http://www.szone.us/ White House News - RSS Feed en Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:47:50 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.szone.us/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.szone.us/ http://www.szone.us/f24/remarks-first-lady-lets-move-launch-event-nfl-new-orleans-loui-49299/ Wed, 08 Sep 2010 23:48:46 GMT 09.08.10 01:18 PM 12:43 P.M. CDT MRS. OBAMA: How are you guys doing? CHILDREN: Good! MRS. OBAMA: Is it hot enough out here? 09.08.10 01:18 PM

12:43 P.M. CDT

MRS. OBAMA: How are you guys doing?

CHILDREN: Good!

MRS. OBAMA: Is it hot enough out here?

CHILDREN: Yes!

MRS. OBAMA: But you can handle it, right?

CHILDREN: Yes!

MRS. OBAMA: Because we’re going to get moving!

CHILDREN: Yes!

MRS. OBAMA: All right, first, let me thank a few people, because I’m not going to talk long, because I’m ready to work. I’m going to be out there running with you guys, all right, so don't be too hard on me. All right?

First, let’s thank Commissioner Goodell and Coach Dungy for being here and for giving us those great words. (Applause.) And we want to thank all our NFL players. Right? Give them a big round of applause. (Applause.)

And there are a couple of other people who are here who I want to recognize. There’s Representative Joseph Cao, who’s here, Mayor -- the mayor is here, Mayor Landrieu is here. Say hey to the mayor!

CHILDREN: Hey!

MRS. OBAMA: And I think his wife, Cheryl, is here, too. Hey, First Lady! (Applause.) You got a “What’s happening, First Lady” right here. And to the other members of the Louisiana state legislature who came out today, you guys, let’s give them all a round of applause. (Applause.)

And there is somebody who couldn’t be here today because they’re gearing up for a big game tomorrow because it’s the start of the NFL season, right? We’re all excited about that. But this guy is somebody that you may have heard of. He’s not only a Super Bowl MVP, but he’s been a wonderful help to me and the President because he’s the co-chair of the President’s Council on Fitness, and Sports, and Nutrition. And I think you guys kind of like this guy. Who am I talking about?

CHILDREN: Drew Brees!

MRS. OBAMA: Absolutely right. Mr. Brees! He couldn’t be here because he’s getting ready, but let me tell you, with folks like Drew, back in February, we started this program called “Let’s Move.” And “Let’s Move” is a nationwide initiative where we want to end childhood obesity in a generation, so that kids born today grow up at a healthy weight. Does that make sense?

CHILDREN: Yes!

MRS. OBAMA: We did this because of you all. We did all of this because of you. Can you believe that? We’re here, all these players are here -- look at all this press. They’re here because of you! Is it exciting?

CHILDREN: Yes!

MRS. OBAMA: Because we want you guys to grow up strong and we want you guys to grow up healthy, because the truth is, is that you can be smart, you can be funny, but if you’re not in good health, it’s going to be a hard road to go. And it’s tough to hang out there and play with your friends, it’s hard to keep up in school if you’re not healthy. And certainly if any of you ever wants to do anything as amazing as be a professional athlete, you’ve got to be healthy when you’re young. And we want to make sure that each and every one of the kids in this country has that opportunity. That's the kind of future that we want for all of you.

That’s why, three years ago, the folks here at the NFL started “Play 60.” They were leading the way before anybody -- before we started talking about this at the White House. “Play 60” was one of the signature programs of the NFL. They knew back then the importance of tackling the issue of childhood obesity.

And all of us at the White House wanted to team up with them. So the President invited a bunch of NFL players and a lot of the Saints to the White House to support “Play 60.” And I don't know if you saw some of the commercials, but Drew Brees is actually throwing the President a slow motion pass, and he catches it. Anybody see that? Yeah, yeah, yeah -- not very impressive. (Laughter.)

You got a question? What’s your question, young man?

Q Am I on TV?

MRS. OBAMA: You are on TV right now. Turn around. Get your moment in the sun. (Applause and cheers.)

All right now, settle down, turn around. Sit down.

So that means when you all are playing today when you’re catching those passes and we’re doing the drills, you’re going to be on TV. The newspapers are here. So you’re going to be showing kids around the country what it means to keep moving. So you all are the model for today.

But the NFL, in addition to working with the White House, they’re working with a bunch of other people -- the National Dairy Council, and that's the organization they worked with to work on this program called “Fuel Up to Play 60.” As the Commissioner and Coach Dungy said, it’s not just enough that you exercise, but you also have to watch what you put in your body. You can’t live on soda and chips and all that. You can’t. Sorry. If you could, I tell you, I would. But you can’t. You’ve got to have vegetables and fruits.

And so this partnership is helping to make sure that, as Coach Dungy said, you’re building a well-rounded body -- a good mind, a good heart, that you’re good to people, you’re good to your friends, but you also take care of yourself. So there’s a lot going on, and we’re doing it all for you.

So here’s one question. I’ve got one question for you guys before we get started. Did you know that if you follow “Play 60” and you keep moving for 60 minutes every day, that you can get an award from the President? Did you know that?

CHILDREN: No!

MRS. OBAMA: Do you want to hear about the award?

CHILDREN: Yes!

MRS. OBAMA: Are you sure?

CHILDREN: Yes!

MRS. OBAMA: You think you might want to compete for an award?

CHILDREN: Yes!

MRS. OBAMA: All right, well, here’s how you do it. So listen up. Everyone listen up. This award is called the President’s Active Lifestyle Award. And what to do to earn it is that all you have to do is go online and log your activity. You go to letsmove.gov, but you’ll get all that information. This is starting next week. And the goal is that you have to stay active every day for six weeks; that they get 60 minutes or something good in there for six weeks to get this award. What, does that sound hard?

CHILDREN: No!

MRS. OBAMA: Doesn’t sound that hard. Right? And to show everyone how not hard it is, and how much fun it can be, I’m going to earn my award. Yeah, me, me. Don’t -- what is the silence? What, you don’t think I can do this? I am going to be working towards my award starting in a couple of weeks -- somewhere, soon.

So you guys can get online and track my progress because I’m going to be logging it. And if I start slacking off, you can email me and tell me to get myself into gear. All right?

So you think this is something that we can work on doing together?

CHILDREN: Yes!

MRS. OBAMA: Because guess what, the NFL has made an important pledge on this front. They have pledged to help 200,000 kids earn an Active Lifestyle Award in this year. Isn’t that great?

And the other thing -- now, this is news for the press, because we just talked about this, is that I want to host a big ol’ celebration at the White House for some of the kids who have won these awards. So maybe that's an incentive, right?

So hopefully some of you guys will compete. I hope all of you guys will work to get this award, because we want every single kid in the country to be working toward this award. And if you get it, guess who will follow you? Your parents will follow you. If you have younger brothers and sisters, they’re going to follow you. Everyone is going to be trying to get one of these awards, and you guys can be the first, because we’re going to start off right this afternoon. I bet what we do today will count towards your award.

So are you ready?

CHILDREN: Yes!

MRS. OBAMA: Are you ready to get moving?

CHILDREN: Yes!

MRS. OBAMA: All right, let’s move! Let’s do it!

END
12:51 P.M. CDT



White House.gov Press Office Feed ]]> White House News WhiteHouse http://www.szone.us/f24/remarks-first-lady-lets-move-launch-event-nfl-new-orleans-loui-49299/ http://www.szone.us/f24/remarks-president-economy-parma-ohio-49300/ Wed, 08 Sep 2010 23:48:46 GMT 09.08.10 01:00 PM

2:06 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Ohio! Thank you, Cleveland! (Applause.) Thank you so much. Thank you very much, everybody. Everybody, please have a seat. Have a seat. We've got some business to do today. (Applause.) Thank you very much.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: We love you!

THE PRESIDENT: I love you back. Thank you.

Before we get started I want to just acknowledge some outstanding public servants who are here. First of all, somebody who I believe is one of the finest governors in this country -- Ted Strickland is here. (Applause.) The lieutenant-governor and soon-to-be junior senator from the great state of Illinois -- or Ohio -- I was thinking about my own home -- Lee Fisher is here. (Applause.)

I used to hear that line all the time about “senator from Illinois” -- that would be me. (Laughter.)

Outstanding mayor of Cleveland, Frank Jackson is here. (Applause.) The mayor of Parma, Dean DePiero. (Applause.) Somebody who is fighting for working families each and every day, Senator Sherrod Brown is here. (Applause.) And three of the hardest-working and finest members of the House of Representatives -- Dennis Kucinich, Marcia Fudge, and John Boccieri. (Applause.)

Good afternoon, everybody. It is good to be back in Ohio. (Applause.)

You know, in the fall of 2008, one of the last rallies of my presidential campaign was right here in the Cleveland area. (Applause.) It was a hopeful time, just two days before the election. And we knew that if we pulled it off, we’d finally have the chance to tackle some big and difficult challenges that had been facing this country for a very long time.

We also hoped for a chance to get beyond some of the old political divides -– between Democrats and Republicans, red states and blue states -– that had prevented us from making progress. Because although we are proud to be Democrats, we are prouder to be Americans -– (applause) -- and we believed then and we believe now that no single party has a monopoly on wisdom.

That’s not to say that the election didn’t expose deep differences between the parties.

I ran for President because for much of the last decade, a very specific governing philosophy had reigned about how America should work: Cut taxes, especially for millionaires and billionaires. Cut regulations for special interests. Cut trade deals even if they didn’t benefit our workers. Cut back on investments in our people and in our future -– in education and clean energy, in research and technology. The idea was that if we just had blind faith in the market, if we let corporations play by their own rules, if we left everyone else to fend for themselves that America would grow and America would prosper.

And for a time this idea gave us the illusion of prosperity. We saw financial firms and CEOs take in record profits and record bonuses. We saw a housing boom that led to new homeowners and new jobs in construction. Consumers bought more condos and bigger cars and better TVs.

But while all this was happening, the broader economy was becoming weaker. Nobody understands that more than the people of Ohio. Job growth between 2000 and 2008 was slower than it had been in any economic expansion since World War II -– slower than it’s been over the last year. The wages and incomes of middle-class families kept falling while the cost of everything from tuition to health care kept on going up. Folks were forced to put more debt on their credit cards and borrow against homes that many couldn’t afford to buy in the first place. And meanwhile, a failure to pay for two wars and two tax cuts for the wealthy helped turn a record surplus into a record deficit.

I ran for President because I believed that this kind of economy was unsustainable –- for the middle class and for the future of our nation. I ran because I had a different idea about how America was built. (Applause.) It was an idea rooted in my own family’s story.

You see, Michelle and I are where we are today because even though our families didn’t have much, they worked tirelessly -– without complaint -– so that we might have a better life. My grandfather marched off to Europe in World War II, while my grandmother worked in factories on the home front. I had a single mom who put herself through school, and would wake before dawn to make sure I got a decent education. Michelle can still remember her father heading out to his job as a city worker long after multiple sclerosis had made it impossible for him to walk without crutches. He always got to work; he just had to get up a little earlier.

Yes, our families believed in the American values of self-reliance and individual responsibility, and they instilled those values in their children. But they also believed in a country that rewards responsibility; a country that rewards hard work; a country built on the promise of opportunity and upward mobility.
They believed in an America that gave my grandfather the chance to go to college because of the GI Bill; an America that gave my grandparents the chance to buy a home because of the Federal Housing Authority; an America that gave their children and grandchildren the chance to fulfill our dreams thanks to college loans and college scholarships.

It was an America where you didn’t buy things you couldn’t afford; where we didn’t just think about today -– we thought about tomorrow. An America that took pride in the goods that we made, not just the things we consumed. An America where a rising tide really did lift all boats, from the company CEO to the guy on the assembly line.

That’s the America I believe in. (Applause.) That’s the America I believe in. That's what led me to work in the shadow of a shuttered steel plant on the South Side of Chicago when I was a community organizer. It’s what led me to fight for factory workers at manufacturing plants that were closing across Illinois when I was a senator. It’s what led me to run for President -– because I don’t believe we can have a strong and growing economy without a strong and growing middle class. (Applause.)

Now, much has happened since that election. The flawed policies and economic weaknesses of the previous decade culminated in a financial crisis and the worst recession of our lifetimes. And my hope was that the crisis would cause everybody, Democrats and Republicans, to pull together and tackle our problems in a practical way. But as we all know, things didn’t work out that way.

Some Republican leaders figured it was smart politics to sit on the sidelines and let Democrats solve the mess. Others believed on principle that government shouldn’t meddle in the markets, even when the markets are broken. But with the nation losing nearly 800,000 jobs the month that I was sworn into office, my most urgent task was to stop a financial meltdown and prevent this recession from becoming a second depression. (Applause.)

And, Ohio, we have done that. The economy is growing again. The financial markets have stabilized. The private sector has created jobs for the last eight months in a row. (Applause.) And there are roughly 3 million Americans who are working today because of the economic plan we put into place.

But the truth is progress has been painfully slow. Millions of jobs were lost before our policies even had a chance to take effect. We lost 4 million in the six months before I took office. It was a hole so deep that even though we’ve added jobs again, millions of Americans remain unemployed. Hundreds of thousands of families have lost their homes. Millions more can barely pay the bills or make the mortgage. The middle class is still treading water, and those aspiring to reach the middle class are doing everything they can to keep from drowning.

And meanwhile, some of the very steps that were necessary to save the economy -– like temporarily supporting the banks and the auto industry -– fed the perception that Washington is still ignoring the middle class in favor of special interests.

And so people are frustrated and they’re angry and they’re anxious about the future. I understand that. I also understand that in a political campaign, the easiest thing for the other side to do is to ride this fear and anger all the way to Election Day.

That’s what’s happening right now. A few weeks ago, the Republican leader of the House came here to Cleveland and offered his party’s answer to our economic challenges. Now, it would be one thing if he had admitted his party’s mistakes during the eight years that they were in power, if they had gone off for a while and meditated, and come back and offered a credible new approach to solving our country’s problems.

But that’s not what happened. There were no new policies from Mr. Boehner. There were no new ideas. There was just the same philosophy that we had already tried during the decade that they were in power -- the same philosophy that led to this mess in the first place: Cut more taxes for millionaires and cut more rules for corporations.

Instead of coming together like past generations did to build a better country for our children and grandchildren, their argument is that we should let insurance companies go back to denying care for folks who are sick, or let credit card companies go back to raising rates without any reason. Instead of setting our sights higher, they’re asking us to settle for a status quo of stagnant growth and eroding competitiveness and a shrinking middle class.

Cleveland, that is not the America I know. That is not the America we believe in. (Applause.)

A lot has changed since I came here in those final days of the last election, but what hasn’t is the choice facing this country. It’s still fear versus hope; the past versus the future. It’s still a choice between sliding backward and moving forward. That’s what this election is about. That’s the choice you will face in November. (Applause.)

Now, we have a different vision for the future. See, I’ve never believed that government has all the answers to our problems. I’ve never believed that government’s role is to create jobs or prosperity. I believe it’s the drive and the ingenuity of our entrepreneurs, our small businesses; the skill and dedication of our workers -- (applause) -- that’s made us the wealthiest nation on Earth. (Applause.) I believe it’s the private sector that must be the main engine for our recovery.

I believe government should be lean; government should be efficient. I believe government should leave people free to make the choices they think are best for themselves and their families, so long as those choices don’t hurt others. (Applause.)

But in the words of the first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, I also believe that government should do for the people what they cannot do better for themselves. (Applause.) And that means making the long-term investments in this country’s future that individuals and corporations can't make on their own: investments in education and clean energy, in basic research and technology and infrastructure. (Applause.)

That means making sure corporations live up to their responsibilities to treat consumers fairly and play by the same rules as everyone else. (Applause.) Their responsibility is to look out for their workers, as well as their shareholders, and create jobs here at home.

And that means providing a hand-up for middle-class families –- so that if they work hard and meet their responsibilities, they can afford to raise their children, and send them to college, see a doctor when they get sick, retire with dignity and respect. (Applause.)

That’s what we Democrats believe in -– a vibrant free market, but one that works for everybody. (Applause.) That’s our vision. That's our vision for a stronger economy and a growing middle class. And that’s the difference between what we and Republicans in Congress are offering the American people right now.

Let me give you a few specific examples of our different approaches. This week, I proposed some additional steps to grow the economy and help businesses spur hiring. One of the keys to job creation is to encourage companies to invest more in the United States. But for years, our tax code has actually given billions of dollars in tax breaks that encourage companies to create jobs and profits in other countries.

I want to change that. (Applause.) I want to change that. Instead of tax loopholes that incentivize investment in overseas jobs, I’m proposing a more generous, permanent extension of the tax credit that goes to companies for all the research and innovation they do right here in Ohio, right here in the United States of America. (Applause.)

And I’m proposing that all American businesses should be allowed to write off all the investment they do in 2011. And this will help small businesses upgrade their plants and equipment, and will encourage large corporations to get off the sidelines and start putting their profits to work in places like Cleveland and Toledo and Dayton. (Applause.)

Now, to most of you, I'll bet this just seems like common sense. (Laughter.) But not to Mr. Boehner and his allies. For years, Republicans have fought to keep these corporate loopholes open. In fact, when Mr. Boehner was here in Cleveland he attacked us for closing a few of these loopholes -– and using the money to help states like Ohio keep hundreds of thousands of teachers and cops and firefighters on the job. (Applause.)
Mr. Boehner dismissed these jobs we saved –- teaching our kids, patrolling our streets, rushing into burning buildings -– as “government jobs” -– jobs I guess he thought just weren’t worth saving.

And I couldn’t disagree more. I think teachers and police officers and firefighters are part of what keeps America strong. (Applause.) And, Ohio, I think if we’re going to give tax breaks to companies, they should go to companies that create jobs in America -– not that create jobs overseas. (Applause.) That’s one difference between the Republican vision and the Democratic vision. That’s what this election is all about. (Applause.)

Let me give you another example. We want to put more Americans back to work rebuilding America -– our roads, our railways, our runways. When the housing sector collapsed and the recession hit, one in every four jobs lost were in the construction industry. That’s partly why our economic plan has invested in badly needed infrastructure projects over the last 19 months –- not just roads and bridges, but high-speed railroads and expanded broadband access. Altogether, these projects have led to thousands of good, private sector jobs, especially for those in the trades.

Mr. Boehner and the Republicans in Congress said no to these projects. Fought them tooth and nail. Though I should say it didn’t stop a lot of them from showing up at the ribbon-cuttings -- (laughter) -- trying to take credit. That’s always a sight to see. (Laughter.)

Now, there are still thousands of miles of railroads and railways and runways left to repair and improve. And engineers, economists, governors, mayors of every political stripe believe that if we want to compete in this global economy, we need to rebuild this vital infrastructure. There is no reason Europe or China should have the fastest trains or the most modern airports -– we want to put people to work building them right here in America. (Applause.)

So this week, I’ve proposed a six-year infrastructure plan that would start putting Americans to work right away. But despite the fact that this has traditionally been an issue with bipartisan support, Mr. Boehner has so far said no to infrastructure. That’s bad for America -– and that, too, is what this election is all about.

I’ll give you one final example of the differences between us and the Republicans, and that’s on the issue of tax cuts. Under the tax plan passed by the last administration, taxes are scheduled to go up substantially next year -- for everybody. By the way, this was by design. When they passed these tax cuts in 2001 and 2003, they didn’t want everybody to know what it would do to our deficit, so they pretended like they were going to end, even though now they say they don't.

Now, I believe we ought to make the tax cuts for the middle class permanent. (Applause.) For the middle class, permanent. These families are the ones who saw their wages and incomes flat-line over the last decade -– you deserve a break. (Applause.) You deserve some help. And because folks in the middle class are more likely to spend their tax cut on basic necessities, that strengthens the economy as a whole.

But the Republican leader of the House doesn’t want to stop there. Make no mistake: He and his party believe we should also give a permanent tax cut to the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans.

AUDIENCE: Nooo!

THE PRESIDENT: With all the other budgetary pressures we have -– with all the Republicans’ talk about wanting to shrink the deficit -- they would have us borrow $700 billion over the next 10 years to give a tax cut of about $100,000 each to folks who are already millionaires. And keep in mind wealthy Americans are just about the only folks who saw their incomes rise when Republicans were in charge. And these are the folks who are less likely to spend the money -- which is why economists don’t think tax breaks for the wealthy would do much to boost the economy.

So let me be clear to Mr. Boehner and everybody else: We should not hold middle-class tax cuts hostage any longer. (Applause.) We are ready, this week, if they want, to give tax cuts to every American making $250,000 or less. (Applause.) That's 98-97 percent of Americans. Now, for any income over this amount, the tax rates would just go back to what they were under President Clinton.

This isn’t to punish folks who are better off –- God bless them. It’s because we can’t afford the $700 billion price tag. (Applause.) And for those who claim that our approach would somehow be bad for growth and bad for small businesses, let me remind you that with those tax rates in place, under President Clinton, this country created 22 million jobs and raised incomes and had the largest surplus in our history. (Applause.)

In fact, if the Republican leadership in Congress really wants to help small businesses, they’ll stop using legislative maneuvers to block an up or down vote on a small business jobs bill that’s before the Senate right now. Right now. (Applause.) This is a bill that would do two things. It would cut taxes for small businesses and make loans more available for small businesses. (Applause.) It is fully paid for, won't add to the deficit. And it was written by Democrats and Republicans. And yet, the other party continues to block this jobs bill -– a delay that small business owners have said is actually leading them to put off hiring.

Look, I recognize that most of the Republicans in Congress have said no to just about every policy I’ve proposed since taking office. I realize in some cases that there are genuine philosophical differences. But on issues like this one -- a tax cut for small businesses supported by the Chamber of Commerce -- the only reason they’re holding this up is politics, pure and simple. (Applause.) They’re making the same calculation they made just before my inauguration: If I fail, they win. Well, they might think that this will get them to where they want to go in November, but it won’t get our country going where it needs to go in the long run. (Applause.) It won’t get us there. (Applause.) It won’t get us there. (Applause.) It won't get us there. (Applause.)

So that’s the choice, Ohio. Do we return to the same failed policies that ran our economy into a ditch, or do we keep moving forward with policies that are slowly pulling us out? (Applause.) Do we settle for a slow decline, or do we reach for an America with a growing economy and a thriving middle class? (Applause.) That’s the America that I see. We may not be there yet, but we know where this country needs to go.

We see a future where we invest in American innovation and American ingenuity; where we export more goods so we create more jobs here at home; where we make it easier to start a business or patent an invention; where we build a homegrown, clean energy industry -- because I don’t want to see new solar panels or electric cars or advanced batteries manufactured in Europe or Asia. (Applause.) I want to see them made right here in the U.S. of A by American workers. (Applause.)

We see an America where every citizen has the skills and training to compete with any worker in the world. That’s why we’ve set a goal to once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020. (Applause.) That’s why we’re revitalizing community colleges like this one. (Applause.) That’s why we’re reforming our education system based on what works for our children, not what perpetuates the status quo. (Applause.)

We see an America where a growing middle class is the beating heart of a growing economy. That’s why I kept my campaign promise and gave a middle-class tax cut to 95 percent of working Americans. (Applause.) That’s why we passed health insurance reform that stops insurance companies from jacking up your premiums at will or denying coverage because you get sick. (Applause.) That’s why we passed financial reform that will end taxpayer-funded bailouts; reform that will stop credit card companies and mortgage lenders from taking advantage of taxpayers and consumers. (Applause.)

That’s why we’re trying to make it easier for workers to save for retirement and fighting the efforts of some in the other party to privatize Social Security -- because as long as I’m President, no one is going to take the retirement savings of a generation of Americans and hand it over to Wall Street. Not on my watch. (Applause.)

That’s why we’re fighting to extend the child tax credit and make permanent our new college tax credit, because if we do, it will mean $10,000 in tuition relief for each child going to four years of college. (Applause.) And I don’t want any parent not to be sending their kids, in good time or bad, to college because they can’t afford it.

And finally, we see an America where we refuse to pass on the debt we inherited to the next generation.

Now, let me spend just a minute on this issue, because we’ve heard a lot of moralizing on the other side about this -- government spending and debt. Along with the tax cuts for the wealthy, the other party’s main economic proposal is that they’ll stop government spending.

Now, it’s right to be concerned about the long-term deficit. If we don’t get a handle on it soon, it can endanger our future. And at a time when folks are tightening their belts at home, I understand why a lot of Americans feel it’s time for government to show some discipline, too. But let’s look at the facts. When these same Republicans -- including Mr. Boehner -- were in charge, the number of earmarks and pet projects went up, not down.

These same Republicans turned a record surplus into a record deficit. When I walked in, wrapped in a nice bow was a $1.3 trillion deficit sitting right there on my doorstep. (Laughter.) A welcoming present.

Just this year, these same Republicans voted against a bipartisan fiscal commission that they themselves had proposed. Once I decided I was for it, they were against it. (Laughter.) And when you ask them what programs they’d actually cut they don’t have an answer.

That’s not fiscal responsibility. That’s not a serious plan to govern.

Now, I’ll be honest -– I refuse to cut back on those investments that will grow our economy in the future -– investments in areas like education and clean energy and technology. (Applause.) I don't want to cut those things. And that’s because economic growth is the single best way to bring down the deficit –- and we need these investments to grow.

But I am absolutely committed to fiscal responsibility, which is why I’ve already proposed freezing all discretionary spending unrelated to national security for the next three years. (Applause.)

And once the bipartisan fiscal commission finishes its work, I’ll spend the next year making the tough choices necessary to further reduce our deficit and lower our debt -- whether I get help from the other side or not. (Applause.)

Of course, reducing the deficit won’t be easy. Making up for the 8 million lost jobs caused by this recession won’t happen overnight. Not everything we’ve done over the last two years has worked as quickly as we had hoped, and I am keenly aware that not all of our policies have been popular.

So, no, our job is not easy. But you didn’t elect me to do what was easy. (Applause.) You didn’t elect me to just read the polls and figure how to keep myself in office. You didn’t elect me to avoid big problems. You elected me to do what was right. And as long as I’m President, that’s exactly what I intend to do. (Applause.)

This country is emerging from an incredibly difficult period in its history -– an era of irresponsibility that stretched from Wall Street to Washington, and had a devastating effect on a lot of people. We have started turning the corner on that era. But part of moving forward is returning to the time-honored values that built this country: hard work and self-reliance; responsibility for ourselves, but also responsibility for one another. It’s about moving from an attitude that said “What’s in it for me?” to one that asks, “What’s best for America? What’s best for all our workers? What’s best for all of our businesses? What’s best for all of our children?” (Applause.)

These values are not Democratic or Republican. They are not conservative or liberal values. They are American values. As Democrats, we take pride in what our party has accomplished over the last century: Social Security and the minimum wage; the GI Bill and Medicare; civil rights and worker’s rights and women’s rights. (Applause.) But we also recognize that throughout our history, there has been a noble Republican vision as well, of what this country can be. It was the vision of Abraham Lincoln, who set up the first land grant colleges and launched the transcontinental railroad; the vision of Teddy Roosevelt, who used the power of government to break up monopolies; the vision of Dwight Eisenhower, who helped build the Interstate Highway System. And, yes, the vision of Ronald Reagan, who despite his aversion to government, was willing to help save Social Security for future generations -- working with Democrats. (Applause.)
These were serious leaders for serious times. They were great politicians, but they didn’t spend all their time playing games or scoring points. They didn’t always prey on people’s fears and anxieties. They made mistakes, but they did what they thought was in the best interests of their country and its people.

And that’s what the American people expect of us today -– Democrats, independents, and Republicans. (Applause.) That’s the debate they deserve. That’s the leadership we owe them.

I know that folks are worried about the future. I know there’s still a lot of hurt out here. And when times are tough, I know it can be tempting to give in to cynicism and fear and doubt and division -– and just settle our sights a little bit lower, settle for something a little bit less. But that’s not who we are, Ohio. Those are not the values that built this country.

We are here today because in the worst of times, the people who came before us brought out the best in America. Because our parents and our grandparents and our great-grandparents were willing to work and sacrifice for us. They were willing to take great risks, and face great hardship, and reach for a future that would give us the chance at a better life. They knew that this country is greater than the sum of its parts -– that America is not about the ambitions of any one individual, but the aspirations of an entire people, an entire nation. (Applause.)

That’s who we are. That is our legacy. And I’m convinced that if we’re willing to summon those values today, and if we’re willing to choose hope over fear, and choose the future over the past, and come together once more around the great project of national renewal, then we will restore our economy and rebuild our middle class and reclaim the American Dream for the next generation. (Applause.)

Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)

END
2:53 P.M. EDT



White House.gov Press Office Feed ]]> White House News WhiteHouse http://www.szone.us/f24/remarks-president-economy-parma-ohio-49300/ http://www.szone.us/f24/first-lady-s-let-s-move-campaign-nfl-s-play-60-campaign-team-up-tackle-childh-49301/ Wed, 08 Sep 2010 23:48:46 GMT 09.08.10 12:52 PM

First Lady Michelle Obama and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced today that the First Lady’s Let’s Move! Campaign and NFL PLAY 60 are teaming to fight childhood obesity. The announcement brings together two leading youth health and wellness initiatives.

The announcement was made today at Woldenberg Park in New Orleans during the NFL PLAY 60 Youth Football Festival, part of the NFL’s celebration to kick off the 2010 season. Making the announcement were the First Lady, Commissioner Goodell, Super Bowl winning coach and current NBC Sports broadcaster Tony Dungy and former NFL players.

The First Lady’s Office and the NFL will work to promote the joint goals of NFL PLAY 60 and the First Lady’s Let’s Move! campaign to combat childhood obesity and help the nation’s youth lead healthier, more active lives.

Among the highlights:

• Through its two primary in-school programs -- the PLAY 60 Challenge in partnership with the American Heart Association and Fuel Up To Play 60 in partnership with The National Dairy Council -- the NFL will support the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA) program with a goal of encouraging 200,000 students to participate in the program this year. The First Lady’s Office supports programs like both the Play 60 Challenge and Fuel Up to Play 60 programs as great ways for kids to be active and healthy.

The PALA program enables people of all ages to receive Presidential recognition for leading healthier lifestyles. For more information about the President’s Challenge programs, visit www.presidentschallenge.org. Americans can earn PALA recognition by performing regular activity beyond their daily activity goal of 30 minutes a day for adults or 60 minutes a day for youths under 18 for at least 5 days per week, for a total of 6 weeks.

• The NFL and the First Lady’s Office will develop and share co-branded content. Among the elements will be a Public Service Announcement that will promote Let’s Move! and Fuel Up To Play 60, a joint program of the National Dairy Council and the NFL. The message will be produced in conjunction with the Ad Council and will debut in November.

NFL PLAY 60 and the First Lady’s Let’s Move! campaign pledge to build upon the work already begun over the past year and announced today in the years ahead. The NFL, for example, will build this fall its 100th site for children to play through NFL Play 60 as part of its NFL United Way "Hometown Huddle" day of service.

Today’s announcement follows other recent joint efforts between the NFL and the White House:

• President Obama last month honored the New Orleans Saints for their Super Bowl victory and spoke of the role the team has played in helping New Orleans recover from the devastation from Hurricane Katrina. The team also held a NFL PLAY 60 football clinic on the White House lawn with local Washington, DC-area youth.
• In June, the First Lady introduced Brees as the 2010 co-chair of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition. Former New England Patriots great Tedy Bruschi also was named a member of the 2010 Council. Drew Brees has been the national spokesman for NFL PLAY 60 for the last three years.
• President Obama and the First Lady joined the NFL and players from the Washington Redskins, Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins in helping kids learn the value of good health as part of the annual White House Easter Egg Roll in April. This year’s Egg Roll was themed “Ready, Set, Go!” promoting health and wellness. All activities, including youth football clinics led by the NFL and NFL players, encouraged children in attendance to lead healthy and active lives as part of the Let’s Move! initiative.
• Last season, President Obama filmed a PSA at the White House with Brees, Pittsburgh Steelers S Troy Polamalu and Dallas Cowboys DE DeMarcus Ware promoting PLAY 60 and the White House’s “United We Serve” campaign. The PSA ran during NFL telecasts on Thanksgiving weekend in airtime donated by the NFL.

About Let’s Move!

Let's Move! cultivates the appreciation of nutritious food and inspires kids to engage in physical activity. It empowers parents and caregivers by emphasizing their role in making healthy choices for children and stresses the importance of access to nutritious foods in schools and communities. Let’s Move! was launched in February 2010 in partnership with the USDA, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the President's Council on Physical Fitness, Sports and Nutrition and other members of the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity. Let’s Move! is a continuation of White House efforts to unite and inspire families to take real and sustained actions to eat better, be more active and make a commitment to embracing healthier lifestyles.

About NFL PLAY 60

Designed to tackle childhood obesity, NFL PLAY 60 brings together the NFL’s long-standing commitment to health and fitness with partner organizations. Since the program was launched in 2007, the NFL has committed $200 million to youth health and fitness through programming, grants, and media time for PSAs. For more information, visit www.nflrush.com



White House.gov Press Office Feed ]]> White House News WhiteHouse http://www.szone.us/f24/first-lady-s-let-s-move-campaign-nfl-s-play-60-campaign-team-up-tackle-childh-49301/ http://www.szone.us/f24/press-gaggle-press-secretary-robert-gibbs-aboard-air-force-one-en-route-cleveland-49290/ Wed, 08 Sep 2010 20:08:10 GMT 09.08.10 11:37 AM

1:12 P.M. EDT

MR. GIBBS: All right, fire away.

Q Mr. Boehner has come out with a proposal that would freeze taxes at their current level and put spending at 2008 levels. What’s the administration’s response? Is that something you can at least work with?

MR. GIBBS: Well, I want to be clear. I’ve heard Congressman Boehner on many, many occasions talk about making the tax cuts for the upper end, for the wealthy, permanent. That’s his plan, and I think that continues to be his plan. You’re going to hear the President talk about the fact that giving a $100,000 tax break to a millionaire, at a cost of $700 million for 10 years, that’s not getting our fiscal house in order. We can’t afford that. That’s what the President will talk about today.

And again, I continue -- I saw part of what Congressman Boehner said on TV. My question, I guess, for him is, are they abandoning the permanent or are they going to -- are they just doing a two-year proposal? I’ve seen him say permanent so many times I tend to believe that’s what he’s working off of.

Q Is the President willing to compromise at all on the tax cuts? There seems to be some question. On the upper-income tax cuts, would he --

MR. GIBBS: You know, look, I’ve been with the President since he ran for the Senate in 2004 and we were asked if we supported the middle-class cuts in 2004, and the President said yes. Our position has been -- and we’ve talked about this for many months -- and that is keep the tax cuts for the middle class who are struggling in this economy and, quite frankly, were struggling before the economy collapsed in September of 2008. Their wages had gone down; their hours had gone up for many, many years. The President will discuss that today.

But we are facing a budget deficit that is not going to be fixed by handing out $700 billion to the wealthy. That’s what the President -- that’s the President’s position on this and that’s what he’ll talk about today.

Q That is -- what?

MR. GIBBS: Our position is tax cuts for the middle class. Theirs is tax cuts for millionaires.

Q But is there any talk of maybe moving that upper limit up from $250,000? People have thrown out $500,000. Is that something you guys are even discussing?

MR. GIBBS: Not that I’m aware of, no.

Q -- some Hill Democrats who are advocating spending -- making that --

MR. GIBBS: Look, I don’t know if anybody is -- I don’t know if anybody at the White House has talked to anybody up on the Hill today. I mean, again, the President’s position on this has been clear.

Q Is there any reaction from the White House to the BP report? It seems like they’re trying to put a lot of the blame for the spill on a lot of other companies.

MR. GIBBS: Well, look, obviously we’re looking at the report and there’s an active, ongoing investigation as to what went wrong that day in April. Our focus is on finding out -- and again, I talked about this yesterday -- we’ve got -- the blowout preventer is now -- we have the ability to look at it, add that to part of the investigation. And our job is to find out what went wrong and hold those responsible accountable for the damage that’s been done, and that’s what the administration will do.

Q Rahm for mayor?

MR. GIBBS: Are you signing up? (Laughter.) You know, I think many of you saw what David said on the morning shows. Look, obviously, something like that doesn’t come around a lot. Mayor Daley has been there since 1989. And I presume that Rahm will take some time and make a decision about that. It’s no surprise that he was -- that’s a job he’s been interested in.

I will say a couple of things. One, it’s understandable -- I’m not from Chicago, but having spent a lot of time there over the past seven or eight years, it’s a city you can fall in love with very quickly. But secondly I would say, our day ends with and begins with a meeting in Rahm’s office. We had that meeting yesterday and we were focused on a series of things that lie in front of us, and started it at 7:30 a.m. this morning with the same meeting.

So I think Rahm right now is focused on the enormous number of tasks that we have in front of us as an administration. I have no doubt that he’ll take some time to think about what he wants to do with his future, but I think his focus right now is on his job as chief of staff.

Q Do you know if he’s talked to the President about it, or to you about it?

MR. GIBBS: I have not talked to him about it. I have not -- I don't know the answer to the second --

Q Robert, do you expect -- Rahm may leave, the midterm elections are coming up, people are exhausted, it might be a natural time for some staff turnover. Should we expect that after the midterms?

MR. GIBBS: Well, I mean, look, I don’t have any news for you on that. I would say -- look, I think -- I do not think it is surprising that that is a time in which people who have given two years of service return to things that they were doing beforehand. I don’t doubt that that will happen in -- it will happen in this administration like it has in many of the previous.

I will say, too, for those that were on the campaign, this is sort of the end of year four, not necessarily the end of year two. So I think there’s no doubt that there will be people that return to their lives and their families and -- but we’ve got a while before that. We’ve got at least two months before this election -- or about two months before this election before we get to a lot of those decisions.

Q Senator Bennet of Colorado is quoted in The Hill as opposing the $50 billion infrastructure measure that the President rolled out a couple days ago. Any thoughts on that, and do you have any concern about holding Democrats together on that portion of the package?

MR. GIBBS: I honestly did not see the article. I don’t know what his reasoning was. Look, the President’s proposal for an increase in infrastructure investment has to do with the fact that 20 percent of those that are unemployed used to be employed -- they’re skilled labor and used to be employed in the construction industry. But because of the housing boom, the demand for new houses is not nearly as great, and you find a lot of these people who -- a lot of these workers who can’t find the skilled labor that they’re used to doing.

So it’s a long-term proposal. It’s about investing in not just skilled labor but investing in rebuilding America. And I think we’ll have -- I think if you look at the number of people that over the course of the past two years have said they support more infrastructure spending, I think you’d find the vast majority of Congress. The question is whether or not we can get things done because people are willing to move forward rather than play games.

All right, guys? Get buckled up.

Q Thanks, Robert.

MR. GIBBS: Thanks, guys.

END
1:19 P.M. EDT



White House.gov Press Office Feed ]]> White House News WhiteHouse http://www.szone.us/f24/press-gaggle-press-secretary-robert-gibbs-aboard-air-force-one-en-route-cleveland-49290/ http://www.szone.us/f24/remarks-first-lady-lets-move-back-school-event-slidell-louisiana-49291/ Wed, 08 Sep 2010 20:08:10 GMT 09.08.10 09:52 AM

10:13 A.M. CDT

MRS. OBAMA: Thank you so much. (Applause.) Thanks, everyone. Good morning! Well, let’s start by thanking Mr. Malik -- (applause) -- for just being so awesome. (Laughter.) Well done. We’re very proud of you. We’re proud of all the students here.

I can’t tell you just how thrilled I am to be here with all of you today at Brock Elementary School. We are kicking off this new school year and we are kicking off the next phase of “Let’s Move!”

But before I get into that, let me start by thanking a few people. I want to thank Mayor Landrieu, who’s here with his lovely wife. There you guys are, right there. (Applause.) Mayor Betty Alford-Olive is here. I got to see her earlier. It’s good to see you. (Applause.) And I want to just thank and recognize all the other elected officials who are joining us here today. Why don’t you all stand so that we can see you. Say hello if you’re here. Thank you all. (Applause.)

And I also have to acknowledge our host of today, Principal Rose Smith, and your superintendent, Superintendent Folse. Thank you all for hosting this, for inviting me here, welcoming me with such warm greetings. And I want to thank you for your leadership and your commitment to our young people. It means so much not just to the kids in this community but the kids in this country.

Now, as some of you may remember, last February, when we launched “Let’s Move,” we set a goal for ourselves, and that was to solve the problem of childhood obesity so that kids born today reach adulthood at a healthy weight.

And I think it’s fair to say that that’s a pretty ambitious goal, right? A generational goal -- pretty ambitious. But I think you’ll also agree that when we are talking about the health and well-being of our children, when we’re talking about our children’s futures, then I think that’s something that we have to be ambitious about. We don't have a choice.

And we’re beginning to better understand the magnitude of this crisis. We’re seeing it all over. Everyone is talking about it now. And we know the threat that it poses to the health of our children. So it’s simply not enough to solve this problem halfway or to do it incrementally. This is a national problem and it’s affecting every single child in every single community in this country.

And that’s why, over the past year, we have been working so hard, reaching out to folks all across this country, because everybody has to be a part of this solution. We’re working with the food manufacturers. We're trying to get them to put better, more clear labels on products. We’re working with restaurants to post calories so you know what you’re eating. We’re pushing to get better food in our schools. We want to get better information into the hands of parents so that they can make better decisions. And we’re fighting to get more grocery stores providing healthy options right in our communities –- and I know that that is an issue that’s of particular concern to many people here today.

So over the past year we have worked hard to raise awareness, to get folks engaged, and to get “Let’s Move’ off the ground. And I think we’ve done a pretty good job. We’ve gotten off to a pretty good start. But what we’ve done so far is just that -- it’s a start. So the key now, in this next phase of “Let’s Move,” is to get results. We have to ensure that our efforts are actually making our kids healthier.

Last spring, our White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity drafted a plan, plan of attack, and they laid out a series of benchmarks that we need to hit in order to reach our goal of solving this problem in a generation. And the plan includes everything from preventing obesity early on by supporting breastfeeding and prenatal care, to getting more doctors to screen our children for obesity, to getting kids to be more active, both in school and out of school. And during this next phase, we’re going to be focusing on hitting those benchmarks and holding ourselves accountable every step of the way.

So that brings me to the reason why we’re launching this next phase of “Let’s Move” right here at this school -- because the truth is when it comes to being accountable and getting results, all of you here at this school and in this district are setting the standard for schools and school districts across the country for doing just that.

You see, right here at Brock Elementary, this isn’t just a school that demonstrates a commitment to academic success. This isn’t just a school that's a model of determination and resilience, having rebuilt this beautiful school from the ground up after Hurricane Katrina. It is a wonderful facility, and congratulations on that success. But we’re here today because this school is a model of excellence in teaching our children healthy habits right from the beginning.

Your success in the Healthier U.S. Schools Challenge is a wonderful example. Through this challenge, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recognizes schools that are doing the very best work to keep kids healthy –- and that includes providing everything from healthy school meals to ensuring that kids are getting regular gym classes.

And as a winner of the Gold Award of Distinction -–which is the highest honor that the USDA awards –- Brock Elementary is among the very best of the best. And that’s a major distinction. (Applause.)

And I’ve heard some pretty interesting ways that you’re reaching this goal -- that you’ve reached this goal. You’ve been very creative. I hear that the students here participate in food-tasting parties and that they work with the cafeteria manager to teach other children, their peers, about healthy eating. I’m also told that you’ve even started a jump rope club. I might try that. I think I’m pretty good at jumping rope. (Laughter.)

And Brock isn’t the only school in this district to win this honor. See, here in St. Tammany Parish, 25 schools –- that’s right, 25 schools right here in this parish -– have earned the Gold Award of Distinction.

And I understand that we also have some representatives here from another school district -– your neighbors in Shelby County, Alabama -– where 20 of their schools have also been awarded Gold with Distinction.

So this is an extraordinary accomplishment, and you all should be incredibly proud because it’s not being done everywhere. And this -- something like this doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because there are principals and there are food service managers and others who had made a commitment and they put a lot of hard work into getting this done.

And as educators and community leaders, all of you here know better than anyone the impact that childhood obesity has on the lives of our young people. You don’t need to read all the studies showing that nutrition and physical activity affect our kids’ academic performance, because you see it every day for yourselves right in the classroom and in your communities.

You know that kids need time and space to run and get all that energy out before they can sit down and concentrate. You know they need something more than chips and soda and candy before they can focus on math and reading and science.

The reality is that our schools are on the frontlines of our efforts to fight childhood obesity. You are the ones. There are 31 million American children who participate in the federal school lunch program; 11 million are part of the school breakfast program. So many of these kids consume up to half of their daily calories at school right here. And the nutrition education they get at schools like Brock Elementary sometimes might be the only guidance they get on making healthy decisions about what they eat.

So every day, with the work that you do, and the food you serve, and the lessons you teach, and the example you set, you’re shaping our children’s habits and preferences, and affecting the choices they’re going to make for the rest of their lives. And that's pretty powerful.

Through “Let’s Move,” I want to provide more support for your efforts and help all our kids lead active, healthy lives. I want all our kids to be like the kids here at Brock. And there are some ways that I think that we can help:

First and foremost, we’re working with all of you to get fresher, more nutritious food into our schools. That is key. And we believe that one of the best ways to do this is through the Healthier U.S. School Challenge. This program has spurred schools all across the country to raise their standards and transform their classrooms and their cafeterias into essentially healthy eating, learning labs for their students.

That’s why we’ve set a goal of doubling –- and that's doubling –- the number of schools that participate in the Healthier U.S. School Challenge by June of 2011. And we want to add an additional 1,000 schools in each of the following two years after that.

But in order to reach that goal, we’ve got to make things easier for schools, so we're going to do that by making it easier to apply, first of all, because we’re going to be moving our application online, and hopefully that will help. We're going to be letting districts apply for all their schools with just one application, and hopefully that will help.

We’re also going to make it easier for schools to succeed at achieving this standard by providing some better technical assistance and by connecting schools with professional chefs through our “Chefs Move to Schools” program. And already, nearly 1,800 professional chefs -- they met on the South Lawn in their white coats -- have signed up to give nearly 1,300 schools the expert advice they need to meet this challenge.

And when schools do succeed, we want to sweeten the pot a little bit with new cash rewards. And I’ll be also inviting representatives from each award-winning school to come to my house -- (laughter) -- for a reception in their honor. Hopefully that will be exciting. (Applause.)

Finally, we’re working to increase participation in our school lunch program by 2 million eligible children, and to get another 3 million kids signed up to start receiving school breakfasts by 2015 -- because I think we can all agree that no child in this country should be starting school hungry each day. No child should be going without the basic nutrition they need to learn, to grow, to succeed, not just in school but in life. (Applause.)

But I want to be clear -- it’s important to be clear that we can’t do any of this unless we pass the Child Nutrition legislation that’s before Congress right now. This bipartisan legislation supports critically needed investments to help millions of children get the nourishment that they need to be healthy.

And the good news is that the Senate has already acted on this legislation. And it is my great hope that the House of Representatives will do the same by the end of this month so that we can get this bill signed into law and start working on behalf of our kids.

But of course we all know that healthy eating is only part of the battle. Experts recommend that children get at least 60 minutes of activity a day. And we all know that many of our kids aren’t even coming close. That’s why another key component to “Let’s Move” is simple -- it’s getting our kids moving. We want to find new ways for them to get -– and stay –- fit and active, and to do it for the rest of their lives.

One of the key benchmarks that we’re working to meet is to double the number of children winning the President’s Active Lifestyle Award. Now, to earn this award, students need to engage in physical activity five days a week, for six weeks. Sounds pretty good. And the idea is to help kids make exercise habit-forming. We want to show them how good it feels to be active, so that they’ll stick with it long after those six weeks are over.

And we’re going to be working with after-school programs and with wonderful athletes, folks like Drew Brees -- you know that character, right? -- (laughter) -- as well as Dominique Dawes. They are co-chairs of the President’s Fitness Council and they’re going to help promote this program.

And to show everyone just how much fun it can be, I will be working to earn my Active Lifestyle Award. I’m going to do it. (Laughter.) And I want kids across the country to join me. Actually, I want all you all to join me. Don't just leave it on the kids. I want you all to join me. (Applause.) So in a couple weeks -- I'm not sure when it’s going to start -- starting soon, I'm going to be recording my progress online, so if I start falling behind, I want everyone to be checking on me and make sure that I'm not slacking. Send me emails to shame me into staying on track. (Laughter.) So I’m excited about it, and I think it’s something that’s very doable. And the thing is, is that if your kids see you doing it -- your grandparents, uncles, teachers -- they’re going to be engaged. So let’s make this something that we’re all trying to do together.

So that’s just some of what we’re doing to support your work in schools. And I hope that in the coming months and years, all of you, and schools all across the country, will become even more involved in “Let’s Move.” I hope that more schools will get their kids working toward these Active Lifestyle Awards. We’re going to make it interesting and exciting for kids. All we need you to do is hook them in. Even if you sign up just one class or one club in your school, I guarantee you that if those kids enjoy it -- which they will-- they’re going to tell their friends, and sooner or later there are going to be more who want to join in. So it doesn’t take a lot, it just takes a little spark.

I also hope that more school districts will set a goal for themselves of having a certain number of their schools become Healthier U.S. Schools each year. And I also hope that schools will work together to help each other get involved as well -- because the truth is there’s no limit on the number of schools that can become Healthier U.S. Schools, just like there’s no limit on the number of kids who can get an Active Lifestyle Award. See, the truth is we’re in this together. Everyone can win. There are no losers.

So if you’re a school that has already met the Healthier U.S. Schools Challenge, then I hope you’ll reach out to some others and help them find a way to meet the challenge, as well.

If you’ve found an exciting new activity for gym class that kids are just pumped about, or you found a way to get kids to eat new foods in the lunchroom, we want you to share that, don’t keep it a secret, so that other schools and their students can benefit from the knowledge and exploration that you’ve enjoyed.

That’s what we’re trying to do with our website, Letsmove.gov, where we posted all kinds of tips and recipes and information that we wanted to share. It’s a good-looking website, it’s exciting. We've got guest stars on there. So hopefully you all connect in and use that as a tool for sharing.

In the end, these are all the kinds of efforts that will make the difference in our kids’ lives. We’re in charge here. We can do this. And all of you here, all the folks who are sitting here and listening in around the country who the folks who are going to be a part of solving this problem once and for all. And that's pretty good news that this is a problem we can fix right here and right now.

And there’s so many people already doing it. I’m thinking about folks like Amy Alter -- heard about her. She’s a resource room teacher at P.S. 105 in the Bronx in New York. And Amy wanted to get her students engaged in “Let’s Move,” so they created a healthy food bulletin board and they kept daily food diaries. In a letter that she sent me she wrote -- and this is a quote -- “It was an eye-opener for all of us,” she said. One of her students also sent me a letter where he proudly told me that an eggplant is actually fruit and then letting me know that he now eats apples and pretzels instead of chips and candy, which is always good to hear.

I’m also thinking about folks like Bill Magley, who’s a physical education teacher at the Dream Academy Charter School in Benton Harbor, Michigan. He started this great program that he called the “100 Mile March,” where he and his students walk two and a half miles a day, four days a week, until they hit 100 miles. The students who participated not only lost weight, but they gained confidence, and many found the experience to be pretty memorable. There’s one student who wrote me and said -- and this is another quote -- “I might not like it, but I’ll never forget it.” (Laughter.)

And then in Bastrop, Louisiana, our mayor, who is here with us, challenged her young people to improve their eating and exercise habits. And as she told us, it was a challenge that they accepted with great enthusiasm. That's another thing -- kids are ready for this challenge. She said, one student reported -- and this is a quote -- “I was one of those people that didn’t think very much about my health. And this program enlightened me.” (Laughter.) Another wrote, “This has been a life-changing activity. I feel better about myself and I feel prettier, too.” You know, small things.

So with these kind of examples, I know the difference that all of you are making and can make with just little gestures in the lives of our kids. And I know that if we all keep working together, and if we keep making progress and holding ourselves accountable, we can change our children’s future. That we can do. We’ll meet our goal; we will give our children the happy, healthy future that they deserve. And we may make a few friends along the way.

So I am really looking forward to working with all of you. Congratulations again to the folks here at Brock and to all the schools in the district. I can see it on the faces of your children -- when I got there in the heat and some of them said it was hot. (Laughter.) But they look healthy, they look bright, they look energized. And there is a difference. You can see that different light in their eyes. I've been to schools around the country, and there is a difference when kids feel good and they feel invested in -- not just academically, but as a whole child.

So you all are doing a phenomenal job. And I want the country to look and see that this parish has done great things even with great challenges. You’ve been able to manage to do this as you built a new school and recover from one of the greatest devastations that this country has ever seen. So if they can do it here, then all the schools out there can do it.

So thank you all. Congratulations again. And we'll see you soon. (Applause.)

END
10:35 A.M. CDT



White House.gov Press Office Feed ]]> White House News WhiteHouse http://www.szone.us/f24/remarks-first-lady-lets-move-back-school-event-slidell-louisiana-49291/ http://www.szone.us/f24/background-president-s-remarks-today-cleveland-ohio-49292/ Wed, 08 Sep 2010 20:08:10 GMT 09.08.10 09:03 AM

The President will deliver remarks outlining a set of targeted initiatives to support economic recovery and ensure long-term sustainable growth at the Cuyahoga Community College West Campus in Cleveland, Ohio to an audience of approximately 800 students, faculty, and invited guests.

*Backgrounder on Recovery Act Investments in Ohio and the Cleveland area attached.

PRE-PROGRAM

Reverend Otis Moss, Jr. will deliver the Invocation.
Rev. Moss, Jr., pastor emeritus at Cleveland's Olivet Institutional Baptist Church, serves on the White House Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

Duane Evans will lead the Pledge of Allegiance.
Duane is an Iraq veteran and president of the Veterans Club at Cuyahoga Community College.

Kira Seaton will sing the National Anthem.
Kira is an Assistant Professor of Music at Cuyahoga Community College.

ELECTED OFFICIALS EXPECTED TO ATTEND

Governor Ted Strickland
Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher
Senator Sherrod Brown
Representative John Boccieri
Representative Marcia Fudge
Representative Dennis Kucinich
Mayor Dean DePiero, Parma
Mayor Frank Jackson, Cleveland



White House.gov Press Office Feed ]]> White House News WhiteHouse http://www.szone.us/f24/background-president-s-remarks-today-cleveland-ohio-49292/ http://www.szone.us/f24/president-obama-honor-ncaa-champion-student-athletes-white-house-49293/ Wed, 08 Sep 2010 20:08:10 GMT 09.08.10 08:23 AM

WASHINGTON—On Monday, September 13, President Obama will continue a tradition started by President George W. Bush by honoring championship teams and student athletes from across the NCAA with a reception at the White House. The President will welcome student athletes from dozens of schools and various sports to congratulate them on their accomplishments in the classroom as well as on and off the playing field. In association with this event, various championship teams and players will be recognized for their efforts to give back to their communities, continuing an effort begun by President Obama of sports champions being commended for service as part of a White House visit. More details, including press access information, will be released in the coming weeks.

Media logistics for planning purposes only. Please note times are EDT and are subject to change.

Monday, September 13, 2010

President Obama Delivers Remarks to NCAA Champion Student Athletes
5:45 p.m.

(Pre-Set 3:00 p.m., Final Gather 5:25 p.m. at the North Doors of the Palm Room. Media should enter the complex through the North West Gate on Pennsylvania Ave at Jackson Place)

Media RSVP: Media who wish to cover the President’s remarks to the NCAA champion student athletes should RSVP with their full name, date of birth, social security number and country of citizenship to media_affairs@who.eop.gov by 12:00 p.m. EDT on Friday, September 10. Please note that NO RSVPs can be accepted after this time. Also note that space is extremely limited and not all requests for credentials can be accommodated. Further details on logistics and timing will be released to credentialed media in the coming days.

Some of the schools and teams invited to attend the September 13 event include:
Augusta State University Men’s Golf
Boston College Men’s Ice Hockey
Duke University Men’s Lacrosse
Fairleigh Dickinson University Women’s Bowling
Oklahoma State University Men’s Cross Country
Pennsylvania State University Women’s Volleyball
Pennsylvania State University Men’s & Women’s Fencing
Stanford University Men’s Volleyball
Stanford University Women’s Tennis
Texas A&M University, College Station Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field
Texas Christian University Men’s & Women’s Rifle
University of California, Los Angeles Softball
University of California Los Angeles Women’s Gymnastics
University of Denver Men’s & Women’s Skiing
University of Florida Men’s Indoor Track and Field
University of Florida Women’s Swimming and Diving
University of Illinois Wheel Chair Basketball
University of Iowa Wrestling
University of Maryland, College Park Women’s Lacrosse
University of Michigan Men’s Gymnastics
University of Minnesota Duluth Women’s Ice Hockey
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Field Hockey
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Women’s Soccer
University of Oregon Women’s Indoor Track and Field
University of South Carolina Baseball
University of Southern California Men’s Tennis
University of Southern California Men’s Water Polo
University of Southern California Women’s Water Polo
University of Texas at Austin Men’s Swimming and Diving
University of Virginia Men’s Soccer
University of Virginia Women’s Rowing
Villanova University Women’s Cross Country
Villanova University Football



White House.gov Press Office Feed ]]> White House News WhiteHouse http://www.szone.us/f24/president-obama-honor-ncaa-champion-student-athletes-white-house-49293/ http://www.szone.us/f24/first-lady-michelle-obama-delivers-call-action-improved-childhood-nutrition-49280/ Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:52:17 GMT 09.08.10 07:15 AM

Mrs. Obama outlines goals and pledges to participate in President’s Active Lifestyle Award

(Slidell, Louisiana) – As children across the country begin a new school year, First Lady Michelle Obama kicked off the next phase of Let’s Move! – her initiative to solve the problem of childhood obesity in a generation – focusing today on improving children’s nutrition and physical fitness. Her remarks highlighted strategies to help schools provide healthier foods in school lunchrooms and vending machines, and engage students in a regular routine of physical exercise. In particular, she described improvements to the Healthier US Schools Challenge – a program that requires schools to meet higher standards for school foods, nutrition information, and physical education – to encourage more schools to participate.

With Congress returning to session next week, the First Lady dedicated a portion of her speech to the importance of passing the Childhood Nutrition Reauthorization Bill. “Without the funding this legislation provides, millions of children won’t get the basic nourishment they need to be healthy, and that is simply unacceptable in the United States of America,” said Mrs. Obama. “This is a bi-partisan bill – it’s supported by Democrats and Republicans who have come together on behalf of our children. It has already passed the Senate, and I hope that the House of Representatives will act as swiftly as possible so that we can get it signed into law.”

Key highlights of benchmarks and actions to be taken include:

Improving child nutrition through HealthierUS Schools Challenge

• Increasing school participation:
  • Doubling the number of schools that participate in the HealthierUS Schools Challenge by June of 2011. An additional one thousand schools will be added in each of the following two years.
  • Increasing participation in the school lunch program by two million eligible children, and getting another 3 million kids signed up to start receiving school breakfasts by 2015.
• Application assistance:
  • Moving the application process online starting October 1st to make it easier to complete.
  • Helping school districts get involved by creating a onetime application for the entire district. This will make it easier for districts to bring all school up to the HealthierUS School Challenge standards.
  • Providing better technical assistance through experts’ in-person support to guide school administrators through the application process.
• Reward:
  • Giving monetary awards from the USDA to participating schools for each completed level of the challenge, those funds will be used to fund health initiatives.
  • Saluting schools joining the program, the First Lady will send a congratulatory letter and will host an event at the White House.

Chefs Move to Schools

• New Resources:
  • Crafting a new on-line tool for chefs with expert advice on how to work with schools and provide support.

Engaging youth in regular physical exercise routine

• President’s Active Lifestyle Award:
  • Doubling the number of children who earn the President’s Active Lifestyle Award. To earn this award, students need to engage in physical activity for at least 60 minutes a day, five days a week, for six weeks.
  • Pledging to participate, the First Lady will record her progress online.

• Other benchmark priorities
• Supporting efforts to ensure doctors screen for obesity and counsel parents on strategies for keeping children at a healthy weight.
• Supporting initiatives to increase access to affordable, quality food, particularly in underserved communities, and eliminate food deserts.
• Supporting ongoing efforts to provide clear labeling on food packaging.

White House.gov Press Office Feed ]]> White House News WhiteHouse http://www.szone.us/f24/first-lady-michelle-obama-delivers-call-action-improved-childhood-nutrition-49280/ http://www.szone.us/f24/read-out-nsc-spokesman-mike-hammer-trip-national-economic-council-direct-49281/ Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:52:17 GMT 09.08.10 04:59 AM

National Economic Council Director Lawrence H. Summers and Deputy National Security Advisor Thomas E. Donilon held productive, detailed, and wide ranging discussions with Chinese officials during their visit to Beijing September 5-8. This visit advanced the goal of strengthening the U.S.-China relationship. Dr. Summers and Mr. Donilon had the pleasure of meeting with President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao, Vice Premier Wang Qishan, State Councilor Dai Bingguo, and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi. They were also received by Li Yuanchao, Polituburo member, head of Organization Department. Separately, Dr. Summers also held discussions with Governor of the People’s Bank of China Zhou Xiaochuan and Finance Minister Xie Xuren while Mr. Donilon met with Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission General Xu Caihou.

In keeping with President Obama's vision for the U.S.-China bilateral relationship, the United States seeks to expand cooperation in the many areas where our countries' interests coincide while we will speak frankly and with respect when we disagree. It is in that spirit that Dr. Summers and Mr. Donilon held extensive meetings that included candid exchanges on a wide range of issues touching on bilateral and international issues, among them North Korea, Iran and global rebalancing. The American delegation was pleased to be able to discuss with Chinese officials economic and security issues from a strategic perspective and further expand the scope and depth of the U.S.-China relationship.



White House.gov Press Office Feed ]]> White House News WhiteHouse http://www.szone.us/f24/read-out-nsc-spokesman-mike-hammer-trip-national-economic-council-direct-49281/ http://www.szone.us/f24/readout-presidents-meeting-nato-secretary-general-rasmussen-49261/ Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:59:40 GMT 09.07.10 03:39 PM

The President welcomed NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen to the Oval Office earlier today. The President thanked the Secretary General for the significant NATO commitment to promoting peace and stability around the world, particularly in Afghanistan where nearly 50,000 non-U.S. ISAF troops, trainers, and civilians are serving alongside Americans with distinction. The two leaders discussed progress in implementing our shared strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan and ways to further strengthen the international community’s efforts. The President and the Secretary General discussed goals for the November 19 - 20 NATO Summit in Lisbon, including unveiling a new NATO Strategic Concept that reinforces the allied commitment to invest in 21st Century capabilities, particularly missile defense, cyber defense, and civilian-military capabilities; reforming NATO’s structures to make it more agile and efficient to take on the range of challenges that face allied countries today; and affirming NATO’s role as the hub of a network of security partnerships that advance global stability. The President looks forward to further discussing these issues with the Secretary General and other allied and ISAF partner leaders at the November Summit.



White House.gov Press Office Feed ]]> White House News WhiteHouse http://www.szone.us/f24/readout-presidents-meeting-nato-secretary-general-rasmussen-49261/ http://www.szone.us/f24/statement-press-secretary-presidents-call-prime-minister-gillard-49262/ Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:59:40 GMT 09.07.10 03:14 PM Today, President Obama was pleased to call Julia Gillard to offer his congratulations on her successful formation of a government and becoming the new Prime Minister of Australia. The President conveyed his personal commitment, and the commitment of the United States, to the enduring alliance between our two nations, which advances our shared interests and values. The President and Prime Minister agreed to work closely to ensure our common security and prosperity, in the Asia Pacific and around the world. The President looks forward to working with Prime Minister Gillard at the G-20 and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summits in November, and is confident that the U.S-Australian alliance will only grow stronger in the years ahead. White House.gov Press Office Feed (http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2010/09/07/statement-press-secretary-presidents-call-with-prime-minister-gillard-au) 09.07.10 03:14 PM

Today, President Obama was pleased to call Julia Gillard to offer his congratulations on her successful formation of a government and becoming the new Prime Minister of Australia. The President conveyed his personal commitment, and the commitment of the United States, to the enduring alliance between our two nations, which advances our shared interests and values. The President and Prime Minister agreed to work closely to ensure our common security and prosperity, in the Asia Pacific and around the world. The President looks forward to working with Prime Minister Gillard at the G-20 and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summits in November, and is confident that the U.S-Australian alliance will only grow stronger in the years ahead.



White House.gov Press Office Feed ]]> White House News WhiteHouse http://www.szone.us/f24/statement-press-secretary-presidents-call-prime-minister-gillard-49262/ http://www.szone.us/f24/remarks-first-lady-judith-jamison-dance-celebration-49263/ Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:59:40 GMT 09.07.10 03:09 PM

5:10 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA: Thank you, everyone. (Applause.) Please, sit, relax.

Welcome to my home. Welcome to the White House. (Laughter.) And thank you, Damian, for that wonderful introduction. Damian has made so many outstanding contributions in the arts, from his time as a world-renowned dancer to the work as Artistic Director of the Vail International Dance Festival to his service as a member of the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities today. So I thank you for your pirouettes -- (laughter) -- but for all that you’ve done for the arts and for all of the hard work that you’ve put in to pulling together today’s program.

I'd like to just take a few moments and recognize some people -- first of all, the co-chairs of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities: Margo Lion and George Stevens, Jr. I want to thank them and all of the members of the committee for their work on behalf of the arts and the humanities. I want to recognize Representative Chaka Fattah and his wife Renee, who are here, as well. It’s good to have you both.

And of course I want to give a warm welcome to all the young dancers who are here today. Let’s give them a round of applause. (Applause.) So, we could hear you a little bit upstairs. (Laughter.) Did you all have fun this afternoon?

DANCERS: Yes!

MRS. OBAMA: Did you work up a good sweat?

DANCERS: Yes!

MRS. OBAMA: Well, good. That’s a good thing. I’m also doing “Let’s Move,” so that's good -- moving, dancing, all that stuff.

These young men and women are from Michigan, and New York, Philadelphia, Delaware, Chicago -- South Side! -- (laughter) -- and right here in Washington, and they just finished, as Damian mentioned, an hour-and-a-half workshop with some of the most distinguished dance companies in our country. And I am so thrilled that they could all be here today as we kick off our new White House Dance Series.

Now, this is something that we’ve been thinking about and talking about doing for awhile. And you probably already heard a little bit about our music series where we showcase a whole range of different genres of music -- from classical to country, to the music of the Civil Rights movement.

But we’re pivoting off that theme today, but instead of hearing the beauty of song, we’ll witness the glory of movement. It’s a good thing. (Applause.) And we’ve got a little something for everyone. The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is here. (Applause.) “Billy Elliott the Musical,” they’re here. (Applause.) The New York City Ballet. (Applause.) Paul Taylor Dance Company. (Applause.) Super Cr3w. (Applause.) And the Washington Ballet. (Applause.) They’re all here today. It’s very exciting. (Applause.) So from ballet to Broadway to hip-hop, today is a celebration of some of the most beautiful, powerful, and emotional aspects of American dance.

But today isn’t simply about these performances or the new dance series or even these talented, young dancers. What brings us together today is the extraordinary career of an amazing, phenomenal, fly woman -- (laughter) -- the renowned dancer, choreographer, and artistic director Judith Jamison. (Applause.)

So let’s embarrass Judith a bit. Would you please stand, my dear -- I know, I know, it’s the lights. (Applause.) Thank you, Judith. Thank you so much. (Applause.) This amazing woman, born in Philadelphia, she was onstage in New York with the American Ballet Theater by her early 20s. Ten years ago, right? (Laughter.) After just one year, she joined the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, where her shooting star connected with Alvin’s.

And their artistry continues to shine brightly to this very day. Judith, as we all know, was Alvin Ailey’s muse. He crafted pieces just for her, including “Cry,” which we all know is a 15-minute solo work, and we’re going to see a portion of that piece in just a moment. It’s a good thing. (Applause.) After 15 years as lead dancer, she branched off from Alvin Ailey’s company in 1980 to perform and choreograph on her own. But in 1989, in failing health, Alvin named Judith as his successor.

In the years since, she has earned the National Medal of the Arts and an Emmy. She has become a Kennedy Center Honoree. And she has distinguished herself as a true visionary in the world of dance.

Her work has been an inspiration to me personally and to the President. Let me tell you, your picture in “Cry” was the only piece of art we had in our house. (Laughter.) And the girls remember it. They’re like, is that the lady in the picture? (Laughter.) That’s her.

So we’re thrilled to host her here at the White House in our home. After my husband’s inauguration, our family’s very first trip to the Kennedy Center was for the Alvin Ailey 50th anniversary performance. That was great.

And for years I have gone to watch Judith’s company whenever and wherever I can. And I always try to bring these two little women with me because I want them to see Judith’s gifts on display, because I want them to witness the grace and the beauty that stirs our souls and connects us to each other like nothing else can.

And in her biography, entitled “Dancing Spirit,” Judith wrote -- these are her words: “Dancing is bigger than the physical body. Think bigger than that,” she said. “When you extend your arm, it doesn't stop at the end of your fingers, because you're dancing bigger than that. You're dancing spirit.”

In so many ways, Judith Jamison embodies that spirit –- a spirit that is alive in all the dancers she’s inspired, in all the pieces she’s perfected, in all the audiences she has moved and uplifted.

And today, we honor Judith for all she has achieved and all she has contributed not just to our country but to the world.

And now, I can think of no better way to begin the White House Dance Series than with an excerpt from “Cry” by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. It was a gift from Alvin to his mother, and Judith made it famous. Now, it is a gift from us to her. So enjoy. And thank you all for being here. (Applause.)

END
5:18 P.M. EDT



White House.gov Press Office Feed ]]> White House News WhiteHouse http://www.szone.us/f24/remarks-first-lady-judith-jamison-dance-celebration-49263/ http://www.szone.us/f24/statement-president-mayor-richard-m-daley-49264/ Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:59:40 GMT 09.07.10 01:18 PM

No mayor in America has loved a city more or served a community with greater passion than Rich Daley. He helped build Chicago’s image as a world class city, and leaves a legacy of progress that will be appreciated for generations to come.



White House.gov Press Office Feed ]]> White House News WhiteHouse http://www.szone.us/f24/statement-president-mayor-richard-m-daley-49264/ http://www.szone.us/f24/press-briefing-press-secretary-robert-gibbs-9-7-2010-a-49237/ Tue, 07 Sep 2010 22:33:58 GMT 09.07.10 11:56 AM

12:16 P.M. EDT

MR. GIBBS: Yes, ma’am. Good afternoon.

Q Good afternoon. Robert, there’s a church in Gainesville, Florida, that says it’s going to go ahead and burn copies of the Koran to mark the 9/11 anniversary. Is the White House -- is there anything the White House is doing to discourage that or prevent them from going ahead with that?

MR. GIBBS: Well, look, I think the best place to look for the views of this administration would be to look at the -- look at what General Petraeus said over the weekend. We know that that type of activity -- we know that that type of activity is being transmitted back to places like Afghanistan, when General Petraeus obviously is our lead commander. As he said, it puts our troops in harm’s way. And obviously that -- any type of activity like that would be -- that puts our troops in harm’s way would be a concern to this administration.

Q But is there any thought from anyone at the White House to reach out to the pastor of the church --

MR. GIBBS: I have not heard of any.

Q Are you ready to say what the President is going to do Saturday to mark the 9/11 anniversary? MR. GIBBS: The President will attend a memorial service at the Pentagon. I believe the Vice President will go to New York. And obviously the First Lady and former First Lady Laura Bush are in Pennsylvania. I don’t have the times on the event at the Pentagon with me.

Yes, ma’am.

Q The economic package that you’re rolling out, what is the President’s legislative strategy for that? Is this something he thinks can be passed before Election Day? And also, is he seeking passage of these measures as one big package or separate measures?

MR. GIBBS: On the second one, I don’t know the answer to one package or several packages.

Look, I think what the President -- the President will tomorrow outline a series of the proposals, many of which you all have read about and reported on over the past several days, that he believes continue our strategy to getting our economy moving again and, more importantly, for long-term economic growth.

Look, I don’t think we’re under -- we understand what season we’ve entered in Washington. We know that Congress won’t be here for a lot of time. We certainly hope that there are measures, including some of the ones that the President will outline, that Congress will consider. If they don’t do that prior to the election, the President and the economic team still believe that these represent some very important ideas in continuing along our path toward economic recovery.And as I said, most importantly, this is about -- and look, you’ll hear the President talk about this a lot tomorrow in Cleveland -- this is about long-term economic growth. This isn’t about the next 60 days or the next 90 days. This is about how do we get our economy fully back on track, how do we get the millions that want to work back to work, and how do we repair the economic damage that’s been going on not just over the past two years but over the past 10 years. We didn’t get into this overnight, as I’ve said countless times.

But I think one of the things the President will do tomorrow is will go through the notion of for 10 years we saw rules written for the special interests. We saw a blind eye turned to some of their activities. We saw wages decrease. We saw families rightly more concerned about the future of their children and whether or not the economy that they were going to raise their children in was going to be one that was capable of passing on the American Dream to each and every one of their children.

Q Are we likely to get an announcement this week on either the Consumer Agency job or CEA?

MR. GIBBS: No, I have not gotten white smoke on that except to say -- obviously nothing that I know of today. I can’t rule out that at some point that may come during the week.

Yes, sir.

Q Your former budget director, Mr. Orszag, wrote in The New York Times today that the administration and Democrats should compromise with the Republicans in Congress and extend all of the Bush tax cuts for two years and then get rid of them.

One of the reasons for that, he said, in terms of keeping the tax cuts in place, is, “Higher taxes now would crimp consumer spending, further depressing the already inadequate demand for what firms are capable of producing at full tilt.”

So your OMB director is saying that if you guys go ahead with what you’re proposing, which is allowing them to expire on the richest Americans --

MR. GIBBS: Jake, I think that -- I think Peter was mostly -- if I read the article correctly, I think Peter was mostly discussing the permanence of and the extension of those that involved the middle class.

Q But I’m specifically talking about this one -- yes, you’re agreed --

MR. GIBBS: Well, I understand, I understand what you’re reading.

Q -- on the middle-class part of it.

MR. GIBBS: I think, in all honesty, in reading the article, I think Peter had a congressional relations hat on in terms of what political price Congress might have to go through to extend different things. That’s not the viewpoint that the President holds. The President --

Q So you disagree that higher taxes, in terms of the Bush tax cuts expiring, would crimp consumer spending -- you disagree with that?

MR. GIBBS: I think that if you make $250,000 a year in this economy, you’re probably not putting off the purchase of a big-screen TV. I just -- I don’t think your consumer demand is if you make a quarter of a million dollars or $400,000 a year in this economy, I don’t think you’re putting off the purchase of a new suit or a new car because you make $400,000 a year. If you made $40,000 a year, I think you’re putting off a lot of purchases based on the fact that you don’t have it, and that impacts consumer demand.

Q So you disagree with Peter?

MR. GIBBS: Again, I don’t -- the way I read the article, Jake, is that Peter is not making that argument about the high-end tax cuts. He’s making that argument about the middle-class tax cuts, which the President certainly agrees that not extending them will certainly have an impact. The President will argue tomorrow that we should extend those middle-class tax cuts as in not doing so would most assuredly hurt our economy.

But again, I think if you’re making $250,000 or $400,000 or $600,000 or $800,000 in this economy, you’re not putting off the purchase of -- there’s not a great crush on -- or pullback in your consumer demand. This economy is not hurting people that make $800,000 a year, it’s hurting families that are making $40,000 a year.

Q And if could do a follow-up. There’s a lot of polling out today, including an ABC News/Washington Post poll that indicates more Americans feeling negatively about the President and his job performance, especially about the economy. For the first time, numerically, more Americans think that the President’s policies have hurt the economy than have helped the economy. Why -- I assume you think that they’re wrong -- why are they wrong?

MR. GIBBS: Well, look, I -- first and foremost, Jake, obviously, as I’ve said in here a number of times, there is and continues to be great frustration with where we are in this economy. Among those frustrated is the President of the United States. We’ve seen a recession unlike virtually anything that anybody has seen in any of their lifetimes. And it’s going to take, as the President will discuss on Wednesday, more than a two-year or less than two-year time period to get out of that hole. That’s why what he’ll talk about he believes will continue us on a road to recovery, but that recovery will certainly take some time. And I think in the end this President and this administration will be graded on what happens at the end of this road, not some place in between.I think -- I’ll be honest with you, I think the American people are not concerned about the President’s poll numbers. I think the American people are concerned about whether or not they have a job, how they’re going to pay their bills, the future of their children. I think that’s what the American people are concerned about, and that’s the task that the President will spend every day worrying about.

Q But a plurality think that what the President is doing is making matters worse.

MR. GIBBS: Again, I think by virtually any measure, our economy is in a better place than it was two years ago. There are, I think, Americans rightly concerned about our debt and our deficit, and the President understands that and has taken steps to introduce a budget that includes a freeze on non-security discretionary spending, and obviously will spend a decent amount of time in the next many months going through the medium and long term -- things that we need to do in the medium and long term to get our debt and deficit under control.

Yes, sir.

Q Robert, since you mentioned the jobs picture, I just wanted to ask one more question about Peter Orszag, because he said specifically that letting all the Bush tax cuts expire will make the job situation worse. He said, “No one wants to make an already stagnating jobs market worse over the next year or two, which is exactly what would happen if the cuts expire as planned.”

MR. GIBBS: Again, my reading of this is that --

Q You were talking about consumer spending before on jobs --

MR. GIBBS: Well, Jake was talking about consumer spending and I was responding. Again, I do not believe -- I think if you -- if you are looking at -- Ed, if you’re looking for a broad band of economists that will tell you the best way to get the economy moving is to extend those tax cuts, I don’t think you’ll find them. When the President -- when President Bush signed the 2001 tax cuts into law -- I believe it was June of 2001 -- we were in the midst of a recession. Including the month he signed those tax cuts into law, the economy shed jobs for 15 of the next 16 months. So I don’t -- if your argument is that these jobs -- or these tax cuts spur a great amount of jobs or economic growth, I don’t think you’ll find an economist or series of economists -- certainly the CBO put together a list of all the things that might be done to get the economy moving again, and I think it was either 10 out of 10 or 12 out of 12. And certainly there’s no historical data that would -- that you would point to.

Q But you also have a lot of economists saying that if you raise taxes on the rich they’re going to be less likely to hire people. Doesn’t that hurt the employment picture?

MR. GIBBS: Again, 2 to 3 percent of small businesses would be affected in this. And most of those -- let’s understand what those small businesses are. It’s a white-collar law firm that meets the technical definition of not a large number of people that are employed, okay? It’s just -- we’re not talking about the mom-and-pop hardware store. That’s just not what we’re talking about.

Q Related on the President’s economic plan, last week from that podium you basically said there’s not going to be a second stimulus plan. And then as the details start coming out and you add it up, the President is already proposing at least $350 billion in new money.

MR. GIBBS: The net cost of the expensing is not -- is 30 --

Q If you can get Congress to agree to the offsets, which is a big “if.”

MR. GIBBS: No, no, no, the net -- no, that’s -- you’ve got the R&E -- research and experimentation tax credit funded by closing corporate loopholes. The expensing tax -- the increase in the expensing and the pulling forward of that in 2011 has a net cost over 10 years of $30 billion, because what you’re doing is taking a schedule for investment and depreciation that would be written off as part of your taxes; instead of over a several-year period of time at half, you’re pulling all of that investment forward to one year. But that money then isn’t written off in each of the successive years that the 10-year budget window is part of.

So I think if you look at -- I think if you were to add up infrastructure, the R&E and this, it’s certainly less than $200 billion.

Q Okay, you add it up, $200 billion, even if it’s $200 billion, that’s big money.

MR. GIBBS: Well, it would be less -- $180 billion, $180 billion.

Q Okay, so $180 billion -- that’s a lot of money.

MR. GIBBS: Oh, I’m not saying it’s not a lot of money.

Q Okay. So why are you not calling it a stimulus plan? I mean, can’t the President be straight with the American people and say, look, the first one, we think it saved or created 3.3 million jobs, but we need a second one?

MR. GIBBS: No, no, that’s -- Ed, I listed a series of things that the President had done over the course of the last -- let’s see, what’s today -- it’s September. If you go back to last August, not a month ago but a year and a month ago, we had Cash for Clunkers. We’ve extended unemployment insurance because -- for those that were -- for unemployed regardless of the number of weeks up to 99 you were going to lose your benefits. We’ve ensured that states aren’t going to lay off teachers and firefighters when we need them most. The President has taken steps along the way, beyond the Recovery Act itself, to do things that were necessary to continue to spur our economic recovery, and that’s exactly what’s being done here.

Q So it’s not a stimulus?

MR. GIBBS: It’s not.

Yes, sir.

Q Thank you, Robert. You said a little while ago that we know what season we’ve entered in Washington. I assume you meant the political season, when not much gets done on Capitol Hill. So why, then, did the President wait until now to introduce these tax cut proposals for businesses that Republicans have been calling for for not just months but for years?

MR. GIBBS: Well, then we ought to be able to get this done pretty quickly.

Q No, because it’s the season you just said, it just doesn’t get done. MR. GIBBS: But if you supported --

Q Why would the President wait for exactly the point --

MR. GIBBS: But if you supported --

Q -- when he knows things don’t get to Congress to introduce this?

MR. GIBBS: Chip, let me just take the premise of your question. If you support -- if you, as somebody who’s running for Congress, representing the other party --

Q Robert, you know very well, you just said --

MR. GIBBS: But hold on, I’m just trying to --

Q -- this is the season when things don’t get done.

MR. GIBBS: Just help me understand the logic here. So then would you concede that the logic of it not getting done is simply because of politics?

Q Yes. Well, then you have to concede that the logic of the President introducing it now is because of politics.

MR. GIBBS: No, no -- well, first of all, I don’t know that -- I don’t know who -- maybe there are people that have proposed 100 percent expensing of -- I don’t know that that’s the case.

Q McCain did it in 2008.

Q In the campaign he did it.

MR. GIBBS: The R&E is --

Q A lot of this has been proposed by Republicans in one form or another.

MR. GIBBS: Well, I don’t know if the expansion and the --

Q Why would the President not have done it earlier this year or even last year?

MR. GIBBS: I’m sure that the permanence of R&E, we’ve been talking about that for years. I’m not sure that the expansion and the simplification of research and experimentation has been --

Q But this is all about politics and producing a law, isn’t it? You can’t possibly get it through Congress and you know that.

MR. GIBBS: But, Chip, Congress doesn’t stop thinking about what it’s going to do after November. The President is putting on the table a series of what he believes are important economic ideas. Q Why didn’t he do it a year ago or six months ago?

MR. GIBBS: Well, again, if you look at the expensing provisions -- in 2008, the former administration had a 50 percent expensing provision in law. The Recovery Act contained a 50 percent expensing provision in 2009. In 2010, the small business bill that is before the Senate continues the 2009’s 50 percent expensing threshold. We’re saying that for 2011, we believe that 50 should go to 100. It builds off of an effort to get capital off the sidelines and into the economy. Some of this stuff is -- builds off of what has already been done. So the notion that these are somehow either pulled out of whole cloth for the first time I think is -- it’s not an accurate reading of any of the policy --

Q Speaking of McCain, he says that coming up with it now is just a sign that the administration is flailing around, looking for anything they can sell as an effort to get the economy moving.

MR. GIBBS: I think -- this is -- I guess in a sense, Chip, I want to separate -- look, we’re in the political season; we get that. This is -- these are not -- this is not simply something that the President is proposing to get us somehow through the next seven weeks of how we get our economy from where it is to where we want it to be. The President, as I said a minute ago, is focused on the problems that the American people have -- the economic situation that we all find ourselves in. It may or may not overlap well with a political calendar. But that’s -- again, that’s not what -- the President isn’t here to solve the nation’s problems on a political calendar. He is here to solve the nation’s problems as they exist. That’s what he is elected to do and that’s what he’ll focus his time on doing.

Q And just quickly on the Koran story, have you heard the President comment on that?

MR. GIBBS: I have not. I have not.

Q Did the President misspeak yesterday when he said the infrastructure improvements would create jobs immediately? About the same time, officials were saying on background it would be 2011 and maybe late 2011.

MR. GIBBS: Well, I think some of that obviously depends on when something would pass. If you pass something in -- if you pass something in the next few months, I think you could certainly see jobs created for the summer construction season, yes -- or I’m sorry, the spring construction season.

Yes, ma’am.

Q You just told Ed it’s not a stimulus package. Does that mean it won’t stimulate the economy?

MR. GIBBS: I think there are a series of things that would help put our economy on a stronger road to recovery. More importantly -- Savannah, you could dump whatever you wanted into the economy to get the economy to do certain things in a very short period of time. None of that, though, is going to -- let’s take the infrastructure, for instance.The infrastructure is built off of what Congress will ultimately do as part of a six-year transportation reauthorization plan, partly because we know that one out of every five people that’s unemployed used to spend time in the construction industry, back when we had fairly easy loans to buy a house, and back when millions of units of homes were being built annually. We now know that because of foreclosure, because of credit, because of the economy, there’s a vast surplus in those homes.Q These measures are designed to stimulate the economy, correct?

MR. GIBBS: They are designed to continue our economic recovery.

Q You’ve announced pay-fors for some of these proposals, notably the ones that would be permanent, but not all of them. And I wonder how that runs up against your discretionary spending freeze; how it’s consistent with your policy not to spend unless it’s paid for.

MR. GIBBS: Well, look, obviously on, I think, on the call that Wendell was talking about, there was a discussion about closing tax cuts for oil and gas companies to pay for an increased amount of infrastructure spending, which would fall -- which would certainly fall in the non-security discretionary spending.Q Just wondering how you decide, because some things you did identify pay-fors. Others you don’t --

MR. GIBBS: Again, I think some things are designed to -- some things are designed as part of, as you said, a bucket of otherwise discretionary spending, and some are designed to -- for tax incentives that will take capital and money off the sidelines and put it into the economy.

Q I guess, in other words, you’re prepared to deficit-spend right now, notwithstanding this spending freeze.

MR. GIBBS: Well, there are certainly proposals in here that would do that, yes.

Q Okay, and a quick one. On our poll, 58 percent believe that if the Republicans get control they will have different ideas than the Bush administration; 35 percent believe they’ll fall back on Bush policies. It stands out because it seems like voters are directly rejecting the very argument that the President has been making forcefully for some months --

MR. GIBBS: They seem to be rejecting the very argument that the Republicans’ head -- both of the congressional committees made on NBC as well. I think Pete Sessions said very verbatim that “We want to return to those policies.” Q That may be the case, but it seems voters don’t know that.

MR. GIBBS: We will spend the next couple of months sharpening that argument, if need be, to ensure that people do.

Laura.

Q In the Peter Orszag piece, he also, besides making an economic argument, made a political argument about extending the tax cuts for the upper-income bracket by saying that that may be the cost of a deal with Republicans. And he says that would be a tradeoff worth making. Do you think that would be a tradeoff worth making?

MR. GIBBS: The President’s viewpoint is that we cannot afford to extend the tax cuts for those making more than $250,000 a year. Let’s understand what that means. For most of these -- most of the spending for extending those tax cuts comes from -- almost all of it, the bulk of it comes from incomes that surpass a million dollars. It’s roughly, for a millionaire, that’s a $100,000 tax cut. I don’t think the President believes that we are a $100,000 tax cut from a millionaire away from an economy that works for families that are making $40,000 a year.

Q So is he ruling out signing legislation that would extend the tax cuts for that group?

MR. GIBBS: Again, our viewpoint on this is that we should and must pass legislation that extends the tax cuts for middle-class families. But we cannot afford in this environment to -- in our budgetary and fiscal environment -- to extend the tax cuts for those that make more than $250,000 a year.

Q So, therefore, you’re ruling out -- are you ruling out that legislation?

MR. GIBBS: I’m simply stating what our position is.

Q Why are you so dead set against using the term “stimulus,” especially for the public works component of this series of proposals? It very much resembles things that were in the Recovery Act.

MR. GIBBS: Some of them build off of what was in the Recovery Act. I do not think -- as I said last week, I do not think that this is anywhere near the level of what was enacted at the beginning of the administration.

Q And also, Robert, you said a few minutes ago that the President wants to put on the table this series of economic ideas. How do you see the prospects for it getting off the table anytime soon?

MR. GIBBS: Well, look, I think if you go back and look at, and as has been pointed out here, these seem to -- some of these ideas have some support. Look, at some point we’re going to have to stop playing politics and start getting about fixing the economy because that’s what’s right for the American people. At some point, the other party will begin to do that. And we have a series of proposals for them to look at.

Q You talk about Peter’s -- putting on a congressional relations hat. In terms of White House relations, did he give you guys a heads up at all that he was going to be writing on this subject?

MR. GIBBS: We certainly didn’t see Peter’s column before it appeared today. I mean, obviously I think it was reported late last week that he was going to start writing a column, but --

Q Right, but the substance, the grist of -- yes --

MR. GIBBS: Nobody that I’m aware of saw the column before.

Q And just -- sorry to belabor this point, but you just said the President is very -- deeply, deeply troubled. (Laughter.)

MR. GIBBS: Yes, exactly. I can see the pain -- the smirk on your faces is -- seems to underscore the tremendous emotional pain with which I’m now putting you through, huh?

Q I’m glad we’re having this moment.

MR. GIBBS: I’m glad we could do this together.

Q Do you want us to leave? (Laughter.)

Q Extending -- extending -- you were just were very clear, the President does not believe extending -- it’s not affordable to extend tax cuts for -- but I believe Orszag’s point was it’s not affordable to extend them for the middle class. That’s his point. And if we can get your comments on that.

MR. GIBBS: The President disagrees with that. Q Can you talk about --

MR. GIBBS: See -- you didn’t seem very pained at all. That was --

Q The President disagrees with his former OMB director that extending the middle-class tax cuts are not something that we can afford?

MR. GIBBS: Yes.

Q Were these arguments he made when he was budget director?

MR. GIBBS: I will say this. I obviously was not in every meeting that Peter was in. I did not -- I did not hear him make this argument. He may have made this argument in some meetings. I certainly don’t recall it. But that’s not to say that he didn’t.

Ari.

Q Can you talk about what the President discussed this morning with Secretary Clinton and the NATO Secretary General?

MR. GIBBS: I think -- if I’m not mistaken, the Clinton meeting is part of their regular weekly meetings. I don’t have a readout on that, but we will have a readout on the NATO Secretary General a little bit later on. My guess is that most of that had to do with Afghanistan.

Q And also, to what extent is tomorrow’s speech a direct response to Congressman Boehner’s speech on the economy in Ohio a couple of weeks ago?

MR. GIBBS: Well, it’s certainly -- it’s in the same city and I think the President will use that opportunity to contrast a vision of returning to a decade of policy and value decisions that got us into this mess, which if you look back at what Congressman Boehner said in that speech, he seemed to lay out a strong predicate for the very same type of decisions that had been made over the past 10 years that got us into this mess. I anticipate the President will spend a decent amount of time discussing it.

Q And the venue, a community college versus the City Club?

MR. GIBBS: That I -- look, I think it’s in this case Cleveland and Cleveland.

Q Did you choose Cleveland because Boehner had given his speech there?

MR. GIBBS: Yes. (Laughter.) I didn’t want to put you through the same emotional racking that I just put Hans through. So I just figured “yes” was probably an easier answer.

Yes, sir.

Q Robert, can I ask you about the Oval Office rug and the quotation that you folks attributed to Martin Luther King?

MR. GIBBS: I don’t think -- well, just to be fair, I don’t -- I think --

Q He said it.

MR. GIBBS: I was going to say. Let’s -- well, I think we should stipulate for history that it was not us that thought he said it. It was many people that believed, I think rightly so, that he said that.

Q He did say it on more than one occasion.

MR. GIBBS: Yes.

Q It’s been pointed out that Dr. King himself often pointed to the fact that these were the words of Dr. Theodore Parker, an abolitionist. Is Parker -- was the President aware of these antecedents?

MR. GIBBS: I have not -- Mark, I have -- we have not covered the rug today in our discussions. I would say this. I read some of the back-and-forth on this. I read the column in the Post, which we certainly all learn a lot of important history on.

Again, I’d point out that I think what King said and what Parker said are not the same thing. What’s on the rug is what Dr. King had said.

Q Does the President or does the White House not believe that Parker should get some credit for --

MR. GIBBS: Well, nobody gets credit on the rug. I mean, there’s -- I mean, it’s just the quotes. I don’t -- and Mark, I have to say, if I see you in there writing on the rug, you’re going to be in a lot of trouble. (Laughter.) I’m just -- I want to get that sort of out before --

Q The names aren’t -- I haven’t seen the rug, but the names aren’t on --

MR. GIBBS: No, I think it’s just around the edges.

Yes, ma’am.

Q Robert, today Charlie Cook joins other analysts in forecasting that estimated the Republicans could gain over 40 seats and very possibly substantially more. Do you see that’s --

MR. GIBBS: That certainly hedges your bets. (Laughter.) Q Well, 40, do you think that’s --

MR. GIBBS: Forty or more.

Q Do you see a political landscape right now where the Republicans --

MR. GIBBS: Look, I’m not going to take business away from Charlie or Stu or others by making a lot of predictions.

Q Do you think -- you don’t think that isn’t going to happen?

MR. GIBBS: I think I said a few weeks ago that I thought Democrats would retain the House and the Senate. I still believe that.

Q Oh, yesterday, when the President ad-libbed that his critics talk about him like a dog, what was he -- what did he mean?

MR. GIBBS: I have not talked to him about that, but I assume that if you look at some of what is said about the President and matched them up against the facts, on occasion dogs get a better representation.

Q Who was the “they” that he was referring to?

MR. GIBBS: I think there’s probably -- we could probably find you several hundred thousand quotes.

Q Robert, I was looking forward to the U.N. General Assembly meeting in a couple of weeks, and I was refreshing my memory on what the President said last year. One of the things he said to the Assembly is that he was -- one of his goals was to reduce the skepticism and distrust of the U.S. abroad. Have you -- what do you think? Have you talked about this with him lately? Does he think that that is --

MR. GIBBS: I have not. I can certainly see if some of the national security folks have. Look, I think that -- I think the -- if you look at where the views of those across the world have of this country now, and how they thought of it when the President came into office, I think we have seen an improvement in world opinion.

But I think what’s important is that the removal of skepticism and distrust in world opinion is not a means or an ends to itself, it’s -- I’m sorry, it’s not an end, it’s a means. And that is we -- it helps our ability to bring along those on a world stage to do things that are important to increase the security of people throughout the world.

I think if you -- look, this certainly -- this action predates what the President said last September, but starting with North Korean sanctions, extending to sanctions on Iran. I think there are a whole host of things -- an additional START treaty pending before the Senate to cut the threat of nuclear weapons in this age -- all are a result of better relationships that we have with other countries.

Q And can you -- looking forward to the meeting coming up, is there any particular focus that you can highlight, or something the President is asking for?

MR. GIBBS: You know, I have not spent a lot of time on what the program looks like yet, but as we get closer, we’ll get a chance to.

Glenn.

Q Robert, the President was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He had a lot of economic struggle when he was a kid. Why doesn’t he talk about that more when he’s out?

MR. GIBBS: Well, I think he talked a little bit about it yesterday and I think he’ll talk about it a little bit more on Wednesday. It obviously was part of what he’s talked about for many years. I have not looked back at all his speeches about whether or not that’s been a lot of what he talked about or how much that has changed.

I think a lot of his speeches have tended to walk people through their -- likely what they’re experiencing in their lives, vice what has happened in his.

Q But that’s an interesting distinction because Presidents who have been pretty successful at making these arguments before -- looking at President Clinton, even President -- second President Bush, to some degree, have certainly talked about their personal experience. It’s been a way of sort of making those points. Do you think he needs to do a good deal more of that?

MR. GIBBS: Well, look, as I said, I think you’ll hear some of that tomorrow. I think you heard some of it yesterday. I think it’s a good part of what -- the type of decisions and the type of values that lead to the decisions that he makes as part of our economic recovery. So I do anticipate you’ll hear more of it.

April.

Q Robert, following up on Jake -- on his question about Orszag, was Peter Orszag someone here who was known as a dissenting voice, somewhat -- to push back on proposals periodically? Or was he someone who just pretty much followed through on giving the President ideas or implementing things that the President wanted? What was he, or was he a mixture of both?

MR. GIBBS: April, I wouldn’t want to generalize about anybody here. I mean, look, I think probably like a number of people that work here -- and if you walked into any meeting, people have opinions that may or may not vary with those that are in the room.

This is a longer way of saying I think it would be hard to put just anybody in a box, for two years of service, in one neat box so quickly.

Q So would you at least say that he did maybe push back on some economic issues, maybe give other ideas a twist or turns? Because, I mean, he made a persuasive argument in this story that he wrote about a nation, two deficits and how to come out of that.

So, I mean, you were saying about Congress -- he was trying to make the point about Congress, but he made a persuasive argument bringing facts to what he said. So did he bring something to the table -- people talking about that morning, that he brought that to the table, to the President --

MR. GIBBS: Maybe I’m just not sort of hearing your question. Look, I think Peter has, again, depending on the issue, depending on -- has had varying opinions on what to do when and how best to execute it. And I think that’s true for a whole host of different policies.

Q All right, and also on the issue of Cleveland. There are some in Cleveland, in actually the city proper of Cleveland, who are concerned, saying that Cleveland is a prime example of a city who can benefit from any kind of stimulus package. And the President continues to go on the outskirts of Cleveland. They’re saying that the city has a 20 percent unemployment rate, 17,000 vacant homes. And Wednesday, the President goes to a place called Parma on the outskirts. And before he’s gone to -- if I’m getting it right, Stoneysville or something like that before, on the outskirts of Cleveland. And why not go into Cleveland proper?

MR. GIBBS: You know, April, I don’t know that the -- look, I just don’t -- I don’t think that -- what you talk about in Parma doesn’t also mean -- look -- I’m trying to figure out the best way to say this. Look, I think if -- what the President is talking about is companies that are in Cleveland proper or around Cleveland, these tax cuts would help them -- infrastructure spending, building new roads and bridges and runways is going to help -- it’s going to help everybody.

This isn’t a suburban economic speech or an urban economic speech, because I just don’t think that the President and the team have -- I don’t think they’ve dissected this quite down to that level in terms of the types of things that we need and the types of problems that we face.

Q Robert, just two questions. Two Washington Post editorials were headlined, “The Scourge of Rape In Prisons” and “A Tolerance of Rape,” and they ask why has the Justice Department dithered for a year? And could you tell us, because the President does care about this, doesn’t he?

MR. GIBBS: I didn’t necessarily read what you’re referring to, Lester.

Q The two editorials in The Washington Post and I have them right here.

MR. GIBBS: Well, you should -- if they reference the Department of Justice, I think that’s probably a pretty good place to start.

Q And then, you don’t believe that any of us would talk about you like a dog, do you?

MR. GIBBS: Can I get back to you on that, Lester? (Laughter.) And I’m simply -- I’m going through those same sort of tortured soul that I can only imagine Hans was going through in asking his questions.

Stephen.

Q BP is going to release its report tomorrow into the causes of the oil spill. Has the White House had an advance look at this? And secondly, given the past relationship between the administration and the company, what level of confidence do you have that this is going to produce a genuine finding into what caused the accident?

MR. GIBBS: Well, look, I’ll say this. I know of no one that has seen it here. I’ve certainly seen emails alluding to the notion that -- and clips alluding to the notion that this is -- this will be released. Obviously I think we’d want a chance to look at the report. I think an important partner of that investigation, Stephen, ultimately is going to get -- is going to be a look at the blowout preventer itself, which only recently, in the last few days, has been brought to the surface, and will give us a chance to see whether was this a design flaw, was this something that was just a problem that this blowout preventer had to deal with, and a whole host of things.

So we’ll certainly look through the report. Obviously -- look through the report and may have some comment about it. But I do not know of anybody who has seen an advance copy.

Yes, sir.

Q Thank you, Robert. About Secretary General Rasmussen’s visit, is the President worried with NATO and actually diminishing role in Afghanistan, this becoming a heavier burden on U.S. soldiers on the ground there? And secondly, has General Petraeus expressed or requested more NATO involvement in Afghanistan?

MR. GIBBS: I don’t know about the second part. Look, as part of what the President announced last December at West Point, NATO contributed an increase in forces on the ground in Afghanistan, a contribution that I know commanders at the time at ISAF believed would play a crucial role in our overall strategy. Obviously this is not -- the problems that we face with -- in Afghanistan and in Pakistan dealing with al Qaeda and its extremist allies, their potential return, an environment that allows, if they were to return, unfettered planning for an additional terrorist attack -- that’s not something that’s simply in the interest of the United States in preventing. It’s of international concern. And that’s why there is an international security assistance force there. And we’re certainly -- I know that the commanders -- our commanders are thankful for that involvement.

Q But does the President feel that the NATO leaders are not conscious enough of the general danger for themselves of a --

MR. GIBBS: How so?

Q -- of a terrorist --

MR. GIBBS: Well, no, look, I think if you look at -- if you -- look, I certainly wouldn’t say that. I think if you look at what has happened over the past couple years in places -- past few years, not just a couple, but past few years in places like England and Spain, I don’t think that -- I don’t think you could make a very eloquent point that there aren’t those in the NATO alliance that haven’t also experienced the type of terrorism -- certainly, maybe not quite on the scale of 9/11, but certainly they’ve hardly been immune to it.

Sam.

Q Robert, yes, there’s been growing alarm in the judicial community about the vacancies at some of these federal courts. Forty-seven vacancies have been labeled “emergencies” by the judiciary because of heavy caseloads. You’ve talked a lot from the lectern about GOP obstructionism on this front, but what is the White House going to do differently, either with the remaining time in the recess, perhaps, or afterwards to actually get people appointed --

MR. GIBBS: Well, Sam, I don’t have the statistics in front of me. I think obviously we have sent up a comparable number of judicial appointments up to the Senate. As you mentioned and as I have mentioned on many occasions, we have seen a lack of any sort of cooperation in moving a number of these nominees along.

And look, every President and Congress of differing parties is going to have some fights about this, but there are -- there continue to be an absurd number of judges that have passed -- and again, I don’t have the stats in front of me, but we’ll get them -- that have passed unanimously out of committee that need to be considered quickly by Congress. It just doesn’t make a lot of sense if there’s -- that we can’t move a judicial nominee through the process if they have received a unanimous endorsement from the committee that is most tasked with looking at these judicial appointments.

Q We just had this recess, though, and there hasn’t been a recess appointment, as far as I’m concerned -- or as far as I know, of any of these nominees. I’m wondering if we should expect something in the week ahead, or why haven’t you taken advantage of the recess appointment?

MR. GIBBS: Look, I don’t have any -- I can’t look into my crystal ball to tell you what’s ahead.

Q Robert, can I ask a question on economic strategy?

MR. GIBBS: Go ahead.

Q Someone is -- a Brookings Institution senior fellow William Gale about a month ago said that whether you can afford it or not, the only politically feasible thing to do is to have at least a one- or two-year extension of 2001 and 2003 tax cuts. Now, can you afford not to do that if you hope to address long-term business uncertainty -- which I believe is what you’re trying to do with your --

MR. GIBBS: Well, some things are designed to address, as I said earlier, money that may be on the sidelines that isn’t being used for investment, for research, or for expansion. But, look, again, I don’t think that anybody at the Brookings Institute would tell you, from an economic standpoint, that the best way to address business uncertainty is by extending a tax cut for somebody that makes a million dollars a year. Q He didn’t say that. He said if you want to get anything through, politically feasibly, the only way politically feasibly getting anything through would be to do it in order to get what you want to get through, which is business uncertainty and addressing --

MR. GIBBS: Well, again, maybe I agree some with what -- I said I thought that’s what -- the argument that Peter was actually trying to make in the newspaper today was, again, a political and a congressional relations argument, not an economic argument.

Q I’m sorry, but at his swan song, Orszag did say you can’t afford a 10-year extension of all the 2001, 2003 tax cuts, because that would cost $700 billion.

MR. GIBBS: That $700 billion is a 10-year extension of the upper-end tax cuts, not the 2001, 2003 middle-class tax cuts.

Thank you guys.

END 1:04 P.M. EDT




White House.gov Press Office Feed ]]> White House News WhiteHouse http://www.szone.us/f24/press-briefing-press-secretary-robert-gibbs-9-7-2010-a-49237/ http://www.szone.us/f24/readout-presidents-call-prime-minister-cameron-united-kingdom-49238/ Tue, 07 Sep 2010 22:33:58 GMT 09.07.10 10:19 AM The President and Prime Minister Cameron spoke today to continue their frequent consultations on global issues. The President reiterated his congratulations to the Prime Minister and Mrs. Cameron on the birth of their daughter, Florence Rose Endellion, and wished the Prime Minister and his family well. The two leaders discussed Afghanistan, counterterrorism cooperation, Middle East peace, and Pakistan flood relief efforts. White House.gov Press Office Feed (http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2010/09/07/readout-presidents-call-with-prime-minister-cameron-united-kingdom) 09.07.10 10:19 AM

The President and Prime Minister Cameron spoke today to continue their frequent consultations on global issues. The President reiterated his congratulations to the Prime Minister and Mrs. Cameron on the birth of their daughter, Florence Rose Endellion, and wished the Prime Minister and his family well. The two leaders discussed Afghanistan, counterterrorism cooperation, Middle East peace, and Pakistan flood relief efforts.



White House.gov Press Office Feed ]]> White House News WhiteHouse http://www.szone.us/f24/readout-presidents-call-prime-minister-cameron-united-kingdom-49238/ http://www.szone.us/f24/remarks-president-occasion-rosh-hashanah-49239/ Tue, 07 Sep 2010 22:33:58 GMT 09.07.10 09:46 AM

As Jews in America and around the world celebrate the first of the High Holy Days I want to extend my warmest wishes for the New Year. L’shana Tova Tikatevu – may you be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life.

Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the spiritual calendar and the birth of the world. It serves as a reminder of the special relationship between God and his children, now and always. And it calls us to look within ourselves – to repent for our sins; recommit ourselves to prayer; and remember the blessings that come from helping those in need.

Today, those lessons ring as true as they did thousands of years ago. And as we begin this New Year, it is more important than ever to believe in the power of humility and compassion to deepen our faith and repair our world.

At a time when too many of our friends and neighbors are struggling to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads, it is up to us to do what we can to help those less fortunate.

At a time when prejudice and oppression still exist in the shadows of our society, it is up to us to stand as a beacon of freedom and tolerance and embrace the diversity that has always made us stronger as a people.

And at a time when Israelis and Palestinians have returned to direct dialogue, it is up to us to encourage and support those who are willing to move beyond their differences and work towards security and peace in the Holy Land. Progress will not come easy, it will not come quick. But today we had an opportunity to move forward, toward the goal we share—two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security.

The scripture teaches us that there is “a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.” In this season of repentance and renewal, let us commit ourselves to a more hopeful future.

Michelle and I wish all who celebrate Rosh Hashanah a sweet year full of health and prosperity.



White House.gov Press Office Feed ]]> White House News WhiteHouse http://www.szone.us/f24/remarks-president-occasion-rosh-hashanah-49239/ http://www.szone.us/f24/statement-president-obama-passing-jefferson-thomas-49218/ Tue, 07 Sep 2010 01:53:15 GMT 09.06.10 02:40 PM

Michelle and I are saddened by the passing of Jefferson Thomas, who as one of the "Little Rock Nine," took a stand against segregation and helped open the eyes of our nation to the struggle for civil rights. Mr. Thomas was just a teenager when he became one of the first African-American students to enroll in Little Rock Central High School. Yet even at such a young age, he had the courage to risk his own safety, to defy a governor and a mob, and to walk proudly into that school even though it would have been far easier to give up and turn back. And through this simple act of pursuing an equal education, he and his fellow members of the Little Rock Nine helped open the doors of opportunity for their generation and for those that followed. The searing images of soldiers guarding students from those days will forever serve as a testament to the progress we've made, the barriers that previous generations have torn down, and the power of ordinary men and women to help us build a more perfect union. Our nation owes Mr. Thomas a debt of gratitude for the stand he took half a century ago, and the leadership he showed in the decades since. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.



White House.gov Press Office Feed ]]> White House News WhiteHouse http://www.szone.us/f24/statement-president-obama-passing-jefferson-thomas-49218/ http://www.szone.us/f24/remarks-president-laborfest-milwaukee-wisconsin-49219/ Tue, 07 Sep 2010 01:53:15 GMT 09.06.10 01:38 PM

2:11 P.M. CDT

THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Milwaukee! (Applause.) Hello, Milwaukee! (Applause.) Thank you. It is good to be back in Milwaukee. It is good to be -- I’m almost home. (Applause.) I just hop on the 94 and I’m home. (Applause.) Take it all the way to the South Side.

It is good -- it is good to be here on such a beautiful day. Happy Labor Day, everybody. (Applause.) I want to say thank you to the Milwaukee Area Labor Council and all of my brothers and sisters in the AFL-CIO for inviting me to spend this day with you -- (applause) -- a day that belongs to the working men and women of America.

I want to acknowledge your outstanding national president, a man who knows that a strong economy needs a strong labor movement: Rich Trumka. (Applause.) Thank you to the president of Wisconsin AFL-CIO Dave Newby. (Applause.) Our host, your area Labor Council Secretary-Treasurer Sheila Cochran. I hear it’s Sheila’s birthday tomorrow. Where is she? (Applause.) Happy birthday, Sheila. (Applause.) I’m proud to be here with our Secretary of Labor, a daughter of union members, Hilda Solis. (Applause.) And our Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood is in the house. (Applause.) And I want everybody to give it up for people who are at the forefront of every fight for Wisconsin’s working men and women -- Senator Herb Kohl; Congresswoman Gwen Moore. (Applause.) Your outstanding mayor and I believe soon to be outstanding governor Tom Barrett is in the house. (Applause.) And I know -- I know your other great senator, Russ Feingold, was here earlier standing with you and your families just like he always has. Now he’s in his hometown of Janesville to participate in their Labor Day parade.

So it is good to be back. Now, of course, this isn’t my first time at Laborfest. Some of you remember I stood right here with you two years ago when I was still a candidate for this office. (Applause.) And during that campaign, we talked about how, for years, the values of hard work and responsibility that had built this country had been given short shrift, and how it was slowly hollowing out our middle class. Listen, everybody who has a chair, go ahead and sit down, because everybody’s all hollering. (Applause.) Just relax, I’m going to be talking for a while now. (Applause.) Everybody take -- (applause) -- got a lot of hardworking people here, you deserve to sit down for a day. (Applause.) You’ve been on your feet all year working hard.

But two years ago, we talked about some on Wall Street who were taking reckless risks and cutting corners to turn huge profits while working Americans were fighting harder and harder just to stay afloat. We talked about how the decks all too often were stacked in favor of special interests and against the interests of working Americans.

And what we knew, even then, was that these years would be some of the most difficult in our history. And then, two weeks later -- two weeks after I spoke here -- the bottom fell out of the economy. And middle-class families suddenly found themselves swept up in the worst recession of our lifetimes.

So the problems facing working families, they’re nothing new. But they are more serious than ever. And that makes our cause more urgent than ever. For generations, it was the great American working class, the great American middle class that made our economy the envy of the world. It’s got to be that way again. (Applause.)

Milwaukee, it was folks like you that built this city. It was folks like you that built this state. It was folks like you who forged that middle class all across the nation.

It was working men and women who made the 20th century the American century. It was the labor movement that helped secure so much of what we take for granted today. (Applause.) The 40-hour work week, the minimum wage, family leave, health insurance, Social Security, Medicare, retirement plans. The cornerstones of the middle-class security all bear the union label. (Applause.)

And it was that greatest generation that built America into the greatest force of prosperity and opportunity and freedom that the world has ever known -- Americans like my grandfather, who went off to war just boys, then returned home as men, and then they traded in one uniform and set of responsibilities for another. And Americans like my grandmother, who rolled up her sleeves and worked in a factory on the home front. And when the war was over, they studied under the GI Bill, and they bought a home under the FHA, and they raised families supported by good jobs that paid good wages with good benefits.

It was through my grandparents’ experience that I was brought up to believe that anything is possible in America. (Applause.) But, Milwaukee, they also knew the feeling when opportunity is pulled out from under you. They grew up during the Depression, so they’d tell me about seeing their fathers or their uncles losing jobs; how it wasn’t just the loss of a paycheck that hurt so bad. It was the blow to their dignity, their sense of self-worth. I’ll bet a lot of us have seen people who’ve been changed after a long bout of unemployment. It can wear you down, even if you’ve got a strong spirit. If you’re out of work for a long time, it can wear you down.

So my grandparents taught me early on that a job is about more than just a paycheck. A paycheck is important. But a job is about waking up every day with a sense of purpose, and going to bed each night feeling you’ve handled your responsibilities. (Applause.) It’s about meeting your responsibilities to yourself and to your family and to your community. And I carried that lesson with me all those years ago when I got my start fighting for men and women on the South Side of Chicago after their local steel plant shut down. And I carried that lesson with me through my time as a state senator and a U.S. senator, and I carry that lesson with me today. (Applause.)

And I know -- I know that there are folks right here in this audience, folks right here in Milwaukee and all across America, who are going through these kinds of struggles. Eight million Americans lost their jobs in this recession. And even though we’ve had eight straight months of private sector job growth, the new jobs haven’t been coming fast enough. Now, here’s the honest truth, the plain truth. There’s no silver bullet. There’s no quick fix to these problems. I knew when I was running for office, and I certainly knew by the time I was sworn in, I knew it would take time to reverse the damage of a decade worth of policies that saw too few people being able to climb into the middle class, too many people falling behind. (Applause.)

We all knew this. We all knew that it would take more time than any of us want to dig ourselves out of this hole created by this economic crisis. But on this Labor Day, there are two things I want you to know. Number one: I am going to keep fighting every single day, every single hour, every single minute, to turn this economy around and put people back to work and renew the American Dream, not just for your family, not just for all our families, but for future generations. That I can guarantee you. (Applause.)

Number two -- I believe this with every fiber of my being: America cannot have a strong, growing economy without a strong, growing middle class, and the chance for everybody, no matter how humble their beginnings, to join that middle class -- (applause) -- a middle class built on the idea that if you work hard, if you live up to your responsibilities, then you can get ahead; that you can enjoy some basic guarantees in life. A good job that pays a good wage. Health care that will be there when you get sick. (Applause.) A secure retirement even if you’re not rich. (Applause.) An education that will give your children a better life than we had. (Applause.) These are simple ideas. These are American ideas. These are union ideas. That’s what we’re fighting for. (Applause.)

I was thinking about this last week. I was thinking about this last week on the day I announced the end of our combat mission in Iraq. (Applause.) And I spent some time, as I often do, with our soldiers and our veterans. And this new generation of troops coming home from Iraq, they’ve earned their place alongside the greatest generation. (Applause.) Just like that greatest generation, they’ve got the skills, they’ve got the training, they’ve got the drive to move America’s economy forward once more. We’ve been investing in new care and new opportunities and a new commitment to our veterans, because we’ve got to serve them just the way they served us. (Applause.)

But, Milwaukee, they’re coming home to an economy hit by a recession deeper than anything we’ve seen since the 1930s. So the question is, how do we create the same kinds of middle-class opportunities for this generation as my grandparents’ generation came home to? How do we build our economy on that same strong, stable foundation for growth?

Now, anybody who thinks that we can move this economy forward with just a few folks at the top doing well, hoping that it’s going to trickle down to working people who are running faster and faster just to keep up, you’ll never see it. (Applause.) If that’s what you’re waiting for, you should stop waiting, because it’s never happened in our history. That’s not how America was built. It wasn’t built with a bunch of folks at the top doing well and everybody else scrambling. We didn’t become the most prosperous country in the world just by rewarding greed and recklessness. We didn’t come this far by letting the special interests run wild. We didn’t do it just by gambling and chasing paper profits on Wall Street. We built this country by making things, by producing goods we could sell. We did it with sweat and effort and innovation. (Applause.) We did it on the assembly line and at the construction site. (Applause.)

We did it by investing in the people who built this country from the ground up –- the workers, middle-class families, small business owners. We out-worked folks and we out-educated folks and we out-competed everybody else. That’s how we built America. (Applause.)

And, Milwaukee, that’s what we’re going to do again. That’s been at the heart what we’ve been doing over these last 20 months: building our economy on a new foundation so that our middle class doesn’t just survive this crisis -– I want it to thrive. I want it to be stronger than it was before.

And over the last two years, that’s meant taking on some powerful interests -- some powerful interests who had been dominating the agenda in Washington for a very long time. And they’re not always happy with me. They talk about me like a dog. (Applause.) That’s not in my prepared remarks, it’s just -- but it’s true.

You know, that’s why we passed financial reform to provide new accountability and tough oversight of Wall Street; stopping credit card companies from gouging you with hidden fees and unfair rate hikes. (Applause.) Ending taxpayer bailouts of Wall Street once and for all. They’re not happy with it, but it was the right thing to do. (Applause.)

That’s why we eliminated tens of billions of dollars in wasteful taxpayer subsidies, handouts to the big banks that were providing student loans. We took that money, tens of billions of dollars, and we’re going to go to make sure that your kids and your grandkids can get student loans and grants at a cheap rate and afford a college education. (Applause.) They’re not happy with it, but it was the right thing to do. (Applause.)

Yes, we’re using those savings to put a college education within reach for working families.

That’s why we passed health insurance reform to make coverage affordable. (Applause.) Reform that ends the indignity of insurance companies jacking up your premiums at will, denying you coverage just because you get sick; reform that gives you control, gives you the ability if your child is sick to be able to get an affordable insurance plan, making sure they can’t drop it.

That’s why we’re making it easier for workers to save for retirement, with new ways of saving your tax refunds, a simpler system for enrolling in plans like 401(k)s, and fighting to strengthen Social Security for the future. (Applause.) And if everybody is still talking about privatizing Social Security, they need to be clear: It will not happen on my watch. Not when I’m President of the United States of America. (Applause.)

That’s why -- we’ve given tax cuts -- except we give them to folks who need them. (Applause.) We’ve given them to small business owners. We’ve given them to clean energy companies. We’ve cut taxes for 95 percent of working Americans, just like I promised you during the campaign. You all got a tax cut. (Applause.)

And instead of giving tax breaks to companies that are shipping jobs overseas, we’re cutting taxes to companies that are putting our people to work right here in the United States of America. (Applause.)

See, we want to invest in growth industries like clean energy and manufacturing. You’ve got leaders here in Wisconsin -- Tom Barrett, Jim Doyle -- they’ve been fighting to bring those jobs to Milwaukee, fighting to bring those jobs here to Wisconsin. I don’t want to see solar panels and wind turbines and electric cars made in China. I want them made right here in the United States of America. (Applause.)

I don’t want to buy stuff from someplace else. I want to grow our exports so that we’re selling to someplace else -- products that say “Made in the U.S.A.” (Applause.)

AUDIENCE: U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!

THE PRESIDENT: That’s right. There are no better workers than American workers. (Applause.) I’ll put my money on you any day of the week. And when the naysayers said, well, you can’t save the auto industry, just go ahead and let hundreds of thousands of jobs vanish, we said we’re going to stand by those workers. If the management is willing to make tough choices, if everybody is willing to come together, I’m confident that the American auto industry can compete once again -– and today, that industry is on the way back. They said no, we said yes to the American worker. They’re coming back. (Applause.)

Now, let me tell you, another thing we’ve done is to make long-overdue investments in upgrading our outdated, our inefficient national infrastructure. We’re talking roads. We’re talking bridges. We’re talking dams, levees. But we’re also talking a smart electric grid that can bring clean energy to new areas. We’re talking about broadband Internet so that everybody is plugged in. We’re talking about high-speed rail lines required to compete in a 21st century economy. (Applause.) I want to get down from Milwaukee down to Chicago quick. (Applause.) Avoid a traffic jam.

We’re talking investments in tomorrow that are creating hundreds of thousands of private sector jobs right now.

Because of these investments, and the tens of thousands of projects they spurred all across the country, the battered construction sector actually grew last month for the first time in a very long time. (Applause.)

But, you know, the folks here in the trades know what I’m talking about -- nearly one in five construction workers are unemployed. One in five. Nobody has been hit harder than construction workers. And a lot of those folks, they had lost their jobs in manufacturing and went into construction; now they’ve lost their jobs again.

It doesn’t do anybody any good when so many hardworking Americans have been idled for months, even years, at a time when there is so much of America that needs rebuilding.

So, that’s why, Milwaukee, today, I am announcing a new plan for rebuilding and modernizing America’s roads and rails and runways for the long term. (Applause.) I want America to have the best infrastructure in the world. We used to have the best infrastructure in the world. We can have it again. We are going to make it happen. (Applause.)

Over the next six years, over the next six years, we are going to rebuild 150,000 miles of our roads -– that’s enough to circle the world six times. That’s a lot of road. We’re going to lay and maintain 4,000 miles of our railways –- enough to stretch coast to coast. We’re going to restore 150 miles of runways. And we’re going to advance a next-generation air-traffic control system to reduce travel time and delays for American travelers. (Applause.) I think everybody can agree on that. Anybody want more delays in airports?

AUDIENCE: No!

THE PRESIDENT: No, I didn’t think so. That’s not a Republican or a Democratic idea. We all want to get to where we need to go. I mean, I’ve got Air Force One now, it’s nice. (Laughter.) But I still remember what it was like.

This is a plan that will be fully paid for. It will not add to the deficit over time -– we’re going to work with Congress to see to that. We want to set up an infrastructure bank to leverage federal dollars and focus on the smartest investments. We’re going to continue our strategy to build a national high-speed rail network that reduces congestion and travel times and reduces harmful emissions. We want to cut waste and bureaucracy and consolidate and collapse more than 100 different programs that too often duplicate each other. So we want to change the way Washington spends your tax dollars. We want to reform a haphazard, patchwork way of doing business. We want to focus on less wasteful approaches than we’ve got right now. We want competition and innovation that gives us the best bang for the buck.

But the bottom line is this, Milwaukee -- this will not only create jobs immediately, it’s also going to make our economy hum over the long haul. It’s a plan that history tells us can and should attract bipartisan support. It’s a plan that says even in the aftermath of the worst recession in our lifetimes, America can still shape our own destiny. We can still move this country forward. We can still leave our children something better. We can still leave them something that lasts. (Applause.)

So these are the things we’ve been working for. These are some of the victories you guys have helped us achieve. And we’re not finished. We’ve got a lot more progress to make. And I’m confident we will.

But there are some folks in Washington who see things differently. (Boos.) You know what I’m talking about. (Applause.) When it comes to just about everything we’ve done to strengthen our middle class, to rebuild our economy, almost every Republican in Congress says no. (Boos.) Even on things we usually agree on, they say no. If I said the sky was blue, they say no. (Laughter and applause.) If I said fish live in the sea, they’d say no. (Laughter.) They just think it’s better to score political points before an election than to solve problems. So they said no to help for small businesses, even when the small businesses said we desperately need this. This used to be their key constituency, they said. They said no. No to middle-class tax cuts. They say they’re for tax cuts; I say, okay, let’s give tax cuts to the middle class. No. (Laughter.) No to clean energy jobs. No to making college more affordable. No to reforming Wall Street. They’re saying right now, no to cutting more taxes for small business owners and helping them get financing.

You know, I heard -- somebody out here was yelling “Yes we can.” Remember that was our slogan? Their slogan is “No we can’t.” (Applause.) No, no, no, no.

AUDIENCE: Yes we can! Yes we can! Yes we can!

THE PRESIDENT: I mean, I personally think “Yes we can” is more inspiring than “No we can’t.” (Applause.) To steal a line from our old friend Ted Kennedy: What is it about working men and women that they find so offensive? (Laughter.)

When we passed a bill earlier this summer to help states save jobs -- the jobs of hundreds of thousands of teachers and nurses and police officers and firefighters that were about to be laid off, they said no. (Applause.) And the Republican who thinks he’s going to take over as Speaker -- (boos) -- I’m just saying that’s his opinion -- (laughter) -- he’s entitled to his opinion. But when he was asked about this, he dismissed those jobs as “government jobs” that weren’t worth saving. (Boos.) That’s what he said, I’m quoting -- “government jobs.”

Now, think about this. These are the people who teach our children. These are the people who keep our streets safe. These are the people who put their lives on the line, who rush into a burning building. Government jobs? I don’t know about you, but I think those jobs are worth saving. (Applause.) I think those jobs are worth saving. (Applause.)

By the way, this bill that we passed to save all those jobs, we made sure that bill wouldn’t add to the deficit. You know how we paid for it? By closing one of these ridiculous tax loopholes that actually rewarded corporations for shipping jobs and profits overseas. (Applause.)

I mean, this -- this was one of those loopholes that allowed companies to write off taxes they pay to foreign governments –- even though they weren’t paying taxes here in the United States. So middle-class families were footing tax breaks for companies creating jobs somewhere else. I mean, even a lot of America’s biggest corporations agreed that this loophole didn’t make sense, agreed that it needed to be closed, agreed that it wasn’t fair -– but the man who thinks he’s going to be Speaker, he wants to reopen this loophole. (Boos.)

Look, the bottom line is this: These guys, they just don’t want to give up on that economic philosophy that they have been peddling for most of the last decade. You know that philosophy -- you cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires; you cut all the rules and regulations for special interests; and then you just cut working folks loose -- you cut them loose to fend for themselves.

You remember they called it the ownership society, but what it really boiled down to was, if you couldn’t find a job, you couldn’t afford college, you were born poor, your insurance company dropped you even though your kid was sick, that you were on your own.

Well, you know what, that philosophy didn’t work out so well for middle-class families all across America. It didn’t work out so well for our country. All it did was rack up record deficits and result in the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. I mean, think about it, we have tried what they’re peddling. We did it for 10 years. We ended up with the worst economy since the 1930s and record deficits to boot. (Applause.) It’s not like we haven’t tried what they’re trying to sell us.

Now, I’m bringing this up not because I’m trying to re-litigate the past; I’m bringing it up because I don’t want to re-live the past. (Applause.)

It’d be one thing, Milwaukee, if Republicans in Washington had some new ideas, if they had said, you know what, we really screwed up, and we’ve learned from our mistakes; we’re going to do things differently this time. That’s not what they’re doing.

When the leader of their campaign committee was asked on national television what Republicans would do if they took over Congress, you know what he said? He said, we’ll do exactly the same thing we did the last time. (Applause.) That’s what he said. It’s on tape.

So basically, here’s what this election comes down to. They’re betting that between now and November, you’re going to come down with amnesia. (Laughter.) They figure you’re going to forget what their agenda did to this country. They think you’ll just believe that they’ve changed.

These are the folks whose policies helped devastate our middle class. They drove our economy into a ditch. And we got in there and put on our boots and we pushed and we shoved. And we were sweating and these guys were standing, watching us and sipping on a Slurpee. (Laughter.) And they were pointing at us saying, how come you’re not pushing harder, how come you’re not pushing faster? And then when we finally got the car up -- and it’s got a few dings and a few dents, it’s got some mud on it, we’re going to have to do some work on it -- they point to everybody and say, look what these guys did to your car. (Laughter.) After we got it out of the ditch! And then they got the nerve to ask for the keys back! (Laughter and applause.) I don’t want to give them the keys back. They don’t know how to drive. (Applause.)

I mean, I want everything to think about it here. When you want to go forward in your car, what do you do?

AUDIENCE: D!

THE PRESIDENT: You put it in D. They’re going to pop it in reverse. They’d have those special interests riding shotgun, then they’d hit the gas and we’d be right back in the ditch. (Laughter.)

Milwaukee, we are not going backwards. That’s the choice we face this fall. Do we want to go back? Or do we want to go forward? I say we want to move forward. America always moves forward. We keep moving forward every day. (Applause.)

Let me say this, Milwaukee. I know these are difficult times. I know folks are worried. I know there’s still a lot of hurt out here. I hear it when I travel around the country. I see it in the letters that I read every night from folks who are looking for a job or lost their home. It breaks my heart, because those are the folks that I got into politics for. You’re the reason I’m here. (Applause.)

And when times are tough -- when times are tough, I know it can be easy to give in to cynicism. I know it can be easy to give in to fear and doubt. And you know, it’s easy sometimes for folks to stir up stuff and turn people on each other, and it’s easy to settle for something less, to set our sights a little bit lower.

But I just want everybody here to remember, that’s not who we are. That’s not the country I know. We do not give up. We do not quit. We face down war. We face down depression. We face down great challenges and great threats. We have lit the way for the rest of the world.

Whenever times have seemed at their worst, Americans have been at their best. That’s when we roll up our sleeves. That’s when we remember we rise or fall together –- as one nation and as one people. (Applause.) That’s the spirit that started the labor movement, the idea that alone, we may be weak. Divided, we may fall. But we are united, we are strong. That’s why they call them unions. That’s why we call this the United States of America. (Applause.)

I’m going to make this case across the country between now and November. And I am asking for your help. And if you are willing to join me and Tom Barrett and Gwen Moore and Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl, we can strengthen our middle class and make this economy work for all Americans again and restore the American Dream and give it to our children and our grandchildren. (Applause.)

God bless you, and God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)

END
2:50 P.M. CDT



White House.gov Press Office Feed ]]> White House News WhiteHouse http://www.szone.us/f24/remarks-president-laborfest-milwaukee-wisconsin-49219/ http://www.szone.us/f24/background-president-s-remarks-today-milwaukee-laborfest-49204/ Mon, 06 Sep 2010 15:29:16 GMT 09.06.10 07:12 AM

REMARKS AT 2010 MILWAUKEE LABORFEST
Henry Maier Festival Park
2:10 PM CDT

Today, President Barack Obama will announce a comprehensive infrastructure plan to expand and renew our nation’s roads, railways and runways at the annual Milwaukee Area Labor Council Laborfest, an event sponsored by the Milwaukee Area Labor Council and affiliate unions. Laborfest is open to the general public, the speaking program will be ticketed, with most tickets distributed to union members and their families. Pre-Program speakers and elected officials expected to attend are listed below.

PRE-PROGRAM

Milwaukee Area Labor Council Secretary-Treasurer Sheila Cochran
Congresswoman Gwen Moore
Mayor Tom Barrett
Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood
AFL-CIO President Rich Trumka
Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis

EXPECTED TO ATTEND

Wisconsin AFL-CIO President Dave Newby
Senator Herb Kohl

NOTE: Senator Russ Feingold will make an appearance at the Laborfest parade in the morning, but will be in Janesville at his hometown parade, an event he attends every year, during the event.



White House.gov Press Office Feed ]]> White House News WhiteHouse http://www.szone.us/f24/background-president-s-remarks-today-milwaukee-laborfest-49204/ http://www.szone.us/f24/president-obama-announce-plan-renew-expand-america-s-roads-railways-ru-49205/ Mon, 06 Sep 2010 15:29:16 GMT 09.06.10 04:29 AM

Infrastructure investments one key way to continue recovery and keep our economy growing

WASHINGTON – Today in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, President Barack Obama will announce a comprehensive infrastructure plan to expand and renew our nation’s roads, railways and runways.

This proposal is among a set of targeted initiatives that the President will outline in Cleveland on Wednesday to support our economic recovery and ensure long-term sustainable growth. The plan builds upon the infrastructure investments the President has already made through the Recovery Act, includes principles the President put forth during the campaign, and emphasizes American competitiveness and innovation.

A fact sheet on the President’s plan announced today is below.

FACT SHEET: Renewing and Expanding America’s Roads, Railways, and Runways

The President today laid out a bold vision for renewing and expanding our transportation infrastructure – in a plan that combines a long-term vision for the future with new investments. A significant portion of the new investments would be front-loaded in the first year.

This plan would build on the investments we have already made under the Recovery Act, create jobs for American workers to strengthen our economy now, and increase our nation’s growth and productivity in the future. At the same time, the plan would reform the way America currently invests in transportation, changing our focus to enhancing competition, innovation, performance, and real analysis that gets taxpayers the best bang for the buck, while moving away from the earmarks and formula debates of the past. In prior years, transportation infrastructure was an issue that both parties worked on together, and the Administration hopes the same can be true now.

Some of the tangible accomplishments of the President’s plan over the next six years include:

• ROADS: Rebuild 150,000 miles of roads – renewing our commitment to the backbone of our transportation system;
• RAILWAYS: Construct and maintain 4,000 miles of rail – enough to go coast-to-coast;
• RUNWAYS: Rehabilitate or reconstruct 150 miles of runway – while putting in place a NextGen system that will reduce travel time and delays.

The President’s plan would accomplish this through:

• An up-front investment. The President will work with Congress to enact a new up-front investment in our nation’s infrastructure – an investment that would help jump-start additional job creation, while also laying the foundation for future growth. This initial investment would fund improvements in the nation’s surface transportation, as well as our airports and air traffic control system.

• A vision for the future. The President proposes to pair this with a long-term framework to reform and expand our nation’s investment in transportation infrastructure. Since the end of last year, when the last long-term surface transportation legislation expired, these investments have been continued on a temporary basis, even as the trust fund to finance them has fallen into insolvency. If we are to enjoy the benefits that come from a world-class transportation system, Congress must enact a long-term reauthorization that expands and reforms our infrastructure investments and returns the transportation trust fund to solvency. To jumpstart job creation, this long-run policy front-loads – through a $50 billion up-front investment – a significant share of the new infrastructure resources. As with other long-run policies, the Administration is committed to working with Congress to fully pay for the plan.

The long-term framework includes meaningful reforms:

• The establishment of an Infrastructure Bank to leverage federal dollars and focus on investments of national and regional significance that often fall through the cracks in the current siloed transportation programs;

• The integration of high-speed rail on an equal footing into the surface transportation program to ensure a sustained and effective commitment to a national high speed rail system over the next generation;

• Streamlining, modernizing, and prioritizing surface transportation investments, consolidating more than 100 different programs and focusing on using performance measurement and “race-to-the-top” style competitive pressures to drive investment toward better policy outcomes.

• Expanding investments in areas like safety, environmental sustainability, economic competitiveness, and livability – helping to build communities where people have choices about how to travel, including options that reduce oil consumption, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and expand access to job opportunities and housing that’s affordable.

Specifically, the President proposes to make the initial up-front investment in the following areas:

• Roads. The nation’s highways serve as the backbone of our transportation system. Many roads and bridges are in need of repair and expansion and many of the Americans who want to do this work face high unemployment right now. Our investments would be focused on modernizing the highway system’s critical assets while providing much-needed jobs.

• Rail. Many parts of transit systems have been allowed to fall into a state of ill-repair. The President’s plan would help address this by making a major new investment in the nation’s bus and rail transit system. The Administration is also committed to expanding public transit systems and would dedicate significant new funding to the “New Starts” program – which supports locally planned, implemented, and operated major transit projects. In addition, the Administration is committed to building on its investments so far in high-speed rail – constructing a system that will increase convenience and productivity, while also reducing our nation’s dependence on oil and cutting down on pollution. The President’s plan would also invest in a long-overdue overhaul of Amtrak’s fleet.

• Runways & NextGen. The Administration proposes to invest in our nation’s airports by improving their runways and other equipment and facilities. We also propose a robust investment in our effort to modernize the nation’s air traffic control system (NextGen). This investment will help both the FAA and airlines to install new technologies and, among other improvements, move from a national ground-based radar surveillance system to a more accurate satellite-based surveillance system – the backbone of a broader effort to reduce delays for passengers, increase fuel efficiency for carriers, and cut airport noise for those who live and work near airports.

• Infrastructure Bank. The President proposes to fund a permanent infrastructure bank. This bank would leverage private and state and local capital to invest in projects that are most critical to our economic progress. This marks an important departure from the federal government’s traditional way of spending on infrastructure through earmarks and formula-based grants that are allocated more by geography and politics than demonstrated value. Instead, the Bank will base its investment decisions on clear analytical measures of performance, competing projects against each other to determine which will produce the greatest return for American taxpayers.

White House.gov Press Office Feed ]]> White House News WhiteHouse http://www.szone.us/f24/president-obama-announce-plan-renew-expand-america-s-roads-railways-ru-49205/ http://www.szone.us/f24/weekly-address-president-obama-honors-americas-workers-outlines-steps-taken-str-49191/ Sat, 04 Sep 2010 12:21:45 GMT 09.04.10 02:00 AM

WASHINGTON – In his weekly address, President Obama reaffirmed his commitment to America’s workers and the middle class. Even before the current recession hit, the middle class had been hurting from stagnant incomes and declining economic security. To repair the economy and strengthen the middle class, the administration has invested in infrastructure projects that will lead to jobs in the private sector, taken emergency steps to prevent the layoffs of hundreds of thousands of teachers and cops, and cut taxes for 95 percent of working families. The President is fighting to pass a law that will provide tax breaks for folks who create jobs in America.

The full audio of the address is HERE. The video can be viewed online at www.whitehouse.gov.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Weekly Address
Washington DC

On Monday, we celebrate Labor Day. It’s a chance to get together with family and friends, to throw some food on the grill, and have a good time. But it’s also a day to honor the American worker – to reaffirm our commitment to the great American middle class that has, for generations, made our economy the envy of the world.

That is especially important now. I don’t have to tell you that this is a very tough time for our country. Millions of our neighbors have been swept up in the worst recession in our lifetimes. And long before this recession hit, the middle class had been taking some hard shots. Long before this recession, the values of hard work and responsibility that built this country had been given short shrift.

For a decade, middle class families felt the sting of stagnant incomes and declining economic security. Companies were rewarded with tax breaks for creating jobs overseas. Wall Street firms turned huge profits by taking, in some cases, reckless risks and cutting corners. All of this came at the expense of working Americans, who were fighting harder and harder just to stay afloat – often borrowing against inflated home values to pay their bills. Ultimately, the house of cards collapsed.

So this Labor Day, we should recommit ourselves to our time-honored values and to this fundamental truth: to heal our economy, we need more than a healthy stock market; we need bustling main streets and a growing, thriving middle class. That’s why I will keep working day-by-day to restore opportunity, economic security, and that basic American Dream for our families and future generations.

First, that means doing everything we can to accelerate job creation. The steps we have taken to date have stopped the bleeding: investments in roads and bridges and high-speed railroads that will lead to hundreds of thousands of jobs in the private sector; emergency steps to prevent the layoffs of hundreds of thousands of teachers and firefighters and police officers; and tax cuts and loans for small business owners who create most of the jobs in America. We also ended a tax loophole that encouraged companies to create jobs overseas. Instead, I’m fighting to pass a law to provide tax breaks to the folks who create jobs right here in America.

But strengthening our economy means more than that. We’re fighting to build an economy in which middle class families can afford to send their kids to college, buy a home, save for retirement, and achieve some measure of economic security when their working days are done. And over the last two years, that has meant taking on some powerful interests who had been dominating the agenda in Washington for far too long.

That’s why we’ve put an end to the wasteful subsidies to big banks that provide student loans. We’re going to use that money to make college more affordable for students instead.

That’s why we’re making it easier for workers to save for retirement, with new ways of saving their tax refunds and a simpler system for enrolling in retirement plans like 401(k)s. And we’re going to keep up the fight to protect Social Security for generations to come.

That’s why we stopped insurance companies from refusing to cover people with pre-existing conditions and dropping folks who become seriously ill.

And that’s why we cut taxes for 95 percent of working families, and passed a law to help make sure women earn equal pay for equal work in the United States of America.

This Labor Day, we are reminded that we didn’t become the most prosperous country in the world by rewarding greed and recklessness. We did it by rewarding hard work and responsibility. We did it by recognizing that we rise or we fall together as one nation – one people – all of us vested in one another. That is how we have succeeded in the past. And that is how we will not only rebuild this economy, but rebuild it stronger than ever before.

Thank you. And I hope you have a great Labor Day weekend.



White House.gov Press Office Feed ]]> White House News WhiteHouse http://www.szone.us/f24/weekly-address-president-obama-honors-americas-workers-outlines-steps-taken-str-49191/ http://www.szone.us/f24/presidential-memorandum-unexpected-urgent-refugee-migration-needs-resulting-fro-49174/ Fri, 03 Sep 2010 23:08:48 GMT 09.03.10 01:59 PM

September 3, 2010

Presidential Determination No. 2010-14

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 2(c)(1) of the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962 (the "Act"), as amended (22 U.S.C. 2601(c)(1)), I hereby determine, pursuant to section 2(c)(1) of the Act, that it is important to the national interest to furnish assistance under the Act in an amount not to exceed $33 million from the United States Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund for the purpose of meeting unexpected and urgent refugee and migration needs, including by contributions to international, governmental, and nongovernmental organizations and payment of administrative expenses of the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration of the Department of State, related to humanitarian needs resulting from recent devastating flooding in Pakistan.

You are authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.

BARACK OBAMA





White House.gov Press Office Feed ]]> White House News WhiteHouse http://www.szone.us/f24/presidential-memorandum-unexpected-urgent-refugee-migration-needs-resulting-fro-49174/ http://www.szone.us/f24/president-obama-award-medal-honor-49175/ Fri, 03 Sep 2010 23:08:48 GMT 09.03.10 01:41 PM

On September 21, President Barack Obama will award Chief Master Sergeant Richard L. Etchberger, U.S. Air Force, the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry. Chief Etchberger will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic actions in combat on March 11, 1968 in the country of Laos. He displayed immeasurable courage and uncommon valor - deliberately exposing himself to enemy fire in order to place his three surviving wounded comrades in the rescue slings permitting them to be airlifted to safety. As he was finally being rescued, he was fatally wounded by enemy ground fire. Chief Etchberger's sons, Cory Etchberger, Richard Etchberger and Steve Wilson will join the President at the White House to commemorate their father’s example of selfless service and sacrifice.

PERSONAL BACKGROUND:
Richard (Dick) L. Etchberger served in the United States Air Force from 1951 – 1968. Born in Hamburg, Pennsylvania on March 5, 1933, he was inspired to join the military due to his brother Bob enlisting in the Navy in early 1946. Upon joining the USAF on August 31, 1951, he proved to have a high aptitude in electronics and began long list of training and assignments that he would undergo to become a master in his career field. On April 1, 1967, he was promoted to Chief Master Sergeant. He held assignments in Mississippi, Utah, Morocco, North Dakota, Philippines, Illinois and the Republic of Vietnam.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
THE MEDAL OF HONOR:
The Medal of Honor is awarded to a member of the Armed Forces who distinguishes themselves conspicuously by gallantry above and beyond the call of duty while:

• engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;
• engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or
• serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.

The meritorious conduct must involve great personal bravery or self-sacrifice so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the individual above his or her comrades and must have involved risk of life. There must be incontestable proof of the performance of the meritorious conduct, and each recommendation for the award must be considered on the standard of extraordinary merit.



White House.gov Press Office Feed ]]> White House News WhiteHouse http://www.szone.us/f24/president-obama-award-medal-honor-49175/ http://www.szone.us/f24/presidential-proclamation-labor-day-49176/ Fri, 03 Sep 2010 23:08:48 GMT 09.03.10 12:51 PM

A PROCLAMATION

Working Americans are the foundation of our Nation's continued economic success and prosperity. From constructing the first transcontinental railroad to shaping our city skylines, they have built our country and propelled it forward. Through great innovation and perseverance, our labor force has forged America as a land of limitless possibility and a leader in the global marketplace. On Labor Day, we honor the enduring values and immeasurable contributions of working men and women today and throughout our history.

As we recognize the contributions of the American workers who have built our country, we must continue to protect their vital role and that of organized labor in our national life. Workers have not always possessed the same rights and benefits many enjoy today. Over time, they have fought for and gained fairer pay, better benefits, and safer work environments. From the factory floors during the Industrial Revolution to the shopping aisles of today's superstores, organized labor has provided millions of hard-working men and women with a voice in the workplace and an unprecedented path into our strong middle class. By advocating on behalf of our families, labor unions have helped advance the safe and equitable working conditions that every worker deserves.

Today, as we emerge from the worst recession since the Great Depression, far too many American workers remain without a job. With every work hour lost and every plant closure and layoff, families and communities struggle to make ends meet and face difficult decisions about how to stay afloat. Yet, in the face of this tremendous challenge, our workers have renewed their commitment to achieving the American dream by training and educating themselves for careers crucial to our long-term competitiveness. To rebuild our economy, my Administration is focusing on job training and investing in industries that cannot be outsourced. By focusing on recovery at home, we are saving or creating millions of jobs in America and supporting the working men and women who will drive our 21st-century economy. More remains to be done, but we have taken important steps forward toward recovery.

American workers have always been ready to roll up their sleeves, clock in, and earn an honest living. That steady determination is why I have confidence in the American economy and confidence that we can overcome the challenges we face. There is no greater example of our country's resolve and resilience than that of our workers. As we celebrate Labor Day, we honor those who have advanced our Nation's strength and prosperity -- American workers.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 6, 2010, as Labor Day. I call upon all public officials and people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that acknowledge the tremendous contributions of working Americans and their families.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.

BARACK OBAMA



White House.gov Press Office Feed ]]> White House News WhiteHouse http://www.szone.us/f24/presidential-proclamation-labor-day-49176/ http://www.szone.us/f24/statement-press-secretary-upcoming-visit-nato-secretary-general-49177/ Fri, 03 Sep 2010 23:08:48 GMT 09.03.10 12:31 PM

President Obama will welcome the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Mr. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, to the White House on September 7, 2010. As part of the President’s ongoing consultations with allies about our global agenda, the two leaders will discuss NATO’s role in advancing our shared interests in Europe and beyond, including through the International Security Assistance Force mission in Afghanistan. They will discuss preparations for the November 19-20, 2010 NATO Summit in Lisbon, Portugal, which will include a focus on NATO’s development of new capabilities that ensure it is able to respond effectively to 21st century challenges.



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