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1RemarksofPresidentBarackObamaandFirstLadyMichelleObamaWeeklyAddressDecember24,2009PRESIDENT:Helloeveryone,andMerryChristmas.Asyouandyourfamiliesgathertocelebratetheholidays,wewantedtotakeamomenttosendgreetingsfromourfamily—fromme,fromMichelle,fromMaliaandSasha—andfromBo.FIRSTLADY:ThisisourfirstChristmasintheWhiteHouse,andwearesogratefulforthisextraordinaryexperience.Notfarfromhere,intheBlueRoom,istheofficialWhiteHouseChristmasTree.It’san18-foottallDouglas-firfromWestVirginiaandit’sdecoratedwithhundredsofornamentsdesignedbypeopleandchildrenfromalloverthecountry.EachoneisareminderofthetraditionswecherishasAmericansandtheblessingswe’rethankfulforthisholidayseason.PRESIDENT:That’sright,especiallyaswecontinuetorecoverfromanextraordinaryrecessionthatstillhassomanyAmericanshurting:parentswithoutajobwhostruggledtoputpresentsundertheChristmastree;familiesandneighborswho’veseentheirhomeforeclosed;folkswonderingwhatthenewyearwillbring.Buteveninthesetoughtimes,there’sstillsomuchtocelebratethisChristmas.Amessageofpeaceandbrotherhoodthatcontinuestoinspiremorethan2,000afterJesus’birth.Theloveoffamilyandfriends.Thebondsofcommunityandcountry.Andthecharacterandcourageofourmenandwomeninuniformwhoarefarfromhomefortheholidays,awayfromtheirfamilies,riskingtheirlivestoprotectours.Toalloursoldiers,sailors,airmen,MarinesandCoastGuardsmen—IhavenogreaterhonorthanservingasyourCommanderinChief.I’vebeenawedbyyourselflessspirit,youreagernesstoserve—attheNavalAcademyandWestPoint.I’vebeenenergizedbyyourdedicationtoduty—fromBaghdadtotheKoreanPeninsula.MichelleandIhavebeenmovedbyyourdetermination—woundedwarriorsatWalterReedandBethesda,fightingtorecover,togetbacktoyourunits.AndI’vebeenhumbled,profoundly,bypatriotswhohavemadetheultimatesacrificeforourfreedom.Inflag-drapedcasketscominghomeatDover.InthequietsolitudeofArlington.Andafteryearsofmultipletoursofduty,asyoucarryonwithourmissionsinIraqandAfghanistan,yourservice,yourreadinesstomakethatsamesacrifice,isaninspirationtousandtoeveryAmerican.FIRSTLADY:Andsoareyourfamilies.AsFirstLady,oneofmygreatestprivilegesistovisitwithmilitaryfamiliesacrossthecountry.I’vemetmilitaryspousesdoingtheparentingoftwo—keepingthehouseholdtogether,jugglingplaydatesandsoccergames,helpingwithhomework,doingeverythingtheycantomakethekidsfeelOKevenastheytrytohidetheirownfearsandworries.I’vemetkidswhowonderwhenmomordadiscominghome;grandparentsandrelativeswhostepintocareforourwoundedwarriors;andfolkstryingtocarryonafterlosingthepersontheylovedmostintheworld.Andthroughitall,thesefamiliessomehowstillfindthetimeandenergytoservetheircommunitiesaswell—coachingLittleLeague,runningthePTA,raisingmoneytohelpthoselessfortunatethantheyare,andmore.Buteventhesestrongmilitaryfamiliescanuseahand,especiallyduringtheholidays.Ifyoulivenearamilitarybase,youcanreachoutthroughyourworkplaces,yourschools,yourchurches.Therearesomanywaystohelp—withchildcare,witherrands,orbyjustbringingoverahome-cookedmeal.Evenifyoudon’tknowamilitaryfamilynearby,yourfamilycanstillhelpbydonatingorvolunteeringatorganizationsthatsupportmilitaryfamilies.PRESIDENT:Youcanalsoreachoutdirectlytoourforcesaroundtheworld.KidscanmakeacardthatwillbringasmiletoanAmericanfarfromhome.Adultscansendacarepackageorapre-paidphonecardthatmakesthetouratlittleeasier.EveryAmericancandosomethingtosupportourtroops,evenifit’sassimpleasjustsayingthankyou.Formorewaystoletourtroopsknowyoucare,goto—whetherit’satabasehereinthestates,amesshallinIraqoraremoteoutpostinAfghanistan,knowthatyouareinourthoughtsandourprayers.Andthisholidayseason—andeveryHolidayseason—knowthatwearedoingeverythinginourpowertomakesureyoucansucceedinyourmissionsandcomehomesafetoyourfamilies.FIRSTLADY:AndtoallAmericans,fromourfamilytoyours,MerryChristmas.PRESIDENT:MerryChristmas,everybody.2WeeklyAddressMarch13,2010LostinthenewsoftheweekwasaheadlinethatoughttobeasourceofconcernforeveryAmerican.Itsaid,“ManyNationsPassingU.S.inEducation.”Now,debatesinWashingtontendtobeconsumedwiththepoliticsofthemoment:who’supinthedailypolls;whosepartystandstogaininNovember.Butwhatmatterstoyou–whatmatterstoourcountry–isnotwhathappensinthenextelection,butwhatwedotoliftupthenextgeneration.Andthefactis,therearefewissuesthatspeakmoredirectlytoourlongtermsuccessasanationthanissuesconcerningtheeducationweprovidetoourchildren.Ourprosperityinthe20thcenturywasfueledbyaneducationsystemthathelpedgrowthemiddleclassandunleashthetalentsofourpeoplemorefullyandwidelythanatanytimeinourhistory.Webuiltschoolsandfocusedontheteachingofmathandscience.WehelpedagenerationofveteransgotocollegethroughtheGIBill.Weledtheglobeinproducingcollegegraduates,andinturnweledinproducingground-breakingtechnologiesandscientificdiscoveriesthatliftedlivingstandardsandsetusapartastheworld’sengineofinnovation.Ofcourse,othernationsrecognizethis,andarelookingtogainanedgeintheglobalmarketplacebyinvestinginbetterschools,supportingteachers,andcommittingtoclearstandardsthatwillproducegraduateswithmoreskills.Ourcompet