Transcript, Michelle Obama’s DNC 2012 Speech

September 4, 2012

Transcript of first lady Michelle Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention, as prepared for delivery:

 

Thank you so much, Elaine…we are so grateful for your family’s service and sacrifice…and we will always have your back.

 

Over the past few years as First Lady, I have had the extraordinary privilege of traveling all across this country.

 

And everywhere I’ve gone, in the people I’ve met, and the stories I’ve heard, I have seen the very best of the American spirit.

 

I have seen it in the incredible kindness and warmth that people have shown me and my family, especially our girls.

 

I’ve seen it in teachers in a near-bankrupt school district who vowed to keep teaching without pay.

 

I’ve seen it in people who become heroes at a moment’s notice, diving into harm’s way to save others…flying across the country to put out a fire…driving for hours to bail out a flooded town.

 

And I’ve seen it in our men and women in uniform and our proud military families…in wounded warriors who tell me they’re not just going to walk again, they’re going to run, and they’re going to run marathons…in the young man blinded by a bomb in Afghanistan who said, simply, “…I’d give my eyes 100 times again to have the chance to do what I have done and what I can still do.”

 

Every day, the people I meet inspire me…every day, they make me proud…every day they remind me how blessed we are to live in the greatest nation on earth.

 

Serving as your First Lady is an honor and a privilege…but back when we first came together four years ago, I still had some concerns about this journey we’d begun.

 

While I believed deeply in my husband’s vision for this country…and I was certain he would make an extraordinary President…like any mother, I was worried about what it would mean for our girls if he got that chance.

 

How would we keep them grounded under the glare of the national spotlight?

How would they feel being uprooted from their school, their friends, and the only home they’d ever known?

 

Our life before moving to Washington was filled with simple joys…Saturdays at soccer games, Sundays at grandma’s house…and a date night for Barack and me was either dinner or a movie, because as an exhausted mom, I couldn’t stay awake for both.

 

And the truth is, I loved the life we had built for our girls…I deeply loved the man I had built that life with…and I didn’t want that to change if he became President.

 

I loved Barack just the way he was.

 

You see, even though back then Barack was a Senator and a presidential candidate…to me, he was still the guy who’d picked me up for our dates in a car that was so rusted out, I could actually see the pavement going by through a hole in the passenger side door…he was the guy whose proudest possession was a coffee table he’d found in a dumpster, and whose only pair of decent shoes was half a size too small.

 

But when Barack started telling me about his family – that’s when I knew I had found a kindred spirit, someone whose values and upbringing were so much like mine.

 

You see, Barack and I were both raised by families who didn’t have much in the way of money or material possessions but who had given us something far more valuable – their unconditional love, their unflinching sacrifice, and the chance to go places they had never imagined for themselves.

 

My father was a pump operator at the city water plant, and he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when my brother and I were young.

 

And even as a kid, I knew there were plenty of days when he was in pain…I knew there were plenty of mornings when it was a struggle for him to simply get out of bed.

 

But every morning, I watched my father wake up with a smile, grab his walker, prop himself up against the bathroom sink, and slowly shave and button his uniform.

 

And when he returned home after a long day’s work, my brother and I would stand at the top of the stairs to our little apartment, patiently waiting to greet him…watching as he reached down to lift one leg, and then the other, to slowly climb his way into our arms.

 

But despite these challenges, my dad hardly ever missed a day of work…he and my mom were determined to give me and my brother the kind of education they could only dream of.

 

And when my brother and I finally made it to college, nearly all of our tuition came from student loans and grants.

 

But my dad still had to pay a tiny portion of that tuition himself.

And every semester, he was determined to pay that bill right on time, even taking out loans when he fell short.

 

He was so proud to be sending his kids to college…and he made sure we never missed a registration deadline because his check was late.

You see, for my dad, that’s what it meant to be a man.

 

Like so many of us, that was the measure of his success in life – being able to earn a decent living that allowed him to support his family.

 

And as I got to know Barack, I realized that even though he’d grown up all the way across the country, he’d been brought up just like me.

 

Barack was raised by a single mother who struggled to pay the bills, and by grandparents who stepped in when she needed help.

 

Barack’s grandmother started out as a secretary at a community bank…and she moved quickly up the ranks…but like so many women, she hit a glass ceiling.

 

And for years, men no more qualified than she was – men she had actually trained – were promoted up the ladder ahead of her, earning more and more money while Barack’s family continued to scrape by.

 

But day after day, she kept on waking up at dawn to catch the bus…arriving at work before anyone else…giving her best without complaint or regret.

 

And she would often tell Barack, “So long as you kids do well, Bar, that’s all that really matters.”

 

Like so many American families, our families weren’t asking for much.

 

They didn’t begrudge anyone else’s success or care that others had much more than they did…in fact, they admired it.

 

They simply believed in that fundamental American promise that, even if you don’t start out with much, if you work hard and do what you’re supposed to do, then you should be able to build a decent life for yourself and an even better life for your kids and grandkids.

 

That’s how they raised us…that’s what we learned from their example.

 

We learned about dignity and decency – that how hard you work matters more than how much you make…that helping others means more than just getting ahead yourself.

 

We learned about honesty and integrity – that the truth matters…that you don’t take shortcuts or play by your own set of rules…and success doesn’t count unless you earn it fair and square.

 

We learned about gratitude and humility – that so many people had a hand in our success, from the teachers who inspired us to the janitors who kept our school clean…and we were taught to value everyone’s contribution and treat everyone with respect.

 

Those are the values Barack and I – and so many of you – are trying to pass on to our own children.

 

That’s who we are.

 

And standing before you four years ago, I knew that I didn’t want any of that to change if Barack became President.

 

Well, today, after so many struggles and triumphs and moments that have tested my husband in ways I never could have imagined, I have seen firsthand that being president doesn’t change who you are – it reveals who you are.

 

You see, I’ve gotten to see up close and personal what being president really looks like.

 

And I’ve seen how the issues that come across a President’s desk are always the hard ones – the problems where no amount of data or numbers will get you to the right answer…the judgment calls where the stakes are so high, and there is no margin for error.

 

And as President, you can get all kinds of advice from all kinds of people.

But at the end of the day, when it comes time to make that decision, as President, all you have to guide you are your values, and your vision, and the life experiences that make you who you are.

 

So when it comes to rebuilding our economy, Barack is thinking about folks like my dad and like his grandmother.

 

He’s thinking about the pride that comes from a hard day’s work.

 

That’s why he signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to help women get equal pay for equal work.

 

That’s why he cut taxes for working families and small businesses and fought to get the auto industry back on its feet.

 

That’s how he brought our economy from the brink of collapse to creating jobs again – jobs you can raise a family on, good jobs right here in the United States of America.

 

When it comes to the health of our families, Barack refused to listen to all those folks who told him to leave health reform for another day, another president.

 

He didn’t care whether it was the easy thing to do politically – that’s not how he was raised – he cared that it was the right thing to do.

 

He did it because he believes that here in America, our grandparents should be able to afford their medicine…our kids should be able to see a doctor when they’re sick…and no one in this country should ever go broke because of an accident or illness.

 

And he believes that women are more than capable of making our own choices about our bodies and our health care…that’s what my husband stands for.

 

When it comes to giving our kids the education they deserve, Barack knows that like me and like so many of you, he never could’ve attended college without financial aid.

 

And believe it or not, when we were first married, our combined monthly student loan bills were actually higher than our mortgage.

 

We were so young, so in love, and so in debt.

 

That’s why Barack has fought so hard to increase student aid and keep interest rates down, because he wants every young person to fulfill their promise and be able to attend college without a mountain of debt.

 

So in the end, for Barack, these issues aren’t political – they’re personal.

Because Barack knows what it means when a family struggles.

 

He knows what it means to want something more for your kids and grandkids.

Barack knows the American Dream because he’s lived it…and he wants everyone in this country to have that same opportunity, no matter who we are, or where we’re from, or what we look like, or who we love.

 

And he believes that when you’ve worked hard, and done well, and walked through that doorway of opportunity…you do not slam it shut behind you…you reach back, and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.

 

So when people ask me whether being in the White House has changed my husband, I can honestly say that when it comes to his character, and his convictions, and his heart, Barack Obama is still the same man I fell in love with all those years ago.

 

He’s the same man who started his career by turning down high paying jobs and instead working in struggling neighborhoods where a steel plant had shut down, fighting to rebuild those communities and get folks back to work…because for Barack, success isn’t about how much money you make, it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.

 

He’s the same man who, when our girls were first born, would anxiously check their cribs every few minutes to ensure they were still breathing, proudly showing them off to everyone we knew.

 

That’s the man who sits down with me and our girls for dinner nearly every night, patiently answering their questions about issues in the news, and strategizing about middle school friendships.

 

That’s the man I see in those quiet moments late at night, hunched over his desk, poring over the letters people have sent him.

 

The letter from the father struggling to pay his bills…from the woman dying of cancer whose insurance company won’t cover her care…from the young person with so much promise but so few opportunities.

 

I see the concern in his eyes…and I hear the determination in his voice as he tells me, “You won’t believe what these folks are going through, Michelle…it’s not right. We’ve got to keep working to fix this. We’ve got so much more to do.”

 

I see how those stories – our collection of struggles and hopes and dreams – I see how that’s what drives Barack Obama every single day.

 

And I didn’t think it was possible, but today, I love my husband even more than I did four years ago…even more than I did 23 years ago, when we first met.

 

I love that he’s never forgotten how he started.

 

I love that we can trust Barack to do what he says he’s going to do, even when it’s hard – especially when it’s hard.

 

I love that for Barack, there is no such thing as “us” and “them” – he doesn’t care whether you’re a Democrat, a Republican, or none of the above…he knows that we all love our country…and he’s always ready to listen to good ideas…he’s always looking for the very best in everyone he meets.

 

And I love that even in the toughest moments, when we’re all sweating it – when we’re worried that the bill won’t pass, and it seems like all is lost – Barack never lets himself get distracted by the chatter and the noise.

 

Just like his grandmother, he just keeps getting up and moving forward…with patience and wisdom, and courage and grace.

 

And he reminds me that we are playing a long game here…and that change is hard, and change is slow, and it never happens all at once.

 

But eventually we get there, we always do.

 

We get there because of folks like my Dad…folks like Barack’s grandmother…men and women who said to themselves, “I may not have a chance to fulfill my dreams, but maybe my children will…maybe my grandchildren will.”

 

So many of us stand here tonight because of their sacrifice, and longing, and steadfast love…because time and again, they swallowed their fears and doubts and did what was hard.

 

So today, when the challenges we face start to seem overwhelming – or even impossible – let us never forget that doing the impossible is the history of this nation…it’s who we are as Americans…it’s how this country was built.

 

And if our parents and grandparents could toil and struggle for us…if they could raise beams of steel to the sky, send a man to the moon, and connect the world with the touch of a button…then surely we can keep on sacrificing and building for our own kids and grandkids.

 

And if so many brave men and women could wear our country’s uniform and sacrifice their lives for our most fundamental rights…then surely we can do our part as citizens of this great democracy to exercise those rights…surely, we can get to the polls and make our voices heard on Election Day.

 

If farmers and blacksmiths could win independence from an empire…if immigrants could leave behind everything they knew for a better life on our shores…if women could be dragged to jail for seeking the vote…if a generation could defeat a depression, and define greatness for all time…if a young preacher could lift us to the mountaintop with his righteous dream…and if proud Americans can be who they are and boldly stand at the altar with who they love…then surely, surely we can give everyone in this country a fair chance at that great American Dream.

 

Because in the end, more than anything else, that is the story of this country – the story of unwavering hope grounded in unyielding struggle.

 

That is what has made my story, and Barack’s story, and so many other American stories possible.

 

And I say all of this tonight not just as First Lady…and not just as a wife.

 

You see, at the end of the day, my most important title is still “mom-in-chief.”

 

My daughters are still the heart of my heart and the center of my world.

But today, I have none of those worries from four years ago about whether Barack and I were doing what’s best for our girls.

 

Because today, I know from experience that if I truly want to leave a better world for my daughters, and all our sons and daughters…if we want to give all our children a foundation for their dreams and opportunities worthy of their promise…if we want to give them that sense of limitless possibility – that belief that here in America, there is always something better out there if you’re willing to work for it…then we must work like never before…and we must once again come together and stand together for the man we can trust to keep moving this great country forward…my husband, our President, President Barack Obama.

 

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.

奥巴马夫人米歇尔的演讲稿

孩子们应该受到很好的教育，说道这个问题，barack懂得，就像我们中很多人一样，没有助学金他就也不可能上大学。你们相信吗？在我和他新婚之时，我们的助学贷款的压力甚至远大于房贷。当时我们那么年轻，还负债累累。因此，barack 竭尽全力提高助学金额度，同时压低利息，他希望让每一个年轻人都能大展宏图，不必为了求学债台高筑，。归根到底，这些对他来说根本无关政治，推己及人而已。他深深得知道家庭的处境。他懂得希望子孙过上好日子是这样一种感受。他知道什么是美国梦，因为他曾亲身经历。他希望每一个人都能有相同的机会。无论身份，无论家乡，无论种族，无论信仰和情感。他相信当每一个人努力奋斗，出人头地，在通过机遇的大门之后，不会自私地关上大门，而会转身伸出援手。给予人们共同的机会一起成功！

如果你要问我白宫这四年是否改变我的丈夫？我可以坦诚相告，不论是看他的品格，信仰，还是内心，此时此刻的他是彼时彼地我相爱的那个人！如今的他还会像那时一样，拒绝高薪工作，而深入社区基层，去帮助濒临倒闭的钢厂的职工和家属。去重建那样的社区，帮助人们再度就业。因为对他来讲，成功的标准并不是收入，而是你对他人生的积极影响，他还是那个当女儿刚降生时，会分分钟钟就跑到婴儿床边查看女儿是否还在呼吸的那个父亲。会抱着女儿去找所有的熟人显摆。他至今仍每晚和我跟女儿一起吃晚餐。耐心地回答她们关于新闻和时事的问题，为她们在学校交朋友的事儿出谋划策。每天深夜我都见到他在办公室沉默着，翻着一封封寄给他的信。有的信来自艰难谋生维持家用的父亲，有的来自被保险公司弃之不管的病入膏肓的女性，有的信来自徒有大志却怀才不遇的年轻人，我看到他为此忧心不已，他无比坚定地对我说：你无法想象他们过着什么样的日子，米歇尔，这是不对的！我们必须再接再厉去改变这些，我们做的还远远不够！

我看到那些故事，那些艰难困苦和那些梦想希望，正是那一切让奥巴马每日为之努力，从前的我绝想不到今天的我反而比四年前更爱我的丈夫了，甚至远胜23年前我们相爱时，我爱他！因为他不忘本！我爱他，因为他会去履行承诺，困难当头他只会越挫越勇，我爱他，因为他对人们一视同仁！从不管你是那个党派，又或是有无党派。他知道我们都深爱这个国家，他愿意倾听，从善如流，他愿意去挖掘每个人身上的闪光点！我爱他，因为在艰难无比，揪心不已的时刻，在法案可能无法通过，一切都可能重头再来的时候。他从不会被四面的楚歌所动摇，就像他的祖母一样，他会重新振作，再度前进，用他的耐心，智慧，勇气和气度！他总会提醒我们任重道远，变革往往艰难而缓慢，根本无法一撅而起，但总有一天，我们会成功，就如既往的那些胜利，我们会最终达到彼岸，因为像我的父母，他的祖母，还有所有像他们一样的人都对自己承诺，我没能实现自己的梦想，但或许我的孩子们可以，或许的们的孙辈可以，我，我们今天能站在这里，就归功于他们的奉献，渴望和从不动摇的爱，归功于他们一次又一次压在自己的恐惧和疑惑，艰苦奋斗。所以当今我们面对的挑战似乎艰巨得难以克服，请别忘记开创不可能的奇迹，正是我们国家的历史，美国人就是这样，我们的国家就是这么建立起来的。如果我们的父母先辈可以为了我们而艰苦奋斗，如果他们可以建起摩天大楼，把人类送上月球，如果他们可以用一根按钮就把世界连接，那是当然，我们也可以我们的后代而牺牲自我，努力建设。如果那么多英勇的军人可以穿起戎装上阵，为捍卫我们的根本利益牺牲生命！那么当然作为这个民主之国的一份子我们也可以发挥自己的作用！当然我们也可以通过投票，让我们的呼声响彻大选之日；如果农民和铁匠都可以从一个帝国中谋求独立，如果移民们可以放下从前的一切来到这里寻求美好的生活；如果妇女们冒着牢狱之灾也要投票；如果一代人可以打败大萧条，成就一番事业；如果一位年轻的牧师可以用他的正义理想把我们送上平等之巅；如果美国人民为他们的身份而自豪，为他们所爱的人而勇敢的站在讲台上。那么当然，当然我们可以给人们平等的机会，去实现自己的美国梦！因为当尘埃落定，胜过一切的是这个国家的故事，一个希望不死，斗志永存的励志传说，我的故事，奥巴马的故事，和千千万万美国人的故事，也因此成真，今天我不仅是第一夫人，也不仅是代表一个妻子，每当一天的工作结束，我的身份就只是一个操心的妈妈，我的女儿仍是我的心头肉，我世界的中心但今天我不再像四年前般顾虑重重，不再担心我和他怎么做才是对孩子们最好的。亲身经历告诉我，如果要想给我的女儿和全天下的孩子创造一个美好的世界，如果我们想给他们一个梦想的基础和一展抱负的机遇，如果我们想让他们相信一切皆有可能，让他们相信在美国，只要努力就一定能有回报，那么我们比任何时候，任何人都更加努力。我们必须再度团结一致，去一起支持肩负着你我信任，去领导我们前进的那个男人，我的丈夫，我们的总统——奥巴马！谢谢！