Michelle Obama say

Mario -- I am thrilled to make sure you are the first to hear some very exciting news. Charlotte, North Carolina, will host the 46th Democratic National Convention in 2012. Charlotte is a city marked by its southern charm, warm hospitality, and an "up by the bootstraps" mentality that has propelled the city forward as one of the fastest-growing in the South. Vibrant, diverse, and full of opportunity, the Queen City is home to innovative, hardworking folks with big hearts and open minds. And of course, great barbecue. Barack and I spent a lot of time in North Carolina during the campaign -- from the Atlantic Coast to the Research Triangle to the Smoky Mountains and everywhere in between. Barack enjoyed Asheville so much when he spent several days preparing for the second Presidential debate that our family vacationed there in 2009. And my very first trip outside of Washington as First Lady was to Fort Bragg, where I started my effort to do all we can to help our heroic military families. All the contending cities were places that Barack and I have grown to know and love, so it was a hard choice. But we are thrilled to be bringing the convention to Charlotte. We hope many of you can join us in Charlotte the week of September 3rd, 2012. But if you can't, we intend to bring the spirit of the convention -- as well as actual, related events to your community and even your own backyard. More than anything else, we want this to be a grassroots convention for the people. We will finance this convention differently than it's been done in the past, and we will make sure everyone feels closely tied in to what is happening in Charlotte. This will be a different convention, for a different time. To help us make sure this is a grassroots convention -- The People's Convention -- we need to hear from you. We want to know what you'd like to see at next year's convention, how and where you plan on watching it -- and the very best way we can engage your friends and neighbors. Mario, please share your input with us right now -- how can we make The People's Convention belong to you and your community? I can't believe it has been more than two years since my brother Craig introduced me at the 2008 Convention in Denver. It truly feels like it was yesterday. As I looked out at a sea of thousands of supporters that night, I spoke about my husband -- the man whom this country would go on to elect as the 44th President of the United States. I spoke about his fundamental belief -- a conviction at the very core of his life's work -- that each of us has something to contribute to the spirit of our nation. That's also the belief at the core of The People's Convention. That the table we sit at together ought to be big enough for everyone. That the thread that binds us -- a belief in the promise of this country -- is strong enough to sustain us through good times and bad. Barack talked at the State of the Union of his vision for how America can win the future. That must be the focus now, and I know so many of you will help talk about our plans with your neighbors -- that through innovation, education, reform, and responsibility we can make sure America realizes this vision. But, conventions take time to plan, so please help us make sure that your thoughts and your ideas will ring all the way to Charlotte. Get started now: http://my.barackobama.com/PeoplesConvention Looking forward to sharing this together, Michelle

Paid for by Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic National Committee -- 430 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to: fundacionacs@hotmail.com

http://my.barackobama.com/PromisesKept

Mario -- It was two years ago today that Barack and I were sworn in, and I remember what he said like it was this morning: "The challenges we face are real, they are serious, and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America: They will be met." Even then, we knew it would take time. We knew it would be hard. And we knew we would sometimes make mistakes. But we did not lose sight of what we came to do. Together, we took on difficult issues that had been put off for decades. And some say we have accomplished more in two years than any administration since Roosevelt's. Take it from me, that's something you should take to heart -- because none of it would have been possible without your hard work. But the job's not done. I am reminded of that every time I travel to the small towns in Pennsylvania, Iowa, New Mexico -- all over -- and on the weekends I get home to Delaware. I meet folks who are still struggling, who want to know when the recovery will start to turn things around for their family. These people are why we can't quit. And moving forward with this new Congress, we will need to defend what we've achieved together as aggressively as we pursue the goals that remain. I believe in the power of public service because I've seen what it has done throughout our country's history to combat social and economic injustice. And I am proud to say it's a story that continues in the remarkable progress we've made in the past two years. To tell it, Organizing for America has written Promises Kept. Take a look at the Promises Kept report of all the work we've done in two years -- you can download a copy or have a few sent to you to share with friends. There's a whole lot to be proud of. Of course, the big ones come to mind first: historic health insurance reform, which is reining in the insurance companies and helping control the cost of care for millions of Americans; Wall Street reform, which put in place the toughest consumer protections ever; and the end of combat operations in Iraq, which brought more than 100,000 troops home. And there is so much more you've helped achieve that is right now improving lives across the country:     -- We passed the Recovery Act, which saved and created more than 3 million jobs, provided the largest middle-class tax cut in a generation, and made landmark investments in clean energy, infrastructure, and education.     -- We made critical investments in General Motors and Chrysler, saving tens of thousands of jobs -- and perhaps the companies -- and spurring a rebirth of the American car industry.     -- We wrote into law student loan reform and credit card reform, which ended the worst abuses of the banking industries and are making lending fair for American families.     -- We put two new Supreme Court justices on the bench -- Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, who bring rich and diverse experience to the Court.     -- We have begun to reset America's relationship with the international community, from the ratification of a new START nuclear arms treaty with Russia to tough new sanctions on Iran to strengthening our long-term partnership with a unified Iraq.     -- And we finally repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," which was the right thing to do -- not only because it makes our military stronger at a time when it needs to be the strongest, but because we are seeking that military might with an abiding sense of justice. Telling the story of the past two years will be critical to the fights ahead. And it's not just the story of this president or this White House -- it's your story. And it is literally proof that the organizing you do on the ground -- the conversations you have with your friends and neighbors -- is working. Now, I'm not going to say the last two years were easy -- and I won't tell you the fights ahead are going to get any easier. But I didn't sign up for a cake walk. And I'm pretty sure you didn't either. We're here to move our country forward. We're here to lay a new foundation for this country -- for our economy, for our politics, and for our children's and grandchildren's futures. And, as Barack says, what we will be able to accomplish together is in your hands. It's how hard we all work, and how well we all tell this story. Take a few minutes to read Promises Kept -- and let's keep moving: http://my.barackobama.com/PromisesKept Thanks for everything, Joe

Paid for by Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic National Committee -- 430 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to: fundacionacs@hotmail.com