In order to make the tough decisions we have to know what our values are and who we're fighting for and our priorities and if we are spending $300 billion on tax cuts for people who don't need them and weren't even asking for them, and we are leaving out health care which is crushing on people all across the country, then I think we have made a bad decision and I want to make sure we're not shortchanging our long term priorities.
Barack ObamaIn many ways [those middle-aged black ladies] my touchstone, because they are what I meant when I talked about the audacity of hope.
Barack ObamaI have said repeatedly that I intend to close Guantanamo, and I will follow through on that. I have said repeatedly that America doesn't torture. And I'm gonna make sure that we don't torture. Those are part and parcel of an effort to regain America's moral stature in the world.
Barack ObamaThere are some exceptions: Chicago, my hometown, in particular. But overall in the country this is a much safer place than it used to be.
Barack ObamaWhen I touched my hand against the Western Wall and placed my prayer between its ancient stones, I thought of all the centuries that the children of Israel had longed to return to their ancient homeland. When I went to Sderot and saw the daily struggle to survive in the eyes of an eight-year-old boy who lost his leg to a Hamas rocket, and when I walked among the Hall of Names at Yad Vashem, I was reminded of the existential fear of Israelis when a modern dictator seeks nuclear weapons and threatens to wipe Israel off the face of the map - face of the Earth.
Barack ObamaIt will be up to each of you to make sure that young people, African Americans, Latinos and women who powered our victory in 2008 stand together once again.
Barack ObamaItโs not that I want to punish your success. I want to make sure that everybody who is behind you, that theyโve got a chance for success, too. My attitude is that if the economyโs good for folks from the bottom up, itโs gonna be good for everybody. I think when you spread the wealth around, itโs good for everybody.
Barack Obama