The President's Weekly Address
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May 4 / Administration of Barack Obama, 2012 When Anthony needed help, Doron Lamb They were saying: “We’re going to the White stepped up, dropping 22 points in the biggest House! We’re going to the White House!” game of his career. First off the bench, Darius [Laughter] Because they wanted to meet you. Miller, who became the first player in Ken- As a member of our team, I’d like our se- tucky history to be named Mr. Basketball, win niors, Darius Miller, to give you his number- a State championship in high school and win a one jersey that he wore for 4 years. national title with the Wildcats. I’m pretty sure The President. That’s great. Coach Cal is right that if Darius decides to run Coach Calipari. Eloy Vargas has a ball that for Governor, he’ll do all right in Kentucky. he—the team has signed, and the young—[ap- [Laughter] I also want to congratulate Darius plause]. There’s the number-one jersey. and Eloy Vargas for getting their diplomas on The President. That’s a good-looking jersey Sunday. That’s worth a big round of applause. right there. And I want to congratulate them for doing Coach Calipari. And the young guy from their share of community service in the Lex- your home city of Chicago—— ington community, from packing backpacks The President. Chicago! [Laughter] full of food for kids who don’t have enough to Coach Calipari. ——would like to present raising money for tornado victims. you with the 2012 National Championship So these guys do it all. Everybody’s got to ring, and I might say, it is the first. take a good look now, because a whole bunch The President. Hold that up. Look at that. of these guys are going on to the NBA. Who That’s all right. That’s beautiful, man. Fantas- knows, one of them might end up here in tic. Well, this is some nice gear. [Laughter] I Washington. We’ll take him. have to say, by the way, after the game, I called Coach Cal is back on the recruiting trail, and the coach and the team, and I mentioned to if the next group of Wildcats is anything like Anthony that I had actually been to his school, this one, then I might see them again some- a small charter school in Chicago, when I was time soon. still a Senator. And I had spoken to the kids So congratulations again to all the fans, to all there, and he told me, yes, I was there. the faculty, to all the—everybody who helps to [Laughter] But I didn’t recognize him. He make Kentucky such an outstanding university. looked a little different apparently 4 years ago. Most of all, congratulations to the team and to So what a wonderful set of gifts. I appreciate Coach Calipari. that. Head Coach John V. Calipari. Thank you very much. Mr. President, on behalf of the Big NOTE: The President spoke at 5:03 p.m. in the Blue Nation, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, East Room at the White House. In his re- we are honored and humbled to be here. This marks, he referred to Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, team, when they won that championship on Anthony Davis, and Eloy Vargas, forwards, and that court in New Orleans, they were jumping Doron Lamb and Darius Miller, guards, Uni- up and down not saying: “We did it! We won!” versity of Kentucky men’s basketball team. The President’s Weekly Address May 5, 2012 This week, I traveled to Afghanistan to Air Base, I visited with some of our outstand- thank our troops serving far from home and to ing men and women in uniform. I thanked sign a historic agreement that will help us com- them for their extraordinary service. And I let plete our mission and end the war. them know that America honors their sacrifice. As Commander in Chief, nothing is more Because of their bravery and dedication, the humbling or inspiring than the chance to tide of war has turned in Afghanistan. We’ve spend some time with our troops. At Bagram broken the Taliban’s momentum. We’ve built 572 Administration of Barack Obama, 2012 / May 5 strong Afghan security forces. We’ve devastat- promise that if you worked hard, you could do ed Al Qaida’s leadership. And 1 year ago, our well enough to raise a family, own a home, troops launched the operation that killed Usa- send your kids to college, and put a little away ma bin Laden. The goal that I set to defeat Al for retirement. Qaida and deny it a chance to rebuild is within Keeping that promise alive is the defining is- reach. sue of our time. But it means making responsi- Because of the progress we’ve made, I was ble choices. able to sign an historic agreement between the I don’t think we should prioritize things like United States and Afghanistan that defines a more tax cuts for millionaires while cutting the new kind of relationship between our coun- kinds of investments that build a strong middle tries: a future in which Afghans are responsible class. That’s why I’ve called on Congress to for the security of their nation and we build an take the money we’re no longer spending at equal partnership between two sovereign war, use half of it to pay down our debt, and states, a future in which the war ends and a use the other half to rebuild America. new chapter begins. Because we’ve got more jobs to create, more The enormous sacrifices of our men and students to educate, more clean energy to gen- women in uniform are not over, but many of erate, more entrepreneurs with the next great our troops are already coming home. Last year, idea, just looking for their shot at success. we removed 10,000 U.S. troops from Afghani- We’ve got to invest in things like education and stan; another 23,000 will leave by the end of medical research. We’ve got to build newer the summer. As our coalition agreed, by the and faster transportations and communications end of 2014, the Afghans will be fully responsi- ble for the security of their country. And this is networks. And we’ve got to secure the care and as it should be, because after more than a de- benefits our veterans have earned, so that we cade of war, it’s time to focus on nation-build- serve them as well as they’ve served us. ing here at home. Every time I have the privilege of meeting As a new greatest generation returns from with our troops, I’m struck by their courage, overseas, we must ask ourselves: What kind of their commitment, their selflessness, and their country will they come back to? Will it be a teamwork. They have something to teach us. country where a shrinking number of Ameri- Recovering from the worst economic crisis cans do really well while a growing number since the Great Depression is a work in prog- barely get by? Or will it be a country where ev- ress, but if we follow their example, then I have eryone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair no doubt we will preserve the promise of this share, and everyone plays by the same set of country, protect the freedoms we cherish, and rules, a country with opportunity worthy of the leave for our children an America that’s built to troops who protect us? last. America has answered this question before. God bless you, and have a great weekend. My grandfather, a veteran of Patton’s army, got the chance to go to college on the GI bill. My NOTE: The address was recorded at approxi- grandmother, who worked on a bomber assem- mately 2:05 p.m. on May 4 in the Map Room at bly line, was part of a workforce that turned the White House for broadcast on May 5. The out the best products on Earth. They contrib- transcript was made available by the Office of uted to a story of success that every American the Press Secretary on May 4, but was embar- had the chance to share in: the basic American goed for release until 6 a.m. on May 5. 573.