The White House

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release
December 03, 2013

Remarks by Vice President Joe Biden in Closing at Roundtable Discussion on Women in the Japanese Economy

DeNA Headquarters
Tokyo, Japan

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, thank you, Ambassador.  Look, first of all, thank you all very much.  This has been both interesting, intriguing, and very important. 

As was pointed out, I’m not going to identify each of the panelists, for I haven’t asked their permission to who said what. But as has been pointed out, Japan, like many other countries around the world, in Europe and in Asia as well, is running into a bit of a conundrum, which is that birth rates are slowing and/or declining and/or in the negative territory, both in Europe and in parts of Asia -- in Japan.  And I am often kidded by the President for using the phrase I guess I use frequently that reality has a way of intruding.  Reality is intruding in a way, not only here in Japan but around the world, to make it clear to national leaders that, as Nick Kristof said, women are half the sky.  Women are half the sky.  They are half the brainpower.  They are half the energy.  They’re half the innovation.  And so many countries, including to some degree ours, wastes that asset -- waste that asset. 

And so it’s not only the right thing to do based on issues of equality that we feel very strongly about -- the President and I and the Ambassador, both Ambassadors -- but it has profound, direct economic impact on the GDP of a country.  And so one of the good things that’s occurred is the growing realization, in some places out of necessity -- I’m not just speaking in Japan now -- out of necessity, that women have to be fully included and engaged in the workforce and in leadership.

I said earlier that some advocates argue that the reason to have women more involved in leadership positions is they’re gentler and kinder.  I’ve never found that to be the case.  (Laughter.)  They’re as tough, they’re as strong, they’re as everything as a man is, and vice versa.  But the important thing that’s different is, just like men, they bring a different perspective -- a different perspective.  And that perspective sometimes shines the light on the avenue that no one thought about pursuing.

I was telling them I recently met with Lee Kuan Yew in Singapore -- he is much older now.  I think he’s 92.  He’s not in the same physical condition, but his mind is as sharp and as incisive as it ever has been.  And I asked him -- I said, what’s going on in this part of the world?  What’s going on in China now?  What’s going on in India?  He said, “Well, they’re in America looking for the black box.  They’re looking for that thing that allows Americans to remake themselves as a country every generation or two.”  And I said, I can tell them what’s in the black box -- a constant stream of immigration and diversity, bringing totally new perspectives, totally new perspectives, and ultimately being totally integrated into the society, and it’s stamped in every American’s DNA that you get rewarded for challenging orthodoxy. 

Well, the most important orthodoxy to challenge around the world is the orthodoxy that says somehow, women have a limited role.  Somehow, women -- there are certain things women can’t do. I’ve said this many times in America, and I’ll continue to say it.  I personally will not rest till my four granddaughters have every single, solitary opportunity my grandson has.  And I mean every.  I don’t mean some; I mean every.  There’s not a single thing that a man can do that a woman cannot do.  And until we begin to face up to that, we’re going to be having an incredible amount of wasting assets out there.  But it’s also -- guess what -- the right thing to do.

And the last thing I’ll say is that I, too, compliment Prime Minister Abe on the initiative to bring more women into the workforce, sustain them in the workforce, give them similar opportunities.  And the $3 billion commitment that Japan has made around the world for women in areas of the world where we have -- who not only don’t have job opportunities, but are treated as property, where they are viewed as being owned by their husbands -- cultures where people say it’s all right to physically abuse a woman.  There is never, never, never, in any culture, anyplace, anywhere, that makes it justified for a man to treat a woman physically in an inhumane way.  I don’t care what the culture is. It’s about time we shred these notions.

And so Japan is leading the way in many of these areas around the world, and it looks like it’s decided to write a new chapter.  And by the way, we in America have a long way to go as well.  But there’s an inevitability to this march.  There’s an inevitability to it.  And I’m delighted to be here with six people, two men and four women, who have slightly different perspectives on how to do it, but absolutely firmly committed to the notion that the women of Japan hold Japan’s future in their hand as well as any man in Japan holds the future.

So thank you all for having me.  It’s been a great honor to be with you.

END

The White House

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release
December 03, 2013

Remarks to the Press by Vice President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan

The Kantei
Tokyo, Japan

PRIME MINISTER ABE:  (As interpreted.)  I am very much delighted to welcome Vice President Biden here in Japan after meeting in Singapore in July.  We had discussion in a candid manner over various matters of interest between the United States and Japan an issues surrounding this region.

First and foremost, Vice President Biden and I confirmed that the United States and Japan alliance will continue to play a pivotal role for peace and stability of this region.

Then we discussed announcement of establishing East China Sea air defense identification zone, or ADIZ, by China and confirmed that we should not tolerate the attempt by China to change status quo unilaterally by force, and we will continue to work closely in dealing with the situation based on strong U.S.-Japan alliance.

Above all, we reaffirmed that policies and measures, including those on operation of the self-defense forces and U.S. forces will not change, and that we will meet in close cooperation.  We further agreed that we will not condone any action that could threaten safety of civilian aircraft.

Then I explained that the government of Japan will work on construction over time of a replacement facility in a resolute manner, given its extreme importance in advancing cooperation based on alliance.

On TPP, I stated that at the final phase of negotiation, political solution has to be sought on difficult issues for participating countries.  I explained farther that Japan and the United States need to solve major pending issues through cooperation, and then should show a path toward conclusion of negotiation within this year.

We also affirmed that U.S.-Japan cooperation is not confined to this region, but rather is expanding in diversified sectors throughout the world, such as cooperation in Southeast Asia, support to Middle East, support for women, health care among others.  And we will continue to work together in those areas.

I look to continue our discussion over dinner reception after this on various topics as a testament of Japan-U.S. cooperation relationship.

VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for your hospitality and for the great discussion.  We had good meetings in Singapore, and you had a great meeting with President Obama.  And I was present, and it’s good to see you again.

We meet at a moment, Mr. Prime Minister, when a new Asia Pacific is emerging with limitless potential, but also new dynamics, rising tensions and the risk of miscalculation.

And just as we have for more than six decades, the United States looks to our alliance with Japan as the cornerstone of stability and security in East Asia, and we are fully committed to our announced strategy of rebalancing as well in the Pacific.

The Prime Minister and I also discussed how to make an already very strong alliance even stronger, how to modernize it to meet the challenges and opportunities of this new century. 

The President and I are determined, the United States is determined to implement our roadmap to relocate the base for Futenma as quickly as possible.  As we discussed in some length the strengthening of the U.S.-Japanese alliance, it’s also important to see closer cooperation and better relations between our allies -- Japan and South Korea -- and as was discussed briefly between our allies and China.

I told the Prime Minister in the larger bilateral meeting, as well as of our private meeting that I witnessed firsthand, and we appreciate greatly the outreach he has made to Japan’s neighbors.  It’s in not only Japan’s interest, but it’s in our interest as well.

Of course, as the Prime Minister mentioned our alliance extends far beyond Northeast Asia.  It’s a global platform to act on values and interests that we share.  And today we talked about new global commitments.  The new initiative to support disaster relief and recovery, training in Southeast Asia, building on the work that we’ve done together in the Philippines to respond to the deadly typhoon, stronger cooperation on maritime security throughout the Asia Pacific; and new U.S.-Japanese development dialogue to help communities from the Lower Mekong to Sub Saharan Africa.

And lastly and consequentially, an $800 million contribution from Japan, unlocking an additional $400 million from the United States to combat the worldwide spread of infectious diseases such as AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. 

We have no ally in closer collaboration with us on the many challenges facing us in the Middle East, whether it’s the issue of preventing a nuclear-armed Iran, supporting the Palestinian economy, which Japan is doing and has done, or responding to the humanitarian crisis in Syria.  In each of these matters and many more, Japan is making significant contributions to global security.  And we thank you, Mr. Prime Minister, for those efforts.  They benefit us all.

Today, as the Prime Minister mentioned, we discussed China’s sudden announcement of a new air defense identification zone.  We, the United States, are deeply concerned by the attempt to unilaterally change the status quo in the East China Sea.  This action has raised regional tensions and increased the risk of accidents and miscalculation.  We are closely consulting with our allies on this matter, here in Japan and in Korea, and I will -- which I will soon visit later this week.

The world should not forget that our alliances have been critical for the stability that has made this region’s remarkable progress possible.  And I told the Prime Minister that we will remain steadfast in our alliance commitments.

The United States has an interest in the lowering of tensions in this vital region, as I believe all the countries of Northeast Asia share that same interest with us.

This underscores the need for crisis management mechanisms and effective channels of communication between China and Japan to reduce the risk of escalation.

I’ll be raising these concerns with great specificity directly when I meet with Chinese leadership the day after tomorrow.

Mr. Prime Minister, if you’ll forgive a personal reference, my father had an expression.  He said, the only conflict that is worse than one that is intended is one that is unintended.  The prospect for miscalculation mistake is too high.

We also spoke at length about our economic relationships. We’re in the final stages of negotiating a Trans-Pacific Partnership that would link together a dozen economies from Singapore to Peru, 40 percent of the world’s GDP.

To state the obvious, for the countries involved, the decisions and the compromises that need to be made are very sensitive and very difficult.  The upsides of getting such an agreement done are almost beyond comprehension.  They're incredibly positive for all countries involved.

But the reward does not diminish the realization of how difficult the compromises needed are -- needed to be made are.  We need a comprehensive agreement that involves longstanding differences between the United States and Japan, including issues like agriculture and automobiles.  And it’s difficult.

The TTP will increase trade and investment, help our businesses create jobs and put in place a powerful constituency for open markets, for a rules-based competition and for higher standards for labor, the environment, and intellectual property protection.

Unlike the bulk of the 20th century, the 21st century is a global economy.  And we need to establish new economic rules of the road that allow our countries to prosper together.

And finally, as we discussed, beyond our alliance, our military alliance, our economic cooperation, our global cooperation, it is ultimately based on the people-to-people ties that are the lifeblood of this alliance.  It rests on commitment to democracy, shared values and a genuine respect for one another. 

I visited Japan not long after the 3/11 earthquake and tsunami.  I witnessed firsthand the devastation, the neighborhoods that have been destroyed.  But I also witnessed something else -- the rebuilding and the indomitable spirit of the Japanese people.  It was truly impressive.

In my capacity as United States senator and Vice President, I visited many disaster areas around the world over the past three decades.  But I’ve never seen the kind of response that I saw here.  It was an absolute worldwide advertisement of the character and the spirit and the culture of the Japanese people.  No one complained.  Everyone got back up.  They all continued to move forward, it was remarkable.  And it is remarkable.

Mr. Prime Minister, I’m not sure there is a more resilient nation on Earth than yours.  I was proud that we were able to play a small part to help save lives -- not only with U.S. troops, but with American volunteers who know and love Japan; many of whom are still here rebuilding.

As a consequence, Mr. Prime Minister, we’ve created an initiative named after the Japanese word for friendship that is going to bring together young Japanese and young American leaders.

Mr. President [sic], it’s not only our alliance, it’s the friendship between our countries and our people.  It’s tried and it’s true.  It’s been tested by time and tragedy, and it still grows stronger to the benefit of both our countries, the region and I would suggest to the world.

Thank you, Mr. President.  I’m looking forward to dinner.  (Laughter.) 

END

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 03, 2013

Remarks by National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice at the Global Fund Congressional Breakfast

Washington, DC
December 3, 2013

Good morning everyone.  Thank you very much Michael for your introduction.  Thank you Mark for your extraordinary leadership.  Distinguished members of Congress, thank you for all you have done to make this possible.  On behalf of President Obama and everyone in the Administration, I’m here this morning on a very simple mission.  And that is to thank the Global Fund for its unstinting commitment to fighting AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria around the world and to reaffirm America’s unwavering support for your tremendous work. 

The Global Fund brings many partners together in common cause, and I’d like to thank, especially, two of the partners we’ve worked so closely with from the very beginning, the Government of the United Kingdom and the Gates Foundation.  I’d also like to salute the leadership of current and former Members of Congress, on both sides of the aisle.  Congress has consistently provided broad bipartisan support for PEPFAR and the Global Fund over so many years. 

And as Michael said it is a tribute to what we can do when we come together in common cause.  Michael you and Mark were both present at the creation of President Bush’s revolutionary health initiative, which Congress just authorized for the third time this month, and which President Obama proudly signed into law yesterday.  Across two administrations, Washington has consistently come together to sustain the fight to end the global AIDS epidemic.        

Once again this year, we raised a two-story tall red ribbon from the North Portico of the White House in honor of World AIDS Day.  That public recognition and commitment to continuing the struggle stands in stark contrast to those early years of stigma and shame, when an AIDS diagnosis was tantamount to a death sentence. 

I remember how different it was just twenty years ago.  Back in the 1990s, I visited more than my share of health clinics in Africa and saw how often AIDS ravaged people had no hope of receiving treatment.  But two years ago, when I last traveled to Rwanda as UN Ambassador, so much had changed.  I visited a remarkably effective community health clinic offering prevention services and care to mothers and infants exposed to HIV.  I also visited a first rate rural hospital treating HIV and other complex diseases with great skill.  In the past 25 years, the story of people living with the HIV/AIDS has been transformed from one of tragedy into one of hope. 

That’s especially true in sub-Saharan Africa, where the Global Fund and PEPFAR are providing treatment for millions of infected people, and where AIDS-related deaths are down by one third, and new HIV-infections have declined by 40 percent.  This June, we reached a milestone in our shared work to prevent mother-to-child transmission: the one-millionth baby born HIV-free.   In 2008, PEPFAR reached 1.7 million with life-saving treatment.  Yesterday, President Obama announced that we exceeded the ambitious HIV treatment targets he set two years ago, in 2011, by almost a million people—today, we are reaching 6.7 million people with life-saving treatment. 

These are numbers worth celebrating.  But, we’re here today because there is still so much more to do.  I’d like to thank Dr. Kamwi for his message that the fight is a priority in nations around the world, and something that you and your government remain committed to investing in.  Globally, 35 million people are living with HIV/AIDS.  More than one million are here in the United States.  Around the world, 700 children are infected with HIV every single day.  So, our mission is clear.  We cannot stop until we have seen the last AIDS-related death, and no child is again born infected with HIV.  

President Obama has scaled up PEPFAR’s impact massively, and increased our commitment to the Global Fund, including a matching challenge to other donors.   The United States will contribute $1 for every $2 invested in the Global Fund.  If the international community meets the full potential of our challenge, it could increase our current contribution by as much as $1 billion over the next three years.  So as President Obama said yesterday, don’t leave our money on the table.  Help us to make best use of it. 

Ours is a 360-degree approach—from prevention to treatment to support for people living with HIV and their families.  By working closely with our partners, we are on our way to achieving the dream we know is possible: the first AIDS-free generation.  Not the end of HIV, but a day when the despair and suffering of AIDS is permanently consigned to history. 

Yesterday, the President announced that the United States will host a meeting with our international partners next year to set new joint HIV prevention and  treatment targets and outline a clear path of action.  And, here at home, we are continuing to implement the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, especially in communities where infection rates remain high, particularly among gay men, African-Americans and Latinos.

I want to assure you that the United States will continue to provide strong leadership -- in partnership with our friends in Congress.  We need other countries to continue stepping up their response.  We need NGOs, civil society and the private sector to sustain their contributions.  And, we need the international community to track our commitments and help us meet the demands of this grave and urgent challenge. 

We’ve seen how effective we can be when we stand together—the hope we can offer to a father who fears he will not be healthy enough to provide for his family; the reassurance we can give a mother who wonders if she will live to raise her children; and the future we can offer a child born today, HIV-free, who need never know the pain of this disease.  That’s why we are here today, and that’s the reason we can’t stop working until we achieve our goals. 

Thank you, for all that you have done and all that you will continue to do.  

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 02, 2013

Remarks by the President on World AIDS Day

South Court Auditorium
Eisenhower Executive Office Building

1:20 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, everybody.  (Applause.)  Everybody, please have a seat.  Well, thank you, Grant, for your outstanding leadership of the Office of National AIDS Policy.  And thanks to all of you for being here.  This is a pretty distinguished crowd, I have to say, and it is wonderful to be here.

I should say, actually, welcome back, because many of you have joined us before as we’ve marked new milestones in our fight against HIV and AIDS.  And I’m honored that you could join us in commemorating World AIDS Day, which was yesterday.  And this is a time for remembering the friends and loved ones that we’ve lost, celebrating the extraordinary progress -- thanks to some people in this room -- that we’ve been able to make, and most importantly, recommitting ourselves to the mission that we share, which is achieving an AIDS-free generation. 

I especially want to welcome ministers from our partner countries; members of my administration, including Secretary Sebelius, Secretary John Kerry; Congresswoman Barbara Lee; Mark Dybul from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.  And we’ve also got here Francis Collins from the National Institutes of Health; Michel Sidibe from UN-AIDS; Deborah von Zinkernagel, who’s carrying on the great work of Eric Goosby as our Acting Global AIDS Coordinator; and our many friends from the philanthropic world, including Bill Gates.  So thank you all for joining us here today.

Every year, this is a moment to reflect on how far we’ve come since the early days of the AIDS epidemic.  And those of you who lived through it remember all too well the fear and the  stigma, and how hard people with HIV had to fight to be seen, or heard, or to be treated with basic compassion.  And you remember how little we knew about how to prevent AIDS, or how to treat it.  What we did know was the devastation that it inflicted -- striking down vibrant men and women in the prime of their lives and spreading from city to city and country to country seemingly overnight.

Today, that picture is transformed.  Thanks to the courage and love of so many of you in this room and around the world, awareness has soared; research has surged.  Prevention, treatment and care are now saving millions of lives not only in the world’s richest countries but in some of the world‘s poorest countries as well.  And for many, with testing and access to the right treatment, the disease that was once a death sentence now comes with a good chance at a healthy and productive life.  And that's an extraordinary achievement.  

As President, I’ve told you that in this fight, you’ll have a partner in me.  And I said that if the United States wanted to be the global leader in combating this disease, then we needed to act like it -- by doing our part and by leading the world to do more together.  And that’s what we’ve done, in partnership with so many of you.  We created the first comprehensive National HIV/AIDS Strategy, rooted in a simple vision that every person should get access to life-extending care, regardless of age or gender, race or ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or socio-economic status. 

We’ve continued to support the Ryan White CARE Act to help underserved communities, and we lifted the entry ban so that people with HIV are no longer barred from the United States -- which led to the International AIDS Conference being held here last year for the very first time in over 20 years. 

This summer, I issued an executive order creating the HIV Care Continuum Initiative to boost our federal efforts to prevent and treat HIV.  Last month, I signed the HIV Organ Policy Equity Act, to finally allow research into organ donations between people with HIV -- a step achieved with bipartisan support. 

And thanks to the Affordable Care Act, millions of insured Americans will be able to get tested free of charge.  Americans who were uninsured will now be able to have access to affordable health care coverage, and beginning in January, no American will be again denied health insurance because of their HIV status.

On World AIDS Day two years ago, I announced an additional $35 million for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, which helps people pay for lifesaving medications.  At one time, the need was so great that over 9,000 people were on the waitlist.  We vowed to get those numbers down.  And I’m proud to announce that, as of last week, we have cleared that waitlist.  We are down to zero.  (Applause.)  And we’re going to keep working to keep it down.

So we’re making progress.  But we’re all here today because we know how much work remains to be done.  Here in the United States, we need to keep focusing on investments to communities that are still being hit hardest, including gay and bisexual men, African Americans and Latinos.  We need to keep up the fight in our cities -- including Washington, D.C., which in recent years has reduced diagnosed infections by nearly half. 

And we’re going to keep pursuing scientific breakthroughs.  Today I’m pleased to announce a new initiative at the National Institutes of Health to advance research into an HIV cure.  We’re going to redirect $100 million into this project to develop a new generation of therapies.  Because the United States should be at the forefront of new discoveries into how to put HIV into long-term remission without requiring lifelong therapies -- or, better yet, eliminate it completely. 

And of course, this fight extends far beyond our borders.  When I became President, I inherited President Bush’s phenomenal program, PEPFAR, which has helped millions around the world receive lifesaving treatment.  And we haven’t just sustained those efforts, we’ve expanded them -- reaching and serving even more people, especially mothers and children.  Earlier this year, PEPFAR reached a wonderful milestone -- the one millionth baby born without HIV.  (Applause.)   And that alongside the rapid decline in new HIV infections and deaths from AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. 

On my visit to South Africa this year, I visited a clinic run by Bishop Desmond Tutu and had the honor of spending time with some of their extraordinary young patients and counselors and outreach workers and doctors.  Every day, they are doing extraordinary work.  And when you visit this facility, you cannot help but be inspired by what they do each and every day, in part thanks to the support of the United States of America.  They’re saving lives and they’re changing the way their country, and the world, approaches this disease.  And that’s work that we have to continue to advance.  

On World AIDS Day two years ago, I set new prevention and treatment targets for PEPFAR, like increasing the number of mothers we reach so that we prevent their children from becoming infected, and helping 6 million people get treatment by the end of 2013.  Today, I’m proud to announce that we’ve not only reached our goal, we’ve exceeded our treatment target.  So we’ve helped 6.7 million people receive lifesaving treatment.  And we’re going to keep at it.  (Applause.)  Which is why, after I leave here today, I’ll be proud to sign the PEPFAR Stewardship and Oversight Act, to keep this program going strong.  (Applause.)  Count on the legislator to applaud legislation.  (Laughter.)

Looking ahead, it’s time for the world to come together to set new goals.  Right now we’re working hard to get a permanent leader in place at PEPFAR, and once we do, one of our first items of business will be convening a meeting early next year, so the United States and our partners worldwide -- including governments, the Global Fund, U.N.-AIDS, and civil society -- can sit around one table and develop joint HIV prevention and treatment goals for the countries where we and the Global Fund do business.  We’ll hold each other accountable, and we’ll continue to work to turn the tide of this epidemic together.

And that includes keeping up our support for the Global Fund.  Its success speaks for itself.  It’s helping over 6 million people in over 140 countries receive antiretroviral therapy.  And now it’s time to replenish the Fund.  The United States will contribute $1 for every $2 pledged by other donors over the next three years, up to $5 billion total from the United States.  And the United Kingdom has made a similar promise.  (Applause.) 

So today I want to urge all those who are attending the Global Fund’s replenishment meetings both today and tomorrow to take up this commitment.  Don’t leave our money on the table.  It’s been inspiring to see the countries most affected by this disease vastly increase their own contributions to this fight -- in some cases, providing more than donor countries do.  And that ought to inspire all of us to give more, to do more, so we can save more lives.

After all, none of the progress we’ve made against AIDS could have been achieved by a single government or foundation or corporation working alone.  It’s the result of countless people -- including so many of you -- working together from countries large and small, philanthropies, universities, media, civil society, activists.  More than anything, I think it’s thanks to the courageous people living with HIV around the world who’ve shared their stories; you’ve lent your strength, demanded your dignity be recognized, and led the fight to spare others the anguish of this disease.

We can’t change the past or undo its wrenching pain.  But what we can do -- and what we have to do -- is to chart a different future, guided by our love for those we couldn’t save. That allows us to do everything we can, everything in our power to save those that we can.  And that’s my commitment to you as President.

The United States of America will remain the global leader in the fight against HIV and AIDS.  We will stand with you every step of this journey until we reach the day that we know is possible, when all men and women can protect themselves from infection; a day when all people with HIV have access to the treatments that extend their lives; the day when there are no babies being born with HIV or AIDS, and when we achieve, at long last, what was once hard to imagine -- and that’s an AIDS-free generation. 

That’s the world I want for my daughters.  That’s the world that all of us want for our families.  And if we stay focused, if we keep fighting, and if we honor the memory of those that we’ve lost, if we summon the same courage that they displayed, by insisting on whatever it takes, however long it takes, I believe we’re going to win this fight.  And I’m confident that we’ll do so together. 

So thank you very much for your extraordinary efforts.  Appreciate it.  God bless you.  Thank you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Good work.  (Applause.)

END
1:31 P.M. EST

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 27, 2013

Remarks by the President at Pardoning of the Thanksgiving Turkey

North Portico

1:30 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, everybody, and happy Thanksgiving. 

The office of the presidency -- the most powerful position in the world -- brings with it many awesome and solemn responsibilities.  This is not one of them.  (Laughter.)  But the White House Turkey Pardon is a great tradition.  And I know Malia loves it -- as does Sasha. 

Generally speaking, Thanksgiving is a bad day to be a turkey.  Especially at a house with two dogs.  So I salute our two guests of honor -- Caramel and Popcorn -- for their bravery. They came all the way from outside Badger, Minnesota to be with us.  They, like my Chief of Staff, are Vikings fans.  (Laughter.) I’m not sure that they know -- (turkeys gobble) -- uh-oh.  (Laughter.)  See.  I'm not sure they know that that my Bears are heading to Minnesota on Sunday, but in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I'm going to give them a break.  (Laughter.) 

We are also excited to have students from Badger High School here.  (Applause.)  Where are you guys?  There they are, right there.  And finally, let me say thank you to John Burkel,  chairman of the National Turkey Federation.  Give him a big round of applause.  (Applause.)  

Now, 80 turkeys on John’s farm competed for the chance to make it to the White House, and stay off the Thanksgiving table. It was, quite literally, the hunger games.  (Laughter.)  and then, after weeks of vocal practice and prepping for the cameras, the two tributes, Caramel and Popcorn went head-to-head together for America’s vote as top gobbler. 

The competition was stiff, but we can officially declare that Popcorn is the winner -- (applause) -- proving that even a turkey with a funny name can find a place in politics.  (Laughter.)   As for Caramel, he’s sticking around, and he’s already busy raising money for his next campaign.  (Laughter.)   
On a more serious note, later today, Michelle, Malia, Sasha, and I will bring a couple less fortunate turkeys to a great organization that works to help out our neighbors here in D.C. who need it most.  And I want to thank Jaindl’s Turkey Farm in Orefield, Pennsylvania, for donating those dressed birds for the fifth year in a row.  This is a reminder that this is a season to not only be thankful for the incredible blessings that we have, but also to remember the neediest and generously serve those who are not as fortunate.

This is a quintessentially American holiday, and during this time we give thanks to our friends and our family, for citizens who show compassion to those in need, and for neighbors who help strangers they’ve never met.  We give thanks for the blessings of freedom and opportunity that previous generations worked so hard to secure for.  And we give thanks for the service and sacrifice of our brave men and women in uniform who serve our nation around the world. 

For those of you who are watching, you keep us safe.  You make us proud, and you remind us of our own obligations to build on the work of our predecessors and leave something better for our own kids.

So on behalf of the Obama family, I want to wish everybody a very happy Thanksgiving.  Tomorrow, as we gather with our own friends and family, we’ll count ourselves lucky that there’s more to be thankful for than we can ever say, and more to be hopeful for than we can ever imagine.

And now, before these turkeys get away -- with the power vested in me, I want to grant Popcorn a full reprieve.  Come on. (Laughter.)  Popcorn, you have a full reprieve from cranberry sauce and stuffing.  We wish you well.  And we’re going to give Carmel a break as well.

All right?  (Laughter.)  Congratulations, everybody.  (Applause.)   Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.  See you, Popcorn. (Applause.)  Get out of the rain.  (Laughter.)

END
1:35 P.M. EST

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 26, 2013

Remarks by the President on the Economy -- DreamWorks

DreamWorks
Glendale, California

12:50 P.M. PST

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, everybody!  (Applause.)  Oh, it is good to be in L.A.!  (Applause.)  It is colder in D.C. at the moment, colder in Chicago, and 70-degree weather is something to be thankful for. 

And it is great to be at DreamWorks Animation.  I would like to work here.  (Laughter.)  I have asked Jeffrey.  The only concern I had was the lights were kind of dim in the offices and -- (laughter) -- I'm pretty sure I'd fall asleep.  But there’s a natural connection between me and DreamWorks.  I don't know if you know this, but my ears were one of the inspirations for “Shrek.”  (Laughter.)  That's true.  True story.

Mellody was being very modest when she said she had a front-row seat.  Mellody was one of my earliest supporters back when nobody could pronounce my name.  And her and John Rogers at Arial Capital helped to co-chair some of my first fundraisers. And they’d have to drag some straggly group in, kicking and screaming, and write a check and listen to this young senator who had a lot of ideas but not necessarily any realistic prospects to win.  And she went through a lot of ups and downs with me and my career and is just a great, great friend.  So I want to thank her publicly for all the support that she’s given us.  (Applause.)

We’ve got some folks here who are fighting for the people of Southern California every single day and I just want to acknowledge them.  We've got the Mayor of Glendale, Dave Weaver. (Applause.)  We've got three of your outstanding members of Congress -- Brad Sherman, Adam Schiff, Karen Bass.  They are all doing a great job.  (Applause.)  

I want to thank all of you for being here.  And I want to thank your CEO, Jeffrey Katzenberg, for inviting me.  (Applause.) Jeffrey, like Mellody, has been a friend and a supporter through thick and thin.  And I think his place in the entertainment industry is legendary -- I don't need to puff him up too much.  (Laughter.)  He has a healthy sense of self.  (Laughter.)  But he is a great friend and somebody whose counsel and advice I value. And I'm incredibly grateful to be here at this wonderful institution that he helped to build. 

And I’ve come here today because this is one of America’s economic engines.  Not just DreamWorks, but this whole cluster of companies that generations have grown up knowing -- Disney and Warner and Universal and others.  When you think about it, what finance is to New York, what the auto industry is to the Midwest, what technology is to Northern California, entertainment is to this part of the country. 

And most of us have spent a lot of time thinking about our favorite movies or TV shows, but we don’t often think about the entire infrastructure and industry behind the scenes.  Hundreds of thousands of middle-class jobs -- they’re not always on the marquee -- jobs for electricians, and carpenters, and sound mixers, and makeup artists, and designers, and animators depend on this incredible industry here in southern California. 

Entertainment is one of America’s biggest exports.  And every day, you sell a product that’s made in America to the rest of the world.  Every time somebody buys movie tickets, or DVDs, or distribution rights to a film, some of that money goes back to the local economy right here.

And believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy.  It’s part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us such a world power.  You can go anywhere on the planet and you’ll see a kid wearing a “Madagascar” T-shirt.  (Laughter.) You can say, “May the Force be with you” -- they know what you’re talking about.  (Laughter.)

Hundreds of millions of people may never set foot in the United States, but thanks to you, they’ve experienced a small part of what makes our country special.  They’ve learned something about our values.  We have shaped a world culture through you. 

And the stories that we tell transmit values and ideals about tolerance and diversity and overcoming adversity, and creativity that are part of our DNA.  And as a consequence of what you’ve done, you helped shape the world’s culture in a way that has made the world better. 

They might not know the Gettysburg Address, but if they’re watching some old movie, maybe “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” or “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” or “Will and Grace” and “Modern Family,” they’ve had a front-row seat to our march towards progress, even if their own nations haven’t made that progress yet.  And young people in countries all around the world suddenly make a connection and have an affinity to people who don’t look like them and maybe originally they might have been fearful of, and now suddenly they say, oh, this person is like me -- which is one of the powers of art, but that’s what you transmit. 

And that is a remarkable legacy.  Now, it’s also a big responsibility.  When it comes to issues like gun violence, we’ve got to make sure that we’re not glorifying it, because the stories you tell shape our children’s outlook and their lives.  Earlier this year, leaders from this town sat down with Vice President Biden to talk about what Hollywood could do to help keep our kids safe.  This was in the wake of Sandy Hook.  And those conversations need to continue.  The stories we tell matter.  And you tell stories more powerfully than anybody else on the Earth.

But I want to make clear, even as we think long and hard about the messages we send, we should never waver from our commitment to the freedom that allows us to tell those stories so well.  Protecting our First Amendment rights are vital to who we are.  And it’s also good business, because in the global race for jobs and industries, the thing we do better than anybody else is creativity.  That’s something that can’t be copied.  It’s one of the reasons why even with new markets and new technologies, there’s still no better place to make movies and television and music than right here in the United States.

Entertainment is one of the bright spots of our economy.  The gap between what we can do and what other countries can do is enormous. 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Woo!

THE PRESIDENT:  Yes, that’s worth cheering for.  (Applause.) And that means that we’ve got to do what it takes to make sure that this industry, and every great American industry, keeps that competitive edge so that more folks can find career paths like many of you have, and get good middle-class jobs that allow you to support a family and get ahead. 

Nothing is more important than that right now.  And as Mellody mentioned, when I came into office, we were going through a severe crisis.  Five years later, America has largely fought our way back.  We’ve made the tough choices required not just to help the economy recover, but to rebuild it on a new foundation for stronger, more durable economic growth.

We refocused on manufacturing and exports, and today, our businesses sell more goods and services made in this country to the rest of the world than ever before.  Our manufacturers are adding jobs for the first time since the 1990s, led by an American auto industry that’s come roaring back.  American cars are really good now.  (Laughter.) 

We decided to reverse our dependence on foreign oil.  So today, we generate more renewable energy than ever -- doubled our renewable energy -- more natural gas than anybody.  For the first time in nearly 20 years, America now produces more of our own oil than we buy from other countries.  It’s good news.  (Applause.)

When I took office, America invested far less than countries like China did in wireless infrastructure and we’ve now narrowed that gap, and we have helped companies unleash jobs and innovation and become a booming app economy that’s created hundreds of thousands of jobs.  Six years ago, only 5 percent of the world’s smartphones ran on American operating systems.  Today, more than 80 percent do.  (Applause.) 

And, yes, we decided to fix a broken health care system.  (Applause.)  And it’s interesting -- I was talking to some of the studio execs here, and I said, look, the rollout of the new health care marketplace was rough and nobody was more frustrated about the problems with our website than I am.  And yet, here in Southern California and here across this state, there are thousands of people every single day who are getting health care for the first time -- for the first time -- because of this.  (Applause.)  And, by the way, the website is continually working better, so check it out.  (Laughter.) 

But as a country, we're now poised to gain health coverage for millions of Americans, starting on January 1st, and that includes more than 350,000 here in California who have already signed up.  And thanks in part to the Affordable Care Act, health care costs are growing at the slowest rate in 50 years.  Employer-based health care costs are growing at about one-third the rate of a decade ago.  And that means that if the studios here or your employers aren't having to spend as much on health care, they can hire more folks and reinvest more in the business, and come up with those cool technologies that -- I don’t exactly understand how they work, but -- (laughter) -- were really neat to look at.  (Laughter.) 

And, by the way, we've done all this while bringing down our deficits.  (Applause.)  After years of trillion-dollar deficits, we reined in spending.  You would think sometimes listening to folks in Washington that we haven't made any progress on that front.  We wound down two wars.  We changed a tax code that was too skewed towards the wealthiest Americans at the expense of the middle class.  You add it all up, we’ve cut our deficits by more than half, and they continue to go down faster than any time since World War II.  (Applause.) 

So all told, our businesses created 7.8 million new jobs over the past 44 months.  America has gone farther, recovered faster than most other industrialized nations.  But, as Mellody said, we've got more work to do.  The stock market is doing great, corporate profits soaring, but too many Americans aren’t sharing in that success.  And everybody here who works at DreamWorks -- a really good place to work.  I'm going to ask Jeff if maybe I can work here.  (Applause.)  But all of you have friends and family and neighbors who aren't as lucky.  And you know there are still a lot of folks who are struggling out there. And my top priority is making sure that this country remains a country where everybody who is willing to work hard can get ahead.

And we'd be a lot further along without some of the dysfunction and obstruction we've seen in Washington.  (Applause.)  We would be a lot further along if we could just get folks to act with some sense -- (laughter) -- if we didn’t have one wing of one party that was a little less obsessed with repealing health care for 40 million people, more concerned with making sure the law works.  If they hadn't spent 40 votes trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act, they might have actually taken some votes on rebuilding our infrastructure, or instituting early childhood education for young people across this country, or investing more money in basic research that helps to create the amazing technologies that many of you utilize.  Any of the serious proposals I've put forward that would be creating jobs right now, they could have been taking votes on that. 

Instead of rooting for failure, or refighting old battles, Republicans in Congress need to work with us to improve those things about the Affordable Care Act that aren't working as well as they should, and implement policies to strengthen the middle class and create jobs.  (Applause.)  

A couple of weeks ago, House Republican leaders handed out a piece of paper to their members and on the top it said, “Agenda 2014.”  I'm not making this up.  Below that, it was blank.  (Laughter.)  It was a blank sheet of paper -- nothing to create jobs or grow the economy or strengthen the middle class. 

And I’ve put forward my plans to create new jobs and even the odds for the middle class.  And I’ve put forward plans that gives some Republicans some of the things that they want in exchange for ideas that will create good jobs right now.  And so far, they won’t consider them. 

Some people have heard me say my list of top five movies -- “The Godfather,” one and two, have to be on it.  But it turns out Marlon Brando had it easy, because when it comes to Congress, there’s no such thing as an “offer they can’t refuse.”  (Laughter.)  I mean, I just keep on coming back.  (Laughter.)  I'm going to keep on trying, though.  (Laughter.)  I am, because we've got no choice.  (Applause.) 

The American people agree with us that jobs, growing the economy should be our number-one priority.  And we've got to make some investments to make that happen.  And we've got to give a better bargain to the middle class and everybody who is working to join the middle class.  And that means building on those cornerstones of what makes for a strong middle class -- good jobs, a good education, a home of your own, health care when you get sick, a secure retirement even if you're not rich.  So we can help manufacturers bring more jobs back to America by investing in American clean-energy technology, and putting people to work building roads and bridges and schools and high-speed broadband networks that attract businesses from around the world.

We can prepare our children and our workers for the global competition that they’ll face -- expanding high-quality preschool education, redesigning our high schools, investing in community colleges and job training, and tackling rising college costs, so that young people can afford it.  We can help responsible homeowners afford a mortgage or refinancing at today’s low rates, help build a rock-solid housing system for decades to come, instead of boom and bust. 

We can bring the promise of a secure retirement back to reach for middle-class families, finding new ways to make it easier for workers to save, and strengthening Social Security, and getting immigration reform done so that undocumented workers are paying their fair share of taxes, but they're not living in the shadows -- (applause) -- and we're attracting the best and the brightest from all around the world. 

As I was getting a tour of DreamWorks, I didn't ask, but just looking at faces, I could tell there were some folks who are here not because they were born here, but because they want to be here and they bring extraordinary talents to the United States.  And that's part of what makes America special.  And that's part of what, by the way, makes California special, because it's always been this magnet of dreamers and strivers.  And people coming from every direction saying to themselves, you know, if I work hard there I can have my piece of the American Dream.

We're going to continue to make progress on all those fronts.  And, yes, we are going to continue to implement the health care law.  The product is good.  People want it.  And we should not live in a country where people are going bankrupt just because they get sick.  And anybody who is going to keep on pushing against that, they will meet my resistance, because I am willing to fix any problems that there are, but I'm not going to abandon people to make sure that they've got health insurance in this country.  That is not something we're going to do.  (Applause.)  And the good news is, as I said, thousands of Californians are already signing up. 

I read a really powerful story over the weekend I just want to mention about uninsured folks in Kentucky who are signing up in droves in one of the poorest counties in the country.  Some of them can't imagine what having health insurance would be like.  And you read these stories and you realize how important it is for folks in Kentucky -- a state, by the way, that did not vote for me -- (laughter) -- and if Kentucky can do it, than every state should be able to do it. 

We should be able to expand Medicaid all across the country. There are millions of people who, right now, even under the law, may not get health care that they deserve because their governors have refused to do it just for political reasons -- expanding Medicaid.  Fortunately, California, obviously, is not one of them.  But this is a fight that we're going to keep fighting, because it's worth fighting.  And that's what Mellody referred to. 

It's true.  I'm not an ideological guy, but there are some things I really believe in.  And part of what I believe in is that the essence of this country, what makes this place special, is this idea that Hollywood is glorified and held up, but I actually think it’s true that here, more than anyplace else, no matter what you look like, where you come from, what your last name is, who you love, you should be able to make it if you're willing to work hard.  That's what I believe.  (Applause.)

And there’s certain values that make that a reality.  I have my critics, obviously, but since were here in Hollywood, I want to think about something that the late, great Chicago film critic, Robert [Roger] Ebert said -- and I was fortunate to get to know Roger Ebert and was always inspired by how he handled some really tough stuff.  “Kindness,” he wrote, “covers all of my political beliefs.”  Kindness covers all of my political beliefs.

And when I think about what I'm fighting for, what gets me up every single day, that captures it just about as much as anything.  Kindness; empathy -- that sense that I have a stake in your success; that I'm going to make sure, just because Malia and Sasha are doing well, that's not enough -- I want your kids to do well also.  And I'm willing to help to build good schools so that they get a great education, even if mine are already getting a great education. 

And I'm going to invest in infrastructure and building things like the Golden Gate Bridge and the Hoover Dam and the Internet -- (laughter) -- because I'm investing for the next generation, not just this one.  And that's what binds us together, and that's how we've always moved forward, based on the idea that we have a stake in each other’s success.  And that's what drives me.  And that's what will continue to drive me.

I believe that every kid should have opportunity.  I believe our daughters should have the same opportunities as our sons.  I believe that Jeffrey’s kids should be able to aspire to whatever they can dream of, but I also want to make sure that the person who’s cleaning up Jeffrey’s office, that their kid has that same possibility. 

And we may have different ideas and different policies on how to do things, but that shouldn’t negate that that core vision is what we're fighting for, and we should be able to sit down together and to keep dreaming and keep working, and to make sure that the American Dream that's been described here in Southern California is sustained for generations to come.

And what’s stopping us is not policy details; it’s not technical issues.  It’s to summon the courage to put politics aside once in a while and remember that we've got more in common than our politics would suggest.  And as long as I've got the privilege of serving as your President, that's what I'm going to keep on making sure that I do -- to put politics aside once in a while and work on your behalf.  (Applause.)

So, thank you, DreamWorks, for what you do.  (Applause.)  Thank you, Jeffrey, for your hospitality.  God bless you.  God bless America.  (Applause.)  Can't wait to see your next movie.  (Applause.)

END  
1:16 P.M. PST

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 26, 2013

Remarks by the President at First Joint DCCC/DSCC Event -- Beverly Hills, CA

Private Residence
Beverly Hills, California 

7:47 P.M. PST

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, everybody.  (Applause.)  Well, I am just thrilled to be back in California, thrilled to be back in LA, and thrilled to be with my great friend, Magic Johnson -- (applause) -- and Cookie.  We thank them so much for their hospitality.  This is just an extraordinary place.  But more importantly, they've just got an extraordinary spirit, and to accommodate us for this cause means a lot to us.

There are a couple other people I want to acknowledge.  First of all, Andre and Lisa and Elisa, thank you so much for letting us crash here also.  (Laughter.) 

We've got some wonderful members of Congress who are here today, and I just want you all to give them a big round of applause -- Janice Hahn is here.  Mark Takano is here.  Scott Peters is here.  Linda Sanchez is here and Alan Lowenthal is here.  And they all do a great job on behalf of the people of California.  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  I love you.

THE PRESIDENT:  I love you back.  (Laughter.) 

Now, a couple of things I just want to say before I start talking issues and politics.  On the ride over, I've got a wonderful writer, David Remnick, who's following me around right now, and he actually started as a sports reporter before he became the editor of the New Yorker, so not surprisingly, even though he was supposed to be asking me about Iran, as we were driving over here he starts saying, "So what about Magic?"  (Laughter.)  And "What does this mean to you?" 

And I said, first of all, understand I was a 76ers fan.  (Laughter.) 

AUDIENCE:  Nooo --

THE PRESIDENT:  No, look, I'm not one of these people -- hold on -- I do not go to different cities and tell them, man, I love the Lakers, I love the Celtics.  (Laughter.)  I'm not one of those people who just says what you want to hear.  I was a 76ers fan because Dr. J, when I was 12, 13, 14 years old, that was my guy.  And so when he went to the 76ers, I became a fan of his.  Now, I became a fan of Magic's when he was in college at Michigan State, but I couldn't just suddenly shift and be a fair-weather friend to the Dr.  (Laughter.) 

So when Magic, in game 6, scores 42, playing center because Kareem was hurt -- (applause) --

MAGIC JOHNSON:  -- rebounds.

THE PRESIDENT:  I remember the stats.  You don't need to remind me of that.  (Laughter.)  And if I didn’t, then down in Magic's trophy room, I promise, it's all printed out.  (Laughter.) 

So you watch this career unfold and it's a magical career.  And the championships and Showtime and for anybody who loves basketball as much as me, there's nobody who is a bigger icon than Magic Johnson.  But this is all by way of saying when David asked me, what does this mean being with Magic, what I said is as much as I admired his basketball career, what I think about Magic, what I actually think about are two things.  One is when the incredibly difficult circumstances of his HIV diagnosis comes up, the way he handles that doesn’t just empower folks who are dealing with that illness, doesn’t just help put research dollars in there, doesn’t just educate the public, it moves the country and the world to think in an entirely new way that ends up changing the face of this country and our attitudes with the kind of grace and courage that only true leaders can display.

That's number one.  And number two, Magic has become our prime example of somebody who was blessed with incredible fame and fortune from a sports career and understood his next step is to build institutions and businesses, and employ people, and go into communities that folks said weren’t worth anything and suddenly find that they're worth a whole lot if somebody is willing to invest in them.  (Applause.)

And so it's for those two reasons that I'm proud to call Magic Johnson a friend.  (Applause.)  Also keep in mind, the last time Magic played basketball was with me at my 49th birthday party -- (laughter) -- and I just want to tell you it wasn’t pretty.  (Laughter.)  But we all love him, and obviously this city loves him.  And now the Dodgers love him.  (Laughter.)  And he just continues to be the Prince of the City.

Now, the reason we're here tonight, though, is because this country has gone through some very difficult times over the last five years, as tough a stretch as we've seen in my lifetime -- a Great Recession that almost tipped into depression; a financial crisis that led to people losing homes and jobs, and made them less certain about the future.  We've gone through two wars; terrorist attacks.  We've got concerns about climate change.  We have worries about whether or not our politics and our country can work in a way that is up to all these challenges.

But I'm here to tell you I'm optimistic about the future.  And the reason I'm optimistic is, when you look at American history, some way, somehow, we always are able to confront our challenges -- sometimes not right away, sometimes we take a couple steps back before we move forward, but eventually we come together to reaffirm the ideals that helped build this country in the first place.  The idea that in this country, it doesn’t matter what you look like, where you come from, what your last name is, who you love, if you're willing to work hard, if you embrace the values that are at the heart of the American experience, then you can succeed.  You can make it if you try in this country.

And all of us are invested in making sure that everybody gets a fair shot.  And whether it's been the struggle for civil rights or women's rights or workers' rights, whether it's been us moving West and moving from an agricultural society to an industrial society, now an information society, we embrace change and we don't shy away from it, and we just keep on going until eventually we find ourselves on the other side more prosperous, more peaceful, more diverse, more fair, more just than we were before.

And I have no doubt that that's going to be true for this generation and for the next generation, because that's in our DNA.  That's who we are.  But that success, that achievement, what makes us exceptional doesn’t happen on its own.  It happens because, collectively, we come together and we're willing to work for it. 

And more than anything, that's what's needed right now -- that sense that we're in this together, and that each of us can achieve incredible individual success, but we have some obligations to each other.  And most of the arguments that are taking place in Washington right now have to do with whether or not we are going to continue to vindicate those values and those ideals that built this country.

When I talk about providing early childhood education to every child in America, that's not just an education issue; that is an economic issue and it is a moral issue.  Are we willing to invest to make sure every child, whether that kid's name is Earvin, or that kid’s name is Barack, or Jose -- it doesn’t matter -- will that child, if they’re willing to work hard, be able to succeed? 

When I talk about rebuilding our infrastructure in this country -- our roads, our bridges, our ports, our broadband lines, our smart grid -- it’s not just a issue of what’s good for our economy and the fact that it would put people back to work right now and lay the foundation for future economic growth.  It’s also a recognition that this generation has to invest so that future generations can succeed.
 
I just came from San Francisco, and you fly over the Golden Gate Bridge.  That didn’t just happen.  There was a generation that said we can imagine doing great things together not just for ourselves but for future generations.  When I talk about the Affordable Care Act, all the fighting that we’ve been having to do, it’s not just a matter of dollars and cents and why it’s good for the economy to make sure that people aren’t going to emergency rooms, because that’s the most expensive care, and why the only way we’re going to lower health care costs over the long term is if we start delivering health care smarter.  It’s also a values question.  Do we want to live in a country as wealthy as we are where if somebody gets sick, they lose their home, they go bankrupt?  They have to weigh, can I go right now to the emergency room, knowing that that may mean I can’t pay for my child’s school tuition? 

That’s not the country I want to live in.  And that’s not the country that you want to live in, which means that we’ve got to fight for it.  And when we end “don’t ask, don’t tell” it’s not just because we won’t have an effective military unless we field the very best people regardless of sexual orientation.  It’s also a larger question of whether or not in this country you can serve the country you love regardless of who you love.  It’s a values question.

So most of the debates that we’re having right now on budgets, on whether we’re investing in research and science, whether we are going to pass immigration reform so that we continue to be a land that welcomes strivers from all around the world and continually replenishing the vibrancy of this country, whether we’re talking about making sure that our civil rights laws are enforced, and making sure that we’re protecting our planet from the potential ravages of climate change -- these aren’t just technical questions.  They’re values questions.  It has to do with what do we stand for, who are we as a people, and what are we going to leave for the next generation. 

Because it turns out that, look, there are some very hard, tough policy questions, but most of the time, we’ve got good answers.  We know what works.  And what’s stopping us is a failure of our politics and a lack of ambition.  And we shy away from what might be hard.  And our politics all too often encourages people to think selfishly or short term.  And that’s what the debate in Washington is about and that’s what the debate in this country generally is about right now.

Now, what makes me optimistic is every time we come to these crossroads where we’ve got to move forward, we eventually do.  Sometimes, we try everything else until we do, but we eventually do.  And I have no doubt that we’re going to do so this time as well.  I’m confident we’re going to get immigration reform passed sooner or later, because it’s the right thing to do.  And I expect it to be soon.  (Applause.) 

I am confident that we are going to continue to improve our education system and make sure that every young person in America can succeed in this 21st century economy.  I am confident that all of us who have kids or nieces or nephews, that we’re going to say to ourselves that we don’t want a planet that is destroyed because we haven’t been willing to increase fuel efficiency standards, or double down on clean energy, or invest in the research necessary to keep carbon out of the atmosphere. 

I’m absolutely sure we’re going to make sure this country provides affordable health care for every single American.  And if I have to fight for another three years to make sure that happens, I will do so.  (Applause.)

And we’re going to make sure that we’ve got an economy that doesn’t just benefit the few at the top, but an economy that provides growth and broad-based prosperity.  Magic has become a great businessman and some of his partners are here, but one thing they all understand is that if your customers are doing well, then you’ll do well.  If workers are getting paid a decent wage with decent benefits and have some sense of security, then that money comes back to business.
 
And there are certain things we can do to promote a growth agenda generally, because it really is true that a rising tide can lift a lot of boats -- it makes it a lot easier to lift all those boats.  But it’s also true that we’ve got to make sure we’ve got an economy in which everybody from the boardroom down to the factory floor -- the folks in the corner office, but also the folks cleaning the corner office -- that they have a chance to make it. 

And that’s what we’re fighting for.  So, ultimately, the only way this happens, though, is with the support and faith and effort of all of you.  Every politician uses sports analogies, even if they didn’t play sports.  My basketball career ended in high school.  (Laughter.)  I probably could have finagled my way onto a Division III team, but that was about as far as I could have gone.  But when I watch Malia and Sasha play sports -- and I’ve encouraged them and occasionally coached them -- one of the things I tell them is even if you’re not talented like Magic Johnson, what sports will teach you is the concept of team, the idea of a group of individuals molding themselves into a unit to achieve a goal, to pursue something that is important and that individually we can’t achieve.

And part of what made Magic Johnson one of the greatest of all time -- there were folks who scored more than he did and there were folks who were faster than he was -- but nobody played a team game better than he did.  And that’s, more than anything, what we need right now in this country, is a sense that we are in this together and we are pursuing this thing, this objective -- an America that is more prosperous and more peaceful and is growing together.  That’s what we’re fighting for.  And that’s not a Democratic thing or a Republican thing.  That’s an American thing.
 
But I am very proud of the fact that those values are at the heart of the Democratic Party and all the Democrats who are here as Congress -- as members of Congress.  (Applause.)  And so, when you support them, you are part of the team. 

We’re going to need you, because this is going to be a big fight.  And it’s not one that’s going to be finished -- there’s no shot clock on this.  You’ve just got to keep on going.  (Laughter.)  And it requires endurance and it requires persistence.  But at the end of the day, I’m confident we’re going to be victorious.  And the reason I’m confident is because of all of you. 

So thank you for your support tonight.  Don’t let up.  God bless you.  (Applause.)

END  
8:07 P.M. PST

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 26, 2013

Remarks by the President at Second Joint DCCC/DSCC Event -- Beverly Hills, CA

Private Residence
Beverly Hills, California 

9:16 P.M. PST

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  (Applause.)  All right, everybody.  Have a seat.  That’s enough.  That’s enough.  (Laughter.)
 
Now, let me clarify something.  First of all, there was valet parking -- (laughter) -- for Cheryl.  We thought it was appropriate for Haim to get some exercise.  (Laughter.)  Cheryl, being the wonderful person that she is, declined the valet parking and so she might have joined him. But I would have been happy to have her drive right up into the South Lawn.  (Laughter.)

We are so grateful for Haim and Cheryl not just for this event, but for the extraordinary friendship and their persistent advocacy on behalf of so many issues that we all care about.  And not only to Cheryl and Haim, but Tiffany and Heidi and Ness and Tanya -- and Cheryl’s parents and her aunt who are here, we want to say thank you for your generosity and thank you for your friendship.  We are thankful.  (Applause.)
 
Now, I understand Harry Reid was here, but Harry left.  But I’ll tell you what, although Harry may not win sort of any contest for best sound bite on CNN -- (laughter) -- if you’re in a fight, you want Harry Reid in your corner.  And nobody has fought harder for the American people and for working families in this country than Harry -- (applause) -- with the possible exception of the person who has been one of the finest Speakers that we’ve ever had and who I intend to see Speaker once again, Nancy Pelosi.  (Applause.)
 
Harry and Nancy could not do the great work that they were doing unless they had an incredible team around them.  Two of the people who have, let’s face it, fairly thankless jobs, but also happen to be some of the finest public servants that we have in the country -- Michael Bennet, the head of the DSCC; Steve Israel leading the charge at the DCCC.  We want to thank them for the great work that they are doing.  (Applause.)

And one of my favorite people who has just been an incredible source of laughter and support for many years, including when I was in the Senate -- your own Senator Barbara Boxer is here.  (Applause.)  Three outstanding members of Congress -- four, five -- five outstanding members of Congress here.  Karen Bass is here.  Where is Karen?  Judy Chu is here.  Anna Eshoo is here.  Brad Sherman is here.  And Adam Schiff is here.  (Applause.)  And, of course, you are all here.  So I want to thank you for your support.

Now, I have been working on behalf of Steve Israel and Michael Bennet for quite some time now -- (laughter) -- including today.  So rather than give a stock speech, what I want to do is spend most of our time in a conversation.  And this is a small enough group that I’ll have a chance to answer some questions and take some comments.  But let me just say two things, one about domestic policy, one about foreign policy. 

Over the last five years, thanks to the leadership of Nancy and Harry and legislators who are here, we have accomplished as much, if not more, than any time in our history -- saving an economy from a Great Depression; revitalizing an auto industry that is producing better cars and has come roaring back like nobody believed; doubling our exports; drastically reducing our dependence on foreign oil; doubling fuel efficiency standards; doubling our production of clean energy; reducing the pace of our carbon emissions; ending the war in Iraq; about to end the war in Afghanistan -- (applause) -- re-centering our fight against terrorism in a way that respects our values and our ideals; expanding access to college for children all across this country; ending “don’t ask, don’t tell” -- (applause) -- making sure that we are vindicating the notion that everybody should have a fair shot regardless of their sexual orientation, as well as their race and their gender; pushing for equal pay for women; reinstituting research for stem cells.
 
Across the board, we’ve made changes that will be lasting, some of which aren’t noticed, don’t get a lot of headlines, but make a meaningful difference in people’s lives every single day. 
But I will tell you, of all those things, I am as proud as I’ve ever been by the work we did to make sure that in this country, if you get sick you don’t go bankrupt and that you can get the health care that you need.  (Applause.)  And I think it’s fair to say I’m not happy about the fact that we didn’t have a website that worked on the day it was supposed to work -- athough it’s actually starting to work pretty well now and it’s going to be working even better in the coming weeks.

Here in California, though, you’re seeing, despite all the glitches, thousands of people every day who are signing up, getting health care, in some cases for the very first time. 

And the difference it makes in their lives is immeasurable.  And the reason I wanted to make that point is that so much of what we do is measured through the prism of politics, and on any given day the notion is that who is up and who is down and what’s on cable television should drive and determine our sense of direction and sometimes even our sense of what’s right and what’s wrong.  But when you meet a family who tells you that their kid is alive today because they got an early diagnosis because they could finally go to a doctor where they couldn’t before -- I don't need a poll to tell me that's the right thing to do.  (Applause.)  I don't need a headline to tell me that that vindicates a core value that I believe in and that we, as Americans, should believe in.  That's a fight worth fighting.
I'm proud that we fought it.  And we're going to keep on fighting it.

And on foreign policy, obviously the headlines of late have been about Iran.  And let me say that when I came into office there was a lot of bluster about Iran, but what was needed was a plan -- because the fact of the matter is that Iran was moving rapidly in building its nuclear capacity.  And so, with the help of members of Congress, including the members who are here today, we constructed the toughest set of sanctions ever.  And we organized laboriously over the course of two years around the world cooperation not just from allies, but also in some cases from folks who were very reluctant to apply sanctions -- Russia and China.  And we mobilized international unity around saying Iran had to meet its international responsibilities.

And as a consequence of the strength of those sanctions and the painstaking diplomacy that we engaged in, Iran ultimately came to the table and said, we are prepared in a serious way to negotiate around our nuclear program -- for the first time in over a decade.

And as a consequence of the agreement that John Kerry, who is doing a great job as Secretary of State, was able to construct, we've seen the first halt in the Iranian nuclear program in a decade, the reduction to zero of the 20 percent enriched uranium that was the biggest threat to immediate breakout capacity, unprecedented inspections -- in some cases, daily inspections -- into what they're doing throughout the country with their nuclear program, and the prospect that we may be able through peaceful, diplomatic means remove this cloud that has hovered over the Middle East and had the potential and continues to have the potential of triggering a nuclear arms race in the most volatile region of the world.

Now, that's the right thing to do.  That's good for the United States.  It's good for our allies.  It's good for Israel. Because I've said, and I will repeat, that I don't take any options off the table as Commander-in-Chief when it comes to the security of the United States or our allies.  And I've also said we cannot accept Iran having a nuclear weapon.  But I spend too much time at Walter Reed, looking at kids, 22, 23, 24, 25 years old, who've paid the kind of price that very few of us in this room can imagine on behalf of our freedom not to say I'm going to do every single thing that I can to try to resolve these issues without resorting to military conflict. 

And that's what you should expect from me as President of the United States.  That's what the times demand.  This is not politics; these are not games.  And the stakes are extraordinarily high.  And we make decisions like the one we made, we don't make them based on political expedience; we don't make them on the basis of what might make a good headline today or tomorrow.  But we make them on the basis of our judgment -- my judgment -- about what we need to do to keep America safe.  It is the single, most solemn responsibility I have as President of the United States.

I make those two points simply to say this:  We are at an event here because we understand that part of our democracy, part of this amazing experiment we're engaged in is we've got to run around and we've got to raise money and we've got to make speeches and we've got to go to rallies and we've got to get folks fired up, and we've got to engage in the process.  And that's a good thing.  That's a healthy thing.  That's what our democracy is about.  But I also want everybody to remember the stakes involved in these things -- that family and that kid who's sick; the people who we need to protect; the troops and their families back home.

Ultimately, this translates into real-life consequences.  And I say that so that all of you recognize you are involved in a very important enterprise, one that is passed on from generation to generation, where we have an obligation to do the same thing that our parents and our grandparents and our great-grandparents did, which is to chip away at what sometimes seem like intractable problems, but because of that persistence and that effort and that seriousness of purpose and a willingness to stay true to our values, no matter how tough the problem is we usually come out better on the other side.  And I expect no less of this generation.

But sometimes it's bumpy and sometimes it's hard and sometimes there are setbacks.  And that's okay because it's worth it.  And I hope that's why you're here today, because I know that I can't do it without all of you.

All right.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

END
9:31 P.M. PST

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 26, 2013

Statement by the Press Secretary Regarding Robert Levinson

On March 9, 2007, American citizen and retired FBI Agent Robert Levinson went missing during a business trip to Kish Island, Iran.  Today, Mr. Levinson becomes one of the longest held Americans in history.

As we approach the upcoming holiday season, we reiterate the commitment of the United States Government to locate Mr. Levinson and bring him home safely to his family, friends, and loved ones.  We welcome the assistance of our international partners in this investigation, and we respectfully ask the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to assist us in securing Mr. Levinson’s health, welfare, and safe return.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 25, 2013

Remarks by the President at a DNC Event -- San Francisco, CA

San Francisco Jazz Center
San Francisco, California

1:35 P.M. PST

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, hello, hello!  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Everybody, have a seat.  Have a seat.  Have a seat.  It is good to be back in San Francisco.  (Applause.)  Love this place.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  I love you!

THE PRESIDENT:  I love you back.  (Applause.)  I love you back.

I always have fun in San Francisco.  (Applause.)  There’s always something going on.  Even in the ropeline -- (laughter) -- I had some folks sing to me; had a guy who took a photo with me with the shoes with the little toes in them.  (Laughter.)  I am sure that's the first time that's ever happened to a President.  (Laughter.)  And they looked very comfortable.  But that doesn’t happen in Chicago.  (Laughter.)  There have been at least five protests that I don't know what they’re protesting, but they’re yelling something.  (Laughter.)  That's sort of par for the course in San Francisco. I knew it was something. 

Part of the reason, though, that I love coming here is because I've got such great friends.  And I just want to acknowledge them -- although I'm sure they’ve already been acknowledged.  First of all, your outstanding Mayor, Ed Lee, is here.  Give Mayor Lee a big round of applause.  (Applause.)  We've got your wonderful AG, your Attorney General, Kamala Harris is here. (Applause.)  Outstanding members of Congress -- Mike Honda is here.  (Applause.)  Eric Swalwell is here.  (Applause.) Barbara Lee is here.  (Applause.)  Barbara Lee!

I want to thank our cohosts -- Nicola Milner and Robert Mailer Anderson.  Give them a big round of applause.  (Applause.) And their fabulous children who are here -- and I think didn’t go to school today.  But that's okay.  (Laughter.) 

The new person who is leading the University of California system -- and we miss her in Washington, but she’s going to do a great job here -- Janet Napolitano is here.  (Applause.)

And one thing I did not like about today is that I did not have a chance to hear some friends of mine play, who I've had them at the White House and I try never to miss a performance when I get a chance because they are just fabulous -- give it up for Herbie Hancock, Alyssa Moran, Jason Moran, Joshua Redman, Esperanza Spalding.  (Applause.)

And all of you are here, and I'm grateful for that.  I know you came basically for the music, so I'm not going to speak long. (Laughter.)  But I so appreciate you being here in support of the Democratic Party and the Democrat National Committee, because we've got a lot of work to do. 

Sometimes people ask me, how do you keep up with everything involved in this job of yours, which is kind of a crazy job?  There’s a lot of stuff.  (Laughter.)  And it’s all pretty complicated, and nobody is ever entirely happy with any decision that you make, and your hair is a lot grayer than it used to be. (Laughter.)  And what I tell them is that every morning I try to think back to how I got involved in public service in the first place, and I think back to my own family’s story.  I think about my grandparents, and my grandfather fighting in World War II in Patton’s Army, and coming back and benefiting from the G.I. Bill. 
And I think about my grandmother, who, partly because of how women were treated when she was growing up, wasn’t able to go to college herself, but worked her way up from being a secretary to being the vice president of a bank -- and then hit the glass ceiling, and probably could have gone a little further if it hadn’t been for some of the bias that existed at the time.

I think about my mom, single mom raising two kids, and the help that scholarships provided her so that she could end up getting her education, and then work around the world, helping folks in need. 

I think about Michelle and her family -- Michelle’s dad, a blue-collar worker all his life, never went to college; Michelle’s mom worked as a secretary for most of her life, when she wasn’t looking after the kids. 

And then I look at my daughters, and I think about that progression, that trajectory, and what this country has done for my family.  And then I travel around the country and I see that same story repeated over and over again -- of people who came here from different places without a lot except hopes and dreams, and this belief in an America, where if you worked hard, you could make it; that if you tried hard, regardless of what you looked like, where you came from, what your last name was, who you loved, that you had a chance to succeed -- you could pursue your own portion of the American Dream.

And why I feel so privileged in this job is because in some small measure, every single day I have an opportunity to advance that story and to make sure that it’s there for not just Malia and Sasha, but for the next generation -- for your kids, your grandkids, and the kids and grandkids of folks who can’t afford a fundraiser like this.

And we’ve made enormous progress over the last five years on a whole variety of issues, most fundamentally, making sure that we didn’t slip into a Great Depression; making sure that we’re able to expand financial assistance to young people who wanted to go to college; making sure that, yes, in this country, if you get sick, you won’t go bankrupt, because you have the possibility of getting affordable health care -- (applause) -- making sure that we ended two -- ended one war, we’ll end another war next year; that we realign our security with our values and our ideals. 

We’ve made sure that we ended “don’t ask, don’t tell,” (applause) -- and we made sure that we stood on the right side of history when it came to making everybody subject to the same rights and responsibilities as American citizens.  (Applause.)  And saving an auto industry.  You go down the list and it’s been pretty productive.  (Applause.)

But I tell you -- so that’s what I think about when I get up in the morning.  (Laughter.)  This is all while I’m just brushing my teeth.  (Laughter.)  But what I think about at the end of the day is how much more has to be done.  What I think about at the end of the day is the story that I hear in a letter, or from somebody in a ropeline, who lost their job, and no matter how hard they try, haven’t been able to get one again, and are worried now about losing their home. 

Or I think about somebody who is fortunate enough to have a job but hasn’t seen a raise in five years, and are trying to figure out whether they’re going to be able to retire.  Or I think about the young person who says, “I started school, but I had to drop out because I just couldn’t sustain the debt.”  Or I think about the young person who comes up to me and says, “Mr. President, thank you for deferred action. I was brought here when I was five years old and I consider myself as American as anybody else, but I don’t have papers, and you helped me, but I'm worried about my mom and my dad and what might happen to them if we don’t get immigration passed.” 

I think about the military families that I meet, and the young men and women that I meet at Walter Reed who have sacrificed so much -- in some cases, unimaginable sacrifice -- for our security and our liberty.  And I think about the work that we still have to do to make sure that our veterans are treated with the honor and the respect and the support that they have earned.  (Applause.) 

And I think about all these young kids running around, three-year-olds and four-year-olds, and how much promise they've got and potential and energy.  And if we could just make sure that they're getting high-quality early childhood education when they're young, it doesn’t matter how poor they may be right now, there's nothing they can't achieve.  (Applause.)  But I also think about the fact that we're nowhere close to providing the kind of support that is required to make sure every child in America actually has opportunity. 

I think about the amazing young scientists and researchers who are coming up with cures for Alzheimer's or cancer or HIV, but who tell me, you know what, we're running out of research money, and it seems like each year fewer and fewer research grants are available and we're not sure how much longer we can keep going despite all these promising avenues that we have. 

And I think about the small business people who are doing great work but still feel as if the tax code is tilted in favor of folks who can hire big-shot attorneys and big-shot accountants, and somehow they don’t feel like they're getting a fair shake.  And they can't hire lobbyists to set up a bunch of loopholes for them. 

And I think about the incredible beauty of a state like California, and I wonder whether or not we're moving fast enough to deal with climate change so that that same beauty will be available for our kids and our grandkids and the generations to come.  (Applause.) 

And so my day starts off with great promise.  (Laughter.)  And my day ends, and I look at my checklist of stuff I got to do, and I'm thinking, man, we've still got a long way to go.  And three years will go by like that.  It will go by like that.  And those of us who have kids know how fast it goes, because Malia and Sasha, they're like weeds.  (Laughter.) 

So the question then becomes, understanding that we're never going to be able to get everything done that needs to get done right now, right away, that we live in a democracy in a big, complex country and there's a lot of disagreement and there's a lot of ideas being contested and regional differences and cultural differences that we experience; understanding that it's not all going to happen overnight, the question becomes what during this moment, this week, this month, this year, next year, the next three years -- what can we do to continue to advance this core idea that here in this country it doesn't matter what you look like, where you come from, who you love, what your last name is, if you work hard you can make it, and by you making it individually, somehow, all of us are a little bit better off.  How do we vindicate that idea?  How do we keep on pressing it forward? 

Now, what's hampering us right now is not that we don't have good policy ideas.  We know what works.  We know right now that if we had a budget that invested in rebuilding our infrastructure -- our roads, our bridges, our ports, smart grids, broadband lines -- we know that would create jobs right now, and improve the economy right now, and grow it faster right now.  And it would be laying the groundwork for growth for decades to come.  We know that.  We know it's true.  We've done it before.  It's part of how America became an economic superpower. 

We know that if we invest in basic research, incredible companies like those in this region are going to be created faster.  We're going to be creating products and services that none of us even imagine.  We know that.  We know if we invest in early childhood education -- a bigger bang for the buck than just about anything we could do -- every dollar we invest, we'd save seven bucks on the other end, because young people would have done better, less likely to get into trouble, less likely to go to prison, less likely to be dependent on the state.  We know it. 
These things shouldn't be controversial.  We know we can actually pay for it while bringing down our deficit.  The deficit has been cut by more than half since I came into office.  (Applause.)  Coming down faster than any time since World War II.
So we know that we can bring down our deficits.  But we could still invest in the things I just talked about:  closing a few tax loopholes, making some modest reforms to make sure that our social safety net is there for the long term.  And by the way, the things I’m talking about, they're not even particularly ideological.  They're just common sense.

So what’s stopping us from doing it?  Well, it’s politics.  What we know is the fact that right now in this country, there’s at least one faction of one party that has decided they're more interested in stopping progress than advancing it, and aren’t interested in compromise or engaging in solving problems; they're more interested in scoring points for the next election.

Now, look, I’m in public office.  I know a lot of politicians.  (Laughter.)  It’s not as if Democrats have no blemishes.  Everybody who is in public office is mindful of polls and mindful of how things play.  That's the nature of the job. And some of it’s legitimate -- you’re trying to pay attention to what the people who sent you there are saying.  You want to try to pay attention to their concerns.

But part of public service is also leadership.  It’s also saying there are certain things that are right; there are certain things that have to be done even when they're hard; there are certain things where we actively seek to govern and to work with the other side, even if we don't agree with them on 100 percent of things.  There’s 60 percent or 70 percent or 80 percent of the things that we do agree on; let’s go ahead and get those done.  And then we can argue about the other stuff.  (Applause.)

And somebody keeps on yelling, “Executive order.”  (Laughter.)  Well, I’m going to actually pause on this issue because a lot of people have been saying this lately on every problem -- (laughter) -- which is -- just sign an executive order, and we can pretty much do anything and basically nullify Congress.  And unfortunately --

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Yes!

THE PRESIDENT:  Wait, wait, wait, before everybody starts clapping -- (laughter) -- that's not how it works.  We got this Constitution.  We got this whole thing about separation of powers and branches.  (Applause.)  So we got to -- there is no shortcut to politics.  And there’s no shortcut to democracy.  And we have to win on the merits of the argument with the American people.  As laborious as it seems sometimes, as much misinformation as there is out there sometimes, as frustrating as it may be sometimes, what we have to do is just keep on going, keep on pushing.  (Applause.)  And eventually, we move in a better direction. 

That's been true for the first five years of my administration.  When folks said we couldn’t end “don't ask, don't tell” -- in fact, somebody -- a bunch of people yelled, “Executive order.”  (Laughter.)  I decided, well, let’s try to actually pass a law.  And we did.

It’s been true, obviously, with health care.  Folks have fought us every step of the way, but we have kept on going.  And this website is going to get fixed.  (Applause.)  And we are going to be signing people up, and we’re going to make sure that everybody in California and everybody in America who needs health care is going to get it.  (Applause.)  We just kept on going.  We don't stop.  (Applause.)  We don't stop.  We don't stop.

It’s true domestically, and it’s true on foreign policy.  The Middle East is enormously challenging.  We got a deal signed this weekend on Iran -- (applause) -- and for the first time halting the advancement of their nuclear program.  But there's still enormous challenges ahead.  We haven't solved this problem. We haven't solved the mistrust and the enmity and the fundamental challenges of Iran's nuclear capacity.  But we're testing diplomacy.  We're not resorting immediately to military conflict. (Applause.)  And we create a space where there's a possibility of resolving problems that have lingered for decades. 

It's not easy.  I can't just sign an executive order.  (Laughter.)  But it's possible, and it's worth the effort.

And so let me just close by saying this:  What's true today, what's been true over the last five years has been true throughout our history:  It was because we kept going that emancipation happened.  It was because we kept on going that women won the right to vote.  It's because we kept on going, despite every trial and tribulation, that workers got their rights.  (Applause.)  It's because we kept on going that the environment was cleaned up. 

It's because people were marching and organizing, and pushing and prodding, and suffering defeats and not being defeated by those defeats, and just kept on going, that, slowly but surely, America has become a more fair place; a more just place; our environment is cleaner; a less violent place; a land of opportunity; a place where, despite everything that’s happened, we continue to be a beacon for people all around the world. 

So that’s what gives me comfort before I go to bed.  (Laughter.)  After I've got all those worries in my head about all the stuff that remains undone, at the end of the day when I rest my head on that pillow, I think, this country, we found a way.  We've always found a way.  Because we don’t stop.  We persevere; we keep on going and we keep in mind that North Start, that focus, that direction, that we care so deeply about.  Because that’s what the American story is all about. 

And for all our flaws, that’s what the Democratic Party is all about.  And that’s what you're fighting for alongside us.  (Applause.)  That’s what your contributions are about.  That’s what our members of Congress are fighting for.  That’s what the DNC is about. 

That’s why we need you.  We need you so we can keep on going -- because we've got a lot of work to do, and I want to do it with you.  And I'm not going to get all of it done in the next three years, but I'm going to get an awful lot of it done in the next three years because of folks like you.  (Applause.) 

Thank you, everybody.  God bless you.  God bless America.  (Applause.)

END  
1:59 P.M. PST