President Obama In South Florida For DNC Fundraisers

The First Event was at the home of mortgage broker Joe Falk  

President Obama spoke for about seven minutes, saying that he wanted to leave most of the allotted time for a question-and-answer session. The remarks will sound familiar to careful and not-so-careful watchers of fundraisers.

Obama said this is a fascinating time in the country’s history. "Since I took office, we pulled ourselves out of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression," he said. And by almost every economic measure -- perhaps by every economic measure -- we are better off than when he came into office, Obama said. He cited an array of areas where he’s seen progress, including making sure children have access to early childhood education and the doubling of clean energy production.

“By almost every measure, this country’s come bouncing back in ways that a lot of folks in 2009 might not have anticipated,” he said.

“But what’s also true is that there is so much work that’s left undone,” he said. "So many things we could be doing to make sure that more people have access to the ladders of opportunity that have been the hallmark of this country."

Obama said that if immigration reform passed, the economy would improve, the deficit would go down, and America would continue to be both a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.

“If we were serious about rebuilding our infrastructure, we could put people back to work right now,” he said. That would spur GDP growth and lay the foundation for continued expansion and improved economic competitiveness, he said.

If the budget included more money for research so that the U.S. is on the cutting edge of innovation, who knows what new inventions and new industries might be created in the United States, he said.  Obama also called for more investments in job training programs and early childhood education and stepped up efforts to make college affordable.

“On all these fronts, we've done great work, but we have so much more that we could be doing,” he said. "And the reason it's not getting done is not because we don't know what to do -- it's because we're stuck in Congress on so many of these issues."

“We’re not waiting for Congress,” he said. “We’re moving forward on everything from precision medicine to rationalizing where we can our immigration system.”

Ultimately, the great genius of this democracy is that the most important office is the office of citizen, he said. “We’ve got to get people involved so that Congress ultimately responds to an electorate that is expressing our highest and best values around issues like climate change and issues like education,” he said.

 “I am confident that we’re going to be able to do that, but I can’t do it without folks like you,” Obama said.

He said Michelle is very pleased that he cannot run again.

“It is a liberating feeling in the sense that the amount of time I have left really concentrates the mind,” he said.

Obama said a lot of folks have been surprised that the White House is really moving on issues.

He added, though, that “ultimately, an eight-year span in the life of a country is pretty short.”

Obama said he can get a lot done, but part of what he is doing is laying the foundation to pass the baton.

He said how much staying power some of his efforts have depends on Congress.

In the blink of an eye, he will return to the office of citizen, Obama said.  He told those in attendance that together, he wants to make sure they’re doing everything they can to create the kind of America that has given all of them such incredible opportunities.

And with that, the pool was led out as Obama opened up the floor for questions.

The Next Event Was at developer Stephen and Sabina Bittle

 THE PRESIDENT:  Well, first of all, let me thank Stephen and Sabina.  And they have just been such great friends for such a long time through thick and thin.  And I just want to say how much I appreciate everything that they’ve done -- not just for me, but for the Democratic Party.  (Inaudible) -- so we're proud of her and her mom -- there’s nothing more important than teaching.

     And I want to thank all of you.  I see a lot of friends, folks like the Adlers who have supported me and Joe and been there.  And I would not have the great privilege and the great honor of serving this country had it not been for some of the folks in this room.

     I’m going to be very brief on the front end because I want to spend as much time as possible in a conversation, answer questions or take comments, ideas.  Let me just say that we’re at a fascinating time in the country’s history.  Since I took office we’ve pulled ourselves out of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.  And by almost every economic measure, by every economic measure, we are better off and, in some cases, significantly better off than when I came into office.

Not just the stock market, or corporate profits, but unemployment going from 10 percent to 5.4 percent; cutting the deficit by two-thirds; expanding Pell grants; providing 16 million people health care that didn't have it, so we got the lowest uninsured rate since they started keeping track; making sure that more children have access to early childhood education; improvements in reading scores; improvements in high school graduation rates; improvements in college attendance rates; doubling of clean energy.  By almost every measure, this country has come bouncing back in ways that a lot of folks in 2009 might not have anticipated.

     But what’s also true is, is that there is so much work that's left undone, so many things we could be doing to make sure that more people have access to the ladders of opportunity that have been the hallmark of this country.  If we pass immigration reform, that would not only improve our economy, drive down our deficit, but it would make sure that America continued to be a land -- a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants where we're attracting incredible talent and vitality from every corner of the globe.

     If we were serious about rebuilding our infrastructure, we could put people back to work right now, and half a percentage, maybe a full percentage point of GDP growth, and lay the foundation for continued expansion and economic competitiveness for decades to come.  If we have a budget that continues to put our money into research so that we are at the cutting-edge of innovation, then who knows what new inventions and new industries will be created right here in the United States, putting Americans back to work.

     If we continue to make investments in job training and early childhood education, making college more affordable, then our young people will be prepared for a 21st century global economy.

     On all these fronts, we’ve done great work, but we have so much more that we could be doing.  And the reason it’s not getting done is not because we don't know what to do; it’s because we're stuck in Congress on so many of these issues.

     And as I made very clear my determination -- talked to my staff about several years ago, after it became apparent there were some things that Congress was having trouble getting done, we're not waiting for Congress.  We're moving forward on everything from precision medicine to rationalizing where we can our immigration system. 

But ultimately, the great genius of this democracy is that the most important office is the office of citizen.  We’ve got to get people involved so that Congress ultimately responds to an electorate that is expressing our highest and best values around issues like climate change, and issues like education, and issues like opportunity and poverty. 

     And I am confident that we're going to be able to do that, but I can't do it without folks like you.  Michelle is very pleased that I cannot run.  (Laughter.)  And it is a liberating feeling in the sense that the amount of time I have left it concentrates the mind, and I think a lot of folks have been surprised at the degree to which we are moving and pushing and trying whatever we can to advance the goals of making sure that every American in this country and every child in this country, if they're willing to work hard, can get ahead, and that opportunity and prosperity is broad-based.

     But ultimately, an eight-year span in the life of a country is pretty short.  We can get a lot done, but part of what we're also doing is laying the foundation so that we then pass that baton to the next administration and we institutionalize some of the progress that we’ve been making.

     And ultimately, how much staying power these things have depends on a Congress that is thinking about our future.  And that's why your presence here is so important.  This is not something I’m doing for me, this is something we are doing together.  Because it’s going to be just the blink of an eye before I am, like you, a citizen, who has returned from office but still occupies the most important position in a democracy. And together I want us to make sure that we are doing everything we can to pass on the kind of America that gave us such incredible opportunity and allowed us to be here today.

     Thanks.  (Applause.)