Speeches and Remarks

East Room

11:36 A.M. EST
 
THE FIRST LADY:  You’re so quiet.  It’s like a classroom.  (Laughter and applause.) 
 
So, in the intermission, were you all, like, dancing and everything?  (Laughter.)  Get a little movement.  You know, you’ve been sitting for a while.
 
So, thank you for standing.  But, you know, I’m glad you get a little — like you said, Robin, a little movement, right?  It’s — that’s what it’s all about.
 
So — oh, please sit down.  Please.  (Laughter.)  If you feel all stretched out by now.
 
So, before I begin, I just want to say I’m so glad that you got to come here today because the White House is decorated.  (Applause.)  And the theme this year is “Peace and Light.”  So, I hope that you all feel that sense of, you know, peace and light and that, just for a moment, when you leave here today, that you feel — I don’t know — a little — a sense of joy, because I think we all need, like, this — you know, we all need to feel joy now during this — this time of the season, during — just during this time. 
 
So, anyway — (laughter) — okay.  Now I’ll start.  You’re all reading into that.  (Laughter.) 
 
Anyway, for decades, for centuries even, at dinner tables and in waiting rooms, in whispered conversations, you know, when we meet our friends for coffee, women have been talking to each other about our health.  Isn’t that true?
 
AUDIENCE:  Yes.
 
THE FIRST LADY:  So, today, we brought that conversation to the White House.  (Applause.)  Today, we are saying to women everywhere: We hear you, and we will get you the answers you need.
 
So, thank you for joining us for the White House Conference on Women’s Health Research.
 
The United States has the best health research in the world, yet women’s health is understudied and research is underfunded.  And so many of you have said this.  And the United States economy loses $1.8 billion in working time every year to menopause symptoms that upend women’s lives.
 
And that’s what Maria Shriver and I talked about on that Saturday afternoon in April last year.  So, Maria keeps this quote next to her phone — you have a stationary phone?  (Laughter.) 
 
MS. SHRIVER:  (Inaudible.)  (Laughter.)
 
THE FIRST LADY:  — in her office, and it says, “Why go to the moon?”  And your uncle, President Kennedy, asked, “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things not because they are easy, because they are hard.”
 
So, Maria, thank you for carrying on that mission, pushing for breakthroughs that are never easy but possible.  Thank you.  (Applause.) 
 
So, a little more than a year ago, President Biden launched — thank you, Joe — (laughter) — the first-ever White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research, building on the foundation of decades of work in women’s health from many of you in this room.
 
And Carolyn made sure yesterday, as we were doing speech prep, that I understood — she said, “Jill, you know, I know that we’re doing this now, but there are some women” — like Carolyn — “who’s been doing this research forever and ever and ever.”  And I just want you — to say we — we recognize that.  So — (applause).
 
So, it — you heard from Carolyn, you know, our incredible — and our incredible team here at the White House who’s ensured that government-funded research, you know — and they will include women from the beginning.
 
And that means designing studies and separating the data, which everyone has said, and reporting findings to create treatments specifically for women and for we- — men.  I mean, we’re not going to leave you guys out.  (Laughter.)
 
And we’ve invested nearly $1 billion in this research on women’s health.  (Applause.)
 
So, a- — over this past year, I’ve traveled around the country, and I have met, honestly, some really incredible researchers.  And I’ve been to universities and the New York Stock Exchange to bring people together and create connections across industries. 
 
And the women of this country are paying attention.  Researchers and business leaders are too. 
 
So, we brought all of you into this room to elevate all this information: discoveries that will change how we treat menopause symptoms — we’ve talked about this all this morning; research that uses genetics to find the cause of extreme morning sickness.  And I heard this a couple weeks ago, and I was particularly interested because my own granddaughter was going through the same thing — because we’re going to be great-grandparents.  (Applause.)  (Laughs.)
 
So, funders and founders who are seeing the market for women’s health products triple, advocates who are making sure that women know that solutions are at our fingertips if we just keep fighting for them.
 
Together, we’ve laid down a new line, a marker of our progress toward closing the gaps in women’s health.  Everything that you’ve heard today — and hasn’t it been, like, so informative and fascinating?  I mean, I love these forums because I always learn something new.  I just — you know, it’s just so inspiring.  Because this is our new normal. 
 
And today isn’t the finish line; it’s the starting point.  We — all of us, we have built the momentum.  Now it’s up to us to make it unstoppable.
 
It has been the honor of my life to serve as your first lady and to join you in this work, but my work doesn’t stop in January when Joe and I leave this house.  I will keep building alliances, like the ones that brought us here today, and I will keep pushing for funding for innovative research.  (Applause.)  (Laughs.)
 
So, join me.  Be the researcher who makes sure that each proposal you work on considers women from the beginning.  Be the investor who searches for the next breakthrough product of [or] treatment.  Be the voice in every space, from boardrooms to classrooms to laboratories, who asks, “What are we doing to advance women’s health?”
 
Let’s make a promise to all those women out there right now, sitting in a parking lot somewhere, in a doc- — after a doctor’s appointment, wondering why you’re not being heard — so, maybe feeling, you know, like you’re all alone.
 
And — well, I’ll just have to stop here for one second.  I did hear during that little intermission thing — like, we’re not putting our doctors down — right? — so, some doc ba- — in the back said, “You know, it sounds like you’re putting the docs down.”  We’re not putting the docs down.  I don’t want you to feel that way.  That, you know — but I think the docs are joining us and saying, “Hey, we want the answers.”  So, I just want to make that 100 percent clear.
 
So, the White House, all of us here, we will keep fighting for you until your worries turn into answers, your symptoms into solutions.  Until women everywhere benefit from the lifesaving and world-changing research that we know is possible. 
 
A new future can ring out from this conference, one that — one that answers the call from women who have been waiting for too long.  Let this be the moment that we push harder, the moment that people say changed the world of women’s health forever. 
 
Thank you.  (Applause.)  (Laughs.)  Thank you.  Thank you.  (Applause.) 
 
Thank you.  Thank you very much.  Please.
 
So, I’m so grateful to have a president who — (laughs) — who heard us — (laughter) — and took action quickly.  So, without Joe, really, this wouldn’t have been made possible.  And that’s the power of someone who understands how to make things happen in government — because God knows, Joe, you’ve been for — what? — 50 years.  (Laughter.)  (The president makes the sign of the cross.) 
 
So, someone who has fundamentally shifted how our nat- — nation approaches women’s health research.
 
So, please welcome my husband, your president and champion, I think, of all of us.  So, my husband, Joe Biden.  Come on, Joe.  (Applause.)
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  (Applause.) 
 
Thank God she said “yes” the fifth time I asked her to marry me.  (Laughter.) 
 
Please have a seat. 
 
You know, I — as they used to say in the Senate, a point of personal privilege: I — when — no man deserves one great love, let alone two.  When I was introduced to Jill, my younger brother — my youngest brother said, “You’ll love her; she hates politics.”  (Laughter.) 
 
Well, look, I — hello, everyone.  My name is Joe Biden; I’m Jill Biden’s husband.  (Laughter.)  Let’s be honest, we wouldn’t be here today without Jill. 
 
Across our administration and across Congress, across the country, the work we’re doing on women’s health research is some of the most important work this administration has ever done.
 
And I’ve always believed that our nation is at its best when we — when we plumb the endless possibilities that exist for all our women and girls.  And that includes their health.
 
Women on- — are half our population, to state the obvious.  But like Jill said, for too long, they’ve been underrepresented when it comes to health research.  And that’s real. 
 
You know, that’s why, over a year ago, we launched the first-ever White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research.  And the goal was to fundamentally change and improve how we approach and invest in women’s health research — we weren’t doing enough of it — and to pioneer the next generation of scientific research and discoveries that are going to improve care for — women receive all across the country.
 
Because the fact is the health of our moms and grandmothers, sisters and daughters, friends and colleagues affects not just women’s well-being but the prosperity of the entire nation.  And that’s a fact.  We haven’t gotten that through to the other team yet.  (Laughter.)  No — no, I mean it, across the board.  Anyway, I won’t get into that.  (Laughter.)
 
But that’s why, in my State of the Union address this year, I called on Congress to invest $12 billion in women’s health research to benefit millions of lives — (applause) — and families and communities all across America.
 
Folks, but my administration wasn’t going to wait for Congress to secure the funding.  We looked for other ways to prioritize women’s health with existing dollars that are already in the government and to get important work started.
 
And I knew where to start: Rosa DeLauro.  (Applause.)  Rosa, stand up.  I’m not joking.  As they say in souther- — you all think I’m kidding.  I’m not kidding.  (Laughter.)  She’s incredible.  Every important thing I’ve ever tried to get done that no one paid attention to, you were there for me.  I mean it sincerely.  You’re the best, Rosa.  What you did on Child Tax Credit — I mean, across the board. 
 
And, folks, women’s health is — is a — something that — that matters so, so very much.  Along with members that are here today, you — she’s going to keep this effort going to — when we leave.  When we leave — when Jill and I leave.
 
AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Fight like hell.  (Laughter.)
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Well, we’re going to fight like hell.  And w- — I — I’m the — we’re — we’re no longer going to be president and first lady, but we’re not going away.  (Laughter.)  And so — (applause).
 
Along with members here, like Diane [Diana] and Lauren.  Where — where is Diane [Diana]? 
 
REPRESENTATIVE DEGETTE:  Right here. 
 
THE PRESIDENT:  There you go.  Stand up, kiddo.  Let them see you.  (Applause.)
 
And, Lauren, thank you. 
 
So, I’m so proud that, to date, we’ve secured $1 billion so far in women’s health research from different government agencies.
 
You know, our new agency, ARPA-H, which is patterned after Advanced — it’s called Advanced Research Projects and Agencies for Health — is based on DARPA, which is the Defense Department program for Advanced Research and Projects Agency.  That drove breakthroughs — the Defense Department broke breakthroughs in everything from the Internet to GPS.  It had a big budget for doing everything else, but it also had this specific individual budget. 
 
And ARPA-H does for biomedicine what DARPA does for technology, driving breakthroughs to prevent, detect, and treat diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and so much more.  We’re using their funding to drive breakthroughs in women’s health in ovarian cancer and menopause, in migraines, in high blood pressure for pregnant women.
 
The National Institute of Health is using their funding to break down the silos — a lot of silos in government, a lot of silos across the — in America — to make more progress and do it more quickly.
 
For example, we know that heart disease is the leading cause of death for women.  But we don’t know — we don’t know enough about how menopause may affect heart disease.  And that’s going to change now.  We’re going to learn so much more.
 
And the Department of Defense is dedicating funds to research women’s health issues like arthritis, cancer, chronic fatigue that affect women in the military, but this research is going to benefit all women — all women.
 
Our work doesn’t stop here.
 
Look, you know, the addition to — in addition to launching the Women’s Health Research Initiative earlier this year, I signed an executive order that — directing the most comprehensive set of executive actions ever taken — ever taken in the history of this country to improve women’s health issues.
 
And, look — (applause) — it ensures that women’s health is integrated and prioritized all across the entire federal government — all research projects and budget plans, across the entire government.  And it spurs new research and innovation on a wide range of women’s health needs throughout their lives.  And it does so much more — so much more.
 
Folks, there’s literally never been more comprehensive effort from the federal government to spur innovation in women’s health research in our entire history. 
 
And thank you, by the way, kiddo.  (Laughter and applause.)  I — no, I mean it.  (Applause.)  I mean it.
 
If I can digress for a moment, I — I would — I have been the beneficiary of a lot of the research that’s been done.  I had a — two cranial aneurysms.  I had two nine-hour operations.  They took the top of my head off twice; they couldn’t find a brain the first time.  (Laughter.) 
 
But all — all kidding aside, I mean the research that’s going on across the entire world.  I visited every single solitary major health center in the world — in the world — seven of them.  And, you know, a lot of wha- — what happens, even in not just women’s research, but, you know, docs who are great, they walk by the mirror, and they see a Pulitzer Pri- — a — a Nobel Prize about to be won and — rather than sharing the data.  But that’s all changing.  That’s all changing. 
 
And this initiative lays the groundwork for discoveries and research for generations to come.  Mark my words.  And the benefits we gain tomorrow will happen because we made the decision to do something about them today — today, now. 
 
And all of you in this room are leading the way, and that’s not hyperbole.  You really are.  It’s a hell of a com- — combination of people that make things change.
 
Let me close with this.  And my daughter, Ashley, sitting here, she runs a — she works for women — she runs a women’s health shel- — women’s health center — shelter in Philadelphia. 
 
And — and, you know, this holiday season is a time not for gratitude but for reflection.  Gratitude is important, but we got to reflect on what’s going on. 
 
And let me say to you that it’s been an honor of my life to serve as your president the last four years.  But I’m — and I’m forever grateful.  I really am.  (Applause.) 
 
But folks, it’s not a joke.  We’re blessed to live in America.  We’re blessed to live in America.  I’ve been to over 140 countries.  I mean, but for the grace of God, I could’ve been born a lot of other places.  Literally the greatest country on Earth, that’s who we are.  But we got to raise up even more than we are now.
 
I often say, America can be summed up in one word.  I was on the Tibetan Plateau with Xi Jinping, and he said, “Can you define America for me?”  And I — this is all on the record.  I said, “Yes, one word: possibilities.” 
 
Think about it.  We’re the only nation in the world where people — they think there’s arrogance in that.  But we’ve never failed to get things done when we set our mind to it.  It’s all about possibilities.  Anything is possible.
 
That’s what the Women’s Realth — Health Research Initiative is all about: possibilities.  You know, and that’s what this conference is all about.  That’s what you’re all about.  Researchers, innovators, investors; businesses, advocates, elected officials; public, private, and non-profit leaders unleashing the drive and discovery and the talent and imagination that you have in this room — a spirit of innovation inherent in who you guys are. 
 
I really mean it.  Think about it.  Turn and look at the people to your left and right who you know are engaged in this.  It’s all about the possibilities and belief we can do things, we can change things fundamentally.   
 
I think inherent in the American con- — conscience is setting a bold vision and taking concrete steps to make our dreams a reality, holding on to one more thing that we can never lose: hope — hope, hope, hope.  Because what we need — we need to raise the expectations of the American people up.  We got to let them know we haven’t forgotten.  Whether it’s a business or labor or whether it’s politics, whatever, we haven’t forgotten. 
 
You — you guys go out there.  You take care of all of these folks.  Guess what?  How many of them think that we just sort of forgotten?  Why aren’t we focused?
 
Because of you and your fearless determination, you’re making real progress.  You’re really making progress. 
 
There’s still so much more to do.  And we’re going to take all of us to get it done.  I know it’s a battle.  But I know I have a hell of a lot of — a hell of an army here.  (Laughter.) 
 
You know, when I look around at all of you here today — and I mean this sincerely — I know it’s a battle we’re going to win.  We’re going to win this battle.  
 
We just have to remember who in the hell we are.  We’re the United States of America.  And there is nothing we’ve ever set our mind to we’ve been unable to do when we’ve done it together.  It’s not beyond our capacity, when we work together.  And that’s what you’re all doing: working together. 
 
And so, I — and I want to close by thanking my wife for Ji- — I mean, Jill, I tell you.  Like I said, when we got married, my brother said, “Don’t worry; she doesn’t like politics.”  Well, I tell you what, you stepped up, kid.  (Laughter.)  You’ve stepped up.
 
And in case you wonder, when she speaks, I listen.  (Laughter and applause.)
 
Thank you all so very, very much.  Let’s get this done.    Thank you.  (Applause.) 
 
11:57 A.M. EST

The post Remarks by President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at the First-Ever White House Conference on Women’s Health Research appeared first on The White House.

East Room

7:25 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Loretta, thank you.   Thank you, thank you, thank you.

You know, first of all, welcome to the White House, all the Special Olympics. 

And thank you, Loretta, for that introduction and your leadership — and one of our nation’s great special athletes. 

You’ve appeared in 8 World Games, completed in 10 different sports, won 12 medals, run 26 marathons — holy God — speak 5 languages, earned 3 honorary degrees.  And you’re only 71 years old.  (Laughter.)  You’re amazing.  You’re truly amazing.  All of you are. 

Before I really begin, what I want to say — let me say something about the Shriver/Kennedy family.  You know, your mom — your mom just didn’t open her heart to that Special Olympian.

When I got elected in 1971 — ‘72, I was 29 years old.  I wasn’t legally old enough to be president [senator]; you have to be 30 to be sworn in. And shortly after I got elected, I had to wait 17 days to be eligible to be sworn in — but in the meantime, on the anniversary coming up on the 18th of this month, I was down in Teddy’s office — Teddy Kennedy’s office, who took care of me — hiring staff.  And I got a phone call from my local fire department, telling me there had been an accident.  And the poor firewoman they put on the call for me said — I said, “How are they?”  They said, “Uh, uh, um, she’s dead.  Your daughter is dead.  And I’m not sure your two sons will make it.” 

And I — I, for a while, was very angry at God.  And I have — and if you come to my office, I hope you get to see it — a cartoon my dad gave me years later, when I was saying something about “I wish my deceased wife would have been able to see a certain thing in my house.”  And he went up to the local store — local shopping center and came back with a cartoon, and it was in a gold frame.  I’ve had it for, now, 34 years at my desk.  And it’s “Hägar the Horrible.”  And Hägar the Horrible, the Viking, his ship was struck by lightning, and he’s standing on the top of a sinking ship and looking up at God and say, “Why me?”  And the next frame is a voice from Heaven comes back and says, “Why not you?”  “Why not you?”

That was my dad.  It was just about getting up, making sure —

And while I was getting up, your mother helped me.  Your mother, your family contacted me, because I didn’t want to be sworn in.  I told my governor-elect that I wasn’t going to be sworn in.  I didn’t want to do it.  And — but your family —
your family —

And, by the way, one of the reasons I won was because of Sargent Shriver.  He showed up — (applause) — no. 

One of the oldest historic towns in America is New Castle, Delaware.  We have a thing in it, before every election, on election night, called the Torchlight Parade, and it’s been going on for, now, 90 years — longer.  And we — I needed help.  I — N- — Nixon won my state by 60 percent of the vote, and I won by 3,200 votes.  And, like you, I had a sister smarter than me.  (Laughter.)  And (inaudible).

And your dad went out of his way.  Your dad came to that event and energized the crowd and talked about “this young guy is going to be okay.”  I’ll never forget it.

So, you know, I know from a different angle what a lot of you must feel when you have someone reach out to you when you’re really down and things aren’t working. 

And, you know, but here in the East Room, we hosted heads of state.  And we ordered — I order- — we’ve ordered — ordered — awarded Medals of Freedom.  Just the other night, we celebrated Kennedy Center’s Honors.  But being here with the Special Olympians is something I cherish in my — from all my time being president.  I mean that.  And for that, I want to thank Tim and the whole Shriver family for making it possible.  (Applause.)

I think you all underestimate what you do for the community, but you give people hope.  They look at you.  They see your damn bravery.  They see your courage.  They see you standing up under circumstances they don’t think they can handle, and you do it.  And it’s all about hope. 

My dad used to have an expression.  He’d say, “Joey, a
job is about a lot more than a paycheck.  It’s about your dignity.  It’s about being able to look people in the eye and say, ‘We’re like everybody else.’” 

When you’re treated with dignity, it changes everything.  And you make people realize they have an obligation to do that.

Tim, you and your childr- — your siblings, your children, your grandchildren continue your parents’ mission of service, empowering others to reach their God-given talent.  Eunice and Sarge would be proud.  I feel them here today, and always do, by the way. 

Thank you for all the supports [supporters] of the Sp- — Special Olympics, including for Congress who are here tonight.  One of my good friends, Steny Hoyer, is over there.  (Applause.)

Steny talks about the Eastern Shore of Maryland.  It’s really the Western Shore of Delaware.  (Laughter.)

And Tony Coelho — where’s Tony?  Congressman?  Tony, good man.  (Applause.)

And Senator Roy Blunt.  Roy?  (Applause.)  Thank you, Roy. 

We’ve worked for decades to make our country more accessible and more just. 

Above all — above all, the athletes here, and to your loved ones, I say, thank you, because you give us hope.  If you can do what you did, why can’t we do so much more?  (Applause.)  You’re some of the most — you’re some of the most driven people I’ve ever met. 

For me and Jill, it’s a true honor to host you here at the White House.  And this is your house, the People’s House.  I mean it: your house.

The Special Olympics are close to my heart.  As it was mentioned already, ’71, I attended the Delaware first-ever Special Olympic competition: a track meet at old Wilmington High School.  I was a county councilman at the time, an organization that I had just begun.  I’ve just be- — I’ve become a big fan ever since.

In 2009, I flew with Mark Shriver to Boise, Idaho, for the Winter Games.  In 2010, Jill and I were proud to host all of you at the Naval Observatory, the vice president’s residence.  In 2011, Jill led the presidential delegation to the World Summer Games in Athens. 

In 2018 — my son Beau, who passed away because of a year in Iraq — set up the Beau Biden Foundation and partnered with you to protect people with intellectual disabilities and abuse.  And when he passed away, all that he had raised for his conflict went to you.  It’s something — sometimes our — our son — well, I won’t get into that.

Throughout it all, it’s been clear the Special Olympics is a movement of hope.  That’s what it’s all about: hope and inclusion — no one is excluded — spreading joy, building confidence, opening hearts.

President Lincoln once said everyone deserves, quote, “a fair chance in the race of life.”  That’s what this is all about.

Disability isn’t something broken to be fixed.  For millions of Americans, disability is a source of identity and pride.  Every American has an equal right to be recognized for who they are with dignity and with respect.

That’s why, as a senator, I cosponsored our nation’s first major disability rights bill, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.  Now, I know I look like I’m only 40, but I’ve been around a while.  (Laughter.)  That was in 1990, and, ladies and gentlemen, that act had a profound impact on people.

Look, the fact is that there’s so much more.  Why, when I was vice president and president, our administrations made major investments in education, employment, community-based care for people with disabilities.

And that’s why Kamala and our whole administration have worked to stop the use of subminimum wage so no — so tens of thousands of Americans can finally get fairly paid for what they do when they do it and not subminimum wage.  (Applause.)

That’s why we continued to push to end so-called Social Security marriage penalty, so people with didlebil- — dis- –disabilities who don’t lose part of their monthly benefits when then marry a person in a similar circumstance that they love.

You know, I want to thank Patrice, another star athlete who’s here tonight, working so hard to make all this happen. 

And that’s not all.  We also sent your CEO, Mary, to represent the United States this year at the historic G7 meeting that finally recognized sports as essential — as essential to global disability policy because of you.  It matters.  You’re affecting people’s lives all around the world, not just here.

Let me close with this.  I know this work is about a lot more than sports.  It’s about community.  It’s about health.  It’s about opportunity.  It’s about who we are as a nation.  What is our character?  Where is our heart?

The Special Olympics oath is “Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”

That’s the basic American spirit — your spirit.  You instill it in everybody.  You represent literally — and I mean this from the — I give you my word as a Biden — you represent the best America has to offer — the very best America has to offer.

You know, I mentioned — I’ve mentioned many times before that my mom had an expression.  My mom was Catherine Eugenia Finnegan Biden.  She’d look at me, “Joey” — I used to stutter very badly when I was young, even into high school.  She’d — “Joey, look at me.  Look at me.”  “I’m looking at you, Mom.”  She said, “Remember who you are.  You’re a Biden.”  And I thought, “Well, that’s like (inaudible).”  (Laughter.)  She said, “Look at me.  Joey, bravery resides in every heart, and someday — someday it will be summoned in every heart.”

Day after day, that’s what you and your entire organization do.  You rise up.  You lift one another up.  You summon immense courage.

And every Special — Special Olympic athlete here tonight and across America, we love you. 

Every new person I bring to the Special Olympics, they walk away stunned.  They walk away stunned about your courage.

I’d like to make a toast to the moment.  To supporters and volunteers and, above all, the incredible athletes and their brave and courageous hearts — you got something for me to toast? 

I have to admit to you.  I’m going to hold this with my left hand.  My grandfather, Ambrose Finnegan, was an all-American football player at Santa Clara.  He’d say, “Joey” — I’m the only Irishman you’ve ever met that’s never had a drink in his life.  (Laughs.)  Anyway.  But “when you toast without liquor” — which I don’t have here, I’ve got to admit it — (laughter) — “you’ve got to do it with your left hand, not your right hand.”

(The president offers a toast.)

So, cheers.  Cheers.  And please, please keep inspiring the country.

And I really — I’m going to say one more thing.  I should shush up, but one more thing.  You know, I think you underestimate — I generally believe you underestimate the impact you’ve had on so many people — so many people.  Especially when they’re down, especially when they think it’s over, you lift us up.

So, thank you, thank you, thank you.  I love you. 

And my — there’s an old — my — my grandfather used to use this — what he facetiously referred to as an “Irish blessing.”  He said, “May those who love us, love us; and those who don’t, may God turn their ankles, so we know they’re coming by their limp.”  (Laughter and applause.)

Enjoy the White House.  It’s your house.  (Applause.)

7:39 P.M. EST

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