著名英语演讲稿

著名英语演讲稿（精选6篇）

著名英语演讲稿 篇1

著名英语演讲稿(英语演讲稿,著名)

著名演讲稿

大学生英文演讲稿:从跌倒的地方站起来 let’s stand up from where we fall down all the celebrations welcoming the new century were hold in the year 2014, because life without a greeting is like the sky without the sun.greetings are very important for the whole world,in my opinion.but i dont know whether greetings are enough for us.especially when we meet with failures.i remember quite clearly that when i was a child,if i fall down and was on the brink of crying,my father always told me”please stand up from where you fall down!” yes,we must stand up from

where we fall down.that was a special mid night in 1993.expectations filled our hearts.we stared at the tv,hoping excitedly as the voice would fly to our ears.but at last,each chinese who loves our motherland was distressed to know the result:beijing ,lost to sydeny by a margin of two votes in the olympic hosting competition.eight years have past,but the frustration has not healed with time at all.now,at the begining of the new millennium,all of the pride and disappointment of the 20th century had gone with the wind.the 21st century,which is full of hope,longing znd thought has come.someone said,we would start from zero on.should i really start from zero on? no!i hold that we should go on with our efferts and ambitions stayed by last century,and make our life better.“new beijing,great olympics!” the voice cries this out around chinas captital,a 3,000-year-old city these days.beijing,along

with paris,istanbul,osake and toronto,has been shortlisted by the international olympic committee as an official candidate city for the 2014 olympic games.this is beijings second attempt to host the games.everyone fully supports beijings bid for it.maybe,we can paint fences along the main roads of beijing.maybe,we can make much of yhe city cleaned up.maybe,we can learn and speak basic english idioms and expressions for daily communication.but,but are they just enough? facing the new century,mankind is driven by the revolution of science and technoiogy,world economy is undergoing broud and profound changes.but nobody can deny the fact that compared with developed nations,developing countries are confronted with more pressure and challenges.in order to become famous in the world,we must speed up our international economic restructuring to

catch up with industrialized nations.supporting beijings bid is a systematic project that can support chinasdevelopment efforts.i believe recycled pa-pe-r,clean fuel,sorted rubbish,water-saving and enery-efficient facilities will become reality in the coming years for china.i believe the new century is an era of learning ans teaching,and lifelong education has become one of the main trends in the future developmet of chinese society.i believe that,on july 13,our dream of beijings olympic bid will become true.because to millions of chinese,for china to have the gloal respect and support that she deserves is not just a dream.it is a part of our very souls.for we are not only equal members of our motherland, china,but we are also equal contributors to the world as a whole.let us stand together,all nations in beijing,in brotherhood,friendship and peace, in 2014

and forever!

著名演讲家李燕杰健脑有方 篇2

注重食养，坚持四季饮品滋补

李燕杰，1930年出生，教古典文学出身的他深谙中国传统文化，对中医情有独钟。中医理论认为，与大脑智力有关的神、志、思、意、智等精神意识、思维能力，皆为五脏所主，因此大脑的保健养生关键要注意各脏腑功能的调养，尤其是心、脾、肾三脏。李燕杰教授根据这一理论，收集了很多中医健脑益智的方子，按方食养，比如用干荔枝和粳米煮粥、用干莲子加冰糖水做饮品、用猪心与柏子仁炖煮后做凉菜等。而且他还根据中医辨证论治的原则，一年四季有所侧重地制作些药膳食用，比如春季气候温和，万物生长向上，五脏属肝，就做点儿首乌肝片、妙香舌片吃；夏季气候炎热，人体喜凉，五脏属心，就做点儿西瓜盅、薄荷鸡片吃；秋季气候凉爽，五脏属肺，就做点儿菊花肉片吃；冬季气候寒冷阳气深藏，五脏属肾，就做点儿归芪鸡吃。这也就是中医说的四季升、清、平、滋四补。如果外出参加社会活动、演讲，不能回家用餐，他也坚持在条件允许的情况下，尽量依照时令吃一些对心、脾、肾有益的食品。李燕杰说：“其实这些东西都不贵，也好买，只是需要点时间搭配，上了年纪的人一定不要舍不得。其实平时花费点钱和时间用于保健，按科学的方法把身体保养好了，总比什么器官都老化了、生了毛病，自己遭罪，还要把钱送给药店、医院强。

读书看报，“逼迫”大脑运动

注重饮食养脑的同时，李燕杰还常年坚持阅读书报、讲故事、聊天。李燕杰风趣地说：“脑子也在于运动，只有越用才能越灵，不然就会锈死。”他家中订了很多报纸、杂志，每天安排一定时间读书看报。他读书看报，重点放在读上。首先将报刊浏览一遍，挑出重要新闻和丰富多彩的趣闻轶事，然后绘声绘色地朗读给老伴听，有时老伴不在家，他也自顾自地照读不误。他读书报的声音不是很大，以自己能听清为好，他认为这样朗读，眼睛、嘴巴、耳朵并用，有益于健脑。此外，他多年来一直坚持回到家里后给老伴讲自己工作或参加各种活动时身边发生的有意义的事情。如果去了外地，回来后则要把所见所闻详细地讲给老伴儿听，李燕杰说，这样做，一则夫妻互相交流，可以增加彼此的感情；二则可以通过回忆发生过的和见到过的事情，主动让大脑“干活”，“逼着”它运动。

聊天交流，锻炼思维、表达能力

李燕杰还抓住晚辈们回家看望他的机会，主动和他们谈古论今，议论时事，什么上下五千年的正传野史、民间传奇故事；什么国内趣闻、国际风云；什么足球比赛、中国达人秀……你一言我一语，大家一起议论，无所不聊。李燕杰的一儿一女和孙子、外孙女知道他的用心后，更是经常搜集一些典故或他年轻时那个年代有意义、有趣的事情让他回忆。每当这时，李燕杰就会迅速打开记忆的大门，启动搜索往事的引擎，滔滔不绝地讲起来，讲到可乐和有趣的地方，他会无拘无束地和晚辈们一起开怀大笑。那抑扬顿挫的话语以及聊天时的反应，与年轻人相比毫不逊色，一点没有老年人说起话来那种迟缓、慢吞吞的感觉。

或许正是这些健脑“土法”的功效，李燕杰如今思维依然非常敏捷，记忆依然惊人的清晰，口才丝毫不逊当年，几十年前的事，一提及只要经历过的，时间、地点、人物、事情的来龙去脉、最后的结果，他都能口齿清楚说明白。他现在演讲时，还保留着与听者对话的习惯，演讲完后会留出时间让大家随意提问题。这种现场问答，听者提什么问题是没法提前预料的，涉及的内容十分广泛，回答者对自己的知识水平和脑力没有足够的信心是绝对不敢为的。如今，每当他回答问题广征博引，侃侃而谈时，总能赢得令人赞许的掌声，更使很多人自叹弗如，感慨不已。

现在，李燕杰经常提醒与自己年龄相仿的朋友：人上了岁数，一定不能忽视大脑的养生、保健。脑不老，生活才有情趣，否则说话颠三倒四、痴痴呆呆的，不仅自己没有快乐可言，还要拖累别人。

著名演讲稿 篇3

著名演讲稿

大学生英文演讲稿:从跌倒的地方站起来 Let’s stand up from where we fall down All the celebrations welcoming the new century were hold in the year 2000, because life without a GREeting is like the sky without the sun.Greetings are very important for the whole world,in my opinion.But I dont know whether GREetings are enough for us.Especially when we meet with failures.I remember quite clearly that when I was a child,if I fall down and was on the brink of crying,my father always told me“please stand up from where you fall down!” Yes,we must stand up from where we fall down.That was a special mid night in 1993.Expectations filled our hearts.We stared at the TV,hoping excitedly as the voice would fly to our ears.But at last,each Chinese who loves our motherland was distressed to know the result:Beijing ,lost to Sydeny by a margin of two votes in the Olympic hosting competition.Eight years have past,but the frustration has not healed with time at all.Now,at the begining of the new millennium,all of the pride and disappointment of the 20th century had gone with the wind.The 21st century,which is full of hope,longing znd thought has come.Someone said,we would start from zero on.Should I really start from zero on? No!I hold that we should go on with our efferts and ambitions stayed by last century,and make our life better.“New Beijing,GREat Olympics!” the voice cries this out around Chinas captital,a 3,000-year-old city these days.Beijing,along with paris,Istanbul,Osake and Toronto,has been shortlisted by the International Olympic Committee as an official candidate city for the 2008 Olympic Games.This is Beijings second attempt to host the games.Everyone fully supports Beijings bid for it.Maybe,we can paint fences along the main roads of Beijing.Maybe,we can make much of yhe city cleaned up.Maybe,we can learn and speak basic English idioms and expressions for daily communication.But,but are they just enough? Facing the new century,mankind is driven by the revolution of science and technoiogy,world economy is undergoing broud and profound changes.But nobody can deny the fact that compared with developed nations,developing countries are confronted with more pressure and challenges.In order to become famous in the world,we must speed up our international economic restructuring to catch up with industrialized nations.Supporting Beijings bid is a systematic project that can support Chinasdevelopment efforts.I believe recycled pa-pe-r,clean fuel,sorted rubbish,water-saving and enery-efficient facilities will become reality in the coming years for China.I believe the new century is an era of learning ans teaching,and lifelong education has become one of the main trends in the future developmet of Chinese society.I believe that,on July 13,our dream of Beijings Olympic bid will become true.Because to millions of Chinese,for China to have the gloal respect and support that she deserves is not just a dream.It is a part of our very souls.For we are not only equal members of our motherland, China,but we are also equal contributors to the world as a whole.Let us stand together,all nations in Beijing,in brotherhood,friendship and peace, in 2008 and forever!

著名演讲 篇4

I Have a Dream（Martin Luther King)我有一个梦想（马丁 路德 金）

......I say to you, my friends, so even though we must face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream.It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.……今天，我对你们说，我的朋友们，尽管此时的困难与挫折，我们仍然有个梦，这是深深扎根于美国梦中的梦。

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creedblack men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Catholics and Protestants-will be able to join hands and to sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last, free at last;thank God Almighty, we are free at last.” 当我们让自由之声响彻之时，当我们让它从每一座村庄，从每一个州和每一座城市响起时，我们将能加速这一天的到来，那时，所有上帝的孩子们，黑人和白人，犹太人和异教徒们，基督徒和天主教徒们，将能手挽手，以那古老的黑人圣歌的歌词高唱； “终于自由了！终于自由了！感谢全能的上帝，我们终于自由了！”

======================= I Have a Dream I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation.This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice.It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free.One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity.One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land.So we have come here today to dramatize the shameful condition.In a sense we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a check.When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir.This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned.Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked “insufficient funds.”

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt.We refuse to believe that there are “insufficient funds” in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation.So we’ve come to cash this check-a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream.It is a dream deeply rooted in the American Dream.I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up, live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

世界著名的激励演讲家 篇5

约翰·库缇斯

他天生严重残疾，但他以拒绝死亡来挑战医学观念；他没有腿，也不依靠轮椅生活，却形成了世界级的自尊、自信和自立。他拒绝向现实低头，反而选择坚强地活下去„„这就是世界著名的激励演讲家约翰·库缇斯。

1970年出生 ,澳大利亚人 , 出生时，仅有矿泉水瓶那么大，他的脊椎下部没有发育，两条腿细得像豆芽，根本没有成型，既无法行走，也无法安装假肢。17岁时接受截肢手术，29岁时罹患癌症，一个出生时被医生断言活不过当天的残疾人一直顽强生活„„

他从十二岁起就开始打室内板球。同时，他还是一位优秀的举重运动员和轮椅橄榄球运动员。1994年约翰·库缇斯成为了澳大利亚残疾人网球赛的冠军，并作为澳大利亚的板球队的一员被邀请去南非旅行，有幸受到了南非总统纳尔逊·曼德拉的接见。

2000年，约翰拿到来自澳大利亚体育机构的奖学金时，从竞技体育中退役，为悉尼2000 Paralympic训练，并在全国健康举重比赛中排名第二。离开赛场后，约翰在4个主要的体育机构：板球、橄榄球联盟、足球和橄榄球协会都取得了2级教练证书。他还能潜水，甚至还考了驾照。

34岁的约翰已经成为了世界级“激励大师”。从26岁到现在8年的时间里，他到过190多个国家演讲，世界各地有350,000个人的企业及社团听过约翰·库缇斯的演讲。他一直在用自己的亲身经历去激励和感动别人。他的演讲雄伟壮丽，震撼人心，每到一处都掀起泪海与热潮。

约翰·库缇斯中国100场巡回慈善演讲，已经在北京、长春、乌鲁木齐、杭州、上海、广州、深圳、重庆、济南、青岛、烟台、威海、东营等城市成功举办，约有10万人参加了他的激励演讲会，聆听他激励演讲人，无不为这个只有上半身的澳大利亚人落泪喝彩。天生残疾却没有被击倒的“巨人”

天生的残疾注定约翰·库缇斯从小要经受很多常人难以想像磨难。9岁的时候，约翰·库缇斯上学了，但他被同学当成了“怪物”，受尽了嘲笑和恶意的捉弄。他天生倔强，虽然肢体残疾，但仍坚持到一所健康孩子的小学里读书，但那时调皮的孩子把约翰当成怪物，经常追得他乱跑。9岁的一天，淘气的学生竟然把他绑起来，用胶布封上嘴，扔到垃圾桶里，然后点上火,差点被活活烧死。一股浓烟弥漫开来，周围都是垃圾烧着的声音，约翰拼命扭动才幸免遇难。他曾被人吊在转动的风扇下；他的同学还恶作剧地在他要走的路上撒满图钉，使他双手鲜血淋漓„„

15岁那年，他去参加考试，为了答题姿势舒服一些，他把两条腿“像青蛙一样”跷在后边，可是等考完出来后才发现，两条毫无知觉的腿上被同学用铅笔刀割出了一道道血口子，上面还插着针、铅笔，三个脚指头被割断，15岁的约翰黯然爬开，身后留下了一条血路。1000次摔倒，可以1001次地站起来

约翰·库缇斯以超人的毅力生活、学习，一次次地挑战自己，他对自己说：“没有什么不可能！”约翰·库缇斯问现场听众：“你们曾经制定过自己的人生目标吗？”大部分的人举起了手。他又问：“你们都将目标写下来了吗？”只有一半的人还举着手。约翰·库缇斯挥了挥大手，坚定地说：“把你的目标写下来，然后去努力实现它。不要怕失败。100次摔倒，可以101次地站起来；1000次摔倒，可以1001次地站起来，摔倒多少次没关系，重要的是，你能站起来多少次。别人对我说，约翰，你什么都不做也没关系，你整天在家里不做任何事都可以，没有人会责怪你。但我说，我不可以。懒惰不是我的强项，我必须发挥我的优势。”别抱怨你的鞋子，跟我换换行吗?

正常人总把现有的一切想得理所当然，不珍惜手中所有，却追逐自己所无的。有很多人也许会抱怨自己的头发颜色、长短、发质，约翰说，到癌症病房看看你就会打掉自己的念头，几年前的癌症经历让约翰经历了化疗，也看够了化疗之后头发完全脱落的情景。“永远别抱怨，”约翰对大家说。

作为国际著名的演讲大师，约翰已经有了上千场的国际演讲经历，他显然非常善于调动观众的情绪。“有多少人不喜欢自己的鞋子，请举手。”他问道，当看到齐刷刷举起了一堆手臂，约翰的眼神变得锐利起来，音调变得更加宏亮，他取出一双肮脏的橡胶手套，高高举过头顶：“这就是我的鞋子，这就是我的鞋子。有谁愿意和我换换？即使我拥有全世界的财富，也会愿意和你换。现在还有谁抱怨自己的鞋子？”约翰用力地将“鞋子”扔到了角落，像是扔掉一个世界。

一个人必须勇于面对，勇于尝试，如果赢了，则赢了，如果输了，就是输了。不管怎样都好过，你一屁股坐在家里面，将一事无成！

“我每天的目标是尽力做到最好。如果我每天能激励哪怕一个人尽力做到最好、热爱自己的生活而且喜欢自己的身份、接受并迎接前面的挑战同时相信自己、昂首挺胸，那么这就是美好的一天。

这个没有受过任何公众演讲训练的家伙——约翰·库缇斯，天生拥有着演讲家的风采，他在演讲台上，用手踱来踱去，威武得像一头雄狮！并且，他明白真正的演讲，就是忠实于内心真实的表白，源于内心真正的爱。

约翰·库缇斯无视艰苦阻难，积极人生也给他带来了很多幸福，使他的生活极近完美。他有温柔漂亮的妻子，有一个可爱的儿子，长得有点像哈利·波特，但这个可爱的孩子竟然也是重病缠身———大脑发育不佳引起了肌肉萎缩，左半身生长不良，他患有自闭症，大脑中间还有一个洞。约翰·库缇斯每次演讲，他的妻子总会推着坐在轮椅上的儿子走上了演讲台，他们三个亲吻在一起，那暖暖的爱意感动了所有人，听众们满含泪水，用热烈的掌声表达了对这一家人的美好祝福。

库缇斯语录 :

■每个人都有残疾，我很幸运，因为你们可以看到我的残疾，那你们的残疾在哪里呢？■父亲教给我，你要别人如何对待你，首先你要如何对待别人，我每天都遵守这一准则。

■把自己的焦点关注到美好一面，不要去笑话别人，先笑话自己。

■你觉得今天很糟糕，但这一天没有了怎么办？没有什么不可能，千万不要对自己说不可能。

■只要有坚强的斗志，生命中没有什么不可能。

他没有双腿，却能潜水；他没有双腿，却能驾驶汽车；他没有双腿，却能成为运动场上的冠军；他没有双腿又得了癌症，却能环游世界四处演讲；他时时刻刻面对着死亡，却能拥有最完美的爱与生活…

约翰·库缇斯的人生是一个典型的不断粉碎自身障碍的传奇，他所经历的逆境与成功，令我们惊叹、震撼，对每个人来说，都是巨大的感召。

米歇尔奥巴马著名演讲 篇6

First Lady Michelle Obama:

Thank you so much, Elaine…we are so grateful for your family’s service and sacrifice…and we will always have your back.Over the past few years as First Lady, I have had the extraordinary privilege of traveling all across this country.And everywhere I’ve gone, in the people I’ve met, and the stories I’ve heard, I have seen the very best of the American spirit.I have seen it in the incredible kindness and warmth that people have shown me and my family, especially our girls.I’ve seen it in teachers in a near-bankrupt school district who vowed to keep teaching without pay.I’ve seen it in people who become heroes at a moment’s notice, diving into harm’s way to save others…flying across the country to put out a fire…driving for hours to bail out a flooded town.And I’ve seen it in our men and women in uniform and our proud military families…in wounded warriors who tell me they’re not just going to walk again, they’re going to run, and they’re going to run marathons…in the young man blinded by a bomb in Afghanistan who said, simply, “…I’d give my eyes 100 times again to have the chance to do what I have done and what I can still do.”

Every day, the people I meet inspire me…every day, they make me proud…every day they remind me how blessed we are to live in the greatest nation on earth.Serving as your First Lady is an honor and a privilege…but back when we first came together four years ago, I still had some concerns about this journey we’d begun.While I believed deeply in my husband’s vision for this country…and I was certain he would make an extraordinary President…like any mother, I was worried about what it would mean for our girls if he got that chance.How would we keep them grounded under the glare of the national spotlight?

How would they feel being uprooted from their school, their friends, and the only home they’d ever known?

Our life before moving to Washington was filled with simple joys…Saturdays at soccer games, Sundays at grandma’s house…and a date night for Barack and me was either dinner or a movie, because as an exhausted mom, I couldn’t stay awake for both.And the truth is, I loved the life we had built for our girls…I deeply loved the man I had built that life with…and I didn’t want that to change if he became President.I loved Barack just the way he was.You see, even though back then Barack was Senator and a presidential candidate…to me, he was still the guy who’d picked me up for our dates in a car that was so rusted out, I could actually see the pavement going by through a hole in the passenger side door…he was the guy whose proudest possession was a coffee table he’d found in a dumpster, and whose only pair of decent shoes was half a size too small.But when Barack started telling me about his family that’s when I knew I had found a kindred spirit, someone whose values and upbringing were so much like mine.You see, Barack and I were both raised by families who didn’t have much in the way of money or material possessions but who had given us something far more valuable their unconditional love, their unflinching sacrifice, and the chance to go places they had never imagined for themselves.My father was a pump operator at the city water plant, and he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when my brother and I were young.And even as a kid, I knew there were plenty of days when he was in pain…I knew there were plenty of mornings when it was a struggle for him to simply get out of bed.But every morning, I watched my father wake up with a smile, grab his walker, prop himself up against the bathroom sink, and slowly shave and button his uniform.And when he returned home after a long day’s work, my brother and I would stand at the top of the stairs to our little apartment, patiently waiting to greet him…watching as he reached down to lift one leg, and then the other, to slowly climb his way into our arms.But despite these challenges, my dad hardly ever missed a day of work…he and my mom were determined to give me and my brother the kind of education they could only dream of.And when my brother and I finally made it to college, nearly all of our tuition came from student loans and grants.But my dad still had to pay a tiny portion of that tuition himself.And every semester, he was determined to pay that bill right on time, even taking out loans when he fell short.He was so proud to be sending his kids to college…and he made sure we never missed a registration deadline because his check was late.You see, for my dad, that’s what it meant to be a man.Like so many of us, that was the measure of his success in life being able to earn a decent living that allowed him to support his family.And as I got to know Barack, I realized that even though he’d grown up all the way across the country, he’d been brought up just like me.Barack was raised by a single mother who struggled to pay the bills, and by grandparents who stepped in when she needed help.Barack’s grandmother started out as a secretary at a community bank…and she moved quickly up the ranks…but like so many women, she hit a glass ceiling.And for years, men no more qualified than she was men she had actually trained were promoted up the ladder ahead of her, earning more and more money while Barack’s family continued to scrape by.But day after day, she kept on waking up at dawn to catch the bus…arriving at work before anyone else…giving her best without complaint or regret.And she would often tell Barack, “So long as you kids do well, Bar, that’s all that really matters.”

Like so many American families, our families weren’t asking for much.They didn’t begrudge anyone else’s success or care that others had much more than they did…in fact, they admired it.They simply believed in that fundamental American promise that, even if you don’t start out with much, if you work hard and do what you’re supposed to do, and then you should be able to build a decent life for yourself and an even better life for your kids and grandkids.That’s how they raised us…that’s what we learned from their example.We learned about dignity and decency that how hard you work matters more than how much you make…that helping others means more than just getting ahead yourself.We learned about honesty and integrity that the truth matters…that you don’t take shortcuts or play by your own set of rules…and success doesn’t count unless you earn it fair and square.We learned about gratitude and humility that so many people had a hand in our success, from the teachers who inspired us to the janitors who kept our school clean…and we were taught to value everyone’s contribution and treat everyone with respect.Those are the values Barack and I and so many of you are trying to pass on to our own children.That’s who we are.And standing before you four years ago, I knew that I didn’t want any of that to change if Barack became President.Well, today, after so many struggles and triumphs and moments that have tested my husband in ways I never could have imagined, I have seen firsthand that being president doesn’t change who you are it reveals who you are.You see, I’ve gotten to see up close and personal what being president really looks like.And I’ve seen how the issues that come across a President’s desk are always the hard ones the problems where no amount of data or numbers will get you to the right answer…the judgment calls where the stakes are so high, and there is no margin for error.And as President, you can get all kinds of advice from all kinds of people.But at the end of the day, when it comes time to make that decision, as President, all you have to guide you are your values, and your vision, and the life experiences that make you who you are.So when it comes to rebuilding our economy, Barack is thinking about folks like my dad and like his grandmother.He’s thinking about the pride that comes from a hard day’s work.That’s why he signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to help women get equal pay for equal work.That’s why he cut taxes for working families and small businesses and fought to get the auto industry back on its feet.That’s how he brought our economy from the brink of collapse to creating jobs again jobs you can raise a family on, good jobs right here in the United States of America.When it comes to the health of our families, Barack refused to listen to all those folks who told him to leave health reform for another day, another president.He didn’t care whether it was the easy thing to do politically that’s not how he was raised he cared that it was the right thing to do.He did it because he believes that here in America, our grandparents should be able to afford their medicine…our kids should be able to see a doctor when they’re sick…and no one in this country should ever go broke because of an accident or illness.And he believes that women are more than capable of making our own choices about our bodies and our health care…that’s what my husband stands for.When it comes to giving our kids the education they deserve, Barack knows that like me and like so many of you, he never could’ve attended college without financial aid.And believe it or not, when we were first married, our combined monthly student loan bills were actually higher than our mortgage.We were so young, so in love, and so in debt.That’s why Barack has fought so hard to increase student aid and keep interest rates down, because he wants every young person to fulfill their promise and be able to attend college without a mountain of debt.So in the end, for Barack, these issues aren’t political they’re personal.Because Barack knows what it means when a family struggles.He knows what it means to want something more for your kids and grandkids.Barack knows the American Dream because he’s lived it…and he wants everyone in this country to have that same opportunity, no matter who we are, or where we’re from, or what we look like, or who we love.And he believes that when you’ve worked hard, and done well, and walked through that doorway of opportunity…you do not slam it shut behind you…you reach back, and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.So when people ask me whether being in the White House has changed my husband, I can honestly say that when it comes to his character, and his convictions, and his heart, Barack Obama is still the same man I fell in love with all those years ago.He’s the same man who started his career by turning down high paying jobs and instead working in struggling neighborhoods where a steel plant had shut down, fighting to rebuild those communities and get folks back to work…because for Barack, success isn’t about how much money you make, it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.He’s the same man who, when our girls were first born, would anxiously check their cribs every few minutes to ensure they were still breathing, proudly showing them off to everyone we knew.That’s the man who sits down with me and our girls for dinner nearly every night, patiently answering their questions about issues in the news, and strategizing about middle school friendships.That’s the man I see in those quiet moments late at night, hunched over his desk, poring over the letters people have sent him.The letter from the father struggling to pay his bills…from the woman dying of cancer whose insurance company won’t cover her care…from the young person with so much promise but so few opportunities.I see the concern in his eyes…and I hear the determination in his voice as he tells me, “You won’t believe what these folks are going through, Michelle…it’s not right.We’ve got to keep working to fix this.We’ve got so much more to do.”

I see how those stories our collection of struggles and hopes and dreams I see how that’s what drives Barack Obama every single day.And I didn’t think it was possible, but today, I love my husband even more than I did four years ago…even more than I did 23 years ago, when we first met.I love that he’s never forgotten how he started.I love that we can trust Barack to do what he says he’s going to do, even when it’s hard especially when it’s hard.I love that for Barack, there is no such thing as “us” and “them” he doesn’t care whether you’re a Democrat, a Republican, or none of the above…he knows that we all love our country…and he’s always ready to listen to good ideas…he’s always looking for the very best in everyone he meets.And I love that even in the toughest moments, when we’re all sweating it when we’re worried that the bill won’t pass, and it seems like all is lost Barack never lets himself get distracted by the chatter and the noise.Just like his grandmother, he just keeps getting up and moving forward…with patience and wisdom, and courage and grace.And he reminds me that we are playing a long game here…and that change is hard, and change is slow, and it never happens all at once.But eventually we get there, we always do.We get there because of folks like my Dad…folks like Barack’s grandmother…men and women who said to themselves, “I may not have a chance to fulfill my dreams, but maybe my children will…maybe my grandchildren will.”

So many of us stand here tonight because of their sacrifice, and longing, and steadfast love…because time and again, they swallowed their fears and doubts and did what was hard.So today, when the challenges we face start to seem overwhelming or even impossible let us never forget that doing the impossible is the history of this nation…it’s who we are as Americans…it’s how this country was built.And if our parents and grandparents could toil and struggle for us…if they could raise beams of steel to the sky, send a man to the moon, and connect the world with the touch of a button…then surely we can keep on sacrificing and building for our own kids and grandkids.And if so many brave men and women could wear our country’s uniform and sacrifice their lives for our most fundamental rights…then surely we can do our part as citizens of this great democracy to exercise those rights…surely, we can get to the polls and make our voices heard on Election Day.If farmers and blacksmiths could win independence from an empire…if immigrants could leave behind everything they knew for a better life on our shores…if women could be dragged to jail for seeking the vote…if a generation could defeat a depression, and define greatness for all time…if a young preacher could lift us to the mountaintop with his righteous dream…and if proud Americans can be who they are and boldly stand at the altar with who they love…then surely, surely we can give everyone in this country a fair chance at that great American Dream.Because in the end, more than anything else, that is the story of this country the story of unwavering hope grounded in unyielding struggle.That is what has made my story, and Barack’s story, and so many other American stories possible.And I say all of this tonight not just as First Lady…and not just as a wife.You see, at the end of the day, my most important title is still “mom-in-chief.”