Obama Ipsum

They saw that I knew the Scriptures and that many of the values I held and that propelled me in my work were values they shared. There was even a time when the Christian Coalition determined that its number one legislative priority was tax cuts for the rich.

What would be needed were Americans in successive generations who were willing to do their part - through protests and struggle, on the streets and in the courts, through a civil war and civil disobedience and always at great risk - to narrow that gap between the promise of our ideals and the reality of their time. Four years ago, I stood before you and told you my story - of the brief union between a young man from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas who weren't well-off or well-known, but shared a belief that in America, their son could achieve whatever he put his mind to. I will build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century: terrorism and nuclear proliferation; poverty and genocide; climate change and disease. But what the people heard instead - people of every creed and color, from every walk of life - is that in America, our destiny is inextricably linked. And fault lines must be closed among Muslims as well, as the divisions between Sunni and Shia have led to tragic violence, particularly in Iraq.

There is real evil and hardship and pain and suffering in the world and we should be humble in our belief that we can eliminate them. I've gone to some of the best schools in America and lived in one of the world's poorest nations. America, we cannot turn back. America does not presume to know what is best for everyone, just as we would not presume to pick the outcome of a peaceful election.

You know, a while back, I met a young man named Shamus [Seamus?] in a V.F.W. That's why I've been fighting to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit and the minimum wage. To the love of my life, our next First Lady, Michelle Obama, and to Sasha and Malia - I love you so much, and I'm so proud of all of you. All of us share this world for but a brief moment in time.

While studying here, my father met my mother. It's the hope of slaves sitting around a fire singing freedom songs. She had this enormous capacity for wonder, and lived by the Golden Rule. And I found that I recognized in these folks a part of myself. But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. To play a role in fulfilling Palestinian aspirations, and to unify the Palestinian people, Hamas must put an end to violence, recognize past agreements, and recognize Israel's right to exist.

God bless you.