The Final State of the Union
This is historical material “frozen in time”. The website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work.
Summary:
This week, the President continued his fight against climate change, updated the American people on the situation in Iraq, hung out with a robotic giraffe at the White House Maker Faire, and paid tribute to our newest Medal of Honor recipient — and the Vice President cheered on the U.S. Men's National Team at the World Cup.
This week, the President continued his fight against climate change, updated the American people on the situation in Iraq, hung out with a robotic giraffe at the first-ever White House Maker Faire, and paid tribute to our newest Medal of Honor recipient -- and the Vice President cheered on the U.S. Men's National Team at the World Cup.
Check out what you might have missed this week in our weekly wrap up:
He "Should Not Be Alive Today"
At the White House yesterday, President Obama awarded the Medal of Honor to Corporal William "Kyle" Carpenter, a retired United States Marine. Corporal Carpenter received the medal for his courageous actions during combat operations against an armed enemy in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
By all accounts, Kyle shouldn't be alive today. On November 21, 2010, Kyle's platoon woke up to the sound of AK-47 fire. As their compound began taking fire, Kyle and Lance Corporal Nicholas Eufrazio took cover up on a roof, low on their backs behind a circle of sandbags. And then a grenade landed nearby, its pin already pulled.
In the President's remarks, he detailed the horrific events that followed:
When the grenade landed, other Marines in the compound looked up and saw it happen. Kyle tried to stand. He lunged forward toward that grenade, and then he disappeared into the blast. Keep in mind, at the time, Kyle was just 21 years old. But in that instant, he fulfilled those words of Scripture: “Greater love hath no man than this; that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
Learn more about Medal of Honor recipient Corporal Kyle Carpenter.
An Update on Iraq
Yesterday, after a meeting with his national security team, President Obama delivered a statement from the White House Press Briefing Room on the situation in Iraq and the U.S. response.
Read the President's full statement here.
The First-Ever White House Maker Faire
Banana pianos, giant red weather balloons, POTUS pancakes, and a 17-foot robotic giraffe on the South Lawn. These were all part of the first-ever White House Maker Faire on Wednesday, hosted by President Obama.
Yep. There's a robotic giraffe named Russell on the South Lawn at the White House Maker Faire. #NationOfMakers https://t.co/ojhXUFW4tm
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 18, 2014
The event brought together more than 100 students, entrepreneurs, engineers, and researchers from 25 states — all of whom love to “Make” stuff. Check out the Storify here.
One Team, One Nation
On Monday night, Vice President Biden cheered on the U.S. men's soccer team as they defeated Ghana in their first game of the World Cup in Brazil. The Vice President talked about the experience and visited with the team in the locker room after their thrilling victory.
The Vice President wrote, "As I told the guys in the locker room after the game, they truly do represent one team, one nation united."
"This Is a Fight That America Must Lead"
Last weekend, President Obama traveled to California to congratulate the University of California, Irvine's 2014 graduating class and challenged them to get involved in the fight against climate change.
“Cynicism is a choice. Hope is a better choice.” —Obama on why it's time to #ActOnClimate: http://t.co/aClPfoVKBw pic.twitter.com/3NbeOnDdDB
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 16, 2014
The President spent much of his speech urging graduates to fight the cynicism and naysayers and to act on climate change -- "one of the most significant long-term challenges that our country and our planet faces."
