Follow Barack Obama prior and during his tenure as the 44th President of the United States. Read about my personal observations along with every day facts as they happen. This blog will only submit factual information about the first black President, now in his 2nd term of office.
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BARACK OBAMA IN THE WHITEHOUSE

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Obama Supports the Military - Wants to end Wars

Sunday, May 27, 2012

President Obama is seeking votes from every demographic, including the veteran vote that traditionally support Republicans. But what they see this year is an unending support by a President that wants troops active in the wars to come home from war. The President is making promises he is keeping to the military, and has recently stated a timeframe for American withdrawal from Afghanistan shortly keeping his promise as American soldiers left Iraq. For some, it's not quick enough. For others, namely the Republicans, they are in favor of keeping the military in foreign wars. Americans from both sides of the isle are waking up to the Republican agenda, which seems not to be too friendly towards soldiers these days, not to mention the gays, women, and people of all colors. The nation seems devided when you look at it through the eyes of the Republicans, but when you look at it through the eyes of Obama, you will notice a strong sense of desire to bring the nation together. Respecting everyones beliefs is important to President Obama, but he also realizes that not every American will see things his way, and he accepts that.
President Obama is running again for a second term, because he realizes that if he doesn't run, or doesn't win for that matter, the chances of just about everything he has accomplished these last four years will be for not, because the Republican party will try to repeal everything President Obama has done. Policy is supposed to change for the better, but in this case with a possible takeover of the WhiteHouse by the Republicans, it's almost like mass mutiny for good policies that protect the middle and lower class people.
I highly expect that President Obama will win re-election this year, but not without a fight from Mitt Romney, who promises to give him a run for his money.

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President Barack Obama addresses Barnard Class of 2012

Tuesday, May 15, 2012


President Barack H. Obama delivered the keynote address at Barnard College’s 120th Commencement ceremony on Monday, May 14, 2012. He also received the Barnard Medal of Distinction, the college’s highest honor, alongside Helene D. Gayle ’76, president and CEO of CARE USA; Evan Wolfson, founder and president of Freedom to Marry; and Sally Chapman, Barnard professor of chemistry.

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Mitt Romney Needs Tea Party Support or He is Toast in the Fall

Monday, May 14, 2012

Opinion of James, Editor of 'Obama in the White House' Blog

Being the Republican candidate for Romney must be like walking on pins and needles. He has to be extremely careful on what he says, but he must get in the habbit of telling the truth. Sometimes the truth hurts, but I see no way that he will gain a number of voters that he can win the election with unless he decides to show conservative Republicans that now grudgingly support him because now he is their only candidate. Even the tea party goers need to really build a relationship with Romney, and he still doesn't have it. Without them, in my opinion there really is no posibillity that he can win the election. The tea party can make or break the election this year for the Republicans. Romney is trying to please the hard right wing Republicans, but at the same time he needs to bend a little to the left and be a little more honest with his thoughts that he puts out, because there still is a great deal of mistrust from the Tea party candidates, and others who still are on the fence to really support him. Romney is not the most ideal candidate that the Republicans have this year, but now the party is stuck with him. Now it's just a matter of time to see what happens in the debates with President Obama. What Romney doesn't realize is that Obama knows that Romney has been watching all the dirty laundry discovered by other Republican candidates like Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich. What goes around, comes around. President Obama will use that SuperPac money when the time comes to skillfully disect Mitt Romney, and isolate him from the Tea Party including the woman and black voters. Most likely all that will be left will be the 1%'ers that will always back him, no matter what. I'm expecting not to see such a close election that others are predicting. I also believe that the margin of victory will even be greater this year, more so than when John McCain ran against Obama in 2008.

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The Race is On - President Obama vs. Mitt Romney

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Have you ever wondered why some of the past Republican candidates cannot stay out of the spotlight? That's the case of one Rick Santorum who just has to speak his peace regarding President Obama's stance concerning the issue of same-sex marriage. Rick Santorum, one of the most negative opponents of Mitt Romney, now stands by his side and tells Mitt Romney what to do. He says that he needs to actively speak out against President Obama and denounce the ideas of same-sex marriage, as Santorum believes that this would be an avenue to take if Romney was really serious about beating Obama in November. Santorum calls it "a very potent weapon for Mitt Romney. Without a doubt, if he were still in the race, Santorum would call the President on it. Rick Santorum just doesn't get it. Trying to tear down President Obama with his record in office is a loosing propsition. What Mitt Romney needs to do is to focus on the issues, not President Obama. Every time Mitt Romney tries to corner President Obama, the President will throw out one of his potent weapons that will wound Romney, and then Romney will have to go away from his message and defend himself. Unless Mitt Romney goes on the offensive and looks ahead to the issues, he will not have any chance to beat President Obama in the fall. All of the Republican candidates have fallen in line with Mitt Romney, all except the last competition standing, Ron Paul. President Obama will continue with his campaign swing accross the country this week, and has plenty of campaign money to do so. The President is expected to pick up on the campaign ads, and continue his message that now is the time to move "FORWARD". The President has been sitting on the sidelines preparing his campaign very carefully against Mitt Romney, and it won't be long before the President just unleashed against Romney. Up until now, the President has been very non-vocal about Romney, but I feel that this is about to change. If Romney looked pretty bad from ads posted from his now supporter candidates, I could only imagine what is about to come out. I suspect that the Democratic Party has a few suprises in hand for Romney, and the idea that Romney is a confirmed bully while at a school some 50 years ago, I would think that Romney w

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Mother's Day - Forever A Sad Day for the Mother of Trayvon Martin

Opinion of the Editor of  'Obama in the White House blog'

How many deaths have to occur before a law such as 'Stand-your-ground' is repealed? Somewhere near the amount of 30,000 mothers lost their children this year to senseless gun violence, so in essence there are at least 30,000 mothers not celebrating mothers day this year. This is an alarming fact. Recently a boy by the name of Trayvon Martin lost his life to a man who now is using this law in his own defense. Gun owners have rights, but what about the innocent victims that guns kill each year. Here it is, a day that's supposed to be special for mothers, but one such mother has to live her special day without her son Trayvon after he was unnecessarily attacked and killed by George Zimmerman. Did Trayvon Martin have a gun on him when he was killed? The answer is no. George Zimmerman did, and he was doing 'crime watch' duties at the time that he decided to shoot Trayvon because he who had the gun, felt threatened?! Now, a mother lives her first 'Mother's day' without her son. It's been 20 years now since 'Stand-your-ground' law has gone in force and many states have adopted it. But that doesn't make it right. Many states adopt laws that are not good for them. Case in point, just as recently as last week, North Carolina adopted a law that says same-sex marriage is illegal. For me, I don't condone same sex marriage, but who am I to dictate on who should be allowed to marry. The United States is supposed to be - "The Land of The Free", but you have to step back one moment and see what freedoms you actually have in this country. I admire people like President Obama who make bold and serious decisions every day, as was the case when President Obama made the announcement that he supported same-sex marriage, even though I personally would not support it. So if I had the opportunity to vote for it or against it, I would not vote, because when it comes to marriage voting on it would not affect me personally, one way or the other. The President did not make it a national law, as states still have the power to create them and repeal them as is the case with the law that North Carolina just passed. All President Obama did was state his true beliefs and has a right to do so. Killers like George Zimmerman have rights to kill with guns and kill innocent people as was the case in the Trayvon Martin shooting. Case in point, in the State of Texas, you can go out and buy a gun, go through a check, but not even have to submit your name when you register a gun. As long as you don't have a felony on your record, you can buy a gun. But how is that felony check going to catch a person with a disturbed mind and alert authorities that this applicant should not be able to buy a gun because of his present state of mind!. The people who purchase guns seem never to realize that the gun is only designed for one thing when it is pointed at a human life, and that's to kill. Did George Zimmerman truly want to kill the child? You have to say that he did, if he realized the potential of shooting the gun at a human being. Only experienced law abiding officers that are trained on how to use guns in public need to carry them in public. They are the true 'crime-watchers', and get paid to do so. Our elected officials provide these officers to us to protect us, not some private individual who decides to be a 'crime-watch' volunteer. What a senseless shooting. Ironically, the means of what George Zimmerman used, firing of a deadly weapon, will be the one thing he should be afraid of if he is found innocent of the death of Trayvon Martin. To me, to be able to fire on a juvenile with a gun, is that of a sick, egotistical person. In the case of George Zimmerman, his defense is that he shot Treyvon in self-defense. Now stop and think about this. If George Zimmerman didn't have that gun, and George Zimmerman was not trying to be the local law authority, would Treyvon Martin be dead right now. the answer is obvious, and even if what George Zimmerman said was true, the he shot in "self-defense", he wouldn't have had to if he wasn't there acting as a local sheriff. It was definitely a senseless killing. George Zimmerman should be held accountable, but because of laws like 'Stand-your-ground', George Zimmerman most likely will beat the charge and continue to live as a free man. Do you think that he will want to carry another gun at this point in his life after going through what he just went through. I know if I were him, I'd never want to see another gun. Does he feel any guilt for what he as done? When you look at him, he outwardly shows his sorrow for killing the boy, and now if set free, he will have to live all the rest of his life with the blood of Trayvon Martin on his hands and constantly watch over his shoulders knowing that there may be some 'crazy in the mind' hero out there that wants to be known as killing Trayvon Martin's killer.

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Obama stealing the show from Romney - Supporting Same-Sex Marriage

Last Wednesday, as everyone who follows politics and American Presidents, knows that President Barack Obama made a historic decision when he said that he supported same-sex marriage. Noone from either side of the isle could predict what effect that would have for the President during the election campaign. Both want to believe what they want to believe. Democrats want to think that what the President did would give him more support. But not everyone liked his decision, and it was very clear that the Republican supporters did not like it, and now openly state the opposite, as does Mitt Romney. But now, polls have been taken after his ABC News interview and show that a majority of Americans approve of his decision. 51% are in favor, while 45% are not. The Gallop survey conveys the ideas of Americans concerning marriage equality. So Democrats approve, and Republicans disapprove. Independents were in favar at 53% while 44% disapproved. The fact that the President now supports same-sex marriage may likely affect the elections, and it can work for or against him. That is not really clear at this point in time. But the discussions will continue up until the elections in November. It appears that President Obama stole all the thunder when he made the announcment. For an entire week, the news was centered around him, and you might not know that there was a Republican running for President during this time, as all news outlets ran their coverages front and center with Obama and his decision to support same-sex marriage.

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The 'To Do List' for U.S. Congress

Saturday, May 12, 2012


On Friday, President Obama went to Reno, Nevada and discussed items on the To-Do-List for the Congress. He specifically touched on the notion of step #2. Specifically, it is a list of items that will help create jobs and hep restore middle class security. 
The To-Do List is simple:
  1. Reward companies who bring jobs back to the U.S. with lower taxes and pay for it by eliminating tax incentives for companies to ship jobs overseas.
  2. Cut red tape so hardworking, responsible homeowners who are paying their mortgage can refinance at today’s lower rates.
  3. Help hardworking small business owners create jobs by giving them a tax credit  for new hires.
  4. Invest in American clean energy manufacturers who create American jobs through innovation of new technologies and new fuels that reduce our reliance on foreign oil and lead to more secure energy sources.
  5. Ensure our commitment to our veterans is as strong as they are by creating a Veterans Job Corps that helps hire veterans as cops, firefighters, and serving their communities.

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Presidents's Schedule May 11, 2012

The Following is the President's schedule for May 11, 2012

 1:15 PM The President departs Los Angeles, California en route Reno, Nevada Local Event Time:

10:15AM PDT Los Angeles International Airport Open Press

 2:30 PM The President arrives Reno, Nevada Local Event Time: 11:30AM PDT Reno-Tahoe International Airport Open Press

 2:50 PM The President meets with a local family Local Event Time: 11:50AM PDT Private Residence Pool Spray

 3:10 PM The President delivers remarks pushing Congress to act on the “To Do List” Local Event Time: 12:10PM PDT Private Residence Pooled TV, Open to Correspondents

 3:50 PM The President departs Reno, NV en route Joint Base Andrews Local Event Time: 12:50PM PDT Reno-Tahoe International Airport Open Press

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The President's Schedule - May 10, 2012

Thursday, May 10, 2012

This following list is President Obama's complete Schedule for May 10, 2012 9:40 AM The President departs the White House en route Joint Base Andrews South Lawn Open Press 9:55 AM The President departs Joint Base Andrews en route Seattle, Washington Travel Pool Coverage 1:55 PM The President arrives in Seattle, Washington Local Event Time: 11:55AM PDT King County International Airport Open Press 2:50 PM The President delivers remarks at a campaign event Local Event Time: 12:50PM EDT Private Residence Print Pool 5:15 PM The President delivers remarks at a campaign event Local Event Time: 3:15PM EDT Paramount Theater Pooled TV, Open to Correspondents 6:15 PM The President departs Seattle, Washington en route Los Angeles, California Local Event Time: 4:15PM EDT King County International Airport Open Press

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The President's Schedule - May 9, 2012

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

The following is the President's schedule for May 9, 2012...

10:45 am  The President and the Vice President receive the Presidential Daily Briefing
Oval Office
Closed Press
Oval Office

2:10 pm  The President and the Vice President meet with NATO Secretary-General Rasmussen
Oval Office
Closed Press 

2:45 pm  The President and the Vice President meet with Secretary Geithner
Oval Office
Closed Press
 
5:00 pm  The President meets with senior advisors
Oval Office
Closed Press
 
7:15 pm  The President and the First Lady host a concert honoring songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David as part of “In Performance at the White House” series; the President delivers remarks
East Room
Pooled Press

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The President AFFIRMS Same Sex Marriage

The President of the United States, Barack Obama made history today to support equal marriage rights by becoming the first American sitting President that has openly supported same sex marriage. The President is sticking up for marriage equality, not non-equality. Of course, the Republican party, namely Mitt Romney has immediately called President Obama on the carpet for making that decision to support gay couples and gay marriage. Already there is lots of buzz about the Presidents revalation. This topic will become one of the main topics that will be talked about from now until the election.  Recently under his watch, the "Ask, Don't Tell" law that affected servicemen in the military was overturned and gays and lesbians can now serve without penalty while serving their country.
The political ramifications are huge. The president says "same sex couples should be able to get married". The President has openly stated his true feelings, the opposite of how he felt and conveyed during the 2008. So now the stakes are even higher, but President Obama is determined to do the right thing in his mind. Personally, I do not care for same sex marriages, but I also believe that people have an inherent right of their freedom to do what they like. I am proud of our President, and he has allot more guts than I ever would have. He is not afraid of the Republican politics, knowing how much his decision may infuriate them.
The President announced this just hours after North Carolina banned same sex marriages in the state. The majority of states now ban same sex marriages. The president of the United States now openly stands up for not just for straight married couples between a man and a woman, but he also supports the right to choose of same sex couples. The President is representing 'change' which has been part of his campaign from 2008 to the present.
This may be the civil right issue of our time. The President of the United States definitely has made history here.


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Remarks by the President, Albany, NY

The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering
State University of New York
Albany, New York

1:24 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Hello, New York! (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. Everybody, please have a seat. It is great to be back in Albany. It is wonderful to be with all of you here today.

And I want to thank Governor Cuomo not only for the outstanding introduction, but also for the extraordinary leadership that he's showing here in the great state of New York. Please give him a big round of applause. (Applause.) He is doing outstanding work.

I also want to thank Mayor Jennings, who's here. Give the Mayor a big round of applause. (Applause.) Don't be shy. We've got Chancellor Zimpher -- (applause) -- we appreciate very much. Dr. Kaloyeros -- I want to make sure I say that right, folks mess up my name all the time -- (laughter) -- Kaloyeros for hosting us here today. (Applause.) We’ve got a couple members of Congress here -- Paul Tonko. (Applause.) And also, Representative Chris Gibson is here. (Applause.)

And all of you are, and I'm happy about that. (Applause.) Yes. So it is wonderful to be here at the University of Albany NanoCollege. This is one of the only colleges in the world dedicated to nanotechnology. And it’s a incredible complex. But you’re working on particles as small as an atom, and you’re doing it in rooms that are 10,000 times cleaner than a hospital operating room –- which is very impressive, since "clean" is not usually a word I associate with college students. (Laughter.) Maybe things have changed since I was in school.

Now, the reason I came here today is because this school -- bless you -- and this community represents the future of our economy. Right now, some of the most advanced manufacturing work in America is being done right here in upstate New York. Cutting-edge businesses from all over the world are deciding to build here and hire here. And you’ve got schools like this one that are training workers with the exact skills that those businesses are looking for.

Now, we know the true engine of job creation in this country is the private sector -- it's not Washington. But there are steps we can take as a nation to make it easier for companies to grow and to hire, to create platforms of success for them -- everything from giving more people the chance to get the right training and education to supporting new research projects into science and technology. In fact, there was a substantial investment made here -- I was talking to Governor Cuomo about the investment his father made here to help get this center started.

There are things we can do to make sure that if you’re willing to work hard and meet your responsibilities, you can find a job, own a home, maybe start a business, and most importantly, give your kids a chance to do even better than you did. And that’s something we believe has to be available to everybody, no matter where you come from, no matter what you look like. We can make a difference. And at this make-or-break moment for America's middle class, there’s no excuse for inaction. There’s no excuse for dragging our feet. None.

Now, over the last few years, there are certain steps that I’ve been able to take on my own to help spur the kind of innovation that we're seeing here, and also to help the overall economy grow. So we announced a new policy several months back that will help families refinance their mortgages, save up to thousands of dollars a year. We sped up loans and competitive grants for new projects all across the country so thousands of construction workers can get back on the job. We simplified the student loan process to help roughly 5.8 million students -- like the students here -- save money on repayments. (Applause.)

So these are some steps that the administration has been able to take on its own. But the truth is, the only way we can accelerate the job creation that takes place on a scale that is needed is bold action from Congress.

Because of the Recovery Act, because of all the work we've done, we've created over 4 million jobs over the last two years. We've created hundreds of thousands of jobs each month over the last several months. So we're making progress, but everybody knows we need to do more. And in order to do that, we're going to need some more action from Congress. Democrats and Republicans have to come together. And they've shown that they can do it. I mean, they did some important work. They passed tax cuts for workers, approved trade deals to open up new markets for American products. We reformed our patent system to make it easier for innovative ideas to come to market. Those are all good things. But the size of the challenges we face requires us to do more.

So back last September, I sent Congress a jobs bill that included all sorts of policies that we knew would help grow our economy and put more Americans back to work. That wasn't just my opinion, that wasn't just the opinion of Democrats. It was the opinion of independent, nonpartisan experts -- economists who do this for a living, and analysts on Wall Street who evaluate what's going to really make the economy grow. The one big piece that we were able to get done was make sure that we didn't see payroll tax go up and people get 40 bucks taken out of their paychecks each time.

But most of it didn't get done in Congress. Just about every time we put these policies up for a vote, the Republicans in Congress got together and they said no. They said no to putting hundreds of thousands of construction workers back on the job repairing our roads and our bridges and our schools and our transit systems. No to a new tax cut for businesses that hire new workers. No to putting more teachers back in our classrooms, more cops back on the beat, more firefighters back to work. And this is at a time when we know one of the biggest drags on our economy has been layoffs by state and local governments -- that's true all across the country.

And it's worth noting, by the way -- this is just a little aside -- after there was a recession under Ronald Reagan, government employment went way up. It went up after the recessions under the first George Bush and the second George Bush. So each time there was a recession with a Republican President, compensated -- we compensated by making sure that government didn't see a drastic reduction in employment.

The only time government employment has gone down during a recession has been under me. (Applause.) So I make that point just so you don't buy into this whole bloated government argument that you hear. And frankly, if Congress had said yes to helping states put teachers back to work and put the economy before our politics, then tens of thousands more teachers in New York would have a job right now. That is a fact. And that would mean not only a lower unemployment rate, but also more customers for business.

Now, I know this is an election year. But it's not an excuse for inaction. Six months is plenty of time for Democrats and Republicans to get together and do the right thing, taking steps that will spur additional job creation right now. Just saying no to ideas that we know will help our economy isn’t an option. There’s too much at stake. We've all got to pull in the same direction.

So even if Republicans are still saying no to some of the bigger proposals we made in the jobs act, there are some additional ideas that could help people get to work right now and that they haven't said no to yet -- so I'm hoping they say yes. And they’re simple ideas. They’re the kinds of things that, in the past, have been supported by Democrats and Republicans. These are traditionally ideas that have had bipartisan support. They won’t have as big of an impact as rebuilding our infrastructure or helping states hire back teachers, but together, all of these ideas will do two things: They'll grow the economy faster and they'll create more jobs.

So today I’m announcing a handy little "To-Do" list that we’ve put together for Congress. (Laughter.) You can see it for yourselves at whitehouse.gov. It’s about the size of a Post-It note, so every member of Congress should have time to read it -- (laughter) -- and they can glance at it every so often. And hopefully we'll just be checking off the list -- just like when Michelle gives me a list, I check it off. (Laughter.) Each of the ideas on this list will help accelerate our economy and put people back to work -- not in November, not in next year, but right now.

All right, so I'm going to go through the list. First, Congress needs to help the millions of Americans who have worked hard, made their mortgage payments on time, but still have been unable to refinance their mortgages with these historically low rates. This would make a huge difference for the economy. (Applause.)

Families could save thousands of dollars, and that means they've got more money in their pocket, which means they can either build their equity back up on their homes or they go out and use that money to do things like helping their kids finance a college education. So Congress should give those responsible homeowners a chance to refinance at a lower rate. We estimate they'd save at least $3,000 a year. So that’s on our "To-Do" list. It's not complicated. (Applause.)

Second, if Congress fails to act soon, clean energy companies will see their taxes go up and they could be forced to lay off employees. In fact, we're already hearing from folks who produce wind turbines and solar panels and a lot of this green energy that they're getting worried because there's uncertainty out there. Congress hasn't renewed some of the tax breaks that are so important to this industry. And since I know that the other side in Congress have promised they'll never raise taxes as long as they live, this is a good time to keep that promise when it comes to businesses that are putting Americans to work and helping break our dependence on foreign oil. (Applause.) So we should extend these tax credits. That’s on the "To-Do" list. That’s number two.

Number three, Congress should help small business owners by giving them a tax break for hiring more workers and paying them higher wages. (Applause.) We believe small businesses are the engine of economic growth in this country. We should not hold them to a situation where they may end up having to pay higher taxes just by hiring more workers. We should make it easier for them to succeed. So that’s on our "To-Do" list. That’s number three.

Number four, Congress should help our veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan find a good job once they come home. (Applause.) Our men and women in uniform have served this country with such honor and distinction -- a lot of them come from upstate New York. Now it’s our turn to serve them. So we should create a Veterans Job Corps that helps them find work as cops and firefighters, employees at our national parks. That’s on our "To-Do" list.

Then the last item, the fifth item, which bears especially on what's going on here -- the last item on our congressional "To-Do" list is something that will help a lot of you in particular. You know better than anybody that technology has advanced by leaps and bounds over the last few decades. And that’s a great thing. Businesses are more productive; consumers are getting better products for less. But technology has also made a lot of jobs obsolete. Factories where people once thought they’d retire suddenly left town. Jobs that provided a decent living got shipped overseas. And the result has been a lot of pain for a lot of communities and a lot of families.

There is a silver lining to all of this, though. After years of undercutting the competition, now it’s getting more expensive to do business in places like China. Wages are going up. Shipping costs are going up. And meanwhile, American workers are getting more and more efficient. Companies located here are becoming more and more competitive. So for a lot of businesses, it’s now starting to make sense to bring jobs back home. (Applause.)

And here in the tri-city area, you’ve got companies like IBM and Global Foundries that could have decided to pack up and move elsewhere, but they chose to stay in upstate New York because it made more sense to build here and to hire here. You have more to offer -- got some of the best workers in the world, you've got an outstanding university.

Now I want what’s happening in Albany to happen all across the country -- places like Cleveland and Pittsburgh and Raleigh. (Applause.) I want to create more opportunities for hardworking Americans to start making things again, and selling them all over the world stamped with those proud words: Made in America. That’s the goal. (Applause.)

So the good news is we’re already starting to see it happen. American manufacturers are creating jobs for the first time since the late 1990s. And that’s good for you, but it’s also good for the businesses that supply the materials you use. It’s good for the construction workers who build the facilities you work in. It’s good for communities where people are buying more houses and spending more money at restaurants and stores. Everybody benefits when manufacturing is going strong.

So you’ve heard about outsourcing. Today, more and more companies are insourcing. One recent study found that half of America’s largest companies are thinking of moving their manufacturing operations from China back to the United States of America. (Applause.) That’s good news. Because even when we can’t make things cheaper than other countries because of their wage rates, we can always make them better. That’s who we are. That’s what America is all about. (Applause.)

So this brings me back to our "To-Do" list. What we need to do now is to make it easier for more companies to do the right thing, and one place to start is our tax code. At the moment, companies get tax breaks for moving factories, jobs and profits overseas. They can actually end up saving on their tax bill when they make the move. Meanwhile, companies that choose to stay here are getting hit with one of the highest tax rates in the world. That doesn’t make sense.

And politicians from both parties have been talking about changing it for years, so I’ve put forward my own plan to make it right in the long term. But in the short term, before we completely rework the tax code, before we've done a full-blown tax reform, at the very least what we can do right away is stop rewarding companies who ship jobs overseas and use that money to cover moving expenses for companies that are moving jobs back here to America. (Applause.) So we're putting that on Congress’s "To-Do" list. This is something simple to do. We shouldn’t wait. We should get it done right now.

So that’s the fifth item. That's all on our "To-Do" list. I'm not trying to overload Congress here. (Laughter.)

So over the next few weeks, I’m going to be taking about this "To-Do" list when I'm on the road. I’m going to be talking about all the things that Congress can do right now to boost our economy and accelerate even more job growth. Of course, it’s not enough just to give them the list -- we've also got to get them to start crossing things off the list. And that’s where all of you come in.

I'm going to need you to pick up the phone, write an email, tweet, remind your member of Congress we can’t afford to wait until November to get things done. Tell them now is the time to help more Americans save money on their mortgages; time for us to invest more in clean energy and small businesses; it's time for us to help more veterans find work; and it's time to make it easier for companies to bring jobs back to America. It's the right thing to do.

Now, I'm cheating a little bit. I said that was my "To-Do" list. There actually is one other thing they've got to do. Before they do anything else, Congress needs to keep student loan rates from doubling for students who are here and all across the country. (Applause.) That has to happen by January 1st [sic] or rates on Stafford loans double. These young people are nodding their heads -- they don't like that. They've heard about this. (Laughter.)

And we need to pass a transportation bill that guarantees almost a million construction workers can stay on the job. (Applause.) The good news is both parties say they want to make this happen. We’ve done this before. So Congress just needs to work out the details. Don't let politics get in the way. Get this done before July 1st. Those bills should be passed right now.

So I'm cheating a little bit. There are actually seven items on the "To-Do" list. (Laughter.) But two of them are old business and folks have already said they want to get them done.

Albany, we’ve got a long way to go if we’re going to make sure everybody who wants a job can find one, and every family can feel that sense of security that was the essence of America's middle-class experience. But we can't just go back to the way things used to be. We've got to move forward -- to an economy where everybody gets a fair shot, everybody is doing their fair share, everybody plays by the same set of rules.

And that's what you guys are doing here in Albany. You're investing in your future. You're not going backwards, you're going forward. With your help, I know we can get there -- because here in America, we don’t give up. We keep moving. We look out for one another. We pull each other up. That’s who we are. And if we work together with common purpose, I've got no doubt we can keep moving this country forward and remind the world just why it is the United States of America is the greatest nation on Earth. (Applause.)

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

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Obama's Day, May 8: Attending APAICS Gala

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR
TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012


In the morning, the President will receive the Presidential Daily Briefing in the Oval Office. This meeting is closed press.
Later in the morning, the President will travel to Albany, New York. The departure from the South Lawn and the arrival at Albany International Airport are open press.
While in Albany, the President will travel to the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering's (CNSE) Albany NanoTech Complex at the State University of New York for an event on the economy. CNSE's Albany NanoTech Complex is a fully-integrated research, development, prototyping and educational facility that provides strategic support through outreach, technology acceleration, business incubation, pilot prototyping and test-based integration support for onsite corporate partners, including IBM, Intel, GlobalFoundries, Applied Materials as well as other next generation nanotechnology research activities. Governor Cuomo will accompany the President on a tour of the facility prior to the President's remarks. There will be travel pool coverage of the tour and the President's remarks are open press.
In the afternoon, the President will return to Washington, DC. The departure from Albany International Airport and the arrival on the South Lawn are open press.
In the evening, the President will deliver the keynote address at the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) 18th Annual Gala Dinner in Washington, DC. The President's remarks are open to pre-credentialed media.

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OBAMA SCHEDULE - Tuesday May 8, 2012

Obama Schedule || Tuesday, May 8, 2012

by Keith Koffler on May 7, 2012, 9:44 pm
9:40 am   || Receives the Presidential Daily Briefing
10:20 am || Departs White House
11:45 am || Arrives Albany, New York
12:10 pm || Tours the SUNY – Albany Nano-Tech Complex
1:25 pm   || Delivers remarks on the economy
2:15 pm   || Departs Albany
3:40 pm   || Arrives White House
2:30 pm   || Delivers the keynote address at the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) 18th Annual Gala Dinner; Washington
All times Eastern

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Mitt Romney vs. Reality

Monday, May 7, 2012


Mr. Mitt Romney, who believes he can railroad the President out of office, continuously blabbers out lies about President Barack Obama. But President Obama has now begun his re-election campaign and I highly doubt if he will stand idol to all the false accusations that Romney has for the President.
In a nutshell I will list some of the things that Romney has to say about the President in a video by the Obama 'Truth Team'. The attached video will prove that what Mitt Romney said about the President are all lies. How can Mitt Romney actually think that he could fool the American people and make them believe that he is always right, and President Obama is always wrong?!

Romney is quoted saying the following. Listen to Obama speak on record, a response to Romney's accusations.

1)"This President decided that he was going to negotiate for Israel by saying "Let's go back to the '67 borders."

2) "This President spends allot of time apoligizing for America."

3) "Russia, this is without question our #1 geo-political foe."

4) "We don't negotiate with terrorists, and the President was suggesting that Israel should negotiate with terrorists."

5) "He has not cracked down on China. They continue to run roughshod over us."

6) "This President should have placed cripling sanctions against Iran and he did not."

7) "This President's takes his inspiration from the capitals of Europe."



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Remarks by the President and First Lady in Columbus, Ohio

Sunday, May 6, 2012


Value-City Schottenstein Center Columbus, Ohio

1:05 P.M. EDT
MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, wow.  (Applause.)  Wow.  It sounds like you all are already fired up and ready to go.  (Applause.)  This is amazing.  It is truly amazing.  And you know what, being here with all of you today, let me tell you, I'm feeling pretty fired up and ready to go myself.  I really am.  (Applause.)
But there’s a reason why we're here today --
AUDIENCE:  I love you!  (Applause.)
MRS. OBAMA:  And we love you, too.  And it's not just because we support one extraordinary man -- although, I'll admit, I'm a little biased because I think our President is awesome.  (Laughter and applause.) 
And it's not just because we want to win an election.  We are here because of the values we believe in.  We're here because of the vision for this country that we all share.  We're here because we want all our children to have a good education, right?  (Applause.)  Schools that push them and inspire them, prepare them for good jobs.  We want our parents and our grandparents to retire with dignity -- (applause) -- because we believe that after a lifetime of hard work, they should enjoy their golden years.
We want to restore that basic middle-class security for our families because we believe that folks shouldn't go bankrupt because they get sick.  (Applause.)  They shouldn't lose their home because someone loses a job.  We believe that responsibility should be rewarded and hard work should pay off.
And truly, these are basic American values.  They're the same values that so many of us were raised with, including myself.  You see, my father was a blue-collar city worker at the city water plant.  And my family lived in a little bitty apartment on the South Side of Chicago.  And neither of my parents had the chance to go to college.  But let me tell you what my parents did do:  They saved.  They sacrificed.  I mean, they poured everything they had into me and my brother.  They wanted us to have the kind of education they could only dream of.  And while pretty much all of my college tuition came from student loans and grants, my dad still paid a little bitty portion of that tuition himself.  And let me tell you, every semester, my dad was determined to pay that bill right on time because he was so proud to be sending his kids to college.  (Applause.)
And he couldn't bear the thought of me or my brother missing that registration deadline because his check was late.  Like so many people in this country, my father took great pride in being able to earn a living that allowed him to handle his responsibility to his family, to pay all of his bills and to pay them on time. 
And truly, more than anything else, that is what's at stake.  It's that fundamental promise that no matter who you are or how you started out, if you work hard, you can build a decent life for yourself and yes, an even better life for your kids.  (Applause.)
And it is that promise that binds us together as Americans.  It's what makes us who we are.  And whether it's equal pay for women, or health care for our kids; whether it's tax cuts for middle-class families or student loans for our young people -- (applause) -- that is what my husband has been fighting for every single day as President.  Every single day.  (Applause.)
And let me tell you something -- as First Lady, I have had the chance to see up close and personal what being President looks like, right?  I have seen how the issues that come across the President’s desk are always the hard ones.
     AUDIENCE MEMBER:  You’re beautiful, Michelle!  (Applause.)
     MRS. OBAMA:  But in all seriousness -- (laughter) -- these problems, they’re always the hard ones -- the problems with no clear solutions, the judgment calls where the stakes are so high and there is no margin for error.  And as President, you can get all kinds of advice from all kinds of people.  But at the end of the day, when it comes time to make that decision, all you have to guide you are your life experiences, your values, and your vision for this country.  That’s all you have.  In the end, when you’re making those impossible choices, it all boils down to who you are and what you stand for.

     And we all know what Barack Obama is -- who he is.  (Applause.)  We all know what our President stands for, right?  (Applause.)  He is the son of a single mother who struggled to put herself through school and pay the bills.  That’s who he is.  He’s the grandson of a woman who woke up before dawn every day to catch a bus to her job at the bank.  And even though Barack’s grandmother worked hard to help support his family, she was good at her job.  Like so many women, she hit that glass ceiling.  And men no more qualified than she was were promoted up the ladder ahead of her.

     So believe me, Barack knows what it means when a family struggles.  He knows what it means when someone doesn’t have a chance to fulfill their potential.  And what you need to know, America -- those are the experiences that have made him the man and the President he is today.  (Applause.) 
But I have said this before and will say it again and again:  Barack cannot do this alone.  And fortunately, he never has.  We have always moved this country forward together.  And today, more than ever before, Barack needs your help.  He needs your help.  He needs your help.  (Applause.)  He needs every single one of you -- every single one of you to give just a little part of your life each week to this campaign.
He needs you to register those voters.  (Applause.)  And to all of the college students out there, all of you -- if you're going to be moving over the summer, remember to register at your new address in the fall.  You got that?  Get that done.  (Applause.)
Barack needs you to join one of our neighborhood teams and start organizing in your community.  And just let me say, if there have ever been any doubt about the difference that you can make, I just want you to remember that in the end, this all could come down to those few thousand people who register to vote.  Think about it.  It could all come down to those last few thousand folks who get out to the polls on November the 6th.
And when you average that out over this entire state, it might mean registering just one more person in your town.  It might mean helping just one more person in your community get out and vote on Election Day.  So know this:  With every door you knock on, with every call you make, with every conversation you have, I want you to remember that this could be the one that makes the difference.  This could be the one.  (Applause.)  Remember that.  That is exactly the kind of impact that each of you can have. 
Now, I am not going to kid you.  This journey is going to be long.  And it is going to be hard.  But know that that is how change always happens in this country.  And if we keep showing up, if we keep fighting the good fight, then eventually we get there.  We always do.  Maybe not in our lifetimes, but maybe in our children's lifetimes, maybe in our grandchildren's lifetimes -- because in the end, that's what this is all about. 
That is what I think about when I tuck my girls in at night.  I think about the world I want to leave for them and for all of our sons and our daughters.  I think about how I want to do for them what my dad did for me.  I want to give them a foundation for their dreams.  (Applause.)  I want to give them opportunities worthy of their promise.  I want to give them that sense of limitless possibility, that belief that here in America, there is always something better out there if you're willing to work for it.  So we just cannot turn back now, right?
AUDIENCE:  No!
     MRS. OBAMA:  We have come so far, but we have so much more to do.  And if we want to keep on moving forward then we need to work our hearts out for the man that I have the pleasure of introducing here today.  (Applause.)  Are you ready? 
     It is my privilege to introduce my husband and our President, President Barack Obama!
THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Ohio!  (Applause.)  It is good to be back in Ohio!  (Applause.)  Right before I came out, somebody happened to give me a buckeye for good luck.  (Applause.) 
AUDIENCE MEMBER:  I love you!
THE PRESIDENT:  I love you back!  Now, before I begin, I want to say thank you to a few people who are joining us here today.  Your mayor, Michael Coleman is here.  (Applause.)  Former Governor Ted Strickland is here.  (Applause.)  Senator Sherrod Brown is in the house.  (Applause.)  An American hero, John Glenn is with us.  (Applause.) 
And I want to thank so many of our Neighborhood Team Leaders for being here today.  You guys will be the backbone of this campaign.  (Applause.)  And I want the rest of you to join a team or become a leader yourself, because we are going to win this thing the old-fashioned way -- door by door, block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood.  (Applause.)  
Ohio, four years ago, you and I began a journey together. 
I didn’t run, and you didn’t work your hearts out, just to win an election.  We came together to reclaim the basic bargain that built the largest middle class and the most prosperous nation on Earth.
We came together because we believe that in America, your success shouldn’t be determined by the circumstances of your birth.  If you’re willing to work hard, you should be able to find a good job.  If you’re willing to meet your responsibilities, you should be able to own a home, maybe start a business, give your children the chance to do even better -- no matter who you are, or where you come from, or what you look like, or what your last name is.  (Applause.)  
We believe the free market is one of the greatest forces for progress in human history; that businesses are the engine of growth; that risk-takers and innovators should be rewarded.  But we also believe that at its best, the free market has never been a license to take whatever you want, however you can get it; that alongside our entrepreneurial spirit and our rugged individualism, America only prospers when we meet our obligations to one another and to future generations.  (Applause.) 
We came together in 2008 because our country had strayed from these basic values.  A record surplus was squandered on tax cuts for people who didn’t need them and weren’t even asking for them.  Two wars were being waged on a credit card.  Wall Street speculators reaped huge profits by making bets with other people’s money.  Manufacturing left our shores.  A shrinking number of Americans did fantastically well, while most people struggled with falling incomes, rising costs, the slowest job growth in half a century. 
It was ahouse of cards that collapsed in the most destructive crisis since the Great Depression.  In the last six months of 2008, even as we were campaigning, nearly three million of our neighbors lost their jobs.  Over 800,000 more were lost in the month I took office alone. 
It was tough.  But I tell you what, Ohio -- the American people are tougher.  (Applause.)  All across this country, people like you dug in.  Some of you retrained.  Some of you went back to school.  Small business owners cut back on expenses, but did everything they could to keep their employees.  Yes, there were setbacks.  Yes, there were disappointments.  But we didn’t quit.  We don’t quit.  Together, we’re fighting our way back.  (Applause.)    
When some wanted to let Detroit go bankrupt, we made a bet on American workers, on the ingenuity of American companies.  And today, our auto industry is back on top of the world.  (Applause.)  Manufacturers started investing again, adding jobs for the first time since the 1990s.  Businesses got back to the basics, exports surged.  And over four million jobs were created in the last two years -- more than one million of those in the last six months alone.  (Applause.)  Are we satisfied? 
AUDIENCE:  No!
THE PRESIDENT:  Of course not.  Too many of our friends and family are still out there looking for work.  The housing market is still weak, deficits are still too high, and states are still laying off teachers, first responders.  This crisis took years to develop, and the economy is still facing headwinds.  And it will take sustained, persistent effort -- yours and mine -- for America to fully recover.  That’s the truth.  We all know it. 
But we are making progress.  And now we face a choice.  (Applause.)  Now we face a choice, Ohio. 
CHILD:  We love you, Barack Obama!
AUDIENCE:  Awww --
THE PRESIDENT:  (Laughter.)  Thank you.  Now we face a choice.  For the last few years, the Republicans who run this Congress have insisted that we go right back to the policies that created this mess. 
AUDIENCE:  Booo --
THE PRESIDENT:  But to borrow a line from my friend Bill Clinton, now their agenda is on steroids.  (Applause.)  This time, they want even bigger tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.  This time, they want even deeper cuts to things like education and Medicare, and research and technology.
AUDIENCE:  Booo --
THE PRESIDENT:  This time, they want to give banks and insurance companies even more power to do as they please.  And now, after a long and spirited primary, Republicans in Congress have found a nominee for President who has promised to rubber-stamp this agenda if he gets the chance.
AUDIENCE:  Booo --   
THE PRESIDENT:  Ohio, I tell you what:  We cannot give him that chance.  (Applause.)  Not now.  Not with so much at stake.  This is not just another election.  This is a make-or-break moment for the middle class, and we’ve been through too much to turn back now.  (Applause.) 
AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!
THE PRESIDENT:  We have come too far to abandon the change we fought for these past few years.  We have to move forward, to the future we imagined in 2008, where everyone gets a fair shot, and everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same rules.  (Applause.)  That’s the choice in this election, and that’s why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States.  (Applause.) 
Governor Romney is a patriotic American who has raised a wonderful family, and he has much to be proud of.  He’s run a large financial firm, and he’s run a state.  But I think he has drawn the wrong lessons from those experiences.  He sincerely believes that if CEOs and wealthy investors like him make money, the rest of us will automatically prosper as well. 
AUDIENCE:  Booo --
THE PRESIDENT:  When a woman in Iowa shared the story of her financial struggles, he responded with economic theory.  He told her, “our productivity equals our income.”  Well, let me tell you something.  The problem with our economy isn’t that the American people aren’t productive enough -- you’ve been working harder than ever.  (Applause.)  The challenge we face right now -- the challenge we faced for over a decade is that harder work hasn’t led to higher incomes.  It’s that bigger profits haven’t led to better jobs.  (Applause.)
Governor Romney doesn’t seem to get that.  He doesn’t seem to understand that maximizing profits by whatever means necessary -- whether through layoffs or outsourcing or tax avoidance or union-busting -- might not always be good for the average American or for the American economy. 
Why else would he want to spend trillions more on tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans?  Why else would he propose cutting his own taxes while raising them on 18 million working families?  Why else would he want to slash the investments that have always helped the economy grow, but at the same time, stop regulating the reckless behavior on Wall Street that helped the economy crash? 
Somehow, he and his friends in Congress think that the same bad ideas will lead to a different result.  Or they’re just hoping you won’t remember what happened the last time we tried it their way.
Well, Ohio, I’m here to say that we were there, we remember, and we are not going back.  We are moving this country forward.  (Applause.)
Look, we want businesses to succeed.  We want entrepreneurs and investors rewarded when they take risks, when they create jobs and grow our economy.  But the true measure of our prosperity is more than just a running tally of every balance sheet and quarterly profit report.  I don’t care how many ways you try to explain it:  Corporations aren’t people.  People are people.  (Applause.)
We measure prosperity not just by our total GDP; not just by how many billionaires we produce, but how well the typical family is doing -- whether they can go as far as their dreams and hard work will take them. 
And we understand that in this country, people succeed when they have a chance to get a decent education and learn new skills -- and, by the way, so do the businesses that hire them or the companies that they start.  (Applause.)  
We know that our economy grows when we support research into medical breakthroughs and new technologies that lead to the next Internet app or life-saving drug. 
We know that our country is stronger when we can count on affordable health insurance and Medicare and Social Security.  (Applause.)  When we protect our kids from toxic dumping and mercury pollution.  When there are rules to make sure we aren’t taken advantage of by credit card companies and mortgage lenders and financial institutions.  And we know these rules aren’t just good for seniors, or kids, or consumers -- they're good for business, too.  They're part of what makes the market work.
Look, we don’t expect government to solve all our problems, and it shouldn’t try.  I learned from my mom that no education policy can take the place of a parent’s love and affection.  (Applause.)  As a young man, I worked with a group of Catholic churches who taught me that no poverty program can make as much of a difference as the kindness and commitment of a caring soul.  (Applause.)  Not every regulation is smart.  Not every tax dollar is spent wisely.  Not every person can be helped who refuses to help themselves. 
But that’s not an excuse to tell the vast majority of responsible, hardworking Americans, “You’re on your own.”  That unless you’re lucky enough to have parents who can lend you money, you may not be able to go to college.  That even if you pay your premiums every month, you’re out of luck if an insurance company decides to drop your coverage when you need it most. 
That’s not how we built America.  That’s not who we are.  We built this country together.  (Applause.)  We built this country together.
We built railroads and highways; the Hoover Dam, the Golden Gate Bridge -- together.  We sent my grandfather’s generation to college on the GI Bill -- together.  We instituted a minimum wage and worker safety laws -- together.  Together, we touched the surface of the moon, unlocked the mystery of the atom, connected the world through our own science and imagination.  We did these things together -- not because they benefited any particular individual or group, but because they made us all richer.  Because they gave us all opportunity.  Because they moved us forward together -- as one people, as one nation.  (Applause.)  
That’s the true lesson of our past, Ohio.  That’s the right vision for our future.  And that’s why I’m running for President.  (Applause.)    
I’m running to make sure that by the end of the decade, more of our citizens hold a college degree than any other nation on Earth.  (Applause.)  I want to help our schools hire and reward the best teachers, especially in math and science.  (Applause.)  I want to give two million more Americans the chance to go to community colleges and learn the skills that local businesses are looking for right now.  In the 21st century, higher education can’t be a luxury -- it is an economic imperative that every American should be able to afford.  That’s the choice in this election.  That’s why I’m running for President.  (Applause.)
I’m running to make sure the next generation of high-tech manufacturing takes root in places like Columbus and Cleveland and Pittsburgh and Richmond.  I want to stop rewarding businesses that ship jobs and profits overseas, and start rewarding companies that create jobs right here in the United States of America.  That’s the choice in this election.  (Applause.) 
I’m running so that we can keep moving towards a future where we control our own energy.  Our dependence on foreign oil is at its lowest point in 16 years.  (Applause.)  By the middle of the next decade, our cars will average nearly 55 miles per gallon.  Thousands of Americans have jobs, right now, because the production of renewal energy in this country has nearly doubled in just three years.  (Applause.)  
So now is not the time to cut these investments to pay for another $4 billion giveaway to the oil companies.  Now is the time to end the subsidies for an industry that’s rarely been more profitable.  (Applause.)  Let’s double down on a clean energy future that’s never been more promising -- for our economy, and for our security, and for the safety of our planet.  That’s why I’m running for President.  That’s the choice in this election, Ohio.  (Applause.)  
AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!
THE PRESIDENT:  For the first time in nine years, there are no Americans fighting in Iraq.  (Applause.)  Osama bin Laden is no longer a threat to this country.  (Applause.)  Al Qaeda is on the path to defeat.  And by 2014, the war in Afghanistan will be over.  (Applause.)  
America is safer and more respected because of the courage and selflessness of the United States Armed Forces.  (Applause.)  And as long as I’m Commander-in-Chief, this country will care for our veterans and serve our veterans as well as they’ve served us -- (applause) -- because nobody who fights for this country should have to fight for a job or a roof over their heads when they come home.  (Applause.)  
My opponent said it was “tragic” to end the war in Iraq.  He said he won’t set a timeline for ending the war in Afghanistan. 
AUDIENCE:  Booo --
THE PRESIDENT:  I have, and I intend to keep it.  (Applause.)  After a decade of war that’s cost us thousands of lives and over a trillion dollars, the nation we need to build is our own.  (Applause.)  I will use half of what we’re no longer spending on war to pay down the deficit, and the other half to repair our roads and our bridges, our runways and our wireless networks.  That’s the choice in this election -- to rebuild America.  (Applause.)  
I’m running to pay down our debt in a way that’s balanced and responsible.  After inheriting a $1 trillion deficit, I signed $2 trillion of spending cuts into law.  And now I want to finish the job by streamlining government and cutting more waste, and reforming our tax code so that it is simpler and fairer, and asks the wealthiest Americans to pay a little bit more.  (Applause.)   
My opponent won’t tell us how he’d pay for his new,
$5 trillion tax cut -- a tax cut that gives an average of $250,000 to every millionaire in this country. 
AUDIENCE:  Booo --
THE PRESIDENT:  But we know the bill for that tax cut will either be passed on to our children, or it will be paid for by a whole lot of ordinary Americans.  That’s what we know.  And I refuse to let that happen again.  (Applause.) 
I refuse to pay for another millionaire’s tax cut by eliminating medical research projects into things like cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.  I refuse to pay for another tax cut by kicking children off of Head Start programs; or asking students to pay more for college; or eliminating health insurance for millions of poor and elderly and disabled Americans on Medicaid.  (Applause.)  
And as long as I’m President of the United States, I will never allow Medicare to be turned into a voucher that would end the program as we know it.  (Applause.)  We will not go back to the days when our citizens spent their golden years at the mercy of private insurance companies.  We will reform Medicare -- not by shifting the cost of care to seniors, but by reducing the spending that isn’t making people healthier.  (Applause.)  That’s what’s at stake in this election.  That’s what’s at stake, Ohio. 
On issue after issue, we can’t afford to spend the next four years going backward.  America doesn’t need to refight the battles we just had over Wall Street reform and health care reform.  On health care reform, here is what I know:  Allowing 2.5 million young people to stay on their parents’ health insurance plan -- that was the right thing to do.  (Applause.)  Cutting prescription drug costs for seniors -- that was the right thing to do.  (Applause.)  I will not go back to the days when insurance companies had unchecked power to cancel your policy, or deny you coverage, or charge women differently from men.  We’re not going back there.  We’re going forward.  (Applause.)    
We don’t need another political fight about ending a woman’s right to choose, or getting rid of Planned Parenthood -- (applause) -- or taking away access to affordable birth control.  I want women to control their own health choices, just like I want my daughters to have the same opportunities as your sons.  (Applause.)  We are not turning back the clock.  We are moving forward.  (Applause.)  
We’re not returning to the days when you could be kicked out of the United States military just because of who you are or who you love.  (Applause.)  That would be wrong for our national security, and it would be a betrayal of our values.   
This should be the last election where multimillion-dollar donations speak louder than the voices of ordinary citizens.  (Applause.)  We need more checks on lobbyists and special interests, not less. 
We’re not going to eliminate the EPA.  We’re not going to roll back the bargaining rights that generations of workers fought for.  (Applause.)  It’s time to stop denying citizenship to responsible young people just because they’re the children of undocumented immigrants.  (Applause.)  This country is at its best when we harness the God-given talents of every individual; when we hear every voice; when we come together as one American family, striving for the same dream. 
That’s what we’re fighting for.  That's what we're fighting for, Ohio.  A bold America.  A competitive America.  A generous America.  A forward-looking America, where everybody has a chance to make of their life what they will.  That’s what made us the envy of the world.  That’s what makes us great.  That’s why I’m running again for President of the United States.  (Applause.)
AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!
THE PRESIDENT:  And that is why I need your help.  Ohio, this election will be even closer than the last.  Too many of our friends, too many of our neighbors are still hurting because of this crisis.  I've heard from too many people wondering why they haven't been able to get one of the jobs that have been created; why their home is still under water; why their family hasn't yet been touched by the recovery.
The other side won't be offering these Americans a real answer to these questions.  They won't offer a better vision or a new set of ideas.  But they will be spending more money than we've ever seen before on negative ads, on TV, on radio, in the mail, on the Internet -- ads that exploit people's frustrations for my opponent's political gain.  Over and over again, they will tell you that America is down and out, and they'll tell you who to blame, and ask if you’re better off than you were before the worst crisis in our lifetime.

We’ve seen that play before.  But you know what?  The real question -- the question that will actually make a difference in your life and in the lives of your children -- is not just about how we’re doing today.  It’s about how we’ll be doing tomorrow. 
Will we better off if more Americans get a better education?  That’s the question.  Will we better off if we depend less on foreign oil and more on our own ingenuity?  That's the question.  (Applause.)  Will we better off if we start doing some nation-building right here at home?  That's the question.  Will we be better off if we bring down our deficit without gutting the very things we need to grow?  When we look back four years from now, or ten years from now, or twenty years from now, won’t we be better off if we have the courage to keep moving forward?  (Applause.)  
That’s the question in this election.  That's the question in this election.  And the outcome is entirely up to you.  Now, sure, we’ll have to contend with even more negative ads, with even more cynicism and nastiness, and sometimes just plain foolishness.  There will be more of that than we saw in the last campaign.   
But if there is one thing that we learned in 2008, it’s that nothing is more powerful than millions of voices calling for change.  (Applause.)  When enough of you knock on doors, when you pick up phones, when you talk to your friends, when you decide that it’s time for change to happen, guess what?  Change happens.  Change comes to America.  (Applause.)
And that’s the spirit we need again.  If people ask you what this campaign is about, you tell them it’s still about hope.  You tell them it’s still about change.  You tell them it’s still about ordinary people who believe that in the face of great odds, we can make a difference in the life of this country.  (Applause.)
Because I still believe, Ohio.  I still believe that we are not as divided as our politics suggest.  I still believe that we have more in common than the pundits tell us; that we're not Democrats or Republicans, but Americans first and foremost.  (Applause.)  I still believe in you, and I’m asking you to keep believing in me.  (Applause.)  I told you in 2008 that I wasn’t a perfect man, and I would never be a perfect President.  But I promised that I would always tell you what I thought.  I would always tell you where I stood.  And I would wake up every single day fighting for you as hard as I know how.  (Applause.)
And I have that kept that promise.  I have kept that promise, Ohio.  And I will keep it so long as I have the honor of being your President.  So if you’re willing to stick with me, if you're willing to fight with me, and press on with me; if you’re willing to work even harder in this election than you did in the last election, I guarantee you -- we will move this country forward.  (Applause.)
We will finish what we started.  We are still fired up.  We are still ready to go.  And we are going to remind the world once more just why it is that the United States of America is the greatest nation on Earth.  (Applause.)
Thank you, God bless you.  God bless the United States of America.
 END                          1:55 P.M. EDT

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