"And happy Fourth of July. Michelle and I are honored and proud to have you here on the Fourth, and we're humbled to be joined up here by heroes, men and women who went beyond the call of duty and battle, some selflessly risking their lives again and again so that others might live. True to form, they, like all of you, say they were just doing their job. That's what makes you the best of us. And that's why we simply want to say thank you to each and every one of you for your extraordinary service to our country. We're joined in that sentiment by Vice President Joe Biden, who as many of you know is marking Independence Day with troops in Iraq, and Joe Biden, who's spending it with military families in Germany. I should say that there's also one girl in particular who's just thrilled that all of you are here, and that is Malia Obama, because this happens to be her birthday as well. When she was younger, I used to say that all these fireworks were for her. I'm not sure she still buys that, but even if this backyard is a little bit unique, our gathering tonight is not so different from gatherings that are taking place all across the country, in parks and fields and backyards all across America. In small towns and big cities, folks are firing up grills, laughing with family and friends and laying out a blanket in preparation for the big show. They're reliving the simple, unmistakable joys of being an American. But I suspect they're also taking some time to reflect on the unique nature of what it means to be an American, to give thanks for the extraordinary blessings that we enjoy, to celebrate and uphold the ideas and values that have invigorated and sustained this democracy and made it the lasting beacon for all of the world. Just imagine the extraordinary audacity it took 233 years ago for a group of patriots to cast off the title of subject for citizen and put ideas to paper that were as simple as they were revolutionary, that we are equal, that we are free, that we can pursue our full measure of happiness and make of our lives what we will. In retrospect, it seems inevitable, but I think it's fair to say that even the framers of that declaration, especially the framers of that declaration, would be astonished to see the results of their improbable experiment, a nation of commerce that led future revolutions in industry and information, a nation of discovery that blazed a trail west."