WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I WOULD LIKE INTRODUCE THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES. [CHEERS AND
APPLAUSE] (music) >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HOW DO YOU LIKE MY
NEW ENTRANCE MUSIC? [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] RUSH LIMBAUGH WARNED
YOU ABOUT THIS. SECOND TERM, MAYBE. [LAUGHTER] -- SECOND TERM,
BABY. [LAUGHTER] WE ARE CHANGING THINGS AROUND HERE A LITTLE
BIT. ACTUALLY MY ADVISORS WERE A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT THE NEW
ENTRANCE MUSIC. THEY ARE LITTLE BIT MORE TRADITIONAL. THEY
SUGGESTED I SHOULD START WITH SOME NOTES AT MY OWN EXPENSE JUST
TO TAKE MYSELF DOWN A PEG. I WAS LIKE, AFTER FOUR AND A HALF
YEARS, HOW MANY PEGS ARE THERE LEFT? [LAUGHTER] I WANT TO THANK
THE WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS. ED, YOU ARE DOING AN ASTOUNDING
JOB. [APPLAUSE] WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THE WORK YOU HAVE DONE. FOR
ALL OF THE DIGNITARIES WHO ARE HERE AND EVERYONE, THANK YOU FOR
THE OUTSTANDING SERVICE AND ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO  ARE IN
UNIFORM EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND OF COURSE, OUR EXTRAORDINARY
FIRST LADY, MICHELLE OBAMA. [APPLAUSE] EVERYBODY LOVES
MICHELLE. SHE IS ON THE COVER OF VOGUE. HIGH POLL NUMBERS.
DON'T WORRY. I GOT MY OWN MAGAZINE COVER. [LAUGHTER] I GET IT.
I LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND I HAVE TO ADMIT I'M NOT THE STRAPPING
YOUNG PERSON I USED TO BE. [LAUGHTER] [APPLAUSE] TIME PASSES.
YOU GET A LITTLE GRAY. AND YET, EVEN AFTER ALL THIS TIME, I
STILL MAKE ROOKIE MISTAKES. I'M IN CALIFORNIA AT A FUNDRAISER
AND HAVING A NICE TIME. I HAPPEN TO MENTION THAT A  WOMAN IS
THE BEST LOOKING ATTORNEY IN THE COUNTRY. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, I
GOT TROUBLE WHEN I GOT BACK HOME. [LAUGHTER] WHO KNEW ERIC
HOLDER WAS SO SENSITIVE? [LAUGHTER] THEN THERE IS THE EASTER
EGG ROLL. LOOKS LIKE A NICE, FUN EVENT WITH THE KIDS. I GO TO
THE BASKETBALL COURTS. I TOOK MONEY TO SHOTS -- 22 SHOTS. MADE
2. 2 HITS. 20 MINUTES. THE EXECUTIVES AT NBC ASKED, WHAT IS
YOUR SECRET? [LAUGHTER] SO, YES, MAYBE I HAVE LOST A STEP, BUT
SOME THINGS ARE BEYOND MY CONTROL. THIS WHOLE CONTROVERSY ABOUT
DAISY GOING TO CUBA -- JAY-Z GOING TO CUBA. [LAUGHTER] OF
COURSE, EVERYONE HAS GOT PLENTY OF VICE. -- ADVICE. ONE SAID I
COULD SOLVE ALL OF MY PROBLEMS IF I WAS JUST LIKE  MICHAEL
DOUGLAS IN THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT. MICHAEL, WHAT IS YOUR
SECRET? COULD IT BE THAT YOU WERE AN ACTOR IN AN AARON SORKIN
LIBERAL FANTASY? [LAUGHTER] MIGHT THAT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO IT?
I DO NOT KNOW. CHECK IN WITH ME. MAYBE IT IS SOMETHING ELSE.
ANYWAY, I RECOGNIZE THAT THIS JOB CAN TAKE A TOLL ON YOU. I
UNDERSTAND SECOND TERM YOU NEED A BURST OF NEW ENERGY. TRY SOME
NEW THINGS. WE ARE WILLING TO TRY ANYTHING. WE BORROWED ONE OF
MICHELE'S TIPS. [LAUGHTER] I THOUGHT THIS LOOKED PRETTY GOOD,
BUT NO BOUNDS -- BOUNCE. ANYWAY, I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO
CONAN O'BRIEN. [APPLAUSE] I WAS TALKING TO ED. I UNDERSTAND
WHEN THEY ARE CONSIDERING OWN AND O'BRIEN FOR THE GIG, THERE
WAS THE AGE-OLD DILEMMA TO OFFER IT TO HIM NOW  OR WAIT FIVE
YEARS UNTIL THEY GIVE IT TO JIMMY FALLON. [CROWD OOHS] THAT WAS
A LITTLE HARSH. I LOVE CONAN. OF COURSE, CNN HAS TAKEN SOME
KNOCKS LATELY. I ADMIRE THEIR COMMITMENT. MY FORMER ADVISERS
THAT HAVE SWITCHED OVER TO THE DARK SIDE, DAVE OLDID AXLE RIGHT
-- AXELRODE. THE HISTORY CHANNEL IS NOT HERE. I GUESS THEY ARE
EMBARRASSED ABOUT THE WHOLE OBAMA IS THE DOUBLE THING. -- DEVIL
THING. THAT NEVER KEPT FOX NEWS FROM SHOWING UP. THEY THOUGHT
THE COMPARISON WAS NOT FAIR TO SATAN. [LAUGHTER] THE MEDIA
LANDSCAPE IS CHANGING RAPIDLY. YOU CANNOT KEEP UP WITH THE. --
WITH IT. I REMEMBER WHEN BUZZ FEED WAS SOMETHING I DID AROUND 2
A.M. IT IS TRUE. [LAUGHTER] RECENTLY I FOUND A NEW FAVORITE
SOURCE FOR POLITICAL NEWS. THESE GUYS ARE GREAT. EVERYONE
SHOULD CHECK IT OUT. IT IS CALLED WHITEHOUSE.GOV. I CANNOT GET
ENOUGH OF IT. THE FACT IS, I REALLY DO RESPECT THE PRESS. I
RECOGNIZE THAT THE PRESS AND I HAVE DIFFERENT JOBS TO DO. MY
JOB IS TO BE PRESIDENT. YOUR JOB IS TO KEEP ME HUMBLE. FRANKLY
I THINK I'M DOING MY JOB BETTER. [LAUGHTER] PART OF THE PROBLEM
IS THAT EVERYONE IS SO CYNICAL. WE ARE CONSTANTLY FEEDING
CYNICISM AND CONSPIRACIES. REMEMBER A FEW MONTHS AGO PRIME
MINISTER SHOULDN'T PUT OUT A PHOTOGRAPH OF ME GOING -- SHOOTING
AT CAMP DAVID? A NUMBER OF PEOPLE INSISTED THIS HAS BEEN
PHOTOSHOP. TONIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO CONFESS -- YOU ARE RIGHT.
CAN WE SHOW THEM THE ACTUAL PHOTO? [LAUGHTER] WE WERE TRYING TO
TONE IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT. THAT WAS AN AWESOME DAY. [LAUGHTER]
THERE ARE OTHER NEW PLAYERS IN THE MEDIA LANDSCAPE AS WELL LIKE
SUPER PACS. DID YOU KNOW THAT SHELDON SPENT $100 MILLION OF HIS
OWN MONEY LAST YEAR ON NEGATIVE ADS? HE MUST REALLY DISLIKE ME.
TO SPEND THAT KIND OF MONEY. THAT IS OPRAH MONEY. YOU COULD BUY
AN ISLAND AND CALL IT NOBAMA FOR THAT KIND OF MONEY. SHELDON
WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF OFFERING ME WHEN HUNDRED MILLION
DOLLARS TO DROP OUT OF THE RACE. [LAUGHTER] [APPLAUSE] I
PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN IT, BUT I THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
[LAUGHTER] MICHELLE WOULD HAVE TAKEN IT. [LAUGHTER] YOU THINK
I'M JOKING. [LAUGHTER] I KNOW REPUBLICANS ARE STILL SORTING OUT
WHAT HAPPENED IN 2012. WHAT THEY ALL AGREE UPON IS REACHING
OUT. CALL ME SELF CENTERED, BUT I COULD THINK OF WHEN MINORITY
THEY COULD START WITH. [LAUGHTER] HELLO. [APPLAUSE] THINK OF ME
AS A TRIAL RUN. SEE HOW IT GOES. [LAUGHTER] IF THEY WON'T COME
TO ME, I WILL COME TO THEM FOR STOP -- COME TO THEM. I RECENTLY
HAD A DINNER WITH A NUMBER OF REPUBLICAN SENATORS. I WILL ADMIT
IT WAS NOT EASY. A PROPOSED -- I PROPOSED A TOAST. OF COURSE,
SOME FOLKS STILL DON'T THINK I SPEND ENOUGH TIME WITH CONGRESS.
WHY DON'T YOU GET A TREAT -- DRINK WITH MITCH MCCONNELL, THEY
ASKED? REALLY? WHY DON'T YOU GET A DRINK WITH MITCH MCCONNELL?
[LAUGHTER] I'M SORRY. I GET FRUSTRATED SOMETIMES. [LAUGHTER]
I'M NOT GIVING UP. IN FACT, I'M TAKING MY CHARM OFFENSIVE ON
THE ROAD. SECOND BARBECUE WITH TED CRUZ. KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS
CONCERT WITH RAND PAUL. AND A BOOK BURNING WITH MICHELE
BACHMANN. [MIX OF LAUGHS AND OOHS] MY CHARM OFFENSIVE HAS LET
ME LEARN SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IN CONGRESS.  IT
TURNS OUT ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. BUT THE POINT OF MY CHARM
OFFENSIVE IS SIMPLE. WE NEED TO MAKE PROGRESS ON SOME IMPORTANT
ISSUES. REPUBLICANS FELL IN LOVE WITH THE SEQUESTER AND NOW
THEY CANNOT STOP TALKING ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY HATE IT, LIKE WE
ARE TRAPPED IN A TAYLOR SWIFT ALBUM. [LAUGHTER] ONE SENATOR WHO
HAD REACHED ACROSS THE AISLE RECENTLY IS MARCO RUBIO. I DON'T
KNOW ABOUT 2016. HE HAS NOT FINISHED A SINGLE TERM IN THE
SENATE AND HE THINK HE IS READY TO BE PRESIDENT. KIDS THESE
DAYS. ON THURSDAY, I WENT TO THE OPENING OF THE BUSH
PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY IN DALLAS. WONDERFUL EVENT. THAT GOT ME
INSPIRED TO GET STARTED ON MY OWN LEGACY. IT WILL BEGIN BY
BUILDING ANOTHER EDIFICE RIGHT NEXT TO  THE BUSH LIBRARY. CAN
WE SHOW THAT? [LAUGHTER] I'M ALSO HARD AT WORK ON PLANS FOR THE
OBAMA LIBRARY. SOME HAVE SUGGESTED WE PUT IT IN MY BIRTHPLACE,
BUT I WOULD RATHER KEEP IT IN THE UNITED  STATES. [LAUGHTER]
[APPLAUSE] DID ANYONE NOT SEE THAT JOE COMING? -- JOKE COMING?
[LAUGHTER] ONLY GALLUP? DICK MORRIS? [LAUGHTER] SPEAKING OF
PRESIDENTS AND THEIR LEGACIES, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE A
WONDERFUL RUN, AND STEVEN SPIELBERG AND DANIEL DAY-LEWIS WHO
ARE HERE TONIGHT. WE HAD A SCREENING OF THEIR MOST RECENT FILM
"LINCOLN." EXTRAORDINARY FILM. I'M NERVOUS ABOUT STEPHEN'S NEXT
PROJECT. I SAW A BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK ON HBO. LET'S CHECK IT
OUT. ROLL THE TAPE. >> I WAS THRILLED THAT LINCOLN WAS A
SUCCESS. I WAS THINKING ABOUT WHAT TO DO NEXT. IN THE MIDDLE OF
THE NIGHT I WOKE UP AND IT HIT ME. OBAMA. WHY WAIT? PICKING THE
RIGHT ACTOR TO PLAY OBAMA, THAT WAS A CHALLENGE. WE NEVER GOT
HIS TRANSCRIPTS. THEY SAY HE IS KIND OF ALOOF. I NEED SOMEONE
TO BECOME BARACK OBAMA. IT TURNS OUT THE ANSWER WAS  RIGHT IN
FRONT OF ME ALL ALONG. DANIEL DAY-LEWIS. [LAUGHTER] HE NAILED
IT. >> IT TOOK A WHILE. HELLO, OHIO. I LOVE YOU BACK. LET ME BE
CLEAR ABOUT THAT. [LAUGHTER] >> ONCE WE HAD DANIEL TO PLAY
OBAMA, WE HAD TO GUESS THE REST OF THE TEAM. >> WORKING WITH A
LEGEND MIKE DANIEL IS INTIMIDATING. HE MAKES EVERYONE BETTER.
WITHOUT THEM, I NEVER COULD HAVE PLAYED JOE BIDEN. LITERALLY.
I AM JOE BIDEN. >> THE HARDEST PART, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HIS
MOTIVATIONS. WHAT MAKES THEM TICK? WHY DOESN'T HE GET MAD? IF I
WAS HIM, I GET MAD ALL THE TIME. BUT I AM NOT. I AM DANIEL
DAY-LEWIS. [LAUGHTER] [APPLAUSE] >> REMARKABLE TRANSFORMATION.
DO I REALLY SUMMIT THAT? -- SOUND LIKE THAT? RACHEL MARX ONCE
SAID -- GROUCHO MARX ONCE SAID, SENATOR CRUISE, THAT IS GROUCHO
MARX, NOT CARL. THE OTHER GUY. HE ONCE TOLD AN AUDIENCE, BEFORE
I SPEAK COME A I SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO SAY. ALONG THOSE SAME
LINES, I WANT TO CLOSE ON A MORE SERIOUS NOTE. THERE HAS BEEN
NO SHORTAGE OF NEWS TO COVER OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS. THE
SUSPENSE AND VERY HARD DAYS FOR MANY OF OUR CITIZENS. EVEN AS
WE GATHER HERE TONIGHT, OUR THOUGHTS ARE NOT FAR FROM THE
PEOPLE OF BOSTON AND THE PEOPLE OF WEST, TEXAS AND THE FAMILIES
IN THE MIDWEST COPING WITH SOME TERRIBLE FLOODS. WE HAVE HAD
SOME DIFFICULT DAYS. BUT EVEN WHEN THE DAYS SEEMED DARKEST, WE
HAVE SEEN HUMANITY SHINE AT ITS BRIGHTEST. WE HAVE SEEN FIRST
RESPONDERS AND NATIONAL GUARDSMEN WHO DASHED INTO DANGER.
LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHO LIVED THEIR OATH, TO SERVE AND
PROTECT. AND EVERYDAY AMERICANS OPENING THEIR HOMES AND THEIR
HEARTS TO PERFECT STRANGERS. WE ALSO SAW JOURNALIST THAT THEIR
BEST. ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT TOOK THEIR TIME TO WAIT UPSTREAM
THROUGH THE TORRENT OF DIGITAL RUMORS TO JUST FAMILY DIDN'T
VERIFY FACT -- VERIFY LEADS AND FACT. IF ANYONE WONDERS WHETHER
NEWSPAPERS ARE A THING OF THE PAST, ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS PICK
UP OR LOG ON TO PAPERS LIKE "THE BOSTON GLOBE YURIKO -- "THE
BOSTON GLOBE." [APPLAUSE] WHEN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND THE WIDER
WORLD NEEDED THEM MOST, THEY WERE THERE. MAKING SENSE OF THE
EVENTS THAT MIGHT, AT FIRST BLUSH, SEEM BEYOND OUR
COMPREHENSION. THAT IS WHAT GREAT JOURNALISM IS. THAT IS WHAT
GREAT JOURNALIST DO. THAT IS IP WILLIAMS NUDE NICKNAME AROUND
THE NBC NEWSROOM IS BIG HAPPY -- THAT IS WHY PETE WILLIAMS' NEW
NICKNAME AROUND THE NBC NEWSROOM IS BIG PAPI. I GOT A CHANCE TO
MEET MANY OF THE VOLUNTEERS AND POLICE OFFICERS WHO RACED TO
HELP WHEN HARDSHIP HIT. I WAS REMINDED, AS I ALWAYS AM WHEN I
MEET OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM, WHETHER THEY ARE ABROAD OR
HERE BACK HOME, OUR WALTER REED. THEY DON'T DO IT TO BE
HONORED. THEY DON'T DO IT TO BE CELEBRATED. THEY DO IT BECAUSE
THEY LOVE THEIR FAMILIES AND THEY LOVE THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND
THEY LOVE THEIR COUNTRY. THESE MEN AND WOMEN SHOULD  INSPIRE
ALL OF US IN THIS ROOM TO LIVE UP TO THOSE SAME STANDARDS. TO
BE WORTHY OF THEIR TRUST. TO DO OUR JOBS WITH THE SAME
FIDELITY AND THE SAME INTEGRITY AND THE SAME SENSE OF PURPOSE
AND THE SAME LOVE OF COUNTRY. IF WE ARE ONLY FOCUSED ON
PROFITS OR RATINGS OR POLLS, THEN WE ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE
CYNICISM THAT SO MANY PEOPLE FEEL RIGHT NOW. [APPLAUSE] AND SO
THOSE OF US IN THIS ROOM TONIGHT, WE ARE INCREDIBLY LUCKY. THE
FACT IS, WE CAN DO BETTER. ALL OF US. THOSE OF US IN PUBLIC
OFFICE, THOSE OF US IN THE PRESS, THOSE  WHO PRODUCE
ENTERTAINMENT FOR OUR KIDS, THOSE WITH POWER, THOSE WITH
INFLUENCE, ALL OF US, INCLUDING MYSELF, WE CAN STRIVE  TO VALUE
THOSE THINGS THAT I SUSPECT LED MOST OF US TO DO THE WORK THAT
WE DO IN THE FIRST PLACE. BECAUSE WE BELIEVED IN SOMETHING THAT
WAS TRUE. WE BELIEVED IN SERVICE. IN THE IDEA THAT WE CAN HAVE
A LASTING, POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE AROUND
US. THAT IS OUR OBLIGATION. THAT IS A TASK WE SHOULD GLADLY
EMBRACE ON BEHALF OF ALL OF THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE COUNTING ON
US. ON BEHALF OF THIS COUNTRY THAT HAS GIVEN US SO MUCH. THANK
YOU ALL FOR THE GREAT WORK YOU DO. GOD BLESS YOU ALL, MAY GOD
EARLIER,
BRIDGE
BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. [APPLAUSE] >> THANK
