I don’t care whether you’re driving a hybrid or an SUV. If you’re headed for a cliff, you have to change direction. That’s what the American people called for in November, and that’s what we intend to deliver.
I wonder, sometimes, whether men and women in fact are capable of learning from history – whether we progress from one stage to the next in an upward course or whether we just ride the cycles of boom and bust, war and peace, ascent and decline.
We cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself...
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. So let us mark this day with remebrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled.
We will outstretch the hand if you unclench your fist.
To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West – know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.
Each path to knowledge involves different rules and these rules are not interchangeable.
I’m so overexposed, I’m making Paris Hilton look like a recluse.
To anyone out there who has ever been assaulted: You will never be alone. You are never alone. We have your back. I’ve got your back.
Tonight, with a new Iraqi government in place, and following consultations with allies abroad and Congress at home, I can announce that America will lead a broad coalition to roll back this terrorist threat.
America, our endless blessings bestow an enduring burden. But as Americans, we welcome our responsibility to lead.
Learning to stand in somebody else’s shoes, to see through their eyes, that’s how peace begins. And it’s up to you to make that happen. Empathy is a quality of character that can change the world.
We need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil by ending the subsidies for oil companies, and doubling down on clean energy that generates jobs and strengthens our security.
To break our addiction to oil is one of the greatest challenges that our generation will have to master.
Few challenges facing America and the world are more urgent than combating climate change. The science is beyond dispute and the facts are clear.
With only 2 percent of the world’s oil reserves, oil isn’t enough. This country needs an all-out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy. A strategy that’s cleaner, cheaper, and full of new jobs.
Life takes its own turns, makes its own demands, writes its own story, and along the way, we start to realize we are not the author.
For the young people here: practicality is a good thing. There are times where compromise is necessary. That’s part of wisdom. But it’s also important to hang on to what you believe.