Barack Obama

it great to be back in virginia todai and to have thi opportun to discuss some of the econom challeng women ar face __PUNCT__

now __PUNCT__ i come to thi convers not just as a candid for presid __PUNCT__ but as the father of two young_daughter who will on dai have career and famili of their own __PUNCT__

i come to it as a son __PUNCT__ a grandson __PUNCT__ and a husband who seen the women in my own life confront so mani of these challeng themselv __PUNCT__

grow up __PUNCT__ i saw my mother __PUNCT__ a young singl_mom __PUNCT__ put herself through school __PUNCT__ and follow her passion for help other while rais me and my sister __PUNCT__

but i also saw how she struggl to provid for us __PUNCT__ worri sometim about how she pai the bill __PUNCT__

i saw my grandmoth __PUNCT__ who help rais me __PUNCT__ work her wai up from a secretari at a bank to becom on of the first women bank vice_presid in the state __PUNCT__

but i also saw how she ultim hit a glass_ceil __PUNCT__ how men no more qualifi than she wa kept move up the corpor ladder ahead of her __PUNCT__

and i seen my wife __PUNCT__ michel __PUNCT__ the rock of the obama famili __PUNCT__ juggl job and parent with more skill and grace than anyon i know __PUNCT__

but i also seen how it tear at her __PUNCT__

how sometim __PUNCT__ when she with the girl __PUNCT__ she worri about work __PUNCT__ and when she at work __PUNCT__ she worri about the girl __PUNCT__

it a feel i share everi dai __PUNCT__ especi these dai __PUNCT__ when i awai so much on the campaign_trail __PUNCT__

it someth i hear all the time from work_parent __PUNCT__ especi work women __PUNCT__ mani of whom ar work more than on job to make end meet __PUNCT__

and then there ar the job you have onc the workdai end __PUNCT__ whether it clean the hous or pai the bill or bui the groceri __PUNCT__ help with that scienc project or enforc those bedtim __PUNCT__

the job you don't get paid for __PUNCT__ but that hold our famili togeth __PUNCT__

job that still __PUNCT__ even in the year___NUM__ far too often fall to women __PUNCT__

but let be clear __PUNCT__ the issu we talk about todai ar by no mean just women issu __PUNCT__

when a job doesn't offer famili_leav __PUNCT__ that also hurt men who want to help care for a new babi or an ail parent __PUNCT__

when there no afford childcar or afterschool program __PUNCT__ that hurt children who wind up in second rate care __PUNCT__ or spend afternoon alon in front of the tv __PUNCT__

when women still make just __NUM___cent for everi dollar men make __PUNCT__ that doesn't just hurt women __PUNCT__ it hurt famili who find themselv with less incom __PUNCT__ and have to work even harder just to get by __PUNCT__

we take it for grant that women ar the backbon of our famili __PUNCT__ but we too often ignor the fact that women ar also the backbon of our middl_class __PUNCT__

and we won't truli have an economi that put the need of the middl class first until we ensur that when it come to pai and benefit at work __PUNCT__ women ar treat like the equal partner thei ar __PUNCT__

so you think solv these problem would be on of our highest nation_prioriti __PUNCT__

but while some politician in washington make a lot of nois about famili valu __PUNCT__ when it come to what peopl actual need to support their famili __PUNCT__ and care for their famili __PUNCT__ and spend_time with their famili __PUNCT__ thei get awfulli quiet __PUNCT__ don't thei __PUNCT__ and year after year __PUNCT__ it just get harder for work_parent __PUNCT__ especi work women __PUNCT__ to make a live while rais their kid __PUNCT__

that why it time for washington to chang __PUNCT__

now __PUNCT__ senat_mccain is an honor man __PUNCT__ and we all deepli respect hi servic to our countri __PUNCT__

but when you look at our record and plan on the econom_issu that matter most for women __PUNCT__ it becom veri clear that he won't bring the chang we need __PUNCT__ while i will __PUNCT__

that start with acknowledg the econom difficulti so mani women ar face right now __PUNCT__

senat_mccain __PUNCT__ howev __PUNCT__ ha said that we made __PUNCT__ great progress __PUNCT__ on the economi __PUNCT__

and senat phil_gramm __PUNCT__ a top econom advisor to senat_mccain __PUNCT__ just recent said that thi is mere __PUNCT__ a mental recess __PUNCT__

senat gramm then deem the unit_state __PUNCT__ and i quot __PUNCT__ a nation of whiner __PUNCT__

thi come after senat_mccain recent admit that hi energi propos will have mainli __PUNCT__ psycholog __PUNCT__ benefit __PUNCT__

well __PUNCT__ you know __PUNCT__ america alreadi ha on dr __PUNCT__ phil __PUNCT__

when it come to the economi __PUNCT__ we don't need anoth __PUNCT__

let be clear __PUNCT__ when peopl ar struggl with the rise_cost of everyth from ga to groceri __PUNCT__ when we lost___NUM__ __NUM___job over the past six month __PUNCT__ when typic famili have seen their incom fall nearli __MONEY__ sinc __NUM__ thi econom_downturn isn't in our head __PUNCT__

it isn't whine to ask for more than just psycholog relief __PUNCT__

and i think it time we had a presid who doesn't deni our problem __PUNCT__ or blame the american_peopl for them __PUNCT__ but take respons and provid the leadership to solv them __PUNCT__

that the kind of presid i will be __PUNCT__

senat_mccain and i also have a real differ on the issu of equal pai for women __PUNCT__

in __NUM__ when __NUM__ percent of work women in america earn half __PUNCT__ or more than half __PUNCT__ of their famili_incom __PUNCT__ you think we be unit in our determin to close the pai gap and ensur women ar paid fairli for their work __PUNCT__

but senat_mccain think the suprem_court got it right last year when thei hand down a decis_make it harder for women to challeng pai discrimin at work __PUNCT__

he oppos legisl that i co __PUNCT__ sponsor to revers that decis __PUNCT__

he suggest that the reason women don't have equal pai isn't discrimin on the job __PUNCT__ it becaus thei need more educ and train __PUNCT__

well let be clear __PUNCT__ the problem in these kind of case isn't that women ar somehow unqualifi or unprepar for higher __PUNCT__ pai posit __PUNCT__

the problem is that some employ aren't pai women fairli __PUNCT__

the problem is that too mani women aren't abl to challeng employ who ar underpai them __PUNCT__

and thi isn't just an econom_issu for million of american and their famili __PUNCT__

it a question of who we ar as a countri __PUNCT__ of whether we go to live up to our valu as a nation __PUNCT__

that why i stood up for equal pai in the illinoi state_senat __PUNCT__ and help pass a law to give __NUM__ more women protect from paycheck discrimin __PUNCT__

that why i been fight to pass_legisl in the senat __PUNCT__ so that employ don't get awai with shortchang hardwork women __PUNCT__

and that why i continu to stand up for equal pai as presid __PUNCT__

senat_mccain won't __PUNCT__ and that a real differ in thi elect __PUNCT__

as the son __PUNCT__ grandson and husband of hard __PUNCT__ work_mother __PUNCT__ i also don't accept an america that make women choos between their kid and their career __PUNCT__

it unaccept that women ar deni job or promot becaus thei got kid at home __PUNCT__

it unaccept that __NUM___million work women don't have a singl paid sick dai __PUNCT__

it unaccept that million of work_mother could actual be fire for take matern leav __PUNCT__ and that __NUM__ percent of worker who have famili_leav can't afford to take it becaus it not paid __PUNCT__

no matter what you do for live __PUNCT__ i think we can all agre that rais our children and care for our love on is the most import job we have __PUNCT__

and it time we start make that job a littl bit easier __PUNCT__ especi for work women __PUNCT__

that mean give folk a hand with childcar __PUNCT__ from expand the childcar tax_credit to an addit___NUM__ __NUM___million work mom __PUNCT__ to provid afterschool and summer learn opportun for an addit three million_children __PUNCT__ to invest __MONEY___billion to give everi child access to qualiti __PUNCT__ afford earli_childhood childhood_educ __PUNCT__

it mean dramat expand the famili and medic leav act to reach million of addit worker __PUNCT__ and i ensur that it doesn't just cover stai_home with a new babi __PUNCT__ but also let you take leav to care for your elderli parent and particip in school activ like parent __PUNCT__ teacher confer and assembl __PUNCT__

it mean stand up for paid leav __PUNCT__ so i invest __MONEY___billion to help creat paid leav system across america __PUNCT__ and i requir employ to provid all their worker with at least seven paid sick dai a year __PUNCT__

senat_mccain ha no clear plan to expand paid leav and sick leav __PUNCT__ and that a real differ in thi elect __PUNCT__

final __PUNCT__ we got to do more to help folk at the bottom of the ladder climb into the middl_class __PUNCT__

so mani work women todai ar live right on the edg __PUNCT__

i met a woman a few week_ago in new mexico who told me she work two job __PUNCT__ at a restaur and a hair salon __PUNCT__ but the last time she saw a doctor wa ten_year_ago __PUNCT__ becaus she didn't have insur __PUNCT__ and couldn't afford an appoint __PUNCT__

she later said __PUNCT__ thi is a pretti hard life __PUNCT__

i just want to figur out how we get out of thi box __PUNCT__

when you work that hard __PUNCT__ life shouldn't be that hard __PUNCT__

you shouldn't feel trap __PUNCT__

that why __PUNCT__ while senat_mccain want to continu the bush_tax_cut for the wealthiest american who don't need them and didn't ask for them __PUNCT__ i pass a tax cut of up to __MONEY__ per work_famili __PUNCT__

and i expand the earn_incom incom_tax_credit so that no on work fulltim wind up live in poverti __PUNCT__

that what i did in the state_senat __PUNCT__ bring togeth democrat and republican to provid more than __MONEY___million in tax_relief for struggl famili across illinoi __PUNCT__

unlik senat_mccain __PUNCT__ i make sure the minimum_wage rise each year to keep up with rise_cost __PUNCT__ it be __MONEY__ by __NUM__ give __NUM___million women a well __PUNCT__ deserv rais __PUNCT__

unlik senat_mccain __PUNCT__ i work as a partner with our union __PUNCT__ becaus we know that when it come to stand up for women right in the workplac __PUNCT__ our union ar second to none __PUNCT__ and it time we start give them the support thei deserv __PUNCT__

and unlik senat mccain __PUNCT__ i make sure everi work woman ha the chanc to not just get by __PUNCT__ but get ahead __PUNCT__ to save __PUNCT__ invest __PUNCT__ build a nest_egg __PUNCT__ and provid a better life for their children __PUNCT__

i cut the capit_gain rate to zero to help women small_busi busi_owner grow their busi and creat_job __PUNCT__

and for the nearli two __PUNCT__ third of work women who have no __NUM__ __PUNCT__ k __PUNCT__ i provid automat __PUNCT__ portabl retir_save save_account that will help them build up the wealth thei need for a secur retir __PUNCT__

these ar the real differ in thi elect __PUNCT__

and my polici add up to real relief for work women __PUNCT__

here in virginia alon __PUNCT__ __NUM___million work women will get a __MONEY__ tax_cut __PUNCT__ __NUM__ will receiv child_care assist __PUNCT__ and __NUM___women entrepreneur won't have to pai ani capit_gain gain_tax __PUNCT__

in the end __PUNCT__ though __PUNCT__ the convers we have isn't just about polici and plan __PUNCT__

it also about our most fundament valu __PUNCT__ that when you work_hard __PUNCT__ you should be paid fairli and be abl to retir with digniti __PUNCT__ that we rise and fall togeth __PUNCT__ and there ar no second class citizen in our workplac __PUNCT__ that both work and famili should be part of the american_dream __PUNCT__

as hard as it is for me to be awai from my own daughter so much __PUNCT__ that what i think about when i have the chanc to tuck them in at night __PUNCT__

how i want my daughter __PUNCT__ and all our daughter __PUNCT__ to have no limit on their dream __PUNCT__ no obstacl to their achiev __PUNCT__ no opportun beyond their reach __PUNCT__

that why i run for presid __PUNCT__

and i hope all of you will join our campaign __PUNCT__

i hope you help us make call and knock on door and sign up todai to be a precinct captain and leader in thi effort __PUNCT__

i can't do it without your help __PUNCT__

thank you __PUNCT__