English subtitles for clip: File:National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony 2013.webm

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Jane Lynch:
Welcome, welcome,
First Family, Mrs. Robinson,

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Mrs. Obama, Sasha, Malia.

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Welcome, merry, happy holidays.

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And merry, happy holidays
to you, Mr. President.

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The President:
Thank you so much.

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Is everybody a little
wet but still having fun?

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[applause]

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Well, our main job today

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is to light the
National Christmas Tree,

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and so we're going to need
a little help from you

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to count it down.

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We're going to start at five.

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Jane Lynch:
Yeah, let's do five.

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The President:
Since it's a little wet,
we shouldn't start at 10.

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All right, so, everybody ready?

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[applause]

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Five...

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four...

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three...

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two...

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one!

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Jane Lynch:
Whoo!

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♪♪ (jubilant music) ♪♪

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Mrs. Obama:
Hello!

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Abby:
Oh!

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Hello, Mrs. Obama.

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Mrs. Obama:
It's so nice to see you.

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Abby:
I am so excited.

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This is such a huge honor
for such a little fairy.

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And I love this story.

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My mommy and daddy have
read it to me over and over,

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and I know it by heart.

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Mrs. Obama:
Okay, well, let's get going.

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You ready?

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Abby:
Yes, let's do this thing.

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Mrs. Obama:
Are you all ready?

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[applause]

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And you all are ready.

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Here we go!

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Abby:
I love stories.

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Mrs. Obama:
'Twas the night
before Christmas,

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when all through the house,
not a creature was stirring,

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not even a mouse.

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Abby:
And the stockings were hung
by the chimney with care,

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in hopes that Saint Nicholas
soon would be there.

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Mrs. Obama:
The children were nestled
all snug in their beds

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while visions of sugarplums
danced in their heads.

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Abby:
And Ma in her kerchief
and I in my cap

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had just settled down
for a long winter's nap.

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Mrs. Obama:
When out on the lawn
there rose such a clatter,

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I sprang from my bed to
see what was the matter.

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Abby:
Away to the window
I flew like a flash!

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And I threw open the shutters,
and I opened up the sash.

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Mrs. Obama:
The moon on the breast
of the new-fallen snow

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gave a luster of midday
to objects below.

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Abby:
And when what to my
wondering eyes should appear,

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but a miniature sleigh
and eight tiny reindeer.

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Mrs. Obama:
With a little old driver
so lively and quick,

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I knew in moment it
must be Saint Nick.

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Abby:
More rapid than eagles
his coursers they came,

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And he whistled,
and shouted them,

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and called them by name!

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Mrs. Obama:
Now Dasher, now Dancer,
now Prancer and Vixen!

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On Comet, on Cupid,
on Donner and Blitzen!

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Abby:
To the top of the porch!

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To the top of the wall!

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Now dash away!

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Dash away!

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Dash away all!

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Mrs. Obama:
As dry leaves that before
the wild hurricane fly,

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when they meet with an
obstacle, mount to the sky.

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Abby:
So up to the house-top
as coursers they flew,

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with the sleigh full of toys,
and Saint Nicholas too.

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Mrs. Obama:
And then, in a twinkling,
I heard on the roof

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the prancing and pawing
of each little hoof.

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Abby:
Ha-ha-ha!

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As I drew in my head,
and was turning around,

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down the chimney Saint
Nicholas came with a bound.

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Mrs. Obama:
He was dressed all in fur,
from his head to his foot,

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and his clothes were all
tarnished with ashes and soot.

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Abby:
A bundle of toys he
had flung on his back,

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and he looked like a peddler,
just opening his pack.

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Mrs. Obama:
His eyes, how they twinkled;
his dimples, how merry.

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His cheeks were like roses,
his nose like a cherry!

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Abby:
That's so cute.

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Mrs. Obama:
He's very cute.

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Abby:
And his droll little mouth
was drawn up like a bow,

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and his beard of his chin
was as white as snow.

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Mrs. Obama:
The stump of a pipe he
held tight in his teeth,

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and the smoke it encircled
his head like a wreath.

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Abby:
He had a broad face and
a little round belly,

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that shook when he laughed,
like a bowlful of jelly!

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[laughter]

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Mrs. Obama:
He was chubby and plump,
a right jolly old elf,

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and I laughed when I saw
him, in spite of myself.

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Abby:
A wink of his eye and
a twist of his head,

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and soon gave me to know
I had nothing to dread.

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Mrs. Obama:
He spoke not a word,
but went straight to his work,

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and filled all the stockings, 
and then turned with a jerk.

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Abby:
And laying his finger
aside of his nose,

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he gave a nod,
and up the chimney he rose!

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Mrs. Obama:
He sprang to his sleigh,
to his team gave a whistle,

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and away they all flew
like the down of a thistle.

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But I heard him exclaim,
as he drove out of sight...

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[together]
"Merry Christmas to all,

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and to all a good night!

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[applause]

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Mrs. Obama: Bravo!

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Abby:
So much joy, so much joy!

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[laughter]

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Mrs. Obama:
Merry Christmas!

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[applause]

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The President:
Merry Christmas, everybody!

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Well, this show is
always a great way

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to get in the holiday spirit.

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Every year, I rehearse my
own little act, just in case.

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But it seems like, yet again,
they couldn't find space

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to squeeze me into the program.

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[laughter]

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You are lucky I'm not singing.

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First of all,
let me thank Secretary Jewell

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and welcome her to her first
Christmas Tree Lighting.

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She is doing a great job
for our national parks.

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She used to run
one of America's biggest

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outdoor recreation companies,

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and now she's charged
with protecting

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the great outdoors
for all of us.

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So we appreciate her and we want
to thank Neil Mulholland

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and the whole
National Park Foundation

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and National Park
Service team for helping

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to put this beautiful
production together.

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Let's also give
it up for Jane Lynch

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and all the great performers 
who are doing an incredible job

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putting us in
a festive mood tonight.

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[applause]

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And to all Americans who are
here today and watching at home,

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we are so glad to be part

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of this wonderful
holiday tradition.

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For 91 years, the National
Christmas Tree has stood

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as a beacon of
light and a promise

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during the holiday season.

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During times of
peace and prosperity,

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challenge and change,
Americans have gathered

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around our national tree

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to kick off the holiday
season and give thanks

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for everything that makes this
time of year so magical --

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spending time with
friends and family,

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and spreading tidings of peace
and goodwill here at home

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and around the world.

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And this year, we give
a special measure of gratitude

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for Nelson Mandela,

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a man who championed
that generosity of spirit.

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[applause]

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In his life, he blessed us
with tremendous grace

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and unbelievable courage.

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And we are all privileged
to live in a world

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touched by his goodness.

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Each Christmas, we celebrate
the birth of a child

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who came into the world

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with only a stable's
roof to shelter Him.

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But through a life of humility
and the ultimate sacrifice,

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a life guided by faith
and kindness towards others,

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Christ assumed a mighty
voice, teaching us lessons

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of compassion and
charity that have lasted

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more than two millennia.

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He ministered to the poor.

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He embraced the outcast.

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He healed the sick.

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And in Him we see a living
example of scripture

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that we ought to love others
not only through our words,

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but also through our deeds.

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It's a message both
timeless and universal --

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no matter what God you pray to, 
or if you pray to none at all --

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we all have a responsibility 
to ourselves and to each other

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to make a difference
that is real and lasting.

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We are our brother's keeper.

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We are our sister's keeper.

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And so in this
season of generosity,

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let's reach out to those
who need help the most.

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In this season of reflection,
let's make sure that our

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incredibly brave servicemembers
and their families know

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how much we appreciate
their sacrifice.

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And there are several military
families and servicemen

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and women here tonight.

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We are so grateful to
you for all that you do.

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[applause]

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In this season of hope, let us
come together as one people,

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one family to ensure that
we're doing everything we can

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to keep America the
land of endless opportunity

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and boundless optimism
for which we're so thankful.

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So on behalf of Malia, Sasha,
Marian, the First Lady Michelle,

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plus Bo and Sunny,

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I want to wish everybody
a Merry Christmas

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and a joyful holiday season.

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God bless you.

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God bless our troops.

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God bless the
United States of America.

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[applause]