http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93963863
Transcript: Michelle Obama's 2008 Convention Speech
August 25, 200810:36 PM ET
In these prepared remarks, Michelle Obama talks about her personal story of growing up on the South Side of Chicago and giving up a corporate law job for public service. She discusses her marriage with Barack Obama and their commitment to their children — and, in particular, highlights the Obamas' commitment to working families. The speech as delivered may vary from the following text.
As you might imagine, for Barack, running for president is nothing compared to that first game of basketball with my brother, Craig.
I can't tell you how much it means to have Craig and my mom here tonight. Like Craig, I can feel my dad looking down on us, just as I've felt his presence in every grace-filled moment of my life.
At 6-foot-6, I've often felt like Craig was looking down on me too ... literally. But the truth is, both when we were kids and today, he wasn't looking down on me. He was watching over me.
And he's been there for me every step of the way since that clear February day 19 months ago, when — with little more than our faith in each other and a hunger for change — we joined my husband, Barack Obama, on the improbable journey that's brought us to this moment.
But each of us also comes here tonight by way of our own improbable journey.
I come here tonight as a sister, blessed with a brother who is my mentor, my protector and my lifelong friend.
I come here as a wife who loves my husband and believes he will be an extraordinary president.
I come here as a mom whose girls are the heart of my heart and the center of my world — they're the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning, and the last thing I think about when I go to bed at night. Their future — and all our children's future — is my stake in this election.
And I come here as a daughter — raised on the South Side of Chicago by a father who was a blue-collar city worker and a mother who stayed at home with my brother and me. My mother's love has always been a sustaining force for our family, and one of my greatest joys is seeing her integrity, her compassion and her intelligence reflected in my own daughters.
My dad was our rock. Although he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in his early 30s, he was our provider, our champion, our hero. As he got sicker, it got harder for him to walk, it took him longer to get dressed in the morning. But if he was in pain, he never let on. He never stopped smiling and laughing — even while struggling to button his shirt, even while using two canes to get himself across the room to give my mom a kiss. He just woke up a little earlier and worked a little harder.
He and my mom poured everything they had into me and Craig. It was the greatest gift a child can receive: never doubting for a single minute that you're loved, and cherished, and have a place in this world. And thanks to their faith and hard work, we both were able to go on to college. So I know firsthand from their lives — and mine — that the American dream endures.
And you know, what struck me when I first met Barack was that even though he had this funny name, even though he'd grown up all the way across the continent in Hawaii, his family was so much like mine. He was raised by grandparents who were working-class folks just like my parents, and by a single mother who struggled to pay the bills just like we did. Like my family, they scrimped and saved so that he could have opportunities they never had themselves. And Barack and I were raised with so many of the same values: that you work hard for what you want in life; that your word is your bond and you do what you say you're going to do; that you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don't know them, and even if you don't agree with them.
And Barack and I set out to build lives guided by these values, and pass them on to the next generation. Because we want our children — and all children in this nation — to know that the only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.
And as our friendship grew, and I learned more about Barack, he introduced me to the work he'd done when he first moved to Chicago after college. Instead of heading to Wall Street, Barack had gone to work in neighborhoods devastated when steel plants shut down and jobs dried up. And he'd been invited back to speak to people from those neighborhoods about how to rebuild their community.
The people gathered together that day were ordinary folks doing the best they could to build a good life. They were parents living paycheck to paycheck; grandparents trying to get by on a fixed income; men frustrated that they couldn't support their families after their jobs disappeared. Those folks weren't asking for a handout or a shortcut. They were ready to work — they wanted to contribute. They believed — like you and I believe — that America should be a place where you can make it if you try.
Barack stood up that day, and spoke words that have stayed with me ever since. He talked about "The world as it is" and "The world as it should be." And he said that all too often, we accept the distance between the two, and settle for the world as it is — even when it doesn't reflect our values and aspirations. But he reminded us that we know what our world should look like. We know what fairness and justice and opportunity look like. And he urged us to believe in ourselves — to find the strength within ourselves to strive for the world as it should be. And isn't that the great American story?
It's the story of men and women gathered in churches and union halls, in town squares and high school gyms — people who stood up and marched and risked everything they had — refusing to settle, determined to mold our future into the shape of our ideals.
It is because of their will and determination that this week, we celebrate two anniversaries: the 88th anniversary of women winning the right to vote, and the 45th anniversary of that hot summer day when [Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.] lifted our sights and our hearts with his dream for our nation.
I stand here today at the crosscurrents of that history — knowing that my piece of the American dream is a blessing hard won by those who came before me. All of them driven by the same conviction that drove my dad to get up an hour early each day to painstakingly dress himself for work. The same conviction that drives the men and women I've met all across this country:
People who work the day shift, kiss their kids goodnight, and head out for the night shift — without disappointment, without regret — that goodnight kiss a reminder of everything they're working for.
The military families who say grace each night with an empty seat at the table. The servicemen and women who love this country so much, they leave those they love most to defend it.
The young people across America serving our communities — teaching children, cleaning up neighborhoods, caring for the least among us each and every day.
People like Hillary Clinton, who put those 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling, so that our daughters — and sons — can dream a little bigger and aim a little higher.
People like Joe Biden, who's never forgotten where he came from and never stopped fighting for folks who work long hours and face long odds and need someone on their side again.
All of us driven by a simple belief that the world as it is just won't do — that we have an obligation to fight for the world as it should be.
That is the thread that connects our hearts. That is the thread that runs through my journey and Barack's journey and so many other improbable journeys that have brought us here tonight, where the current of history meets this new tide of hope.
That is why I love this country.
And in my own life, in my own small way, I've tried to give back to this country that has given me so much. That's why I left a job at a law firm for a career in public service, working to empower young people to volunteer in their communities. Because I believe that each of us — no matter what our age or background or walk of life — each of us has something to contribute to the life of this nation.
It's a belief Barack shares — a belief at the heart of his life's work.
It's what he did all those years ago, on the streets of Chicago, setting up job training to get people back to work and after-school programs to keep kids safe — working block by block to help people lift up their families.
It's what he did in the Illinois Senate, moving people from welfare to jobs, passing tax cuts for hard-working families, and making sure women get equal pay for equal work.
It's what he's done in the United States Senate, fighting to ensure the men and women who serve this country are welcomed home not just with medals and parades but with good jobs and benefits and health care — including mental health care.
That's why he's running — to end the war in Iraq responsibly, to build an economy that lifts every family, to make health care available for every American, and to make sure every child in this nation gets a world class education all the way from preschool to college. That's what Barack Obama will do as president of the United States of America.
He'll achieve these goals the same way he always has — by bringing us together and reminding us how much we share and how alike we really are. You see, Barack doesn't care where you're from, or what your background is, or what party — if any — you belong to. That's not how he sees the world. He knows that thread that connects us — our belief in America's promise, our commitment to our children's future — is strong enough to hold us together as one nation even when we disagree.
It was strong enough to bring hope to those neighborhoods in Chicago.
It was strong enough to bring hope to the mother he met worried about her child in Iraq; hope to the man who's unemployed, but can't afford gas to find a job; hope to the student working nights to pay for her sister's health care, sleeping just a few hours a day.
And it was strong enough to bring hope to people who came out on a cold Iowa night and became the first voices in this chorus for change that's been echoed by millions of Americans from every corner of this nation.
Millions of Americans who know that Barack understands their dreams; that Barack will fight for people like them; and that Barack will finally bring the change we need.
And in the end, after all that's happened these past 19 months, the Barack Obama I know today is the same man I fell in love with 19 years ago. He's the same man who drove me and our new baby daughter home from the hospital 10 years ago this summer, inching along at a snail's pace, peering anxiously at us in the rearview mirror, feeling the whole weight of her future in his hands, determined to give her everything he'd struggled so hard for himself, determined to give her what he never had: the affirming embrace of a father's love.
And as I tuck that little girl and her little sister into bed at night, I think about how one day, they'll have families of their own. And one day, they — and your sons and daughters — will tell their own children about what we did together in this election. They'll tell them how this time, we listened to our hopes, instead of our fears. How this time, we decided to stop doubting and to start dreaming. How this time, in this great country — where a girl from the South Side of Chicago can go to college and law school, and the son of a single mother from Hawaii can go all the way to the White House – we committed ourselves to building the world as it should be.
So tonight, in honor of my father's memory and my daughters' future — out of gratitude to those whose triumphs we mark this week, and those whose everyday sacrifices have brought us to this moment — let us devote ourselves to finishing their work; let us work together to fulfill their hopes; and let us stand together to elect Barack Obama president of the United States of America.
Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.
Source: The Democratic National Convention
Showing posts with label Michelle Obama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michelle Obama. Show all posts
Michelle Obama' speech at Hillary for America Campaign Event in Manchester, NH, October 13, 2016
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/10/13/remarks-first-lady-hillary-america-campaign-event-manchester-nh
Remarks by the First Lady at Hillary for America Campaign Event in Manchester, Nh
October 13, 2016
Southern New Hampshire University
Manchester, New Hampshire
12:34 P.M. EDT
MRS. OBAMA: My goodness! (Applause.) You guys are fired up! (Applause.) Well, let me just say hello, everyone. (Applause.) I am so thrilled to be here with you all today in New Hampshire. This is like home to me, and this day -- thank you for a beautiful fall day. You just ordered this day up for me, didn’t you? (Applause.) It’s great to be here.
Let me start by thanking your fabulous governor, your next U.S. senator, Maggie Hassan. (Applause.) I want to thank her for that lovely introduction. I also want to recognize your Congresswoman, Annie McKlane Kuster, who’s a dear, dear friend. (Applause.) Your soon-to-be Congresswoman once again, Carol Shea Porter -- (applause) -- all of whom have been just terrific friends to us. And your Executive Council and candidate for governor, Colin Van Ostern. (Applause.)
And, of course, thanks to all of you for taking the time to be here today. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE MEMBER: We love you! (Applause.)
MRS. OBAMA: Thanks so much. That’s very sweet of you. I love you guys too. I can’t believe it’s just a few weeks before Election Day, as we come together to support the next President and Vice President of the United States, Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine! (Applause.) And New Hampshire is going to be important, as always.
So I’m going to get a little serious here, because I think we can all agree that this has been a rough week in an already rough election. This week has been particularly interesting for me personally because it has been a week of profound contrast.
See, on Tuesday, at the White House, we celebrated the International Day of the Girl and Let Girls Learn. (Applause.) And it was a wonderful celebration. It was the last event that I’m going to be doing as First Lady for Let Girls Learn. And I had the pleasure of spending hours talking to some of the most amazing young women you will ever meet, young girls here in the U.S. and all around the world. And we talked about their hopes and their dreams. We talked about their aspirations. See, because many of these girls have faced unthinkable obstacles just to attend school, jeopardizing their personal safety, their freedom, risking the rejection of their families and communities.
So I thought it would be important to remind these young women how valuable and precious they are. I wanted them to understand that the measure of any society is how it treats its women and girls. (Applause.) And I told them that they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and I told them that they should disregard anyone who demeans or devalues them, and that they should make their voices heard in the world. And I walked away feeling so inspired, just like I’m inspired by all the young people here -- (applause) -- and I was so uplifted by these girls. That was Tuesday.
And now, here I am, out on the campaign trail in an election where we have consistently been hearing hurtful, hateful language about women -- language that has been painful for so many of us, not just as women, but as parents trying to protect our children and raise them to be caring, respectful adults, and as citizens who think that our nation’s leaders should meet basic standards of human decency. (Applause.)
The fact is that in this election, we have a candidate for President of the United States who, over the course of his lifetime and the course of this campaign, has said things about women that are so shocking, so demeaning that I simply will not repeat anything here today. And last week, we saw this candidate actually bragging about sexually assaulting women. And I can’t believe that I’m saying that a candidate for President of the United States has bragged about sexually assaulting women.
And I have to tell you that I can’t stop thinking about this. It has shaken me to my core in a way that I couldn’t have predicted. So while I’d love nothing more than to pretend like this isn’t happening, and to come out here and do my normal campaign speech, it would be dishonest and disingenuous to me to just move on to the next thing like this was all just a bad dream.
This is not something that we can ignore. It’s not something we can just sweep under the rug as just another disturbing footnote in a sad election season. Because this was not just a “lewd conversation.” This wasn’t just locker-room banter. This was a powerful individual speaking freely and openly about sexually predatory behavior, and actually bragging about kissing and groping women, using language so obscene that many of us were worried about our children hearing it when we turn on the TV.
And to make matters worse, it now seems very clear that this isn’t an isolated incident. It’s one of countless examples of how he has treated women his whole life. And I have to tell you that I listen to all of this and I feel it so personally, and I’m sure that many of you do too, particularly the women. The shameful comments about our bodies. The disrespect of our ambitions and intellect. The belief that you can do anything you want to a woman.
It is cruel. It’s frightening. And the truth is, it hurts. It hurts. It’s like that sick, sinking feeling you get when you’re walking down the street minding your own business and some guy yells out vulgar words about your body. Or when you see that guy at work that stands just a little too close, stares a little too long, and makes you feel uncomfortable in your own skin.
It’s that feeling of terror and violation that too many women have felt when someone has grabbed them, or forced himself on them and they’ve said no but he didn’t listen -- something that we know happens on college campuses and countless other places every single day. It reminds us of stories we heard from our mothers and grandmothers about how, back in their day, the boss could say and do whatever he pleased to the women in the office, and even though they worked so hard, jumped over every hurdle to prove themselves, it was never enough.
We thought all of that was ancient history, didn’t we? And so many have worked for so many years to end this kind of violence and abuse and disrespect, but here we are, in 2016, and we’re hearing these exact same things every day on the campaign trail. We are drowning in it. And all of us are doing what women have always done: We’re trying to keep our heads above water, just trying to get through it, trying to pretend like this doesn’t really bother us maybe because we think that admitting how much it hurts makes us as women look weak. Maybe we’re afraid to be that vulnerable. Maybe we’ve grown accustomed to swallowing these emotions and staying quiet, because we’ve seen that people often won’t take our word over his. Or maybe we don’t want to believe that there are still people out there who think so little of us as women. Too many are treating this as just another day’s headline, as if our outrage is overblown or unwarranted, as if this is normal, just politics as usual.
But, New Hampshire, be clear: This is not normal. This is not politics as usual. (Applause.) This is disgraceful. It is intolerable. And it doesn’t matter what party you belong to -- Democrat, Republican, independent -- no woman deserves to be treated this way. None of us deserves this kind of abuse. (Applause.)
And I know it’s a campaign, but this isn’t about politics. It’s about basic human decency. It’s about right and wrong. (Applause.) And we simply cannot endure this, or expose our children to this any longer -- not for another minute, and let alone for four years. (Applause.) Now is the time for all of us to stand up and say enough is enough. (Applause.) This has got to stop right now. (Applause.)
Because consider this: If all of this is painful to us as grown women, what do you think this is doing to our children? What message are our little girls hearing about who they should look like, how they should act? What lessons are they learning about their value as professionals, as human beings, about their dreams and aspirations? And how is this affecting men and boys in this country? Because I can tell you that the men in my life do not talk about women like this. And I know that my family is not unusual. (Applause.) And to dismiss this as everyday locker-room talk is an insult to decent men everywhere. (Applause.)
The men that you and I know don’t treat women this way. They are loving fathers who are sickened by the thought of their daughters being exposed to this kind of vicious language about women. They are husbands and brothers and sons who don’t tolerate women being treated and demeaned and disrespected. (Applause.) And like us, these men are worried about the impact this election is having on our boys who are looking for role models of what it means to be a man. (Applause.)
In fact, someone recently told me a story about their six-year-old son who one day was watching the news -- they were watching the news together. And the little boy, out of the blue, said, “I think Hillary Clinton will be President.” And his mom said, “Well, why do you say that?” And this little six-year-old said, “Because the other guy called someone a piggy, and,” he said, “you cannot be President if you call someone a piggy.” (Applause.)
So even a six-year-old knows better. A six-year-old knows that this is not how adults behave. This is not how decent human beings behave. And this is certainly not how someone who wants to be President of the United States behaves. (Applause.)
Because let’s be very clear: Strong men -- men who are truly role models -- don’t need to put down women to make themselves feel powerful. (Applause.) People who are truly strong lift others up. People who are truly powerful bring others together. And that is what we need in our next President. We need someone who is a uniting force in this country. We need someone who will heal the wounds that divide us, someone who truly cares about us and our children, someone with strength and compassion to lead this country forward. (Applause.)
And let me tell you, I’m here today because I believe with all of my heart that Hillary Clinton will be that President. (Applause.)
See, we know that Hillary is the right person for the job because we’ve seen her character and commitment not just in this campaign, but over the course of her entire life. The fact is that Hillary embodies so many of the values that we try so hard to teach our young people. We tell our young people “Work hard in school, get a good education.” We encourage them to use that education to help others -- which is exactly what Hillary did with her college and law degrees, advocating for kids with disabilities, fighting for children’s health care as First Lady, affordable child care in the Senate. (Applause.)
We teach our kids the value of being a team player, which is what Hillary exemplified when she lost the 2008 election and actually agreed to work for her opponent as our Secretary of State -- (applause) -- earning sky-high approval ratings serving her country once again. (Applause.)
We also teach our kids that you don’t take shortcuts in life, and you strive for meaningful success in whatever job you do. Well, Hillary has been a lawyer, a law professor, First Lady of Arkansas, First Lady of the United States, a U.S. senator, Secretary of State. And she has been successful in every role, gaining more experience and exposure to the presidency than any candidate in our lifetime -- more than Barack, more than Bill. (Applause.) And, yes, she happens to be a woman. (Applause.)
And finally, we teach our kids that when you hit challenges in life, you don’t give up, you stick with it. Well, during her four years as Secretary of State alone, Hillary has faced her share of challenges. She’s traveled to 112 countries, negotiated a ceasefire, a peace agreement, a release of dissidents. She spent 11 hours testifying before a congressional committee. We know that when things get tough, Hillary doesn’t complain. She doesn’t blame others. She doesn’t abandon ship for something easier. No, Hillary Clinton has never quit on anything in her life. (Applause.)
So in Hillary, we have a candidate who has dedicated her life to public service, someone who has waited her turn and helped out while waiting. (Applause.) She is an outstanding mother. She has raised a phenomenal young woman. She is a loving, loyal wife. She’s a devoted daughter who cared for her mother until her final days. And if any of us had raised a daughter like Hillary Clinton, we would be so proud. We would be proud. (Applause.)
And regardless of who her opponent might be, no one could be more qualified for this job than Hillary -- no one. And in this election, if we turn away from her, if we just stand by and allow her opponent to be elected, then what are we teaching our children about the values they should hold, about the kind of life they should lead? What are we saying?
In our hearts, we all know that if we let Hillary’s opponent win this election, then we are sending a clear message to our kids that everything they’re seeing and hearing is perfectly okay. We are validating it. We are endorsing it. We’re telling our sons that it’s okay to humiliate women. We’re telling our daughters that this is how they deserve to be treated. We’re telling all our kids that bigotry and bullying are perfectly acceptable in the leader of their country. Is that what we want for our children?
AUDIENCE: No!
MRS. OBAMA: And remember, we won’t just be setting a bad example for our kids, but for our entire world. Because for so long, America has been a model for countries across the globe, pushing them to educate their girls, insisting that they give more rights to their women. But if we have a President who routinely degrades women, who brags about sexually assaulting women, then how can we maintain our moral authority in the world? How can we continue to be a beacon of freedom and justice and human dignity? (Applause.)
Well, fortunately, New Hampshire, here’s the beauty: We have everything we need to stop this madness. You see, while our mothers and grandmothers were often powerless to change their circumstances, today, we as women have all the power we need to determine the outcome of this election. (Applause.)
We have knowledge. We have a voice. We have a vote. And on November the 8th, we as women, we as Americans, we as decent human beings can come together and declare that enough is enough, and we do not tolerate this kind of behavior in this country. (Applause.)
Remember this: In 2012, women’s votes were the difference between Barack winning and losing in key swing states, including right here in New Hampshire. (Applause.) So for anyone who might be thinking that your one vote doesn’t really matter, or that one person can’t really make a difference, consider this: Back in 2012, Barack won New Hampshire by about 40,000 votes, which sounds like a lot. But when you break that number down, the difference between winning and losing this state was only 66 votes per precinct. Just take that in. If 66 people each precinct had gone the other way, Barack would have lost.
So each of you right here today could help swing an entire precinct and win this election for Hillary just by getting yourselves, your families, and your friends and neighbors out to vote. You can do it right here. (Applause.) But you could also help swing an entire precinct for Hillary’s opponent with a protest vote or by staying home out of frustration.
Because here’s the truth: Either Hillary Clinton or her opponent will be elected President this year. And if you vote for someone other than Hillary, or if you don’t vote at all, then you are helping to elect her opponent. And just think about how you will feel if that happens. Imagine waking up on November the 9th and looking into the eyes of your daughter or son, or looking into your own eyes as you stare into the mirror. Imagine how you’ll feel if you stayed home, or if you didn’t do everything possible to elect Hillary.
We simply cannot let that happen. We cannot allow ourselves to be so disgusted that we just shut off the TV and walk away. And we can’t just sit around wringing our hands. Now, we need to recover from our shock and depression and do what women have always done in this country. We need you to roll up your sleeves. We need to get to work. (Applause.) Because remember this: When they go low, we go --
AUDIENCE: High!
MRS. OBAMA: Yes, we do. (Applause.)
And voting ourselves is a great start, but we also have to step up and start organizing. So we need you to make calls, and knock on doors, and get folks to the polls on Election Day, and sign up to volunteer with one of the Hillary campaign folks who are here today just waiting for you to step up. (Applause.)
And, young people and not-so-young people, get on social media. (Applause.) Share your own story of why this election matters, why it should matter for all people of conscience in this country. There is so much at stake in this election.
See, the choice you make November 8th could determine whether we have a President who treats people with respect -- or not. A President who will fight for kids, for good schools, for good jobs for our families -- or not. A President who thinks that women deserve the right to make our own choices about our bodies and our health -- or not. (Applause.) That’s just a little bit of what’s at stake.
So we cannot afford to be tired or turned off. And we cannot afford to stay home on Election Day. Because on November the 8th, we have the power to show our children that America’s greatness comes from recognizing the innate dignity and worth of all our people. On November the 8th, we can show our children that this country is big enough to have a place for us all -- men and women, folks of every background and walk of life -- and that each of us is a precious part of this great American story, and we are always stronger together. (Applause.)
On November 8th, we can show our children that here in America, we reject hatred and fear -- (applause) -- and in difficult times, we don’t discard our highest ideals. No, we rise up to meet them. We rise up to perfect our union. We rise up to defend our blessings of liberty. We rise up to embody the values of equality and opportunity and sacrifice that have always made this country the greatest nation on Earth. (Applause.)
That is who we are. (Applause.) And don’t ever let anyone tell you differently. (Applause.) Hope is important. Hope is important for our young people. And we deserve a President who can see those truths in us -- a President who can bring us together and bring out the very best in us. Hillary Clinton will be that President. (Applause.)
So for the next 26 days, we need to do everything we can to help her and Tim Kaine win this election. I know I’m going to be doing it. Are you with me? (Applause.) Are you all with me? (Applause.) You ready to roll up your sleeves? Get to work knocking on doors?
All right, let’s get to work. Thank you all. God bless. (Applause.)
END
1:00 P.M. EDT
Remarks by the First Lady at Hillary for America Campaign Event in Manchester, Nh
October 13, 2016
Southern New Hampshire University
Manchester, New Hampshire
12:34 P.M. EDT
MRS. OBAMA: My goodness! (Applause.) You guys are fired up! (Applause.) Well, let me just say hello, everyone. (Applause.) I am so thrilled to be here with you all today in New Hampshire. This is like home to me, and this day -- thank you for a beautiful fall day. You just ordered this day up for me, didn’t you? (Applause.) It’s great to be here.
Let me start by thanking your fabulous governor, your next U.S. senator, Maggie Hassan. (Applause.) I want to thank her for that lovely introduction. I also want to recognize your Congresswoman, Annie McKlane Kuster, who’s a dear, dear friend. (Applause.) Your soon-to-be Congresswoman once again, Carol Shea Porter -- (applause) -- all of whom have been just terrific friends to us. And your Executive Council and candidate for governor, Colin Van Ostern. (Applause.)
And, of course, thanks to all of you for taking the time to be here today. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE MEMBER: We love you! (Applause.)
MRS. OBAMA: Thanks so much. That’s very sweet of you. I love you guys too. I can’t believe it’s just a few weeks before Election Day, as we come together to support the next President and Vice President of the United States, Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine! (Applause.) And New Hampshire is going to be important, as always.
So I’m going to get a little serious here, because I think we can all agree that this has been a rough week in an already rough election. This week has been particularly interesting for me personally because it has been a week of profound contrast.
See, on Tuesday, at the White House, we celebrated the International Day of the Girl and Let Girls Learn. (Applause.) And it was a wonderful celebration. It was the last event that I’m going to be doing as First Lady for Let Girls Learn. And I had the pleasure of spending hours talking to some of the most amazing young women you will ever meet, young girls here in the U.S. and all around the world. And we talked about their hopes and their dreams. We talked about their aspirations. See, because many of these girls have faced unthinkable obstacles just to attend school, jeopardizing their personal safety, their freedom, risking the rejection of their families and communities.
So I thought it would be important to remind these young women how valuable and precious they are. I wanted them to understand that the measure of any society is how it treats its women and girls. (Applause.) And I told them that they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and I told them that they should disregard anyone who demeans or devalues them, and that they should make their voices heard in the world. And I walked away feeling so inspired, just like I’m inspired by all the young people here -- (applause) -- and I was so uplifted by these girls. That was Tuesday.
And now, here I am, out on the campaign trail in an election where we have consistently been hearing hurtful, hateful language about women -- language that has been painful for so many of us, not just as women, but as parents trying to protect our children and raise them to be caring, respectful adults, and as citizens who think that our nation’s leaders should meet basic standards of human decency. (Applause.)
The fact is that in this election, we have a candidate for President of the United States who, over the course of his lifetime and the course of this campaign, has said things about women that are so shocking, so demeaning that I simply will not repeat anything here today. And last week, we saw this candidate actually bragging about sexually assaulting women. And I can’t believe that I’m saying that a candidate for President of the United States has bragged about sexually assaulting women.
And I have to tell you that I can’t stop thinking about this. It has shaken me to my core in a way that I couldn’t have predicted. So while I’d love nothing more than to pretend like this isn’t happening, and to come out here and do my normal campaign speech, it would be dishonest and disingenuous to me to just move on to the next thing like this was all just a bad dream.
This is not something that we can ignore. It’s not something we can just sweep under the rug as just another disturbing footnote in a sad election season. Because this was not just a “lewd conversation.” This wasn’t just locker-room banter. This was a powerful individual speaking freely and openly about sexually predatory behavior, and actually bragging about kissing and groping women, using language so obscene that many of us were worried about our children hearing it when we turn on the TV.
And to make matters worse, it now seems very clear that this isn’t an isolated incident. It’s one of countless examples of how he has treated women his whole life. And I have to tell you that I listen to all of this and I feel it so personally, and I’m sure that many of you do too, particularly the women. The shameful comments about our bodies. The disrespect of our ambitions and intellect. The belief that you can do anything you want to a woman.
It is cruel. It’s frightening. And the truth is, it hurts. It hurts. It’s like that sick, sinking feeling you get when you’re walking down the street minding your own business and some guy yells out vulgar words about your body. Or when you see that guy at work that stands just a little too close, stares a little too long, and makes you feel uncomfortable in your own skin.
It’s that feeling of terror and violation that too many women have felt when someone has grabbed them, or forced himself on them and they’ve said no but he didn’t listen -- something that we know happens on college campuses and countless other places every single day. It reminds us of stories we heard from our mothers and grandmothers about how, back in their day, the boss could say and do whatever he pleased to the women in the office, and even though they worked so hard, jumped over every hurdle to prove themselves, it was never enough.
We thought all of that was ancient history, didn’t we? And so many have worked for so many years to end this kind of violence and abuse and disrespect, but here we are, in 2016, and we’re hearing these exact same things every day on the campaign trail. We are drowning in it. And all of us are doing what women have always done: We’re trying to keep our heads above water, just trying to get through it, trying to pretend like this doesn’t really bother us maybe because we think that admitting how much it hurts makes us as women look weak. Maybe we’re afraid to be that vulnerable. Maybe we’ve grown accustomed to swallowing these emotions and staying quiet, because we’ve seen that people often won’t take our word over his. Or maybe we don’t want to believe that there are still people out there who think so little of us as women. Too many are treating this as just another day’s headline, as if our outrage is overblown or unwarranted, as if this is normal, just politics as usual.
But, New Hampshire, be clear: This is not normal. This is not politics as usual. (Applause.) This is disgraceful. It is intolerable. And it doesn’t matter what party you belong to -- Democrat, Republican, independent -- no woman deserves to be treated this way. None of us deserves this kind of abuse. (Applause.)
And I know it’s a campaign, but this isn’t about politics. It’s about basic human decency. It’s about right and wrong. (Applause.) And we simply cannot endure this, or expose our children to this any longer -- not for another minute, and let alone for four years. (Applause.) Now is the time for all of us to stand up and say enough is enough. (Applause.) This has got to stop right now. (Applause.)
Because consider this: If all of this is painful to us as grown women, what do you think this is doing to our children? What message are our little girls hearing about who they should look like, how they should act? What lessons are they learning about their value as professionals, as human beings, about their dreams and aspirations? And how is this affecting men and boys in this country? Because I can tell you that the men in my life do not talk about women like this. And I know that my family is not unusual. (Applause.) And to dismiss this as everyday locker-room talk is an insult to decent men everywhere. (Applause.)
The men that you and I know don’t treat women this way. They are loving fathers who are sickened by the thought of their daughters being exposed to this kind of vicious language about women. They are husbands and brothers and sons who don’t tolerate women being treated and demeaned and disrespected. (Applause.) And like us, these men are worried about the impact this election is having on our boys who are looking for role models of what it means to be a man. (Applause.)
In fact, someone recently told me a story about their six-year-old son who one day was watching the news -- they were watching the news together. And the little boy, out of the blue, said, “I think Hillary Clinton will be President.” And his mom said, “Well, why do you say that?” And this little six-year-old said, “Because the other guy called someone a piggy, and,” he said, “you cannot be President if you call someone a piggy.” (Applause.)
So even a six-year-old knows better. A six-year-old knows that this is not how adults behave. This is not how decent human beings behave. And this is certainly not how someone who wants to be President of the United States behaves. (Applause.)
Because let’s be very clear: Strong men -- men who are truly role models -- don’t need to put down women to make themselves feel powerful. (Applause.) People who are truly strong lift others up. People who are truly powerful bring others together. And that is what we need in our next President. We need someone who is a uniting force in this country. We need someone who will heal the wounds that divide us, someone who truly cares about us and our children, someone with strength and compassion to lead this country forward. (Applause.)
And let me tell you, I’m here today because I believe with all of my heart that Hillary Clinton will be that President. (Applause.)
See, we know that Hillary is the right person for the job because we’ve seen her character and commitment not just in this campaign, but over the course of her entire life. The fact is that Hillary embodies so many of the values that we try so hard to teach our young people. We tell our young people “Work hard in school, get a good education.” We encourage them to use that education to help others -- which is exactly what Hillary did with her college and law degrees, advocating for kids with disabilities, fighting for children’s health care as First Lady, affordable child care in the Senate. (Applause.)
We teach our kids the value of being a team player, which is what Hillary exemplified when she lost the 2008 election and actually agreed to work for her opponent as our Secretary of State -- (applause) -- earning sky-high approval ratings serving her country once again. (Applause.)
We also teach our kids that you don’t take shortcuts in life, and you strive for meaningful success in whatever job you do. Well, Hillary has been a lawyer, a law professor, First Lady of Arkansas, First Lady of the United States, a U.S. senator, Secretary of State. And she has been successful in every role, gaining more experience and exposure to the presidency than any candidate in our lifetime -- more than Barack, more than Bill. (Applause.) And, yes, she happens to be a woman. (Applause.)
And finally, we teach our kids that when you hit challenges in life, you don’t give up, you stick with it. Well, during her four years as Secretary of State alone, Hillary has faced her share of challenges. She’s traveled to 112 countries, negotiated a ceasefire, a peace agreement, a release of dissidents. She spent 11 hours testifying before a congressional committee. We know that when things get tough, Hillary doesn’t complain. She doesn’t blame others. She doesn’t abandon ship for something easier. No, Hillary Clinton has never quit on anything in her life. (Applause.)
So in Hillary, we have a candidate who has dedicated her life to public service, someone who has waited her turn and helped out while waiting. (Applause.) She is an outstanding mother. She has raised a phenomenal young woman. She is a loving, loyal wife. She’s a devoted daughter who cared for her mother until her final days. And if any of us had raised a daughter like Hillary Clinton, we would be so proud. We would be proud. (Applause.)
And regardless of who her opponent might be, no one could be more qualified for this job than Hillary -- no one. And in this election, if we turn away from her, if we just stand by and allow her opponent to be elected, then what are we teaching our children about the values they should hold, about the kind of life they should lead? What are we saying?
In our hearts, we all know that if we let Hillary’s opponent win this election, then we are sending a clear message to our kids that everything they’re seeing and hearing is perfectly okay. We are validating it. We are endorsing it. We’re telling our sons that it’s okay to humiliate women. We’re telling our daughters that this is how they deserve to be treated. We’re telling all our kids that bigotry and bullying are perfectly acceptable in the leader of their country. Is that what we want for our children?
AUDIENCE: No!
MRS. OBAMA: And remember, we won’t just be setting a bad example for our kids, but for our entire world. Because for so long, America has been a model for countries across the globe, pushing them to educate their girls, insisting that they give more rights to their women. But if we have a President who routinely degrades women, who brags about sexually assaulting women, then how can we maintain our moral authority in the world? How can we continue to be a beacon of freedom and justice and human dignity? (Applause.)
Well, fortunately, New Hampshire, here’s the beauty: We have everything we need to stop this madness. You see, while our mothers and grandmothers were often powerless to change their circumstances, today, we as women have all the power we need to determine the outcome of this election. (Applause.)
We have knowledge. We have a voice. We have a vote. And on November the 8th, we as women, we as Americans, we as decent human beings can come together and declare that enough is enough, and we do not tolerate this kind of behavior in this country. (Applause.)
Remember this: In 2012, women’s votes were the difference between Barack winning and losing in key swing states, including right here in New Hampshire. (Applause.) So for anyone who might be thinking that your one vote doesn’t really matter, or that one person can’t really make a difference, consider this: Back in 2012, Barack won New Hampshire by about 40,000 votes, which sounds like a lot. But when you break that number down, the difference between winning and losing this state was only 66 votes per precinct. Just take that in. If 66 people each precinct had gone the other way, Barack would have lost.
So each of you right here today could help swing an entire precinct and win this election for Hillary just by getting yourselves, your families, and your friends and neighbors out to vote. You can do it right here. (Applause.) But you could also help swing an entire precinct for Hillary’s opponent with a protest vote or by staying home out of frustration.
Because here’s the truth: Either Hillary Clinton or her opponent will be elected President this year. And if you vote for someone other than Hillary, or if you don’t vote at all, then you are helping to elect her opponent. And just think about how you will feel if that happens. Imagine waking up on November the 9th and looking into the eyes of your daughter or son, or looking into your own eyes as you stare into the mirror. Imagine how you’ll feel if you stayed home, or if you didn’t do everything possible to elect Hillary.
We simply cannot let that happen. We cannot allow ourselves to be so disgusted that we just shut off the TV and walk away. And we can’t just sit around wringing our hands. Now, we need to recover from our shock and depression and do what women have always done in this country. We need you to roll up your sleeves. We need to get to work. (Applause.) Because remember this: When they go low, we go --
AUDIENCE: High!
MRS. OBAMA: Yes, we do. (Applause.)
And voting ourselves is a great start, but we also have to step up and start organizing. So we need you to make calls, and knock on doors, and get folks to the polls on Election Day, and sign up to volunteer with one of the Hillary campaign folks who are here today just waiting for you to step up. (Applause.)
And, young people and not-so-young people, get on social media. (Applause.) Share your own story of why this election matters, why it should matter for all people of conscience in this country. There is so much at stake in this election.
See, the choice you make November 8th could determine whether we have a President who treats people with respect -- or not. A President who will fight for kids, for good schools, for good jobs for our families -- or not. A President who thinks that women deserve the right to make our own choices about our bodies and our health -- or not. (Applause.) That’s just a little bit of what’s at stake.
So we cannot afford to be tired or turned off. And we cannot afford to stay home on Election Day. Because on November the 8th, we have the power to show our children that America’s greatness comes from recognizing the innate dignity and worth of all our people. On November the 8th, we can show our children that this country is big enough to have a place for us all -- men and women, folks of every background and walk of life -- and that each of us is a precious part of this great American story, and we are always stronger together. (Applause.)
On November 8th, we can show our children that here in America, we reject hatred and fear -- (applause) -- and in difficult times, we don’t discard our highest ideals. No, we rise up to meet them. We rise up to perfect our union. We rise up to defend our blessings of liberty. We rise up to embody the values of equality and opportunity and sacrifice that have always made this country the greatest nation on Earth. (Applause.)
That is who we are. (Applause.) And don’t ever let anyone tell you differently. (Applause.) Hope is important. Hope is important for our young people. And we deserve a President who can see those truths in us -- a President who can bring us together and bring out the very best in us. Hillary Clinton will be that President. (Applause.)
So for the next 26 days, we need to do everything we can to help her and Tim Kaine win this election. I know I’m going to be doing it. Are you with me? (Applause.) Are you all with me? (Applause.) You ready to roll up your sleeves? Get to work knocking on doors?
All right, let’s get to work. Thank you all. God bless. (Applause.)
END
1:00 P.M. EDT
Remarks by the First Lady at Tuskegee University Commencement Address
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/05/09/remarks-first-lady-tuskegee-university-commencement-address
May
09, 2015
Tuskegee University
Tuskegee, Alabama
12:30
P.M. CDT
MRS.
OBAMA: Thank you all. (Applause.)
Thank you so much. (Applause.)
Let’s let our graduates rest themselves.
You’ve worked hard for those seats!
(Applause.)
Let
me start by thanking President Johnson for that very gracious introduction, and
for awarding me with this honorary degree from an extraordinary
institution. I am proud to have this
degree -- very proud. (Applause.) Thank you.
Thank you so much. (Applause.)
I
want to recognize Major General Williams; Congresswoman Sewell; Zachary;
Kalauna; to all of the trustees, the faculty, the staff here at Tuskegee
University. Thank you -- thank you so
much for this warm welcome, this tremendous hospitality. And I'm so glad to be here. (Applause.)
Before
I begin, I just want to say that my heart goes out to everyone who knew and
loved Eric Marks, Jr. I understand he
was such a talented young man, a promising aerospace engineer who was well on
his way to achieving his dream of following in the footsteps of the Tuskegee
Airmen. And Eric was taken from us far
too soon. And our thoughts and prayers
will continue to be with his family, his friends, and this entire community. (Applause.)
I
also have to recognize the Concert Choir.
Wow, you guys are good! Well
done! (Applause.) Beautiful song. (Applause.) And I have to join in recognizing
all the folks up in the stands -- the parents, siblings, friends -- (applause)
-- so many others who have poured their love and support into these graduates
every step of the way. Yeah, this is
your day. (Applause.) Your day. (Applause.)
Now,
on this day before Mother’s Day, I’ve got to give a special shout-out to all
the moms here. (Applause.) Yay, moms! And I want you to consider this as
a public service announcement for anyone who hasn’t bought the flowers or the
cards or the gifts yet -- all right? I’m
trying to cover you. (Laughter.) But remember that one rule is “keep mom
happy.” (Laughter.) All right?
(Applause.)
And
finally, most of all, I want to congratulate the men and women of the Tuskegee
University Class of 2015!
(Applause.) T-U!
AUDIENCE: You know!
MRS.
OBAMA: I love that. (Applause.)
We can do that all day.
(Laughter.) I'm so proud of you
all. And you look good. (Applause.)
Well done!
You
all have come here from all across the country to study, to learn, maybe have a
little fun along the way -- from freshman year in Adams or Younge Hall --
(applause) -- to those late night food runs to The Coop. (Applause.)
I did my research.
(Applause.) To those mornings you
woke up early to get a spot under The Shed to watch the Golden Tigers
play. (Applause.) Yeah!
I've been watching!
(Laughter.) At the White House we
have all kinds of ways. (Laughter.)
And
whether you played sports yourself, or sang in the choir, or played in the
band, or joined a fraternity or sorority -- after today, all of you will take
your spot in the long line of men and women who have come here and
distinguished themselves and this university.
You
will follow alums like many of your parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles
-- leaders like Robert Robinson Taylor, a groundbreaking architect and
administrator here who was recently honored on a postage stamp. (Applause.)
You will follow heroes like Dr. Boynton Robinson -- (applause) -- who
survived the billy clubs and the tear gas of Bloody Sunday in Selma. The story of Tuskegee is full of stories like
theirs -- men and women who came to this city, seized their own futures, and
wound up shaping the arc of history for African Americans and all Americans.
And
I’d like to begin today by reflecting on that history -- starting back at the
time when the Army chose Tuskegee as the site of its airfield and flight school
for black pilots. (Applause.)
Back
then, black soldiers faced all kinds of obstacles. There were the so-called scientific studies
that said that black men’s brains were smaller than white men’s. Official Army reports stated that black
soldiers were “childlike,” “shiftless,” “unmoral and untruthful,” and as one
quote stated, “if fed, loyal and compliant.”
So
while the Airmen selected for this program were actually highly educated --
many already had college degrees and pilots licenses -- they were presumed to
be inferior. During training, they were
often assigned to menial tasks like housekeeping or landscaping. Many suffered verbal abuse at the hands of
their instructors. When they ventured
off base, the white sheriff here in town called them “boy” and ticketed them
for the most minor offenses. And when
they finally deployed overseas, white soldiers often wouldn’t even return their
salutes.
Just
think about what that must have been like for those young men. Here they were, trained to operate some of
the most complicated, high-tech machines of their day -- flying at hundreds of
miles an hour, with the tips of their wings just six inches apart. Yet when they hit the ground, folks treated
them like they were nobody -- as if their very existence meant nothing.
Now,
those Airmen could easily have let that experience clip their wings. But as you all know, instead of being defined
by the discrimination and the doubts of those around them, they became one of
the most successful pursuit squadrons in our military. (Applause.)
They went on to show the world that if black folks and white folks could
fight together, and fly together, then surely -- surely -- they could eat at a
lunch counter together. Surely their
kids could go to school together. (Applause.)
You
see, those Airmen always understood that they had a “double duty” -- one to
their country and another to all the black folks who were counting on them to
pave the way forward. (Applause.) So for those Airmen, the act of flying itself
was a symbol of liberation for themselves and for all African Americans.
One
of those first pilots, a man named Charles DeBow, put it this way. He said that a takeoff was -- in his words --
“a never-failing miracle” where all “the bumps would smooth off… [you’re] in
the air… out of this world… free.”
And
when he was up in the sky, Charles sometimes looked down to see black folks out
in the cotton fields not far from here -- the same fields where decades before,
their ancestors as slaves. And he knew that he was taking to the skies for them
-- to give them and their children something more to hope for, something to
aspire to.
And
in so many ways, that never-failing miracle -- the constant work to rise above
the bumps in our path to greater freedom for our brothers and sisters -- that
has always been the story of African Americans here at Tuskegee. (Applause.)
Just
think about the arc of this university’s history. Back in the late 1800s, the school needed a
new dormitory, but there was no money to pay for it. So Booker T. Washington pawned his pocket
watch to buy a kiln, and students used their bare hands to make bricks to build
that dorm -- and a few other buildings along the way. (Applause.)
A
few years later, when George Washington Carver first came here for his
research, there was no laboratory. So he
dug through trash piles and collected old bottles, and tea cups, and fruit jars
to use in his first experiments.
Generation
after generation, students here have shown that same grit, that same resilience
to soar past obstacles and outrages -- past the threat of countryside
lynchings; past the humiliation of Jim Crow; past the turmoil of the Civil
Rights era. And then they went on to
become scientists, engineers, nurses and teachers in communities all across the
country -- and continued to lift others up along the way. (Applause.)
And
while the history of this campus isn’t perfect, the defining story of Tuskegee
is the story of rising hopes and fortunes for all African Americans.
And
now, graduates, it’s your turn to take up that cause. And let me tell you, you should feel so proud
of making it to this day. And I hope
that you’re excited to get started on that next chapter. But I also imagine that you might think about
all that history, all those heroes who came before you -- you might also feel a
little pressure, you know -- pressure to live up to the legacy of those who
came before you; pressure to meet the expectations of others.
And
believe me, I understand that kind of pressure.
(Applause.) I’ve experienced a
little bit of it myself. You see,
graduates, I didn’t start out as the fully-formed First Lady who stands before
you today. No, no, I had my share of
bumps along the way.
Back
when my husband first started campaigning for President, folks had all sorts of
questions of me: What kind of First Lady
would I be? What kinds of issues would I
take on? Would I be more like Laura
Bush, or Hillary Clinton, or Nancy Reagan?
And the truth is, those same questions would have been posed to any
candidate’s spouse. That’s just the way
the process works. But, as potentially
the first African American First Lady, I was also the focus of another set of
questions and speculations; conversations sometimes rooted in the fears and
misperceptions of others. Was I too
loud, or too angry, or too emasculating?
(Applause.) Or was I too soft, too much of a mom, not enough of a career
woman?
Then
there was the first time I was on a magazine cover -- it was a cartoon drawing
of me with a huge afro and machine gun. Now, yeah, it was satire, but if I’m
really being honest, it knocked me back a bit.
It made me wonder, just how are people seeing me.
Or
you might remember the on-stage celebratory fist bump between me and my husband
after a primary win that was referred to as a “terrorist fist jab.” And over the years, folks have used plenty of
interesting words to describe me. One
said I exhibited “a little bit of uppity-ism.“
Another noted that I was one of my husband’s “cronies of color.” Cable news once charmingly referred to me as
“Obama’s Baby Mama.”
And
of course, Barack has endured his fair share of insults and slights. Even today, there are still folks questioning
his citizenship.
And
all of this used to really get to me.
Back in those days, I had a lot of sleepless nights, worrying about what
people thought of me, wondering if I might be hurting my husband’s chances of
winning his election, fearing how my girls would feel if they found out what
some people were saying about their mom.
But
eventually, I realized that if I wanted to keep my sanity and not let others
define me, there was only one thing I could do, and that was to have faith in
God’s plan for me. (Applause.) I had to ignore all of the noise and be true
to myself -- and the rest would work itself out. (Applause.)
So
throughout this journey, I have learned to block everything out and focus on my
truth. I had to answer some basic
questions for myself: Who am I? No, really, who am I? What do I care about?
And
the answers to those questions have resulted in the woman who stands before you
today. (Applause.) A woman who is, first and foremost, a
mom. (Applause.) Look, I love our daughters more than anything
in the world, more than life itself. And while that may not be the first thing
that some folks want to hear from an Ivy-league educated lawyer, it is truly
who I am. (Applause.) So for me, being Mom-in-Chief is, and always
will be, job number one.
Next,
I’ve always felt a deep sense of obligation to make the biggest impact possible
with this incredible platform. So I took
on issues that were personal to me -- issues like helping families raise
healthier kids, honoring the incredible military families I’d met on the campaign
trail, inspiring our young people to value their education and finish
college. (Applause.)
Now,
some folks criticized my choices for not being bold enough. But these were my choices, my issues. And I decided to tackle them in the way that
felt most authentic to me -- in a way that was both substantive and strategic,
but also fun and, hopefully, inspiring.
So
I immersed myself in the policy details.
I worked with Congress on legislation, gave speeches to CEOs, military
generals and Hollywood executives. But I
also worked to ensure that my efforts would resonate with kids and families --
and that meant doing things in a creative and unconventional way. So, yeah, I planted a garden, and hula-hooped
on the White House Lawn with kids. I did
some Mom Dancing on TV. I celebrated
military kids with Kermit the Frog. I
asked folks across the country to wear their alma mater’s T-shirts for College
Signing Day.
And
at the end of the day, by staying true to the me I’ve always known, I found
that this journey has been incredibly freeing.
Because no matter what happened, I had the peace of mind of knowing that
all of the chatter, the name calling, the doubting -- all of it was just
noise. (Applause.) It did not define me. It didn’t change who I was. And most importantly, it couldn’t hold me
back. I have learned that as long as I
hold fast to my beliefs and values -- and follow my own moral compass -- then
the only expectations I need to live up to are my own.
So,
graduates, that’s what I want for all of you.
I want you all to stay true to the most real, most sincere, most
authentic parts of yourselves. I want
you to ask those basic questions: Who do
you want to be? What inspires you? How do you want to give back? And then I want you to take a deep breath and
trust yourselves to chart your own course and make your mark on the world.
Maybe
it feels like you’re supposed to go to law school -- but what you really want
to do is to teach little kids. Maybe
your parents are expecting you to come back home after you graduate -- but
you’re feeling a pull to travel the world.
I want you to listen to those thoughts.
I want you to act with both your mind, but also your heart. And no matter what path you choose, I want
you to make sure it’s you choosing it, and not someone else. (Applause.)
Because
here’s the thing -- the road ahead is not going to be easy. It never is, especially for folks like you
and me. Because while we’ve come so far,
the truth is that those age-old problems are stubborn and they haven’t fully
gone away. So there will be times, just
like for those Airmen, when you feel like folks look right past you, or they
see just a fraction of who you really are.
The
world won’t always see you in those caps and gowns. They won’t know how hard you worked and how
much you sacrificed to make it to this day -- the countless hours you spent
studying to get this diploma, the multiple jobs you worked to pay for school,
the times you had to drive home and take care of your grandma, the evenings you
gave up to volunteer at a food bank or organize a campus fundraiser. They don't know that part of you.
Instead
they will make assumptions about who they think you are based on their limited
notion of the world. And my husband and
I know how frustrating that experience can be.
We’ve both felt the sting of those daily slights throughout our entire
lives -- the folks who crossed the street in fear of their safety; the clerks
who kept a close eye on us in all those department stores; the people at formal
events who assumed we were the “help” -- and those who have questioned our
intelligence, our honesty, even our love of this country.
And
I know that these little indignities are obviously nothing compared to what
folks across the country are dealing with every single day -- those nagging worries
that you’re going to get stopped or pulled over for absolutely no reason; the
fear that your job application will be overlooked because of the way your name
sounds; the agony of sending your kids to schools that may no longer be
separate, but are far from equal; the realization that no matter how far you
rise in life, how hard you work to be a good person, a good parent, a good
citizen -- for some folks, it will never be enough. (Applause.)
And
all of that is going to be a heavy burden to carry. It can feel isolating. It can make you feel like your life somehow
doesn’t matter -- that you’re like the invisible man that Tuskegee grad Ralph
Ellison wrote about all those years ago.
And as we’ve seen over the past few years, those feelings are real. They’re rooted in decades of structural
challenges that have made too many folks feel frustrated and invisible. And those feelings are playing out in
communities like Baltimore and Ferguson and so many others across this
country. (Applause.)
But,
graduates, today, I want to be very clear that those feelings are not an excuse
to just throw up our hands and give up.
(Applause.) Not an excuse. They are not an excuse to lose hope. To succumb to feelings of despair and anger
only means that in the end, we lose.
But
here’s the thing -- our history provides us with a better story, a better
blueprint for how we can win. It teaches
us that when we pull ourselves out of those lowest emotional depths, and we
channel our frustrations into studying and organizing and banding together --
then we can build ourselves and our communities up. We can take on those deep-rooted problems,
and together -- together -- we can overcome anything that stands in our way.
And
the first thing we have to do is vote.
(Applause.) Hey, no, not just
once in a while. Not just when my
husband or somebody you like is on the ballot.
But in every election at every level, all of the time. (Applause.)
Because here is the truth -- if you want to have a say in your
community, if you truly want the power to control your own destiny, then you’ve
got to be involved. You got to be at the
table. You’ve got to vote, vote, vote,
vote. That’s it; that's the way we move
forward. That’s how we make progress for ourselves and for our country.
That’s
what’s always happened here at Tuskegee.
Think about those students who made bricks with their bare hands. They did it so that others could follow them
and learn on this campus, too. Think
about that brilliant scientist who made his lab from a trash pile. He did it because he ultimately wanted to
help sharecroppers feed their families.
Those Airmen who rose above brutal discrimination -- they did it so the
whole world could see just how high black folks could soar. That’s the spirit we’ve got to summon to take
on the challenges we face today.
(Applause.)
And
you don’t have to be President of the United States to start addressing things
like poverty, and education, and lack of opportunity. Graduates, today -- today, you can mentor a
young person and make sure he or she takes the right path. Today, you can volunteer at an after-school
program or food pantry. Today, you can
help your younger cousin fill out her college financial aid form so that she
could be sitting in those chairs one day.
(Applause.) But just like all
those folks who came before us, you’ve got to do something to lay the
groundwork for future generations.
That
pilot I mentioned earlier -- Charles DeBow -- he didn’t rest on his laurels
after making history. Instead, after he
left the Army, he finished his education.
He became a high school English teacher and a college lecturer. He kept lifting other folks up through
education. He kept fulfilling his
“double duty” long after he hung up his uniform.
And,
graduates, that’s what we need from all of you.
We need you to channel the magic of Tuskegee toward the challenges of
today. And here’s what I really want you
to know -- you have got everything you need to do this. You’ve got it in you. Because even if you’re
nervous or unsure about what path to take in the years ahead, I want you to
realize that you’ve got everything you need right now to succeed. You’ve got it.
You’ve
got the knowledge and the skills honed here on this hallowed campus. You’ve got families up in the stands who will
support you every step of the way. And
most of all, you’ve got yourselves -- and all of the heart, and grit, and
smarts that got you to this day.
And
if you rise above the noise and the pressures that surround you, if you stay
true to who you are and where you come from, if you have faith in God’s plan
for you, then you will keep fulfilling your duty to people all across this
country. And as the years pass, you’ll
feel the same freedom that Charles DeBow did when he was taking off in that airplane. You will feel the bumps smooth off. You’ll take part in that “never-failing
miracle” of progress. And you’ll be
flying through the air, out of this world -- free.
God
bless you, graduates. (Applause.) I can’t wait to see how high you soar. Love you all.
Very proud. Thank you. (Applause.)
END 12:56 P.M. CDT
Remarks by the First Lady at the 2012 DNC
The White House
Office of the First Lady
For Immediate Release September 05, 2012
Remarks by the First Lady at the Democratic
National Convention
Time Warner Cable Arena
Charlotte, North Carolina
September 4, 2012
10:38 P.M. EDT
MRS. OBAMA:
Thank you. Thank you so
much. (Applause.) Thank you.
Thank you so much.
AUDIENCE:
Four more years! Four more years!
MRS. OBAMA:
With your help. With your
help. (Applause.)
Let me start -- I want to start by thanking
Elaine. Elaine, thank you so much. We are so grateful for your family’s service
and sacrifice, and we will always have your back. (Applause.)
Over the past few years as First Lady, I
have had the extraordinary privilege of traveling all across this country. And everywhere I’ve gone, and the people I’ve
met, and the stories I’ve heard, I have seen the very best of the American
spirit. I have seen it in the incredible
kindness and warmth that people have shown me and my family, especially our
girls.
I’ve seen it in teachers in a near-bankrupt
school district who vowed to keep teaching without pay. (Applause.)
I’ve seen it in people who become heroes at a moment’s notice, diving
into harm’s way to save others; flying across the country to put out a fire;
driving for hours to bail out a flooded town.
And I’ve seen it in our men and women in
uniform and our proud military families.
(Applause.) In wounded warriors
who tell me they’re not just going to walk again, they’re going to run, and
they’re going to run marathons.
(Applause.) In the young man
blinded by a bomb in Afghanistan who said, simply, "I’d give my eyes 100
times again to have the chance to do what I have done and what I can still
do."
Every day, the people I meet inspire
me. Every day, they make me proud. Every day, they remind me how blessed we are
to live in the greatest nation on Earth.
(Applause.)
Serving as your First Lady is an honor and
a privilege. But back when we first came
together four years ago, I still had some concerns about this journey we’d
begun. While I believed deeply in my
husband’s vision for this country, and I was certain he would make an
extraordinary President, like any mother, I was worried about what it would
mean for our girls if he got that chance.
How will we keep them grounded under the glare of the national
spotlight? How would they feel being
uprooted from their school, their friends, and the only home they’d ever known?
See, our life before moving to Washington
was filled with simple joys -- Saturdays at soccer games, Sundays at Grandma’s
house, and a date night for Barack and me was either dinner or a movie, because
as an exhausted mom, I couldn’t stay awake for both. (Laughter.)
And the truth is, I loved the life we had
built for our girls, and I deeply loved the man I had built that life with --
and I didn’t want that to change if he became President. (Applause.)
I loved Barack just the way he was.
You see, even back then, when Barack was a
senator and a presidential candidate, to me, he was still the guy who picked me
up for our dates in a car that was so rusted out, I could actually see the
pavement going by in a hole in the passenger side door. (Laughter.)
He was the guy whose proudest possession was a coffee table he’d found
in a dumpster, and whose only pair of decent shoes was a half size too
small. (Laughter.)
But, see, when Barack started telling me
about his family -– see, now, that’s when I knew I had found a kindred spirit,
someone whose values and upbringing were so much like mine.
You see, Barack and I were both raised by
families who didn’t have much in the way of money or material possessions but
who had given us something far more valuable -- their unconditional love, their
unflinching sacrifice, and the chance to go places they had never imagined for
themselves. (Applause.)
My father was a pump operator at the city
water plant, and he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when my brother and I
were young. And even as a kid, I knew
there were plenty of days when he was in pain, and I knew there were plenty of
mornings when it was a struggle for him to simply get out of bed.
But every morning, I watched my father wake
up with a smile, grab his walker, prop himself up against the bathroom sink,
and slowly shave and button his uniform.
And when he returned home after a long day’s work, my brother and I
would stand at the top of the stairs of our little apartment, patiently waiting
to greet him, watching as he reached down to lift one leg, and then the other,
to slowly climb his way into our arms.
But despite these challenges, my dad hardly
ever missed a day of work. He and my mom
were determined to give me and my brother the kind of education they could only
dream of. (Applause.)
And when my brother and I finally made it
to college, nearly all of our tuition came from student loans and grants. But my dad still had to pay a tiny portion of
that tuition himself. And every
semester, he was determined to pay that bill right on time, even taking out
loans when he fell short. He was so
proud to be sending his kids to college, and he made sure we never missed a
registration deadline because his check was late.
You see, for my dad, that’s what it meant
to be a man. (Applause.) Like so many of us, that was the measure of
his success in life -- being able to earn a decent living that allowed him to
support his family.
And as I got to know Barack, I realized
that even though he had grown up all the way across the country, he’d been
brought up just like me. Barack was
raised by a single mom who struggled to pay the bills, and by grandparents who
stepped in when she needed help.
Barack’s grandmother started out as a secretary at a community bank, and
she moved quickly up the ranks, but like so many women, she hit a glass
ceiling. And for years, men no more
qualified than she was -- men she had actually trained -- were promoted up the
ladder ahead of her, earning more and more money while Barack’s family
continued to scrape by.
But day after day, she kept on waking up at
dawn to catch the bus, arriving at work before anyone else, giving her best
without complaint or regret. And she
would often tell Barack, "So long as you kids do well, Bar, that’s all
that really matters."
Like so many American families, our
families weren’t asking for much. They
didn’t begrudge anyone else’s success or care that others had much more than
they did -- in fact, they admired it.
(Applause.) They simply believed
in that fundamental American promise that, even if you don’t start out with
much, if you work hard and do what you’re supposed to do, you should be able to
build a decent life for yourself and an even better life for your kids and
grandkids. That’s how they raised us
(Applause.) That’s what we learned from
their example.
We learned about dignity and decency --
that how hard you work matters more than how much you make; that helping others
means more than just getting ahead yourself.
(Applause.) We learned about
honesty and integrity -- that the truth matters -- (applause) -- that you don’t
take shortcuts or play by your own set of rules; and success doesn’t count
unless you earn it fair and square.
(Applause.) We learned about
gratitude and humility -- that so many people had a hand in our success, from
the teachers who inspired us to the janitors who kept our school clean. (Applause.)
And we were taught to value everyone’s contribution and treat everyone
with respect.
Those are the values that Barack and I --
and so many of you -- are trying to pass on to our own children. That’s who we are.
And standing before you four years ago, I
knew that I didn’t want any of that to change if Barack became President. Well, today, after so many struggles and
triumphs and moments that have tested my husband in ways I never could have
imagined, I have seen firsthand that being President doesn’t change who you are
-- no, it reveals who you are.
(Applause.)
You see, I’ve gotten to see up close and
personal what being President really looks like. And I’ve seen how the issues that come across
a President’s desk are always the hard ones -- the problems where no amount of
data or numbers will get you to the right answer; the judgment calls where the
stakes are so high, and there is no margin for error. And as President, you're going to 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, as
President, all you have to guide you are your values and your vision, and the
life experiences that make you who you are.
(Applause.)
So when it comes to rebuilding our economy,
Barack is thinking about folks like my dad and like his grandmother. He’s thinking about the pride that comes from
a hard day’s work. That’s why he signed
the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to help women get equal pay for equal work. (Applause.)
That’s why he cut taxes for working families and small businesses, and
fought to get the auto industry back on its feet. (Applause.)
That’s how he brought our economy from the
brink of collapse to creating jobs again -- jobs you can raise a family on,
good jobs right here in the United States of America. (Applause.)
When it comes to the health of our
families, Barack refused to listen to all those folks who told him to leave
health reform for another day, another President. (Applause.)
He didn’t care whether it was the easy thing to do politically -- no,
that’s not how he was raised. He cared
that it was the right thing to do.
(Applause.)
He did it because he believes that here in
America, our grandparents should be able to afford their medicine, our kids
should be able to see a doctor when they’re sick, and no one in this country
should ever go broke because of an accident or an illness. (Applause.)
And he believes that women are more than
capable of making our own choices about our bodies and our health care. (Applause.)
That’s what my husband stands for.
(Applause.)
When it comes to giving our kids the
education they deserve, Barack knows that, like me and like so many of you, he
never could have attended college without financial aid. And believe it or not, when we were first
married, our combined monthly student loan bill was actually higher than our
mortgage. (Laughter.) Yeah, we were so young, so in love -- and so
in debt. (Laughter.)
And that's why Barack has fought so hard to
increase student aid and keep interest rates down -- (applause) -- because he
wants every young person to fulfill their promise and be able to attend college
without a mountain of debt. (Applause.)
So in the end, for Barack, these issues
aren’t political -- they’re personal.
Because Barack knows what it means when a family struggles. He knows what it means to want something more
for your kids and grandkids. Barack
knows the American Dream because he’s lived it.
(Applause.) And he wants everyone
in this country -- everyone -- to have that same opportunity, no matter who we
are, or where we’re from, or what we look like, or who we love. (Applause.)
And he believes that when you’ve worked
hard, and done well, and walked through that doorway of opportunity, you do not
slam it shut behind you. No, you reach
back, and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed. (Applause.)
So when people ask me whether being in the
White House has changed my husband, I can honestly say that when it comes to
his character, and his convictions, and his heart, Barack Obama is still the
same man I fell in love with all those years ago. (Applause.)
He’s the same man who started his career by turning down high-paying
jobs and instead working in struggling neighborhoods where a steel plant had
shut down, fighting to rebuild those communities and get folks back to work --
because for Barack, success isn’t about how much money you make, it’s about the
difference you make in people’s lives.
(Applause.)
He’s the same man, when our girls were
first born, would anxiously check their cribs every few minutes to ensure that
they were still breathing -- (laughter) -- proudly showing them off to everyone
we knew.
You see, that’s the man who sits down with
me and our girls for dinner nearly every night, patiently answering questions
about issues in the news, strategizing about middle school friendships. (Laughter.)
That’s the man I see in those quiet moments
late at night, hunched over his desk, poring over the letters people have sent
him. The letter from the father
struggling to pay his bills, from the woman dying of cancer whose insurance
company won’t cover her care, from the young person with so much promise but so
few opportunities.
I see the concern in his eyes and I hear
the determination in his voice as he tells me, "You won’t believe what
these folks are going through, Michelle -- it’s not right. We’ve got to keep working to fix this. We’ve got so much more to do." (Applause.)
AUDIENCE:
Four more years! Four more
years! Four more years!
MRS. OBAMA:
I see how those stories -- our collection of struggles and hopes and
dreams -- I see how that's what drives Barack Obama every single day.
And I didn’t think that it was possible,
but let me tell you, today I love my husband even more than I did four years
ago, even more than I did 23 years ago, when we first met. (Applause.)
Let me tell you why. See, I love
that he has never forgotten how he started.
I love that we can trust Barack to do what he says he’s going to do,
even when it’s hard -- especially when it’s hard. (Applause.)
I love that for Barack, there is no such
thing as "us" and "them" -- he doesn’t care whether you’re
a Democrat, a Republican, or none of the above; he knows that we all love our
country. And he is always ready to
listen to good ideas, he’s always looking for the very best in everyone he
meets.
And I love that even in the toughest
moments, when we’re all sweating it -- when we’re worried that the bill won’t
pass, and it seems like all is lost -- see, Barack never lets himself get
distracted by the chatter and the noise.
No, just like his grandmother, he just keeps getting up and moving
forward -- with patience and wisdom, and courage and grace. (Applause.)
And he reminds me that we are playing a
long game here, and that change is hard and change is slow, and it never
happens all at once. But eventually we
get there. We always do.
We get there because of folks like my dad,
folks like Barack’s grandmother -- men and women who said to themselves,
"I may not have a chance to fulfill my dreams, but maybe my children will,
maybe my grandchildren will."
See, so many of us stand here tonight
because of their sacrifice, and longing, and steadfast love -- they swallowed
their fears and doubts and did what was hard.
(Applause.)
So today, when the challenges we face start
to seem overwhelming -- or even impossible -- let us never forget that doing
the impossible is the history of this nation.
It is who we are as Americans. It
is how this country was built.
(Applause.)
And if our parents and grandparents could
toil and struggle for us -- if they could raise beams of steel to the sky, send
a man to the moon, connect the world with the touch of a button -- then surely
we can keep on sacrificing and building for our own kids and grandkids,
right? (Applause.)
And if so many brave men and women could
wear our country’s uniform and sacrifice their lives for our most fundamental
rights, then surely we can do our part as citizens of this great democracy to
exercise those rights. Surely we can get
to the polls on Election Day and make our voices heard. (Applause.)
If farmers and blacksmiths could win
independence from an empire, if immigrants could leave behind everything they
knew for a better life on our shores, if women could be dragged to jail for
seeking the vote, if a generation could defeat a depression and define
greatness for all time, if a young preacher could lift us to the mountaintop
with his righteous dream -- (applause) -- and if proud Americans can be who
they are and boldly stand at the altar with who they love -- (applause) -- then
surely, surely we can give everyone in this country a fair chance at that great
American Dream. (Applause.)
Because in the end, more than anything
else, that is the story of this country -- the story of unwavering hope
grounded in unyielding struggle. That is
what has made my story, and Barack’s story, and so many other American stories
possible.
And let me tell you something. I say all of this tonight not just as First
Lady, no, not just as a wife. You see,
at the end of the day, my most important title is still "mom-in-chief."
(Applause.) My daughters are still the
heart of my heart and the center of my world.
But let me tell you, today, I have none of
those worries from four years ago -- no, not about whether Barack and I were
doing what was best for our girls.
Because today, I know from experience that if I truly want to leave a
better world for my daughters -- and for all of our sons and daughters, if we
want to give all of our children a foundation for their dreams and
opportunities worthy of their promise, if we 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 -- (applause) --
then we must work like never before.
(Applause.)
And we must once again come together and
stand together for the man we can trust to keep moving this great country
forward -- my husband, our President, Barack Obama. (Applause.)
Thank you.
God bless you, and God bless America.
(Applause.)
END
September 4, 2012
11:03
P.M. EDT
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