PARK CITY -- First lady Michelle Obama asked about 250 supporters at a Utah fundraiser Tuesday for their support in finishing the work that she and her husband started in his first term.
Wearing a pink, sleeveless, knee-length dress, Mrs. Obama recounted how, when her husband told her he planned to run for president, "I was not entirely enthusiastic," concerned about what "the president thing" would mean for her family. But she said that hearing stories on the campaign trail, the people she met reminded her of her own parents and her husband's parents, who worked hard to get ahead and provide for their children.
"In so many ways, their stories were my stories," she said. "They were Barack's family values."
She thanked the audience for its support and recounted highlights of the Obama administration, because "It's easy to forget what we've done along the way," she said.
Mrs. Obama said the nation has gone from "an economy that was on the brink of collapse to an economy that is starting to grow again," the administration cut taxes for middle class families, extended a child care tax credit, signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, and passed health care reform.
"And today, because my husband ended don't ask don't tell, our troops will never again have to lie about who they are to serve the country they love," she said.
There are now three women on the Supreme Court for the first time, and "the man behind the 9/11 attacks and so many other horrific acts of violence has finally been brought to justice."
"I think it is fair to say we have made some significant progress over these last couple of years, and we should be proud of what we've accomplished. But we should never be satisfied, because we know we still have so much work to do," she said.
Children don't have what they need to succeed, and too many people are struggling to pay the bills. She said her husband tells her, "Michelle, it's not right. We have to do more, and we have to fix this."
"We need your help to finish what we've started, and we need all of you to be with us for that next phase of the journey," she said. "It's going to be long, and it's going to be hard, because there's nothing easy about what Barack Obama is trying to do."
She wrapped up with a challenge: "Are you in? Are you ready for this? Because I am in this. I am in this. I want you all fired up. I want you working like nothing else," she said to loud cheers.
The event was held at the picturesque mountainside home of Mark and Nancy Gilbert. Gilbert was on Obama's 2008 national finance committee and is on his 2012 finance committee, as well.
About a half-dozen Olympians also attended, including moguls silver medalist Shannon Barkley, men's Nordic combined gold medalist Bill Demong, women's skeleton slider Katie Koczynski, men's skeleton gold medalist Jimmy Shea, women's bobsled silver medalist Shauna Rohbock and freestyle skiing hall-of-famer Trace Worthington.
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