West Wing Week: 2/17/12 or "Go Big!"

Dallas Cowboys: West Wing Week!
Narrator: Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's
happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
This week, the President made a major announcement on a policy
to guarantee access to free preventative health care
services; unveiled next year's budget;
pushed Congress to extend the payroll tax cut;
awarded the National Medals of Arts and Humanities;
met with China's Vice President Xi;
and traveled west to Wisconsin and California.
That's February 10th to February 16th or "Go Big!"
The President: Today is Valentine's Day.
(laughter)
And go big -- that's my advice.
(laughter)
Narrator: On Friday, the President spoke to reporters in the White House
Briefing Room and made an important announcement on a
policy that will respect religious views while
guaranteeing access to free preventative services like
contraception to workers across the country.
The President: Every woman should be in control of the decisions that affect her
own health, period.
This is an issue where people of goodwill on both sides of the
debate have been sorting through some very complicated questions
to find a solution that works for everyone.
With today's announcement, we've done that.
Religious liberty will be protected and a law that
requires free preventative care will not discriminate
against women.
Narrator: Meanwhile, in Dallas, Texas, First Lady Michelle Obama marked
day 2 of her Let's Move! tour by taping a segment of the popular
TV cooking show "Top Chef."
Joined by top chef alums, members of the Dallas Cowboys
football team, and local school children,
she served as a judge to a healthy cooking competition that
highlighted the key component of the Let's Move! initiative --
making school lunches more tasty and nutritious.
Richard Blais: We're going to do the same thing with this cilantro.
Do you like cilantro?
Student: Yeah.
Narrator: Later, in Homestead, Florida, the First Lady continued the
discussion of childhood health, nutrition and fitness at a WebMD
town hall with local families before ending her day in Central
Florida where she joined the Halls family at their home and
sat down for a healthy, home-cooked dinner based upon
the principals of MyPlate, a new USDA nutrition system that
replaced the old pyramid.
On Saturday, the First Lady concluded her Let's Move!
tour at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World,
where she joined 1,400 families for a community physical
activity event.
On Monday, February 13th, the President visited Northern
Virginia Community College to unveil his budget proposal and
announce a new $8 billion Community College to
Career Fund.
The President: In the State of the Union, I outlined a blueprint for an
economy that is built to last.
Today we're releasing the details of that blueprint in the
form of next year's budget.
Don't worry; I will not read it to you.
(laughter)
But the main idea in the budget is this:
At a time when our economy is growing and creating jobs at a
faster clip, we've got to do everything in our power to keep
this recovery on track.
And that's why my Administration is helping community colleges
redesign training programs and that's why we're making a
national commitment to train two million Americans with skills
they need to get a job right now or start their own
business right now.
Narrator: Back at the White House the First Lady and the President
were part of a time-honored White House tradition of
awarding a 2011 National Medal of Arts and National Humanities
Medal in the East Room.
The President: Somewhere in America the next great writer is wrestling with
the first draft of an English paper.
(applause)
Somewhere the next great actors must bring up the courage to try
out for that school play.
Somewhere the next great artist is doodling on their homework.
Somewhere the next great thinker is asking their
teacher, "why not?"
(applause)
They're out there right now, dwelling in possibility.
Narrator: On Tuesday, the President delivered remarks urging
Congress to extend the payroll tax cut and unemployment
insurance and was joined by Americans from across the
country who have shared what $40 a paycheck means to them.
The President: Just pass this middle-class tax cut,
pass the extension of unemployment insurance,
do it before it's too late, and I will sign it right away.
Narrator: Later, the President sat down with Chinese Vice President Xi
for a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office.
On Wednesday, the President traveled to Milwaukee to tour
the manufacturing facilities at Master Lock and discuss his
blueprint for an economy built to last based on American
manufacturing and the importance of companies insourcing and
investing right here in America.
(cheers and applause)
The President: Manufacturing is coming back.
(cheers and applause)
Companies are starting to bring jobs back.
(cheers and applause)
The economy is getting stronger.
(cheers and applause)
The recovery is speeding up.
(cheers and applause)
We're moving in the right direction.
And now we have to do everything in our power to keep our foot
on the gas.
Narrator: Meanwhile, on Thursday, back in Washington,
the First Lady made a surprise appearance in the Blue Room to
greet unsuspecting tourists visiting the White House.
She was, of course, accompanied by Bo.
And this concludes the 99th edition of the West Wing Week.
You heard that right -- the 99th week.
To find out more information on any of these topics or to see
complete videos of these events, go to WhiteHouse.gov.
And be sure to tune in next week for a special 100th Edition.
And thanks again for checking out your West Wing Week.
The President: I was thinking about the fact that I am a father of two girls
who are soon going to be in high school.
And that might come in handy to have these super locks.
(laughter)