’s the right thing to do by you –- we’re doing it because it’s the right thing to do for America.  Folks like my grandfather came back from World War II to form the backbone of this country’s middle class.  For our post-9/11 veterans -– with your skill, with your discipline, with your leadership, I am confident that the story of your service to America is just beginning.

But there’s something else that we owe you.  As Americans, we have a responsibility to learn from your service.  I’m thinking of an example -- Lieutenant Alvin Shell, who was based here at Fort Bragg.  A few years ago, on a supply route outside Baghdad, he and his team were engulfed by flames from an RPG attack.  Covered with gasoline, he ran into the fire to help his fellow soldiers, and then led them two miles back to Camp Victory where he finally collapsed, covered with burns.  When they told him he was a hero, Alvin disagreed.  “I’m not a hero,” he said.  “A hero is a sandwich. “  (Laughter.)  “I’m a paratrooper.”

AUDIENCE:  Hooah!

THE PRESIDENT:  We could do well to learn from Alvin.  This country needs to learn from you.  Folks in Washington need to learn from you.

AUDIENCE:  Hooah!

THE PRESIDENT:  Policymakers and historians will continue to analyze the strategic lessons of Iraq -- that’s important to do.  Our commanders will incorporate the hard-won lessons into future military campaigns -- that’s important to do.  But the most important lesson that we can take from you is not about military strategy –- it’s a lesson about our national character.

For all of the challenges that our nation faces, you remind us that there’s nothing we Americans can’t do when we stick together. 

AUDIENCE:  Hooah!

THE PRESIDENT:  For all the disagreements that we face, you remind us there’s something bigger than our differences, something that makes us one nation and one people regardless of color, regardless of creed, regardless of what part of the country we come from, regardless of what backgrounds we come out of.  You remind us we’re one nation.

And that’s why the United States military is the most respected institution in our land because you never forget that.  You can’t afford to forget it.  If you forget it, somebody dies.  If you forget it, a mission fails.  So you don’t forget it.  You have each other’s backs.  That’s why you, the 9/11 Generation, has earned your place in history.

Because of you -- because you sacrificed so much for a people that you had never met, Iraqis have a chance to forge their own destiny.  That’s part of what makes us special as Americans.  Unlike the old empires, we don’t make these sacrifices for territory or for resources.  We do it because it’s right.  There can be no fuller expression of America’s support for self-determination than our leaving Iraq to its people.  That says something about who we are.

Because of you, in Afghanistan we’ve broken the momentum of the Taliban.  Because of you, we’ve begun a transition to the Afghans that will allow us to bring our troops home from there.  And around the globe, as we draw down in Iraq, we have gone after al Qaeda so that terrorists who threaten America will have no safe haven, and Osama bin Laden will never again walk the face of this Earth.  

AUDIENCE:  Hooah!  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  So here’s what I want you to know, and here’s what I want all our men and women in uniform to know:  Because of you, we are ending these wars in a way that will make America stronger and the world more secure.  Because of you. 

That success was never guaranteed.  And let us never forget the source of American leadership:  our commitment to the values that are written into our founding documents, and a unique willingness among nations to pay a great price for the progress of human freedom and dignity.  This is who we are.  That’s what we do as Americans, together.

The war in Iraq will soon belong to history.  Your service belongs to the ages.  Never forget that you are part of an unbroken line of heroes spanning two centuries –- from the colonists who overthrew an empire, to your grandparents and parents who faced down fascism and communism, to you –- men and women who fought for the same principles in Fallujah and Kandahar, and delivered justice to those who attacked us on 9/11.

Looking back on the war that saved our union, a great American, Oliver Wendell Holmes, once paid tribute to those who served.  “In our youth,” he said, “our hearts were touched with fire.  It was given to us to learn at the outset that life is a profound and passionate thing.”

All of you here today have lived through the fires of war.  You will be remembered for it.  You will be honored for it -- always.  You have done something profound with your lives.  When this nation went to war, you signed up to serve.  When times were tough, you kept fighting.  When there was no end in sight, you found light in the darkness.

And years from now, your legacy will endure in the names of your fallen comrades etched on headstones at Arlington, and the quiet memorials across our country; in the whispered words of admiration as you march in parades, and in the freedom of our children and our grandchildren.  And in the quiet of night, you will recall that your heart was once touched by fire.  You will know that you answered when your country called; you served a cause greater than yourselves; you helped forge a just and lasting peace with Iraq, and among all nations.

I could not be prouder of you, and America could not be prouder of you.

God bless you all, God bless your families, and God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)

END
12:26 P.M. EST

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 13, 2011

Remarks by the President at a Campaign Event

Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill
Washington, D.C.
 

12:05 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, everybody!  (Applause.)  Hello, hello, hello!  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Love you guys.  Thank you so much.  (Applause.)  All right, everybody have a seat.  I don't want to milk this too much here.  (Laughter.)

To Matthew, thank you for your extraordinary leadership.  We could not be prouder of you.  And for you to have made all the life-changing sacrifices to take on this job -- it's something that I couldn't be prouder of.  So please give Matthew a big round of applause.  He's working hard.  (Applause.)

Jane Stetson, Andy Tobias -- they are doing remarkable work for the DNC.  And our outstanding chairwoman of the DNC, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, is in the house.  Give her a big round of applause as well.  (Applause.)

I don't want to give a long speech.  I want to save most of my time for questions and discussion with all of you.  I've got two simple messages.  Number one, thank you.  I look around the room -- everybody here has gone above and beyond the call of duty, not just for the last few months but for several years now. I'm reminded of what my friend, Ab Mikva said about being friends with a politician; it's like having a perpetual child in college. (Laughter.)  It just never stops.  (Laughter.)  But all of you have just done incredible work with great cheer and great determination.  And I'm thankful for it.

Which brings me to the second point.  The reason you do it, I'd like to think, is a little bit because you like me and you think I'm a pretty good guy.  (Laughter.)  I definitely know that part of it is because you love Michelle and think she's one of the best First Ladies we've ever had.  (Applause.)  But the main reason you do it is because you know what's at stake.

Back in 2008, we used to talk about this being a historic moment for America, that we were at a crossroads in our history. Well, we haven't fully crossed the road, and in some ways, 2012 is even more important than it was four years ago.  The choices could not be starker.  The vision about where we want to take the country could not be more different.

I gave a speech in Kansas last week where I talked about -- (applause) -- where we need to go as a country; a country that's based on everybody having a fair shot, a country that depends on everybody doing their fair share, a country where fair play applies across the board.  And I talked about how, for decade, now, people have felt that the basic compact that if you worked hard, you acted responsibly, you looked after your family, that you would be able to be in the middle class, stay in the middle class, get into the middle class, that your kids would have a better life than you did, that you'd have some semblance of security -- that that compact had eroded. 

And it hadn’t happened overnight, it wasn’t going to be solved overnight, but there were going to be some critical things that we had to do to make sure that compact was restored:  Making investments in education so our kids are better prepared than anybody in the world.  Making sure that we've got the best infrastructure to move products and services, and our businesses can thrive.  Making sure that we're investing in science and basic research.  Making sure that the rules of the road apply to everybody; so we're not building a bubble economy but we're building an economy based on making stuff and exporting it around the world -- stamped with the words, Made in America.  And most fundamentally, understanding that we're all in this together -- it's not a few of us doing well and then the rest of us hoping that we get lucky, but rather, everybody, as a team, moving this country forward.

And that vision, in contrast to a vision that basically says you are on your own, is what this election was about in 2008; it's what this election is going to be about in 2012.  I am confident that the vision that we believe in so deeply and that we've worked so hard for is the vision that is truest to our history and most representative of the core decency of the American people. 

But we're going to have to fight for it.  It's not a slam-dunk.  We're going to have to deliver this message effectively all across the country.  And at a time when people have been battered by the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression and the worst economic crisis since the 1930s, it's understandable if people aren’t feeling as chipper as they were back in 2008.  There's going to be some skepticism.  There's going to be some pushback. 

All of the things that we've done over the last three years -- to rescue the economy and rescue the auto industry, and end the war in Iraq and end "don't ask, don't tell," and make sure that health care is in place, and financial reform brings back some integrity to the financial sector -- all those things don't mean that much to somebody if they're still out of work right now, or their house is still underwater by $100,000.

So, yeah, this is going to be tough.  But I just want to remind all of you that you didn’t decide to support Barack Hussein Obama because it was going to be easy.  There were always easier choices to make, just as there would have been easier political choices for me to make.  We took a flyer on this thing because we believe passionately in an America in which everybody is getting ahead.

That's worth fighting for.  And here's my message to you.  If you guys stick with this, if you don't falter, if you stay steady, we are going to win this thing.  (Applause.)  We are going to win this thing, and America is going to win as a consequence.  (Applause.)

All right?  Thank you, everybody.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

END   
12:15 P.M. EST

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
December 12, 2011

Remarks by the First Lady at Children's National Medical Center

Washington, D.C.

2:53 P.M. EST

        DR. NEWMAN:  Now, I'm Kurt Newman.  I'm the President and CEO here.  And we're just thrilled to have Mrs. Obama with us.  We just had a wonderful tour to see a lot of the babies up in the neonatal intensive care nursery and on the intestinal rehab unit, and we talked to lots of doctors, nurses, patients.  So we're thrilled to have her here today, with Santa Claus and Bo, to read a story about Christmas.

        MRS. OBAMA:  All right, we ready?  Can everybody hear me?

        AUDIENCE:  Yes.

        MRS. OBAMA:  Well, first of all, how's everybody doing?  

        AUDIENCE:  Good.

        MRS. OBAMA:  Yeah?  Is it exciting?  Christmas is coming.  How many people have done their letters to Santa?  You got to get on it, you got to get on it.  (Laughter.)  You got to get your letters done.

        All right, I'm going to read "'Twas the Night Before Christmas".  How many people have heard that?  Good, good.  So you can help out, where possible, okay?  And I'll try to show some of the pictures as well.  I had the honor of reading this with guess who?  Kermit the Frog.  Me and Kermit, reading it -- it was very exciting.  

        Hey -- hey, you, little one -- (laughter) -- what's going on?  What are you talking -- are you scaring her?  All right, you guys good?  All right.

        Okay, we're going to read.  Okay, folks, sit, sit.  Are you ready?  Okay.

        (Begins reading.)

        All right, this is the night before Christmas -- it's, like, Christmas Eve.  Santa is coming; a lot of excitement.

        (Continues reading.)

        What do you think he was looking for?

        AUDIENCE:  Santa.

        MRS. OBAMA:  Well, let's see.  You think it was -- what was going on, Santa?  We'll see, we'll see.  All right.

        (Continues reading.)

        Do we know their names?  Do you want to say them with me, if we can?

        Now, Dasher!  Now, Dancer!  Now, Prancer and Vixen!  On, Comet!  On, Cupid!  On, Donner and Blitzen!  To the top of the porch!  To the top of the the wall!  Now dash away, dash away, dash away, all!

        CHILD:  Santa!  That looks like you!

        MRS. OBAMA:  It does look like you.

        SANTA:  Thank you.  (Laughter.)

        MRS. OBAMA:  Yeah, good one, goon one.  Now, which reindeer is missing?

        AUDIENCE:  Rudolph.

        MRS. OBAMA:  That's right, where is Rudolph in this story?

        SANTA:  He comes later.

        MRS. OBAMA:  He's later?  Later?

        (Continues reading.)
        He's coming!  He's coming into your house -- (laughter) -- with stuff.  How exciting!  What does he have?

        (Continues reading.)

        Way to go, Santa.  (Laughter.)  He cleaned up for you guys.  He got rid of the soot.

        (Continues reading.)

        SANTA:  Ho, ho, ho!

        MRS. OBAMA:  Like a bowl full of jelly.  (Laughter.)

        Way to go.  Way to be on cue, Santa.  (Laughter.)

        SANTA:  Ho, ho, ho!

        MRS. OBAMA:  (Continues reading.)

        He's busy, putting stuff under the tree.  It's coming.  Christmas is coming!  It's so exciting!  Oh, my goodness.

        (Continues reading.)

        He's got to go to a lot of houses.  How do you do it?  (Laughter.)  

        SANTA:  -- secrets.

        MRS. OBAMA:  It’s a miracle.  No secrets.

        He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle.  And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.  But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight:  Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

        AUDIENCE:  A good night.

        MRS. OBAMA:  Yay!  (Applause.)  

        That’s a good Christmas song.  Okay, so we have time for some questions, my favorite part of this experience.  Because the questions are very interesting.

        HOSPITAL STAFF PERSON:  Boys and girls, do you have some questions for the First Lady?

        MRS. OBAMA:  We’ve got -- I see one little red, beautiful red dress.  You feel like telling me your name?  

        AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Ellington.

        MRS. OBAMA:  Ellington.  Ooh, beautiful name.  What’s your name?

        AUDIENCE MEMBER:  My name is Addison.

        MRS. OBAMA:  Addison and Ellington.  will you speak for the both of you?  Thank you.

        AUDIENCE MEMBER:  What does your family do on Christmas Eve?

        MRS. OBAMA:  What does my family do on Christmas Eve?  Well, we have a tradition.  My husband grew up in Hawaii, right?  That’s where his family is And that’s hometown for us.  And we’ve gone there every year for 20 years.  So every year, we go to Hawaii.  And by the time Christmas Eve comes around, we put out the cookies for Santa.  We usually have a fun Christmas Eve dinner, and all the kids get around -- they’re playing, they’re really excited, and they don’t go to bed right away because they’re too excited, and then we have to make them go to bed.  It’s a big hassle.  And then we wait for Santa.  It’s pretty simple.

        What do you guys do on Christmas Eve?  What are you going to do on Christmas Eve?

        Q    On Christmas Eve, we light the tree and --

        MRS. OBAMA:  Wait for Santa.

        Q    We light the tree, we eat dinner --

        MRS. OBAMA:  Eat dinner.

        Q    -- we go to bed.  Most of the time my sisters and I are always awake until around 10, just waiting.

        MRS. OBAMA:  Just waiting, can’t sleep.  The anticipation.

        Q    And most of the time we see my dad going down the hallway.  (Laughter.)  

        MRS. OBAMA:  Thanks, Ellington.  And Addision.  Thanks for the question.

        Any other questions?  We’ve got people with mics.  Oh, here we go.  Here’s one over here.  What’s your name, sweetie?

        Q    Alex.

        MRS. OBAMA:  Alex.  Hey, Alex.  What’s happening?

        Q    What does your family like to eat on Christmas?

        MRS. OBAMA:  What do we like to eat on Christmas?  Sometimes we have turkey, sometimes we have steak.  The girls love --

        Q    Ew!

        MRS. OBAMA:  Ew?  (Laughter.)  

        Q    Steak?

        MRS. OBAMA:  Steak.

        Q    Ew!

        MRS. OBAMA:  You don’t like steak?  

        Q    We don’t eat any --

        MRS. OBAMA:  Well, we only have steak.  (Laughter.)  And we -- and our girls love macaroni and cheese.

        Q    Oh, me, too.

        MRS. OBAMA:  Yes, that’s big on the menu.  Got to have a little macaroni and cheese.  But we have lots of vegetables.  

        Q    So do we.

        MRS. OBAMA:  What kind of vegetables?  String beans?  We have string beans.  

        Q    Carrots.

        MRS. OBAMA:  Carrots.  Carrots are good.  What other good vegetables?

        Q    Broccoli.

        MRS. OBAMA:  Broccoli, that’s our favorite.  We have a lot of broccoli.  What about you, Addison?

        Q    -- salad.

        MRS. OBAMA:  Salad.  So we have lots of vegetables that go with our food.

        Q    And spinach.

        MRS. OBAMA:  And spinach!  All right, so you know, with your dinner, having a little meat and having some vegetables, be a good thing.  We do it at our house, okay?  And then we have dessert.  And we have pie.  Lots of pie.  The President loves pie.  (Laughter.)  All kinds of pie.  Okay?

        Q    Do you like pie?

        MRS. OBAMA:  What?

        Q    Blueberry pie?

        MRS. OBAMA:  Blueberry pie.  What other kind of pies?

        Q    All of them.

        MRS. OBAMA:  What?

        Q    All of them.

        MRS. OBAMA:  All of them -- all of the pies.  

        MODERATOR:  All right, Mrs. Obama, we have one over here for you.  Right over here.

        MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, okay.

        Q    What is your favorite Christmas movie?

        MRS. OBAMA:  What’s my favorite Christmas movie?  Oh, “It’s a Wonderful Life.”  Yes, that's my -- well, yes, that's considered a Christmas movie.  “It’s a Wonderful Life” -- have you seen that movie?

        Q    No.

        MRS. OBAMA:  It’s an old black-and-white movie -- yes, I know.  It’s just -- (laughter.)  All right, so that's the old people’s movie.  Let me think of a current move that you’d be familiar with.  What’s a good Christmas movie?

        Q    “The Polar Express?”

        MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, I love -- well, that's not a movie.  I love “Charlie Brown Christmas,” but that's not a movie.  But my favorite holiday movie of all time is “It’s a Wonderful Life,” and you should get it because it’s about a man who thinks he’s not useful in the world.  And he’s got this beautiful family, and something happens and he wishes that he weren’t there, and a little angel comes down and grants his wish, and he sees what would happen in the world if he wasn’t there.  And even though he doesn't think his life is significant, he sees that the whole town falls apart.  And then he wakes up and realizes that he’s got “A Wonderful Life.”  My favorite story.  (Laughter.)  It’s very sad.

        HOSPITAL STAFF PERSON:  Okay, we have another question.  

        MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, I’m sorry.  I was getting into that a little too much.  Where is the other question?  Okay, what’s your name?

        Q    Ebony.

        MRS. OBAMA:  Ebony.  Hi.  I’m sorry.  I shouldn’t sing.  If my kids were here, they’d be embarrassed.  But they're not so don't tell them.  (Laughter.)

        Q    What is your favorite Christmas story?

        MRS. OBAMA:  My favorite Christmas story?  I like “Twas the Night Before Christmas.”  That's a good one.  I always read that one.  That's one of my favorites.  

        Yes.  All right, any other questions?  Who do we have?  All right.  Right here.  What’s your name?

        Q    Dionne.

        MRS. OBAMA:  Dale?

        Q    Dionne.

        MRS. OBAMA:  Dionne.

        Q    What do you personally give the President for Christmas?

        MRS. OBAMA:  What -- say that again?

        Q    What do you give the President for Christmas?

        MRS. OBAMA:  For Christmas?  Well, again, we go through this every year.  I’m not going to say because it’s going to be reported in the paper and it won’t be a surprise.  (Laughter.)  Because he will read it.  And he’ll say, Oh, that's what you’re getting me.  So you know I try to get him stuff that he likes to do, sports stuff, clothes.  But the truth is, we generally -- we always say we’re not going to give each other gifts because the gift is the love that we have for each other.  Yes, that's a good thing.  (Applause.)  But then he usually gets me something.  And them I’m like, we weren’t supposed to get each other stuff. so I got him something but I’m not going to say.  All right?  That make sense?  Last year one of the kids suggested that I get him a hot tub.  (Laughter.)  Remember that?  We didn't get him a hot tub.  (Laughter.)  

        All right, young lady.  

        Q    What did you ask Santa for this year?

        MRS. OBAMA:  What did I ask Santa for this year?  I haven’t done my ask FOR Santa.  

        Q    You got to get on that!

        MRS. OBAMA:  I got to get on it.  (Laughter.)  It’s true.  But what I really, really want is for all kids to grow up with the chance to be healthy and happy, and to live a good life, and to get a good education, and to grow up and be anything they want to be.  And if every child could have just that simple gift out of life, that would be a wonderful Christmas present for me.

        I try to do it for my girls, and I know there are some kids that don’t have the support and the love that they need, and I wish every kid had the same kind of support and love that I know many of you have, because you are fortunate enough to be here and be surrounded by people who care about you.  I just want that for all kids all over the world.  (Applause.)

        All right, we’ve got this young lady in the maroon turtleneck.  Yes, you had your hand up.  

        What’s your name?

        Q    Veronica.

        MRS. OBAMA:  Nice to see you.

        Q    Do you all have parties -- do you have like a Christmas party at the White House?

        MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, do we.  (Laughter.)  We have -- my staff is -- we open the house right -- the day after Thanksgiving the big tree comes, and volunteers come from all over the country and they decorate the White House.  And they decorate for about four days.  We’ve got tons of Christmas trees, beautiful decorations.  This year we’ve done a tree for Gold Star families, which are families who have lost a loved one who is serving in the military.  And the big tree is in dedication to Blue Star families, and those are families who have a loved one serving in the military.  

        So it was a very special time decorating, because a lot of these families came to help decorate.  Once they finish, we open up the house, and we’ll have over 85,000 people who will come through the White House.  and we have holiday parties.  We have almost two every day for two weeks.  So, yes, we have holiday parties.  And the President and I are at every holiday party, and we shake almost every hand or take a picture, and we usually do them twice a day.  So, yes, we have a few people that come over.

        Q    Thank you.

        MRS. OBAMA:  What’s your name?

        Q    Cameron.

        MRS. OBAMA:  Camera?

        Q    Cameron.

        MRS. OBAMA:  I’m like, Camera?  (Laughter.)  Cameron -- hey, Cameron.

        Q    I was just wondering, how does Santa know which chimney to go down?

        MRS. OBAMA:  Well, that’s -- would you like to handle that one, Santa?

        SANTA:    I always go for the biggest one.  The bigger --

        Q    The biggest?

        SANTA:  -- the easier is to get in there.

        Q    Oh, well, you’re pretty skinny around now, man.  (Laughter.)  

        SANTA:  Yes.  I still have a few more weeks to get --

        MRS. OBAMA:  He’s got time.

        SANTA:  I got time.

        MRS. OBAMA:  You can do a lot in a couple of weeks.  (Laughter.)

        HOSPITAL STAFF PERSON:  Great.  Well, thanks for those wonderful questions.

        MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, thank you, guys.

        HOSPITAL STAFF PERSON:  Mrs. Obama, on behalf of Children’s National, thank you for taking time out of your very busy schedule to be with us.  (Applause.)

        MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, my pleasure.  My pleasure.  (Applause.)

END 3:11 P.M. EST

The White House

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release
December 12, 2011

Remarks of Dr. Jill Biden at the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence Awards, As Prepared for Delivery

National Press Club, Washington, D.C.

Good afternoon, everyone.  Thank you, Angie, for your kind introduction.  I always say that I admire my students and you are a perfect example of some of the amazing people who not only choose community college, but excel there. 

First of all:  Congratulations to all the Aspen Prize finalists!  Today is a celebration of all of you and of the important role your schools play in our country. 

On behalf of everyone who believes in the promise of education to change lives, thank you for what you do.

I would like to thank Secretary Duncan for his leadership and my friend Martha Kanter for all her work.  We couldn’t have stronger community college advocates in the Department of Education than Arne and Martha.  It was just over a year ago that we gathered at the first-ever White House Summit on Community Colleges to share ideas about improving student outcomes. 

That summit showed what we all already knew:  that community colleges are the best kept secret in America. That morning, we announced the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. Each of us in this room – students, educators, administrators, experts – knows that excellence happens every day in community college classrooms and campuses across this country.  Student by student….classroom by classroom…paper by paper…you educate…you inspire…you change lives.

The Aspen Prize gives us an opportunity to celebrate community college excellence on a grand scale.  So, thank you to the Aspen Institute, the supporters, and the many people who worked so hard to get to this day.  You have helped these institutions get the recognition they deserve.As I said in October, the summit was an important step in our efforts to meet the President’s goal of having the best-educated, most competitive workforce in the world.  But, I said then that we still had a lot of work to do. So much has been done since then.  On Summit Day, we announced Skills for America’s Future, an initiative to create industry-led partnerships with community colleges. 

Since then, Skills for America’s Future has partnered with companies and community colleges across the country to help students acquire important job skills.  Together, these partners are training hundreds of thousands of community college students for the jobs of today and tomorrow.

Immediately after the summit, the Aspen team began its rigorous process culminating in today’s announcement.  The work you have done has the potential to shape policy in the years to come. 

As a teacher, I am fortunate to be in the classroom every week and able to see firsthand the tremendous impact community colleges have on so many students. 

These schools represent an idea that is uniquely ours – if you work hard and get a good education, you can build a better life for you and your family.  And community colleges make that happen, every day. 

We see it in the moms who go back to school for more specific training … in the military veterans returning from service who come back to complete their degrees … and in the high school graduates who continue their education.

We see it in students like Angie – who never thought college was an option.  But, since she found a home at a community college, she hasn’t let anything stop her. 

She’s not just changing her own life, but she is giving back to her community–– serving in student government, tutoring other students, and pursuing her dream of becoming a teacher.

I know all the prize finalists represented here today are as inspired by their students as I am by mine. 

Congratulations to Valencia College – and to all the finalists – on this tremendous achievement.  Your commitment to your students is an inspiration to all of us.

Early next year, I look forward to touring a number of community colleges.  I will highlight more of the innovative job partnerships and student support programs that are really making a difference in peoples’ lives. We will keep our eyes on the important work of community college innovators across the country.

Because as we look to the future, something is becoming more and more clear:  community colleges aren’t just changing lives; they’re changing America.  Community colleges have taken their place alongside our great four-year universities in the battle to compete and win in the 21st century. 

So we need to be ready for this challenge. Because the future we want isn’t going to be built without us.  I look forward to continuing to work with all of you in the coming months. Thank you again for all of your hard work, and congratulations.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 12, 2011

Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister al-Maliki of Iraq in a Joint Press Conference

South Court Auditorium

12:24 P.M. EST

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Please have a seat.  Good afternoon, everyone.

When I took office, nearly 150,000 American troops were deployed in Iraq, and I pledged to end this war, responsibly.  Today, only several thousand troops remain there, and more are coming home every day. 

This is a season of homecomings, and military families across America are being reunited for the holidays.  In the coming days, the last American soldiers will cross the border out of Iraq, with honor and with their heads held high.  After nearly nine years, our war in Iraq ends this month.

Today, I’m proud to welcome Prime Minister Maliki -- the elected leader of a sovereign, self-reliant and democratic Iraq. We're here to mark the end of this war; to honor the sacrifices of all those who made this day possible; and to turn the page -- begin a new chapter in the history between our countries -- a normal relationship between sovereign nations, an equal partnership based on mutual interests and mutual respect. 

Iraq faces great challenges, but today reflects the impressive progress that Iraqis have made.  Millions have cast their ballots -- some risking or giving their lives -- to vote in free elections.  The Prime Minister leads Iraq’s most inclusive government yet.  Iraqis are working to build institutions that are efficient and independent and transparent.

Economically, Iraqis continue to invest in their infrastructure and development.  And I think it's worth considering some remarkable statistics.  In the coming years, it’s estimated that Iraq’s economy will grow even faster than China's or India's.  With oil production rising, Iraq is on track to once again be one of the region’s leading oil producers.

With respect to security, Iraqi forces have been in the lead for the better part of three years -- patrolling the streets, dismantling militias, conducting counterterrorism operations.  Today, despite continued attacks by those who seek to derail Iraq’s progress, violence remains at record lows. 

And, Mr. Prime Minister, that’s a tribute to your leadership and to the skill and the sacrifices of Iraqi forces.

Across the region, Iraq is forging new ties of trade and commerce with its neighbors, and Iraq is assuming its rightful place among the community of nations.  For the first time in two decades, Iraq is scheduled to host the next Arab League Summit, and what a powerful message that will send throughout the Arab world.  People throughout the region will see a new Iraq that’s determining its own destiny -- a country in which people from different religious sects and ethnicities can resolve their differences peacefully through the democratic process.

Mr. Prime Minister, as we end this war, and as Iraq faces its future, the Iraqi people must know that you will not stand alone.  You have a strong and enduring partner in The United States of America. 

And so today, the Prime Minister and I are reaffirming our common vision of a long-term partnership between our nations.  This is in keeping with our Strategic Framework Agreement, and it will be like the close relationships we have with other sovereign nations.  Simply put, we are building a comprehensive partnership. 

Mr. Prime Minister, you’ve said that Iraqis seek democracy, “a state of citizens and not sects.”  So we’re partnering to strengthen the institutions upon which Iraq’s democracy depends  -- free elections, a vibrant press, a strong civil society, professional police and law enforcement that uphold the rule of law, an independent judiciary that delivers justice fairly, and transparent institutions that serve all Iraqis. 

We’re partnering to expand our trade and commerce.  We’ll make it easier for our businesses to export and innovate together.  We’ll share our experiences in agriculture and in health care.  We’ll work together to develop Iraq’s energy sector even as the Iraqi economy diversifies, and we’ll deepen Iraq’s integration into the global economy.

We’re partnering to expand the ties between our citizens, especially our young people.  Through efforts like the Fulbright program, we’re welcoming more Iraqi students and future leaders to America to study and form friendships that will bind our nations together for generations to come.  And we’ll forge more collaborations in areas like science and technology. 

We’ll partner for our shared security.  Mr. Prime Minister, we discussed how the United States could help Iraq train and equip its forces -- not by stationing American troops there or with U.S. bases in Iraq -- those days are over -- but rather, the kind of training and assistance we offer to other countries.  Given the challenges we face together in a rapidly changing region, we also agreed to establish a new, formal channel of communication between our national security advisors.

And finally, we’re partnering for regional security.  For just as Iraq has pledged not to interfere in other nations, other nations must not interfere in Iraq.  Iraq’s sovereignty must be respected.  And meanwhile, there should be no doubt, the drawdown in Iraq has allowed us to refocus our resources, achieve progress in Afghanistan, put al Qaeda on the path to defeat, and to better prepare for the full range of challenges that lie ahead. 

So make no mistake, our strong presence in the Middle East endures, and the United States will never waver in defense of our allies, our partners, or our interests. 

This is the shared vision that Prime Minister Maliki and I reaffirm today -- an equal partnership, a broad relationship that advances the security, the prosperity and the aspirations of both our people. 

Mr. Prime Minister, you’ve said it yourself -- building a strong and “durable relationship between our two countries is vital.”  And I could not agree more.
  
So this is a historic moment.  A war is ending.  A new day is upon us.  And let us never forget those who gave us this chance -- the untold number of Iraqis who've given their lives; more than one million Americans, military and civilian, who have served in Iraq; nearly 4,500 fallen Americans who gave their last full measure of devotion; tens of thousands of wounded warriors, and so many inspiring military families.  They are the reason that we can stand here today.  And we owe it to every single one of them -- we have a moral obligation to all of them -- to build a future worthy of their sacrifice. 

Mr. Prime Minister.

PRIME MINISTER AL-MALIKI:  (As interpreted, and in progress) -- positive atmosphere that prevailed among us, and for the obligations, the common obligations, of ending the war, and the commitment to which the American forces will withdraw from Iraq, which is a withdrawal that affects -- that indicates success, and not like others have said that it was negative, but the goals that we established were achieved.

Iraq had a political process established, a democratic process, and adoption of the principles of elections and the transfer -- peaceful transfer of authority.  Iraq is following a policy, a foreign policy, which does not intervene in the affairs of others and does not allow the others to intervene in its own affairs.  Iraq is looking for common grounds with the others, and establishes its interest at the forefront and the interest of the others, which it is concerned about, like from any confusion.

Your Excellency, today we meet in Washington after we have completed the first page of a constructive cooperation in which we also thank you and appreciate you for your commitment to everything that you have committed yourself to.  And anyone who observes the nature of the relationship between the two countries will say that the relationship will not end with the departure of the last American soldier.  It only started when we signed in 2008, in addition to the withdrawal treaty, the Strategic Framework Agreement for the relationship between our two countries.

And because we have proven success in the first mission, a very unique success -- nobody imagined that we would succeed in defeating terrorism and the al Qaeda -- we must also establish the necessary steps in order to succeed in our second stage, which is the dual relationship under the Strategic Framework Agreement, in the economic sphere, as well as in educational and commercial and cultural and judicial and security cooperation fields.

Iraq now has become -- reliant completely on its own security apparatus and internal security as a result of the expertise that it gained during the confrontations and the training and the equipping.  But it remains in need of cooperation with the United States of America in security issues and information and combating terrorism, and in the area of training and the area of equipping, which is needed by the Iraqi army.  And we have started that.  And we want to complete the process of equipping the Iraqi army in order to protect our sovereignty, and does not violate the rights of anybody -- or do not take any missions that sovereignty of others. 

Today, the joint mission is to establish the mechanisms and the commitments that will expedite our -- we have reached an agreement, and we have held a meeting for the higher joint committee under the chairmanship of Mr. Biden, the Vice President, and myself in Baghdad, and we spoke about all the details that would put the framework agreement into implementation.

And here we talked about it and its activation.  And there will be other discussions and other meetings with the higher committee here in Washington in order to put the final touches regarding the necessary mechanisms for cooperation and achieving the common vision that we followed, which was based on our common wills and political independent decision, and the desire to respect the sovereignty of each other. 

And we feel that we need political cooperation as well, in addition to cooperating in the security and economic and commercial fields.  We need a political cooperation, particularly with regard to the matters that are common and are of concern for us as two parties that want to cooperate.

The common vision that we used as a point of departure we have confirmed today.  And I am very happy, every time we meet with the American side, I find determination and a strong will to activate the Strategic Framework Agreement.  And I will say, frankly, this is necessary and it serves the interests of Iraq, as it is necessary and serves the interests of the United States of America. 

This makes us feel that we will succeed with the same commitment, common commitment that we had in combating terrorism and accomplishing the missions, the basis of which Iraq was independent.  Iraq today has a lot of wealth and it needs experience and expertise, and American and foreign expertise to help Iraq exploiting its own wealth in an ideal way.  Iraq is still suffering from a shortage of resources, and we have established a strategy to increase the Iraqi wealth.  And we hope that the American companies will have the largest role in increasing our wealth in the area of oil and other aspects as well.

Iraq wants to rebuild all these sectors that were harmed because of the war and because of the adventurous policies that were used by the former regime, and we need a wide range of reform in the area of education.

We have succeeded in signing several agreements through the educational initiative, which put hundreds of our college graduates to continue their graduate studies and specialized subject in American universities.  And I am putting it before everyone who is watching the relationship between the U.S. and Iraq.  It is a very -- it has very high aspirations. 

And I would like to renew my thanks for His Excellency the President for giving me this opportunity, and I wish him more success, God willing.  Thank you very much.

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  We have time for a few questions.  I’m going to start with Ben Feller of AP.

Q    Thank you, Mr. President, and Mr. Prime Minister.  Mr. President, I have two questions for you on the region.  In Syria, you have called for President Assad to step down over the killing of his people, but Prime Minister Maliki has warned that Assad’s removal could lead to a civil war that could destabilize the whole region.  I’m wondering if you’re worried that Iraq could be succumbing to Iran’s influence on this matter and perhaps helping to protect Assad.

And speaking of Iran, are you concerned that it will be able to weaken America’s national security by discovering intelligence from the fallen drone that it captured?

Prime Minister Maliki, I’d like to ask you the question about Syria.  Why haven’t you demanded that Assad step down, given the slaughter of his people?

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  First of all, the Prime Minister and I discussed Syria, and we share the view that when the Syrian people are being killed or are unable to express themselves, that’s a problem.  There’s no disagreement there.

I have expressed my outrage in how the Syrian regime has been operating.  I do believe that President Assad missed an opportunity to reform his government, chose the path of repression, and has continued to engage in repressive tactics so that his credibility, his capacity to regain legitimacy inside Syria I think is deeply eroded.

It’s not an easy situation.  And I expressed to Prime Minister Maliki my recognition that given Syria is on Iraq’s borders, Iraq is in a tough neighborhood; that we will consult closely with them as we move forward. 

But we believe that international pressure, the approach we’ve taken along with partners around the world to impose tough sanctions and to call on Assad to step down, a position that is increasingly mirrored by the Arab League states, is the right position to take.

Even if there are tactical disagreements between Iraq and the United States at this point in how to deal with Syria, I have absolutely no doubt that these decisions are being made based on what Prime Minister Maliki believes is best for Iraq, not based on considerations of what Iran would like to see.

Prime Minister Maliki has been explicit here in the United States, he’s been explicit back in Iraq in his writings, in his commentary, that his interest is maintaining Iraqi sovereignty and preventing meddling by anybody inside of Iraq.  And I believe him.  And he has shown himself to be willing to make very tough decisions in the interest of Iraqi nationalism even if they cause problems with his neighbor.

And so we may have some different tactical views in terms of how best to transition to an inclusive, representative government inside of Syria, but every decision that I believe Prime Minister Maliki is making he is making on the basis of what he thinks is best for the Iraqi people.  And everything that we’ve seen in our interactions with Prime Minister Maliki and his government over the last several years would confirm that.

With respect to the drone inside of Iran, I’m not going to comment on intelligence matters that are classified.  As has already been indicated, we have asked for it back.  We’ll see how the Iranians respond.

PRIME MINISTER AL-MALIKI:  (As interpreted, in progress.) -- difficult in Syria, and perhaps in other states as well.  But I know that peoples must get their freedom and their will and democracy and equal citizenship.  We are with these rights, the rights of people and with their wills because we have achieved that ourselves.  And if we could compare Iraq today with the past, we find that there is a great difference in democracy and elections and freedom. 

Therefore, we honor the aspirations of the Syrian people.  But I cannot have -- I do not have the right to ask a president to abdicate.  We must play this role, and we cannot give ourselves this right. 

Iraq is a country that is bordering on Syria, and I am concerned about the interest of Iraq and the interest of the security of the region.  And I wish that what is required by the Syrian people would be achieved without affecting the security of Iraq.  And I know the two countries are related to each other, and we must be very prudent in dealing with this matter.

We were with the initiative by the Arab League.  But, frankly speaking, because we suffered from the blockade and the military interventions, we do not encourage a blockade because it exhausts the people and the government.  But we stood with the Arab League, and we were very frank with ourselves when they visited us in Baghdad, and we agreed on an initiative.  Perhaps it will be the last initiative that we’ll see in this situation and will achieve the required change in Syria without any violent operations that could affect the area in general.

I believe that the parties, all the parties realize the dangers of a sectarian war in Iraq, in Syria, and in the region, because it will be like a snowball that it will expand and it will be difficult to control it. 

We will try to reach a solution, and I discussed the matter with His Excellency, the President, President Obama, and the Secretary General of the Arab League.  And there is agreement even from the Syrian opposition, who are leading the opposition in Syria, to search for a solution.  If we can reach a solution, it will avoid all the evils and the dangers.  And if we don’t, there must be another way to reach a solution that will calm the situation in Syria and in the area in general.

Q    (As interpreted, in progress.) -- establish a new relationship -- to establish the characteristics of a new relationship with the United States after the withdrawal of the U.S. forces from Iraq?  Relying on the Strategic Framework Agreement, have you reached a specific mechanism for the implementation of the framework agreement? 

Your Excellency, President Obama, you said that there will be long-range relationships with Iraq.  Can you tell us exactly, will Iraq be an ally of the United States or just a friend, or will have a different type of relationship?

Thank you very much.

PRIME MINISTER AL-MALIKI:  (As interpreted.)  Definitely, without mechanisms, we will not be able to achieve anything we have.  These mechanisms will control our continuous movement.  Therefore, the framework agreement has a higher committee, or a joint committee from the two countries that meets regularly, and it has representatives from all the sectors that we want to develop relationship in -- commerce, industry, agriculture, economy, security.

So the joint higher committee is the mechanism in which the ideas will be reached in relationship between the ministries that will implement what is agreed upon.  We believe through these two mechanisms, the mechanism of the joint committee and the mechanism of contact between each minister and his counterpart, we will achieve success, and this will expedite achieving our goal.

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  As the Prime Minister described, I think our goal is to have a comprehensive relationship with Iraq.  And what that means is, is that on everything from expanding trade and commerce, to scientific exchanges, to providing assistance as Iraq is trying to make sure that electricity and power generation is consistent for its people, to joint exercises militarily -- to a whole range of issues, we want to make sure that there is a constant communication between our governments; that there are deep and rich exchanges between our two governments -- and between our peoples -- because what’s happened over the last several years has linked the United States and Iraq in a way that is potentially powerful and could end up benefiting not only America and Iraq but also the entire region and the entire world.

It will evolve over time.  What may be discovered is, is that there are certain issues that Prime Minister Maliki and his government think are especially important right now -- for example, making sure that oil production is ramped up, and we are helping to encourage global investment in that sector. 

I know that the Prime Minister has certain concerns right now, militarily, that five years from now or 10 years from now, when the Iraqi air force is fully developed or the Iraqi navy is fully developed, he has less concern about.

Our goal is simply to make sure that Iraq succeeds, because we think a successful, democratic Iraq can be a model for the entire region.  We think an Iraq that is inclusive and brings together all people -- Sunni, Shia, Kurd -- together to build a country, to build a nation, can be a model for others that are aspiring to create democracy in the region. 

And so we've got an enormous investment of blood and treasure in Iraq, and we want to make sure that, even as we bring the last troops out, that it's well understood both in Iraq and here in the United States that our commitment to Iraq's success is going to be enduring.

Christi Parsons.

Q    Thank you.  You were a little delayed coming out today -- I was wondering if you could talk about any agreements that you may have reached that you haven't detailed already.  For instance, can you talk a little bit more about who will be left behind after the U.S. leaves, how big their footprint will be, and what their role will be?

And, Mr. President, could you also address how convinced you are that the Maliki government is ready to govern the country and protect the gains that have been made there in recent years?  I also wonder if, on this occasion, you still think of this as "a dumb war"?

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  I'll take the last question first.  I think history will judge the original decision to go into Iraq.  But what's absolutely clear is, as a consequence of the enormous sacrifices that have been made by American soldiers and civilians -- American troops and civilians -- as well as the courage of the Iraqi people, that what we have now achieved is an Iraq that is self-governing, that is inclusive, and that has enormous potential.

There are still going to be challenges.  And I think the Prime Minister is the first one to acknowledge those challenges. Many of them, by the way, are economic.  After many years of war and, before that, a brutal regime, it's going to take time to further develop civil society, further develop the institutions of trade and commerce and the free market, so that the extraordinary capacity of the Iraqi people is fully realized.  But I have no doubt that Iraq can succeed.

With respect to security issues, look, when I came into office, I said we’re going to do this in a deliberate fashion.  We’re going to make sure that we leave Iraq responsibly, and that's exactly what we’ve done.  We did it in phases.  And because we did it in phases, we were continually able to build up Iraqi forces to a point where when we left the cities, violence didn't go up in the cities; when we further reduced our footprint, violence didn't go up.  And I have no doubt that that will continue.

First question you had had to do with what footprint is left.  We’re taking all of our troops out of Iraq.  We will not have any bases inside of Iraq.  We will have a strong diplomatic presence inside of Iraq.  We’ve got an embassy there that is going to be carrying out a lot of the functions of this ongoing partnership and executing on the Strategic Framework Agreement. 

We will be working to set up effective military-to-military ties that are no different from the ties that we have with countries throughout the region and around the world.  The Iraqi government has already purchased F-16s from us.  We've got to train their pilots and make sure that they're up and running and that we have an effective Iraqi air force.

We both have interests in making sure that the sea lanes remain open in and around Iraq and throughout the region, and so there may be occasion for joint exercises.  We both have interests in counterterrorism operations that might undermine Iraqi sovereignty but also could affect U.S. interests, and we’ll be working together on those issues.

But what we are doing here today, and what we’ll be executing over the next several months, is a normalization of the relationship.  We will have a strong friend and partner in Iraq; they will have a strong friend and partner in us, but as one based on Iraqi sovereignty and one based on equal partnerships of mutual interest and mutual respect.  And I’m absolutely confident that we’re going to be able to execute that over the long term.

While I’m at it, since this may be the last question I receive, I just want to acknowledge -- none of this would have been successful, obviously, without our extraordinary men and women in uniform.  And I’m very grateful for the Prime Minister asking to travel to Arlington to recognize those sacrifices. 

There are also some individuals here who've been doing a bang-up job over the last year to help bring us to this day.  And I just want to acknowledge General Lloyd Austin, who was a warrior and, turns out, is also a pretty good diplomat -- as well as Ambassador Jim Jeffreys [sic].  Both of them have done extraordinary work on the ground, partnering with their Iraqi counterparts. 

And I’m going to give a special shout-out to my friend and partner, Joe Biden, who I think ever since I came in has helped to establish high-level, strong links and dialogue between the United States and Iraq, through some difficult times.  And I think Prime Minister Maliki would agree that the Vice President’s investment in making this successful has been hugely important.

PRIME MINISTER AL-MALIKI:  Thank you very much.  I believe the remaining of the question that was given was answered by His Excellency the President.  And I also -- I said at the beginning, the dialogues that were to confirm the confidence and to move into the implementation of the framework agreement, and to find the companies and to train our soldiers on the weapons that were bought from America, and the need for expertise in other civil fields, and the protection of their movement in Iraq.

We talked also about the political issues, which is a common interest for us.  And we spoke also about the question of armament.  As the President said, Iraq has bought some weapons and now is applying for buying other weapons to develop its capabilities in the protection of Iraq.

These are all titles of what we discussed, but it was done in an atmosphere of harmony. 

Q    (As interpreted.)  Mr. Prime Minister, you stated that there is cooperation in the area of armament.  Can you tell us the amount of military cooperation between the United States and Baghdad in this area?  Specifically, have you received any promises from President Obama in this regard, specifically -- of the U.S. embassy in Baghdad?  There is argument going on inside Iraqi politician now regarding the size -- it’s 15,000.  And I wonder if you discussed with Prime Minister to reduce the number of the diplomats.  Thank you.

PRIME MINISTER AL-MALIKI:  Definitely, we have raised the issue of Iraqi need for weapons, for aerial protection and naval and ground protection.  We have a lot of weapons, American weapons, and it requires trainers.  And we received promises for cooperation from His Excellency the President for some weapons that Iraq is asking for, especially those related to its protection of its airspace.  And we hope that the Congress will approve another group of F-16 airplanes to Iraq because our air force was destroyed completely during the war that Iraq entered into. 

And this is not all.  We also need technical equipment related to the security field.  These are issues that are being discussed by the concerned people in both countries, between the ministers of defense and interior, with their counterparts in the United States, and we received promises and facilitations.  And we agreed on how to make this relationship continuous in the security field, because both of us need each other and need cooperation, especially in chasing al Qaeda, which we started and was not defeated anywhere except in Iraq.  And we hope to cooperate with all those who feel the dangers of this organization -- to cooperate with us as well.

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Our view is a sovereign Iraq that can protect its borders, protect its airspace, protect its people.  And our security cooperation with other countries I think is a model for our security cooperation with Iraq.  We don't want to create big footprints inside of Iraq -- and that's I think demonstrated by what will happen at the end of this month, which is we’re getting our troops out.  But we will have a very active relationship, military-to-military, that will hopefully enhance Iraqi capabilities and will assure that we’ve got a strong partner in the region that is going to be effective.

With respect to the embassy, the actual size of our embassy with respect to diplomats is going to be comparable to other countries' that we think are important around the world.  There are still some special security needs inside of Iraq that make the overall number larger.  And we understand some questions have been raised inside of Iraq about that. 

Look, we’re only a few years removed from an active war inside of Iraq.  I think it's fair to say that there are still some groups, although they are greatly weakened, that might be tempted to target U.S. diplomats, or civilians who are working to improve the performance of the power sector inside of Iraq or are working to help train agricultural specialists inside of Iraq.  And as President of the United States, I want to make sure that anybody who is out in Iraq trying to help the Iraqi people is protected.

Now, as this transition proceeds, it may turn out that the security needs for our diplomats and for our civilians gradually reduces itself, partly because Iraq continues to make additional progress.  But I think the Iraqi people can understand that, as President of the United States, if I'm putting civilians in the field in order to help the Iraqi people build their economy and improve their productivity, I want to make sure that they come home -- because they are not soldiers.

So that makes the numbers larger than they otherwise would be, but the overall mission that they're carrying out is comparable to the missions that are taking place in other countries that are big, that are important, and that are friends of ours.  Okay? 

Thank you very much, everybody.

END
1:04 P.M. EST

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 11, 2011

Remarks by the President at "Christmas in Washington"

National Building Museum
Washington, D.C.

7:31 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you very much.  (Applause.)  Good evening.  Thank you.  Thank you.  Everybody, please, have a seat. 

Good evening, everybody.  I just want to start by thanking all the folks who have joined us at the National Building Museum.  Let’s give it up for our host, who also happens to be the host of the best late night show on TBS, Conan O’Brien.  (Laughter and applause.)  And I want to thank all the spectacular artists and choirs and glee clubs who have made this such a spectacular evening.  Please give them a big round of applause.  (Applause.) 

I want to congratulate 30 years of “Christmas in Washington.”  It’s always such an extraordinary honor to be a part of this event because it benefits such a special place –- the Children’s National Medical Center.  For so many children and their parents, the work that they do to save lives and improve care is nothing short of a miracle.  And that’s fitting, because this is the season to celebrate miracles.

This is the season to celebrate the story of how, more than two thousand years ago, a child was born to two faithful travelers who could find rest only in a stable, among cattle and sheep.  He was no ordinary child.  He was the manifestation of God’s love.  And every year we celebrate His birth because the story of Jesus Christ changed the world.  For me, and for millions of Americans, His story has filled our hearts and inspired our lives.  It moves us to love one another; to help and serve those less fortunate; to forgive; to draw close to our families; to be grateful for all that has been given to us; to keep faith; and to hold on to an enduring hope in humanity.

Service to others.  Compassion to all.  Treating others as we wish ourselves to be treated.  Those values aren’t just at the center of Christianity; those are values that are shared by all faiths.  So tonight let us all rededicate ourselves to each other.  And, in that spirit, from my family to yours, happy holidays.  Merry Christmas.  God bless you all, and God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)

END               
7:34 P.M. EST