Remarks by the President on Osama Bin Laden

East Room

11:35 P.M. EDT

     THE PRESIDENT:  Good evening.  Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who’s responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children.

It was nearly 10 years ago that a bright September day was darkened by the worst attack on the American people in our history.  The images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory -- hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless September sky; the Twin Towers collapsing to the ground; black smoke billowing up from the Pentagon; the wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the actions of heroic citizens saved even more heartbreak and destruction.

And yet we know that the worst images are those that were unseen to the world.  The empty seat at the dinner table.  Children who were forced to grow up without their mother or their father.  Parents who would never know the feeling of their child’s embrace.  Nearly 3,000 citizens taken from us, leaving a gaping hole in our hearts.

On September 11, 2001, in our time of grief, the American people came together.  We offered our neighbors a hand, and we offered the wounded our blood.  We reaffirmed our ties to each other, and our love of community and country.  On that day, no matter where we came from, what God we prayed to, or what race or ethnicity we were, we were united as one American family.

We were also united in our resolve to protect our nation and to bring those who committed this vicious attack to justice.  We quickly learned that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by al Qaeda -- an organization headed by Osama bin Laden, which had openly declared war on the United States and was committed to killing innocents in our country and around the globe.  And so we went to war against al Qaeda to protect our citizens, our friends, and our allies.

Over the last 10 years, thanks to the tireless and heroic work of our military and our counterterrorism professionals, we’ve made great strides in that effort.  We’ve disrupted terrorist attacks and strengthened our homeland defense.  In Afghanistan, we removed the Taliban government, which had given bin Laden and al Qaeda safe haven and support.  And around the globe, we worked with our friends and allies to capture or kill scores of al Qaeda terrorists, including several who were a part of the 9/11 plot.

Yet Osama bin Laden avoided capture and escaped across the Afghan border into Pakistan.  Meanwhile, al Qaeda continued to operate from along that border and operate through its affiliates across the world.

And so shortly after taking office, I directed Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority of our war against al Qaeda, even as we continued our broader efforts to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat his network.

Then, last August, after years of painstaking work by our intelligence community, I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden.  It was far from certain, and it took many months to run this thread to ground.  I met repeatedly with my national security team as we developed more information about the possibility that we had located bin Laden hiding within a compound deep inside of Pakistan.  And finally, last week, I determined that we had enough intelligence to take action, and authorized an operation to get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice.

Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.  A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability.  No Americans were harmed.  They took care to avoid civilian casualties.  After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body.

For over two decades, bin Laden has been al Qaeda’s leader and symbol, and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and allies.  The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s effort to defeat al Qaeda.

Yet his death does not mark the end of our effort.  There’s no doubt that al Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us.  We must –- and we will -- remain vigilant at home and abroad.

As we do, we must also reaffirm that the United States is not –- and never will be -– at war with Islam.  I’ve made clear, just as President Bush did shortly after 9/11, that our war is not against Islam.  Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims.  Indeed, al Qaeda has slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, including our own.  So his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity.

Over the years, I’ve repeatedly made clear that we would take action within Pakistan if we knew where bin Laden was.  That is what we’ve done.  But it’s important to note that our counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped lead us to bin Laden and the compound where he was hiding.  Indeed, bin Laden had declared war against Pakistan as well, and ordered attacks against the Pakistani people.

Tonight, I called President Zardari, and my team has also spoken with their Pakistani counterparts.  They agree that this is a good and historic day for both of our nations.  And going forward, it is essential that Pakistan continue to join us in the fight against al Qaeda and its affiliates.

The American people did not choose this fight.  It came to our shores, and started with the senseless slaughter of our citizens.  After nearly 10 years of service, struggle, and sacrifice, we know well the costs of war.  These efforts weigh on me every time I, as Commander-in-Chief, have to sign a letter to a family that has lost a loved one, or look into the eyes of a service member who’s been gravely wounded.

So Americans understand the costs of war.  Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when our people have been killed.  We will be relentless in defense of our citizens and our friends and allies.  We will be true to the values that make us who we are. And on nights like this one, we can say to those families who have lost loved ones to al Qaeda’s terror:  Justice has been done.

Tonight, we give thanks to the countless intelligence and counterterrorism professionals who’ve worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome.  The American people do not see their work, nor know their names.  But tonight, they feel the satisfaction of their work and the result of their pursuit of justice.

We give thanks for the men who carried out this operation, for they exemplify the professionalism, patriotism, and unparalleled courage of those who serve our country.  And they are part of a generation that has borne the heaviest share of the burden since that September day.

Finally, let me say to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 that we have never forgotten your loss, nor wavered in our commitment to see that we do whatever it takes to prevent another attack on our shores. 

And tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11.  I know that it has, at times, frayed.  Yet today’s achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people. 

The cause of securing our country is not complete.  But tonight, we are once again reminded that America can do whatever we set our mind to.  That is the story of our history, whether it’s the pursuit of prosperity for our people, or the struggle for equality for all our citizens; our commitment to stand up for our values abroad, and our sacrifices to make the world a safer place. 

Let us remember that we can do these things not just because of wealth or power, but because of who we are:  one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you.  May God bless you.  And may God bless the United States of America.
         
                        END               11:44 P.M. EDT

 

Remarks by the President at Miami Dade College Commencement

James L. Knight International Center
Miami, Florida

7:17 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Miami Dade!  (Applause.)  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Please, everyone, be seated.

Hafeeza, thank you for that wonderful introduction.  (Applause.)  To Dr. Padrón, Dr. Vicente, to the board of trustees, the faculty, parents, family, friends, and, most important, the class of 2011, congratulations -- (applause) -- congratulations on reaching this day.

And thank you for allowing me the profound honor of being a part of it.  And thank you for my first honorary associate degree.  (Laughter.)  One of the perks of this job is that degrees come free these days.  (Laughter.)  Not that it impresses anybody at home.  Now Michelle just says, “Hey, Doctor, go take that dog for a walk.”  (Laughter.)

It is such a thrill to be at one of the largest, most diverse institutions of higher learning in America -- one that just this week was named one of the top community colleges in the nation.  (Applause.)  More than 170,000 students study across your eight campuses.  You come from 181 countries, represented by the flags that just marched across this stage.  You speak 94 languages.  About 90 percent of you are minorities.  And because more than 90 percent of you find a job in your field of study, it’s fitting that your motto is “Opportunity changes everything.”

As someone who’s only here because of the chances my education gave me, I couldn’t agree more.  Opportunity changes everything.  America will only be as strong in this new century as the opportunities that we provide you -- the opportunities that we provide to all our young people -- Latino, black, white, Asian, Native American, everybody.  America will only be as strong as our pursuit of scientific research and our leadership in technology and innovation.  And I believe that community colleges like this one are critical pathways to the middle class that equip students with the skills and the education necessary to compete and win in this 21st-century economy.  And that’s why I’ve made community colleges a centerpiece of my education agenda, along with helping more students afford college.  I couldn’t be prouder of the work we’ve done in community colleges.  And your accomplishment today is vital to America reclaiming the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020.  So I am proud of you.  (Applause.)  I am proud of you.

I know that for many of you reaching this day wasn’t easy.

AUDIENCE:  No.

THE PRESIDENT:  See?  I got some amens there.  (Applause.)

Perhaps you’re the first in your family to go to college.  (Applause.)  Some of you have had to overcome big obstacles, defeat your own doubts, prove yourself to everyone who ever believed that you couldn’t make it because of what you look like or where you came from.  (Applause.)  And, of course -- of course, for so many of you, this day represents the fulfillment of your family’s dreams when you were born.  This is their achievement as well, so give it up for your parents and your grandparents, your cousins and your uncles and your aunties. (Applause.)  This is their day, too.  This is their day, too.

See, the diploma you’re about to receive stands for something more than the investment you made in yourselves.  It’s the result of an investment made by generations before you; an investment in that radical yet simple idea that America is a place -- the place -- where you can make it if you try.  (Applause.)  That’s the ideal that has made this country -- that’s the idea that’s represented by that one flag that all of you cheered for; that’s what has made us a shining light to the world.

And preserving this idea -- keeping the American Dream alive from one generation to the next -- that’s never been an easy task.  It’s an even greater test in times of rapid change.  And all of you are graduating at a moment when change is coming faster than ever before.  We’re emerging from an economic downturn like we haven’t seen since the 1930s.  Massive shifts in technology have shifted profoundly what our economy looks like.  Massive shifts abroad geopolitically have swift and dramatic impacts not only overseas but also here at home, from markets on Wall Street to wallets on Main Street.  Just as advances in technology have the power to make our lives better, they also force us to compete with other nations like never before.  Tackling big challenges like terrorism and climate change require sustained national effort, and yet too often, our politics seems as broken, as divided as ever.

So I know that for many of you it’s an intimidating time to be marching out into the world.  Everything seems so unsettled.  The future may seem unclear.  But as you make your way in this ever changing world, you should take comfort in knowing that as a country, we’ve navigated tougher times before.  We’ve sailed stormier seas.  Earlier today, I spent some time in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  And some of you have seen what happened there as a consequence of the tornadoes that struck.  The mayor and I visited a community where the devastation from this storm was simply heartbreaking -- entire homes and blocks just gone, wiped away.  Some families lost everything.  Some families lost family. 

But what was striking is the way that damaged community has come together, how they’ve rallied around one another.  The mayor there, young man doing wonderful work, Mayor Maddox, he put it best.  He told me that when disasters like this strike, all our grievances seem to go away.  All our differences don’t seem to matter.  All our political disagreements seem so petty.  We help each other, we support one another, as one country, as one people. 

That’s the American spirit.  No matter how hard we are tested, we look to our faith and our faith in one another.  No matter what the challenge, we’ve always carried the American Dream forward.  That’s been true throughout our history. 

When bombs fell on Pearl Harbor, when an Iron Curtain fell over Europe, when the threat of nuclear war loomed just 90 miles from this city, when a brilliant September morning was darkened by terror -- in none of those instances did we falter.  We endured.  We carried the dream forward.

We’ve gone through periods of great economic turmoil, from an economy where most people worked on farms to one where most people worked in factories to now one fueled by information and technology.  Through it all, we’ve persevered.  We’ve adapted.  We’ve prospered.  Workers found their voice, and the right to organize for fair wages and safe working conditions.  We carried forward.

When waves of Irish and Italian immigrants were derided as criminals and outcasts; when Catholics were discriminated against, or Jews had to succumb to quotas, or Muslims were blamed for society’s ills; when blacks were treated as second-class citizens and marriages like my own parents’ were illegal in much of the country -- we didn’t stop.  We didn’t accept inequality.  We fought.  We overcame.  We carried the dream forward.

We have carried this dream forward through times when our politics seemed broken.  This is not the first time where it looked like politicians were going crazy.  (Laughter.)  In heated debates over our founding, some warned independence would doom America to “a scene of bloody discord and desolation for ages.”  That was the warning about independence.  One of our greatest Presidents, Thomas Jefferson, was labeled an “infidel” and a “howling atheist” with “fangs.”  Think about that.  Even I haven’t gotten that one yet.  (Laughter.)  Lincoln -- Lincoln, FDR, they were both vilified in their own times as tyrants, power hungry, bent on destroying democracy.  And of course, this state has seen its fair share of tightly contested elections.  (Laughter.)

And we’ve made it through those moments.  None of it was easy.  A lot of it was messy.  Sometimes there was violence.  Sometimes it took years, even decades, for us to find our way through.  But here’s the thing.  We made it through.  We made it through because in each of those moments, we made a choice. 

Rather than turn inward and wall off America from the rest of the world, we’ve chosen to stand up forcefully for the ideals and the rights we believe are universal for all men and women.

Rather than settle for an America where everybody is left to fend for themselves, where we think only about our own short-term needs instead of the country that we’re leaving to our children, we have chosen to build a nation where everybody has a shot at opportunity, where everyone can succeed.  We’ve chosen to invest in our people and in their future -- building public schools, sending a generation to college on the GI Bill, laying highways and railroads, building ports all across the country. 

Rather than turn on each other in times of cultural upheaval, we’ve chosen to march, to organize, to sit-in, to turn out, to petition our government for women’s rights and voting rights and civil rights -- even in the face of fierce resistance -- because we are Americans; and no matter who we are or what we look like, we believe that in this country, all are equal, all are free.  (Applause.)

Rather than give in to the voices suggesting we set our sights lower, downsize our dreams, or settle for something less, we’ve chosen again and again to make America bigger, bolder, more diverse, more generous, more hopeful.

Because throughout our history, what has distinguished us from all other nations is not just our wealth, it’s not just our power.  It’s been our deep commitment to individual freedom and personal responsibility, but also our unshakeable commitment to one another -- a recognition that we share a future; that we rise or fall together; that we are part of a common enterprise that is greater, somehow, than the sum of its parts.

So, yes, class of 2011, change will be a constant in your lives.  And that can be scary.  That can be hard.  And sometimes you’ll be tempted to turn inward; to say “What’s good enough for me is good enough.”  Sometimes you’ll be tempted to turn on one another; to say “My problems are the fault of those who don’t look like me or sound like me.”  Sometime you’ll be tempted to give into those voices that warn:  “too hard,” “don’t try,” “no, you can’t.”

But I have faith you will reject those voices.  I have faith you will reject those impulses.  Your generation was born into a world with fewer walls; a world educated in an era of information, tempered by war and economic turmoil.  And as our globe has grown smaller and more connected, you’ve shed the heavy weights of earlier generations.  Your generation has grown up more accepting and tolerant of people for who they are, regardless of race or gender or religious belief; regardless of creed or sexual orientation.  That’s how you’ve grown up.  You see our diversity as a strength, not a weakness.  And I believe those life experiences have fortified you, as earlier generations were fortified, to meet the tests of our time.  Everything I have seen of your generation has shown me that you believe, as deeply as any previous generation, that America can always change for the better.

Class of 2011, you and your generation are now responsible for our future.  I’m only going to be President a little bit longer.  You are going to be leaders for many years to come.  You will have to make choices to keep our dream alive for the next generation.  Choices about whether we’ll stack the deck against workers and the middle class, or whether we make sure America remains a place where if you work hard you can get ahead.  You’re going to have to make a choice about whether we’ll say we can’t afford to educate our young people and send them to college, or whether we continue to be a country that makes investments that are necessary to keep those young people competitive in this new century.  It will be up to you to choose whether we’ll remain vulnerable to swings in oil prices or whether we invest in the clean energy that can break our dependence on oil and protect our planet.  (Applause.)  It will be your choice as to whether we break our promise to seniors and the poor and the disabled and tell them to fend for themselves, or whether we keep strengthening our social safety net and our health care system.  (Applause.)

And it will be up to you whether we’ll turn on one another, or whether we stay true to our values of fairness and opportunity, understanding that we are a nation of immigrants -- immigrants that built this country into an economic powerhouse and a beacon of hope around the world.  (Applause.)

I know this last issue generates some passion.  I know that several young people here have recently identified themselves as undocumented.  Some were brought here as young children, and discovered the truth only as adults.  And they’ve put their futures on the line in hopes it will spur the rest of us to live up to our most cherished values.

I strongly believe we should fix our broken immigration system.  (Applause.)  Fix it so that it meets our 21st-century economic and security needs.  And I want to work with Democrats and Republicans, yes, to protect our borders, and enforce our laws, and address the status of millions of undocumented workers.  (Applause.)  And I will keep fighting alongside many of you to make the DREAM Act the law of the land.  (Applause.)

Like all of this country’s movements towards justice, it will be difficult and it will take time.  I know some here wish that I could just bypass Congress and change the law myself.  (Applause.)  But that’s not how democracy works.  See, democracy is hard.  But it’s right.

Changing our laws means doing the hard work of changing minds and changing votes, one by one.  And I am convinced we can change the laws, because we should all be able to agree that it makes no sense to expel talented young people from our country.  They grew up as Americans.  They pledge allegiance to our flag.  And if they are trying to serve in our military or earn a degree, they are contributing to our future -- and we welcome those contributions.  (Applause.)

We didn’t raise the Statue of Liberty with its back to the world; we raised it with its light to the world.  (Applause.)  Whether your ancestors came here on the Mayflower or a slave ship; whether they signed in at Ellis Island or they crossed the Rio Grande -- we are one people.  We need one another.  Our patriotism is not rooted in ethnicity, but in a shared belief of the enduring and permanent promise of this country.  (Applause.)

That’s the promise redeemed by your graduation today.  That’s the promise that drew so many of you to this college and your parents to this country.  And that’s the promise that drew my own father here.

I didn’t know him well, my father -- and he lived a troubled life.  But I know that when he was around your age, he dreamed of something more than his lot in life.  He dreamed of that magical place; he dreamed of coming to study in America.

And when I was around your age, I traveled back to his home country of Kenya for the first time to learn his story.  And I went to a tiny village called Alego, where his stepmother still lives in the house where he grew up, and I visited his grave.  And I asked her if there was anything left for me to know him by.  And she opened a trunk, and she took out a stack of letters -- and this is an elderly woman who doesn’t read or write -- but she had saved these letters, more than 30 of them, written in his hand and addressed to colleges and universities all across America.

They weren’t that different from the letters that I wrote when I was trying to get into college, or the ones that you wrote when you were hoping to come here.  They were written in the simple, sometimes awkward, sometimes grammatically incorrect, unmistakably hopeful voice of somebody who is just desperate for a chance -- just desperate to live his unlikely dream.

And somebody at the University of Hawaii -- halfway around the world -- chose to give him that chance.  And because that person gave a young man a chance, he met a young woman from Kansas; they had a son in the land where all things are possible.  (Applause.)

And one of my earliest memories from growing up in Hawaii, is of sitting on my grandfather’s shoulders to see the astronauts from one of the Apollo space missions come ashore after a successful splashdown.  You remember that no matter how young you are as a child.  It’s one of those unforgettable moments when you first realize the miracle that is what this country is capable of.  And I remember waving a little American flag on top of my grandfather’s shoulders, thinking about those astronauts, and thinking about space.

And today, on this day, more than 40 years later, I took my daughters to the Kennedy Space Center.  And even though we didn’t get to see the Space Shuttle Endeavour launch, we met some of the astronauts, and we toured the Space Shuttle Atlantis.  And looking at my daughters, I thought of how things come full circle.  I thought of all that we’ve achieved as a nation since I was their age, a little brown boy sitting on my grandfather’s shoulders -- and I thought about all I want us to achieve by the time they have children of their own.

That’s my proof that the idea of America endures.  That’s my evidence that our brave endeavor on this Earth continues.  And every single day I walk into the Oval Office, and for all the days of my life, I will always remember that in no other nation on Earth could my story be possible, could your stories be possible.  That is something I celebrate.  That is something that drives every decision I make.  (Applause.)

So what I ask of you, graduates, as you walk out of here today is this:  Pursue success.  Do not falter.  When you make it, pull somebody else up.  (Applause.)  Preserve our dream.  Remember your life is richer when people around you have a shot at opportunity as well.  Strive to widen that circle of possibility; strive to forge that big, generous, optimistic vision of America that we inherited; strive to carry that dream forward to future generations.

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

END
7:49 P.M. EDT

Remarks by President Obama and President Martinelli of Panama After Bilateral Meeting

Oval Office

4:26 P.M. EDT

      PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, I want to welcome President Martinelli to the Oval Office, to the White House.  As I think all of you know, the relationship between the United States and Panama is a historical relationship, and a strong friendship that isn’t just at the government level, but it is the person-to-person level.

      Obviously, there are a lot of Panamanian Americans who live here.  At the same time, President Martinelli was just informing me that 7 percent of the Panamanian population is from the United States.  And so that constant contact between people I think is part of what has made us such strong friends and allies for generations.

      Also, obviously, we share an interest in baseball.  And if, Mr. President, you have somebody who is the next Mariano Rivera, make sure they go to the Chicago White Sox.

      PRESIDENT MARTINELLI:  The White Sox, not the Yankees.  (Laughter.)

      PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Not the Yankees.  They’ve had enough.  In building on that friendship, we discussed a wide range of issues in our meeting today.  Obviously, one of the most important ones is how do we grow the economies of both countries.  And in that regard, we are very pleased by the progress that we’ve made in moving forward a U.S.-Panamanian free trade agreement.

      Thanks to the leadership of President Martinelli, there have been a range of significant reforms in banking and taxation in Panama.  And we are confident now that a free trade agreement would be good for our country, would create jobs here in the United States, open up new markets with potential for billions of dollars of cross-border trade.  We think it would be also very good for Panama and allow additional economic exchanges between our two countries.

      So my expectation is, is that as part of a broader trade package that we’re going to be presenting to Congress, that we’re going to be able to get this done.  And I want to thank again President Martinelli for his leadership on this issue.

      We also discussed security in the region.  We have had very close cooperation between our two governments on issues of drug interdiction and dealing with the constant problem of the drug trade in Central America.  And Panama has been one of the leaders that we’ve worked with in trying to roll back the incursion of the drug cartels into the region.

      I know President Martinelli is greatly committed to this issue, and we discussed how we could cooperate together not only in the interdiction side but also in helping other countries in the region to build up their capacity.  And we think that Panama is going to be critical to the Central American Security Partnership that I’ve announced previously.

      We also discussed some of the broader issues related to the region.  We both agreed that the more we can do to showcase the success of free markets, commitments to democracy, human rights, individual liberties, freedom of the press, the more that we are highlighting those shared values between our two countries, the more successful the people of the region will be.

      And so, again, I just want to say to President Martinelli, thank you for your visit.  Thank you for your friendship.  Thank you for your leadership.  The American people know that we have a great friend in the people of Panama and we hope that the people of Panama know that they have a great friend in the United States of America.

      PRESIDENT MARTINELLI:  Well, thank you very much.  Thank you, President Obama.  This has been a very fruitful meeting for Panama and the United States.

      As you all know, we, Panama has completed all the necessary steps in order to have a free trade agreement with the U.S.  This new agreement will bring jobs for both countries.  It will also bring growth for the United States and for Panama.

      The United States is Panama’s main and biggest ally, and we have always looked to the United States as our main supplier for many goods and services.

      At the same time, we also spoke about the security issues.  And Panama, as you all know, is the first frontier in Central America to the drug-producing countries.  And being Panama successful makes the U.S. much safer in crime and drugs in all the cities of the United States.  The more drugs that we catch, the less amount of drugs that will come to the United States.

      We have a -- we are going to work very closely with the United States on security and on commerce, because this is the only way that we can expand growth in both of our economies, expand trade, expand jobs, and at the same time, this will bring a better quality of life to all the citizens of the U.S. and of Panama.

      PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Thank you, Mr. President.

      PRESIDENT MARTINELLI:  Mr. President, thank you very much.

      PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Thank you, everybody.

                          END            4:32 P.M. EDT

Remarks by the First Lady at Take Your Child To Work Day

East Room

11:02 A.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Hi.  Hi, Rishi.  How are you?  Thank you.  Thanks so much.  All right, how are you guys doing?

AUDIENCE:  Good.

MRS. OBAMA:  Tell me what you’ve been doing today.  (Inaudible.)  We’ll do raising hands.  How about you?  What's been going on?

Q    Well, we went to the pastry chef.

MRS. OBAMA:  Pastry chef.  Did you get some pastries?

Q    Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  What kind of pastries did you get?

Q    It was like this foamy blueberry stuff --

MRS. OBAMA:  Foamy blueberry stuff.

Q    -- that you dipped in an apple.

MRS. OBAMA:  In an apple.  So it was a little healthy, right?

Q    Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA:  That's cool, that's cool.  What else?  What else did you do today?  What about this young lady?  There goes your mic.

Q  We went to see the National Park Service and the Secret Service.

MRS. OBAMA:  What did the Secret Service tell you?  Did you learn any secrets?  (Laughter.)

Q    No.

MRS. OBAMA:  No secrets?

Q    Nope.

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, well, what did you learn about -- what did you do with the Secret Service?

Q    Well, we got to see a dog.

MRS. OBAMA:  A dog -- oh, one of the guard dogs, yeah.  Did they do any tricks for you?  Did they show them anything you can do -- they could do?

Q    No.

MRS. OBAMA:  They’re pretty amazing, those dogs.

What else?  Who else?  All right, what about you?  What did you have fun doing today?

Q    We did some -- we looked at some space things.

MRS. OBAMA:  Some space things.  Where did you see space things?

Q    Like we saw some rockets and tools to fix space ships.

MRS. OBAMA:  Rockets?  Pictures of rockets or actual rockets?

Q    Like models of them.

MRS. OBAMA:  That's good.  I didn’t know we had rockets around here.  It’s the rockets.

So I understand you guys have some questions.  Are there any people with questions?  (Laughter.)  I think there are a few.

Okay, let’s start over here.  Let’s do some back of the room.  White shirt.

Q    How many fruit and veggies do you have in your garden?

MRS. OBAMA:  Ooh, that's a good question.  We have tons.  I don't know exactly how -- (inaudible) -- let’s keep this going so they can hear me.  Can you all hear me, hear me, hear me?  Oh, it’s over here, that's why.  You know what -- (inaudible) -- the handheld mic, because this isn’t consistent.  Okay.

So we have a lot of lettuces, so different types of lettuce.  We have lots of herbs, so garlic and rosemary and basil.  And we plant snap peas and tomatoes, and we’ve had some great sweet potatoes in the fall.  So you plant different things at different times.  We’re trying to grow some berries, but the birds keep eating the berries off of the bushes.  So this year we’re trying to cover them.

Rhubarb, which is like a really strawberry tasty delight that I love, you can make pies with it.  We grow some of those.  In the fall we try to grow some pumpkins.  We’ve got a few small pumpkins.  We’ve tried watermelon.  I don't think we did so well with the watermelons.

So we try to grow a little bit of everything to show people that you can grow anything you want, even in the city.

So next time maybe you guys will get a chance to see the garden.  The weather wasn’t nice enough to take you out there, so maybe next year.

All right, let’s see, we’ll go boy, girl -- there's a young man on the end in the very back row.

Q    What's your favorite color?

MRS. OBAMA:  And you guys stand up.  I want to know your names, I want to know your ages, I want to know a little bit about you.  So what's your name, what's your age.

Q    I’m Nathan --

MRS. OBAMA:  Nathan.

Q    -- and I’m nine.

MRS. OBAMA:  Nine.  Welcome, Nathan, who is nine.

Q    What's your favorite color?

MRS. OBAMA:  My favorite color.  You know what, Sasha asked me this the other day, and it’s hard for me to have a favorite color because I like them all so much.  I mean, look at this dress.  It’s got like every color in it.  But I guess if I had to pick one, it would be something like lavender, purple.  I tend to like those colors.

What's your favorite color?

Q    Purple.

MRS. OBAMA:  Purple?  (Laughter.)  You and me.  You and me.

All right, let’s go to this section.  There’s a young lady in the pink right by you.  Yes, you.  You want to stand up.  Tell us your name, your age.

Q    I’m Claudia, and I’m 10 years old.

MRS. OBAMA:  And I know what else I want to know.  Where does your parent work here?  Do you know?

Q    He works for the Secret Service.

MRS. OBAMA:  Ooh, they're some of my favorites.  Yes.  Okay, what’s your question?

Q    What’s your favorite thing to do in your spare time here?

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, that's a good question.  I exercise a lot just to keep moving.  I do that.  You know, nowadays, I spend a lot of time talking to my girls.  They're at the age where they have a lot of questions and a lot of conversations, so dinnertime conversations, right before bedtime conversations, I have fun doing that.

Going out with friends when I get a chance to.  Going to the girls’ games.  We love doing that.  So now it’s soccer and lacrosse, and that's what I’ll be doing all day Saturday and Sunday.

So those are the kind of things I do.  But probably like your parents, I mean I do what your moms and dads do.  And when you have kids, we usually do what you do.  That's what becomes our favorite thing.  Thanks.

Let’s go over here.  We’ve got young man in the bright green shirt right by you.  Stand up, tell us name, age, what your parent does here.

Q    I’m Simon, and I’m 12, and my dad works for the USTR.

MRS. OBAMA:  Cool.

Q    And what’s your favorite sport?

MRS. OBAMA:  Tennis, without a doubt.  Favorite sport to play is tennis.  Favorite sport to watch is tennis, and I do like basketball.  I enjoy the game.  I enjoy watching basketball.  What about you?  What do you like?

Q    (Inaudible.)

MRS. OBAMA:  Are you good at it?

Q    Yeah!  (Laughter.)

MRS. OBAMA:  It’s on now.  I know, I know.  It’s mics, mics, they can mess you up.  Well, thanks for your question.

We’ll stay over here.  We see -- there’s a young lady in the back with a gray and -- with a blue sweater.  Yes.  Stand up.  Name, age, what your parent does.

Q    My name is Cynthia (ph).  I’m 10.  And my mom works for the Science and Technology thingy.  (Laughter.)

MRS. OBAMA:  We value her service at the thingy.  (Laughter.)  What’s your question?

Q    How do you choose your clothing?

MRS. OBAMA:  How do I choose my clothing?  You know, it kind of depends on what I’m doing today, so after this, I have to do a luncheon, so I wanted to wear something that was comfortable, but also kind of pretty because it’s a luncheon with some ladies.  And -- but when I’m doing something where I’m outside and it’s going to be hot, or I’m going to be running around, I’ll wear something that's comfortable for that.  So it really depends on the day and how I feel.

I thought, I like this dress, it’s pretty, and I felt like being pretty today.  Did it work?  Is it pretty?  Am I working?

AUDIENCE:  Yes!

MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you.  See, it worked.  It worked.

All right, let’s come to this section.  We’re coming back around, coming back around.  Gentleman in the blue and white stripe, yes, right here.  Yes, you.  You.  Name, age, stand up.

Q    I’m eight and my name is Timmy.  Do you --

MRS. OBAMA:  What does your parent do?

Q    My dad is -- he works for the U.S. drug czar.

MRS. OBAMA:  Yes.

Q    And what’s your favorite football team?

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, my favorite football team -- Da Bears!  (Laughter.)  But you know what, I like the Pittsburgh Steelers too because --

Q    When I --

MRS. OBAMA:  What, what, what?  Okay, I like the Dallas Cowboys.  Who else?  What else?  Who else?  The Giants -- what did you say?

Q    The Jets!

MRS. OBAMA:  The Jets.  See, you can’t win with that answer.  Okay --

Q    I played for a kid football league, and my team was the Bears.

MRS. OBAMA:  Yeah?  You and me.  You and me.  The Bears.  What position did you play?

Q    I played a little bit of linebacker, and I played offensive right tackle and defensive left tackle.

MRS. OBAMA:  Nice, nice.  You want to keep football up?  Awesome, awesome.  Thanks for sharing.

Okay, we’re coming over this way, coming over this way.  This young lady right here.

Q    I’m Sabrina.  I’m nine years old.  My dad works at the OMB.

MRS. OBAMA:  You did -- did you check it out on the tag?

Q    Yes.  (Laughter.)

MRS. OBAMA:  Nice move.  (Laughter.)

Q    What’s your favorite part of the White House?

MRS. OBAMA:  What’s my favorite part of the White House?  All right, there is my favorite part outside.  I like the Rose Garden, especially now when it’s spring, because it’s really green, and then the flowers are just so pretty, and you see magnolia trees, and it’s near my husband’s office, so it’s kind of close to him.  That's a pretty place.

Inside I like -- my favorite room is the Yellow Oval Room in our house.  So did you guys get to see the Blue Oval Room?

AUDIENCE:  Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  Well, we live right upstairs, and there is a room that's similar to that that's in our residence that's yellow, oval, and it’s shaped the same way.  But right next to it is the Truman Balcony, and when it’s warm, you can go outside, and you get a great view of the Washington Monument, and it’s fun to sit out there.  And if the girls are walking Bo, we can watch them play.  So that room is my favorite.

Q    Okay.

MRS. OBAMA:  All right, thanks.

Okay, let’s go to the back of the room, back of the room, back of the room.  All right, young lady in the green shirt in the back.  Yes, you.  Yes, stand up.

Q    My name is Lucia, I’m 11 years old, and my grandmother works for the Executive Office of the President.

MRS. OBAMA:  Nice.

Q    And my question is, if you were to meet any famous person that has ever lived, who would it be?

MRS. OBAMA:  Wow, that's tough.  That's a really hard question.  Any famous person?  Well, I’ve already met some pretty cool famous people.  I’m not sure if you think they were cool, because they were cool -- like Stevie Wonder, very cool.

Q    Oh, that's awesome.

MRS. OBAMA:  Paul McCartney, who was a Beatle.

Q    That's so cool.

MRS. OBAMA:  So cool.  Oprah Winfrey.  Amazing cool.  Just met Willow Smith.  She was here at the Easter Egg Roll.  Very cool.

So there are a lot of -- there are tons of cool authors and playwrights and scientists and heroes and soldiers.  I mean, that's one of the best things about being in the White House, is that we get to meet so many different people who are making impacts in the arts, in science, in sports.  So it’s just -- it’s endless.  So I just enjoy meeting everybody.

But you know what?  I enjoy meeting you guys the best.  Really.  You guys are the most fun.  You ask good questions, and you’re honest, and you’re genuine.  So I always love spending time with you guys.

All right, we’re going to stay on this side.  We’re going to move up to the front.  Okay, all right, you’ve got a supportive person pointing at you.  (Laughter.)  So you get the next question.  What's your name, age, what does your parent do?

Q    My name is Alex Costa (ph) and I’m 12 years old, and I just want to ask what is your job as the First Lady?

MRS. OBAMA:  What's my job?  I don't know.  That's a good question.  What do I do every day?  You know, there is no formal job description for the First Lady of the United States, so we have the good fortune of being able to decide what we want to do.

And the issues that I care most about that I’ve been spending a lot of time working on is trying to end the epidemic of childhood obesity in this country in a generation.  So we’ve been doing a lot.  We’ve developed a campaign that we call "Let's Move,” and it’s designed to get people moving and kids eating better, and that's one of the reasons why we grew our garden.  And Beyonce just did a video for "Let's Move" and you all have to go online and see it.  It is so good because Beyonce is showing kids and parents that you don't have to have a lot of money; that you can turn on your favorite song and dance to it.  So she redid one of her songs for "Let's Move," so that's been very exciting.

And I’ve been working -- how many -- are there any kids whose parents are in the military who are here?  Well, one of the things that we’ve been talking about -- you, too?

Q    My dad is in the Army.

MRS. OBAMA:  See there?  Well, we’re trying to create a national campaign --

Q    He used to be, but not anymore.

MRS. OBAMA:  The same thing.  You’ve been a part of a military family.  Well, there are millions of military families and military kids all over this country, and we need to make sure that the rest of the country knows you’re out there, understands your sacrifice, and that we’re all working to support you.  So we’re grateful to your parents, your guys’ parents, and you guys for all that you sacrifice for that country.  So we’re talking about that, as well.

So those are the kind of things I do.  So I travel around the country as much as I can, trying to spread the word.  I like to speak to students like you guys as much as I can.

So that's kind of my job.  Does that make sense?  All right, thanks.

Q    My dad -- if my grandpa was down here, we’d teach you how to make a good watermelon.

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, good -- to teach me how to grow a good watermelon?  All right, all right, you hear that?  We’re going to get some watermelon-growing advice here.  Sounds good.  We’ll take you up on that.

All right, we’re going to go to this section.  The young lady in the gray and white sweater.  Yeah, you in the back, yes.  Here comes the mic.  It’s coming, it’s coming.  It’s here.

Q    Hi, my name is Jada (ph), I’m 11, and my mom does the financing and budgeting.

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh.  (Laughter.)  Tell her thank you.

Q    And my question is, what are the disadvantages and the difficulties of being a First Lady?

MRS. OBAMA:  The disadvantages and difficulties?  You know, probably one of the hardest things -- and both the President and I talk about this -- is that you can’t just do anything on the spur of the moment, right?  So if right now, after I wanted to leave here, and I wanted to walk out the front door, and go to the store, that would create a lot of problems for a lot of people.  And it would be chaotic.  So I can’t do that.

And that's like the normal stuff.  I mean, before we lived here, we were normal people.  I had a job, I drove my own car, I took my kids to school every day.  I went to Target and shopped for my groceries.  And, you know, that may sound like minor things, but once you can’t do any of that ever again, you start feeling like, well, this is a little strange.  So sometimes it becomes difficult to live in what we call a bubble.

But the upsides are much better.  I mean, I get to do things that can impact the whole country for a long time.  We can create a whole conversation and focus the country’s attention on issues that we care about.  And that’s not something that I could have done when I wasn’t First Lady.  So there are a few downsides, but there are a lot of upsides.

So, good question.  Thanks.

Q    Thank you.

MRS. OBAMA:  All right, we’ll shift over here.  There’s a young man in the red and blue and white shirt.

Q    What do you like doing --

MRS. OBAMA:  Stand up.  Tell me your name and your age.

Q    My name is Tyler.  I’m eight.

MRS. OBAMA:  Eight.

Q    My dad is in the national drug control policy.

MRS. OBAMA:  Nice.

Q    What do you like doing best with Bo?

MRS. OBAMA:  Doing best with Bo -- I like to cuddle with Bo.  Bo thinks he’s a child.  So some of the funniest things -- and Malia and Sasha thinks it’s funny, too -- sometimes they’re sitting on my lap and he’ll run and like try to move them out of the way so he can sit on my lap.  And Bo is big, so he’s not like a little puppy.  He’s a big dog, but he thinks he’s a puppy.

What did you -- what were you --

Q    Yeah, our dog does that too.

MRS. OBAMA:  Yeah, yeah.  But I kind of like it.  It’s sweet when he wants to cuddle.  So that’s my favorite thing.  And playing -- doing tricks with him, seeing him learn tricks.  So there’s one thing.  If he wants a treat, he’s got to sit, he’s got to roll over, he’s got to give you a high five, he’s got to do some things for his treat.  But he’s so excited about the treat that he almost can barely do the trick trying to get to the treat, and that’s funny to watch.

You have a dog?

Q    Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA:  What’s your dog’s name?

Q    Tucker.

MRS. OBAMA:  Tucker.  What kind of dog is Tucker?

Q    Australian Labradoodle.

MRS. OBAMA:  Ooh, big dog, huh?  Australian Labradoodle, that’s big, right?

Q    He’s still a puppy.

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh.  Well, he’s going to be big and he’s going to be fun.

All right, thanks for your question.  We’ll shift over here.  All right, we’ve got a young lady in the gray, right there on the end.

Q    My name is Emma (ph), and I’m nine years old, and my dad works for the USTR.  And what inspired you to help the military?

MRS. OBAMA:  What inspired me?  You all.  The military families inspired me because I was probably like most Americans.  We aren’t part of a military family.  I mean, my dad was in the Army, but it was before I was even born.  But as I’ve traveled around the country, I’ve got to meet -- have had the opportunity to meet a lot of military families, a lot of moms, a lot of kids.  And when you learn about how much they sacrifice -- like I have -- I’m just very proud, and I want to make sure the rest of the country knows about Americans like our military families who sacrifice so much and have to manage things at home when they have loved ones who are fighting in a war, or they're serving in some other way.

So it was the stories of the families that really moved me, and I wanted to make sure the rest of the country knew about it.  So that's that we’re going to do -- me and Jill Biden, who is the Vice President’s wife.  We’re going to be doing that.  Sound good?

Q    Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA:  All right.  Okay, we’ll stay over here.  There’s a young man in a green shirt upfront right here, in the second row.

Q    I’m Daniel, age 8.  My dad is the head of European Affairs, I think.

MRS. OBAMA:  Whoa.  Have you ever been to Europe?

Q    No.  Just my dad.

MRS. OBAMA:  Well, Dad -- tell him to get on it, all right?

Q    Yes.  I think he’s already been somewhere.

MRS. OBAMA:  Yes, but you.  You should go.  Tell him -- the First Lady should say this summer, trip to Paris, how’s that?

Q    Okay.  (Laughter.)

MRS. OBAMA:  Sounds good.  All right, what’s your question?

Q    My question was, do you get to spend a lot of time with Bo?

MRS. OBAMA:  Yeah, I get to spend a lot of time with Bo.  Yeah, he’s around all the time, just hanging out.  He’s just laying -- he’s probably asleep right now.

But Bo has a job himself, actually.  He leaves every morning and he goes down with Dale, who is one of the head gardeners.  And he’s with all the National Park Service guys.  And you’ll see him, and he’s like walking around with them, and looking at the plants.  He really -- I think he thinks he has a job because he takes it very seriously.  So if I go out and see him, he kind of ignores me when he’s with his worker crew people.  He’s not a sort of hi, Mommy, I want to be in your lap.  He doesn’t do that.  He’s like, I’m at work.  I’m busy.  (Laughter.)

So he works until about noon, and then he comes back, and he’s tired, so he’s usually laying around.

Q    I bet his next job choice will be digging up the plants.

MRS. OBAMA:  Digging up plants.  That's -- well, we won’t teach him that now.  We want to wait till we get away from the garden.

All right, we’ll shift over here.  All right, we’re going to go in the back.  And we see the young -- is that a young lady in the blue sweater with -- yeah, okay.  Stand up, sweetie.

Q    My name is Olivia Ritchie (ph), and I am eight years old.  And my dad works for the National Drug Control Policy.

MRS. OBAMA:  Okay, what’s your question?

Q    My question is, what type of school do Malia and Sasha go to?

MRS. OBAMA:  They go to a school called Sidwell Friends.  It’s a Quaker school, and they teach values of community and everybody is equal.  I sort of like that.  But they -- it’s a school in Washington.  In fact, there are two campuses.  There’s a campus in Washington, and there’s one in Bethesda, which is the lower school.

And this year Sasha graduates from fourth grade, so she gets to go to the big school.  It’s very exciting.  There’s graduation.  There’s a lot going on.  It’s big time stuff.  She’ll be in middle school, and Grandma will be happy because there’s one drop-off.  That's really the big thing.  Parents understand that.  No more two drop-offs after this year.  But that's the school they go to.

What school do you go to?

Q    I go to Mantua Elementary.

MRS. OBAMA:  All right, you like it?

Q    Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA:  You’re doing well?

Q    Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA:  All right, good.

All right, we’re going to shift over here.  Let’s see, let’s see.  Okay, gentleman in the black polo shirt -- blue or dark polo shirt.

Q    I’m Jack, and I’m 11 years old.  And my dad works for the drug czar.  Do you like the White House better than your old house?

MRS. OBAMA:  That's a good question.  You know, it’s very different, you know?  We like our old house, too.  And when we get a chance to go back -- and we don't get a chance to go back often, that's still home, so the girls remember that as their rooms, and they reminisce.  And they go through their closets where their books -- there are a lot of memories there, so nothing beats memories.  But we’re creating new memories here.

And in so many ways, this is home now.  This is where the girls go to school.  This is where most of their friends are.  This is where their dad works.  This is where we live, so this has become home, too.  But it’s good to go back when we can, although Chicago gets kind of cold in the winter, so we kind of avoid it in the winter because it’s cold.  So we don't miss the cold.  So thanks for your question.

All right, we’re coming over here.  We’re going to go -- okay, young lady in the middle.  Yeah.  I know, I know.  We’re going to get a few more in.

Q    My name is Danielle (ph), and I’m 10 years old.  And my mom is the executive chef of the -- and I would --

MRS. OBAMA:  Take your time.

Q    I just forgot.

MRS. OBAMA:  It’s all that other information.  All right, we’ll do one thing.  I’ll take another question --

Q    Oh, yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, you got it?  Okay, all right, good.

Q    Did you plant the garden or does the gardeners do that?

MRS. OBAMA:  You know I plant -- I helped.  I helped to plant it.  I worked with a bunch of kids from schools in the communities, and we actually -- we planted this -- two weeks ago, we did this planting.  And because we had a bunch of kids, it took us literally 30 minutes to plant the whole garden because everyone was helping, and that's the beauty of having a garden in the White House.  It’s not just the National Parks people, and they help take care of it and make sure it’s watered, and they weed, but there are so many people who want to help.

We have volunteers who come on a regular basis because they want to help weed the garden.  We’ve got kids in communities who come to help us plant and harvest, so I don't have to do anything by myself.  And I don't think that I could do it by myself, given the other job that I have.  You know, I can’t be at the garden all day.  So fortunately we have the gardeners.  We’ve got school kids.  We have volunteers who come.

The chefs -- all the chefs help with the garden, so every -- it’s really everyone’s garden, and that's why it’s so beautiful, because everybody helps make it possible.  Thanks for the question.

We’ll do -- gentleman up in the front right here.  I’m going to go around one more time.  I’m going to go this way, okay?  And then this will be the last question in this section, okay?

Q    My name is Gavin (ph), and I’m eight years old.  And my dad works for the USSS.  And were you -- how surprised were you when you came into the White House?

MRS. OBAMA:  How surprised was I?  You know, shocked.  I was very surprised because this is a pretty surprise -- not too many -- I think I visited the White House once before I lived here, and I went on a tour just like everybody else did.  So I know of knew what to expect on this floor, but then you go upstairs where the President and the President’s family lives, and it was a shock.  But it’s not a shock anymore.  It’s just kind of normal.

But it took a little while to get used to, because what would you think if you woke up and you were living in the White House?  Would you be shocked?

Q    Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  Yes, pretty shocking.  I think that’s how I felt.  It was like, we’re living in the White House.  I look at this stuff all the time and now I live here.  How shocking.  And I felt the same way probably that you would feel.  But now we’re sort of used to it.  Does that make sense?

All right.  Okay, we’ll switch over here.  Last question in this section.  It’s going to be a girl.  I know.  (Laughter.)  All right, we got a young lady right there, second row, white blouse, second row -- second row facing this way, right here.

Q    My name is Hope Myers (ph) and I’m 12 and my mom works for OMB.  My question is --

MRS. OBAMA:  Where does she work?

Q    OMB.

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh.

Q    What is your favorite part of being the First Lady?

MRS. OBAMA:  My favorite part of being First Lady is spending time with kids, really.  I tell my staff all the time, if you could book my whole day with kids, I’d work a lot harder.  I really do -- I love spending time -- I love my girls, but I love you guys.  I love -- because you’re the future, really.  And there’s so many -- you’re so open to possibilities and you’re not sort of bogged down in what you knew when you were -- years ago.  You guys are funny.  You’re generally open and excited.

So I love spending time with kids and I -- that’s why I work a lot on child nutrition issues.  That’s why I work with military families, because it’s what goes in your heads and what you have in your hearts that are going to shape the world.  And it’s exciting for me to see.  So I could stay here all day, actually, but they won’t let me.  So that’s my favorite part.

All right, okay, let’s shift around here.  It’s going to be a boy, it’s going to be a boy, it’s going to be a boy.  Okay, young man, white shirt, who just -- oh, it’s just so painful.  (Laughter.)

Q    My name is Reggie (ph).  I’m 10 years old.  My mom works for the NSS.  How surprised were you when your husband became -- has been elected for -- when he -- for the President?

MRS. OBAMA:  It was another shock.  Shocking thing.  Well, first of all, there has never been an African American President of the United States ever, right?  Ever.  So when I grew up and when he was growing up, that wasn’t something that I envisioned was even possible, right?  And I think a lot of people didn’t believe that it was possible.  But I think a lot of people hoped that it could be possible, right?  Because we’re a country that’s all about equality, right?  That’s what my kids say.  Equal means equal.  That means everybody has the same opportunities to do whatever they want to do.  And I think it’s cool when that actually works on so many different levels, even the presidency of the United States.

So I was excited, and not just for my husband, but I was excited for us.  I was excited for all of you, because now you all know that anything is possible.  It doesn’t matter how old you are, it doesn’t matter how big you are, how small you are.  It just matters how hard you’re willing to work, right?  That's all that matters.  You’ve got to put in the work, right, and you’ve got to be serious about your goals.  And if you do that, anything is possible.  And little things like Barack Obama being President, I think, sends that message to you guys in very small ways.

And I'll be excited when a woman becomes President of the United States.  And that's going to happen one day, as well.  And that will be exciting and shocking for the very same reasons.  All right?  Thanks.

Okay, our last question.  It’s going to be a girl, it’s going to be a girl.  I know, it’s just -- trying to keep it balanced.

All right, on this end there's a little hand right there in a dark shirt.  Yeah, you, you, yes, please stand.  You are the last question.

Q    My name is Adin (ph) and I’m 10 years old.  My dad works for the CEA.  And my question is, what's your favorite book and why?

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, man, you guys are tough.  All right, okay, there are kids books that I enjoy, everything from “Goodnight, Moon” -- do you guys -- have your parents read “Goodnight, Moon” to you, guys?  “Where the Wild Things Are” -- we just read -- the girls read that at the Easter Egg Roll.  So I have a ton of those books.

One of the books that I loved -- one of the first books that I loved and read cover to cover in one day -- not because anybody made me read it but because the book was good -- it was called -- it was a book called “Song of Solomon” by Toni Morrison.  And that book helped me love reading, because before then reading was kind of like something you did when you had to do it.  But that book, it like grabbed me and pulled me and I just kept reading and kept reading.  And any book that does that for me -- do you feel that way when you get a book and you just can’t put it down, whether it’s a mystery or one of the gossip things like “Camp Confidential”?  Who reads “Camp Confidential”?  Sasha is loving those books.  I think those are just -- they just suck her in and she can’t put it down.

So those books are my favorite books.  And there are many, many others books that I’ve read like that over the years, but “Song of Solomon” was my first one.

What about you?  What’s your favorite book?

Q    “Harry Potter.”

MRS. OBAMA:  “Harry Potter” -- oh, yeah, well, there’s “Harry Potter.”  You know what, I didn’t read “Harry Potter” books because that was something Malia and her dad did together, and I kind of stayed out of that.  So they read -- they’ve read every “Harry Potter” book cover to cover, both of them.  They read it together.  And they loved those books, too.  They both do.

Well, I think I have to go.  Yeah, I know.  I don’t want to go.  But I think you guys have a pretty busy schedule.  I think there are some lunch opportunities and some other stuff that you’re going to see.

But I just want to take the time to tell you all, first of all, thank you.  Thank you for asking such good questions.  Thanks for taking the time to come and learn more about what your parents do.  And thank you for being so patient.  You know why I say patient?  It’s because I know your parents work hard and they’re working hard for the President and they’re working hard for the country, and I know that sometimes that means that you guys don’t get to do everything you want to do with your parents.  I mean, Malia and Sasha are the same way.  When you have parents who are working for service, sometimes you guys sacrifice, right?  Sometimes they miss your games, right?  Sometimes they can’t help you with that project because they’ve got a meeting.  Sometimes they miss a birthday because they had to travel, right?

I know all of you have experienced that and sometimes it’s frustrating, right?  And you figure, why do I have to share my parent with anybody ever?  And my girls feel that way sometimes too.  But it’s important for you to know that your parents are doing this to help make life better for you and for millions of other kids not just here in the United States but around the country.  So they’re doing really important stuff when they’re not with you.

Because, listen, there is nothing that your parents want more than to spend every minute with you.  I know that because that’s how I feel about my girls.  So don’t ever think that they don’t care about you because they’re busy at work.  They’re doing it for you.  All right?  So thank you for being patient.

And keep studying hard.  You got out of school today, but I hope everybody is keeping up with the assignment they missed today and you’re going to do your homework, maybe even write a paper about what you did here to show your teachers that you weren’t just goofing off.  Can I get -- how about that?  Yeah -- (laughter.)

I want you to eat your vegetables -- yes?

AUDIENCE:  Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  I want you to exercise.

AUDIENCE:  Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  And exercising is anything.  It is dancing.  It’s playing with your dog.  It’s being outside.  I want you all to turn off the TV.  Turn it off.

Q    No!

MRS. OBAMA:  Yes!  Yes!  Turn it off -- some of the time, some of the time.  Make a deal with your parents to turn it off some of the time.  Can we get that -- come on, come on, let’s just strike a deal.  I want you to read a book.  Read some books!  Yeah, reading some books.

So we’re striking a deal in this room.  It’s between me and you guys, right, because if you do that, you will be better people.  You will!  You will one day be President of the United States.  You’ll be who your parents and your grandparents are.  You can do that.  But you’ve got to do all the other stuff first.  All right?

All right, thank you guys.  (Applause.)

END
11:38 A.M. EDT