Barack Obama actually said...

I salute President Rivlin for his efforts to combat extremism of any kind and to promote tolerance and understanding between communities.

All of us come together, along with Jews around the world, to celebrate a band of Maccabees who inspire us even today.

The strongmen of today will never extinguish the hope that persists around the world.

We betray our most noble past as well if we were to deny the possibility of movement, the possibility of progress.