Barack Obama

I can report that over the past year, this work has begun.

We cannot go back to business as usual.

Today the United States Senate confirmed 27 of my high-level nominees.

Our potential is still unrivaled.

Our task as a Nation—and our mission as an Administration—is to harness that innovative spirit, that productive energy, and that potential in order to create jobs.

I reserve the right to use my recess appointment authority in the future.

My hope is that we can find enough overlap that we can say this is the right way to move forward, even if I don't get every single thing that I want.

We cannot deal with our deficits and debt long term unless we get a handle on that.

Bipartisanship depends on a willingness among both Democrats and Republicans to put aside matters of party for the good of the country.

What we can't accept is business as usual, and we can't afford grandstanding at the expense of actually getting something done.

We all understand that there are legitimate and genuine differences between the parties, but despite the political posturing that often paralyzes this town, there are many issues upon which we can and should agree.

The U.S. and its allies are going to turn up pressure on Iran.

I'm going to be starting from scratch in the sense that I will be open to any ideas that help promote these goals.

The sooner the business community has a sense that we've got our act together here in Washington, the better off the entire country is going to be.

It's hard to sing in times like that.

Bipartisanship cannot mean simply that Democrats give up everything that they believe in.

A good place to start, and what I hope to spend a lot of time on in these discussions today, is how we can move forward on a jobs package that encourages small business to hire.

So to everyone here or watching at home, let us enjoy the music we hear tonight.

We've got to get past the tired debates that have plagued our politics.

I am confident, for example, that when 1 in 10 of our fellow citizens can't work, we should be able to come together and help business create more jobs.

I think it's fair to say that the American people are frustrated with the lack of progress on some key issues.

I won't hesitate to embrace a good idea from my friends in the minority party.

Math is not partisan.

I am so proud of the work that the First Lady, along with the Cabinet Secretaries behind me, have done in trying to tackle one of the most urgent health issues that we face in this country, and that is the increase in childhood obesity.

But times like that are precisely when the power of song is most potent.