Community | September 08, 2009 | Comment on this video (75)

Obama Speaks to School Children

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President Barack Obama told students across America in a televised back-to school speech Tuesday that it takes hard work in school to prepare for a rewarding career.

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75 comments // Obama Speaks to School Children // Video

  • J_Jammer
    • 0
      J_Jammer [removed]  

    • "We don't want to own a car company."

      Then why did you help them out if you don't want to own a car company?

      "We are superheroes and we can save anyone. When they give us money they can have it all back. This was for the people. We saved the people."

      Saved who?

      "The citizens that need jobs."

      by giving them hard earned tax money of others?

      "Yes."

      What about the dilapidated schools? The drop out rate? I thought you said education is important.

      "Oh....well....I'll give a speech."

      I'm sure that's worth billions.

      "Every time I utter a single world people are in aw."

      That'll fix those schools.

      "It'll fix the student spirit and that's all that needs to be fixed in order to help them WANT to graduate."

      Hope and change will totally fix schools and give students the drive to finish even though the education they receive is next to nothing that they believe working to help the family is far better.

      "--"

      Don't worry. History will remember this.

    • 2 years ago
  • wayseeker
  • Natosha_Whitbread
    • 0
      Natosha_Whitbread  

    • the only reason parents were really concerned is because the Obama administration decided they weren't going to release his speech until after thier children had viewed it. that would concern me too. especially since it was even being shown to kindergarteners. obviously it wasn't anything to get upset about but it looked shadey when they told the parents they couldn't get a transcript until after the speech was given.

    • 2 years ago
  • JimboTheHippo
  • Wegg
    • 0
      Wegg  
    • JimboTheHippo:

      Well. . . yea. These are important issues. Dire times. We have debt we can't ever hope to repay, we have a Central Bank that is printing money like never before which is STEALING, we have two un-just wars STILL going on under the "Change" president. . .

      Things are real rough for Conservatives.

      Not so much for Neo-Cons. I don't get why they are upset. . . this President is much like the last in almost every issue. Accept maybe. . . the ability to speak. :-)

    • 2 years ago
  • lifestudentno83
    • 0
      lifestudentno83  

    • To Wegg:

      Every president before him gives a speech a speech to school children, however this is the only one in the past few decades that have sparked controversy. It seems that every person who hates the president will fight him on every little topic no matter what.

      At least pick your battles and make it seem like you hate him for valid reasons; trying to make him out to be a bad guy over a "Stay In School" speech makes you look like a senseless hater.

    • 2 years ago
  • wayseeker
  • Wegg
    • 0
      Wegg  
    • lifestudentno83:

      I don't hate anyone. I actually really like listening to Obama. He is by FAR a better statesman than either of the Bush presidents. I'd put him right up there with Clinton and Reagan for his ability to get his point across clearly without anyone having to cringe at strange colloquialisms, mispronunciations and pure ignorance.

      It is the IDEAS behind him and his administration that I don't like. The Federal Government is too big. Its got it's hands in too many things and the bigger it gets. . . the more ineffective and corruptible it has become. Lobbyist, unions, corporations, special interest groups are all running our country now. I wish you could all see that and understand that "real" conservatives. . . (The ones that don't march to the beat of Fox News) are scared, worried and doing their best to try and educate everyone else as to the principles this country were founded on. What made it so great.

    • 2 years ago
  • J_Jammer
  • lifestudentno83
    • 0
      lifestudentno83  
    • lifestudentno83:

      Wegg, the government was corrupt long before Obama was in office. The bigger or smaller it gets makes no difference on the level of corruption, since the banks and corporations are pulling the strings behind the economy and politics.

      The speech Obama made to school children was nothing more than status-quo for presidents past and present. The real problem is the puppet-master behind the president.

    • 2 years ago
  • J_Jammer
  • ellatalk
  • Wegg
  • wayseeker
    • 0
      wayseeker  
    • ellatalk:

      But the conservatives are so wrong because the President has everything to do with education. Listen to his speech. The more educated the population of a country is the more civil and advanced it is. It reflects the well being of the entire population and that is very much the President's concern.

    • 2 years ago
  • wayseeker
  • Wegg
    • 0
      Wegg  
    • ellatalk:

      wayseeker I believe you are perpetuating the issue by continuing to bring up race. Not cool.

      Does your banker have the responsibility to make speeches to you at your ATM machine to make sure you spend your money right? No! You would be very upset if he did. That is because he is providing a service to you. . . he isn't there to watch over you.

      It is the same here. The President is a public servant. Not a nanny.

      I read the speech last night and thought it was great. I would be proud to have my kids listen to it. But not by our President. He should be keeping our borders safe and ensuring fair trade and all the other things outlined in our constitution. Not giving speeches to kiddies.

    • 2 years ago
  • J_Jammer
  • wayseeker
    • 0
      wayseeker  
    • ellatalk:

      wegg - Where do you get that I always bring up race? That's simply not true. And I said "some of them", not everyone. I gave part of an answer to eallatalk's question. You and I are disagree on the roll of the President in regard to our country's youth. Again, my thinking is that the President has everything to do with education. The more educated the population of a country is the more civil and advanced it is. It reflects the well being of the entire population and that is very much the President's concern. The greatest resource for improving our condition lies with our children. Also it's part of his job to relate to all Americans including our children. Past Presidents including both Bushes have spoken to our children to encourage them to excel. I don't know how anyone can find something wrong with that?

    • 2 years ago
  • Wegg
    • 0
      Wegg  
    • ellatalk:

      Race was brought up in several posts before yours therefore you "continued" to bring it up. Not upset or anything. Just. . . hoping you understand that it is not as big an issue among true conservatives as "Liberals" make it out to be.

      Everyone should be concerned about education. The President included. If he were to look back at when we were the smartest country in the world. . . he would have realized that there was no Department of Education (till the 1950s) and the Presidents/Federal government left education up to each state allowing for innovation as bad ideas lose out to good ones. Instead. . . he makes an unprecedented speech that in a lot of people's minds will further entrench his roll as our "Super Nanny."

      His speech was awesome. . . what he is doing. . . not so great. :-(

    • 2 years ago
  • wayseeker
    • 0
      wayseeker  
    • ellatalk:

      Not meaning to pick but his speech wasn't unprecedented. These talks have been a common occurrence over the years. It is the Conservatives who have made a big deal out of it by acting as if it were something sinister. Seeing the President of the United States in person is something a lot of people would like to do. Later the kids can say "I met the President". Few people from any generation can say they've done that. Why can't people who don't agree with the President leave an innocent and special occasion alone? I think they are being trite.

    • 2 years ago
  • J_Jammer
  • J_Jammer
  • Lurkistan
    • 0
      Lurkistan  

    • Pretty much a flawless speech, again. Some wingnut with nothing to do will find something wrong with it no doubt, probably without even having watched the actual speech.

    • 2 years ago
  • danitassin
  • sk8bs55
  • Lurkistan
  • samthesixth
    • 0
      samthesixth  

    • It's not about his being a half black half white man. I don't think race has anything to do with whether someone supports or disagrees with the notion of his addressing the school children.

    • 2 years ago
  • Maeveeo
  • Lurkistan
    • 0
      Lurkistan  
    • Maeveeo:

      Its sad but I do think some people are just scared of a black man, but most of these same people were against Bill Clinton every step of the way too. For some reason some people are just deathly afraid of progress, I almost think that they enjoy the suffering of other people plain and simple.

    • 2 years ago
  • Maeveeo
    • 0
      Maeveeo  

    • Yesterday I said this would happen , And all i said was LET THE MAN DO HIS JOB BUT NO , Now we really see
      that some of you are NOT HAPPY WITH HIM ! I mean all he said was STAY IN SCHOOL something your mothers & even other Presidents have said like Bush , Kennedy,
      Reagan ,,,,,so why when ah BLACKMAN says it to the kids there is something wrong with it ?????? HUH ?
      We all know that what it comes down to don't we
      RACE , now White people can look at themselves in ah NEW LIGHT because Us BLACK people do Now ,
      I really hate writing this & never thought i n would say this but All the REPUBLICANS NEVER BACKED HIM ON ONE BILL NOT ONE i see why now ! RACE !
      YEAH I SAID IT NOW WHAT this is our future so now lets
      see if anybody will vote , The so call land of the free is the land of BULLSHIT & Nothing more ! DUMB FUCKS !

    • 2 years ago
  • stephenk29111
    • 0
      stephenk29111  
    • Maeveeo:

      Sorry bud the race card has no weight anymore, think of a new excuse. Regardless, its a two way street with racism these days, so don't bother trying to play that bullshit.

      If you're going to try to make a valid argument at least have something to say besides "its the white man trying to keep a brother down". Sorry, i don't disagree racism isn't an issue today because it is, but blacks,whites,latinos , asians all do it toward others. So before you call people dumb fucks, try to have some legit statement to make. People were critical of him making this speech because hes got to much on his plate as it is, and they didn't want him trying to dip into another issue to plug his healthcare reform.

      So i'll be awaiting your response, hopefully with someone that holds some water.

    • 2 years ago
  • diode
    • 0
      diode  

    • as an active antiobama person i gotta say that was the first time i've never agreed more with that mans speech writer. its nothing new, but it was well said. that man has a silver tongue

    • 2 years ago
  • Wegg
  • wayseeker
    • 0
      wayseeker  

    • In my high school civics class I was given the task of debating another student during the Kennedy vs Nixon campaigns of the 60s. I had to research John Kennedy and the Democratic platform in order to defend him during the debate. That educational experience provided me with an understanding of our political system that has remained with me through the years. Politics and the two party system is the basis for the workings of our Democracy. Being aware of our President and how he is fulfilling his roll as leader of our Nation is imperative to understanding the reality of our Democracy and these thoughtless fanatical parents who would deny their children this opportunity piss me off too.

    • 2 years ago
  • pandaman2105
    • 0
      pandaman2105  

    • i'm amazed at how much negative attention this has received fom those right-winged freaks

      all he wants to do is emphasize the issues we have facing our system of poor scores and dropouts. as a member of a minority, he understands the difficulties facing different types of youth.

      the conservatives are still basking in their perception of the "Nazi-socialist" healthcare reform. any little thing immediately at the same time, they're gonna connect it to their twisted theories.

      THE TRUTH IS: these republicans have their spoiled-ass, brainwashed children happily taught in their private schools and they have NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE KIDS OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN OR LATINO GENERATIONS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY!!!

      he has every progressive intention in mind for the future generation and they don't want their kids hearing anything from the black pres. they didn't want and they think it's a "socialist" waste of time for him to be doing it.

      it's really pisses me off!

    • 2 years ago
  • DeliaTheArtist
    • 0
      DeliaTheArtist  

    • @JohnA

      "I was passing notes to a cheerleader or out back sneaking a cigarette. But, as soon as you tell a kid he can't watch it, bam, now he wants to watch it."

      I have to agree. I bet most teenagers see this presidency just like any other; fucking boring. Granted Obama reinvigorated a lot of political interest, but most kids in high school don't give a rats ass- that is, until you give them a reason to rebel (as you pointed out.) All of a sudden this mundane, run of the mill "stay in school" lecture by a president becomes THE hot topic of the media and American minds!

    • 2 years ago
  • JohnA
    • 0
      JohnA  
    • DeliaTheArtist:

      Absolutely. The kid may have never given it a second thought, but now you tell him not to watch it, so he starts wondering what you don't want him to see. Granted you and I may be more rebelious than some, but it's human nature. Whenever my Dad told me not to go somewhere, even if I hadn't had a thought of going there before, now I want to see what's going on there because he put that thought in my head.

    • 2 years ago
  • stephenk29111
    • 0
      stephenk29111  
    • DeliaTheArtist:

      ;)

      I Think it was a well put together speech regardless. "don't let yourself down" That part should hit home with most kids, i know when i was in school i didn't always have someone to encourage me, or lift me up when i was having problems, or struggling. Kids need to be reminded that regardless of the pressures put on them from first grade on, that 1 test you might have failed your freshman year in high school won't determine your destiny.

    • 2 years ago
  • J_Jammer
  • DeliaTheArtist
  • J_Jammer
  • DeliaTheArtist
  • J_Jammer
  • DeliaTheArtist
  • J_Jammer
  • JohnA
    • 0
      JohnA  

    • Here is where the people against their kids watching this speech really fucked up. Think about when you were a kid. When I was in High School if Reagan did make a speech, I don't remember it, I was passing notes to a cheerleader or out back sneaking a cigarette. But, as soon as you tell a kid he can't watch it, bam, now he wants to watch it. Otherwise it was the most boring shit in the world, now it's, wow, my mother doesn't want me to see this, what is it. Major fuck-up on their part. Child psychology 101.

    • 2 years ago
  • acontradiction
  • keviar
  • Lurkistan
  • Wegg
  • chasingame
    • 0
      chasingame  

    • It is amazing that a parent would keep their child from hearing this speech. Even if they disagree with the message one would think that they would want their child exposed to politics, their government, and current events. What it amounts to is a sad fact that these GOP parents are using their children as tools to protest because a party that they dislike currently has the majority in Washington. Pretty pathetic but it is what it is.

    • 2 years ago
  • DougChristian
    • 0
      DougChristian  
    • chasingame:

      They don't dislike the message. The message is, ironically, the conservative philosophy on education: that's it's about personal responsibility, not the system.

      The truth is, they dislike the messenger so blindly and ferociously that they have forgotten their philosophy.

      God help us if these people regain the majority.

    • 2 years ago
  • chasingame
  • J_Jammer
    • 0
      J_Jammer [removed]  
    • chasingame:

      It will be people like you who are a fault when they do for not demanding Obama to be more clear on health care.

      Confuse the people and his numbers will continue to fall....confuse them longer and they won't accept it and then he will fail like Clintons failed.

    • 2 years ago
  • Sam_the_Wizer
    • 0
      Sam_the_Wizer  

    • The controversy of this speech gives it a historical significance it may not otherwise have had, as well as generating genuine interest for some students who will actually hear what is said instead of just listening.

    • 2 years ago
  • J_Jammer
  • Inofuilwell
    • 0
      Inofuilwell  

    • Amen, kennymotown!

      I call those sore loser Republican twerps "Townhall Shoutdown Creeps".

      And their "ideas" on health care? They have none! They had to STEAL the Ron Paul backers' "Tea Party Protests" to start getting media traction when they went to the town hall meetings. They have no imagination and they have no solutions - just shoutdowns.

    • 2 years ago
  • kennymotown
    • 0
      kennymotown  

    • You are quite right there Future_America, Reagan got all political in most of his speech to the children. But you would never get that out of any of the right wing cranks in the so called news or talk radio. It's about one thing and one thing only to these un-American assholes the republicans party has become. Destroy Obama at any cost even their childrens minds, imagine that just for second if you will keeping your children away from such a brilliant speech. The madness that the republican party is experiencing, is very understandable it's called "Stockholm Syndrome". When you have been taken hostage by a mindset for 30 years and of the last 8 tricked into a never ending war against, not a nation but an ideology and suddenly a leader arrises to try and pull a nation up and into a clearer future you get these same people who suffer from the syndrome saying to each other this just isn't right. I know some of you think this is funny but these people have had their minds literally taken away from them, they do what the hostage takers tell them to do. It's group think, at it's basic level. Arguing with them as you probably all have had the chance is futile until they get professional help or self help.

    • 2 years ago
  • hollyMiamiFla
  • Future_America
  • DougChristian
    • 0
      DougChristian  
    • Future_America:

      OMG that's painful. The best part was when they showed the kids falling asleep trying to listen. And what's with the "Negro Schools" comment at the end?

      No wonder the self-centered ignorant people who make up half this country consider him a hero. He was just as boring, stupid and racist as they are.

    • 2 years ago
  • J_Jammer
  • sushikillakid
    • 0
      sushikillakid  

    • OMG! are you kidding me?? This speech that got
      almost all Republicans go seethingly mad was this?
      This!?

      *face palm*

      okay excuse the President that is telling the
      kids of our nation that EDUCATION IS GOOD FOR YOU.

      Yeah republicans are RIGHT!, I see a Socialist(sarcasam)

      Give me a freakin' break >_< you wanna see REAL
      Socialism go to Cuba, and stay there for 1 month...

    • 2 years ago
  • zHellas
  • magnusdeus
  • Found_Avenue
  • TopScruffy
  • Varex_Sythe
  • hammywill
  • socaly4life
  • stephenk29111
    • 0
      stephenk29111  

    • So this is the speech republicans were giving so much grief to him for trying to make? Go figure, heaven forbid a Democratic president try to address students like the previous republican presidents did such as Bush for example. I think its wonderful he decided to address students, our education system is falling further an further behind in math and science. No harm in the president asking students to make their families proud.

      End of discussion.

    • 2 years ago
  • Wegg
    • 0
      Wegg  
    • stephenk29111:

      What he said was fine. I read the speech all the way through and thought it was very well said. The point is that the Federal Government should have nothing to do with education. They are putting layers of bureaucracy, rules and regulations into a "one size fits all" mandate that stifles innovation and has made our nation dumber. The Department of Education has failed us. Time to let each state find its own feet.

    • 2 years ago
  • DeliaTheArtist
  • Lurkistan
  • Wegg
    • 0
      Wegg  
    • stephenk29111:

      It was a very good speech. I'm just trying to clarify what "real" conservatives are upset about. (Not Neo-Cons) It has nothing to do with race, being sore losers, trying to attack Obama for every move he makes or anything like that. Thats petty and childish. Fox news stuff. Its the fact that he feels he has the right to broadcast his message to our nation's schools. He should not have that right.

      Education should not be under the jurisdiction or management of our Federal Government.

    • 2 years ago
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