President Obama’s Thanksgiving Greeting

President Barack Obama - White House Photo, Larwence Jackson

WASHINGTON – During this holiday season, President Obama used his weekly address to give thanks for the blessings of America, in particular that distinctly American impulse to give something of ourselves and do what is required to make tomorrow better than today.  With that sense of determination and sacrifice, America has built a powerful economy, stood against tyranny, fought for equality, and connected the globe with our own science and imagination.  And by working together as one people – as Americans — we can overcome the challenges currently facing our nation. 

 

Today, like millions of other families across America, Michelle, Malia, Sasha and I will sit down to share a Thanksgiving filled with family and friends – and a few helpings of food and football, too.  And just as folks have done in every Thanksgiving since the first, we’ll spend some time taking stock of what we’re thankful for: the God-given bounty of America, and the blessings of one another. 

This is also a holiday that captures that distinctly American impulse to give something of ourselves.  Even as we speak, there are countless Americans serving at soup kitchens and food pantries; contributing to their communities; and standing guard around the world. 

And in a larger sense, that’s emblematic of what Americans have always done.  We come together and do what’s required to make tomorrow better than today.  That’s who we are. 

Consider our journey since that first Thanksgiving.  We are among the world’s youngest of peoples, but time and again, we have boldly and resiliently led the way forward.  Against tough odds, we are a people who endure – who explored and settled a vast and untamed continent; who built a powerful economy and stood against tyranny in all its forms; who marched and fought for equality, and connected a globe with our own science and imagination. 

None of that progress was predestined.  None of it came easily.  Instead, the blessings for which we give thanks today are the product of choices made by our parents, and grandparents, and generations before – whose determination and sacrifice ensured a better future for us. 

This holiday season, we must resolve once more to do the same. 

This is not the hardest Thanksgiving America has ever faced.  But as long as many members of our American family are hurting, we’ve got to look out for one another.  As long as many of our sons and daughters and husbands and wives are at war, we’ve got to support their mission and honor their service.  And as long as many of our friends and neighbors are looking for work, we’ve got to do everything we can to accelerate this recovery and keep our economy moving forward. 

And we will.  But we won’t do it as any one political party.  We’ve got to do it as one people.  And in the coming weeks and months, I hope that we can work together, Democrats and Republicans and Independents alike, to make progress on these and other issues. 

That’s why, next week, I’ve invited the leadership of both parties to the White House for a real and honest discussion – because I believe that if we stop talking at one another, and start talking with one another, we can get a lot done. 

For what we are called to do again today isn’t about Democrats or Republicans.  It’s not about left or right.  It’s about us.  It’s about what we know this country is capable of.  It’s about what we want America to be in this new century. 

A vibrant nation that makes sure its children are the best-educated in the world.  A healthy, growing economy that runs on clean energy and creates the jobs of tomorrow.  A responsible government that reduces its deficits.  An America where every citizen is able to go as far as he or she desires. 

We can do all this, because we’ve done it before.  We’re made of the same sturdy stuff as the travelers who sat down to the first Thanksgiving, and all who came after – who worked, and sacrificed, and invested, because they believed that their efforts would make the difference for us. 

That’s who we are.  We shape our own destiny with conviction, compassion, and clear and common purpose.  We honor our past and press forward with the knowledge that tomorrow will be better than today.  We are Americans.  That’s the vision we won’t lose sight of.  That’s the legacy that falls to our generation.  That’s the challenge that together, we are going to meet. 

To every American, I am thankful for the privilege of being your President.  To all our service members stationed around the world, I am honored to be your Commander-in-Chief.  And from the Obama family to yours, have a very Happy Thanksgiving.  Thank you.

7 Comments

  1. BO – – – ring.

    I’ll be thankful if Obama and Reid find a spine and force votes on DADT, Dream Act, and middle class tax cuts this final month. I’m not getting the sense that’ll happen. Ever.

    As always, I hope I’m wrong.

  2. Speaking of finding a spine Vern, when are you going to find yours? You are the editor of a political blog in title only. You stay silent when well researched posts like the one Francisco did before the election are deleted. And now Francisco is gone. That was an unusual post to delete — it was loaded with facts and attribution.

    Vern — you’re in no position to call on Obama or Reid to grow a pair until you grow your own; it’ll mean you’re booted from the blog for going against the Ministry of Truth, but at least you should be able to sleep at night

    • You have no idea, and you don’t deserve to know, what arguments go on behind the scenes on matters such as that Francisco post. And if he does come back to the OJ, and if that post does re-appear, it’ll have nothing to do with your little taunts.

      But really, this is the way you respond. It doesn’t matter if our Democratic leadership continues to collude in the denial of rights to gay servicemen and hard-working immigrant kids, and consistently cave in to GOP voodoo economics – because down here in Orange County the OJ editor loses editorial arguments to the publisher/owner. That’s a much bigger deal, or at least equally important.

      Did I mention how boring this Obama Thanksgiving greeting was?

      Have you heard any news about the AG race between Kamala Harris and Steve Cooley?

      Hack on, litigious parasite.

      • Vern,

        Harris/Cooley is old news. The story broke early in the day on Wednesday, and fortunately we all have jobs and no one was able to post about it. It was up on our feeds and that was good enough. Your taunt on OJ did however help me reach that conclusion.

        So go on and take another swig from your jug of wine. Dan was just humoring you. We really couldn’t give a crap what you think.

        I do wonder though, is Art really leaving this time, or will Zorro or El Democrata still be posting?

      • Vern–this administration and his Congress have been remarkably productive in getting a number of measures passed through since 2009. Did we get everything we wanted? Of course not but we made remarkable progress getting healthcare reform passed, Wall Strret reforms and consumer financial reforms passed, saving our economy from the brink of collapse and passing a large federal tax cut. I see the glass is half full and you see the glass as half empty. All I’m saying is you’re in no position to question the spine of our president or senate majority leader. I see Art’s gastric bypass surgery will make you psychotic post is gone too. Such standards you all set. Bet Zorro posts emerge on OJ now that Art has found Jesus

        • I know the Dems have done some good things this year and a half, but it really seems like they’re letting this final month go to waste, as though the Rethugs were already in control. I wish they would play more hardball in the few weeks they have left, because nothing good is going to happen for the next two years.

  3. I think the immediate plan to help extend unemployment benefits Vern.

    So point of policy question now that you are running the show over there; are you guys going to keep deleting comments you don’t like even if they don’t violate your terms of service? And lastly, the use of the term “hater” just seems overused?

    We have have side bets going on how often Art posts during “admin” or “Zorro” moving forward.

Comments are closed.