by John McCormick
As he spends Thanksgiving in Chicago with dozens of friends and family at his Kenwood neighborhood home, President-elect Barack Obama's transition aides released a radio address he has recorded for broadcast on Saturday.
In the weekly Democratic Radio Address, Obama discusses the meaning of Thanksgiving and the challenges the nation faces.
"Times are tough," the president-elect says. "There are difficult months ahead. But we can renew our nation the same way that we have in the many years since Lincoln's first Thanksgiving: by coming together to overcome adversity; by reaching for - and working for - new horizons of opportunity for all Americans."
The full-text of Barack Obama's radio message is below.
Good morning.
Nearly 150 years ago, in one of the darkest years of our nation's history, President Abraham Lincoln set aside the last Thursday in November as a day of Thanksgiving. America was split by Civil War. But Lincoln said in his first Thanksgiving decree that difficult times made it even more appropriate for our blessings to be - and I quote - "gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people."
This week, the American people came together with families and friends to carry on this distinctly American tradition. We gave thanks for loved ones and for our lasting pride in our communities and our country. We took comfort in good memories while looking forward to the promise of change.
But this Thanksgiving also takes place at a time of great trial for our people.
Across the country, there were empty seats at the table, as brave Americans continue to serve in harm's way from the mountains of Afghanistan to the deserts of Iraq. We honor and give thanks for their sacrifice, and stand by the families who endure their absence with such dignity and resolve.
At home, we face an economic crisis of historic proportions. More and more Americans are worried about losing a job or making their mortgage payment. Workers are wondering if next month's paycheck will pay next month's bills. Retirees are watching their savings disappear, and students are struggling with the cost of tuition.
It's going to take bold and immediate action to confront this crisis. That's why I'm committed to forging a new beginning from the moment I take office as President of the United States. Earlier this week, I announced my economic team. This talented and dedicated group is already hard at work crafting an Economic Recovery Plan that will create or save 2.5 million new jobs, while making the investments we need to fuel long-term economic growth and stability.
But this Thanksgiving, we are reminded that the renewal of our economy won't come from policies and plans alone - it will take the hard work, innovation, service, and strength of the American people.
I have seen this strength firsthand over many months - in workers who are ready to power new industries, and farmers and scientists who can tap new sources of energy; in teachers who stay late after school, and parents who put in that extra hour reading to their kids; in young Americans enlisting in a time of war, seniors who volunteer their time, and service programs that bring hope to the hopeless.
It is a testament to our national character that so many Americans took time out this Thanksgiving to help feed the hungry and care for the needy. On Wednesday, I visited a food bank at Saint Columbanus Parish in Chicago. There - as in so many communities across America - folks pitched in time and resources to give a lift to their neighbors in need. It is this spirit that binds us together as one American family - the belief that we rise and fall as one people; that we want that American Dream not just for ourselves, but for each other.
That's the spirit we must summon as we make a new beginning for our nation. Times are tough. There are difficult months ahead. But we can renew our nation the same way that we have in the many years since Lincoln's first Thanksgiving: by coming together to overcome adversity; by reaching for - and working for - new horizons of opportunity for all Americans.
So this weekend - with one heart, and one voice, the American people can give thanks that a new and brighter day is yet to come.
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Comments
God Bless Always
Posted by: joe michael | November 27, 2008 11:37 AM
I believe that these are the darkest days in American history. When we allow millions of babies to be murdered in the name of choice! Call me what you want...but it is murder and the Lord will not bless a country that does not respect the sanctity of human life.
Posted by: JJJ | November 27, 2008 11:37 AM
I knew as I watched Senator Obama and now President-elect Barack Obama announce for the U.S. Presidency, that I was looking at the 44th President of the United States.
Posted by: Natalie Leath | November 27, 2008 11:53 AM
While I am glad Obama is stepping up his cabinet appointments, he is out of bounds releasing a Thanksgiving message. If it was meant to be released on Friday, why are his people putting it out now for? This is a tradition that is reserved for the President.
We only have one President at a time - he is not it - yet.
Posted by: Barry In Las Vegas | November 27, 2008 12:39 PM
With our focus on giving thanks
I wonder how some find the courage to do so....
Especially those individuals and families facing great loss-
How do they see light in darkness?
So many today are facing really hard times...
I am amazed they are able to give focus to Thanksgiving.
Yet in every situation where I am personally aware-of great loss-
The focus for thanks seemingly is on the filled places in each of their hearts-and not the empty places.
I am grateful to those strong people who have shown me how to look to those filled spaces-not the empty ones.
Bill Couzens, Founder Less Cancer
Posted by: Bill Couzens | November 27, 2008 1:02 PM
This message seems to refuse in giving thanks to one God America believes.
Posted by: Simplicia | November 27, 2008 1:39 PM
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The conventional wisdom is that Summers is the "centrist" choice--Fareed Zakaria ("I think Summers is an extraordinarily brilliant guy") and David Gergen ("Larry Summers would be superb at this job"), two titans of centrism, both weighed in Sunday on the Stephanopoulos show in favor of Summers. And yet so far the debate over Summers has been largely confined to two outrageous moments in his career: his 1991 World Bank memo calling Africa "UNDER-polluted," and his more recent declarations, while serving as president of Harvard, about women's genetic inferiority in math and science. By themselves, these two incidents might be dismissed as merely provocative in a maverick-moron sort of way, as many of Summers' supporters argue; but in the context of Summers's track record, in which he oversaw the destruction of entire economies and covered up cronyism and corruption, his Africa memo and sexist declarations aren't exceptions but rather part of a disturbing pattern.
From the start, Summers has been on the wrong side of Obama's supporters. In 1982, while still a graduate student at Harvard, Summers was brought to Washington by his dissertation advisor Martin Feldstein, the supply-side economist, to serve on Ronald Reagan's Council of Economic Advisors. Those first years in the Reagan administration were crucial in the right-wing war against New Deal regulation of the banking system and financial markets--a war that Reagan's team won, and that we're all paying for today. Although Summers eventually identified himself with the Democratic Party--albeit the right wing of that party--nevertheless, as the New York Times's Peter T. Kilborn wrote in 1988:
"He worked for 10 months as a top analyst in President Reagan's Council of Economic Advisers when his mentor, Martin S. Feldstein, was running it, and his colleagues don't recall him venting anti-Reagan heresies then....
...
In 2000, the Justice Department sought $102 million in damages from Schleifer, one of Schleifer's Harvard associates and Harvard University in a conflict-of-interest suit resulting from Schleifer's role as the lead US adviser to Russia's economic reforms--questioning the way Schleifer and his wife profited from his position. Schleifer's Harvard team in Moscow was funded by USAID in a no-bid contract, and supported by Summers as soon as he moved into the Treasury Department in 1993. So Schleifer benefited from his relationship with Summers twice: first, by getting a choice contract as the US government's man in Moscow in the 1990s when Summers was in power in the US government, one that benefited his wife's hedge fund (earlier this year, Portfolio suggested that the Schleifers' hedge funds made them billionaires ). Then after Schleifer returned to Harvard to face the lawsuit, Summers, now president of Harvard, presided over a controversial settlement that all but let his protégé off the hook. Thanks to pressure by Summers, Schleifer kept his chair at Harvard, where he continues to teach today.
Posted by: summers is a problem--open pdf "how Harvard lost Russia" | November 27, 2008 4:24 PM
I hope Obama does something for the homelessand the hungry instead of bailing out the auto industry. I hope he does not turn out like the status quo in Washington,DC after his first 18 months in office, otherwise we the people will not be voting for him again.
Posted by: valjean | November 27, 2008 5:18 PM
Anyone else in favor of dividing Cook County into 5 or 6 separate counties? Chicago and at least 4 separate counties?
Posted by: Jim | November 27, 2008 5:39 PM
God bless you, President-elect Obama. We stand ready to support your work!
Posted by: Douglas Scott | November 27, 2008 6:31 PM
Yes, Jim. How do we go about instituting your proposal?
Posted by: Johanna | November 27, 2008 9:01 PM
"Anyone else in favor of dividing Cook County into 5 or 6 separate counties? Chicago and at least 4 separate counties?"
Posted by: Jim | November 27, 2008 5:39 PM
.
Yes, I am. And way to stay on topic, Jim!
Posted by: MJ | November 27, 2008 10:14 PM
God Bless America and our nation's 44th President Barack Obama.
Our nation is only as strong as its citizens here at home and our troops away fighting for its honor and the freedom and liberties of America. Let us be a nation that upholds the civil liberties of all Americans and not discriminate based on personal religious beliefs whether those be against abortion or gay marriage. Let us be nation that upholds the Separation of Church & State in our laws as our Founding Fathers intended...God Bless All Americans.
Posted by: Brian | November 28, 2008 4:07 AM
He SAID (and I didn't believe him based on other things that proved it was just a "word" to him) he was a "Christian".
Thanksgiving and not with one word did he give thanks to GOD. He mentions thanks... but never acknowledged God.
This nation is going to hell.
Apostate.
Ungodly apostate who is the leader of a nation and not give thanks TO GOD on Thanksgiving.
I reject him as President.
He rejected God and gave God NO HONOR on Thanksgiving.
I reject him.
I will give him NO HONOR.
Posted by: laura | November 29, 2008 5:25 AM
Odd not to mention God at Thanksgiving. Wonder if he'll mention God at Christmas?
Posted by: Crystal | November 29, 2008 10:15 AM
I certainly hope someone on Obama's staff is going through these responses. There will be a tremendous learning curve for this young man as he becomes aware of what it takes to lead a predominantly judeo-christian nation. If I am correct that the vast majority of americans believe in Divine Creator; if, as president, Obama is obligated to serve ALL his constituents (and not be our ruler), then to both the suppositions we, the religious element of the nation he will swear to protect on January 20th, 2009, insist that President-elect Obama show by his words and actions that our views and beliefs be represented in his administration.
May God be ever in his thoughts for God is the ultimate protector of this ailing nation and He will only protect us so long as we acknowlege His hand in all things both temporal and spiritual.
Posted by: David R. | November 29, 2008 1:51 PM
America has one god?
Posted by: Haywood Jablome | November 30, 2008 4:20 PM
I believe that if he did mention God there might be some negative responses, so to sum it up he is never going to be able to satisfy everyone.
Posted by: LaRae | December 1, 2008 11:58 AM
Ummmm when did Thanksiving become a Christian holiday???!!!
Posted by: sexyma078 | December 1, 2008 1:25 PM
Actually, I'm just trying to see if the author, John McCormick, is the same fellow who was at the Defense Information School in the mid eighties... If so, mail me dude!
Posted by: chuck bogardus | December 3, 2008 3:54 AM