Remarks by the President on Ebola

South Lawn

3:02 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, everybody.  I just want to offer a quick update on Ebola and a number of the issues that have been raised.

We know that the best way to protect Americans ultimately is going to stop this outbreak at the source.  And I just had the privilege of speaking with some of the men and women who are working to do just that -- our Disaster Assistance Response Team on the ground in West Africa.

First and foremost, I thanked them for their incredible dedication and compassion.  These are the folks that, from the minute that we saw this Ebola outbreak growing larger than we had seen traditionally, were deployed, were on the ground, and were helping to coordinate the countries where the outbreak is happening to make sure that the response was effective.

And it's typical of what America does best -- when others are in trouble, when disease or disaster strikes, Americans help. And no other nation is doing as much to make sure that we contain and ultimately eliminate this outbreak than America.

We deployed this DART team to West Africa back in early August.  They’re now the strategic and operational backbone of America’s response.  They’ve increased the number of Ebola treatment units and burial teams.  They’ve expanded the pipeline of medical personnel and equipment and supplies.  They’ve launched an aggressive education campaign in-country.  The bottom line is, is that they’re doing what it takes to make sure that medical personnel and health care workers from all countries have what they need to get the job done.

And the good news is that it's starting to have an impact.  Based on the conversations that I had today with them, they’re starting to see some progress in Liberia, and the infrastructure is beginning to get built out.  That's thanks to the incredible work and dedication of folks from the United States who are leading the way in helping Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

And it's critical that we maintain that leadership.  The truth is that we're going to have to stay vigilant here at home until we stop the epidemic at its source.  And for that, we're going to need to make sure that our doctors and our health care professionals here in the United States are properly trained and informed and that they are coordinated if and when an Ebola case crops up here in the United States.  But what’s also critically important is making sure that all the talent, skill, compassion, professionalism, dedication and experience of our folks here can be deployed to help those countries deal with this outbreak at the source.

And that's why, yesterday, the CDC announced that we're going to have new monitoring and movement guidance that is sensible, based in science, and tailored to the unique circumstances of each health worker that may be returning from one of these countries after they have provided the kind of help that they need.  In fact, tomorrow I'm going to have a chance to meet with doctors and public health workers who’ve already returned from fighting this disease in West Africa or who are about to go -- not only to say thank you to them and give them encouragement, but to make sure that we're getting input from them based on the science, based on the facts, based on experience, about how the battle to deal with Ebola is going and how our policies can support the incredible heroism that they are showing.

So we don't want to discourage our health care workers from going to the frontlines and dealing with this in an effective way.  Our medical teams here are getting better and better prepared and trained for the possibility of an isolated Ebola case here in the United States.  But in the meantime, we've got to make sure that we continue to provide the support of health workers who are going overseas to deal with the disease where it really has been raging.

It's also important for the American people to remind themselves that only two people so far have contracted Ebola on American soil -- the two Dallas nurses who treated a patient who contracted it in West Africa.  Today both of them are disease-free.  I met with one of them, Nina Pham, last week, and she is doing wonderfully.  And I just had a chance to get off the phone with Amber Vinson, who is on her way back home and also, as many of you saw in her press statement today, is doing well also.

Of the seven Americans treated for Ebola so far, all have survived.  Right now, the only American still undergoing treatment is Dr. Craig Spencer, who contracted the disease abroad while working to protect others.  And we should be saluting his service.  And we are focused on getting him the best care possible, as well.  And our thoughts and prayers are with him.

Meanwhile, the West African nations of Senegal and Nigeria have now been declared Ebola-free.  That's in part because of outstanding work led in many cases by Americans working in coordination with those countries to make sure that we did not see an outbreak there.

So the point is, is that this disease can be contained.  It will be defeated.  Progress is possible.  But we're going to have to stay vigilant and we've got to make sure that we're working together.  We have to keep leading the global response.  America cannot look like it is shying away because other people are watching what we do, and if we don't have a robust international response in West Africa, then we are actually endangering ourselves here back home.  In order to do that, we've got to make sure that those workers who are willing and able and dedicated to go over there in a really tough job, that they’re applauded, thanked and supported.  That should be our priority.

And we can make sure that when they come back they are being monitored in a prudent fashion.  But we want to make sure that we understand that they are doing God’s work over there.  And they’re doing that to keep us safe.  And I want to make sure that every policy we put in place is supportive of their efforts, because if they are successful then we're not going to have to worry about Ebola here at home.

America in the end is not defined by fear.  That's not who we are.  America is defined by possibility.  And when we see a problem and we see a challenge, then we fix it.  We don't just react based on our fears.  We react based on facts and judgment and making smart decisions.  That's how we have built this country and sustained this country and protected this country.  That's why America has defined progress -- because we're not afraid when challenges come up.

Thanks to our military, our dedicated medical and health care professionals, the men and women who I spoke to today in West Africa, that leadership and progress continues.  And we're going to keep on making progress and we are going to solve this particular problem just like we’ve solved every other problem.

But it starts with us having the confidence and understanding that, as challenging as this may be, this is something that will get fixed -- in large part because we've got extraordinary Americans with experience, talent, dedication, who are willing to put themselves on the frontlines to get things done.

I'll have more to say about this tomorrow when I have those workers here.  But I just wanted to emphasize how proud I am of the people who are already involved in this effort, and how confident I am after speaking to them that, in fact, we're going to get this problem under control.

All right?  Thank you.

Q    Are you concerned, sir, that there might be some confusion between the quarantine rules used by the military and used by health care workers and by some states?

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, the military is a different situation, obviously, because they are, first of all, not treating patients. Second of all, they are not there voluntarily, it’s part of their mission that's been assigned to them by their commanders and ultimately by me, the Commander-in-Chief.  So we don't expect to have similar rules for our military as we do for civilians.  They are already, by definition, if they're in the military, under more circumscribed conditions.

When we have volunteers who are taking time out from their families, from their loved ones and so forth, to go over there because they have a very particular expertise to tackle a very difficult job, we want to make sure that when they come back that we are prudent, that we are making sure that they are not at risk themselves or at risk of spreading the disease, but we don't want to do things that aren’t based on science and best practices.  Because if we do, then we’re just putting another barrier on somebody who’s already doing really important work on our behalf. And that's not something that I think any of us should want to see happen.

All right?  Thank you, guys.

END
3:12 P.M. EDT

Remarks by the First Lady at a Grassroots Campaign Event with Democratic Candidate for Governor John Hickenlooper and Democratic Candidate for Senate Mark Udall -- Fort Collins, Colorado

Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colorado

:21 P.M. MDT
 
MRS. OBAMA:  This is a crowd!  Oh, my goodness!  Yes!  (Applause.)  Look at you guys.  You all are fired up, I love it.  Oh, my goodness.  You guys sound so good.  This sounds like a lot of work is going to be happening, right?  (Applause.)  Thank you guys so much. 
 
AUDIENCE MEMBER:  I see you, First Lady!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  I see you!  I see you -- see you!  (Applause.)  Now I want to see you vote.  (Applause.)  Well, if you haven’t noticed, I’m thrilled to be here at CSU with all of you guys.  And I’m thrilled to be here to support your Senator and Governor, our friends Mark Udall and John Hickenlooper.  Let’s give them a big round of applause.  (Applause.) 
 
Now, I just want to start with Mark, because I think it says a lot about Mark that, as you heard, years ago, he served as the Executive Director of Colorado Outward Bound.  And he’s spent his life scaling some of biggest, baddest mountains here in this state and around the world.  That’s pretty cool.
 
That tells you that he knows what it means to run a business, which is why he has fought to support clean energy, aerospace, and high-tech businesses here in this state so that they can keep creating good jobs.  Mark’s background also tells us that he is practical and tenacious, which is why Mark has reached out across party lines out in Washington.  And he’s focused on real solutions, like getting the best services for our veterans, working to balance our budget, ensuring that folks in this state had the relief they needed after those devastating floods and wildfires.  (Applause.)
 
So this is a man after my own heart.  And he’s a good family man, too, a decent man, man with good values. 
 
And as for your Governor, John, you heard -- his record as Governor speaks for itself.  (Applause.)  I want to repeat this, because during his time in office, Colorado’s unemployment rate dropped from 9.1 percent to 4.7 percent.  That’s what your Governor did.  (Applause.)  Your Governor took this state from 40th to 4th in the nation in the creation of jobs.  That’s amazing -- 200,000 new jobs in this state.  (Applause.)  That’s important work.
 
John has passed four balanced budgets with bipartisan support.  He’s started restoring funding in education, which is so important.  (Applause.)  Yes to education!  (Applause.)  It is absolutely the most important thing we can be doing in this country, without a doubt.
 
John has worked with businesses and environmental groups to adopt clean air standards.  He’s helped our veterans and our military spouses, which is near and dear to my heart.  He’s done so much for this state.  
 
And I just want to tell you that Mark and John both understand the values of independence and fairness that folks here in Colorado believe in.  That’s why they fought to raise the minimum wage; as you heard, get women equal pay for their work, and will stand up for women’s rights to make our decisions about our own bodies.  That’s what’s at stake.  (Applause.) 
 
So this is why I’m here.  This is why this race is so important.  If you all want a Senator and a Governor who share your values, and who will be there for you and your families every single day, then we’ve got to get this done.  You need to reelect Mark Udall as your Senator and John Hickenlooper as your Governor.  You guys, we can get this done.  We can get this done.  (Applause.) 
 
I just want to also recognize a couple of other outstanding Colorado leaders we have here today.  We’ve got Senator Bennet, of course, Congressman Jared Polis.  (Applause.)  And your next State Treasurer, former Congresswoman Betsy Markey.  They’re all here.  We’re so grateful for their leadership and for their service.
 
But I’m here also because I want to thank all of you.  Really.  (Applause.) 
 
AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We love you, Michelle!  (Applause.)
 
MRS. OBAMA:  And let me tell you, I love you guys.  Because the students here -- and while I love everyone, but -- (laughter) -- but I’m so proud of our young people, because you all are the next generation.  For you all, this is important.  And you all are important to us. 
 
And that’s why I’m so excited to see so many young people.  Because this election is really about you guys.  It’s about your hopes and your dreams, and the world that you want to pass onto your kids and your grandkids.  That’s why I get all passionate about this stuff.  (Applause.)  We’re handing this over to you.  And I know your President wants to make sure he doesn’t hand you a mess.  (Applause.) 
 
So these elections are important.  But here’s the thing:  Despite that fundamental truth -- that elections are important -- I know that too many young people feel that elections just don’t matter; that politics doesn’t really make a difference so why bother to show up and vote.  So if there’s anyone here who feels this way, or knows someone who feels this way, I just want you to consider some facts.  I want you to think about all the change that we’ve seen these past six years under President Barack Obama.  (Applause.) 
 
Now, some of you may be too young to really remember what things were like back in 2008 when Barack first took office, because you guys were young.  (Laughter.)  But let me just break it down, because sometimes when things are better, we don’t really have a sense of how bad things were.  But things were bad.
 
Our economy was literally on the brink of collapse, and that is not an exaggeration.  Wall Street banks were folding.  You can imagine -- folding.  We were losing 800,000 jobs every month -- every month.  People were worried about whether we were headed for another Great Depression -- can you imagine that?  And that wasn’t just talk, that was a real possibility. 
 
This was just some of the mess that Barack was handed on day one as President of the United States.  And I could go on.  (Laughter and applause.)  But I don’t want to dwell on the past, because we’re living in a better future.  (Applause.) 
 
So now I want you to think about how things look today, just six years later.  Think about this as you wonder whether politics matters, whether voting matters. 
 
By almost every economic measure, we are better off today than when Barack first took office.  Why?  Our businesses have created more than 10 million new jobs since 2010 -- do you hear me?  This is the longest -- this marks the longest uninterrupted run of private sector job growth in our nation’s history.  (Applause.)  The unemployment rate for young people is down from a high of about 10.6 percent in 2009 to 6.2 percent today. 
 
More young people are graduating from college than ever before.  (Applause.)  And here’s something that you might be feeling right now -- your President has helped to expand financial aid.  (Applause.)  Yes!  And for millions of students, we’re going to be capping federal student loan payments at no more than 10 percent of your income, because we believe that you shouldn’t be buried in debt when you’re just starting out in life, like me and the President were.  (Laughter.)  So we understand what this means for you. 
 
Under the Affordable Care Act, millions of young people have health care because they can now stay on their parents’ insurance until they’re 26 years old.  (Applause.)  So when you graduate from school, if you can’t find a job right away, if you’re trying to do something entrepreneurial, if you’re trying to do something creative, you won’t be left out in the cold just praying that you don’t get sick or hurt -- which was the case before the Affordable Care Act.  (Applause.)  
 
And for the last six years, we’ve had a President who shares our most fundamental values; a President who ends hurtful policies like “don’t ask, don’t tell;” a President who truly believes that everyone in this country should have a chance to succeed no matter what they look like, how much money they have, or who they love.  (Applause.) 
 
I could go on and on and on.  Who represents you matters.  So if anyone ever tells you that elections don’t matter, you tell them to look back at the last six years.  Tell them about those two elections that changed the course of history in this country.  And tell them that the same thing is true this year right here in Colorado.  It’s true right here.
 
As you heard, in this election, you all have the opportunity to vote for leaders who share your values; leaders who are going to fight to create jobs, make sure those jobs pay decent wages; leaders who will build good schools, make college more affordable.  That’s the kind of leader Mark is.  That’s the kind of leader John is.  And that’s why we need to do everything we can to get them reelected as your Senator and your Governor.  And you all can make that happen.  We are counting on you. 
 
So let’s talk about how we’re going to do this -- because it won’t be easy.  We know that there is too much money in politics -- that’s a given.  We know that special interests have way too much influence -- that’s a given.  But the thing, especially for young people, I want you to understand is that they had plenty of money and plenty of influence back in 2008 and 2012, and we still won those elections.  Remember that. 
 
And you want to know why we won?  Because young people like so many of you -- for years, folks had counted you out.  That was the conventional wisdom -- that young people don’t care, young people aren’t engaged, they won’t show up on Election Day, hoping you’ll oversleep, just forget.  But boy, did you all show up for Barack Obama.  (Applause.) 
 
Young people, so many of them, knocked on doors.  You all did the work of making the calls.  You used every kind of social media tool available -- things I’d never even heard of.  (Laughter.) 
 
And here’s the thing -- you inspired people across the country to get to the polls and to cast their votes.  And what happened in 2008 and 2012 reminded us of a simple truth:  that at the end of the day, the folks running those special interest groups and pouring all that money into campaigns, they each just have one vote -- and so do all of us.  And those votes are what decides elections in this country -- remember that.  And that’s why Barack Obama is President right now.  He’s President because a whole bunch of folks who never voted before showed up and voted in 2008 and 2012. 
 
And that’s why a lot of people were shocked when Barack won.  They were shocked.  Some people are still shocked, because, sadly, they were counting on folks like us to stay home.  But we proved them wrong.  Barack won because record numbers of women and minorities and young people showed up.  (Applause.) 
 
But here’s what happens, is that when the midterms came along, too many of our people just tuned out.  We’re still not in the habit of knowing that it’s every two years there’s something serious happening.  (Laughter.)  And that’s what folks on the other side are counting on this year, because they know that when we stay home, they win.  So they’re assuming that we won’t care.  They’re hoping that we won’t be organized.  They’re praying that we won’t be energized.  And only we can prove them wrong. 
 
So make no mistake about it, this race is going to be tight.  We know that races like this can be won or lost by just a few thousand, even a few hundred votes.  I just want to make this real for you -- just think back to the Senate race here in Colorado in 2010.
 
The outcome of that election was decided by about 14,000 votes.  And while that might sound like a lot, when you break that number down, that’s just five votes per precinct.  And this is where I want the young people to understand -- that’s five votes per precinct.  That decided an election.  And that could be the margin of difference this year; in all likelihood, it will be. 
 
And I know that every single person in this room knows five people that you can get to vote for Mark Udall and for John Hickenlooper.  I know you do.  (Applause.)  Just think of that five when you’re thinking about whether you’re going to mail your ballot in; when you think about talking to your peers and they’re like, I’m tired, I don’t know -- it’s five votes.
 
So let’s be clear:  This one is on us.  This is our votes.  This one is on us.  We can’t wait around for anyone else to do this.  It’s on us to get people organized and energized and out to vote. 
 
And you can start right now, today, by voting by mail, voting early in person -- Mark ran over it -- you vote by mail, be sure to put your ballot in the mail as soon as possible with two stamps.  Or you can just bring it to the early-voting location nearest you.  You can also vote early in person, as Mark said, from now until Election Day.  In this state it couldn’t be easier. 
 
However you decide to vote, just don’t wait another minute, especially for our students.  You guys, do this now.  Get this done.  Don’t put this off.  Just check it off your to-do list today.
 
I want a show of hands of how many people have already voted.  (Applause.)  All right, that’s not enough.  (Laughter.)  We’re very excited, but there’s a lot of potential just in this room. 

So in fact, if you live here in Larimer County, you can vote right in the Lory Center.  So just head down to the North Ballroom of this building and cast your vote.  Get it done now, and bring everyone you know with you.  Bring your roommate.  Bring your teammate.  Bring folks from your fraternity or your sorority.  (Applause.)  Bring that cute girl or guy that you met at the party last weekend -- and for the parents in the room, for you -- who met them at the library.  (Laughter.)  You’re studying very hard. 
 
And then, as Mark said, we need you to volunteer.  That’s really important, especially for students.  We need you to knock on some doors, make calls.  Do that hard work.  You can just go to MarkUdall.com, and that’s where you can sign up there.  Or you can find somebody here with the clipboards and sign up.  Don’t leave here without getting that done.  Don’t wait another minute.  Get started.  Because we’ve got less than two weeks until Election Day. 
 
And this year simply could not be more important.  Because if we don’t get folks out to vote, if we don’t elect leaders like Mark and John, then we know exactly what will happen.  We are going to see more folks interfering in women’s private decisions about our health care.  We’re going to see more opposition to immigration reform, to raising the minimum wage for hard-working folks.

So let’s be very clear:  If you think that folks who work 40 or 50 hours a week shouldn’t have to live in poverty in the wealthiest nation on the planet; if you don’t want women’s bosses making decisions about their birth control; if you think women should get equal pay for equal work; if you think that every young person in this country should have a chance to go to college and build a good life for themselves, then we need you to step up now and get everyone you know to vote for Mark Udall and John Hickenlooper.  (Applause.)   
 
That’s what’s at stake in this election -- it’s the kind of country that we want to leave for you all.  And I want us to remember, our kids are counting on us to stand up for them.  And there are wonderful kids all over this country who are counting on us.  I meet them everywhere I go.  I know there are many of these kids here today.
 
They’re kids like Rashema Melson, who is one of my mentees at -- in the White House program where we mentor kids.  Rashema’s father was murdered when she was a baby, and for years her family was homeless.  There were days when Rashema didn’t have clean clothes to wear to school. 
 
But here -- Rashema showed up every morning to school.  She threw herself into every class.  This girl’s brilliant, vibrant personality -- often waking up in the middle of the night to do her homework because that’s the only time it was quiet in the homeless shelter where she lived. 
 
And by senior year, Rashema had earned herself a 4.0 GPA.  She graduated as valedictorian of her class.  And right now, today, this minute, she is on full scholarship at Georgetown University.  I’m so proud of her.  (Applause.) 
 
But there are millions of Rashemas across this country.  There are thousands of them here.  There are hundreds of them in this room.  I meet so many kids like her -- kids who wake up early and take the long route to school to avoid the gangs.  Kids who juggle afterschool jobs to support their families and stay up late to get their homework done.  Kids whose parents don’t speak a word of English, but who are fighting every day to realize their dream of a better life.  
 
These kids have every reason to give up.  They have every reason to quit.  But they are so hungry to succeed.  They are so desperate to lift themselves up.  And that is why we do what we do.  That is what keeps Barack and I working hard, despite the mess.  We work hard because those kids never give up, and neither can we.  (Applause.) 
 
So this is what we need to do:  Between now and November 4th, we need to be energized for them.  We need to be inspired for them.  We need to pour everything we have into this election so that they can have the opportunities they need to build the future they deserve.
 
And if we all do that, if we keep stepping up -- just look at the power in this room.  You feel the energy right here.  If we keep stepping up and bringing others along the way, then I am confident that we can keep on making that change we believe in.  I know we will reelect Mark Udall as Senator.  I know we will reelect John Hickenlooper as Governor.  And I know that together, we can build that future worthy of all our kids.
 
You guys stay fired up.  Get it done.  I love you all so much.  (Applause.)
 
END  
3:44 P.M. MDT

Remarks by the President on the U.S. Government's Ebola Response and the Shooting Incident in Canada

Oval Office

4:00 P.M. EDT    

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I wanted to give you an update I just received from the team that’s been working day and night to make sure that the American people are safe and that we’re dealing effectively with not just the Ebola case here, but the outbreak and epidemic that’s taking place in West Africa.

A number of things make us cautiously more optimistic about the situation here in the United States.  First of all, we now have seen dozens of persons who had initial interaction with Mr. Duncan, including his family and friends, and in some cases people who have had fairly significant contact with him, have now been cleared and we’re confident that they do not have Ebola.  And it just gives, I think, people one more sense of how difficult it is to get this disease.  These are people, in some cases, who were living with Mr. Duncan and had fairly significant contact with him.  They, we now know, do not have Ebola. 

And so, once again, I want to emphasize to the public:  This is not airborne; you have to have had contact with the bodily fluids of somebody who is actually showing symptoms of Ebola, which is why it makes it so hard to catch, although it obviously is very virulent if, in fact, you do come into contact with such bodily fluids.

Our hearts and thoughts and prayers are still with the two nurses who were affected.  Again, we’re cautiously optimistic.  They seem to be doing better, and we continue to think about them.

I had a chance to talk to a number of their coworkers at Texas Presbyterian today.  Spirits were good.  People were very proud of the work that they’ve done, and understandably so.  Because as I’ve said before, when it comes to taking care of us and our families, nobody is more important than the frontline health workers and nurses in particular who so often are the ones who have immediate and ongoing contact with patients.  And they’re very proud of what they’ve done, and want to make sure that everybody understands how seriously they take their work and how important they consider their jobs to be.

In addition, what we’ve also seen is two American patients, who got Ebola outside but were brought here to be treated, have now been cleared.  They have been cured, and we’re obviously very happy about that.  I know their families are thrilled about that.

And finally, we also received news that, according to the World Health Organization, both Nigeria and Senegal are Ebola-free.  Now, these are countries that are adjoining the three West African countries that are experiencing the most severe aspects of this disease.  And again, it gives you some sense that when it’s caught early, and where the public health infrastructure operates effectively, this outbreak can be stopped. 

What we’ve also been talking about then is dealing with the particulars of the situations as it arose in Dallas and what we’re doing to making sure that we don’t see a repeat of some of the problems with the protocols that took place in Dallas.

First of all, with respect to Dallas, working in coordination with Governor Perry, Mayor Rawlings and health officials in Dallas and throughout Texas, we now are very confident that if any additional cases came up in Texas, that there is a plan in place where they would go receive first-class treatment.  And we continue to actively monitor those who remain at risk because they were involved in Mr. Duncan’s treatment -- although a number of them rolled off of the list of people who could possibly get it today.   And each day, more and more folks are cleared and can be confident that they don’t have Ebola.

We surged resources both to Dallas and to Cleveland, making sure that the CDC is on the ground so that if additional cases arise out of the Dallas situation, as well as the second nurse who flew to Cleveland, that we’re on the ground and we don’t repeat any problems with respect to the protocols that have to be followed.

The CDC has refined and put in place guidelines that will make sure that both in terms of protective gear and how it’s disposed, and how we monitor anybody who might have Ebola, that those are tighter.  And our team has spent a lot of time reaching out to hospitals, doctors, nurses’ associations, health care workers.  There were thousands who were trained at the Javits Center just yesterday, I believe.

And so we’re going to systematically and steadily just make sure that every hospital has a plan; that they are displaying CDC information that has currently been provided so that they can step-by-step precautions when they’re dealing with somebody who might have Ebola. 

And I’m confident that over the course of several weeks and months, each hospital working in conjunction with public health officials in those states are going to be able to train and develop the kinds of systems that ensure that people are prepared if and when a case like this comes up.  And that ultimately is going to be the most important thing. 

This is a disease where if it’s caught early and the hospital knows what to do early, it doesn’t present a massive risk of spreading.  But we have to make sure that everybody is aware of it.  And obviously, given all the attention that this situation has received, as you might expect, hospital workers and the CEOs of hospitals, and dentists, and anybody who has contact with potential patients is paying a lot more attention and is much more open to making sure that they’ve got a sound plan in place.  And we’re going to be helping everybody to make sure that they put that plan in place.

In addition, I know that there’s been a lot of concern around the issue of individuals traveling from the three nations in West Africa that are most affected.  So, as has already been announced, what’s now happening is all flights from those nations are being funneled into three airports -- or five airports, rather.  Each of those airports have systems in place so that all the passengers getting off those flights will be monitored.

The CDC announced today that it’s going to take some additional steps to provide information to states so that they can actively monitor what’s taking place with those persons for a period of 21 days in order to protect the citizens of their various states, and will continue to put in place additional measures as they make sense in order to assure that we don’t see a continuing spread of this disease.

And on the international front, the good news is, is that along with the billion dollars that we are putting in, we’ve now seen an additional billion dollars from the world community to start building isolation units in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.  Health workers are beginning to surge there.  We’ve got 100 CDC personnel on the ground, as well as more than 500 military personnel.

I should emphasize that our military personnel is not treating patients.  But what we’re doing, which nobody else really has the capacity to do, is to build the infrastructure -- the logistical systems, the air transport, the construction -- so that, as other countries start making contributions, they can be  confident that it’s going to get in where it’s most needed, and it’s going to be coordinated effectively.  And we just want to thanks, as always, our men and women in uniform who are doing an outstanding job there.

We’re already starting to see some very modest signs of progress in Liberia.  We’re concerned about some spike in cases in Guinea.  One of the good things that has come out of all the attention that this has received over the last several months -- and, frankly, the coordination of the United States with the international community -- is that people understand if we are going to protect all of our citizens globally, we have to do a better job of getting into these countries quicker and providing more help faster.  And American leadership has been vital in that entire process.

So the top line, I think the key message I want to deliver is that although, obviously, people had concerns with Mr. Duncan -- and our hearts still go out to his family as well as the two nurses that were infected -- in fact, what we’re seeing is that the public health infrastructure and systems that we are now putting in place across the board around the country should give the American people confidence that we’re going to be in a position to deal with any additional cases of Ebola that might crop up without it turning into an outbreak.

And I want to emphasize again:  This is a very hard disease to get.  And in a country like the United States that has a strong public health infrastructure and outstanding health workers and hospitals and systems, the prospect of an outbreak here is extremely low.  If people want to make sure that as we go into the holiday season their families are safe, the very best thing they can do is make sure that everybody in the family is getting a flu shot.  Because we know that tens of thousands of people will be affected by the flu this season, as is true every season.

I’ll say one other thing about this.  If there’s a silver lining in all the attention that the Ebola situation has received over the last several weeks, it’s a reminder of how important our public health systems are.  And in many ways, what this has done is elevated that importance.  There may come a time, sometime in the future, where we are dealing with an airborne disease that is much easier to catch and is deadly.  And in some ways, this has created a trial run for federal, state and local public health officials and health care providers, as well as the American people, to understand the nature of that and why it’s so important that we’re continually building out our public health systems but we’re also practicing them and keeping them in tip-top shape, and investing in them, because oftentimes the best cures to prevent getting diseases in the first place -- and that’s true for individuals, it’s true for the country as a whole.

Thank you very much, everybody.

Q    Can you say something about Canada?

THE PRESIDENT:  Oh, thank you very much.  I appreciate -- thank you.  I had a chance to talk with Prime Minister Harper this afternoon.  Obviously, the situation there is tragic.  Just two days ago, a Canadian soldier had been killed in an attack.  We now know that another young man was killed today.  And I expressed on behalf of the American people our condolences to the family and to the Canadian people as a whole.

We don’t yet have all the information about what motivated the shooting.  We don’t yet have all the information about whether this was part of a broader network or plan, or whether this was an individual or series of individuals who decided to take these actions.  But it emphasizes the degree to which we have to remain vigilant when it comes to dealing with these kinds of acts of senseless violence or terrorism.  And I pledged, as always, to make sure that our national security teams are coordinating very closely, given not only is Canada one of our closest allies in the world but they’re our neighbors and our friends, and obviously there’s a lot of interaction between Canadians and the United States, where we have such a long border.

And it’s very important I think for us to recognize that when it comes to dealing with terrorist activity, that Canada and the United States has to be entirely in sync.  We have in the past; I’m confident we will continue to do so in the future.  And Prime Minister Harper was very appreciative of the expressions of concern by the American people. 

I had a chance to travel to the Parliament in Ottawa.  I’m very familiar with that area and am reminded of how warmly I was received and how wonderful the people there were.  And so obviously we’re all shaken by it, but we’re going to do everything we can to make sure that we’re standing side by side with Canada during this difficult time.

Q    What does the Canadian attack mean to U.S. security, Mr. President?

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, we don’t have enough information yet.  So as we understand better exactly what happened, this obviously is something that we’ll make sure to factor in, in the ongoing efforts that we have to counter terrorist attacks in our country.

Every single day we have a whole lot of really smart, really dedicated, really hardworking people -- including a couple in this room -- who are monitoring risks and making sure that we’re doing everything we need to do to protect the American people.  And they don’t get a lot of fanfare, they don’t get a lot of attention.  There are a lot of possible threats that are foiled or disrupted that don’t always get reported on.  And the work of our military, our intelligence teams, the Central Intelligence Agency, the intelligence community more broadly, our local law enforcement and state law enforcement officials who coordinate closely with us -- we owe them all a great deal of thanks.

Thank you, guys.  Appreciate you.

END
4:16 P.M. EDT

Remarks by the First Lady at a Grassroots Campaign Event with Democratic Candidate for Senate Bruce Braley

University Of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

12:50 P.M. CDT
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you so much.  Wow, that was good stuff right there.  (Applause.)  That was good stuff.  I am thrilled to be here today to support the next Senator from Iowa, our friend Bruce Braley.  Let’s give it up for Bruce.  (Applause.)
 
Now, let me say that one more time:  Bruce Braley.  (Laughter and applause.)  Now, some of you may remember the last time I was here.
 
AUDIENCE MEMBER:  You got it right!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  No, I got it wrong a couple of times.  (Laughter.)  But I sort of laughed to myself because I thought, well, people should follow me home because -- talk to Malia and Sasha and I never call them the right names.  (Laughter.)  It’s like, who are you?  I call Barack Bo.  It just -- it never works out really well.  (Laughter.)
 
But although I may have slipped up on Bruce’s name a couple of times, what I know I got right are Bruce’s values.  And that’s really what matters in these elections.  You can hear from his stories, his life story, you know his heart is where it needs to be.  You know this is a man of excellent character.  You know that he’s someone who understands family.  You know he’s someone who’s going to commit to the people of this state every single day.
 
And that’s why I’m back in Iowa today -- because I know where Bruce comes from.  I know what he stands for.  And I have seen politicians come and go, candidates come and go, and what matters is who they are as people.  I know that Bruce is going to fight for your families every single day in the Senate.
 
As he told you, Bruce grew up a lot like I did -- working-class family.  His mom was a teacher.  His father was a Marine Corps vet.  And like a lot of you here today, as he said, Bruce had to work his way through college like many of us; waited tables, worked a grain elevator, built bridges with a county roads department.
 
So make no mistake about it, Bruce understands what families here in Iowa are going through because he’s lived it.  That’s why he fought so hard to raise the minimum wage -- because he understands that folks who work 40 or 50 hours a week shouldn’t have to live in poverty in the wealthiest nation on the planet.  (Applause.)  That’s why Bruce believes that after a lifetime of hard work, folks should be able to retire with dignity and security.  That’s why he’s worked so hard to protect Social Security and Medicare.
 
And of course, when it comes to helping young people afford college, you heard him talk.  You all have a true champion in Bruce Braley.  He has worked tirelessly to expand Pell grants, to keep interest rates low for student loans, helped graduates refinance their loans at a lower rate.  And I know there are a lot of students here, right?  You know how that feels.  You know how important that is.  (Applause.)
 
And finally, when it comes to women’s health, Bruce fought hard to make sure that insurance companies cover the costs of things like birth control.  (Applause.)  And he believes that politicians shouldn’t be butting into the private health decisions made by women and their doctors -- we can handle that.  (Applause.)
 
So let’s be clear:  If you all want a Senator who shares your values and will stand up for you and your families out in Washington, then you need to elect Bruce Braley to the U.S. Senate.  We got to get this done.  We can do this here.  (Applause.)  And it’s going to happen because of you all here.
 
I also want to take a moment just to acknowledge Dave Loebsack, as well.  He’s been a dear friend, your Congressman.  Dave, I love you and Jeannie! You guys are awesome.  (Applause.)

Like Bruce, Dave really gets it, as well.  He was raised by a single mother who struggled to make ends meet.  And during his time in Congress, Dave has worked tirelessly to create good manufacturing jobs, to support our seniors, to give our kids the opportunities that he had to build a better life for himself.  He wants our young people to have those same opportunities.  So when you vote for Bruce, I want you all in the Second District to be sure to vote for Dave Loebsack, as well.  We’re going to get him back in.  (Applause.)
 
And of course, I want to thank all of you.  This is a great crowd, great turnout.  You guys are going to do this for Bruce.  I’m excited to be back again, because I love Iowa.  I do.  I do.  (Applause.)  It feels like home in so many ways.
 
And I said this when I was in Des Moines, but it’s worth repeating -- I will never forget how you all embraced me and my family when we first came to campaign in 2007.  I’ll never forget how you invited us into your homes and onto your campuses, and marched with us in the Harkin Steak Fry and the Jefferson Jackson dinner.  (Applause.)
 
But most of all, I’ll never forget how you showed us what politics is like at its very best -- when people take the time to really get to know their candidates and to engage in the issues that are at stake.  And that’s really why I wanted to come to Iowa City today to talk with all of you, to many of our young people -- also to those young at heart.  I know we have a few people here, too.  (Laughter.)
 
But I want to spend a little more time talking to young people, because this election is really about you guys.  It really is.  It’s about your hopes and your dreams, and the world that you want to pass onto your kids and your grandkids.  But I know that despite that fundamental truth, I know that too many young people feel that elections just don’t matter; that politics just really doesn’t make a difference, so they think why bother to show up, why bother to vote.  Does anybody here know anybody like that?
 
So I want you to know that if there is anybody here who feels that way or you know someone who feels this way, I just want to give you some facts.  I mean, you heard from Bruce.  He made some excellent points about what this election can mean for your education.  But I want you to think about all the change that we’ve made these past six years under President Barack Obama.  (Applause.)  And I think a brief history lesson is important, because so many of you might be too young to really remember what things were like back in 2008.  Some of you guys were babies back then.  (Laughter.)
 
But in 2008, when Barack first took office, our economy was literally on the brink of collapse.  Wall Street banks were folding.  Businesses were losing 800,000 jobs every single month -- every month.  Folks on TV and in the papers were worried about whether we were headed for another Great Depression -- and this wasn’t talk, this was a real possibility.  Things were a mess.  And this is what was handed to Barack when he set foot in the Oval Office his first day as President of the United States.  And that’s just what was going on in the economy.
 
Now I want you to think about how things look today, just six years later, six years’ worth of work.  By almost every economic measure, we are better off today than when Barack took office.  That’s a fact.  (Applause.)  Our businesses have created more than 10 million new jobs since 2010.  This is the longest uninterrupted run of private sector job growth in our nation’s history.  (Applause.)
 
The unemployment rate for young people is down from a high of 10.6 percent in 2009 to 6.2 percent today.  (Applause.)  More young people are graduating from college than ever before -- I love that.  (Applause.)  As you heard from Bruce, we’ve expanded financial aid, and for millions of students we’ll be capping federal student loan payments at no more than 10 percent of your income.  Yes.  (Applause.)  Look, I wish I had that when I was your age.  I tell this story all the time -- Barack and I, our loan debt for our education was higher than our mortgage -- yes.  Because, as Bruce understands, we do this because he knows you shouldn’t have to be buried in debt like we were when you’re just getting started in life.
 
So these things are important.  Under the Affordable Care Act, millions of young people have health care because -- and you all know this -- you can stay on your parents’ insurance until you’re 26 years old.  (Applause.)  So when you graduate from school, if you can’t find a job right away or if you want to do something entrepreneurial, if you want to take a risk, you won’t be left out in the cold just praying that you don’t get sick or hurt.  (Applause.)  That’s what the Affordable Care Act means for you.
 
And for the last six years, we’ve had a President who shares our most fundamental values -- a President who ends hurtful policies like “don’t ask, don’t tell,” a President who truly believes that everyone in this country should have a chance to succeed no matter what they look like or how much money they have or who they love.  (Applause.)
 
So I could go on, and on, and on, and on.  But if anyone ever tells you that elections don’t matter, I want you to tell them to look back at the last six years.  Tell them about all those -- two elections, how they changed the course of history in this country.  And tell them that the same is true this year, right here in Iowa.  You have a chance.
 
You see, in this election, you have an opportunity to vote for a Senator who truly shares your values; someone who is going to fight to create good jobs, make sure those job pay a decent wage; someone who’s going to build good schools, make college more affordable; someone who’s going to fight for equal pay for women, and who will support our right as women to make our own decisions about our bodies and our health care.  That’s the kind of leader Bruce Braley will be, and that’s why we need to do everything we can to elect him as the next Senator from Iowa.  (Applause.)  We’ve got to get this done.  Elections matter.  They matter.  They matter.
 
And we know this won’t be easy.  It won’t be.  We know that there’s too much money in politics.  We know that special interests have way too much influence.  But here’s what I want my young people to understand, too:  They had all that money and influence back in 2008 and 2012, and we still won those elections.  We still won.  (Applause.)  You want to know why we won?  Because of so many people like you -- young people like you all.
 
For years, folks counted young people out.  That was the conventional wisdom -- that young people don’t care, that young people aren’t engaged and won’t show up on Election Day.  But, boy, did you all prove them wrong for Barack Obama.  (Applause.)  And our young people, boy, you all knocked on doors, you made calls, you used every kind of social media tool.  You got it done!  You got it done!  (Applause.)
 
And it’s important for you to understand that your work inspired people across this country.  You inspired other people to get to the polls and cast their votes.  And what happened in 2008 and 2012 reminded us of a simple truth:  that at the end of the day, the folks running those special interest groups, the folks who poured millions of dollars into those elections, they each have just one vote -- and so do each of us.
 
And those are the votes that decide elections in the United States of America.  That’s why Barack Obama is President right now.  (Applause.)  He’s President because a whole bunch of folks who never voted before showed up to vote in 2008 and 2012.
 
But here’s what happened -- a lot of people were shocked when Barack won.  They were counting on folks like us to stay home.  Barack won because record numbers of women and minorities and young people showed up.  (Applause.)  But what happens in these midterm races is that too many of our people just tuned out.  And that’s what folks on the other side are counting on this year, because, as I remind people, when we stay home, they win.  So they’re assuming that we won’t care.  They’re hoping that we won’t be organized and energized.  They’re praying that we just sit back.  And only we can prove them wrong.
 
Make no mistake about it, this race is going to be tight.  We know that races like this can be won or lost by just a few thousands, even a few hundred votes.
 
Just think about what happened in the 2012 presidential election here in Iowa.  The outcome of that race was decided by about 46,000 votes.  And while that might sound like a lot, when you break it down, that’s just about 27 votes per precinct.  I want young people to really hear that number -- that’s just 27 votes.  That’s why voting matters.  Twenty-seven votes.
 
So if we really get to work just here in this room, think about how many precincts all of us could swing for Bruce Braley.  Just think about it.  Just the think about the work -- can happen in this room.  (Applause.)
 
So, young people, our young people, this election is on us.  It’s on us.  Your future is on us.  Our future is on us.  We’ve got to get this done.  We can’t wait around for anyone else to do this.  We’ve got to get people organized and energized, and we’ve got to get them out to vote.
 
And you can get started right now, today.  We’re going to be practical right now.  You can start by voting early.  More Iowans are voting earlier every year because it’s the easiest way to make your voice heard.  You can request your ballot by mail right here at this event, or you can go to Vote.BruceBraley.com.  Young people, get your things out.  (Laughter.)  You’ve got those things and you press them really fast and you get information.  And then you can show some of the young-at-heart people how to do it, too.  (Laughter.)  That’s Vote.BruceBraley.com -- or, even better, you can vote early in person right now.  (Applause.)  Look at that -- right now.
 
Because from now until November 4th, every day is Election Day.  And if you haven’t registered yet, don’t worry -- you can register to vote and vote early at the same time.  (Applause.)  It couldn’t be easier.
 
So I want you all to vote as soon as you can.  In fact, vote today.  Vote today.  Just get it done, get it out of the way.  Don’t wait until tomorrow, young people, or the next day.  (Laughter.)  Do it right after this event.  And as Bruce said, if you live here in Johnson County, you can go right over to the Old Capitol Mall at 201 South Clinton Street.  Just check it off your list.  (Applause.)  That location is open Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
 
And be sure to bring everyone you know along with you to vote.  Bring your roommate.  Bring your teammate.  Bring folks from your fraternity, your sorority.  Bring folks you met at the party last weekend.  (Applause.)  Or, better yet, for the parents, those you met in the library studying.  (Laughter.)  Those are really the people we’re talking about.
 
And be sure to sign up to volunteer, as Bruce said.  Because if everyone here today signs up to knock on doors or make calls for three hours --
 
AUDIENCE MEMBERS:  We knock doors!  We knock doors!  We knock doors!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  We knock doors!  We knock doors!  We knock doors!  (Applause.)  They need you knocking doors.  If everybody here invests those three hours, then I’m confident that we will win this election.  So for just three hours of your time, you will get six years of an outstanding Senator who will carry on Tom Harkin’s legacy.  (Applause.)  So don’t wait another minute.  Find an organizer with a “Commit” card and volunteer.
 
As Bruce said, the stakes this year simply could not be higher.  Because if we don’t get folks out to vote, if we don’t elect leaders like Bruce Braley to the Senate, then we know exactly what will happen.  We will see more folks interfering in women’s private decisions about our health care.  We’ll see more opposition to immigration reform, to raising the minimum wage for hard-working folks.
 
So I want to be very clear:  If you think people should get a decent paycheck for their work, a paycheck they can raise their families on; if you don’t want women’s bosses making decisions about their birth control; if you think women should get equal pay for equal work; if you think every young person in this country should have a chance to go to college and build a good life for themselves -- then you need to step up and get everyone you know to vote for Bruce Braley.  (Applause.)  You guys can do that.
 
That’s what’s at stake in this election -- it’s the kind of country we want to leave for our kids and our grandkids.  And as I said last time when I was here, those kids are counting on us to stand up for them.  And we know kids like this all over the country.  There are kids here just like this who are working hard, doing their best under some incredible odds.
 
There’s a young woman who is a -- one of our mentees.  We have a wonderful mentorship program at the White House for young girls, and Rashema Melson is one of those mentees.
 
Rashema’s father was murdered when she was a baby, and for years her family was homeless.  There were days when she didn’t even have clean clothes to wear to school.  This kid, she’s beautiful and vibrant and bubbly.  Rashema, despite all that she was going through, she still showed up every morning to school.  She threw herself into every class, often waking up in the middle of the night to do her homework because that’s the only time it was quiet in the homeless shelter where she lived.
 
And by senior year, Rashema had earned herself a 4.0 GPA, and she graduated as the valedictorian of her class with a full scholarship to Georgetown University.  (Applause.)  That’s where Rashema is right now.  She is a Georgetown student.  I’m so proud of her.
 
And as I travel across this country, I meet so many kids like Rashema -- kids who wake up early and take the long route to school to avoid the gangs.  Kids who juggle afterschool jobs to support their families and stay up late to get their homework done.  Kids who don’t speak a word of English, but who are fighting every day to realize their dream of a better life.
 
These kids have every reason to give up, but they are so hungry to succeed and so desperate to lift themselves up.  And that’s why we’re here today -- because those kids never give up, and neither will we.  We will never give up on our kids, ever.  Education is at -- the key to our success as a nation.  (Applause.)  And we have to invest everything we can in them.
 
So between now and November, we need to be organized for them.  We need to be inspired for them.  We need to pour everything we have into this election so that they can have the opportunities they need to build the future they deserve.
 
And if we all do that, if we all keep stepping up and bringing others along with us, then I know that we can keep on making that change we believe in.  I know we can elect Bruce Braley as the next Senator from Iowa.  (Applause.)
 
So we can get this done.  I’m counting on you guys.  Go vote!  Sign up and volunteer.  (Applause.)  Get it done.  We have two more weeks.  We can make this happen.  Twenty-seven votes, so find every person you know and shake them.  (Laughter.)
 
I love you all.  Let’s get it done.  Thank you.  God bless.  (Applause.)
 
END  
1:14 P.M. CDT