Hi, all. Sorry for the interruption in service -- my DK password was not being accepted. Today's report features:
- The Vice President delivers remarks at the opening session of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue at the U.S. Department of Interior.
- The President will hold a town hall on CBS Thursday morning; submit your questions as described in the post.
- Transportation Secretary LaHood describes the Obama Administration's targeted investment of $2.02 billion in 22 high-speed rail projects for 15 states and Amtrak.
- The President's Weekly address: Clean energy to out-innovate the rest of the world.
- The President and Vice President address the troops at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
- In New York City, the President honors the memory of 9/11 and meets with First Responders after the death of Osama bin Laden.
- West Wing Week, May 6, 2011
"Justice was done. And I think that anyone who would question that the perpetrator of mass murder on American soil didn't deserve what he got needs to have their head examined."
-- President Barack Obama in CBS 60 Minutes interview, 5/8/11
White House, May 9, 2011:
U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue
Vice President Joe Biden delivers remarks at the opening session of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue at the U.S. Department of Interior. Transcript will be posted here if it's released.
White House, May 9, 2011:
Calling All Questions: CBS Town Hall on the Economy with President Obama
Posted by Sarah Bernard
On Wednesday, CBS News will conduct a special town hall on the economy with President Obama. CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent Bob Schieffer and The Early Show Co-Anchor Erica Hill will join the President before a live audience at the Newseum in Washington, DC.
Submit your questions for the President in any of the following ways:
(CBS asks that you include your age, hometown and occupation with your question).
• Email: theearlyshow@cbsnews.com
• Facebook
• Twitter with hashtag #CBSTownHall
• YouTube
On Thursday, tune in to watch the Town Hall on The Early Show during the 8:00 - 9:00am hour.
Department of Transportation, May 9, 2011:
Latest awards bring US closer to national high-speed passenger rail network
Posted by DOT Secretary Ray LaHood
This is a big day for the Department of Transportation, for the Obama Administration, and for the American people. We are bringing President Obama's vision of American high-speed rail one step closer to reality with $2.02 billion in targeted investments.
And I am thrilled.
Today we are advancing President Obama's historic high-speed rail blueprint through 22 carefully selected projects that will create jobs, boost manufacturing, and spur development while laying the foundation for our future economic competitiveness. We are providing two billion dollars to 15 states and Amtrak to help build out America's high-speed rail network, enabling people and goods to travel more quickly, safely and energy-efficiently than ever before.
When DOT announced the competition for these awards in March, we were inundated with 98 applications seeking more than $10 billion. Americans heard the President's plan to connect 80 percent of the nation to high-speed rail in the next 25 years, and they responded with a loud and clear, "Yes!"
And it's no wonder. High-speed rail offers significant economic and practical benefits for the states and regions that build these lines and the passengers who ride them.
Already, high-speed rail upgrades are employing workers laying 96 miles of track on the Chicago-St. Louis run. Workers in Maine are also laying track--welded in America--between Boston and Portland. And in Sacramento and San Jose, construction workers are building intermodal stations that will be home to California's high-speed corridor.
A strict “Buy America” requirement for high-speed rail projects ensures that U.S. manufacturers and their workers will receive the maximum economic benefits from our investment. In 2009, I also secured a commitment from 30 foreign and domestic rail manufacturers to employ American workers and locate or expand their base of operations in the U.S. if they are selected for high-speed-rail contracts.
There are other early signs of high-speed rail's economic promise: In Brunswick, Maine, private investment has already gravitated toward the Brunswick Station neighborhood. Economic development there includes a number of businesses, residential condominiums, a new hotel, and a modern medical center. And along every planned corridor, cities and towns are clamoring for intermodal rail stations because they know it will boost development in their communities.
High-speed rail service will also help us move goods and people more efficiently. By 2050, the United States will be home to 100 million additional people. That's the equivalent of adding another California, Texas, New York, and Florida combined. Our transportation networks simply cannot accommodate that kind of growth, and if we settle for the status quo, our children and grandchildren will remain dependent on foreign oil and continue to suffer from ever-higher gas prices.
High-speed rail can and should complement other forms of transportation to loosen bottlenecks and free up the freight capacity needed to keep our economy firing on all cylinders.
Across the U.S., 32 states and the District of Columbia are already preparing for high-speed rail corridors to link Americans with faster and more energy-efficient travel options. And the dedicated rail grants we're announcing today will:
• Make an unprecedented investment in the Northeast Corridor, enabling trains to reach speeds between 135 and 160 mph;
• Expand high-speed rail service in the Midwest, creating 1000 jobs in the construction phase alone building the Chicago-Detroit line;
• Boost U.S. manufacturing by investing in state-of-the-art locomotives and rail cars for California and the Midwest; and
• Continue laying the groundwork for the nation’s first 220-mph high-speed rail system in California.
For a complete list of projects and their awards, please visit www.dot.gov.
If I sound excited about the prospect of American high-speed rail, it's because I am. High-speed intercity passenger rail offers real, practical benefits--benefits we cannot afford to ignore. Jobs, manufacturing, economic development, reduced dependence on foreign oil, and a future economy that can truly serve our population--today's awards bring those benefits one step closer.
White House, May 7, 2011:
Weekly Address: Clean Energy to Out-Innovate the Rest of the World
Speaking from a hybrid vehicle transmission company in Indiana, the President explains how investments in a clean energy economy are the only solution to high gas prices in the long term.
Office of the Press Secretary, May 7, 2011:
Weekly Address: Clean Energy Will Help Us Out-Compete and Out-Innovate the Rest of the World
WASHINGTON – Speaking to the American people from Indianapolis, Indiana, President Obama said that clean energy companies like Allison Transmissions will keep the economy growing, create new jobs, and make sure America remains the most prosperous nation on Earth. Clean energy is also part of the ultimate solution to high gas prices. Until we reduce our dependence on oil, we will be held hostage to the ups and downs of the oil markets. That means we need to continue to invest in clean, alternative sources of energy – like advanced biofuels and natural gas – and more efficient cars, buses and trucks. See an infographic explaining the President's short and long term approach to high gas prices HERE.
Hi. I’m speaking with you today from the Allison Transmissions plant in Indianapolis, Indiana. I came here because this is a place where American workers are doing some big and impressive things.
The hybrid technology they manufacture here already powers nearly 4,000 buses all over the world – buses that have already saved 15 million gallons of fuel. Soon, they’ll expand this new technology to trucks as well. That means more vehicles using less oil, and that means jobs – more than 200 new workers at this plant alone.
That’s important because even as the economy is growing after one of the worst recessions in our history; even as we’ve added more than 2 million new private sector jobs over the past 14 months; I still meet and hear from Americans struggling to get out of their own personal recessions.
A lot of folks are still looking for work. And many folks who do have jobs are finding that their paychecks aren’t keeping up with the rising costs for everything from tuition to groceries to gas. In fact, in a lot of places across the country, like Indiana, gas is reaching all-time highs.
So although our economy hasn’t been the focus of the news this week, not a day that goes by that I’m not focused on your jobs, your hopes and your dreams. And that’s why I came here to Allison Transmissions.
The clean energy jobs at this plant are the jobs of the future – jobs that pay well right here in America. And in the years ahead, it’s clean energy companies like this one that will keep our economy growing, create new jobs, and make sure America remains the most prosperous nation in the world.
Allison Transmissions is also part of the ultimate solution to high gas prices. We know there are no quick fixes to this problem. In the short term, we’re doing everything we can to boost safe and responsible oil production here at home – in fact, last year, American oil production reached its highest level since 2003.
But over the long term, the only way we can avoid being held hostage to the ups and downs of oil prices is if we reduce our dependence on oil. That means investing in clean, alternative sources of energy, like advanced biofuels and natural gas. And that means making cars and trucks and buses that use less oil.
Other countries know this, and they’re going all in to invest in clean energy technologies and clean energy jobs. But I don’t want other countries to win the competition for these technologies and these jobs. I want America to win that competition. I want America to win the future.
Now, I know that in a difficult fiscal climate like the one we’re in, it’s tempting for some to try and cut back our investments in clean energy. And I absolutely agree that the only way we’ll be able to afford the things we need is by cutting the things we don’t and living within our means. But I refuse to cut investments like clean energy that will help us out-innovate and out-compete the rest of the world. I refuse to cut investments that are making it possible for plants like this one to grow and add jobs across America.
We can do this. I don’t just believe that because I see it happening in plants like this. I believe that because I believe in the Americans making it happen in places like this. I’m optimistic about our economic future, because for all the challenges we face, America is still home to the most entrepreneurial, most industrious, most determined people on Earth. There’s nothing we can’t accomplish when we set our minds to it. And that’s what we’ll keep doing as long as I have the privilege of being your President.
Thanks, and have a great weekend.
White House, May 6, 2011:
President Obama and Vice President Biden Visit Troops at Fort Campbell
The President and Vice President travel to Fort Campbell, KY to pay tribute to troops returning from Afghanistan and the military and intelligence personnel whose efforts led to the death of Osama bin Laden and helped secure America's safety.
Office of the Press Secretary, May 6, 2011:
Remarks by the President and the Vice President to the Troops at Fort Campbell, KY
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Hey, it’s good to be back with you all. I’ll tell you what. I want to thank General Colt for accompanying me up here. I get the honor of introducing the General.
I was back here on February 11th, to welcome home members of the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team in Afghanistan -- 155 of you got off that plane in the middle of the night, and the only thing that was more exciting than seeing you getting off is watching your families watch you all get off. So it’s an honor to be back here so soon.
I know many of you have just gotten home in the past few weeks -- so welcome home. And I know from experience that your families want more than anything to spend time with you. And so, every time I show up at a welcome home ceremony, I’m always worried about getting in the way. Because I remember when my son came back home from Iraq after a year, there were all these ceremonies. And I kept saying, hell, man, stop, I want to see my kid. (Laughter.)
So, anyway, I get it. So let me just say how much gratitude the President and I have, and all Americans do, for you all. You guys have been in the fight from the beginning. And the risk you’ve taken, the incredible sacrifices you’ve made, the comrades you’ve lost, the losses you’ve personally endured -- you’ve been in some of the most inhospitable terrain in the world.
I’ve been there a number of times, back up those damn mountains. I’d get a helicopter to go down 9,800 feet, and all I got on is a vest -- a bulletproof vest and a helmet and I’m out of breath climbing up about 40 clicks -- 40 feet. And you guys are up there, 60 to 80-pound packs running around. God, you’re amazing. You just are amazing. I’m in awe of the job you do, in awe of the job you do. (Applause.)
As I said back in February, I want to also thank your families. They made sacrifices as well, those intangible sacrifices -- those missed births and those missed birthdays, those missed graduations, those missed -- an occasional funeral. Perhaps more than anything else, just being missed, just not having you home.
The famous poet -- there was a famous poet I like to quote, John Milton, who said, “They also serve who only stand and wait.” Your families serve as well. And the rest of America owes your families a debt of gratitude as well. (Applause.) And so, to all the families that are listening, I want to say their service is as real as yours and it’s as appreciated.
To the soldiers here, you are the most capable warriors. Let me say this without any fear of contradiction, you’re the most capable warriors in the history of the world. There has never, never, never, never been a fighting force as capable as you are.
It’s my job today and my honor to talk a little bit about the man that I get to work with every day. We’ve just got to spend time with the assaulters who got bin Laden. (Applause.)
By the way, I shouldn’t say this, but I’m going to tell you anyway -- the President is going to be mad I’m taking so long -- (laughter) -- but today was “Grandfather’s Day,” so I went by earlier this morning before I came out here to my granddaughter’s little spring play. And after it’s all over she said, “Pop, come back to my classroom with me.” I said, “I can’t, honey.” She said, “Are you going someplace on Air Force Two?” I said, “Yeah, I am, babe.” She said, “Where are you going?” I said, going to -- true story -- I said, “I’m going to Fort Campbell.” I said, “We’re going to see the guys out there who got Osama bin Laden.” Absolutely true story. She said, “Pop!” and then she grabbed a little friend of hers and she said, “My Pop is going out to see the whales.” (Laughter.) Not the SEALs, the whales (Laughter.) Because if they’re that good they got to be big, man. They got to be big. (Laughter.) Well, you guys are the gorillas, I’ll tell you.
I want to tell you, look, I’ve watched -- I’ve been around a while with eight Presidents, so I’ve watched Presidents make some difficult decisions. They’ve all had to make difficult decisions. But sitting in every meeting getting ready and planning for this mission and assault, for the mission to get bin Laden, I saw something extraordinary. I saw a President who was told the odds -- told the odds weren’t but much more than 50/50 that he’d be there and we could do this, but they were considerably less than 100 percent.
And I, along with the all the rest of his national security team and Secretary of Defense, stayed -- everyone else, we sat around there and he asked our advice and we gave him our advice, and we told him told him a little this and that. And finally, he just looked at all of us and said, I got faith in the -- I got faith in these guys.
He walked off on his own without anybody giving him any guarantees at all and he decided -- because he believed in not only the SEALs, but believes in all of you. He has absolute total faith in all of you. And he made that determination, and it was an amazing thing to watch. But it was because he had the absolute confidence that you were there.
And so he decided, when he got into office, because of the fight you all were in from the beginning, that the number one priority was to get Osama bin Laden. And he knew the risks, he knew there were significant risks, and more importantly, special operations risks to the people who were risking their lives getting there. But he didn’t hesitate, nor did your guys.
Bob Gates said something interesting. I’ve known Bob for a long time. He said, it was one of the gutsiest decisions I’ve ever seen made and one of the gutsiest raids. This is going to go down in history, what happened. This is going to go down in history.
And here to introduce your Commander-in-Chief, the guy that I’m proud to serve with, is one of the country’s leading warriors himself, Deputy Commanding General of the 101st Airborne Division, General Jeffrey Colt. Ladies and gentlemen, General Colt. (Applause.)
GENERAL COLT: Thank you, sir.
I can only try to tell you today just how proud of you that this Division and this local community are. But more importantly, today, you’re going to get to hear from the Commander-in-Chief just how appreciative he is of all of your service and your sacrifices.
Please join me in this great privilege of welcoming the President of the United States, Barack Obama. (Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Fort Campbell! (Applause.) 101st Airborne Division—Air Assault, hello! (Applause.)
General Colt, thank you for that great introduction -- it was great because it was brief. (Laughter.) More importantly, thank you for the extraordinary leadership that you’ve shown here at one of the largest Army bases in America. (Applause.)
And let me just say, I make a lot of decisions; one of the earliest and best decisions I made was choosing one of the finest Vice Presidents in our history -- Joe Biden, right here. (Applause.)
Chaplain Miller, thank you for the beautiful invocation.
I want to thank General Colt for welcoming me here today, along with your great Command Sergeant Major, Wayne St. Louis. (Applause.) The Quartet and 101st Division Band. (Applause.) All these troopers behind me —- you look great. (Applause.) You noticed they kind of hesitated. (Laughter.)
We got a lot of folks in the house. We’ve got military police and medical personnel. We’ve got the Green Berets of the 5th Special Forces Group. I think we’ve got a few Air Force here. Ohh -- (laughter.) Well, we thought we did. There they go -- okay. Come on. (Applause.) And, of course, the legendary Screaming Eagles. (Applause.) And although they’re not in the audience, I want to acknowledge the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment —- the Night Stalkers -— for their extraordinary service. (Applause.)
Now, I’ve got to say, some of you are starting to look a little familiar -- because last December, when we were at Bagram, I was out there to thank you for your service, especially during the holidays. And we had a great rally, a big crowd -- it seemed like everybody was there from the 101st.
And since then, I know we’ve had quite a few homecomings. The Rakkasans. (Applause.) Destiny. (Applause.) Strike. (Applause.) Bastogne. (Applause.) And some of the Division Headquarters —- the Gladiators. (Applause.) On behalf of a grateful nation —- welcome home. (Applause.)
Of course, our thoughts and prayers are with General Campbell, Command Sergeant Major Schroeder, and all of the Screaming Eagles and troops that are still risking their lives in theater. And I’m so pleased that Ann Campbell and Marla Schroeder, and some of the inspiring military spouses are here. Where are they at? Right over there. (Applause.) We are grateful to you. God bless you. There they are. Thank you so much. (Applause.) This happens to be Military Spouse Appreciation Day. (Applause.) And we honor your service as well.
Now, I didn’t come here to make a really long speech. I know you're hearing that. (Laughter.) It’s like, yeah, it’s hot! (Laughter.) What I really wanted to do was come down and shake some hands. I came here for a simple reason —- to say thank you on behalf of America. This has been an historic week in the life of our nation. (Applause.) Thanks to the incredible skill and courage of countless individuals -— intelligence, military —- over many years, the terrorist leader who struck our nation on 9/11 will never threaten America again. (Applause.)
Yesterday, I traveled to New York City, and, along with some of our 9/11 families, laid a wreath at Ground Zero in memory of their loved ones. I met with the first responders —- the firefighters, the police officers, the Port Authority officers —- who lost so many of their own when they rushed into those burning towers. I promised that our nation will never forget those we lost that dark September day.
And today, here at Fort Campbell, I had the privilege of meeting the extraordinary Special Ops folks who honored that promise. It was a chance for me to say —- on behalf of all Americans and people around the world —- “Job well done.” Job well done. (Applause.)
They’re America’s “quiet professionals” -- because success demands secrecy. But I will say this. Like all of you, they could have chosen a life of ease. But like you, they volunteered. They chose to serve in a time of war, knowing they could be sent into harm’s way. They trained for years. They’re battle-hardened. They practiced tirelessly for this mission. And when I gave the order, they were ready.
Now, in recent days, the whole world has learned just how ready they were. These Americans deserve credit for one of the greatest intelligence military operations in our nation’s history. But so does every person who wears America’s uniform, the finest military the world has ever known. (Applause.) And that includes all of you men and women of 101st. (Applause.)
You have been on the frontlines of this fight for nearly 10 years. You were there in those early days, driving the Taliban from power, pushing al Qaeda out of its safe havens. Over time, as the insurgency grew, you went back for, in some cases, a second time, a third time, a fourth time.
When the decision was made to go into Iraq, you were there, too, making the longest air assault in history, defeating a vicious insurgency, ultimately giving Iraqis the chance to secure their democracy. And you’ve been at the forefront of our new strategy in Afghanistan.
Sending you -- more of you -- into harm’s way is the toughest decision that I’ve made as Commander-in-Chief. I don’t make it lightly. Every time I visit Walter Reed, every time I visit Bethesda, I’m reminded of the wages of war. But I made that decision because I know that this mission was vital to the security of the nation that we all love.
And I know it hasn’t been easy for you and it hasn’t, certainly, been easy for your families. Since 9/11, no base has deployed more often, and few bases have sacrificed more than you. We see it in our heroic wounded warriors, fighting every day to recover, and who deserve the absolute best care in the world. (Applause.) We see it in the mental and emotional toll that’s been taken -- in some cases, some good people, good soldiers who’ve taken their own lives. So we’re going to keep saying to anybody who is hurting out there, don’t give up. You’re not alone. Your country needs you. We’re here for you to keep you strong.
And most of all, we see the price of this war in the 125 soldiers from Fort Campbell who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice during this deployment to Afghanistan. And every memorial ceremony —- every “Eagle Remembrance” —- is a solemn reminder of the heavy burdens of war, but also the values of loyalty and duty and honor that have defined your lives.
So here’s what each of you must know. Because of your service, because of your sacrifices, we’re making progress in Afghanistan. In some of the toughest parts of the country, General Campbell and the 101st are taking insurgents and their leaders off the battlefield and helping Afghans reclaim their communities.
Across Afghanistan, we’ve broken the Taliban’s momentum. In key regions, we’ve seized the momentum, pushing them out of their strongholds. We’re building the capacity of Afghans, partnering with communities and police and security forces, which are growing stronger.
And most of all, we’re making progress in our major goal, our central goal in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and that is disrupting and dismantling -- and we are going to ultimately defeat al Qaeda. (Applause.) We have cut off their head and we will ultimately defeat them. (Applause.)
Even before this week’s operation, we’ve put al Qaeda’s leadership under more pressure than at any time since 9/11, on both sides of the border. So the bottom line is this: Our strategy is working, and there’s no greater evidence of that than justice finally being delivered to Osama bin Laden. (Applause.)
But I don’t want to fool you. This continues to be a very tough fight. You know that. But because of this progress, we’re moving into a new phase. In the coming months, we’ll start transferring responsibility for security to Afghan forces. Starting this summer, we’ll begin reducing American forces. As we transition, we’ll build a long-term partnership with the Afghan people, so that al Qaeda can never again threaten America from that country.
And, as your Commander-in-Chief, I’m confident that we’re going to succeed in this mission. The reason I’m confident is because in you I see the strength of America’s military -- (applause) -- and because in recent days we’ve all seen the resilience of the American spirit.
Now, this week I received a letter from a girl in New Jersey named Payton Wall. She wrote to me on Monday after the news that bin Laden had been killed, and she explained how she still remembers that September morning almost 10 years ago. She was only four years old. Her father, Glen, was trapped inside the World Trade Center. And so, in those final, frantic moments, knowing he might not make it, he called home. And Payton remembers watching her mom sobbing as she spoke to her husband and then passed the phone to Payton. And in words that were hard to hear but which she’s never forgotten, he said to her, “I love you Payton, and I will always be watching over you.”
So yesterday, Payton, her mom, and her sister, Avery, joined me at Ground Zero. And now Payton is 14. These past 10 years have been tough for her. In her letter, she said, “Ever since my father died, I lost a part of me that can never be replaced.” And she describes her childhood as a “little girl struggling to shine through all the darkness in her life.”
But every year, more and more, Payton is shining through. She’s playing a lot of sports, including lacrosse and track, just like her dad. She’s doing well in school. She’s mentoring younger students. She’s looking ahead to high school in the fall. And so, yesterday she was with us —- a strong, confident young woman -— honoring her father’s memory, even as she set her sights on the future.
And for her and for all of us, this week has been a reminder of what we’re about as a people. It’s easy to forget sometimes, especially in times of hardship, times of uncertainty. We’re coming out of the worst recession since the Great Depression; haven’t fully recovered from that. We’ve made enormous sacrifices in two wars. But the essence of America -- the values that have defined us for more than 200 years -- they don’t just endure; they are stronger than ever.
We’re still the America that does the hard things, that does the great things. We’re the nation that always dared to dream. We’re the nation that’s willing to take risks -- revolutionaries breaking free from an empire; pioneers heading West to settle new frontiers; innovators building railways and laying the highways and putting a man on the surface of the moon.
We are the nation -- and you’re the Division -- that parachuted behind enemy lines on D-Day, freeing a continent, liberating concentration camps. We’re the nation that, all those years ago, sent your Division to a high school in Arkansas so that nine black students could get an education. That was you. Because we believed that all men are created equal; that everyone deserves a chance to realize their God-given potential.
We’re the nation that has faced tough times before -- tougher times than these. But when our Union frayed, when the Depression came, when our harbor was bombed, when our country was attacked on that September day, when disaster strikes like that tornado that just ripped through this region, we do not falter. We don’t turn back. We pick ourselves up and we get on with the hard task of keeping our country strong and safe.
See, there’s nothing we can’t do together, 101st, when we remember who we are, at that is the United States of America. (Applause.) When we remember that, no problem is too hard and no challenge is too great.
And that is why I am so confident that, with your brave service, America’s greatest days are still to come. (Applause.)
God bless you. God bless the 101st. And God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)
White House, May 6, 2011:
President Obama Honors the Memory of 9/11
President Obama travels to New York City to participate in a wreath laying ceremony at Ground Zero and meet with First Responders following the death of Osama Bin Laden.
White House, May 5, 2011:
President Obama Meets with Firefighters in New York
The President speaks to firefighters at the Midtown Firehouse in New York City before he attends a wreath-laying ceremony at the site of the World Trade Center.
Office of the Press Secretary, May 5, 2011:
Remarks by the President at "Pride of Midtown" Firehouse, Engine 54, Ladder 4, Battalion 9
THE PRESIDENT: Well, listen, the main reason I came here is because I heard the food is pretty good. (Laughter.)
But to the Commissioner, to Mayor Giuliani -- who obviously performed heroic acts almost 10 years ago -- but most of all, to all of you, I wanted to just come up here to thank you.
This is a symbolic site of the extraordinary sacrifice that was made on that terrible day almost 10 years ago. Obviously we can't bring back your friends that were lost, and I know that each and every one of you not only grieve for them, but have also over the last 10 years dealt with their family, their children, trying to give them comfort, trying to give them support.
What happened on Sunday, because of the courage of our military and the outstanding work of our intelligence, sent a message around the world, but also sent a message here back home that when we say we will never forget, we mean what we say; that our commitment to making sure that justice is done is something that transcended politics, transcended party; it didn’t matter which administration was in, it didn’t matter who was in charge, we were going to make sure that the perpetrators of that horrible act -- that they received justice.
So it’s some comfort, I hope, to all of you to know that when those guys took those extraordinary risks going into Pakistan, that they were doing it in part because of the sacrifices that were made in the States. They were doing it in the name of your brothers that were lost.
And finally, let me just say that, although 9/11 obviously was a high water mark of courage for the New York Fire Department and a symbol of the sacrifice, you guys are making sacrifices every single day. It doesn’t get as much notoriety, it doesn’t get as much attention, but every time you run into a burning building, every time that you are saving lives, you're making a difference. And that's part of what makes this city great and that's part of what makes this country great.
So I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart and on behalf of the American people for the sacrifices that you make every single day. And I just want to let you know that you're always going to have a President and an administration who’s got your back the way you’ve got the backs of the people of New York over these last many years.
So God bless you. God bless the United States of America.
And with that, I'm going to try some of that food. All right? Appreciate you. Thank you. (Applause.)
White House, May 5, 2011:
President Obama Meets with Police Officers in New York
The President speaks to police officers at the First Precinct Police Station in New York City before he attends a wreath-laying ceremony at the site of the World Trade Center.
Office of the Press Secretary, May 5, 2011:
Remarks by the President to Police Officers in New York, New York
First Precinct Police Station, New York, New York
THE PRESIDENT: Well, listen, everybody, the -- I'm not here to make a long speech. I am here basically to shake your hands and just to say how proud I am of all of you.
Obviously we had an important day on Sunday. The reason, what is important, was because it sent a signal around the world that we have never forgotten the extraordinary sacrifices that were made on September 11th. We've never forgotten the tragedy. We've never forgotten the loss of life. We've never forgotten the courage that was shown by the NYPD, by the firefighters, by the first responders.
My understanding is all of you were there that day. And I know you’ll never forget. I know it’s hard to fill the hole that occurred as a consequence of you losing folks who you had worked with for so long. But what, hopefully, this weekend does is it says we keep them in our hearts; we haven't forgotten; we said what we -- we did what we said we were going to do; and that Americans, even in the midst of tragedy, will come together, across the years, across politics, across party, across administrations, to make sure that justice is done.
And so since that time I know a lot of you have probably comforted loved ones of those who were lost. A lot of you have probably looked after kids who grew up without a parent. And a lot of you continue to do extraordinary -- extraordinarily courageous acts without a lot of fanfare. What we did on Sunday was directly connected to what you do every single day. And I know I speak for the military teams, the intelligence teams that helped get bin Laden in saying that we know the sacrifices and courage that you show as well, and that you are part of the team that helped us achieve our goal, but also help us keep our citizens safe each and every day.
So I couldn't be prouder of all of you. I couldn't be more grateful to you. And I hope that you know that the country will continue to stand behind you going forward, because there are still going to be threats out there and you're still going to be called on to take courageous actions and to remain vigilant, and you're going to have an entire country behind you when you do it.
All right? God bless you. (Applause.)
I very much appreciate the fact that Mayor Giuliani is here, because obviously we remember his leadership and courage on that day as well. And it’s a testimony that we may have our differences, politically, in ordinary times, but when it comes to keeping this country safe, we are, first and foremost, Americans.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
MAYOR GIULIANI: Thank you very much.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, sir. Appreciate you.
All right, thank you. (Applause.)
White House, May 6, 2011:
West Wing Week: 5/6/11 or "A Good Day For America"
This week, the President announced the death of Osama bin Laden, visited New York City to honor the victims of 9/11 and their families, made sure the federal government was doing its part in the states devastated by storms and much more.