Barack Obama Versus You
Our President uses the first and second person pronouns, the words "I/Me/My/We" and "you," very differently. Here are some examples.
First, "I":
I still remember when I was first running for the state senate in Illinois.
That's the essential project that got me into politics. That's why I ran for President.
I ran for President.
I don't mind cleaning up the mess that some other folks made. That's what I signed up to do.
Our economy started growing again six months after I took office and it has continued to grow for the last three years.
[I]'m running again for President....
That's why I'm running for President.
And I want to put in place a new clean energy standard....
Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
I directed Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority of our war against Al-Qaeda....
I determined that we had enough intelligence to take action, and authorized an operation to get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice.
My plan to encourage innovation...
My plan sets up an independent fund to attract private dollars and issue loans....
My plan for education doesn't just rely on more money ... I want to give schools more flexibility....
I'm running because I want to make sure that every child gets a high-quality education, and that means I want to hire new teachers in our classrooms ....
And I want to give 2 million more people the opportunity to get trained at a community college for jobs that exist right now, and get the skills they need.
And I want to cut through the maze of confusing training programs....
And I want to make college more affordable for every young person who has the initiative and drive to go, and make sure they're not burdened by thousands of dollars' worth of debt.
I will not back down from protecting our kids from mercury poisoning, or making sure that our food is safe and our water is clean.
I'm implementing over 500 reforms....
I will sign an executive order clearing away the red tape that slows down too many construction projects.
I've signed a law....
I've cut taxes ....
[I]'ve proposed a new defense strategy ....
I've asked Congress for the authority to reorganize the federal government ....
I have approved fewer regulations in the first three years of my presidency ....
I will go anywhere in the world to open new markets for American products.
And I will not stand by when our competitors don't play by the rules.
[I]'m sending this Congress a plan....
[I]'ve already sent this Congress legislation that will secure our country from the growing dangers of cyber-threats.
I've got a different vision for America. ...That's my vision for America....This is the vision I intend to pursue in my second term as President
And I'm running for a second term as President because we have more to do.
But I can do a whole lot more....
Now, "You"
Look, if you've been successful, you didn't get there on your own.
You didn't get there on your own.
If you've got a business - you didn't build that. Someone else made that happen.
Oh, lest I forget,
"[O]ur family story was all about this basic idea in America that if you work hard, you can make it if you try here in this country."