This evening at 9:00 PM EDT, President Obama will address the nation from the White House "on the stalemate in Washington over avoiding default and the best approach to cutting deficits," Press Secretary Jay Carney just announced.  There will be a livestream from the East Room at wh.gov/live.

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President Obama Addresses La Raza

On the menu for conference luncheon: Immigration reform, debt, education, jobs..."The idea of doing things on my own is very tempting..."
President Obama today keynoted the annual conference luncheon for the National Council of La Raza, the largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organization in the US. The speech was at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, DC, and President Obama was greeted with a standing ovation, and interrupted with chanting during his remarks, despite his admission of something that all in the room know: America's immigration system remains broken.

Only a bipartisan political movement can fix this, President Obama told the crowd.

"Now, I know some people want me to bypass Congress and change the laws on my own," he said, and was interrupted with chants of "Yes, you can! Yes, you can!"

"The idea of doing things on my own is very tempting, I promise you, not just on immigration reform. But that's not how our system works. That's not how our democracy functions," President Obama said.

"Let's be honest, I need a dance partner here, and the floor is empty," President Obama said, as he criticized Republicans for not upholding the DREAM Act, which was demolished in Congress last Fall.

The measure offers illegal immigrants who came to the US before age 16 the chance to become lawful permanent residents if they meet certain conditions.

The 50-million strong Latino population in the US is a crucial voting segment; the White House released a background sheet about the Administration's many activities with Latino groups to coincide with the President's appearance. Many Administration officials are also appearing at the three-day La Raza conference.

Immigration reform was a campaign promise from Candidate Obama in 2008, and he asked La Raza to continue to put pressure on lawmakers.

"We need a movement that bridges party lines, that unites business and labor and faith communities and law enforcement communities, and all who know that America cannot continue operating with a broken immigration system," President Obama said.

The Latino vote could determine the outcome in crucial states in the 2012 election, including Florida, Nevada, and Colorado. GOP presidential candidates were invited to speak at the convention, and all declined, according to organizers.

"Feel free to keep the heat on me and the heat on Democrats. But here's the thing you should know, the Democrats and your president are with you, don't get confused about that," President Obama said.

President Obama arrived at 12:29 PM, and was done 45 minutes later. He greeted conference attendees in a satellite room after his remarks. He did not eat lunch.



*Photo by AFP

The full transcript:

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary

_________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release
July 25, 2011

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
TO THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF LA RAZA

Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
Washington, D.C.

12:50 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you! Thank you so much. (Applause.) What an extraordinary crowd. Thank you. Please have a seat.
It is good to be back with NCLR. (Applause.) It is good to see all of you.

Right off the bat, I should thank you because I have poached quite a few of your alumni to work in my administration. (Laughter.) They're all doing outstanding work. Raul Yzaguirre, my ambassador to the Dominican Republic -- (applause) -- Latinos serving at every level of my administration. We've got young people right out of college in the White House. We've got the first Latina Cabinet Secretary in history, Hilda Solis. (Applause.) So we couldn't be prouder of the work that so many folks who've been engaged with La Raza before, the handiwork that they're doing with our administration. And as Janet mentioned, obviously we're extraordinarily proud of someone who is doing outstanding work on the Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor. (Applause.)

Recently, 100 Latino officials from across the government met with Latino leaders from across the country at the White House. I know some of you were there. And I think all who attended would agree that we weren’t just paying lip service to the community. Our work together, not just that day but every day, has been more than just talk.

What I told the gathering at the White House was we need your voice. Your country needs you. Our American family will only be as strong as our growing Latino community. (Applause.) And so we’re going to take these conversations on the road and keep working with you, because for more than four decades, NCLR has fought for opportunities for Latinos from city centers to farm fields. And that fight for opportunity –- the opportunity to get a decent education, the opportunity to find a good job, the opportunity to make of our lives what we will -– has never been more important than it is today.

And we’re still climbing out of a vicious recession, and that recession hit Latino families especially hard. I don't need to tell you Latino unemployment is painfully high. And there’s no doubt that this economy has not recovered as fast as it needs to. The truth is it’s going to take more time. And a lot of the problems we face right now, like slow job growth and stagnant wages, these were problems that were there even before the recession hit.

These challenges weren’t caused overnight; they’re not going to be solved overnight. But that only makes our work more urgent -- to get this economy going and make sure that opportunity is spreading, to make sure everyone who wants a job can find one, and to make sure that paychecks can actually cover the bills; to make sure that families don’t have to choose between buying groceries or buying medicine; that they don't have to choose between sending their kids to college or being able to retire.

My number-one priority, every single day, is to figure out how we can get businesses to hire and create jobs with decent wages. And in the short-term, there are some things we can do right away. I want to extend tax relief that we already put in place for middle-class families, to make sure that folks have more money in their paychecks. And I want to cut red tape that keeps entrepreneurs from turning new ideas into thriving businesses. I want to sign trade deals so our businesses can sell more goods made in America to the rest of the world, especially to the Americas.

And the hundreds of thousands of construction workers -- many of them Latino -- who lost their jobs when the housing bubble burst, I want to put them back to work rebuilding our roads and our bridges and new schools and airports all across the country. There is work to be done. These workers are ready to do it. (Applause.)

So bipartisan proposals for all of these jobs measures would already be law if Congress would just send them to my desk, and I’d appreciate if you all would help me convince them to do it. We need to get it done. We need to get it done. (Applause.)

Now, obviously, the other debate in Washington that we’re having is one that’s going to have a direct impact on every American. Every day, NCLR and your affiliates hear from families figuring out how to stretch every dollar a little bit further, what sacrifices they’ve got to make, how they're going to budget only what’s truly important. So they should expect the same thing from Washington. Neither party is blameless for the decisions that led to our debt, but both parties have a responsibility to come together and solve the problem and make sure that the American people aren’t hurt on this issue. (Applause.)

I just want to talk about this for a second, because it has a potential impact on everybody here and all the communities you serve. If we don’t address the debt that’s already on our national credit card, it will leave us unable to invest in things like education, to protect vital programs.

So I’ve already said I’m willing to cut spending that we don't need by historic amounts to reduce our long-term deficit and make sure that we can invest in our children’s future. I’m willing to take on the rising costs of health care programs like Medicare and Medicaid to make sure they’re strong and secure for future generations.

But we can’t just close our deficits by cutting spending. That’s the truth, and Americans understand that. Because if all we all do is cut, then seniors will have to pay a lot more for their health care, and students will have to pay a lot more for college, and workers who get laid off might not have any temporary assistance or job training to get them back on their feet. And with gas prices this high, we’d have to stop much of the clean energy research that will help us free ourselves from dependence on foreign oil.

Not only is it not fair if all of this is done on the backs of middle-class families and poor families, it doesn’t make sense. It may sound good to save a lot of money over the next five years, but not if we sacrifice our future for the next 50.

And that’s why people from both parties have said that the best way to take on our deficit is with a balanced approach –- one where the wealthiest Americans and big corporations pay their fair share, too. (Applause.) Before we stop funding energy research, we should ask oil companies and corporate jet owners to give up special tax breaks that other folks don’t get. (Applause.) Before we ask college students to pay more to go to college, we should ask hedge fund managers to stop paying taxes that are lower in terms of rates than their secretaries. Before we ask seniors to pay more for Medicare -- (applause) -- before we ask seniors to pay more for Medicare, we should ask people like me to give up tax breaks that we don’t need and weren’t even asking for. (Applause.)

So, NCLR, that’s at the heart of this debate. Are we a nation that asks only the middle class and the poor to bear the burden? After they’ve seen their jobs disappear and their incomes decline over a decade? Are we a people who break the promises we’ve made to seniors, or the disabled, and leave them to fend for themselves?

That's not who we are. We are better than that. We’re a people who look out for one another. We’re a people who believe in shared sacrifice, because we know that we rise or fall as one nation. We’re a people who will do whatever it takes to make sure our children have the same chances and the same opportunities that our parents gave us -- not just the same chances, better chances, than our parents gave us. That's the American way.

And that's what NCLR is all about. That's what the Latino community is all about. When I spoke to you as a candidate for this office, I said you and I share a belief that opportunity and prosperity aren’t just words to be said, they are promises to be kept. Back then, we didn’t know the depths of the challenges that were going to lie ahead. But thanks to you, we are keeping our promises.

We’re keeping our promise to make sure that America remains a place where opportunity is open to all who work for it. We’ve cut taxes for middle-class workers and small businesses and low-income families. We won credit card reform and financial reform, and protections for consumers and folks who use payday lenders or send remittances home from being exploited and being ripped off. (Applause.)

We worked to secure health care for 4 million children, including the children of legal immigrants. (Applause.) And we are implementing health reform for all who've been abused by insurance companies, and all who fear about going broke if they get sick. And these were huge victories for the Latino community that suffers from lack of health insurance more than any other group.

We’re keeping our promise to give our young people every opportunity to succeed. NCLR has always organized its work around the principle that the single most important investment we can make is in our children’s education -– and that if we let our Latino students fall behind, we will all fall behind. I believe that. (Applause.)

So we’ve tied giving more money to reform. And we’re working with states to improve teacher recruitment and retraining and retention. We’re making sure English Language Learners are a priority for educators across the country. We’re holding schools with high dropout rates accountable so they start delivering for our kids. We’re emphasizing math and science, and investing in community colleges so that all of our workers get the skills that today’s companies want. And we’ve won new college grants for more than 100,000 Latino students. And as long as I am President, this country will always invest in its young people. (Applause.)

These are victories for NCLR; they are victories for America. And we did it with your help. We're keeping our promises. (Applause.)

Of course, that doesn’t mean we don’t have unfinished business. I promised you I would work tirelessly to fix our broken immigration system and make the DREAM Act a reality. (Applause.) And two months ago -- two months ago, I went down to the border of El Paso to reiterate -- (applause.) El Paso is in the house. (Laughter and applause.) To reiterate my vision for an immigration system that holds true to our values and our heritage, and meets our economic and security needs. And I argued this wasn’t just the moral thing to do, it was an economic imperative.

In recent years, one in four high-tech startups in America –- companies like Google and Intel -– were founded on immigrants. One in six new small business owners are immigrants. These are job creators who came here to seek opportunity and now seek to share opportunity.

This country has always been made stronger by our immigrants. That what makes America special. We attract talented, dynamic, optimistic people who are continually refreshing our economy and our spirit. And you can see that in urban areas all across the country where communities that may have been hollowed out when manufacturing left, or were having problems because of an aging population, suddenly you see an influx of immigration, and you see streets that were full of boarded-up buildings, suddenly they're vibrant with life once again. And it’s immigrant populations who are providing that energy and that drive.

And we have a system right now that allows the best and the brightest to come study in America and then tells them to leave, set up the next great company someplace else. We have a system that tolerates immigrants and businesses that breaks the rules and punishes those that follow the rules. We have a system that separates families, and punishes innocent young people for their parents’ actions by denying them the chance to earn an education or contribute to our economy or serve in our military. These are the laws on the books.

Now, I swore an oath to uphold the laws on the books, but that doesn't mean I don't know very well the real pain and heartbreak that deportations cause. I share your concerns and I understand them. And I promise you, we are responding to your concerns and working every day to make sure we are enforcing flawed laws in the most humane and best possible way.

Now, I know some people want me to bypass Congress and change the laws on my own. (Applause.) And believe me, right now dealing with Congress --

AUDIENCE: Yes, you can! Yes, you can! Yes, you can! Yes, you can! Yes, you can!

THE PRESIDENT: Believe me -- believe me, the idea of doing things on my own is very tempting. (Laughter.) I promise you. Not just on immigration reform. (Laughter.) But that's not how -- that's not how our system works.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Change it!

THE PRESIDENT: That’s not how our democracy functions. That's not how our Constitution is written.

So let’s be honest. I need a dance partner here -- and the floor is empty. (Laughter.)

Five years ago, 23 Republican senators supported comprehensive immigration reform because they knew it was the right thing to do for the economy and it was the right thing to do for America. Today, they’ve walked away. Republicans helped write the DREAM Act because they knew it was the right thing to do for the country. Today, they’ve walked away. Last year, we passed the DREAM Act through the House only to see it blocked by Senate Republicans. It was heartbreaking to get so close and see politics get in the way, particularly because some of the folks who walked away had previously been sponsors of this.

Now, all that has to change. And part of the problem is, is that the political winds have changed. That’s left states to come up with patchwork versions of reform that don’t solve the problem. You and I know that's not the right way to go. We can’t have 50 immigration laws across the country.

So, yes, feel free to keep the heat on me and keep the heat on Democrats. But here’s the only thing you should know. The Democrats and your President are with you. (Applause.) Are with you. Don't get confused about that. (Applause.) Remember who it is that we need to move in order to actually change the laws.

Now, usually, as soon as I come out in favor of something, about half of Congress is immediately against it even if it was originally their idea. (Laughter.) You noticed how that works? (Laughter.) So I need you to keep building a movement for change outside of Washington, one that they can’t stop. (Applause.) One that's greater than this community. (Applause.)

We need a movement that bridges party lines, that unites business and labor and faith communities and law enforcement communities, and all who know that America cannot continue operating with a broken immigration system. And I will be there every step of the way. I will keep up this fight, because Washington is way behind where the rest of the country knows we need to.

And I know that can be frustrating. This is a city where “compromise” is becoming a dirty word; where there’s more political upside in doing what’s easier for reelection, what’s easier for an attack ad, than what’s best for the country. But, NCLR, I want you to know, when you feel frustration or you’re feeling cynical, and when you hear people say we can’t solve our problems or we can’t bring about the change that we’ve fought so hard for, I do want you to remember everything that we’ve already accomplished together just in two and a half years. And I want you to remember why we do this in the first place.

Recently, I heard the story of a participant at this gathering that we had at the White House that I was telling you about at the top of my speech. So this participant’s name was Marie Lopez Rogers. (Applause.) And Marie was born to migrant farm workers in Avondale, Arizona. As a young girl, she and her brother would help their parents in the cotton fields. And I’m assuming the temperatures were sort of like they’ve been the last couple days here in D.C. And it was in those cotton fields that Marie’s father would tell her, “if you don’t want to be working in this heat, you better stay in school.” So that's what Marie did.

And because of that, because of the tireless, back-breaking work of her parents, because of their willingness to struggle and sacrifice so that one day their children wouldn’t have to –- Marie became the first in her family to go to college. And, interestingly, she now works at the very site where she used to pick cotton -- except now city hall sits there and Marie is the town’s mayor. (Applause.)

So that’s the promise of America. That is why we love this country so much. That is why all of us are here. That's why I am here. Some of us had parents or grandparents who said, maybe I can’t go to college, but someday my child will go to college. Maybe I can’t start my own business, but I promise you someday my child will start his or her own business. I may have to rent today, but someday my child will have a home of her own. My back may be tired, my hands may be cut, I may be working in a field, but someday –- someday -– my daughter will be mayor, or secretary of labor, or a Supreme Court justice. (Applause.)

Hermanos y hermanas, that promise is in our hands. It’s up to us to continue that story. It’s up to us to hand it down to all of our children –- Latino, black, white, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled, not disabled. (Applause.) We’re one family, and we need each other. And if we remember that and continue to focus on that, if we come together and work together as one people and summon the best in each other, I’m confident that promise will endure.

Thank you very much. God bless you. God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)

END 1:14 P.M. EDT
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WH Backgrounder: President Obama's Address At NCLR Annual Conference Luncheon

President Obama today keynoted the annual conference luncheon for the National Council of La Raza, the largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organization in the US. The speech was at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, DC, and President Obama arrived at 12:29 PM, and was done 45 minutes later.  He did not stay for lunch. Other Administration officials are also participating in the three-day conference for the critical voting population, which now has 50 million members, according to the White House. This is the "official backgrounder" released by the White House on the President's event:

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 25, 2011

Background on President Obama’s Address at NCLR Annual Conference Luncheon

President Obama will address the largest national Latino civil rights and advocacy organization in America at their Annual Conference luncheon on Monday July 25th in Washington, DC. More than 25,000 participants are expected at NCLR’s Annual Conference and Latino Family Expo from July 23rd through 26th. In his remarks, the President will address what it will take to make sure that America remains a place where opportunity is open to all who work for it, and how the American family will only be as strong as our growing Hispanic community.

The President’s keynote address comes just two weeks after the White House hosted a Hispanic Policy Conference that brought together 160 community leaders and local elected officials from 25 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia with more than 100 White House and Cabinet officials for an in-depth series of interactive workshops and substantive conversations on the Administration’s efforts as they relate to the Hispanic community. NCLR will stream the President’s remarks live at http://www.livestream.com/nclrannualconference at 12:30 PM ET.

Census numbers recently confirmed that the Hispanic population in America has reached 50 million. Additionally, 1 in 5 students in America’s K-12 schools are Hispanic, so the success of our nation and the success of the Hispanic community are one and the same. The White House recently issued a report, “Winning the Future: President Obama’s Agenda and the Hispanic Community,” which can be found on whitehouse.gov/hispanic.

In addition to the President’s speech, other Administration officials are also participating in the three day conference, including Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack who joined local, state and community partners at the National Council of La Raza Annual Conference on Sunday July 24th to discuss federal efforts to combat hunger and poor nutrition in the Hispanic community through USDA’s nutrition assistance programs. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar addressed the opening dinner of the Annual Conference’s youth leaders summit.

Other Administration officials who participated in events, panels and workshops at NCLR’s Annual Conference included:

· Alejandro Mayorkas, Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security

· Cecilia Munoz, Director, White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs

· Ana Harvey, Director, SBA Office of Women’s Business Ownership

· Bruce Friedman, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Department of Homeland Security

· Jennifer Sultan, Acting Special Policy Counsel, Office of Special Counsel for Immigration related Unfair Employment Practices, Department of Justice

· Mariela Melero, Chief of the Office of Public Engagement, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security

· Sharon Yandian, Early Language Specialist, Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

· Tom Perez, Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, US Department of Justice

· Dr. Gabriela Lemus, Director, Office of Public Engagement, U.S. Department of Labor

· Francisco Sanchez, Undersecretary of Commerce, U.S. Department of Commerce

· Dr. Garth Graham, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Minority Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

· Lisa Pino, Deputy Administrator, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture

· Rebecca Cokley, White House Office of Presidential Personnel

· Richard Katskee, Deputy Director of the Program Legal Group, Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education

· Cindy Mann, Deputy Director and Administrator, Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

· Helen Morrison, Deputy Benefits Counsel, U.S. Department of the Treasury

· Joel Ario, Director, Office of Health Insurance Exchanges, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Other Conferences
Administration officials have also participated at other Hispanic conferences throughout the summer. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar delivered a keynote speech at the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials’ (NALEO) 28th Annual Conference in June in San Antonio, Texas, and other officials participated in forums and panel discussions at the conference including Margo Schlanger, Director of the Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties at the Department of Homeland Security; Juan Sepulveda, Director of the White House Initiative for Educational Excellence for Hispanics; Stephanie Valencia, Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement; and Elmy Bermejo, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the Department of Labor.

Also in June, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius participated in the League of United Latin American Citizens’s (LULAC) annual National Convention and Exposition in Cincinnati. Alejandro Mayorkas, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and Tom Perrelli, Associate Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice were among the speakers at roundtable discussions and seminars at that convention.

Commencement Addresses at Hispanic-Serving Institutions
The President and Administration officials also traveled across the country this year to speak at commencement ceremonies at Hispanic-Serving Institutions, colleges and universities that have at least a 25% Hispanic student enrollment. The President introduced the American Graduation Initiative, a historic initiative to strengthen our nation’s community colleges where many Hispanic students earn their first college degree or receive job training to increase their skills, and called for five million additional graduates by 2020.

The President’s goal cannot be met without improving educational attainment among Hispanic students. The Health Care and Education Reconcilliation Act the President signed into law also invested more than $1 billion in Hispanic Serving Institutions over the next decade. More than half of America’s Hispanic undergraduates atted a Hispanic-Serving Institution. The commencement speeches included:

· President Obama at Miami Dade College, Miami, FL, March 13, 2011

· Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius at the University of Texas, San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, May 6, 2011

· U.S. Treasurer Rosie Rios at Bergen Community College, Paramus, NJ, May 19, 2011

· Assistant Secretary of the Navy Juan Garcia at Cal State Long Beach, Long Beach, CA, May 25, 2011

· Deputy Assistant Secretary Frank Chong at Morton College, Chicago, IL, May 20, 2011

· Stephanie Valencia, Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, at Merced College, Merced, CA, May 27, 2011

· Juan Sepulveda, Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, at St. Philip's College, San Antonio, TX, May 6, 2011

· Juan Sepulveda, Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, at the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, July 9, 2011

· Ray Rivera, Director of External and Intergovernmental Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, at Dona Ana Community College, Las Cruces, NM, May 6, 2011

· Steve Robinson, Special Advisor to Secretary Duncan, U.S. Department of Education, University of Texas-Pan American, Edinburg, TX, May 14, 2011

For more infomation on these events and to learn more about the Administration’s engagement with the Hispanic community, please visit www.whitehouse.gov/hispanic.
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Michelle Obama Cover Feature, AARP Magazine

Excerpts: First Lady talks about the Osama bin Laden raid, Joining Forces, her future in politics, The Dougie...
Following this month's historic cover feature in Better Homes and Gardens, First Lady Michelle Obama has another magazine cover feature, this one for a crucial voting segment for Election 2012: She's featured in the September/October issue of AARP The Magazine, available now, in print and online.

Mrs. Obama and Dr. Jill Biden give a wide-ranging co-interview, titled "Moms on a Mission," which focuses primarily on their Joining Forces campaign to support military families. Plenty of other subjects are touched on too, including the possibility of their future careers as politicians, life in the White House, one historic dining excursion, and doing "The Dougie." (Above: This photo of Dr. Biden and the First Lady accompanies the interview)

First Lady was out to dinner during the President's bin Laden operation...
The exclusive interview was conducted at the White House just five days after US Navy SEALS raided terrorist Osama Bin Laden's compound in Pakistan. Mrs. Obama reveals that she was "out to dinner with girlfriends" on May 1, the evening that President Obama announced to the world, in a late-night address from the East Room. that bin Laden had been killed. She knew little of the operation being conducted by SEAL Team Six, Mrs. Obama said:

I knew something was happening, but when it gets down to that level of secrecy, there's just a small number of people who know anything.

I was actually out to dinner with girlfriends, and I didn't know until I walked in the door. It was later in the evening, and Barack had his suit on, because he was going to the press conference.

And I said, "What's going on?" I was, like, "Wow." Then I wanted to know the details: "How did it happen? Then what? And then what happened?" I was probably like every media person.

The President sat down and explained things to her, Mrs. Obama says. And she in turn explained things to daughter Malia, then 12, because noisy crowds were beginning to gather outside the White House.

Where was Mrs. Obama dining on that historic night? That's one excursion that didn't get into the public record, and Mrs. Obama doesn't say in the AARP interview--and she may not remember, anyway. In May, during a service event with Congressional spouses at the Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C., Mrs. Obama was overheard telling a Senator's wife that she rarely remembers where she's eaten in DC, because she and the President are always being whisked in and out of eateries through back and side doors.

“I’m like, ‘did I eat here before?’ When I go in a different door, it’s like, I don’t know, I’ve never been there," Mrs. Obama said, adding that she realizes she's visited a restaurant only if staff welcome her back. Usually, the First Lady finds out where she's eaten from media reports, she said.

“The papers know--they always know,” Mrs. Obama said. “I always read about myself, what I did.”

The Dougie...
There's no mention of Mrs. Obama's Let's Move! campaign during the interview, but she does discuss her dance outing at DC's Alice Deal Middle School, when she joined more than 400 students who were doing pop-star Beyonce's Let's Move Flash Workout, created for the campaign. How long did it take Mrs. Obama to learn the dance routine, especially The Dougie, she's asked:

"Hey, I've got little kids. They're always trying something. And I happen to be very good at dance-mimicking," Mrs. Obama said, and laughed. "For some reason, if I watch somebody do a move for a while, and it's not too hard or complicated or requires me to throw my leg over my head and flip, I can sort of figure it out."

A future in politics?
Asked about her future in politics, Mrs. Obama said "The answer is N-O. Period, dot." Biden also said she has no interest in a future political career.

"I think one reason Jill and I are comfortable and happy is that we're doing what speaks to us. And what I've learned as a woman growing up, getting older, is you've got to know who you are. And a politician--it's never been who I was or wanted to be," Mrs. Obama said.

Tomorrow, Mrs. Obama will make a day trip to Aspen, Colorado, and Park City, Utah, for two high-end fund-raisers with entry fees that range between $1,000 to $35,800. Both events are hosted by Obama bundlers, reports Chicago Sun-Times' Lynn Sweet: Mark and Nancy Gilbert in Park City, and in Aspen, about 200 people are expected at the home of Chicagoans Jim and Paula Crown. Jim Crown was Obama's 2008 Illinois co-finance chairman. Mrs. Obama has appeared at nine fundraisers since the 2012 campaign kickoff in April.

More excerpts:

On creating Joining Forces:

MICHELLE OBAMA: "My affinity and passion for military families came out of meeting many of these women while campaigning. Their stories moved me."

"The population that AARP serves has some of the highest numbers of people who volunteer. We've got military families who are in need today, and our Joining Forces call to action is a way to use that wonderful time and energy and direct it toward some of these families."

"People don't have to reinvent themselves. If you live near a base, there are plenty of opportunities, whether it's throwing a baby shower for expectant mothers or doing things at the schools with military kids or offering to drive a car pool. Those things matter."

"Look within your own community. Look within your church, your kids' school. Connect with military families and find out what their needs are."

On being a role model for African- American girls:

MICHELLE OBAMA: "We did an event for military kids, and there were a lot of African American young girls out there--little black girls who were just proud because they see themselves in somebody who they think is great."

On Jill Biden as a role model for aging gracefully:

MICHELLE OBAMA: "Jill gives whatever aging means this level of grace and excitement. She's smart, she's gorgeous, she's accomplished. She has a strong marriage. And the bonds she has built with all of her children are real. She has created a real family in the midst of Washington, D.C. She's managed to maintain that balance and still be down-to-earth."

Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden appeared jointly on the cover of Parade magazine just after the April launch of the Joining Forces initiative.

*Cover and photo via AARP/The Magazine, by Art Streiber

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First Lady Michelle Obama Gifts Kitchen Garden Seeds To Jubilee House Veterans

A little bit of the White House will grow at Extreme Makeover House; local CSA donates a year's worth of produce to residents...
First Lady Michelle Obama subtly combined her Let's Move! and Joining Forces campaigns during her visit to the Steps N Stages Jubilee House, the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition house she toured last Thursday in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Mrs. Obama presented seeds culled from her own White House Kitchen Garden to the women veterans who live in the shelter, residents said during their first interviews with media after the construction dust had settled. The two-air episode will air on ABC on Sunday, Sept. 25, for the show's tw0-hour season premiere. (Above: Mrs. Obama during the filming)

Barbara Summey Marshall, a 15-year Navy veteran and former chaplain who opened her own 1,600 square-foot home as a facility for impoverished women veterans last Fall, gave Mrs. Obama a tour of the Jubilee House as the ABC reality TV series crew and thousands of volunteers were putting the finishing touches on the new enclave. The First Lady visited a new greenhouse that was built in the backyard, as well as the home's vegetable garden, before joining the construction crew to work, which required an outfit change mid-visit. (Above: Mrs. Obama waves to crowds of onlookers, accompanied by host Ty Pennington)

"I'm extremely happy," Marshall told the Fayetteville Observer, adding that she feels blessed.

Jubilee House resident Judy Hilburn, who was homeless for about two years before moving into the shelter three months ago, was especially excited about the White House seeds.

"You know she's got her own kitchen garden at the White House," Hilburn said. "She brought us seeds from her garden so we can plant them in our own garden. I'm the green thumb. I can't wait to get my hands dirty."

More than 32 different kinds of vegetables grow in the Kitchen Garden, including heirloom and heritage varieties. Mrs. Obama most recently planted and harvested the 1,500 square foot plot in June. She will publish a book about the project in April of 2012. (Above: Mrs. Obama with a helper in the Kitchen Garden)

Hilburn said she is particularly excited about the greenhouse, but also thrilled that she now has her own room in the house, thanks to the renovation. She formerly shared a windowless room with another resident, and slept on a twin bed. Mrs. Obama was warm and welcoming, Hilburn said.

Food donations...
At the end of her visit, Mrs. Obama presented homeowner Marshall the keys to the home, joined by the cast of the show. Her visit inspired an outpouring of community support, which includes a yearlong subscription for delivery of seasonal produce from a farm-to-table organization, Carolina Grown, a CSA that sources locally. The organization also stocked the refrigerator at Jubilee House with an immediate supply of meats, dairy products and fresh produce. The Huntington Learning Center donated a $10,000 scholarship. (Above: Mrs. Obama and Pennington watch as Marshall, in red, sees the house for the first time)

Blue Ridge Log Cabins, a South Carolina company, was selected by the show's producers to do the renovation, which transformed the modest rancher into a two-story, 5,000 square foot house. Producers said Marshall's ability to inspire others and effect change in the lives of down-and-out women veterans was the reason she was chosen for the program; Marshall used her own funds to establish the Jubilee House, which provides residents with training and support to help them become homeowners and professionals. The episode will air this October.

*Top 2 photos by AP/pool; Kitchen Garden photo by EGK/Obama Foodorama; last photo by Chuck Howard via the White House

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Today: Sam Kass In Dallas For National Cookoff: First Lady's 'Recipes For Healthy Kids Challenge'

"Iron Chef" battle for winning school lunch recipes held at American Culinary Federation National Convention...
UPDATE, July 26: The Porcupine Sliders get Grand Prize
First Lady Michelle Obama's Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives, Sam Kass, is in Dallas, Texas, today, at the American Culinary Federation National Convention (ACF). Kass will be delivering remarks to the thousands of chefs attending the event, as well as judging the entries from three teams competing at the Gaylord Texan Convention Center for the $3,000 grand prize in the cook-off for Mrs. Obama's Recipes For Healthy Kids Challenge, a nationwide competition launched last September. USDA sponsored the contest, and received more than 300 kid-friendly recipes from across the US, from school teams of students and adults who had to use USDA's new nutrition guidelines for the National School Lunch Program when creating their dishes.

Kass will witness flying vegetables as the teams prepare their recipes in just under two hours for a panel of distinguished judges who will select the winner, which will be announced this evening at a special awards ceremony. The three teams are from Joshua Cowell School in Manteca, CA, competing with Central Valley Harvest Bake, a sweet and spicy dish made with Butternut squash and jalapeno peppers; Intermediate District 287, South Education Center Alternative, Richfield, Minn, competing with Porcupine Sliders, which are healthy turkey burgers; and Ira B. Jones Elementary School, Asheville, N.C., competing with Tuscan Smoked Turkey & Bean Soup. Each had to win a semi-final round to get to Dallas.

Dr. Janey Thornton, USDA's Deputy Undersecretary, Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, will also be on hand today to cheer on the teams. The ACF has been a big supporter of the Chefs Move to Schools project, a Let's Move! initiative that matches professional chefs with public schools. Member chefs traveled around the US with USDA officials and representatives from the School Nutrition Association to select the finalists, who competed in three recipe categories: Whole grains; dark green and orange vegetables; or dry beans and peas.

The three teams, as well as the top ten recipes in the Challenge, will have their entries published in the forthcoming Recipes for Healthy Kids Cookbook. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the finalists in June.

*Photo by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama

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First Lady Michelle Obama, Dr. Biden Host Cookout For Military Families In New Hampshire

Thanking military families, "the very best of America," and announcing the "Joining Forces Community Challenge"...
On Sunday afternoon in Concord, New Hampshire, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden hosted an indoor cookout for military families at the state's National Guard Headquarters, in a continuation of their Joining Forces campaign. Guests were Granite State National Guard Active Duty and Army and Navy Reserve members and their families, as well as Gold Star Families. The First and Second Ladies spoke about their efforts to raise America's awareness about the many issues facing those who serve on the home front, the "force behind the force," as Mrs. Obama has called military families. Dr. Biden announced the Joining Forces Community Challenge, a new initiative for the campaign, which was first launched in April. (Above: Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden greet guests)

Mrs. Obama was clad in a red and white sleeveless summer dress, her hair pulled back, as she stood in front of a big armored vehicle, back dropped by flags, and greeted the crowd. Guests were seated at round tables with rough wildflower centerpieces, and were already enjoying their meals. Mrs. Obama gave a shout out to the steak being served before beginning her formal remarks.

"Can we give the steak a hand? I mean, come on, good stuff," Mrs. Obama said, to laughter and applause. "I only had two bites, but I guarantee you after this I’m having some more."

The Meat House, a national chain of butcher shops and grocers, donated the steak tips, chicken, hot dogs and hamburgers that were on offer. Mrs. Obama dubbed the meal "delicious." Bottled water and soda were served, too.

Joining Forces is changing military policy...
The First Lady said that in her travels across the US she has personally seen the struggles military families experience as they are forced to relocate and change schools and jobs, deal with the absence of a family member, and deal with post-deployment challenges, including psychological trauma and the need for ongoing medical care. (Above: Mrs. Obama speaks with a young guest)

"We have a very simple message, and that is to say: Thank you. Thank you for your service. Thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you for everything that you have done for our country," Mrs. Obama said.

She hailed the group as "the very best of America."

"You’ve gone through unprecedented deployments. You’ve helped to defend our security through a decade of war," Mrs. Obama said. “We want America to know your stories, know your challenges, know your successes, because you make us all proud.”

Mrs. Obama stressed that the Joining Forces campaign is not just for show, pointing to the corporate and nonprofit commitments the campaign has rapidly garnered, as well as major grassroots support, and changes in Department of Defense policy that have made things easier for military families. The campaign has also enjoyed celebrity support, and the support of the Hollywood creative community. Mrs. Obama will make a TV appearance in October of 2011 that supports her campaign: She has a cameo on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, which re-built a veteran's shelter, and was filmed earlier this week in North Carolina.

"We’re working hard to take meaningful steps that make a real difference for you and for your families," Mrs. Obama said, adding "and most importantly reducing the stigma around mental health issues."

President Obama recently announced a significant change in the Department of Defense's condolence letter policy; family members of combat deployed military who have committed suicide will now receive formal letters of condolence, a major change from the previous practice of ignoring these tragic deaths. This week, the President announced that the certification requirements for the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell have been met, and it "will end, once and for all, in 60 days—on September 20, 2011."

The Joining Forces Community Challenge...
Dr. Biden, in her remarks, said it was important for all Americans to understand the sacrifices military families make to support loved ones. She announced the "Joining Forces Community Challenge," which will "recognize individuals and groups around the country who are making a difference in the lives of military families." She invited those attending the event to make nominations.

"The idea can be large or small, new or old, as long as it demonstrates in some way the tremendous gratitude all of us feel for our military families," Dr. Biden said.

Dr. Biden is a Blue Star Mother; her son, Beau Biden, is a captain in the Delaware Army National Guard, and was deployed in Iraq.

"Like you, I come from a small state with a strong National Guard that has shouldered a tremendous burden over the past decade," Dr. Biden told the crowd.

After, the First Lady and Dr. Biden went from table to table and chatted individually with the roughly 100 Armed Forces members and family members, shaking hands and giving out hugs. They spent about 90 minutes at the event.

Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden in a new video about the challenge:



The cookout impressed the NH troops and their families, according to New Hampshire's WMUR9.

"It is good to see the families get acknowledged, they usually just see the soldiers,” said Sgt. Richard Whiltshire, who was deployed to Iraq when his son was only 3 months old. His wife, Shannon, said it was a trying time.

“There was a lot of strain and stress and it took a took a lot when my husband came home to acclimate to life,” said Shannon Whiltshire.

Earlier in the day in Portsmouth, Dr. Biden met with New Hampshire National Guard family support providers. She attended "Operation: Thank You!," a military family appreciation event at the Red Hook Ale Brewery, at the Pease International Tradeport. (Above: Mrs. Obama greets a guest and her baby)

*The full transcript of Mrs. Obama's remarks is here.

Visit www.JoiningForces.gov for more information; Twitter is @JoiningForces.

*Top two photos by Samantha Appleton/White House; others by Robert Michaelson, Concord, NH Patch.com

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