(Photo: Getty)

Earlier today, President Barack Obama took the oath of office in front of a crowd of hundreds of thousands of individuals and the full attention of the country's media. And, while touting the importance of the American democracy, Mr. Obama also used the occasion to promote some of his policy goals for next four years.

"We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations," Mr. Obama said, for example, according to his prepared remarks. "Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms. The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it. We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries – we must claim its promise. That is how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure – our forests and waterways; our croplands and snowcapped peaks. That is how we will preserve our planet, commanded to our care by God."

In the speech, Mr. Obama also argued for short lines on Election Day, equal pay for women and retaining more foreign students after they graduate. And although he didn't directly address the latest hot-button issue--gun control--the President did bring up the recent massacre at Newtown, Connecticut, and said the nation must keep its children safe.

In addition to his policy advocacies, Mr. Obama discussed the government philosophy he believes is needed to achieve these goals, and said individuals alone cannot accomplish what "collective action" can.

"But we have always understood that when times change, so must we; that fidelity to our founding principles requires new responses to new challenges; that preserving our individual freedoms ultimately requires collective action," Mr. Obama said. "For the American people can no more meet the demands of today’s world by acting alone than American soldiers could have met the forces of fascism or communism with muskets and militias. No single person can train all the math and science teachers we’ll need to equip our children for the future, or build the roads and networks and research labs that will bring new jobs and businesses to our shores."

View Mr. Obama's full remarks below:

Vice President Biden, Mr. Chief Justice, Members of the United States Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens:

Each time we gather to inaugurate a president, we bear witness to the enduring strength of our Constitution. We affirm the promise of our democracy. We recall that what binds this nation together is not the colors of our skin or the tenets of our faith or the origins of our names. What makes us exceptional – what makes us American – is our allegiance to an idea, articulated in a declaration made more than two centuries ago:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Today we continue a never-ending journey, to bridge the meaning of those words with the realities of our time. For history tells us that while these truths may be self-evident, they have never been self-executing; that while freedom is a gift from God, it must be secured by His people here on Earth. The patriots of 1776 did not fight to replace the tyranny of a king with the privileges of a few or the rule of a mob. They gave to us a Republic, a government of, and by, and for the people, entrusting each generation to keep safe our founding creed.

For more than two hundred years, we have.

Through blood drawn by lash and blood drawn by sword, we learned that no union founded on the principles of liberty and equality could survive half-slave and half-free. We made ourselves anew, and vowed to move forward together.

Together, we determined that a modern economy requires railroads and highways to speed travel and commerce; schools and colleges to train our workers.

Together, we discovered that a free market only thrives when there are rules to ensure competition and fair play.

Together, we resolved that a great nation must care for the vulnerable, and protect its people from life’s worst hazards and misfortune.

Through it all, we have never relinquished our skepticism of central authority, nor have we succumbed to the fiction that all society’s ills can be cured through government alone. Our celebration of initiative and enterprise; our insistence on hard work and personal responsibility, are constants in our character.

But we have always understood that when times change, so must we; that fidelity to our founding principles requires new responses to new challenges; that preserving our individual freedoms ultimately requires collective action. For the American people can no more meet the demands of today’s world by acting alone than American soldiers could have met the forces of fascism or communism with muskets and militias. No single person can train all the math and science teachers we’ll need to equip our children for the future, or build the roads and networks and research labs that will bring new jobs and businesses to our shores. Now, more than ever, we must do these things together, as one nation, and one people.

This generation of Americans has been tested by crises that steeled our resolve and proved our resilience. A decade of war is now ending. An economic recovery has begun. America’s possibilities are limitless, for we possess all the qualities that this world without boundaries demands: youth and drive; diversity and openness; an endless capacity for risk and a gift for reinvention. My fellow Americans, we are made for this moment, and we will seize it – so long as we seize it together.

For we, the people, understand that our country cannot succeed when a shrinking few do very well and a growing many barely make it. We believe that America’s prosperity must rest upon the broad shoulders of a rising middle class. We know that America thrives when every person can find independence and pride in their work; when the wages of honest labor liberate families from the brink of hardship. We are true to our creed when a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else, because she is an American, she is free, and she is equal, not just in the eyes of God but also in our own.

We understand that outworn programs are inadequate to the needs of our time. We must harness new ideas and technology to remake our government, revamp our tax code, reform our schools, and empower our citizens with the skills they need to work harder, learn more, and reach higher. But while the means will change, our purpose endures: a nation that rewards the effort and determination of every single American. That is what this moment requires. That is what will give real meaning to our creed.

We, the people, still believe that every citizen deserves a basic measure of security and dignity. We must make the hard choices to reduce the cost of health care and the size of our deficit. But we reject the belief that America must choose between caring for the generation that built this country and investing in the generation that will build its future. For we remember the lessons of our past, when twilight years were spent in poverty, and parents of a child with a disability had nowhere to turn. We do not believe that in this country, freedom is reserved for the lucky, or happiness for the few. We recognize that no matter how responsibly we live our lives, any one of us, at any time, may face a job loss, or a sudden illness, or a home swept away in a terrible storm. The commitments we make to each other – through Medicare, and Medicaid, and Social Security – these things do not sap our initiative; they strengthen us. They do not make us a nation of takers; they free us to take the risks that make this country great.

We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity. We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms. The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it. We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries – we must claim its promise. That is how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure – our forests and waterways; our croplands and snowcapped peaks. That is how we will preserve our planet, commanded to our care by God. That’s what will lend meaning to the creed our fathers once declared.

We, the people, still believe that enduring security and lasting peace do not require perpetual war. Our brave men and women in uniform, tempered by the flames of battle, are unmatched in skill and courage. Our citizens, seared by the memory of those we have lost, know too well the price that is paid for liberty. The knowledge of their sacrifice will keep us forever vigilant against those who would do us harm. But we are also heirs to those who won the peace and not just the war, who turned sworn enemies into the surest of friends, and we must carry those lessons into this time as well.

We will defend our people and uphold our values through strength of arms and rule of law. We will show the courage to try and resolve our differences with other nations peacefully – not because we are naïve about the dangers we face, but because engagement can more durably lift suspicion and fear. America will remain the anchor of strong alliances in every corner of the globe; and we will renew those institutions that extend our capacity to manage crisis abroad, for no one has a greater stake in a peaceful world than its most powerful nation. We will support democracy from Asia to Africa; from the Americas to the Middle East, because our interests and our conscience compel us to act on behalf of those who long for freedom. And we must be a source of hope to the poor, the sick, the marginalized, the victims of prejudice – not out of mere charity, but because peace in our time requires the constant advance of those principles that our common creed describes: tolerance and opportunity; human dignity and justice.

We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths – that all of us are created equal – is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall; just as it guided all those men and women, sung and unsung, who left footprints along this great Mall, to hear a preacher say that we cannot walk alone; to hear a King proclaim that our individual freedom is inextricably bound to the freedom of every soul on Earth.

It is now our generation’s task to carry on what those pioneers began. For our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers, and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts. Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law – for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well. Our journey is not complete until no citizen is forced to wait for hours to exercise the right to vote. Our journey is not complete until we find a better way to welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants who still see America as a land of opportunity; until bright young students and engineers are enlisted in our workforce rather than expelled from our country. Our journey is not complete until all our children, from the streets of Detroit to the hills of Appalachia to the quiet lanes of Newtown, know that they are cared for, and cherished, and always safe from harm.

That is our generation’s task – to make these words, these rights, these values – of Life, and Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness – real for every American. Being true to our founding documents does not require us to agree on every contour of life; it does not mean we will all define liberty in exactly the same way, or follow the same precise path to happiness. Progress does not compel us to settle centuries-long debates about the role of government for all time – but it does require us to act in our time.

For now decisions are upon us, and we cannot afford delay. We cannot mistake absolutism for principle, or substitute spectacle for politics, or treat name-calling as reasoned debate. We must act, knowing that our work will be imperfect. We must act, knowing that today’s victories will be only partial, and that it will be up to those who stand here in four years, and forty years, and four hundred years hence to advance the timeless spirit once conferred to us in a spare Philadelphia hall.

My fellow Americans, the oath I have sworn before you today, like the one recited by others who serve in this Capitol, was an oath to God and country, not party or faction – and we must faithfully execute that pledge during the duration of our service. But the words I spoke today are not so different from the oath that is taken each time a soldier signs up for duty, or an immigrant realizes her dream. My oath is not so different from the pledge we all make to the flag that waves above and that fills our hearts with pride.

They are the words of citizens, and they represent our greatest hope.

You and I, as citizens, have the power to set this country’s course.

You and I, as citizens, have the obligation to shape the debates of our time – not only with the votes we cast, but with the voices we lift in defense of our most ancient values and enduring ideals.

Let each of us now embrace, with solemn duty and awesome joy, what is our lasting birthright. With common effort and common purpose, with passion and dedication, let us answer the call of history, and carry into an uncertain future that precious light of freedom.

Thank you, God Bless you, and may He forever bless these United States of America.

(photo: Getty)

One of the most hotly anticipated elements of Governor Andrew Cuomo's annual State of the State address today was his plan to enact "sweeping" gun control reforms in New York. In his speech, the governor outlined a seven-point gun control plan focused on "high-capacity assault rifles" that he promised would be one of the "toughest" in the nation and lead similar laws to spread beyond New York.

"Gun violence has been on a rampage as we know firsthand and as we know painfully," said the governor. "We must stop the madness, my friends. In one word, it's just 'enough.' It has been enough. We need a gun policy in this state that is reasonable, that is balanced, that is measured."

The governor continued by saying his gun control proposals are not about "taking away people's guns."

As he has in the past, the governor tried to boost his credibility on the issue by emphasizing the fact he is a gun owner.

"We respect hunters and sportsmen. This is not taking away peoples' guns," Mr. Cuomo said. "I own a gun. I own a Remington shotgun. I've hunted, I've shot. That's not what this is about. It's about ending the unnecessary risk of high-capacity assault rifles. That's what this is about."

To that end, the governor outlined the items on his seven-point gun plan.

"Number one: Enact the toughest assault weapon ban in the nation, period!" he shouted, before ticking off his other new gun control proposals. "Number two, close the private sale loophole by requiring federal background checks. Number three, ban high-capacity magazines. Number four, enact tougher penalties for illegal gun use, guns in school grounds and violent gangs. Number five, keep guns from people who are mentally ill. Number six, ban direct internet sales of ammunition in New York. Number seven, create a state [National Instant Criminal Background Check System] check on all ammunition purchases."

He left the stage to deafening applause from the assembled lawmakers.

Update (11:10 p.m.): NRA President David Keene responded to Governor Cuomo's gun control proposals in a podcast interview late this evening.

(Photo: Getty)

As President Barack Obama prepares to give one of the most important speeches left in his political career at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, his reelection campaign has released excerpts of the address he's delivering later tonight.

And step aside all of the other modern presidential election contests, Mr. Obama unsurprisingly plans to announce that this election will be the most important one yet.

“But when all is said and done – when you pick up that ballot to vote – you will face the clearest choice of any time in a generation. Over the next few years, big decisions will be made in Washington, on jobs and the economy; taxes and deficits; energy and education; war and peace – decisions that will have a huge impact on our lives and our children’s lives for decades to come," Mr. Obama says in his prepared remarks.

Other quotes are set to include:

• “On every issue, the choice you face won’t be just between two candidates or two parties."
• “It will be a choice between two different paths for America."
• “A choice between two fundamentally different visions for the future."
• “I won’t pretend the path I’m offering is quick or easy. I never have. You didn’t elect me to tell you what you wanted to hear. You elected me to tell you the truth. And the truth is, it will take more than a few years for us to solve challenges that have built up over decades. It will require common effort, shared responsibility, and the kind of bold, persistent experimentation that Franklin Roosevelt pursued during the only crisis worse than this one. And by the way – those of us who carry on his party’s legacy should remember that not every problem can be remedied with another government program or dictate from Washington."
• “But know this, America: Our problems can be solved. Our challenges can be met. The path we offer may be harder, but it leads to a better place. And I’m asking you to choose that future. I’m asking you to rally around a set of goals for your country – goals in manufacturing, energy, education, national security, and the deficit; a real, achievable plan that will lead to new jobs, more opportunity, and rebuild this economy on a stronger foundation. That’s what we can do in the next four years, and that’s why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States.”

_

Mr. Obama's campaign also claims that the President will outline his plans for his second term, the press release stating, "Tonight President Obama will ask the country to rally around a set of goals on manufacturing, energy, education, national security, and the deficit – a real, achievable plan that will create jobs, expand opportunity, and ensure an economy built to last."

Here are the stated goals:

Manufacturing

• Create one million new manufacturing jobs by the end of 2016
• Double exports by the end of 2014

Energy

• Cut net oil imports in half by 2020
• Support 600,000 natural gas jobs by the end of the decade

Education

• Cut the growth of college tuition in half over the next 10 years
• Recruit 100,000 math and science teachers over the next 10 year
• Train two million workers for real jobs at community colleges

National Security

• Invest in the economy with the money we’re no longer spending on war

Deficit

• Reduce the deficit by more than $4 trillion over the next decade

(Photo: Getty)

Earlier today, Governor Andrew Cuomo took a rare foray outside of the Empire State to pay his partisan dues at the Democratic National Convention. His speech, which he oddly did not deliver in the convention hall itself despite Mr. Cuomo's status as a large-state governor with astronomical approval ratings, indeed let his Democratic flag fly, blasting the Republican Party, Paul Ryan and the whole nine yards.

Both the local and national media, which have taken a strong interest in Mr. Cuomo as a top-tier contender for the White House after President Barack Obama leaves in 2016, understandably tended to frame his speech today in those terms. You can view a healthy sampling of the reviews below:

BuzzFeed: "Andrew Cuomo Acts Like A Candidate In Charlotte"

The typically careful governor of New York gives a rare partisan address to delegates. Now everyone thinks he's running for president.

Gannett: "Cuomo Takes National Stage To Knock Republicans in Washington"

Despite no major speaking role at the Democratic National Convention, Cuomo is viewed as a potential presidential candidate in 2016 and gave his address Thursday to a packed house added significance and national interest.

The New York Times: "After Avoiding Spotlight in Charlotte, Cuomo Delivers Rousing Convention-Style Speech"

In his sole public appearance at a national Democratic gathering in which he simultaneously avoided and stoked national attention, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Thursday delivered a convention-style speech filled with tart-tongued denunciations of Republican economic policies as well as praise for New York as a progressive ideal for the country.

The governor, speaking at a breakfast sponsored by the New York State Democratic Committee, offered an unmistakable argument for his leadership as a new model of how Democrats can govern — on taxes, education and same-sex marriage — and struck many as presenting a preview of the case for his running for president in 2016.

Capital Tonight: "In Rare Partisan Speech, Cuomo Condemns National GOP"

The governor has kept a relatively low profile as rumors swirl that he is considering a run for president in 2016.

Cuomo is not speaking at the convention and has not appeared on TV as a major surrogate for the president.

But the governor’s surrogacy seemed to begin publicly today with fiery language for the president.

Capital New York: "In a small setting, Cuomo delivers a big Democratic address"

At the New York delegation breakfast in Charlotte this morning, Governor Andrew Cuomo delivered the kind of full-throated, unapologetically partisan defense of Barack Obama that he's largely avoided since becoming governor two years ago.

“Let’s thank President Barack Obama for what he’s done for our state!" said Cuomo, in his introduction.

Cuomo's one-day-only appearance at the convention, along with his studious avoidance of anything overtly related to 2016, made his address at the delegation breakfast a bit of a special occasion. The result almost had the feel of a keynote speech, even though it was delivered shortly before noon, far from the convention floor. And it seemed designed in part to be a response to the idea that he's kept a careful distance from the Obama re-election campaign.

Associated Press: "Cuomo: White House race a 'gut check' for nation"

Cuomo has downplayed any interest in a possible 2016 White House bid but his rousing address before hundreds of New York Democratic activists was unlikely to tamp down the speculation.

His speech, interrupted multiple times by applause, included a sweeping rebuke of the budget plan offered by GOP running mate Paul Ryan, a firm defense of President Barack Obama's policies and an outline of his agenda in Albany. With a partisan tone, Cuomo painted Republicans as instrumental in pushing policies that led to the economic decline.

Politico: "Cuomo makes his DNC debut"

It was an unusually partisan address for Cuomo, who almost never gives speeches like this as governor and who has worked hard to avoid partisan attacks in his own state as his approval ratings have consistently been in the high 60 percent range. Despite the questions about his future and 2016, he is holding almost no public events — and in a mark of his status as he tries to avoid engaging, there was very little national media at the event, held many miles from downtown Charlotte.

...

And his voice got louder as he went on, practically shouting at points as he talked about Obama's efforts on issues important to the middle class, which he said parallel what he is doing in New York. He also got in a reference to the gay marriage bill that passed in his state last year, his signature achievement and one that his supporters believe will set him apart on the national stage.

Staten Island Advance: "Cuomo speech electrifies New York Democrats, amps up 2016 buzz"

But Staten Islanders at the event wished that Cuomo had given his remarks in the convention hall instead, with one saying that it sounded like a "prelude" to a 2016 Cuomo White House bid.

Speaking to delegates in a highly anticipated address, Cuomo, already being mentioned as a potential 2016 contender, defended how President Barack Obama had handled the economy.

 New York Daily News: "DNC 2012: Cuomo 2016, Previewed?"

Following his speech, charged-up New York Democrats called the speech a good preview of what a potential Cuomo 2016 presidential run might look like.

“He sounded like a candidate to me today, but there’s a lot between 2016 and today, ” said Rep. Eliot Engel (D-Bronx).

“Of course it was,” said one state lawmaker. “Did you see all the balloons and the bunting and the sound system?”