You know, you have to start ...

You know, you have to start with hope...you don\'t get anywhere in this country without hope. So it\'s a necessity. What Barack says is that people have to understand hope isn\'t just blind optimism. It isn\'t passive. It isn\'t just sitting there waiting for things to get better. Hope is the vision that you have to have. It\'s the inspiration that moves people into action...There are more people engaged in this political process in this year than we\'ve seen in my lifetime. And it is all because of hope because people believe in the possibility of something unseen.
You know, you have to start with hope...you don't get anywhere in this country without hope. So it's a necessity. What Barack says is that people have to understand hope isn't just blind optimism. It isn't passive. It isn't just sitting there waiting for things to get better. Hope is the vision that you have to have. It's the inspiration that moves people into action...There are more people engaged in this political process in this year than we've seen in my lifetime. And it is all because of hope because people believe in the possibility of something unseen.

Quotes from the same author

The fact is, with every friendship you make, and every bond of trust you establish, you are shaping the image of America projected to the rest of the world. That is so important. So when you study abroad, you're actually helping to make America stronger.
And I love that even in the toughest moments, when we're all sweating it - when we're worried that the bill won't pass, and it seems like all is lost - Barack never lets himself get distracted by the chatter and the noise. Just like his grandmother, he just keeps getting up and moving forward... with patience and wisdom, and courage and grace.
Wounded Warriors tell me they're not just going to walk again, they're going to run, and they're going to run marathons!
My mother's love has always been a sustaining force for our family, and one of my greatest joys is seeing her integrity, her compassion, her intelligence reflected in my daughters.
You can be a good mom and still work out, get your rest, have a career - or not. My mother encouraged me to find that balance.