Barack Obama actually said...

"Let's honor the sacrifices our ancestors made so that we might be here today."

"This is also a time to be grateful for our friendships, both with each other and between our nations."

"Let's extend a hand to those who are in need and allow the value of tikkun olam to guide our work this holiday season."

"Efforts to tie a whole bunch of other issues to what is something that they should be doing anyway will be rejected by me."