From President Obama: On Thanksgiving, Grateful for the Men and Women Who Defend Our Country

[Tx4obama]

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
November 24, 2011
WEEKLY ADDRESS: On Thanksgiving, Grateful for the Men and Women Who Defend Our Country

WASHINGTON—In this week’s address, President Obama wished the American people a happy Thanksgiving, giving a special thanks to the brave men and women serving overseas and those giving back at shelters and soup kitchens in their communities during the holidays. Those who celebrated the first Thanksgiving persevered by drawing strength from each other, and today we once again come together in that spirit of unity to overcome our challenges, remaining thankful for our freedom and the blessings of family, community, and country.

The audio of the address and video of the address will be available online at www.whitehouse.gov at 6:00 a.m. ET, Thursday, November 24, 2011.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
Thursday, November 24, 2011
The White House

From my family to yours, I’d like to wish you a happy Thanksgiving. Like millions of Americans, Michelle, Malia, Sasha and I will spend the day eating great food, watching a little football, and reflecting on how truly lucky we truly are.

As Americans, each of us has our own list of things and people to be thankful for. But there are some blessings we all share.

We’re especially grateful for the men and women who defend our country overseas. To all the service members eating Thanksgiving dinner far from your families: the American people are thinking of you today. And when you come home, we intend to make sure that we serve you as well as you’re serving America.

We’re also grateful for the Americans who are taking time out of their holiday to serve in soup kitchens and shelters, making sure their neighbors have a hot meal and a place to stay. This sense of mutual responsibility – the idea that I am my brother’s keeper; that I am my sister’s keeper – has always been a part of what makes our country special. And it’s one of the reasons the Thanksgiving tradition has endured.

The very first Thanksgiving was a celebration of community during a time of great hardship, and we have followed that example ever since. Even when the fate of our union was far from certain – during a Civil War, two World Wars, a Great Depression – Americans drew strength from each other. They had faith that tomorrow would be better than today.

We’re grateful that they did. As we gather around the table, we pause to remember the pilgrims, pioneers, and patriots who helped make this country what it is. They faced impossible odds, and yet somehow, they persevered. Today, it’s our turn.

I know that for many of you, this Thanksgiving is more difficult than most. But no matter how tough things are right now, we still give thanks for that most American of blessings, the chance to determine our own destiny. The problems we face didn’t develop overnight, and we won’t solve them overnight. But we will solve them. All it takes is for each of us to do our part.

With all the partisanship and gridlock here in Washington, it’s easy to wonder if such unity is really possible. But think about what’s happening at this very moment: Americans from all walks of life are coming together as one people, grateful for the blessings of family, community, and country.

If we keep that spirit alive, if we support each other, and look out for each other, and remember that we’re all in this together, then I know that we too will overcome the challenges of our time.

So today, I’m thankful to serve as your President and Commander-and-Chief. I’m thankful that my daughters get to grow up in this great country of ours. And I’m thankful for the chance to do my part, as together, we make tomorrow better than today.

Thanks, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/11/24/weekly-address-thanksgiving-grateful-men-and-women-who-defend-our-countr


Edited to add link.

[liberal N proud]

1. k&r

[2Design]

2. oxymoron - sends them to fight unnecessary wars and then says he supports them n/t

[Cigar11]

10. Only the US Congress has the power to declare war. That's explicit in the US consitution. /n

[Tarheel_Dem]

3. K & R

:kick:

[ellisonz]

4. Wuutoo - Obama Leaves God out of Thanksgiving Speech, Riles Critics

Danger Will Robinson, Danger!

Obama Leaves God out of Thanksgiving Speech, Riles Critics

By JOEL SIEGEL | ABC News – 10 hrs ago

Critics of President Obama felt little holiday cheer after the president did not thank God in his Thanksgiving-themed weekly Internet address. They immediately took to Twitter and the Internet to voice anger and disbelief.

"Holy cow! Is that one screwed up or what?" columnist Sherman Frederick of the Las Vegas Review-Journal wrote in a Thanksgiving-morning blog post.

"Somebody ought to remind Obama (and his speechwriter) that when Americans sit down around a meal today and give thanks, they give thanks to God."

-----

Obama mentioned God once in a closing "God bless you," to Americans watching the Internet address. However, the President explicitly thanked God earlier in the week in his written Thanksgiving proclamation, which called the holiday "one of our nation's oldest and most cherished traditions," and an occasion that "brings us closer to our loved ones and invites us to reflect on the blessings that enrich our lives."

http://news.yahoo.com/obama-leaves-god-thanksgiving-speech-riles-critics-173023786.html

Can't have the Christotaliban upset now...;)

[Doctor_J]

5. Hopefully he's not talking about the cops with pepper spray

at OWS. Good speech though

[KoKo]

8. Big K&R...since I missed the "Rec" time.

:kick:

[Skittles]

6. "the American people are thinking about you today"

that would be nice, but many of them were more interested in what bargains they could get for offshore crap than the plight of service folk in Afghanistan

[KoKo]

7. Tears are running down my face at your incredible post of our Presiden't speech

to our Troops.

I hung on every word of the speech at the link you gave. I'm heart broken that I missed it live...but the words of the speech are so much more potent reading it from your link.

Our Wonderful President who has had to bear the burden of putting our troops out there...and yet, look what he's accomplished!

We do, indeed need to be proud of the way he has used our troops to bring good and decency across the world.

These words from him show how compassionate he is as our "Leader-in-Chief" and how the pain in his heart springs forth in his speech to those who are Fighting for FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD!

"LET FREEDOM RING!" It's our American Duty to FREE THE SLAVES and those who SUFFER from POVERTY, DICTATORSHIPS AND OPPRESSION IN ALL THOSE COUNTRIES THAT WE AND NATO INVADE for the GOOD CAUSE...the FREEDOM CAUSE!

:kick:

[Arugula Latte]

9. Just have to say: How is the military "defending" us?

Frankly, we're always on offense.

Sorry, but I get tired of the knee-jerk "the military can do no wrong and everyone 'serving' is a hero" mentality.

[slipslidingaway]

11. President's proposal to increase military family payments under Tricare ...

https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.whitehouse.gov%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fomb%2Fbudget%2Ffy2012%2Fassets%2Fjointcommitteereport.pdf

Just search the above linked document for Tricare, words vs. actions.

:(

Originally posted here...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=822924&mesg_id=823036

[ellisonz]

12. He Forgot God!

Oh noes :scared: