The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
September 18, 2014

Remarks by the First Lady at National Student Poet Reading

Blue Room

10:55 A.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Good morning, you guys.  Please, rest.  (Laughter.)  Welcome to the White House.  Yes!  Let’s stand back, take it in.  (Laughter.)  This is for you.  Look around, we’re in the Blue Room.  It’s good.  You guys are winners, champs.

I want to start by thanking everyone from the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, and the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences for everything that all of these folks are doing to lift up young people like these and a program like this one.  We’re so proud of you guys.  I especially want to recognize Olivia -- right there.  (Applause.)  Her happy dance.  You’ve done such a tremendous job in leading this program and launching it three years ago.  It’s good, and we’re going to make it bigger and bigger and bigger.  You’ve done such a terrific job.  We’re so proud of you and proud of what you’re doing for young people and for the arts.  So thank you so much.

And of course, Richard Blanco, our friend who is here.  And carrying on -- we’re going to keep pulling you in.  (Laughter.)  So thank you for being here and thank you for your work.  

But most of all, it’s my honor to introduce the third class of National Student Poets.  We have Weston Clark, from Zionsville, Indiana.  (Applause.)  No, no, I’m just giving you your time.  I’m going to give you your moment.  (Laughter.)  They’re listening to instructions.  I’m going to get you guys loosened up and -- realize that there’s -- silliness abounds in the White House, so you can relax.  Madeleine LeCesne from New Orleans, Louisiana.  (Applause.)  Ashley Gong from Sandy Hook, Connecticut.  (Applause.)  Cameron Messinides from Camden, South Carolina.  (Applause.)  And Julia Falkner, from Louisville, Colorado.  (Applause.)  Yay.  (Laughter.)  And their parents -- you guys, stand up.  Families.  (Applause.)  You should be so proud.  Aren’t you proud?  This is pretty cool.  You could never say they never did anything for you.  (Laughter.)  They got you to the White House. 

Now, we started this program because we wanted to nurture the passion and creativity of our young people.  And we wanted to help them engage with their communities, and we wanted to do our part to share the gifts and wonders that poetry offers with a new generation.

As my favorite poet, Maya Angelou, once said, nothing is so frightening as writing, but nothing so satisfies me.  So what these young people are doing doesn’t just take talent, it doesn’t just take hard work, it actually takes a lot of courage.  It takes courage to open your soul to the whole world.  It takes courage to think hard and feel deeply, and then turn those thoughts and feelings into something that you’re willing to share with others.  And that’s exactly what these young people are doing every day with their works, which is why it’s just so phenomenal.

Young people at this age tend to close down, shut down.  And through your words, you’re just sort of letting it all go.  In one of her poems, Julia says, she used to write what she called “passive aggressive prose poems” -- (laughter) -- because, as she says -- she said, “I did not know how to scream in a three-dimensional world.”  Really powerful.

So today, we celebrate not just the wonderful, finished poems that you will hear in a moment from these gifted young people, but we’re also here to celebrate the journey that these young people took to get where they are today -– the endless drafts, the late-night struggles with writer’s block, and all those moments, I’m sure, of fear and doubt. 

And make no mistake about it, the process for these young people isn’t just about how they create great works of poetry.  It’s what we have said time and time again -- it’s the key to success, period, in school and in life.  And that’s why it’s so critical that every child in this country has access to the arts in schools.  We can’t say it enough.  We know this is the right thing to do for our kids.  We know it’s a must.  It’s as essential as what they eat, what they drink, what they breathe in.  Our kids deserve and need this. 

Because whether it’s poetry or band or drama or painting, access to the arts gives kids a reason to get out of bed, and a reason to get up and go to school, and some of the other stuff that sometimes isn’t so fun.  (Laughter.)  It gives them that chance for self-expression, and gives them the skills and the experiences they’ll need to realize their boundless potential, and to reach higher, and to write their own story in the years ahead.

And so I am thrilled to have the chance to showcase that potential and celebrate those stories.  This is something that we talked about after last year’s event.  I said, let’s hear from them.  Let’s take it to the next level.  So you guys represent the next level.  (Laughter.)  Because we want to really hear your voices, and give you the opportunity to stand in the White House and to recite your words. 

So I really do want you guys to be relaxed about this.  I know that’s hard to say.  (Laughter.)  But you know, treat this as a gift.  There’s no pressure.  Forget those guys back there.  (Laughter.)  It’s us; we are all family.  We’ve all read your stuff and it’s amazing.  That’s why you’re here.  The President actually read it, too; he loves poetry.  He could not be here, but he is amazed by what you do.

So this is really a gift.  This is fun.  So relax.  There’s no right or wrong.  This is the brave part of it -- actually sharing your stuff with the world.  And forget that you’re in the Blue Room of the White House.  (Laughter.)  The historic significance, the -- I don’t want that to add any pressure to you at all. 

But we’re very excited to hear from you.  And, Weston, you’re first.  That’s why he was coming to the -- okay, we’ll all sit and join you.  You’re up first.  Do your thing, guy.  (Applause.) 

END
11:03 A.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
September 17, 2014

Remarks by the First Lady in Q&A with Patients

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Memphis, Tennessee

5:51 P.M. CDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Don’t be shy.  I figured out -- I know you all aren’t shy.  Kayla -- okay.  Josue.

Q    Can I take a selfie with you?  (Laughter.) 

MRS. OBAMA:  Absolutely. 

Q    Can I have one too?

MRS. OBAMA:  We’ll all do a selfie, okay?  And you know what, I am -- I don’t like selfies, but I’m going to do selfies for you guys, okay?  All right.  Because we’ve already had a good conversation.  But we’re going to do selfies.

Tyler!

Q    Does your dog ride the plane with you? 

MRS. OBAMA:  No, no, they didn’t come with me today.  They’re at home with Malia and Sasha.  But they ride on the plane when we go on vacation.  We take them on vacations with us, and they ride on the planes.  And they’re good on the planes, actually.  They sit in their little chairs, wait for takeoff, and then they try to get to where the food is.  That’s usually the challenge on the plane -- they’re trying to find the food. 

Q    They’re just looking for the food while you’re like, I don’t even care?  (Laughter.)

MRS. OBAMA:  They just -- they will leave us to go find whatever food they’re smelling.  They will go to the food.  They don’t care about us when there’s food around, unless we have the food. 

Kayla.

Q    What is your favorite part about being in the White House?

MRS. OBAMA:  About being in the -- about being First Lady is being able to do stuff like this, really.  And it is so special for me to get to meet kids like you guys.  Because sometimes living in the White House and being married to the President and trying to live a life like that, it can be hard.  But when I meet you guys, I am so inspired, which is one of the reasons why I like to come and spend time with you guys.  You all are smart, and you’re focused, and you’re just so courageous.  And it’s just fun to be able -- I could be here all day with you, if you haven’t noticed.  (Laughter.) 

So this is a cool part.  But living in the White House, actually living in the White House, what’s the best part?  The best part is -- I like the South Lawn, I like the Truman Balcony -- I was telling Austin that, that that’s one of my favorite places to be, because we can be outside and you can look over the fountain, and you see the Washington Memorial, and it’s a really pretty view.  And it’s peaceful.

Q    Is that selfie going to be an “ussie?”

MRS. OBAMA:  Say that again.

Q    Is that selfie going to be an “ussie?” 

MRS. OBAMA:  We will all do a selfie.  (Laughter.) 

Q    Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  Everyone -- we will do --

Q    An “ussie.”

MRS. OBAMA:  An “ussie.”

Q    It’s called an “ussie” when it’s more than one person. 

MRS. OBAMA:  Whatever you guys want to do, is my point.  (Laughter.)  An “ussie,” a selfie, a yousie, a weesie -- I don’t know.  (Laughter.)  I will do whatever you guys want. 

Nicholas.

Q    What made you decide to come visit St. Jude?

MRS. OBAMA:  Well, first of all, before I was First Lady, in my former career, I worked for a hospital.  I was the vice president of community affairs for the University of Chicago Hospitals.  And they had a really big children’s hospital there, the Comer Children’s Hospital.  So that’s sort of my world -- making sure that kids in the neighborhood I grew up with were getting the kind of care that they needed.

And I have always wanted to come to St. Jude’s.  Marlo Thomas invited me to come.  So it was just a matter of finding the right time, and this was a good time in my schedule to come.  And so we got on a plane and popped down.

And I think it’s really good to be able to highlight the great work that’s going on here.  I mean, St. Jude’s is -- you guys know.  You can tell the world better than anyone just how important this institution is to so many kids and families.  (Applause.)  So if you haven’t noticed, when I go somewhere, cameras follow.  So I like to go places where -- when the cameras are on, the rest of the world can see some good stuff that’s going on.  So that’s one of the reasons why I wanted to come. 

And I get to hang out with you guys.  Yes!  (Laughter.) 

Austin, were you raising your hand?

Q    Yes.  (Laughter.) 

MRS. OBAMA:  Yes, sir.

Q    Where’s the best place you went so far?

MRS. OBAMA:  The best place I’ve been anywhere ever?

Q    Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  Anywhere in the world?  That’s hard.  (Laughter.)  That’s hard.  I enjoyed meeting the Pope, visiting the Vatican.  It was really cool going to a state dinner at Buckingham Palace with the Queen of England. 

Q    Ooh!

MRS. OBAMA:  I know!  (Laughter.)  I also got to hang out in the beehive at a Beyoncé concert.  Oh, my stars!  (Laughter.)  I had a fun time taping with the iCarly cast.  We did a real cool skit -- or a show on military families and military kids.  We just did a really cool trip to China, where I got to visit schools there and talk about education.

So that’s one of the best things about being here, is that I get to do a lot of cool stuff.

Q    Do you get to meet new people?

MRS. OBAMA:  I get to meet lots of new people, yes.  Like you guys.  This is pretty cool too, wouldn’t you say?  I think this is one of the cooler things I get to do.  Because, see, the one thing I don’t do everywhere I go, I don’t have time to talk and answer questions -- especially not in front of the press.  We don’t usually do that.  But when I’m with kids, I love to talk to you guys.  So this is cool stuff for me.

Courtney.

Q    What made you start coming to hospitals and doing things with the community?

MRS. OBAMA:  You know, it was the work that I did in Chicago.  I got to know the work of the University of Chicago Hospital, and I wanted to be a part of that.  I was a lawyer first, but I wanted to do more stuff that affected the community.  So I kind of worked my way into working with the medical community.  And it just is kind of cool.

So I try to do stuff whenever possible.  In Washington, D.C. they have a wonderful children’s hospital there; I make sure to go there at least once a year, around Christmas.  And I was telling these guys over here, I take Bo and Sunny now.  They get to come.  And I hope that this won’t be my last visit here to St. Jude, right?  Yes.

Sam.

Q    What’s your favorite sports team?

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, that’s so hard.  (Laughter.)  That’s hard.  Okay.  I don’t think I have one right now.  I don’t have a favorite team.  I mean, I love all the Chicago teams.  Yay, I do -- the Bears, the Cubs, the Bulls, all those people.  I love the Miami Heat, I love the Heat.  I love players -- I love LeBron James.  I love -- I’m not even going to start there because I’m going to get myself into trouble.  (Laughter.)  I’m not even going there. 

Kayla says Drew Brees.  He’s pretty cool, too.  Yes, there are a lot of cool athletes, a lot of cool teams.  What about you?  Do you have a favorite team, Sam?  Yes, it’s hard.

Q    I like them all.

MRS. OBAMA:  Yeah, it’s hard -- it’s hard to pick. 

Q    49ers.

MRS. OBAMA:  Except Austin loves the 49ers.  (Laughter.)  Who is your favorite player?

Q    Frank Gore.

MRS. OBAMA:  Okay.  What about Colin Kaepernick? 

Q    Him too.

MRS. OBAMA:  Okay.  Just trying to get a plug in there for Colin.  (Laughter.) 

Sunny.

Q    Did you ever think that you would marry the President?

MRS. OBAMA:  No.  (Laughter.)  I didn’t.  Because when I married him he was just Barack.  (Laughter.)  A lot of people were like, Barack?  Who’s that?  No, I didn’t. 

But I knew when I married my husband that he was committed to service, some way, shape or form; that he wanted to do things in the community.  And that’s one of the things I really love and -- loved and love about him, is that he’s always trying to figure out how to help people.  And we had that common interest -- we both left the law and working in corporate firms to find ways to work in the community.  So we shared that in common. 

So I didn’t know he was going to be President.  Actually, I tried to talk him out of it, but he didn’t listen.  (Laughter.)  He didn’t listen.

Breanna.

Q    What have you loved most about being at St. Jude?

MRS. OBAMA:  What have I loved most about being at St. Jude?  You guys.  All of you.  You all are smart, you have good questions.  You have great personalities.  You’re outgoing.  You’re funny.  You’re all of that -- you’re all that and a bag of chips.  (Laughter.) 

All right, Devon, my man.  Are you ready to talk to me?  (Laughter.)  You got a question?  What do you want to know?  Take your time.  (Laughter.)  I know.  We’ll come back. 

Q    What’s your favorite thing to do?

MRS. OBAMA:  My favorite thing to do is to hang out with my daughters.  They’re pretty cool, too.  Although they’re getting kind of busy, so they don't want to be bothered with me -- which is why I have to come here and hang out with you.  (Laughter.)  I'm stealing your energy because my children really -- they don't even want to be around us anymore.  (Laughter.)  You all -- are you like that?  Especially you 13-year-olds.  (Laughter.)  Yeah.  So it's not just me.  I shouldn’t take this personally.  (Laughter.)  All right.

Chelsea, what do you want to ask?

Q    What’s your favorite holiday?

MRS. OBAMA:  My favorite holiday is Christmas.  Ah, Christmas.  I like Thanksgiving, too, but Christmas is just everything.  And the White House is decorated and we open it up to all kinds of guests and visitors. 

You guys have an invitation from me to come and visit the White House, okay?  When you guys -- we'll make sure that we coordinate, but all you guys, when you get well and you're up and about, you got to come see me.  Maybe you can come at Christmastime, but there are a lot of fun things like the Easter Egg Roll, Fourth of July.  But you all have an open invitation -- all right?  Cool.  (Applause.)  You're going to go!  (Laughter.)

Josue? 

Q    Do you ever feel overwhelmed being the First Lady?

MRS. OBAMA:  You know, you kind of get used to the pace of it.  Who would ever -- I would have never thought that by now I'd say, actually, I'm kind of used to it, but you get used to it.  And you learn your rhythm and you figure out how much you can do and how much you can balance. 

I think in many ways I'm like any working mom.  I've got to make sure that I do my job and that I try to do it well, but I’ve got to make sure my girls are good.  They’re going to school and I've got an open house to go to tomorrow night, and I've got to make sure that –- Malia just started driving -- whew!  I know, that's scary.  (Laughter.)  I've got to hang out with my husband.  He needs attention, too.  So it's all a balance, just like your parents.  It's the same thing.  So you just learn that rhythm.  You got to do it and you’ve got to do it all well. 

And I want to be a good First Lady, so I try to put as much effort into that as possible, focusing on the issues that I care about not just here in the United States but around the world, trying to make sure that for the short time we're here that we actually do something that's meaningful, that we're not just hanging out at the White House.

So it keeps us busy.  But what else would we be doing?  (Laughter.)  

All right, okay --

MODERATOR:  Sebastian has been hiding.

MRS. OBAMA:  Sebastian, where have you been?

Q    Right there.  (Laughter.) 

MRS. OBAMA:  You came out!  All right, Sebastian.

Q    What is your favorite soccer team?

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, gosh, I don't know.  I don't know.  Who’s your favorite soccer team?

Q    The Colombians.

MRS. OBAMA:  Ohhh -- (laughter.)  Did you watch the World Cup?

Q    Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  How did they do?

Q    They won five times until they needed to face Brazilian and then Brazil won.

MRS. OBAMA:  Yes.  We're you disappointed?

Q    No.

MRS. OBAMA:  You weren’t?  (Laughter.) 

Q    It doesn’t matter.

MRS. OBAMA:  This is why I love kids.  (Laughter.)  They just say, it wasn’t me.  (Laughter.)  Like, I was fine.  (Laughter.) 

Well, thank you for that question, Sebastian. 

Tyler, do you have another question?

Q    When you first got your dogs were they puppies?

MRS. OBAMA:  Well, Bo was -- he was five months, so he was an older puppy.  And Sunny was already like 12 months.  So they weren’t itty-bitty puppies.

Q    But they were little?

MRS. OBAMA:  They were sort of little, yes.  Do you have a pet, Tyler?

Q    Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  What do you have?

Q    A chocolate lab.

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh!  Is he big?  Is he a puppy?

Q    It's a girl and she is (inaudible) puppy.

MRS. OBAMA:  Yeah?  Did you just get her?

Q    No, we got her a couple years -- like a few months ago.

MRS. OBAMA:  Uh-huh.  Do you like her?

Q    Yes.  And I got fish.

MRS. OBAMA:  And fish!  (Laughter.) 

Q    One of the fish kept on having babies like crazy.

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, my goodness.  (Laughter.) 

What, Mom?  We are learning so much from Tyler.  (Laughter.)  You are so red right now.  (Laughter.)  But it's all good.  It's all good.

Okay, Devon, you ready?  Got another?

Q    Do the White House have a secret stash?  (Laughter.)
 
MRS. OBAMA:  A secret stash of what?  (Laughter.)  A secret stash of what?  I'm going to have you clarify that.  (Laughter.) Just a secret place, secret places of stuff?  Well, if I told you then it wouldn't be a secret.  (Laughter.)  That's highly classified information.  (Laughter.)  Here, come here, I'll whisper to you.  All right, you can tell the others once the cameras are gone.  (Laughter.)  But it's highly classified information. 

All right, Austin.

Q    Can I go to the White House?

MRS. OBAMA:  Where are your parents?  All right.  Austin is ready to leave you and come with me. 

PARENT:  That's not going to work tonight.  (Laughter.) 

MRS. OBAMA:  Your mom said not tonight.  All right.  Maybe some other time.

Kayla?  Where’s -- your children are ready to leave you now.

PARENT:  Maybe an hour.

MRS. OBAMA:  She’s like, you can get her ready in an hour.  (Laughter.)  Well, maybe we’ll work on coordinating these visits a little more.

All right, Sebastian.

Q    What is your favorite place that you go?

MRS. OBAMA:  That I go every day?

Q    I said, what’s the --

MRS. OBAMA:  I know, I know.  I’m slow.  (Laughter.)  I’m slow. 

Q    How many places have you visited?  That’s what I was wondering.

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, hundreds and hundreds of places.  Hundreds.  Hundreds of different countries.  Hundreds -- I’ve been to probably almost every state in the United States -- almost.  Have I? 

STAFF:  We landed in Alaska.

MRS. OBAMA:  We landed in Alaska.  So, yes, I’ve been to every state in the United States.

Q    Wow.

MRS. OBAMA:  Breanna?

Q    What is your favorite vacation?

MRS. OBAMA:  Hawaii.  Yeah.  (Laughter.)  Yeah, that’s where we go on Christmas, because that’s where the President grew up, so he still has his family there.  We’ve been going there every year since we started dating. 

Q    Wow.

MRS. OBAMA:  Yeah, so that’s our family tradition.  So it’s really beautiful and it’s relaxing.

Q    I’m thinking about going there. 

MRS. OBAMA:  You’re thinking about going?  When?  When are you going to go?  And does your mom know?  (Laughter.)  It would be great.  It would be great.  You would love it.

Q    I’m going next year.

MRS. OBAMA:  You’re going next year?

Q    To visit grandparents.

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, excellent.  That’s cool.  You’re going to have a ball.  You’re going to have a ball.

Okay, Sunny, then Courtney.

Q    Which dog do you like better?  Bo or Sunny?

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, I like them both equally.  They could be listening.  (Laughter.)  Sunny -- I couldn’t pick between them.  That would be terrible.  They’re smart.  They would know.  And then I’d come home and one would be like, you were at St. Jude and you picked the other one.  (Laughter.)  I couldn’t.  I love them both. 

Courtney.

Q    How did you meet the President?  Well, how did you all, like, meet?

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, you want to know how we met?  (Laughter.)  Okay, let me think about this.  It’s been a while.  We met actually when we were both -- I had finished law school, I was working in a law firm, and the President was just in law school.  And when you work at a firm, they do these summer internship programs, and the President was an intern and I was his summer advisor. 

Q    Wow.

MRS. OBAMA:  Yeah.  So I was the first person he met when he started at the firm that summer.  And we were friends.  We didn’t date right away.  But then later on in the summer he asked me out.  Good question.

Tyler.

Q    Who do you like to prank the most?

MRS. OBAMA:  Prank the most?  Oh, the President.  (Laughter.)  We love to scare each other.  Malia and Sasha, they always try to scare us.  They’re real bad at it, too, because they’re loud.  You can give them tips?  There’s a lot of scaring going on.

Q    What about pouring water on their heads?

MRS. OBAMA:  I’ll try that when I get home.  (Laughter.)

Q    Find a water bucket, and then when the President comes in he’ll be like, what happened?  (Laughter.) 

All right, Kristen, mark that down.  When we get home -- should I put it over the door?

Q    Put it where he can’t see it.

MRS. OBAMA:  Okay.  This is going to be good.  (Laughter.) 

Josue, you had your hand up.

Q    Are you a good cook?

MRS. OBAMA:  Yes!  I am.  (Laughter.)  I’m an excellent cook.  I haven’t done it in a while because there are chefs -- people at the White House cook for us.  But before I came here, yes, I was a good cook.  I had a few good solid dishes that I loved to cook.  The fast ones that everybody was sick of, like -- well, I didn’t do sandwiches, I did like baked chicken and brown rice and broccoli.  I had this great shrimp pasta with garlic that I did.  The President, he can cook too, but he just didn’t cook that much.  He has this great chili that he would do, but I wound up making it more than he did.  (Laughter.)  Yeah, you guys know that drill, how that goes.  But I do enjoy cooking.  Do you like to cook?  What’s your best dish?

Q    It’s an Italian sandwich.

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, what do you put in it?

Q    I put red bell peppers, salami, mozzarella cheese, and (inaudible).

MRS. OBAMA:  Ooh -- what kind of bread?  It’s like a focaccia?

Q    We make the bread. 

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, I’m so hungry.  (Laughter.)  You did me in on that one.  That sounds good.

All right, are you guys all questioned out?  I don’t believe it.  I knew it -- Tyler.  (Laughter.)  Wait, wait, let’s let Carrie-Lynn.  She hasn’t asked a question yet.  And then, Tyler, we’ll get back to you.

Q    Who’s your favorite artist?

MRS. OBAMA:  My favorite musical artist?  Oh, I love all types of artists.  Stevie Wonder.  Everybody probably on the planet knows that Stevie Wonder is my favorite artist of all time.  But I love Beyoncé.  I love -- let’s see -- I’m blanking now because I’m on the spot.  But I love jazz; I love jazz artists.  Tell me, who’s your favorite artist?  Maybe that will spark my memory of who I like.

Q    I like Rihanna.

MRS. OBAMA:  You like Rihanna?  You both like Rihanna.  Me too, girl.  (Laughter.)  All right, yeah, she’s all right.  She’s good.  Malia and Sasha like her, too. 

All right, Devon?

Q    Do you like Michael Jackson?

MRS. OBAMA:  I do.  Do you?  What’s your favorite song of Michael Jackson’s?

Q    The Halloween song.

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, Thriller.  (Laughter.) 

Q    Sing it!  Sing it!

MRS. OBAMA:  Sing it, sing it, sing it.  All right, Sebastian is going -- we’re going to put on a show.  Can you sing?  Kayla sings.  I thought I’d give it a try.  (Child sings.)  Who did that?  Josue?  This is hard.  This is a hard crowd.  When they leave, we can sing and dance when they go.

All right, Tyler, you get the last question.

Q    What do you like -- who do you like to scare the most on Halloween?

MRS. OBAMA:  What’s with you and all the scaring?  (Laughter.)  Are you scaring people at your house?

Q    Maybe.  (Laughter.) 

MRS. OBAMA:  What are you going to be for Halloween this year?

Q    I don’t know. 

MRS. OBAMA:  Is it going to be scary?  I try not to scare people on Halloween.  We do a big Trick-or-Treat -- we do Trick-or-Treating at the White House.  The White House -- they put an orange light on the White House, and kids from the neighborhood come up to the South Lawn.  So we try not to make it scary, because the little kids -- you don’t want people scared when they come to the White House.

Q    Yeah, you do.

MRS. OBAMA:  Aw, Tyler.  (Laughter.)  What about the little kids? 

Q    They’ll leave, then.

MRS. OBAMA:  They run away crying from the White House?  No, we can’t do that.  You have to keep it wholesome.  We’ll leave the scaring to you.  (Laughter.)  I’ll try the bucket trick, but I don’t know about the scaring.

Q    Why don’t you do slime and it will feel like they got ghost goo on them.  They’ll be like, ah, ghost goo!

MRS. OBAMA:  You got some great ideas.  I need to connect you with the social office.  (Laughter.) 

Okay, last two.  Sebastian, then Kayla, and then we’ll do some selfies, ussies, or whatever you call it.  Yes, Sebastian.

Q    My family is big on travel.

MRS. OBAMA:  Big on travel?

Q    What’s been your favorite place to travel?

MRS. OBAMA:  All of them.  (Laughter.)  Give me one.  Name a place that you remember. 

Q    Colombia.

MRS. OBAMA:  Colombia.  Now, I’ve never been to Colombia.

Q    I’ve been to Colombia, Ecuador, L.A.  I’ve been to New York City.  I’ve been to --

MRS. OBAMA:  Yeah, you guys do a lot of traveling.

Q    Yep.

MRS. OBAMA:  That’s awesome.  Do you like to travel?

Q    Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA:  Travel is good.  Do you guys get to travel?  All you guys get to travel?

Q    A lot. 

Q    What else?  Ecuador --

MRS. OBAMA:  He’s looking for some assistance.  (Laughter.) 

PARENT:  Mexico.

Q    No? 

MRS. OBAMA:  All right, there’s a debate.  He’s disagreeing with you.  I don’t think you know where you’ve been. 

Q    When did we go there?

MRS. OBAMA:  Is that your dad?

PARENT:  (Inaudible.)

Q    Oh, yeah, we went to Mexico.  We went to --

MRS. OBAMA:  You guys have traveled a lot.  I get it.  I get it. 

All right, Kayla, last question.

Q    Do you have a fashion designer?

MRS. OBAMA:  Do I have a fashion designer?

Q    Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  No, I don’t have one.  There are many.  I buy clothes from many different people.

Q    Oh.

MRS. OBAMA:  Do you have a fashion designer that you like the most?

Q    I don’t know them.  I just pick out whoever has the most sparkles.

MRS. OBAMA:  You like sparkles.  Yeah, sparkles are good.  Sparkles work.

Q    I like my shoes.

MRS. OBAMA:  I see those shoes.  Those are awesome.  Awesome.

All right, you guys, let’s do some selfies -- ussies!

END
6:17 P.M. CDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 17, 2014

Remarks by the President at Congressional Picnic

South Lawn

7:05 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:   Hello, everybody!  (Applause.)  It is a perfect night for a picnic.  (Applause.)  I’m thrilled that everybody is here.  I took off my tie -- I noticed some of you didn’t get the memo.  (Laughter.)  But I know that a lot of you are coming straight from work.  I’m not going to make a long speech.  I want to shake as many hands as possible.  I hope you guys are having a wonderful time.

I want to start off by saying thank you to House members -- Republican and Democrat -- who came together today to pass an important component on our strategy for dealing with this terrible terrorist organization known as ISIL.  And I want to in particular thank Speaker Boehner and Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi for showing us that when it comes to America’s national security, America is united.  So I very much appreciate all of you in the efforts that you made there.  (Applause.)

And that brings up this more general point.  Look, we’ve gone through just in the last decade and a half, the worst attack on our homeland in our history, the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, we continue to face significant challenges.  But I came from Tampa, where we have the Central Command and talked to our troops this morning.  And in talking to them and seeing the dedication and the effort and professionalism that they make, I was reminded once again, as I’m reminded every time I travel around the country, that the American people are good and they are strong and they are resilient.  And because of them, we bounce back from anything.  (Applause.)

And America is now positioned better than we could have ever imagined if we continue to act in the interests of all of us, and if every once in a while we’re willing to set aside politics and try to get something done.  There’s no doubt that we can make sure our schools work better.  There’s no doubt that we can make sure that our roads and our bridges and our infrastructure works the way it should.  There’s no doubt that, since we still have the most innovative companies in the world, that we can succeed and that we can continue to put money into research and development and cure diseases, and continue to lead the world when it comes to not just security but also dealing with issues like Ebola and making sure that more people are safe and well-housed and well-fed, and children and girls are getting the kind of education they deserve.

All these things we can do.  And so, hopefully, a picnic like this just reminds us of the fact that there are a lot of people all across the country counting on us to be able to work together.  That doesn’t mean we don’t have strong passions and strong arguments, but it also means that every once in a while we’ve got to set those aside, embrace compromise, and try to get some stuff done -- that’s what people are looking for and today, I think on national security at least, we showed that we could. 

The only other thing I want to say is thank you to the families.  (Applause.)  Michelle was traveling to St. Jude’s today to be with the amazing kids there and the doctors and staff who help families going through really tough diseases, but she would be the first one to testify that being married to a politician is not easy.  (Laughter.)  And being the partner of a politician, being the child of a politician -- it’s hard.  And sometimes you see your loved one attacked, and sometimes you seem not appreciated, and they’re away too much and you’re having to shoulder some of the burdens of a family.  And so to all the spouses, all the children, everybody who helps support our public servants and our members of Congress, I just want to say thank you to you as well for the great job that you do.  We really, really appreciate it.  (Applause.)

And finally, please try to eat more because we always have leftovers after this thing.  (Laughter.)  I am going to swing down the ropeline.  I want to shake as many hands as I can.  I will tell you in advance that selfies are a little tough just because if I’m doing 2,000 selfies then we won’t be done until 10 in the evening.  I will make exceptions for little people, but you have to actually be little.  (Laughter.)  And I mean young, I don’t mean short.  (Laughter.)

Thank you very much, everybody.  Have a great time.  God bless you.  God bless America.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

END 
7:11 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 17, 2014

Remarks by the President at MacDill Air Force Base

Tampa, Florida

12:04 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, MacDill!  (Applause.)  I want to thank General Austin for his introduction, Lloyd, for your exceptional leadership -- were you about to sneak off the stage?

GENERAL AUSTIN:  Yes, sir.  Yes, sir, I was.

THE PRESIDENT:  Go ahead.  (Laughter.)  It’s better when Lloyd is not standing next to me because I don’t look small.  (Laughter.)  General Austin has done such an extraordinary work, both commanding our forces in Iraq; today as the commander of CENTCOM.  I want to thank somebody else for his own lifetime of service to America –- first as a soldier who fought in Vietnam; now as our Secretary of Defense –- Chuck Hagel.  Give it up for Chuck.  (Applause.) 

Chuck was here a few weeks ago to welcome the new head of Special Operations Command, General Joe Votel.  Give Joe a big round of applause.  (Applause.)  For those of you who don’t know, 13 years ago, Joe led his team of Army Rangers as they jumped into Afghanistan to establish our first base there –- by jumping out of the plane alongside them.  So Joe is a tough guy, and he knows what he is doing and I can’t think of somebody who is more qualified to head up our Special Forces.  And so we want to thank Joe for accepting this assignment.

Your member of Congress, Kathy Castor, is here.  Give Kathy a big round of applause -- there she is right there.  (Applause.)  Your Wing Commander, Colonel Dan Tulley.  (Applause.)  Your senior enlisted leaders:  Command Sergeant Major Chris Greca; Command Sergeant Major Chris Faris; Chief Master Sergeant Matt Lusson.  (Applause.)  And most of all, I want to salute all the spouses and military families on base, because let’s be honest -– they’re the force behind the force.  (Applause.)  I spent time with some of them last night, and it’s clear why our military is the finest fighting force in the history of the world -- and it’s because our military families are serving right alongside you.

I know we’ve got some Air Force in the house.  (Applause.)  It’s great to be at the home of the 6th Air Mobility Wing.  (Applause.)  The 927th Air Refueling Wing.  (Applause.)  CENTCOM.  (Applause.)  SOCOM.  (Applause.)  We’ve got some Army here.  (Hooah!)  Navy.  (Hooyah!)  The Marines.  (Oorah!)  And Coast Guard.  (Laughter and applause.)  We love our Coast Guard.  (Laughter.)

Now, I’m not here to give a long speech.  But what I really wanted to do is come down and just shake some hands.  I just received a briefing from General Austin and met with your commanders.  I met with representatives from more than 40 nations.  It is a true team effort here at MacDill.  And I came here to say the same thing that I’ve been saying to troops on bases across this country, around the world, and a few months ago in Bagram -- and that is thank you.  On behalf of the American people, I want to thank all of you for your service; I want to thank all of you for your sacrifice; I want to thank you for your commitment to each other and your commitment to our country.  As your Commander-in-Chief, I could not be more proud of each and every one of you.

For nearly 75 years, the men and women of MacDill have lived a commitment to “Airmen, Mission, and Community.”  You’ve supported our troops through each generation of challenges.  And as home to both Central Command and Special Operations Command, you have shouldered some of the heaviest responsibilities in dealing with the challenges of this new century.

For more than a decade -– ever since that awful September morning 13 years ago; ever since Joe and his Rangers took that jump a month later -– you, and all our men and women in uniform, have borne the burden of war.  Some of you -– our quiet professionals, our Special Forces -– were among the first to go.  When the decision was made to go into Iraq, you were there.  When we refocused the fight back to Afghanistan, you were there. You have served with skill, and honor, and commitment, and professionalism. 

And some of you carry the wounds of these wars.  I know some of you lost friends.  Today, we remember all who have given their lives in these wars.  And we stand with their families, who’ve given more than most Americans can ever imagine.  And we honor those sacrifices forever. 

But here is what I want every single one of you to know.  Because of you, this 9/11 Generation of heroes has done everything asked of you, and met every mission tasked to you.  We are doing what we set out to do.  Because of you, Osama bin Laden is no more.  Because of you, the core al Qaeda leadership in Afghanistan and Pakistan has been decimated.  Because of you, Afghans are reclaiming their communities; Afghan forces have taken the lead for their country’s security.  In three months, because of you, our combat mission will be over in Afghanistan, and our war in Afghanistan will come to a responsible end.  That's because of you.

You and our counterterrorism professionals have prevented terrorist attacks.  You’ve saved American lives.  You’ve made our homeland more secure.  But we’ve always known that the end of the war in Afghanistan didn’t mean the end of threats or challenges to America. 

Here at MacDill, you knew this and have known this as well as anybody.  You played a central role in our combat and counterterrorism operations.  You make sure our troops and pilots get what they need in order to get the job done.  You train forces around the world so countries can take responsibility for their own security.  The 6th Air Mobility Wing is continuously deployed, supporting our humanitarian and combat operations around the world -– “Ready to Defend.”  And your work is as vital as ever.

Because in an uncertain world full of breathtaking change, the one constant is American leadership.

In a world where technology provides a small group of killers with the ability to do terrible harm, it is America that has the capacity and the will to mobilize the world against terrorists –- including the group in Syria and Iraq known as ISIL.  Our intelligence community, as I said last week, has not yet detected specific plots from these terrorists against America.  But its leaders have repeatedly threatened America and our allies.  And right now, these terrorists pose a threat to the people of Iraq, the people of Syria, the broader Middle East -- including our personnel, our embassies, our consulates, our facilities there.  And if left unchecked, they could pose a growing threat to the United States. 

So, last month, I gave the order for our military to begin taking targeted action against ISIL.  And since then, our brave pilot and crews –- with your help -– have conducted more than 160 airstrikes against these terrorists.  Because of your efforts, we’ve been able to protect our personnel and our facilities, and kill ISIL fighters, and given space for Iraqi and Kurdish forces to reclaim key territory.  They’ve helped our partners on the ground break ISIL sieges, helped rescue civilians cornered on a mountain, helped save the lives of thousands of innocent men, women and children.  That's what you’ve done.

Now going forward, as I announced last week, we’re going to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL through a comprehensive and sustained counterterrorism strategy.  And whether in Iraq or in Syria, these terrorists will learn the same thing that the leaders of al Qaeda already know:  We mean what we say; our reach is long; if you threaten America, you will find no safe haven.  We will find you eventually. 

AUDIENCE:  Hooah!  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  But -- and this is something I want to emphasize -- this is not and will not be America’s fight alone.  One of the things we’ve learned over this last decade is, America can make a decisive difference, but I want to be clear:  The American forces that have been deployed to Iraq do not and will not have a combat mission.  They will support Iraqi forces on the ground as they fight for their own country against these terrorists. 

As your Commander-in-Chief, I will not commit you and the rest of our Armed Forces to fighting another ground war in Iraq.  After a decade of massive ground deployments, it is more effective to use our unique capabilities in support of partners on the ground so they can secure their own countries’ futures.  And that's the only solution that will succeed over the long term. 

We’ll use our air power.  We will train and equip our partners.  We will advise them and we will assist them.  We will lead a broad coalition of countries who have a stake in this fight.  Because this is not simply America versus ISIL -- this is the people of the region fighting against ISIL.  It is the world rejecting the brutality of ISIL in favor of a better future for our children, and our children’s children -- all of them.

But we're not going to do this alone.  And the one thing we have learned is, is that when we do things alone and the countries -- the people of those countries aren't doing it for themselves, as soon as we leave we start getting into the same problems. 

So we've got to do things differently.  This is why we’ve spent the past several weeks building a coalition to aid in these efforts.  And because we’re leading in the right way, more nations are joining us.  Overall, more than 40 countries so far have offered assistance to the broad campaign against ISIL.  Some nations will assist from the air -- and already France and the United Kingdom are flying with us over Iraq, with others committed to join this effort. 

Some nations will help us support the forces fighting these terrorists on the ground.  And already Saudi Arabia has agreed to host our efforts to train and equip Syrian opposition forces.  Australia and Canada will send military advisors to Iraq.  German paratroopers will offer training.  Other nations have helped resupply arms and equipment to forces in Iraq, including the Kurdish Pershmerga. 

Arab nations have agreed to strengthen their support for Iraq’s new government and to do their part in all the aspects of the fight against ISIL.  And our partners will help to cut off ISIL funding, and gather intelligence, and stem the flow of foreign fighters into and out of the Middle East. 

And meanwhile, nearly 30 nations have helped us with humanitarian relief to help innocent civilians who’ve been driven from their homes -- whether they are Sunni, or Shia, or Christian, or Yazidi, or any other religious minority. 

Yesterday, at the White House, I met with an outstanding American leader -- retired Marine General John Allen.  He worked with Iraqi tribal leaders as they fought to reclaim their own communities from terrorists, and he’s going to serve as America’s special envoy to build and coordinate this incredible coalition. And I’ve called on Congress to make sure you’ve got all the authorities and resources you need to get the job done. 

But the point is we cannot do for the Iraqis what they must do for themselves.  We can’t take the place of Arab partners in securing their own region and a better future for their own people.  We can't do it for them, but this is an effort that calls on America’s unique abilities -- and responsibilities -- to lead. 

In a world that’s more crowded and more connected, it is America that has the unique capability to mobilize against an organization like ISIL.  In a world full of broader social challenges, it is America that has the unique capability and know-how to help contain and combat a threat like Ebola, the epidemic in Africa.  And yesterday, on top of all that we’re already doing to help, I announced a major boost to our response. We’re establishing a military command center in Liberia, at the request of their government, to support civilian efforts across the region.  And Major General Darryl Williams, commander of our Army forces in Africa, arrived yesterday -- he’s already on the ground.  And our armed forces will bring their unique, unrivaled expertise in command and control, and logistics and engineering, including creating an air bridge to get health workers and medical supplies into West Africa faster.  And obviously, in all our efforts, the safety of our personnel will remain a top priority. 

In the nation of Liberia, one person who heard this news yesterday was reported to say, “We have been praying to get the disease wiped out of our country.  So if the coming of U.S. troops will help us get that done, we [will] be happy.”  And that's the story across the board.  If there is a hurricane, if there is a typhoon, if there is some sort of crisis, if there is an earthquake, if there’s a need for a rescue mission, when the world is threatened, when the world needs help, it calls on America.  Even the countries that complain about America -- (laughter) -- when they need help, who do they call?  They call us.  And then America calls on you. 

To all the servicemen and women here and around the world:  we ask a lot of you.  And any mission involves risk.  And any mission separates you from your families.  And sending our servicemembers into harm’s way is not a decision I ever take lightly; it is the hardest decision I make as President.  Nothing else comes close.  I do it only when I know the mission is vital to the security of this country that we love.  I do it only because I know that you’re the best there is at what you do.  And, frankly, there just aren’t a lot of other folks who can perform in the same ways -- in fact, there are none.  And there are some things only we can do.  There are some capabilities only we have. 

That’s because of you -- your dedication, your skill, your work, your families supporting you, your training, your command structure.  Our Armed Forces are unparalleled and unique.  And so when we’ve got a big problem somewhere around the world, it falls on our shoulders.  And sometimes that’s tough.  But that’s what sets us apart.  That’s why we’re America.  That’s what the stars and stripes are all about. 

And between war and recession, it has been a challenging start to this new century.  We’ve been busy.  This has not been an easy 14 years.  And many of you came of age in these years.  But I want you to know, as I stand here with you today, I’m as confident as I have ever been that this century, just like the last century, will be led by America.  It will be and is an American century. 

At home, we’re bouncing back, better positioning ourselves to win the future than any nation on Earth.  Overseas, we’re moving forward, answering the call to lead.  And even when it seems like our politics is just dividing us, I want you to remember that when it comes to supporting you and your families, the American people stand united.  We support you.  We are proud of you.  We are in awe of your skill and your service.  Only 1 percent of Americans may wear the uniform and shoulder the weight of special responsibilities that you do, but 100 percent of Americans need to support you and your families -- 100 percent.

This is a moment of American leadership, and thanks to you, it is a moment that we are going to meet.  And I will keep standing up for your interests and for our security, and for the human rights and dignity of people wherever they live.  And we’re going to keep on working with our allies and partners to take out the terrorists who threaten us wherever they hide.  Because in stark contrast to those who only know how to kill and maim and tear down, we keep on building up and offering a future of progress and hope.  And like the generations before us, we’re willing to defend this country we love.  We’re willing to help others on this planet that we share.  We’re protected by patriots like you.  And for all those reasons, the United States of America will remain the greatest force for freedom that the world has ever known. 

Thank you very much, everybody.  I’m proud of you.  God bless you.  God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)

END
12:22 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 16, 2014

Remarks by the President on the Ebola Outbreak

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Atlanta, Georgia

4:01 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, everybody.  Please be seated.  I want to thank Dr. Frieden and everybody here at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for welcoming me here today.  Tom and his team just gave me an update on the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, our efforts to help mobilize the international community to fight it, and the steps that we’re taking to keep people here at home safe. 

Tom and his team are doing outstanding work.  Between the specialists they have on the ground in West Africa and here at headquarters, they’ve got hundreds of professionals who are working tirelessly on this issue.  This is the largest international response in the history of the CDC.  After this, I’ll be meeting with some of these men and women, including some who recently returned from the front lines of the outbreak.  And they represent public service at its very best.  And so I just want them to know how much the American people appreciate them.  Many of them are serving far away from home, away from their families.  They are doing heroic work and serving in some unbelievably challenging conditions -- working through exhaustion, day and night, and many have volunteered to go back.  So we are very, very proud of them.

Their work and our efforts across the government is an example of what happens when America leads in confronting some major global challenges.  Faced with this outbreak, the world is looking to us, the United States, and it’s a responsibility that we embrace.  We’re prepared to take leadership on this to provide the kinds of capabilities that only America has, and to mobilize the world in ways that only America can do.  That’s what we’re doing as we speak. 

First and foremost, I want the American people to know that our experts, here at the CDC and across our government, agree that the chances of an Ebola outbreak here in the United States are extremely low.  We’ve been taking the necessary precautions, including working with countries in West Africa to increase screening at airports so that someone with the virus doesn’t get on a plane for the United States.  In the unlikely event that someone with Ebola does reach our shores, we’ve taken new measures so that we’re prepared here at home.  We’re working to help flight crews identify people who are sick, and more labs across our country now have the capacity to quickly test for the virus.  We’re working with hospitals to make sure that they are prepared, and to ensure that our doctors, our nurses and our medical staff are trained, are ready, and are able to deal with a possible case safely.

And here I’ve got to commend everybody at Emory University Hospital.  I just had the opportunity to meet with Doctors Gartland and Ribner and members of their team and the nurses who -- sorry, doctors, but having been in hospitals, I know -- (laughter) -- they’re the ones really doing the work.  And I had a chance to thank them for their extraordinary efforts in helping to provide care for the first Americans who recently contracted the disease in Africa.  The first two of those patients were released last month and continue to improve.  And it’s a reminder for the American people that, should any cases appear in the United States, we have world-class facilities and professionals ready to respond.  And we have effective surveillance mechanisms in place.  

I should mention, by the way, that I had a chance to see Dr. Brantly in the Oval Office this morning.  And although he is still having to gain back some weight, he looks great.  He looks strong and we are incredibly grateful to him and his family for the service that he has rendered to people who are a lot less lucky than all of us.

As we all know, however, West Africa is facing a very different situation, especially in the hardest hit countries:  Liberia, Sierra Leone, and in Guinea.  Tom and others recently returned from the region, and the scenes that they describe are just horrific.  More than 2,400 men, women and children are known to have died -- and we strongly suspect that the actual death toll is higher than that.  Hospitals, clinics and the few treatment centers that do exist have been completely overwhelmed.  An already very weak public health system is near collapse in these countries.  Patients are being turned away, and people are literally dying in the streets.

Now, here’s the hard truth:  In West Africa, Ebola is now an epidemic of the likes that we have not seen before.  It’s spiraling out of control.  It is getting worse.  It’s spreading faster and exponentially.  Today, thousands of people in West Africa are infected.  That number could rapidly grow to tens of thousands.  And if the outbreak is not stopped now, we could be looking at hundreds of thousands of people infected, with profound political and economic and security implications for all of us.  So this is an epidemic that is not just a threat to regional security -- it’s a potential threat to global security if these countries break down, if their economies break down, if people panic.  That has profound effects on all of us, even if we are not directly contracting the disease.

And that’s why, two months ago, I directed my team to make this a national security priority.  We’re working this across our entire government, which is why today I’m joined by leaders throughout my administration, including from my national security team. 

And we’ve devoted significant resources in support of our strategy with four goals in mind.  Number one, to control the outbreak.  Number two, to address the ripple effects of local economies and communities to prevent a truly massive humanitarian disaster.  Number three, to coordinate a broader global response.  And number four, to urgently build up a public health system in these countries for the future -- not just in West Africa but in countries that don’t have a lot of resources generally.

Now, this is a daunting task.  But here’s what gives us hope.  The world knows how to fight this disease.  It’s not a mystery.  We know the science.  We know how to prevent it from spreading.  We know how to care for those who contract it.  We know that if we take the proper steps, we can save lives.  But we have to act fast.  We can’t dawdle on this one.  We have to move with force and make sure that we are catching this as best we can, given that it has already broken out in ways that we had not seen before.   

So today, I’m announcing a major increase in our response.  At the request of the Liberian government, we’re going to establish a military command center in Liberia to support civilian efforts across the region -- similar to our response after the Haiti earthquake.  It’s going to be commanded by Major General Darryl Williams, commander of our Army forces in Africa.  He just arrived today and is now on the ground in Liberia.  And our forces are going to bring their expertise in command and control, in logistics, in engineering.  And our Department of Defense is better at that, our Armed Services are better at that than any organization on Earth. 

We’re going to create an air bridge to get health workers and medical supplies into West Africa faster.  We’re going to establish a staging area in Senegal to help distribute personnel and aid on the ground more quickly.  We are going to create a new training site to train thousands of health workers so they can effectively and safely care for more patients.  Personnel from the U.S. Public Health Service will deploy to the new field hospitals that we’re setting up in Liberia.  And USAID will join with international partners and local communities in a Community Care Campaign to distribute supplies and information kits to hundreds of thousands of families so they can better protect themselves. 

We’re also going to build additional treatment units, including new isolation spaces and more than 1,000 beds.  And in all our efforts, the safety of our personnel will remain a top priority.  Meanwhile, our scientists continue their urgent research in the hope of finding new treatments and perhaps vaccines.  And today I’m calling on Congress to approve the funding that we’ve requested so that we can carry on with all these critical efforts.     

Today, the United States is doing even more.  But this is a global threat, and it demands a truly global response.  International organizations just have to move faster than they have up until this point.  More nations need to contribute experienced personnel, supplies, and funding that’s needed, and they need to deliver on what they pledge quickly.  Charities and individual philanthropists have given generously, and they can make a big difference.  And so we’re not restricting these efforts to governmental organizations; we also need NGOs and private philanthropies to work with us in a coordinated fashion in order to maximize the impact of our response. 

This week, the United States will chair an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council.  Next week, I’ll join U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to continue mobilizing the international community around this effort.  And then, at the White House, we’re going to bring more nations together to strengthen our global health security so that we can better prevent, detect and respond to future outbreaks before they become epidemics. 

This is actually something that we had announced several months ago at the G7 meeting.  We determined that this has to be a top priority; this was before the Ebola outbreak.  We anticipated the fact that in many of these countries with a weak public health system, if we don’t have more effective surveillance, more effective facilities on the ground, and are not helping poor countries in developing their ability to catch these things quickly, that there was at least the potential of seeing these kinds of outbreaks.  And sadly, we now see that our predictions were correct.  It gives more urgency to this effort -- a global health initiative -- that we have been pushing internationally.    

Let me just close by saying this:  The scenes that we’re witnessing in West Africa today are absolutely gut-wrenching.  In one account over the weekend, we read about a family in Liberia.  The disease had already killed the father.  The mother was cradling a sick and listless five-year-old son.  Her other son, 10-years-old, was dying, too.  They finally reached a treatment center but they couldn’t get in.  And, said a relative, “We are just sitting.” 

These men and women and children are just sitting, waiting to die, right now.  And it doesn’t have to be this way.     

The reality is that this epidemic is going to get worse before it gets better.  But right now, the world still has an opportunity to save countless lives.  Right now, the world has the responsibility to act -- to step up, and to do more.  The United States of America intends to do more.  We are going to keep leading in this effort.  We’re going to do our part, and we’re going to continue to make sure that the world understands the need for them to step alongside us as well in order for us to not just save the lives of families like the one I just discussed, but ultimately, to make sure that this doesn’t have the kinds of spillover effects that become even more difficult to control.

So thank you very much to the entire team that’s already doing this work.  And please know that you’ve got your President and Commander-in-Chief behind you.  Thank you. 

END
4:14 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release
September 16, 2014

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by Dr. Jill Biden at the International Congress on Vocational and Professional Education and Training

Winterthur, Switzerland

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

 

Hi, everyone!  Thank you Beatrice for that warm introduction. 

It is so great to be here with Ambassador Suzi LeVine—we are so grateful for her service here in Switzerland.

I am pleased to be joined by the United States Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor Eric Seleznow.

I am honored to be here with all of you at this international conference to discuss such an important topic—ensuring that students and workers have the skills they need to secure good jobs and succeed in the global economy. 

This is a top priority for President Obama and my husband Joe, the Vice President of the United States.

But I am not a politician.  I am not a researcher or an education policy expert.  I am an English professor.  I have taught in community colleges for 20 years, and still teach full-time at a community college near Washington, DC.  Education is my passion.

People sometimes ask why I choose to teach at a community college.  The answer is simple:  It is the students. 

I love being in the classroom and seeing the difference I can make in the lives of my students.  My goal is always to give them confidence in their own abilities—because I know that confidence will carry them well beyond my classroom, in whatever they do.

In my classes, I find single parents who come to school in the evening, weary from a long day, yet eager to create a brighter future for their children.

I have taught veterans who return to the classroom to complete their higher education as they look to transition to civilian careers.

And I have seen workers who have gone as far as they can in their jobs—get the skills they need to reach the next level in their fields.

I know what happens in community college classrooms.  It is extraordinary.

I see it over and over because the students are so committed to furthering their education—they know it is the key to a better life for themselves and their families.

Community colleges are as the name suggests—higher education institutions that are uniquely able to address the needs of their communities.  They are a place where students can get the skills and education they need to succeed, and get a good-paying job to support their families.

In the United States there are almost 1,200 community colleges.  They serve almost 12 million students, or nearly half of all U.S undergraduate students.

Community colleges lead the way in preparing graduates in the fields of green technology, healthcare, teaching, and information technology some of the fastest growing fields in America and the rest of the world.

In fact, half of the nurses in America are trained in community colleges.  

Quite simply, these schools are providing students with an opportunity to learn the skills they need to compete in the global economy.

Two years ago, I headed out on a community-college-to-career bus tour to learn more about innovative public-private workforce partnerships led by community colleges to train students for jobs that match the needs of employers in the region.

In two days, we traveled 800 miles—or nearly 1,300 kilometers—through seven cities in five states, visiting some amazing, talented students, teachers and local leaders. 

Rather than tell you about the road trip, I want to show it to you.

[SHOW VIDEO]

Since then, I have continued to tour the United States with Secretary of Labor Tom Perez.

I have always said that community colleges are one of America’s best-kept secrets.  They help people get good-paying jobs, and give them the tools they need to grow in a career they love. 

Today, more than 800 schools in the United States are using an innovative career training program to align curriculum with the needs of employers.

This gives students the opportunity to learn the skills they need to move into jobs that already exist in their communities.

The Obama-Biden Administration is doing its part to bolster the program and spur new partnerships.  By the end of this year, we will have invested nearly $2 billion into strengthening the linkage between community colleges and employers to create pipelines of skilled workers. 

As the U.S. economy continues to grow, and global competition intensifies, community colleges will become even more crucial to American prosperity. 

That is why in January of this year, President Obama asked my husband Joe to lead a review of the job-training programs in the United States.

What he found is that matching ready-to-work employees to in-demand jobs works best when employers partner with educators to define needed skills, shape training programs, and invest in apprenticeships and on-the-job training.

As a result, the Administration is now taking action to make our job-training programs more effective.

And, more businesses and education systems in the U.S. are teaming up to replicate successful training strategies.

One of those strategies is increasing the opportunity for apprenticeships.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to visit the Bühler plant in Uzwil to see firsthand the Swiss apprenticeship program.

I was impressed to learn that nearly 80 percent of apprentices continue to work at Bühler after their training, and that other companies in the region are able to take advantage of the program, creating an eco-system of high quality skilled workers.

As we look to improve job-training education in the United States, we will put a greater emphasis on apprenticeships.  They are a tried-and-true workforce development global strategy.

State governments and education professionals in the United States are already learning lessons from the unique Swiss model.

For example, the California State Senate has developed a new program called the Career Pathways Trust—a $250 million competitive grant program to encourage more partnerships between schools and the private sector.

In the United States, we have 375,000 Registered Apprentices.  We need to add 2.5 million more next year to compete with Great Britain and 7 million more to compete with Germany. 

To get anywhere near those numbers, we need to do a better job of breaking down some common misconceptions, and shine a brighter light on what modern apprenticeships look like.

Consequently, we created the Registered Apprenticeship College Consortium—a partnership among community colleges and employers that makes it possible for apprentices to transfer college credits they earn to any community college in the consortium.

Over 30 colleges and 500 apprenticeship programs have applied to join.

And this fall, we are making an historic investment of 100 million dollars to scale up programs that work, and to create new opportunities for companies to adopt this tried-and-true strategy.

Apprenticeships provide a career pathway for workers, setting them on an upward trajectory for life, and they are a great return-on-investment for employers.

They also demonstrate the benefit of sharing best practices to better prepare our students for the jobs of today and tomorrow.  That is exactly what all of you are doing here.

No matter what country you live in, young people are trying to figure out where they fit into the intense competition of the global economy.  And leaders are trying to figure out how to prepare the next generation for the jobs of tomorrow.

As President Obama has said, “In a 21st century economy where the most valuable skill you can sell is your knowledge, education is the single best bet we can make.”

We all reap the benefits when our citizens are well-educated and well-trained.  It means that our economies are more vibrant and the future is brighter. 

Thank you.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 15, 2014

Remarks by the President at Presentation of the Medal of Honor to Command Sergeant Major Bennie G. Adkins and Specialist Four Donald Sloat

East Room

1:52 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, and welcome to the White House.  More than four decades ago, in early 1970, an American squad in Vietnam set out on patrol.  They marched down a trail, past a rice paddy.  Shots rang out and splintered the bamboo above their heads.  The lead soldier tripped a wire -- a booby trap.  A grenade rolled toward the feet of a 20-year-old machine gunner.  The pin was pulled, and that grenade would explode at any moment.

A few years earlier, on the other side of the country, deep in the jungle, a small group of Americans were crouched on top of a small hill.  And it was dark, and they were exhausted; the enemy had been pursuing them for days.  And now they were surrounded, and the enemy was closing in on all sides.

Two discrete moments, but today we honor two American soldiers for gallantry above and beyond the call of duty at each of those moments:  Specialist Donald Sloat, who stood above that grenade, and Command Sergeant Major Bennie Adkins, who fought through a ferocious battle and found himself on that jungle hill. 
Nearly half a century after their acts of valor, a grateful nation bestows upon these men the highest military decoration –- the Medal of Honor.

Normally, this medal must be awarded within a few years of the action.  But sometimes even the most extraordinary stories can get lost in the fog of war or the passage of time.  Yet when new evidence comes to light, certain actions can be reconsidered for this honor, and it is entirely right and proper that we have done so.  And that is why we are here today. 

So before I go any further, I want to thank everyone present here today whose research and testimonies and persistence over so many years finally resulted in these two men deserving the recognition they so richly deserve.  I especially want to welcome members of the Medal of Honor Society, as well as two American families whose love and pride has never wavered.

Don Sloat grew up in the heart of Oklahoma in a town called Coweta.  And he grew big -- to over 6’4”.  He loved football, and played for a year at a junior college.  Then he decided to join the Army.  But when he went to enlist, he didn’t pass his physical because of high blood pressure.  So he tried again.  And again.  And again.  In all, he took the physical maybe seven times until he passed -- because Don Sloat was determined to serve his country. 

In Vietnam, Don became known as one of the most liked and reliable guys in his company.  Twice in his first months, his patrol was ambushed; both times, Don responded with punishing fire from his machine gun, leaving himself completely vulnerable to the enemy.  Both times, he was recognized for his bravery.  Or as Don put it in a letter home, “I guess they think [that] I’m really gung-ho or something.”  (Laughter.)  

And then one morning, Don and his squad set out on patrol, past that rice paddy, down that trail, when those shots rang out.  When the lead soldier’s foot tripped that wire and set off the booby trap, the grenade rolled right to Don’s feet.  And at that moment, he could have run.  At that moment, he could have ducked for cover.  But Don did something truly extraordinary -- he reached down and he picked that grenade up.  And he turned to throw it, but there were Americans in front of him and behind him -– inside the kill zone.  So Don held on to that grenade, and he pulled it close to his body.  And he bent over it.  And then, as one of the men said, “all of a sudden there was a boom.”  

The blast threw the lead soldier up against a boulder.  Men were riddled with shrapnel.  Four were medevaced out, but everyone else survived.  Don had absorbed the brunt of the explosion with his body.  He saved the lives of those next to him.  And today, we’re joined by two men who were with him on that patrol:  Sergeant William Hacker and Specialist Michael Mulheim.

For decades, Don’s family only knew that he was killed in action.  They’d heard that he had stepped on a landmine.  All those years, this Gold Star family honored the memory of their son and brother, whose name is etched forever on that granite wall not far from here.  Late in her life, Don’s mother, Evelyn, finally learned the full story of her son’s sacrifice.  And she made it her mission to have Don’s actions properly recognized. 

Sadly, nearly three years ago, Evelyn passed away.  But she always believed -- she knew -- that this day would come.  She even bought a special dress to wear to this ceremony.  We are honored that Don -- and his mom -- are represented here today by Don’s brother and sisters and their families.  On behalf of this American family, I’d ask Don’s brother, Dr. Bill Sloat, to come forward for the reading of the citation and accept the gratitude of our nation.

MILITARY AIDE:  The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of Congress the Medal of Honor to Specialist Four Donald P. Sloat, United States Army.

Specialist Four Donald P. Sloat distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Machinegunner with Company D, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 196th Light Infantry Brigade, Americal Division, during combat operations against an armed enemy in the Republic of Vietnam on January 17, 1970.

On that morning, Specialist Four Sloat’s squad was conducting a patrol, serving as a blocking element in support of tanks and armored personnel carriers in the area.  As the squad moved up a small hill in file formation, the lead soldier tripped a wire attached to a hand grenade booby trap set up by enemy forces.  As the grenade rolled down the hill, Specialist Four Sloat knelt and picked up the grenade.  After initially attempting to throw the grenade, Specialist Four Sloat realized that detonation was imminent.  He then drew the grenade to his body and shielded his squad members from the blast, saving their lives. 

Specialist Four Sloat’s actions define the ultimate sacrifice of laying down his own life in order to save the lives of his comrades.  Specialist Four Donald P. Sloat’s extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Company D, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 196th Light Infantry Brigade, Americal Division and the United States Army.

[The medal is presented]  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  At this point, I’d like to ask Bennie Adkins to come join me on stage.

Now, let me just say the first thing you need to know is when Bennie and I met in the Oval Office, he asked if he could sign back up.  (Laughter.)  His lovely wife was not amused.  (Laughter.)

Most days, you can find Bennie at home down in Opelika, Alabama, tending his garden or his pontoon boat out on the lake.  He’s been married to Mary for 58 years.  He’s a proud father of five, grandfather of six; at 80 still going strong.  A couple years ago, he came here to the White House with his fellow veterans for a breakfast we had on Veterans Day.  He tells folk  he was the only person he knows who has spilled his dessert in the White House.  (Laughter.)  And I just have to correct you, that makes two of us.  (Laughter.)  I’ve messed up my tie.  I’ve messed up my pants.  (Laughter.)

But in the spring of 1966, Bennie was just 32 years old, on his second tour in Vietnam.  He and his fellow Green Berets were at an isolated camp along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.  A huge North Vietnamese force attacked, bombarding Bennie and his comrades with mortars and white phosphorus.  At a time, it was nearly impossible to move without being wounded or killed.  But Bennie ran into enemy fire again and again -- to retrieve supplies and ammo; to carry the wounded to safety; to man the mortar pit, holding off wave after wave of enemy assaults.  Three times, explosions blasted him out of that mortar pit, and three times, he returned. 

I have to be honest, in a battle and daring escape that lasted four days, Bennie performed so many acts of bravery we actually don’t have time to talk about all of them.  Let me just mention three. 

On the first day, Bennie was helping load a wounded American onto a helicopter.  A Vietnamese soldier jumped onto the helo trying to escape the battle, and aimed his weapon directly at the wounded soldier, ready to shoot.  Bennie stepped in, shielded his comrade, placing himself directly in the line of fire, helping to save his wounded comrade. 

At another point in the battle, Bennie and a few other soldiers were trapped in the mortar pit, covered in shrapnel and smoking debris.  Their only exit was blocked by enemy machine gun fire.  So Bennie thought fast.  He dug a hole out of the pit and snuck out the other side.  As another American escaped through that hole, he was shot in the leg.  An enemy soldier charged him, hoping to capture a live POW and Bennie fired, taking out that enemy and pulling his fellow American to safety.

By the third day of battle, Bennie and a few others had managed to escape into the jungle.  He had cuts and wounds all over his body, but he refused to be evacuated.  When a rescue helicopter arrived, Bennie insisted that others go instead.  And so, on the third night, Bennie, wounded and bleeding, found himself with his men up on that jungle hill, exhausted and surrounded, with the enemy closing in.  And after all they had been through, as if it weren’t enough, there was something more -- you can’t make this up -- there in the jungle, they heard the growls of a tiger. 

It turns out that tiger might have been the best thing that happened to Bennie in those -- during those days because, he says, “the North Vietnamese were more scared of that tiger than they were of us.”  (Laughter.)  So the enemy fled.  Bennie and his squad made their escape.  And they were rescued, finally, the next morning. 

In Bennie’s life, we see the enduring service of our men and women in uniform.  He went on to serve a third tour in Vietnam, a total of more than two decades in uniform.  After he retired, he earned his Master’s Degree -– actually not one, but two.  Opened up an accounting firm.  Taught adult education classes.  Became national commander of the Legion of Valor veterans organization.  So he has earned his retirement, despite what he says.  (Laughter.)  He’s living outside Auburn.  And, yes, he is a fan of the Auburn Tigers, although I did a poll of the family and there are some Crimson Tide fans here.  (Laughter.)  So there’s obviously some divisions.

But Bennie will tell you that he owes everything to the men he served with in Vietnam, especially the five who gave their lives in that battle.  Every member of his unit was killed or wounded.  Every single one was recognized for their service.  Today, we’re joined by some of the men who served with Bennie, including Major John Bradford, the soldier that Bennie shielded in that helicopter, and Major Wayne Murray, the soldier Bennie saved from being captured.  And I’d ask them and all our Vietnam veterans who are here today to please stand or raise your hand and to be recognized.  (Applause.)  

And now, I’d ask that the citation be read.

MILITARY AIDE:  The President of the United States, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3rd, 1863, has awarded in the name of Congress the Medal of Honor to Sergeant First Class Bennie G. Adkins, United States Army.

Sergeant First Class Bennie G. Adkins distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as an Intelligence Sergeant with Detachment A-102, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces, during combat operations against an armed enemy at Camp A Shau, Republic of Vietnam, from March 9 to 12, 1966. 

When the camp was attacked by a large North Vietnamese and Viet Cong force in the early morning hours, Sergeant First Class Adkins rushed through intense enemy fire and manned a mortar position continually adjusting fire for the camp, despite incurring wounds as the mortar pit received several direct hits from enemy mortars.  Upon learning that several soldiers were wounded near the center of camp, he temporarily turned the mortar over to another soldier, ran through exploding mortar rounds, and dragged several comrades to safety. 

As the hostile fire subsided, Sergeant First Class Adkins exposed himself to sporadic sniper fire while carrying his wounded comrades to the camp dispensary.  When Sergeant First Class Adkins and his group of defenders came under heavy small arms fire from members of the Civilian Irregular Defense Group that had defected to fight with the North Vietnamese, he maneuvered outside the camp to evacuate a seriously wounded American and draw fire, all the while successfully covering the rescue.  When a resupply air drop landed outside of the camp perimeter, Sergeant First Class Adkins, again, moved outside of the camp walls to retrieve the much-needed supplies. 

During the early morning hours of March 10, 1966, enemy forces launched their main attack and within two hours, Sergeant First Class Adkins was the only man firing a mortar weapon.  When all mortar rounds were expended, Sergeant First Class Adkins began placing effective recoilless rifle fire upon enemy positions.  Despite receiving additional wounds from enemy rounds exploding on his position, Sergeant First Class Adkins fought off intense waves of attacking Viet Cong.  Sergeant First Class Adkins eliminated numerous insurgents with small arms fire after withdrawing to a communications bunker with several soldiers. Running extremely low on ammunition, he returned to the mortar pit, gathered vital ammunition and ran through intense fire back to the bunker.

After being ordered to evacuate the camp, Sergeant First Class Adkins and a small group of soldiers destroyed all signal equipment and classified documents, dug their way out of the rear of the bunker and fought their way out of the camp.  While carrying a wounded soldier to the extraction point he learned that the last helicopter had already departed.

Sergeant First Class Adkins led the group while evading the enemy until they were rescued by helicopter on March 12, 1966.  During the 38-hour battle and 48 hours of escape and evasion, fighting with mortars, machine guns, recoilless rifles, small arms, and hand grenades, it was estimated that Sergeant First Class Adkins had killed between 135 and 175 of the enemy while sustaining 18 different wounds to his body.

Sergeant First Class Adkins’ extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Detachment A-102, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces and the United States Army.

[The medal is presented.]  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Over the decades, our Vietnam veterans didn’t always receive the thanks and respect they deserved.  That’s a fact.  But as we have been reminded again today, our Vietnam vets were patriots and are patriots.  You served with valor.  You made us proud.  And your service is with us for eternity.  So no matter how long it takes, no matter how many years go by, we will continue to express our gratitude for your extraordinary service.

May God watch over Don Sloat and all those who have sacrificed for our country.  May God keep safe those who wear our country’s uniform, and veterans like Bennie Adkins.  And may God continue to bless the United States of America.

At this point I’d ask our chaplain to return to the stage for the benediction. 

[The benediction is offered.]

THE PRESIDENT:  And at this point, I would welcome everybody to join the Sloat family and the Adkins family for a reception.  I hear the food is pretty good.  (Laughter.)  And once again, to all of you who serve and your families who serve along with them, the nation is grateful.  And your Commander-in-Chief could not be prouder. 

Thank you very much, everybody.  (Applause.)

END
2:16 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 13, 2014

WEEKLY ADDRESS: We Will Degrade and Destroy ISIL

WASHINGTON, DC — In this week’s address, the President reiterated his comprehensive and sustained counter-terrorism strategy to degrade and ultimately destroy the terrorist group ISIL. His plan brings together a campaign of targeted airstrikes, increased support for Iraqi and Kurdish forces already taking on terrorists, assistance from allies and partners, expanded efforts to train and equip the Syrian opposition, and ongoing humanitarian aid for those displaced by ISIL. The President expressed his immense appreciation for the military men and women who make these efforts possible, and reminded the world that America continues to lead and stand strong against terror.

The audio of the address and video of the address will be available online at www.whitehouse.gov at 6:00 a.m. ET, September 13, 2014.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
September 13, 2014

As Commander in Chief, my highest priority is the security of the American people.  And I’ve made it clear that those who threaten the United States will find no safe haven.  Thanks to our military and counterterrorism professionals, we took out Osama bin Laden, much of al Qaeda’s leadership in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and leaders of al Qaeda affiliates in Yemen and Somalia.  We’ve prevented terrorist attacks, saved American lives and made our homeland more secure. 

Today, the terrorist threat is more diffuse, from al Qaeda affiliates and other extremists—like ISIL in Syria and Iraq.  As I said this week, our intelligence community has not yet detected specific ISIL plots against our homeland.  But its leaders have repeatedly threatened the United States.  And, if left unchecked, these terrorists could pose a growing threat beyond the Middle East, including to the United States.  So we’re staying vigilant.  And we’re moving ahead with our strategy to degrade and ultimately destroy this terrorist organization.

To meet a threat like this, we have to be smart.  We have to use our power wisely.  And we have to avoid the mistakes of the past.  American military power is unmatched, but this can’t be America’s fight alone.  And the best way to defeat a group like ISIL isn’t by sending large numbers of American combat forces to wage a ground war in the heart of the Middle East.  That wouldn’t serve our interests.  In fact, it would only risk fueling extremism even more. 

What’s needed now is a targeted, relentless counterterrorism campaign against ISIL that combines American air power, contributions from allies and partners, and more support to forces that are fighting these terrorists on the ground.  And that’s exactly what we’re doing.     

We’re moving ahead with our campaign of airstrikes against these terrorists, and we’re prepared to take action against ISIL in Syria as well.  The additional American forces I’ve ordered to Iraq will help Iraqi and Kurdish forces with the training, intelligence and equipment they need to take the fight to these terrorists on the ground.  We’re working with Congress to expand our efforts to train and equip the Syrian opposition.  We’ll continue to strengthen our defenses here at home.  And we’ll keep providing the humanitarian relief to help Iraqi civilians who have been driven from their homes and who remain in extreme danger. 

Because we’re leading the right way, more nations are joining our coalition.  This week, Arab nations agreed to strengthen their support for the new Iraqi government and to do their part in the fight against ISIL, including aspects of the military campaign.  Saudi Arabia will join the effort to help train and equip moderate Syrian opposition forces.  And retired Marine general John Allen—who during the Iraq war worked with Sunnis in Iraq as they fought to reclaim their communities from terrorists—will serve as our special envoy to help build and coordinate our growing coalition.

Today, every American can be proud of our men and women in uniform who are serving in this effort.  When our airstrikes helped break the siege of the Iraqi town of Amerli [Ah-MER-lee], one Kurdish fighter on the ground said, “It would have been absolutely impossible without the American planes.”  One resident of that city said—“thank you, America.”

Today we’re showing the world the best of American leadership.  We will protect our people.  We will stand with partners who defend their countries and rally other nations to meet a common threat.  And here at home—thirteen years after our country was attacked—we continue to stand tall and proud.  Because we’re Americans.  We don’t give in to fear.  We carry on.  And we will never waver in the defense of the country we love.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 12, 2014

Remarks by the President at a DSCC Event

Private Residence
Baltimore, Maryland

5:15 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, everybody, have a seat.  Well, to Howard and the whole family, thank you so much for opening your gorgeous home.  It is actually the fact that Howard has been a great friend dating back to when a lot of folks still couldn’t pronounce my name.  (Laughter.)  And those are the friends that you always remember and the people you really count on are folks who were there early for you and believed in your vision.  And so Howard and his whole family have been wonderful and I’m very, very grateful.

A couple other people to acknowledge, although Howard has already mentioned them.  You have two of the best senators in the country in Barbara Mikulski and Senator Cardin.  (Applause.)  You’ve got some of the best members of Congress in the country -- Elijah Cummings, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes.  (Applause.)  You’ve got an outstanding mayor in Baltimore in Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.  (Applause.)  And although he is not from around these parts, he is just a wonderful person who has a pretty thankless job and that is making sure that Democrats retain control of the Senate, and he is doing outstanding work and is just a model public servant -- Michael Bennet from Colorado.  (Applause.)

So I’m not going to speak long at the top.  I want to spend most of the time just answering questions.  I’m among friends here -- so many of you have heard me speak and been supporters and we’ve had a lot of interactions so this is really just a great chance for me to have a good conversation with you.

As Howard indicated, we live in deeply troubled times internationally.  Challenging times.  I made a speech this week discussing what is the most prominent threat that we face in the Middle East when it comes to terrorism, and that is the organization ISIL, that has not only taken over large swaths of Iraq and Syria but displayed the kind of brutality that even by the standards of terrorists is extraordinary.  And I am very confident that with an Iraqi government in place that is committed to the kind of inclusive government that is needed there and sadly has not been there for some time, and the kind of coalition that we’re putting together internationally, and most importantly, the incredible courage and dedication and skills of our men and women in uniform, we’re going to be able to push them back and ultimately destroy them.

But it’s a sobering time, because any time as Commander-in-Chief that I order our men and women in uniform into harm’s way there are risks involved.  And so I’m grateful to them.  What gives me confidence is that we’re on the right side of history here.  And what also is a silver lining in the terrible mayhem that ISIL has wrought throughout the region is that it has focused attention I think for the first time in a long time in the Muslim world a great clarity about the need to completely distance from and ultimately snuff out this particular brand of Islamic extremism that really has no place in the 21st century. 

And so we’re going to be able to build the kind of coalition that allows us to lead but also isn’t entirely dependent on what we do.  And that’s I think a measure of how we’ve got to approach these problems because they’re not going to go away immediately.  We will defeat ISIL, but there are always going to be these threats of terrorism and we’re going to have to make sure that we are creating the structure and the partnerships and the commitment that allows us over the long haul to win this fight.   

But obviously that’s not the only challenge that we have.  On Ukraine, we’ve seen a Russian government that has rejected international norms, violated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a neighbor.  And that raises important challenges for us as leaders of NATO.  I just came back from Wales where, once again, because of American leadership, we’ve seen all 28 NATO countries and partner countries mobilize themselves to isolate Russia and to support Ukrainian bids for independence and freedom.

And if it were not for us, I think it’s fair to say that the situation would be much worse.  But it’s something that we are going to have to not just pay attention to but continue to organize, not so much because Ukraine itself is a vital national security threat to us -- we do very little trade with Ukraine and, geopolitically, it doesn’t -- what happens in Ukraine doesn’t pose a direct threat to us -- but because we are expected to uphold basic international rules and norms.  And those rules and norms are what not only allows us to prosper but has allowed an unprecedented number of people to rise out of poverty, and wealth to spread to vast corners of the world, and the Internet to connect the world together. 

It’s because we, over the course of the entire post-World War II era, created these structures.  And we’re obliged to continue to tend to them and protect them and defend them.  And that’s what I intend to do.

But in addition to these big international challenges, I think it’s important for us to remember that for most Americans, day to day, what they’re concerned about is, can I send my kid to college?  Day to day, what they’re thinking about is, boy, I’m working really, really hard and I haven’t had a raise or an increase in my wages in a very long time; I’m a woman and I know that I’m doing as good of a job as the person next to me, and somehow I don’t think I’m being treated quite the same when it comes to compensation or promotions.

Those are the issues that people experience viscerally in their day-to-day lives.  And if you want to know why we’re here today, it’s because having a strong Democratic Senate allows us to continue to pursue a vision of an inclusive, progressive, economic agenda that is going to continue to give more and more people the chance to pursue the American Dream in the way that I have and Howard has, and so many people around this room have.

We have made extraordinary strides over the last five years.  And sometimes I think we take for granted the fact that we’ve had the longest uninterrupted stretch of job growth in American history; that we have cut the deficit by more than half; that our energy production is higher than we’ve seen in decades, and our clean energy is being produced at a rate we’ve never seen before; that we’ve got more kids going to college now, the high school graduation rate has increased during this period of time.  And despite a few bumps along the way, we’ve got millions of people who have health care who didn’t have it before -- and, by the way, the costs of health care have been growing at a slower rate than any time in the last 50 years.

So we’ve made unbelievable progress -- an auto industry that rose up from the ashes and now is producing better cars than ever; a financial system that stabilized more manufacturing any time in the last 20 years.  And around the world, when you ask people, where is the number-one place to invest, they don’t say China anymore, which is what they had been saying recently -- they now say, once again, the United States of America.

So we’ve got all the cards.  We have the most powerful military on Earth by a massive margin.  We have the best workers.  We’ve got the most innovative companies.  We are at the cutting edge of every piece of technology.  We are the envy of the world, but in order to actually fully realize that potential, we’ve got to have a government that works.  And the reason you’re here today is you recognize that, and you’re willing to make sacrifices for it. 

And for that, we are extraordinarily grateful.  And we want to make sure that Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin and Michael Bennet -- all the folks in Senate -- and then all those folks in the House, that they’re able to pursue a vision that assures our children and our grandchildren are going to have just the same amazing opportunities and the same security and the same prosperity as we’ve enjoyed in our lives.

So thank you for making that sacrifice.  Appreciate it very much.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

END
5:25 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 12, 2014

Remarks by the President at the AmeriCorps 20th Anniversary Event

South Lawn

11:48 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you so much.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Everybody, have a seat.  Have a seat.  Welcome to the White House.  Give Ivan a big round of applause for the introduction.  (Applause.)  Dayna, thank you for sharing your story.  And I want to thank all of you for joining President Clinton and me in celebrating this 20th anniversary of AmeriCorps.

I want to thank some strong supporters of national service who are here today.  We’ve got Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, who as a young aide to President Clinton -- I mean, they both still look good -- (laughter) -- but 20 years ago helped to write the legislation creating AmeriCorps’ 20-year legacy.  (Applause.)  So thank you, Jack, for the great job. 

You already heard from Wendy Spencer, who is -- she never runs out of energy and is reflective of the spirit of AmeriCorps -- the CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service.  (Applause.)  Great job, Wendy. 

My dear friend, former Senator Harris Wofford, who not only used to run CNCS, but also helped to create VISTA and the Peace Corps.  I don’t know anybody who’s got a greater legacy of creating community and helping people to channel their civic virtues than Harris Wofford.  (Applause.)  We’re so proud of him. 

Carrie Hessler-Radelet, the new director of the Peace Corps.  Where’s Carrie?  There she is right there.  (Applause.)  We’ve got Congressman John Lewis -- (applause) -- who didn’t have an AmeriCorps program; just went out and got a whole lot done -- which is why I’m standing here.  David Price.  (Applause.)  Senator Martin Heinrich, the first AmeriCorps alum to be elected to the Senate.  (Applause.)  And everybody who’s here who played a part in creating and sustaining AmeriCorps, both in the Clinton Administration and the Bush Administration and in Congress, and all the service leaders who mobilized and rallied over the years to keep AmeriCorps going.  I thank all of you for living a life of active and energetic and engaged citizenship, because it has made America stronger.  You have made America stronger because of what you’ve done. 

Now, as President Clinton mentioned, not everybody who played an enormous role in this could be here today -- two people in particular who aren’t, but who are in our hearts:  Eli Segal, who did so much to get the Corporation for National and Community Service up and running two decades ago.  (Applause.)  And a man whose extraordinary achievements live on because he never stopped asking what he could do for his country -- our dear friend, Senator Ted Kennedy.  (Applause.)  His name is on the law that I signed five years ago expanding AmeriCorps -- it was one of the last big public events that Teddy did -- a law that’s going to give a new generation of Americans more opportunities to give back to their communities and their country.  And Teddy’s wife, Vicki, as well as Eli’s wife, Phyllis, are here today as well.  We thank you so much for everything that you’ve done and for your support.  (Applause.)  
                                     
Now, as Wendy mentioned, all of you who are here are part of a national event.  Since yesterday, the 9/11 Day of Service, hundreds of thousands of Americans have taken part in service projects in all 50 states.  Michelle and I spent a few hours helping out a school here in D.C.  Joe Biden volunteered down the street at George Washington University.  And today, thousands of Americans are taking the pledge as new AmeriCorps members.  President George H.W. Bush is swearing in volunteers in Maine.  (Applause.)  President George W. Bush and Laura Bush have filmed a video that’s being shown across the country.  (Applause.)

So it echoes back to that day in 1994, when President Clinton swore in that first class of AmeriCorps members right here at the White House.  And some of the people who are here were in that class -- and if you were, you might remember him saying that you were starting a journey that would change your lives forever; that AmeriCorps would change the life of the nation; that it would give new life to the values that bind us together as Americans.  
                                    
And that was a bold claim.  But Bill Clinton is an optimist.  (Laughter.)  And he knew from his own life, as I know from mine, what service can do:  the sense of common purpose that it cultivates; the opportunity to join our fellow Americans to work together for something other than just ourselves -- for something bigger, for the common good.  And so he had high hopes on that bright September day.  And he was not the only one. 

William Consuegra took the AmeriCorps pledge that day.  Then he went to work for Youth Harvest in Texas, helping high school students improve their literacy skills.  Twenty years later, he’s still a public servant, helping communities in New Mexico with community development.

Matthew Little took the pledge that day.  He went to work for City Year in Boston.  There, he says he discovered a new source of inspiration:  “Students who came to me with Fs and left my homework club with As.”  And he’s been an educator ever since.  (Applause.)  

Sondra Samuels took that pledge that day.  She headed to Philadelphia to join the Weed and Seed Initiative, helping communities reduce violent crime and gang activity.  And she says that AmeriCorps taught her, “that I can look at my country and [I can] actually make it different, not just wish it were different.” 
                                                  
In Chicago, a bright, eager young woman shared in the hope of that day, too.  She had recently left her job at a law firm, became the founding executive director of Public Allies in Chicago, a non-profit that trains young people for careers in public service.  And soon after, Public Allies received one of the very first grants that AmeriCorps ever awarded.  And that young woman happens to live with me.  (Laughter.)  Her name is Michelle Obama.  So the Obama household was on board with AmeriCorps from the start.  (Applause.)   

And for those of you who know my story starting off as a community organizer, I would not be standing here if it were not for service to others, and the purpose that service gave my own life.  I moved to Chicago to become a community organizer in part -- in parts of that town where steel plants had closed down and hope had dried up.  And I wasn’t sure what I was doing.  I wasn’t sure that I’d be successful.  I was working with a group of churches out there and we didn’t have a lot of funding.  I think my starting salary was $13,000 a year, and gas expenses.

But what I found was that with patience and dedicated effort, I could make a difference.  It wasn’t always 100 percent of what I wanted; sometimes it was just 20 percent, sometimes it was just 50 percent.  But it turned out that you could nudge history forward.  You could shape it.  You could see the lives of people that you cared about improving because of the blood and sweat and tears you were putting into it. 

And then I found a community for myself, and I began to understand what citizenship meant -- not just some abstraction, not just words on a page, not just rights and privileges, but duties and responsibilities.  And it gave me a sense of direction about how I wanted to live my life. 

So, as it turned out, the idea of making a difference in other people’s lives made a difference in mine.  It made me whole.  It gave me center.  It gave me a compass.  And that, when I look out on all these young people, Bill, is what’s going to happen to them.  Most of them are probably already a lot more sophisticated than I was at that time.  (Laughter.)  And probably more gifted and more talented.  But that’s why when I look out I can’t describe how inspired I am, because in each of you I see unfurling all the incredible, wonderful things that you’re going to be doing in your lives. 

Twenty years after President Clinton signed and swore in that first AmeriCorps class, more than 900,000 Americans have learned the same lesson that I learned by serving through AmeriCorps.  And they come from all walks of life -- small towns, big cities, all backgrounds, all age groups.  They’ve done everything from deliver emergency relief in the aftermath of disasters, to staffing health clinics in underserved communities, to helping veterans find jobs.  They’ve touched millions of lives.  They’ve helped America become stronger, and more resilient and more united.

So, Bill, you were right.  AmeriCorps has changed the life of our nation.  And now it’s up to us to make sure it continues.  Because we’re not just here today to celebrate what’s already been achieved.  We’re here to rededicate ourselves to the work that lies ahead.  (Applause.)  We’re here to get things done.  We are here to get things done.  (Applause.) 

My administration has been determined to build on the foundation that President Bush and both -- President Clinton and both Presidents Bush laid.  We are determined to help AmeriCorps succeed.  We’ve seen the outcomes that AmeriCorps members produce -- improved literacy in the schools where they work.  So if we’re smart, Congress will fund this calling that’s meant so much to so many, and keep AmeriCorps strong.

And we’ll keep doing our part.  (Applause.)  That’s why I created a task force on national service last year -- to find new ways to expand and improve national service.  We’ve tested innovations.  We’re creating new models of partnership.  We’ve reached out to the public -- to the private sector.  So AmeriCorps is as effective today as it’s ever been.

We’ve created new AmeriCorps programs to address specific needs.  For example, FEMA Corps trains -- (applause) -- trains and deploys national servicemembers to help communities recover from disasters like hurricanes and tornadoes.  School Turnaround AmeriCorps sends talented individuals into underachieving schools.  (Applause.)  The new Justice AmeriCorps will pair AmeriCorps members who are lawyers and paralegals with unaccompanied immigrant children to get them legal help.  (Applause.)  STEM AmeriCorps is mobilizing scientists and engineers to inspire young people to discover and tinker and innovate and make things.  (Applause.)

And we’ve brought businesses and non-profits on board.  So we’ve seen again and again how national service helps people -- young people gain valuable skills and training, and employers have noticed.  So we want to do more to help talented national service members find good jobs after they wrap up their service.  And that’s the idea behind an initiative we’re announcing today called Employers of National Service.  If you are an employer -- (applause) -- if you’re an employer who wants to hire talented, dedicated, patriotic, skilled, tireless, energetic workers, look to AmeriCorps, look to the Peace Corps.  (Applause.)

And organizations like the Disney Company and American Red Cross and City of Nashville, the United Way, others are already signing up.  They know what we know:  Citizens who perform national service are special.  You want them on your team. 

As of a few minutes ago, that includes our newest members -- the AmeriCorps class of 2014.  (Applause.)

So you’ve got Catherine Stodola who just took the pledge.  She’s helping homeless veterans find housing through Habitat for Humanity here in Washington.  (Applause.)

You’ve got Jay Savoy who took the pledge.  And through City Year, she’s going to be -- (applause) -- she’s leading a team of tutors for kids like herself in her old neighborhood in Southeast D.C. 

Ivan, who you just heard from, took the pledge and is mentoring young people through Public Allies in Maryland.  (Applause.) 

Seventy-five thousand members of this year’s AmeriCorps class will spread out across the country, and they are doing their part to help make America safer and healthier, and more fair and more just -- because like all those who serve their country through AmeriCorps, they don’t just believe in, but live out a fundamental truth, and that is that people who love their country can change it.

That is the genius of America.  That is the promise of AmeriCorps.  It’s one of the reasons I am so committed to this program, and why I’m so hopeful about the future.  We are proud of you.  That goes for all the AmeriCorps members over the years.  And I’ll always be proud to serve a country where there are such striving, dreaming citizens like all of you.  Congratulations.

God bless you, and God bless America.  Thank you, President Clinton.  (Applause.)

END               
12:01 P.M. EDT