look, a shutout is ok in baseball. it's not good when you're talking about jobs. we have zero confidence, zero faith in a president who created zero jobs. it's time for someone who knows how to create jobs and get our economy going, and that's something i know. that's in my wheelhouse and i'll get america working again. [cheers and applause] >> now, ann mentioned that i haven't spent my whole life in politics. as a matter of fact, of the people running for office, i don't know that there are many who have less years in politics than me. i spent four years as a governor. i joke that i didn't inhale. i'm still a citizen. i'm still a businessperson. a conservative businessperson. i started off my career in business, got my first job and began to work in an enterprise and ultimately became more successful there an started my own business. i had the experience of helping start small businesses and in some cases helping larger businesses that were in trouble. i learned from that experience, sometis successfully,

sometimes i wasn't successful. but through that process, i learned how the economy worked. and how you create jobs and how we lose jobs as a nation. and then i became fortunate enough to be asked to go out and run the olympic winter games in salt lake city. they were in trouble and wanted somebody who knew something about turnarounds to come out and run the games and i did. it was a fabulous experience. and then from there, when it time was over i was asked to come to massachusetts and run for govnor. things were tough in massachusetts, and i said i'm going to come back. you may know a bit about that state next door. we had -- [applause] >> somebody is here from massachusetts. the people in new hampshire are concerned about border security. i'm surprised they let you in. me, too. but when i came into massachusetts, we were losing jobs every month. we had about a $3 billion budget shortfall. and we went to work to turn things around. we added jobs. we were able to have three years where out of the four years i was in office where our

unemployment rate was below the national average. we balanced the budget every year. we put in place a $2 billion rainy day fund. so i know something about turnarounds and then i watch this president and see what he's done and he did just the opposite of what america needed. what he did was the one thing enterprise can't deal with, enterprises of all kind, big and small, can deal with bad news, what they can't deal with is uncertainty. and he pushed the heavy hand of government into the affairs of our people in such a way he created more and more uncertainty. so cap and trade would have made energy more expensive,nd businesses that use energy pulled back. and card check and stacking the national labor relations board with union stooges wita decision like the boeing decision in south carolina, a terrible decision. and that caused businesses to pull back. obamacare was perhaps the worst example, we've got to get rid of it. [applause] >> again, pushing the heavy

hand of government, crushing the rights of states and individuals. and so as a result, people in that sector pulled back. dodd frank, the financial regulatory bill, again, made it more difficult for enterprises to know their future and pled back. i don't know how the president was so misguided. i don't know why he made such bad choices. in some respects i think he took his cue from the social democrats in europe. europe isn't working there, it sure as heck isn't going to work here. the right course for america is not the european course. i believe in america. i believe w got it right and they got it wrong. [cheers and applause] >> i believe in our freoms, our political freedom. i believe in our economic and personal freedoms. i believe in free enterpris i believe in capitalism. the other day i was in kind of a meeting with some folks in the iowa state fair and wwere talking about taxes.

someone said, why don't you just raise taxes on corporations. and i said corporations are people. and the democrats said oh, he's in big troubleow, saying something like that. well, don't they understand that we work for corporations and our retirement i based on e success of corporations, and corporations have employees that are people and they have customers that a people and shareholders that are people? we want employees to have a brighter future so we want business in corporations and enterprise to grow and thrive in this country. i believe in free enterprise. [applause] >> i believe in our constitution. all the amendments. most governors love the 10th amendment in particular. you know which one that is? those powers not specifically granted to the federal government are reserved by the states and the people. that allows states to compete with each other, to try different ideas. i learned what that was like, by the way, when i was a new governor. i got the governor of california came to

massachusetts, arnold schwarzenegger. he was poaching jobs from massachusetts, a fellow republican. and he had a big billboard in town with him in a t-shirt saying come to california. so what was i supposed to do? i put a billboard in his state with me in a t-shirt and it said smaller muscles but much lower taxes, come to massachusetts. states compete. >> i love this great land, i know that we face extraordinary challenges. i believe career politicians got us into this mess and they can't get us out of this mess. it takes someone who understands how the private economy works because he has worked in the private economy. and i have. i am a private business guy. [applause] i want to mention one more ing. you know the challges that we have.

funded liabilities. abruptly, some say $62 trillion. others say $150 trillion. the usa today calculated out to be $532,000 for american household of the unfunded liabilities. that is the legacy that we leave the next generation. around the world, we have the folks who want to kill us. iran becomes unclear. china becomes a great power. we face extraordinary challenges. i salute you for being here on an evening like this because you care about the direction of our country. i learned something about the patriotism of america's people. i was at the last year of my term as governor. the airport authority said there is the body of a u.s. serviceman coming home.

and they had been unable to notify the family at the time to receive the body and they wonder if i cld come and received a body. i said, of course. we drove to the airport, the state troopers drove me out. the people got off the jet, and the luggage came off of the conveyor. finally, the casket came off of the conveyor and the troopers alluded. i put my hand over my heart and i looked up at the terminal. there is a big glass wall there. it seems that people getting off the plane had seen all of the troopers there. and they were pressed up against the glass to see what was going on. people walking down the hallway came in behind them. and they were all looking there. every single person i saw have theihand on their hearts.

and i could not see to know if there were tears there, but i could see the appreciation and the sorrow and the sympay and the affection. we are a patriotic people, we are the most patriotic people in the world. i am convinced that given the patriotism of the american people, we can overcome these challenges if we draw on the patriotism. if we have leaders that will tell us the truth and will live with integrity and will know w to leave. i intend to be one of those leaders with your help. thank you so much. great to be with you today. [applause] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011] ♪

♪ nightmaresocialist must come to an end going all-outre in 2012. >> how are you? thank you. how are you?

♪ >> thank you so much for being here. thank you. thanks for being here today. >> i am going to vote for you. 2012 ♪ >> president obama was in detroit for labor day. the 45-minute event began with the fans from -- remarks from richard trumka and held this release. -- and labor secretary hilda solis.

>> ladies and gentlemen, please >> ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the president of the afl-cio, richard trumka, and the honorable labor secretary, hilda solis. [cheers and applause] >> good afternoon, brothers and sisters, and happy labor day to you. let me ask, is there anyone out there that works for a living? [cheers and applause] >> you see, labor day is the one time of year when we stop to recognize work, work and the people who do it. now, think about it, think about what work means to our lives and to our country. think about how work connects all of us and then say thank

you to everyone who works. say thank you to the bus driver who gets us to our jobs, thank you to the teachers who educate and encourage our children. [cheers and applause] >> thank you to the truck drivers who bring us our food. thank you to the nurses and doctors who look out for our health. thank you to the construction workers who build our cities. thank you to the autoworkers who made the cars and trucks that brought us here today. [cheers and applause] >> and thank you to these civil servants and secret service agents keeping our president safe today. [cheers and applause] >> so take a moment right now and turn to your brother or your sister next to you and say thank you. thank you for what you do.

you see, this is also a time to think about the millions of men and women who want to work but have been unable to find work for weeks or months or even years. we all know someone who's out of work. think about the sacrifices and the scarring of those families, and then think about this, think about the outrage of c.e.o.'s getting paid millions, millions more than their companies pay in federal taxes and still refusing to create jobs. brothers and sisters, if that makes you mad, let's make a pledge right here, right now, to all of those sisters and brothers out of work, let's pledge to do everything we can to insist our elected leaders and our companies create jobs and put america back to work!

will you make that pledge? [cheers and applause] >> today we're going to hear from our president, barack obama. [cheers and applause] >> he's the man who worked with the autoworkers and the company to save america's auto industry. see, that's the kind of bold politically courageous action that we need right now from every elected official at every level because america wants to work. and if we pledge and follow through and stand together, we can lift up detroit, we can lift up working families, we can lift up america. and i want you to know, we will not let michigan become a right -to-work-for-less state. we will defeat financial

martial law for fighting together, standing together and winning together. i'm proud to stand with my brothers and sisters from detroit any time, any place. god bless you and happy labor day. and now i'm very pleased and honored to introduce a woman who stands with working people every single day, a real warrior for working men and women whose -- who's lifted up the department of labor so that it works for working families again and again and again and again. please welcome our warrior, our friend, the secretary of labor, hilda solis. >> thank you, thank you, thank you. all right.

>> all right. how's everybody? is labor in the house? labor in the house? happy labor day, detroit. [cheers and applause] >> it's great to be back in the motor city and especially with my good friend, president rich trumpka and all of our union leaders and my former congressional colleagues that are also here. give them all a round of applause, please. [applause] >> and of course it's so exciting to be here with you in detroit. the auto industry, as you know, is roaring back. and president obama is in the house! >> here, here. >> are you fired up? fired up? [cheers and applause] >> fired up? [cheers and applause] >> ready to go? [cheers and applause] >> i know i am. the president could have chosen any city in america to spend

labor day, but he wanted to be here with you all. [cheers and applause] >> a city, a beautiful city that gave birth to america's middle class. a city that is full of talent, a city that never gives up. and has, as we say in my language -- [speaking a foreign language] >> that's the power to say yes we can. yes we can. detroit, you're proof that when america innovates and when america builds, guess what, america wins. >> here, here. >> is the u.a.w. here? [cheers and applause] >> i can't hear you. [cheers and applause] >> america owes you and the entire labor movement so much. you not only give us the

world's greatest cars, you stood up, but you also sat down, for good jobs for everyone, and you built the social safety net we're fighting so hard to keep intact right now. you set a lifetime of hard work ought to mean something, that working people deserve the opportunity to provide for themselves and for their families. today on labor day, our struggles continue. we know these are tough times, hard economic times for so many of our families, but that's no excuse for what's happening in other states across this country. like wisconsin and ohio. and right here in michigan. some politicians say they can't afford unions right now, that labor unions are the problem in this country. [crowd booing]

>> i think they just got it plain wrong. >> here, here. >> unions help build america's middle class. they are now and always will be a part of the solution and not the problem. my parents taught me that as a youngster and i'm a proud daughter of the teamsters and a mother who was a steelworker. i know what it means to be union proud. it's the voice at the table to negotiate good wages, health benefits, and safe working conditions. and a chance to step into the middle class. it's about working hard. it's about taking care of each other. and it's fighting for what we know is right. it's like aretha franklin said, it's about getting some

r-e-s-p-e-c-t, respect. that's why president obama and i continue to speak out against governors who want to take our country backwards, by attacking workers' rights. this is no time to be attacking collective bargaining for public sector, workers like firefighters, police officers, and our teachers in all the public servants who do so much for us. this is no time to be undermining project labor agreements that improve efficiency and costs. working people, you know, just want to get back to work. no divisive right-to-work laws. we know that's the wrong way to go. our communities still need a voice at work, and especially at the ballot box. and we will not let others suppress our votes. right? >> right!

>> i know there's a lot of autoworkers back to work now in the great motor city, and i saw this firsthand, myself and others who met many at the chevy plant, at the ford plant, and at all the big three, and i know we all want to thank our good friend and our president barack obama. [cheers and applause] >> for his bold action to save the automobile industry, to save -- to say that we are making things in america once again, to save and create good manufacturing jobs for everyone . that's what this administration is fighting for every single day. and i'm proud to be a part of it. i know times are still tough here for too many workers here in michigan and across this country. that's why we need congress, to work with us to take common sense action, to create good

jobs for everyone. president obama is going to take his case straight up to capitol hill this week, so i hope you all will be listening, and it won't be an easy thing to do. we know some will fight us and they'll say no, it seems they say no to just about everything. so we will say we can't afford -- some will say, as you know, we can't afford to invest in our work force, that we can't afford to rebuild our roads and our schools and that we can't afford to continue the social safety net we fought so hard for. here's what we will say back, we cannot afford not to rebuild this great country. >> hear, hear. >> we can't afford to turn our backs on working families who make america so great. so on this labor day, for all working people, the millions

looking for work and their children and grandchildren who depend on them, this is what i say, let's not lose heart. let's stand with our president in this tough fight ahead. he's got your back. do you have his? [cheers and applause] >> and are you ready? [cheers and applause] >> and are you fired up? [cheers and applause] >> because i'm fired up and i'm ready to go. and we need you all to be ready and fired up to go. and let's remember -- let's remember the sacrifices of those who came before us as we honor all american workers in this great city and in this great country around this world as well. thank you, detroit. thank you for welcoming us. happy labor day to all of you. god bless you, the americans who make this country so great. god bless the middle class americans. and god bless these united

states. thank you. [cheers and applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, to introduce the president of the united states, please welcome u.a.w. member ghana goodwin dye. ♪ >> good afternoon! [cheers and applause] >> my name is ghana goodwin dye, and i'm a proud member of u.a.w. local 909! i thank the u.a.w. for the great honor of allowing me to introduce our president, barack obama. president obama was elected during the height of the worst

economic crisis since the great depression. leaving the auto industry in dire straits. my plant and many other plants were shut down for more than a month. we did not know if our company was going to survive, but we did it. we came through 100%. we proved them wrong. we proved the media wrong. we proved those naysayers wrong. and we are here to survive. [cheers and applause] >> we have more than one million workers that did not lose their jobs, and they are still working today. g.m. has repaid their loans to the taxpayers. g.m., ford, and chrysler are all investing in our plants and in our communities. they're adding tens and

thousands of good paying middle class jobs across the united states. thank you, president barack obama , for having the courage to stand up against those who wanted to liquidate our companies. thank you, president obama, for having the courage to stand up for the american worker. and the american auto companies! thank you to the michigan delegation for supporting our president on his job creation policy to bring more work into the united states! [cheers and applause] >> now it's time for us as labor and our communities to stand with our president as he stood for us. we must stand with the president in the fight for good jobs for all of our communities. if it wasn't for this great president, we would not be standing here strong and

fighting the good fight for all working families. the american auto industry is back thanks to our president barack obama. we need you, president, to continue to fight for american workers. mr. president, welcome to detroit! [cheers and applause] >> and it is now my honor to introduce our great president, barack obama! [cheers and applause] ♪

♪ >> thank you, detroit! thank you, michigan! [cheers and applause] >> oh, this is -- thank you. [crowd chanting] >> thank you. thank you, everybody. it is good to be -- thank you, everybody.

[crowd chanting] >> thank you. [crowd chanting "four more years"] >> thank you. thank you, everybody. i can tell ghana got you fired up. [cheers and applause] >> thank you, ghana, for that introduction. thank you all for having me. it is good to be back in detroit. i'm glad i was able to bring a friend, a proud daughter of the teamsters, your secretary of labor, hilda solis in the house. we're thrilled to be joined by

so many other friends. i want to acknowledge, first of all, two of the finest senators in the country, karl levin and debbie stabenow in the house. [cheers and applause] >> outstanding members of the congressional delegation, john dingell, john conyers, samuel levin, gary peters, and hanson clark. the president of the metropolitan detroit central labor council, our host sandra williams. afl-cio president rich trumpka. the president of the michigan afl-cio, mark gaffe knee -- mark gaffney. and some proud sons and daughters of michigan representing working people here and across the country, c

sciu president henry, teamster president jimmy hoffa, u.a.w. president bob king. utility workers president mike langford. we're proud of them and we're proud of your congressional delegation who are working every single day with your state and local elected officials. to create jobs and economic growth and prosperity here in michigan and all across the country. i am honored, we are honored to spend this day with you and your families. >> thank you! >> the working men -- >> thank you! >> and women of america. this day belongs to you. you deserve a little r&r. a little barbecue. because you've been working hard.

you've been working hard to make ends meet. you've been working hard to build a better life for your kids. you've been working hard to build a better detroit. but that's not all i'm going to talk to you about. i also want to talk about the work you've been doing for decades. work to make sure the folks get an honest day's pay for an honest day's work. work to make sure families get a fair shake. the work you've done that helps build the greatest middle class that the world has ever known. i'm talking about the work that got us a 40 hour workweek and weekends and paid leave and pensions and minimum wage and health insurance and social security and medicare, the

cornerstone of middle class security. that's because of your work. [applause] >> if you want to know who helped lay these cornerstones of an american middle class, you just have to look for the union labor. [cheers and applause] >> that's the bedrock of this country is built on, hard work, responsibility, sacrifice, looking out for one another, giving everybody a shot, everybody a chance to share in america's prosperity, from the factory floor to the boardroom. that's what unions are all about. and that's something that's worth keeping in mind today. we've come through a difficult decade. in which those values were all too often given short schrimf.

where wealth was valued over work and greed valued over responsibility and the decks were too often stacked against ordinary folks in favor of the special interests. >> that's right! >> and everywhere i went while i was running for this office, i met folks who felt their economic security slipping away. men and women who were fighting harder and harder just to stay afloat. and that was even before the economic crisis hit. and that just made things even harder. so these are tough times for working americans. and they're even tougher for americans who are looking for work. and a lot of them have been looking for work for a long time. a lot of folks have been looking for work for a long time here in detroit and all across michigan and all across the midwest and all across the country. so we got a lot more work to do to recover fully from this

recession. but i'm not satisfied just to get back to where we were before the recession, we've got to fully restore the middle class in america. [cheers and applause] >> and america cannot have a strong growing economy without a strong growing middle class and without a strong labor movement. that's the central challenge we face in our country today. that's at the core of why i ran for president. that's what i've been fighting for since i've been president. eefing we've done has been thinking about you. we thought working folks deserved a break. so within one month of me taking office, we signed into law the biggest middle class tax cut in history, putting more money into your pockets.

we said working folks shouldn't be taken advantage of so we passed tough financial reforms that ended the day of taxpayer bailouts and stopped credit card companies of gouging you with hidden fees and unfair rate hikes and set up a new consumer protection agency with one responsibility, sticking up for you. we said that if you're going to work hard all day to provide a better life for your kids, then we're going to make sure that those kids get the best education possible, so we helped keep teachers on the job. we're reforming our public schools and investing in community colleges and job training programs, and we ended wasteful give aways that went to the big banks and used the savings to make college more affordable for millions of your kids. we said that every family in america should have affordable,

accessible health care. we said you shouldn't be discriminated against because you've got a pre-existing condition. we said young adults without insurance should be able to stay on their parents' plan. we got that done for you. and here's what else we said, detroit. we said that american autoworkers could once again build the best cars in the world. so we stood by the auto industry, and we made some tough quhoices that were necessary to make it succeed and now the big three are turning a profit and hiring new workers and building the west cars in the world right here in detroit, right here in the midwest, right here in the united states of america. i know it. i've seen it. kearse cheers [cheers and applause] >> i've been to g.m.'s plant.

i've been to chrysler's jefferson north plant. i've seen detroit prove the cynics and naysayers wrong. we didn't just stop there. we said american workers can manufacture the best products in the world so we invested in high-tech manufacturing and we invested in clean energy. and right now there's an advanced battery industry taking root here in michigan that barely existed before. half of the workers at one plant in detroit were unemployed before a new battery company came to town. and we're growing our exports so that more of the world buys products that are stamped with three simple words, "made in america." [cheers and applause] that's what we're fighting for, michigan. >> that's right! >> we're fighting for good jobs with good wages.

we're fighting for health care when you get sick. we're fighting for a secure retirement even if you're not rich. >> that's right. >> we're fighting for the chance to give our kids a better life than we had. that's what we're doing to restore middle class security. and rebuild this economy the american way, based on balance and fairness and the same set of rules for everybody, from wall street to main street. an economy where hard work pays off and gaming the system doesn't pay off, and everybody has a shot at the american dream. that's what we're fighting for. [cheers and applause] >> on thursday we're going to lay out a new way forward on jobs to grow the economy and put more americans back to work right now. i don't want to give everything

away right here because i want you all to tune in on thursday. but i'll give you just a little bit. we've got roads and bridges across this country that need rebuilding. we've got private companies with the equipment and manpower to do the building. we've got more than one million unemployed construction workers ready to get dirty right now. there is work to be done and there are workers ready to do it. labor is onboard, business is onboard. we just need congress to get onboard. let's put america back to work. [cheers and applause] >> last year we worked together. republicans and democrats. to pass a payroll tax cut. and because of that, this year

the average family has an extra $1,000 in their pocket because of it. >> thank you! >> but that's going to expire in a few months if we don't come together to extend it. and i think putting money back in the pockets of working families is the best way to get demand rising because that then means business is hiring and that means the government -- that means that the economy is growing. so i'm going to propose ways to put america back to work that both parties can agree to. because i still believe both parties can work together to solve our problems. and given the urgency of this moment, given the hardship that many people are facing, folk, we ought to get together. but we're not going to wait for them.

we're going to see if we've got some straight shooters in congress. we're going to see if congressional republicans will put country before party. we'll give them a plan and then we'll say do you want to create jobs, then put our construction workers back to work rebuilding america. do you want to help our companies succeed? open up new markets for them to sell their products. you say you're the party of tax cuts, well, then, prove you'll fight just as hard for tax cuts for middle class families as you do for oil companies and the most affluent americans. show us what you've got. [applause] >> the time for washington games is over. the time for action is now. no more manufactured crisis, no more games. now is not the time for the

people you sent to washington to worry about their jobs. now's the time for them to worry about your jobs. [cheers and applause] >> now, let me say a word about labor in particular. you know, i know this is not going to be an easy time. i know it's not easy when there are some folks who have their sights trained on you. after all that unions have done to build and protect the middle class, you've got people trying to claim that you're responsible for the problems middle class folks are facing. [crowd booing] >> you've got some republicans saying you're the ones exploiting working families. imagine that? now, the fact is our economy is stronger when workers are getting paid good wages and

good benefits. our economy is stronger when we've got broad-based growth and broad-based prosperity. that's what unions have always been about, shared prosperity. i was on the plane and -- flying over here and karl levin was with me and he showed me a speech that harry truman had given on labor day 63 years ago right here in detroit. 63 years ago. and it just goes to show things haven't changed much. he talked about how, you know, americans had voted in some folks into congress who weren't very friendly to labor. and he pointed out that some working folks and even some union members voted these folks in and now they were learning their lesson.

, and he pointed out, and i'm quoting here, the games of labor were not accomplished at the expense of the rest of the nation. labor's gains contributed to the nation's general prosperity. what was true back in 1948 is true in 2011. when working families are doing well, when they're getting a decent wage and they're getting decent benefits. that means they're good customers for business. that means they can buy the cars that you build. that means that you can buy the food from the farmers. that means you can buy from silicon valley. you are creating prosperity when you share in prosperity. so when i hear some of these folks trying to take collective bargaining rights away, trying

to pass so-called right-to-work laws for private sector workers that really mean the right to work for less and less and less . when i hear some of this talk, i know this is not about economics. this is about politics. and i want everybody here to know as long as i'm in the white house, i'm going to stand up for collective bargaining. [cheers and applause] [crowd chanting "four more years"] >> that's why we reverse harmful decisions that were designed to undermine those rights. that's why we passed the fair pay act to stop pay discrimination. that's why we appointed people who are actually fulfilling their responsibilities to make

sure that the offices and factories and mine workers that clock in each day, that they're actually safe on the job. and we're going to keep at it because having a voice on the job and a chance to organize and a chance to negotiate for a fair day's pay after a hard day's work, that is the right of every man and woman in america. not just the c.e.o. in the corner office but also the janitor who cleans that office after the c.e.o. goes home. everybody's got the same rights. [cheers and applause]. >> and thesis true for public employees -- and that's true for public employees as well. look, the recession had a terrible effect on state and local budgets. we all understand that. unions have recognized that. they've already made tough concessions. in the private sector, we live in a more competitive global economy, so unions like the

u.a.w., understand that workers have to work with management to revamp business models, to innovate so we can sell our products around the world. we understand that the world is changing. unions understand that the world is changing. unions understand they need to help drive the change, whether it's on the factory floor or in the classroom or in the government office. but what unions also know is that the values at the core of the union movement, those don't change. those are the values that have made this country great. that's what the folks trying to undermine your rights don't understand. when union workers agree to pay freezes and pay cuts, they're not doing it just to keep their jobs, they're doing it so that their fellow workers, their fellow americans can keep their jobs. [cheers and applause] when teachers agree to reforms on how schools are run at the same

time they're digging in their pockets to buy school supplies for those kids, they do so because they believe every child can learn. they do it because they know something that those who seek to divide us don't understand. we are all in this together. that's why those crowds came out to support you in madison and columbus. we are one nation. we are one people. we will rise and we will fall together. anyone who doesn't believe it should come here to detroit. it's like the commercial says, this is a city that's been to heck and back. and while there are a lot of challenges here, i see a city that's coming back. [cheers and applause] you ask

>> you ask somebody here if times are tough, they'll say yeah, it's tough, but we're tougher. look what we're doing to overcome. look what we're doing to rebuild and reinvent and redefine what it means to live in this great city. look at our parents who catch the first bus to work and our students who stay up late to earn a degree. look at our workers on the line at hamtramic and jefferson north who are building the best cars in the world. look at the artists who are revamping our city and our young people thinking up new ways to make a difference we never dreamed of. look how we look out for one another. that's why we chose detroit as one of the cities we're helping to revitalize in our strong cities, commong communities initiative. -- strong communicate -- strong communities initiative. we're teaming up with mayors, officials, rebuilding your communities the best way which is a way that involves you.

because despite all that's changed here and all the work that lies ahead, this is still a city where men clock into factories, this is the city that built the greatest middle class the world has ever known. this is the city where women roll up their sleeves and help build an arsenal to democracy to free the world. this is the city where great american industry has come back to life and the industries of tomorrow are taking root. this is a city where people brave and bold, courageous and clever are dreaming up ways to prove the skeptics wrong and write the next proud chapter in our history. that's why i wanted to be here with you today. because for every cynic and every naysayer running around talking about how our best days are behind us, for everybody who keeps going around saying no we can't, for everybody -- [crowd chanting yes, we can]

>> for everybody who can always find a reason why we can't rebuild america, i meet americans every day who in the face of impossible odds, they've got a different belief. they believe we can. you believe we can. yes, times are tough, but we've been through tough times before. i don't know about you, but i'm not scared of tough times. i'm not scared of tough times because i know we're going to be all marching together and walking together and working together and rebuilding together, and i know we don't quit. i know we don't give up our dreams and settle for something less. we roll up our sleeves and we remember a fundamental truth of our history. we are strong when we are united. we're firing on all cylinders. the union movement is going to be at the center of it.

and if all of you are committed to making sure that the person standing next to you and their kids and their grandkids, and everybody in this city and everybody in this country can unleash his or her potential, if you work hard and play by the rules, you will get a fair shake and get a fair shot. that's the country i want for my kids. that's the country you want for your kids. that's a country we're going to build together. thank you very much, detroit. god bless you. god bless the united states of america. [cheers and applause] ♪ >> ♪ so keep it up

switch my desire and i'll be at your side forevermore you know your love keep on lifting higher higher and higher i said your love keep on lifting higher and higher now once i was downhearted disappointed but i called a friend but you came and it soon departed and you know he never showed his face again that's why your love keeps on lifting me higher higher and higher i said your love keep on

lifting me higher and higher all right ♪ ♪ >> ♪ i'm so glad i finally found you yes i am in a million girls and i wrap my loving arms around you i can face the world i'm telling you your love keeps on lifting me higher higher and higher and i said your love

keeps on lifting me higher and higher ♪ ♪ keep my love going higher and higher i said keep on lifting keep on higher and higher ♪ ♪ >> ♪ i know a place ain't nobody crying ain't nobody worried ain't no smiling faces

help me come on come on i'll take you there ♪ >> ♪ help me all ♪ >> ♪ i'll take you there ♪ >> ♪ help me now ♪ >> ♪ i'll take you there i'll take you there ♪ >> ♪ come on >> ♪ i'll take you there ♪ >> ♪ let me take you there let me take you there ♪ take your hand all right ♪

come on now stay on it get it now yeah ♪ >> ♪ come on baby all right ♪ >> a couple of live events to tell you about today. janet napolitano will join with my rogers of michigan to speak at a forum hosted by the politico and the newseum.

the head of the transportation security administration discusses the evolution of aviation security at the center for strategic and international studies this morning. you can see that at 10:00 a.m. eastern on c-span2. coming up and a few moments, your calls on "washington journal." rudy julianna and talks about -- mitt romney announces his jobs plan this afternoon. live coverage of that starts at 3:30 p.m. eastern. coming up in 45 minutes, we will get to the congressional agenda with fred barbash and. daniel friedman scott keeter from the research -- pew