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Obama Speaks Soon At U.N. General Assembly; Romney Gives Foreign Policy Speech; Seahawks Win On Controversial Touchdown; GM Slashes Price Of Chevy Volt; Obama Addresses U.N. General Assembly
Aired September 25, 2012 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: -- speak to delegates and fellow world leaders at the United Nations. At the top of his mind, the rising violence in the Middle East.
Monday night debacle. There are a lot of upset football fans this morning after the Seattle Seahawks get a controversial win over the Green Bay Packers. Did the replacement refs get this touchdown call right or wrong, and what's next?
Lynyrd Skynyrd known for using the confederate flag during their concerts and the popular band said the flag was out. They weren't going to use it anymore, but now they might be changing their tune again.
And it's one of the most important tools for a young mind, a proper lunch. But now complaints are growing. Does Michelle Obama's initiative give students enough to eat at school? NEWSROOM starts now.
Good morning. Thank you so much for being with us. I'm Carol Costello. We begin this hour with President Obama about to face two very different audiences. Just minutes from now, the president will address the United Nations General Assembly, but it's not just world leaders who will be listening to his speech about foreign policy.
American voters may also tune in to his comments amid a spike in international hot spots. The latest from Iran, they have reportedly test fired anti-ship missiles in the waters off its southern coast.
The maneuver is significant and possibly troubling for several reasons. According to an Iranian news agency, the drill was close to U.S. led naval exercises in the Persian Gulf. The test comes amid spiking tensions with Israel and mutual threats of military action.
And it comes on a day when both President Obama and the Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, deliver key speeches on U.S. foreign policy. As I said, Mr. Obama is about to speak momentarily. Mr. Romney spoke in the last hour.
We are covering the president's address to the United Nations from every angle. CNN's chief White House correspondent, Jessica Yellin, is standing by just outside the United Nations, and former U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Christopher Hill is with us from Denver for a closer look at the speech and Middle East policy.
And CNN contributor, John Avlon will help us sort out the political impact of the president's message to the United Nations. Let's start with you, Jessica. So far the president is being criticized for not meeting with any global leaders during this trip.
Last year, President Obama held 13 bilateral meetings. This year, zero. Can we expect anything from the president's speech to turn around that criticism?
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, he's not going to address anything regarding his meetings in the speech, but he will take on, Carol, head on the issue of Ambassador Stevens' death in Libya.
And that is one of the topics that the Romney campaign in particular has gone after him over accusing the Obama team of minimizing the death in part for his interview over the weekend. The president will say in the speech that this is an attack on U.S. and U.N. values.
He will also say that, I'm quoting here, we must reaffirm that our future will be determined by people like Chris Stevens and not by his killers, that this violence and intolerance has no place among our united nations, and he names the video.
He says there are no words that excuse the killing of innocents. There is no video that justifies an attack on an embassy. Now, in the context of politics, you understand here that he's saying this is clearly more than a bump in the road to him.
He calls this an actual crisis, but, Carol, yes, worth pointing out, when President Bush was running for re-election in 2004, to your earlier point, he sat down with almost a half dozen leaders for bilateral meetings, and as you point out, President Obama, zero.
COSTELLO: OK. I just want to mention, Jessica, that the woman speaking before the United Nations General Assembly right now is the president of Brazil, just so viewers know who she is.
President Obama is expected to speak in just about 7 minutes. Ambassador Hill, I'd like you to address the fact that President Obama mentions Ambassador Chris Stevens many times in his speech. What is he trying to get across to this international audience?
CHRIS HILL, JOSEF KORBEL SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF DENVER: Well, first of all, I think you correctly pointed out this is to an international audience, but it's also to a domestic U.S. audience. I mean, this is quite a donnybrook of a campaign, so I think he does have to speak to the American people.
But I think to both audiences, he is really pointing out that America has gone into this region with a sense of good will, that Chris Stevens was an example of really the finest we have to offer in terms of diplomacy, and I think he wants to make it clear to that international audience that we will continue to be a positive force to do all we can to help that region. But I think to the American audience he's also going to deflect some of the criticism given actually just a few hours before when Governor Romney spoke last night. You know, it used to be said that American politics stops at the water's edge. Well, that's a very quaint thought these days.
COSTELLO: John Avlon, I'd like to ask you this question. President Obama is going to, of course, talk about Chris Stevens a lot, as we said. He's going to talk about that attack on the consulate in Libya, but he's going to say that attack was not just an attack on the U.S. Consulate, but on consulates and embassies around the world, all foreign embassies.
JOHN AVLON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yes, that's right and from what we know from the prepared text. Look, Christopher Hill makes an important point. This speech comes not only at a tumultuous time in international politics, but at the height of a presidential campaign.
All eyes, foreign and domestic, really are on this president's speech right now to see him establish a vision of foreign leadership, strong American leadership in the world as the other shoe drops in the Arab spring.
He's going to have to address all these specific issues. And there's something more, beyond the death of our ambassador in Libya, beyond even the prospect of stopping Iran from achieving a nuclear bomb. A lot of people are going to be listening to see if he affirms America's commitment to freedom of speech.
And tries to make that point, not only saying no video justifies violence, but really affirming this principle for a foreign audience. That will be something a lot of people have called for and it will be interesting to see if he addresses directly in his speech before the United Nations.
COSTELLO: Yes, I think Jessica Yellin has some information about that. Let's head back to New York and the United Nations. We just saw President Obama enter the room in which he will speak surrounded by Secret Services.
Jessica, what will the president say about this anti-Muslim film that's caused so many problems around the world?
YELLIN: Well, he does address it in these words where he says, there are no words that excuse the killing of innocents. There is no video that justifies an attack on an embassy.
He also attributes -- he calls -- he says -- essentially he says we're at a point of inflection after the Arab spring and this is the time for the world community to make a choice. Do we stand, the world, with the people who killed Ambassador Stevens, and he identifies them as voices of intolerance, or with the values that Ambassador Stevens embraced.
And he calls for the world to rally around the values that Ambassador Stevens embraced, and essentially says that the U.S. will remain committed and engaged around the world. So it seems that he is artfully avoiding engaging in some of these more hot button linguistic terms.
We only have excerpts so we don't know if it's actually in the speech, but he is essentially espousing those values while saying that the U.S. will remain engaged in places like Libya and in the Arab world.
COSTELLO: Ambassador Hill, I'm sure the president will mention Iran. Governor Romney mentioned Iran in his speech about an hour ago. He called it the voice of unspeakable evil. What might President Obama say about Iran?
HILL: Well, I think the president will try to walk a very thin line. On the one hand, he doesn't want to be excessively optimistic about the diplomatic or even the sanctions track.
On the other hand, he doesn't want to start with the war drum beat. So I think he's going to be very careful there. I think he's going to talk about that there's still time, but I don't think he's going to describe that time as very long.
And at the same time I think he wants to make it clear to the Iranians they have to get serious about this diplomatic process.
COSTELLO: Not too long ago, earlier today, Iran fired off a missile test in the Persian Gulf. Should we read anything into that, Ambassador?
HILL: Well, you know, often these missile tests, I mean, I used to go through this with the North Koreans. They would be weeks in the making, so often it has to do with a military testing schedule that has little to do with politics.
On the other hand, the final decision to press a button may have something to do with politics, and certainly with the president speaking and the U.N. General Assembly getting under way, the Iranians might have in mind a message.
COSTELLO: John Avlon, you're an independent and both candidates are trying to win over independent voters. I just wondered since, of course, voters will also be listening to this speech, what do you think the president has to say on the issue of Iran and on America's policies in the Middle East?
AVLON: Sure. The president has scored very strong approval ratings on foreign policy for a long time now, in part because he wound down the war in Iraq, which was polarizing and unpopular, and also obviously because of the death of Osama Bin Laden.
But I think this is a moment for American leadership, and the president is going to have to strongly articulate a commitment not only to the state of Israel, but I think also to ensuring that Iran will not achieve a nuclear weapon, which the advanced copies of the text indicates he will say strongly.
But it's about very much about arguing strongly for American leadership abroad and propelling a specific vision for what America can do at this inflection point in the Arab spring. It's going to be all about strength.
You know, yesterday he went to "The View." He didn't meet with the other leaders. He is in campaign mode and there's a certain damage control trying no not to make any mistakes, but he is the president of the United States.
And this is a time to really use that bully pulpit on the international stage to send a message to independent voters and those undecideds who are left that he has a clear vision or how America can conduct itself in this very chaotic time in foreign policy in the Middle East especially.
COSTELLO: All right, John Avlon, Ambassador Hill, Jessica Yellin, stand by, we're awaiting President Obama to deliver remarks to the general assembly of the United Nations. We're going to take a quick break and we'll be back with much more.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: All right, as you can see, the Brazilian president continuing her remarks before the United Nations General Assembly. President Obama expected to take the podium soon after. When the president begins speaking, of course, we'll take you back to New York City and the United Nations.
It's 13 minutes past the hour now. Let's check our top stories. Mitt Romney talking foreign policy today. He wrapped up a speech to the Clinton Global Initiative just in the last hour. In that speech, he laid out a specific plan that deals with the distribution of foreign aid.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: The aim of a much larger share of our aid must be the promotion of work and the fostering of free enterprise. Nothing we can do as a nation will change lives and nations more effectively and permanently than sharing the insight that lies at the foundation of America's own economy, and that is that free people pursuing happiness in their own ways build a strong and prosperous nation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: President Obama will address that same group just after noon Eastern today. Of course, after he makes his remarks before the United Nations.
Monday night madness, football fans talking about last night's game, which was decided on a very controversial touchdown call. Replacement refs say Seattle Seahawks receiver Golden Tate and Green Bay Packers Jennings both came down with the ball. Tate was awarded the touchdown. There's been huge social media uproar against the call. Seattle wins the game 14-12. In money news, Google's stock is on the rise again. Shares of the social media giant closed yesterday at an all-time high at just under $750. Shares of Google are up 16 percent this year thanks to its Android software for smartphone and tablets.
Check this out, truck hanging off the side of a bridge in Brazil. It happened Friday. Investigators say the driver lost control of his truck when the car in front of him suddenly stopped. Truck's back end dangled over the water. Thankfully the driver was not hurt.
If you've been thinking about getting an electric car, listen up. General Motors is slashing the price of the Chevy Volt by, get this, up to $10,000. Alison Kosik is at the New York Stock Exchange. This is the most controversial car ever I think.
ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I know. But you know what? It's nothing like a discount to get people to just pour in and buy the vehicle, right?
Well, it turns out that sales of the Chevy Volt set a monthly record in August, 2,800 Volts were sold because of the massive discounts. Truecar.com says the discounts they ran as high as $10,000 a car.
The Volt's sticker price is about $40,000. OK, but one thing that truecar.com is saying is these generous discounts I'm talking about, they may not be sticking around. Still, you may find some pretty good deal was leases.
Some dealerships are offering a two-year lease at $169 a month down from $275. Now about the Volt, it can go about 25 miles on its battery and electric motor before a gas engine kicks in.
But remember all the hype, all the fun fare, Carol, when GM launched it two years ago? But the reality is, the harsh reality is sales have really been slow. Only 7,700 of these things were sold last year, missing GM's goal of 10,000.
Even safety regulators, they've raised concerns about the volt's battery that it could catch fire in a crash. But the car sales in August suggest that Americans will buy if you price it low enough. Hint, hint -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Exactly. If the price is right, we'll buy anything.
KOSIK: Exactly.
COSTELLO: How much money has GM lost on this car?
KOSIK: And that really is the money question, isn't it? Well, guess what? GM has never told us the exact amount it's losing, but Reuters came out recently and estimated that GM is losing up to $49,000 a car.
GM denies that report, but, come on, let's face it, electric cars have a long way to go before they can really catch on with the public and become profitable. Electric and gas electric hybrids are just 3.5 percent of U.S. auto sales. That's not really a big portion of auto sales. You know, cost is really an obstacle with these. Hybrids and electric cars, they tend to be expensive because of all the high-end technology in them.
Infrastructure can be another problem, especially for pure electric cars. You know, there just aren't many charging stations for them either. You build them, they will come. I think they will come if you lower the price -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Alison Kosik, spoken like a true business whiz that you are. Thanks so much.
We're going to take you back to the United Nations and the pending speech by President Obama. We'll be back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: All right, we understand President Obama is just about to be introduced. Our Jessica Yellin is standing by live at the United Nations. Jessica -- here is the president, Jessica. Let's listen.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Mr. President, Mr. Secretary-General, fellow delegates, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to begin today by telling you about an American named Chris Stevens.
Chris was born in a town called Grass Valley, California, the son of a lawyer and a musician. As a young man, Chris, joined the Peace Corps and taught English in Morocco, and he came to love and respect the people of North Africa and the Middle East.
He would carry that commitment throughout his life. As a diplomat, he worked from Egypt to Syria, from Saudi Arabia to Libya. He was known for walking the streets of the cities where he worked, tasting the local food, meeting as many people as he could, speaking Arabic, listening with a broad smile.
Chris went to Benghazi in the early days of the Libyan revolution arriving on a cargo ship. As America's representative, he helped the Libyan people as they coped with violent conflict, cared for the wounded, and crafted a vision for the future in which the rights of all Libyans would be respected.
And after the revolution, he supported the birth of a new democracy as Libyans held elections and built new institutions and began to move forward after decades of dictatorship. Chris Stevens loved his work.
He took pride in the country he served and he saw dignity in the people that he met. And two weeks ago he traveled to Benghazi to review plans to establish a new cultural center and modernize a hospital.
That's when America's compound came under attack. Along with three of his colleagues, Chris was killed in the city he helped to save. He was 52 years old. I tell you this story because Chris Stevens embodied the best of America. Like his fellow Foreign Service officers, he built bridges across oceans and cultures and was deeply invested in the international cooperation that the United Nations represents.
He acted with humility, but he also stood up for a set of principles, a belief that individuals should be free to determine their own destiny and live with liberty, dignity, justice, and opportunity.
The attacks on the civilians in Benghazi were attacks on America. We are grateful for the assistance we received from the Libyan government and from the Libyan people. There should be no doubt that we will be relentless in tracking down the killers and bringing them to justice.
And I also appreciate that in recent days the leaders of other countries in the region, including Egypt, Tunisia, and Yemen, have taken steps to secure our diplomatic facilities and called for calm. And so have religious authorities around the globe.
But understand the attacks of the last two weeks are not simply an assault on America. They are also an assault on the very ideals upon, which the United Nations was founded.
The notion that people can resolve their differences peacefully, that diplomacy can take the place of war, that in an interdependent world all of us have a stake in working towards greater opportunity and security for our citizens.
If we are serious about upholding these ideals, it will not be enough to put more guards in front of an embassy or to put out statements of regret and wait for the outrage to pass.
If we are serious about these ideals, we must speak honestly about the deeper causes of the crisis because we face a choice between the forces that would drive us apart and the hopes that we hold in common.
Today, we must reaffirm that our future will be determined by people like Chris Stevens and not by his killers. Today, we must declare that this violence and intolerance has no place among our united nations.
It's been less than two years since a vendor in Tunisia set himself on fire to protest the oppressive corruption in his country and sparked what became known as the Arab spring. And since then the world has been captivated by the transformation that's taken place, and the United States has supported the forces of change.
We were inspired by the Tunisian protests that toppled a dictator because we recognized our own beliefs in the aspiration of men and women who took to the streets. We insisted on change in Egypt because our support for democracy ultimately put us on the side of the people.
We supported a transition of leadership in Yemen because the interests of the people were no longer being served by a corrupt status quo. We intervened in Libya alongside a broad coalition and with the mandate of the United Nations Security Council because we had the ability to stop the slaughter of innocents. And because we believed that the aspirations of the people were more powerful than a tyrant, and as we meet her, we again declare that the regime of Bashar Al-Assad must come to an end so that the suffering of the Syrian people can stop and a new dawn can begin.
We have taken these positions because we believe that freedom and self-determination are not unique to one culture. These are not simply American values or western values. They are universal values.
And even as there will be huge challenges to come with the transition to democracy, I am convinced that ultimately government of the people, by the people, and for the people is more likely to bring about the stability, prosperity, and individual opportunity that serve as a basis for peace in our world.
So let us remember that this is a season of progress. For the first time in decades, Tunisians, Egyptians, and Libyans voted for new leaders in elections that were credible, competitive, and fair. This democratic spirit has not been restricted to the Arab world. Over the past year, we've seen peaceful transitions of power in Malawi, in Senegal and a new president in Somalia.
In Burma, a president has freed political prisoners and opened a closed society. A courageous dissident has been elected to parliament, and people look forward to further reform.
Around the globe people are making their voices heard insisting on their innate dignity and the right to determine their future. And yet the turmoil of recent weeks reminds us that the path to democracy does not end with the casting of a ballot.
Nelson Mandela once said, to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.
True democracy demands that citizens cannot be thrown in jail because of what they believe and that businesses can be opened without paying a bribe.
It depends on the freedom of citizens to speak their minds and assemble without fear, and on the rule of law and due process that guarantees the rights of all people.
In other words, true democracy, real freedom is hard work. Those in power have to resist the temptation to crack down on dissidents. In hard economic times, countries must be tempted -- may be tempted to rally - the people around perceived enemies at home and abroad, rather than focusing on the painstaking work of reform. Moreover there will always be those that reject human progress. Dictators who claim to power. Corrupt interests that depend on the status - quo, and extremists who fan the flames of hate and division. From Northern Ireland to South Asia. From Africa to the Americas. From the Balkins to the Pacific Rim - we have witnessed convulsions that can accompany transitions to a new political order.
At times the conflicts arise along the fault lines of race or tribe. And often they arise from the difficulties of reconciling tradition and faith with the diversity and interdependence of the modern world. In every country there are those who find different religious belief threatening. In every culture, those who love freedom for themselves must ask themselves how much they're willing to tolerate freedom for others. That is what we saw play out in the last two weeks. As a crude and disgusting video sparked outrage throughout the Muslim world.
I have made it clear that the United States Government had nothing to do with this video. And I believe its message must be rejected by all who respect our common humanity. It is an insult not only to Muslims but to America as well. For as the city outside these walls makes clear, we are a country that has welcomed people of every race and every faith. We are home to Muslims who worship across our country. We not only respect the freedom of religion, we have laws that protect individuals from being harmed because of how they look, or what they believe. We understand why people take offense to this video, because millions of our citizens are among them.
I know there are some that ask: why don't we just ban such a video? The answer is enshrined in our laws. Our constitution protects the right to practice free speech. Here in the United States, countless publications provoke offense. Like me, the majority of Americans are Christian and yet we do not ban blasphemy against our most sacred beliefs.
As president of our country and commander in chief of our military, I accept that people are going to call me awful things every day. And I will always defend their right to do so.
(APPLAUSE)
Americans have fought and died around the globe to protect the right of all people that express their views - even views that we profoundly disagree with. We do not do so because we support hateful speech, but because our founders understood that without such protections, the capacity of each individual to express their own views and practice their own faith may be threatened. We do so because in a diverse society, efforts to restrict speech can quickly become a tool to silence critics and oppress minorities. We do so because given the power of faith in our lives and the passion that religious differences can enflame, the strongest weapon against hateful speech is not repression, it is more speech. The voices of tolerance that rally against bigotry and blasphemy, and lift up the values of understanding and mutual respect.
I know that not all countries in this body share this particular understanding of the protection of free speech. We recognize that. But in 2012 at a time when anyone with a cell phone can spread offensive views with a click of a button, the notion that we can control the flow of information is obsolete. The question the is: how to we respond?
And on this we must agree. There is no speech that justifies mindless violence.
(APPLAUSE)
There are no words that excuse the killing of innocents. There is no video that justifies an attack on an embassy. There is no slander that provides an excuse for people to burn a restaurant in Lebanon, or destroy a school in Tunis, or cause death and destruction in Pakistan. In this modern world, with modern technologies, for us to respond in that way to hateful speech empowers any individual who engages in such speech to create chaos around the world. We empower the worst of us if that's how we respond.
More broadly, the events of the last two weeks also speak to the need for all of us to honestly address the tensions between the west and the Arab world that is moving towards democracy. Let me be clear. Just as we cannot solve every problem in the world, the United States has not and will not seek to dictate the outcome of democratic transitions abroad. We do not expect other nations to agree with us on every issue. Nor do we assume the violence of the past weeks or the hateful speech by some individuals represent the views of the overwhelming majority of Muslims, any more than the views of the people who produced this video represents those of Americans.
However, I do believe it is the obligation of all leaders in all countries to speak out forcefully against violence and extremism.
(APPLAUSE)
It is time to marginalize those who even when not directly resorting to violence use hatred of America or the West or Israel as the central organizing principle of politics. For that only gives cover and sometimes makes an excuse for those who do resort to violence. That brand of politics, one that pits east against west and south against north, Muslims against Christians and Hindus and Jews, can't deliver on the promise of freedom. To the youth, it offers only false hope. Burning an American flag does nothing to provide a child an education. Smashing apart a restaurant does not fill and empty stomach. Attacking an embassy won't create a single job. That brand of politics only makes it harder to achieve what we must do together: educating our children, and creating the opportunities that they deserve, protecting human rights and extending democracy's promise.
Understand America will never retreat from the world. We will bring justice to those who harm our citizens and our friends, and we will stand with our allies. We are willing to partner with countries around the world to deepen ties of trade and investment and science and technology, energy and development. All efforts that can spark economic growth for all our people and stabilize democratic change. But such efforts depend on a spirit of mutual interest and mutual respect. No government or company, no school or NGO will be confident working in a country where its people are in danger. For partnerships to be effective, our citizens must be secure. And our efforts must be welcomed.
A politics based only on anger, one based on dividing the world between us and them, not only sets back international cooperation it ultimately undermines those who tolerate it. All of us have an interest in standing up to these forces. Let us remember that Muslims have suffered the most at the hands of extremism. On the same day our civilians were killed in Benghazi, a Turkish police officer was murdered in Istanbul only days before his wedding. More than ten Yemenis were killed in a car bomb in Sena. Several Afghan children were mourned by their parents just days after they were killed by a suicide bomber in Kabul.
The impulse towards intolerance and violence may initially be focused on the West, but over time it cannot be contained. The same impulses towards extremism are used to justify war between Sunni and Shiia, between tribes and clans. It leads not to strength and prosperity but to chaos. In less than two years, we have seen largely peaceful protests bring more change to Muslim majority countries than a decade of violence. And extremists understand this. Because they have nothing to offer to improve the lives of people, violence is their only way to stay relevant. They don't build, they only destroy.
It is time to leave the call of violence and the politics of division behind. On so many issues, we face a choice between the promise of the future or the prisons of the past. And we cannot afford to get it wrong. We must seize this moment. And American stands ready to work with all who are willing to embrace a better future. The future must not belong to those who target Coptic Christians in Egypt, it must be claimed by those in Tahrir Square who chanted Muslims and Christians we are one. The future must not belong to those who bully women, it must be shaped by girls who go to school and those who stand for a world where our daughters can live their dreams just like our sons.
(APPLAUSE)
The future must not belong to those corrupt few who steal a country's resources, it must be won by the students and entrepreneurs. The workers and business owners who seek a broader prosperity for all people. Those are the women and men that American stands with. Theirs is the vision we will support. The future must not belong to those who slander the Prophet of Islam. But to be credible, those that condemn that slander must also condemn the hate we see in the images of Jesus Christ that are desecrated. Or churches that are destroyed, or the Holocaust that is denied.
(APPLAUSE)
Let us condemn incitement against Sufi Muslims, and Shiia pilgrims. It's time to heed the words of Ghandi "intolerance is itself a form of violence, and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit."
(APPLAUSE)
Together, we must work towards a world where we are strengthened by our differences. And not defined by them. That is what America embodies. That is the vision we will support. Among Israelis and Palestinians, the future must not belong to those who turn their backs on the prospect of peace. Let us leave behind those who thrive on conflict. Those who reject the right of Israel to exist. The road is hard, but the destination is clear: a secure Jewish state of a secure Jewish state of Israel and an independent, prosperous Palestine. (APPLAUSE)
Understanding that such a peace must come through a just agreement between the parties, America will walk alongside all who are prepared to make that journey.
In Syria, the future must not belong to a dictator who massacres his people. If there's a cause that cries out for protests in the world today, peaceful protest, it is a regime that tortures children and shoots rockets in apartment buildings. And we must remain engaged to assure that what began with citizens demanding their rights does not end in a cycle of sectarian violence.
Together, we must stand with those Syrians who believe in a different vision, a Syria that is united and inclusive, where children don't need to fear their own government and all Syrians have a say in how they're governed -- Sunnis and Alawites, Kurds and Christians. That's what America stands for. That's is the outcome that we will work for, with sanctions and consequences for those who persecute and assistance and support for those who work for this common good. Because we believe that the Syrians who embrace this vision will have the strength and legitimacy to lead.
In Iran, we see where the path of a violent and unaccountable ideology leads. The Iranian people have a remarkable and ancient history, and many Iranians wish to enjoy peace and prosperity alongside their neighbors. But just as it restricts the rights of its own people, the Iranian government continues to prop up a dictator in Damascus and supports terrorist groups abroad.
Time and again, it has failed to take the opportunity to demonstrate that its nuclear program is peaceful and to meet its obligations to the United Nations.
So let me be clear: America wants to resolve this issue through diplomacy, and we believe that there is still time and space to do so. But that time is not unlimited.
We respect the right of nations to access peaceful nuclear power, but one of the purposes of the United Nations is to see that we harness that power for peace.
Make no mistake: A nuclear-armed Iran is not a challenge that can be contained. It would threaten the elimination of Israel, the security of Gulf nations, and the stability of the global economy. It risks triggering a nuclear arms race in the region, and the unraveling of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
That's why a coalition of countries is holding the Iranian government accountable. And that's why the United States will do what we must to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
We know from painful experience that the path to security and prosperity does not lie outside the boundaries of international law and respect for human rights. That's why this institution was established from the rubble of conflict; that is why liberty triumphed over tyranny in the Cold War; and that is the lesson of the last two decades as well.
History shows that peace and progress come to those who make the right choices. Nations in every part of the world have traveled this difficult path.
Europe -- the bloodiest battlefield of the 20th century -- is united, free and at peace. From Brazil to South Africa, from Turkey to South Korea, from India to Indonesia people of different races, religions and traditions have lifted millions out of poverty, while respecting the rights of their citizens and meeting their responsibilities as nations.
And it is because of the progress that I've witnessed in my own lifetime, the progress that I've witnessed after nearly four years as president, that I remain ever hopeful about the world that we live in.
The war in Iraq is over. American troops have come home. We've begun a transition in Afghanistan, and America and our allies will end our war on schedule in 2014.
Al Qaida has been weakened and Osama bin Laden is no more.
Nations have come together to lock down nuclear materials, and America and Russia are reducing our arsenals.
We have seen hard choices made -- from Naypyidaw to Cairo to Abidjan -- to put more power in the hands of citizens.
At a time of economic challenge, the world has come together to broaden prosperity. Through the G-20, we have partnered with emerging countries to keep the world on the path of recovery.
America has pursued a development agenda that fuels growth and breaks dependency, and worked with African leaders to help them feed their nations.
New partnerships have been forged to combat corruption and promote government that is open and transparent. And new commitments have been made through the Equal Futures Partnership to ensure that women and girls can fully participate in politics and pursue opportunity.
And later today, I will discuss our efforts to combat the scourge of human trafficking.
All these things give me hope. But what gives me the most hope is not the actions of us, not the actions of leaders. It is the people that I've seen. The American troops who've risked their lives and sacrificed their limbs for strangers half a world away. The students in Jakarta or Seoul who are eager to use their knowledge to benefit mankind. The faces in a square in Prague or a parliament in Ghana who see democracy giving voice to their aspirations. The young people in the favelas of Rio and the schools of Mumbai whose eyes shine with promise.
These men, women and children of every race and every faith remind me that for every angry mob that gets shown on television, there are billions around the world who share similar hopes and dreams. They tell us that there is a common heartbeat to humanity.
So much attention in our world turns to what divides us. That's what we see on the news, that's what consumes our political debates.
But when you strip all away, people everywhere long for the freedom to determine their destiny; the dignity that comes with work; the comfort that comes with faith; and the justice that exists when governments serve their people and not the other way around.
The United States of America will always stand up for these aspirations for our own people and for people all across the world. That was our founding purpose. That is what our history shows. That is what Chris Stevens worked for throughout his life.
And I promise you this: Long after the killers are brought to justice, Chris Stevens' legacy will live on in the lives that he touched, in the tens of thousands who marched against violence through the streets of Benghazi, in the Libyans who changed their Facebook photo to one of Chris, in the signs that read simply, "Chris Stevens was a Friend to all Libyans." They should give us hope. They should remind us that so long as we work for it, justice will be done, that history is on our side, and that a rising tide of liberty will never be reversed.
Thank you very much.
COSTELLO: President Obama wrapping up his remarks to the General Assembly at the United Nations. Our chief White House correspondent Jessica Yellin has been listening to the speech. And, Jessica, I wonder, is the President's speech enough to silence his critics?
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: His critics in a campaign season will endlessly come at him, Carol, so no doubt this will not silence them, but I do think that there was a point in that speech where he did manage to strike that careful balance where he spoke both to a global community about -- on the topic of Libya about the -- how offended the U.S. was and how offended he was by the video, that it does not represent American values, that the U.S. is a place that embraces diversity and diversity of religion is part of what founded this nation.
But then he made a turn and explained to the global community that this is also a nation in which freedom of speech is enshrined in our identity. And even he accept that he is criticized on a daily basis and serves as President to protect that value.
So this is one of those rhetorical moments in the speech where he was able to articulate American values in a way that can reflect well here in the U.S. and abroad. I think that he will be criticized no doubt for language he didn't use on Iran or some people think he should have. He did mention Syria, so that box is checked.
Not a lot on some other topics. So, you know, he'll take his fire, but that was a key moment of the speech.
COSTELLO: I'm sure. Ambassador Chris Hill is here, former ambassador to Iraq.
And ambassador, I just want to play a part of the President's speech that struck me, when he was talking to the audience about the violence in countries throughout the Middle East over this anti-Islam film. Let's listen to President Obama, then I'll ask you about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam, but to be credible those who condemn that slander must also condemn the hate we see in the images of Jesus Christ that are desecrated or churches that are destroyed or the Holocaust that is denied.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: So Ambassador Hill, does this sort of thing resonate with the Middle East audience?
CHRIS HILL, FORMER AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ: Oh, I think so. I think what we saw was the President, first of all, I think very well, brilliantly really, represented U.S. interests, a combination of real toughness but a resolve and faith with our values.
But he was also very much speaking as an international statesman, and I think the most poignant parts of the speech were the ones that you just cited. The fact that he was really reaching out to audiences in the Middle East, pointing out that there are billions of people who are not shown on television rioting every day but rather are doing things to create a better world community.
So I think we really saw our U.S. President rise to the occasion and really rise to the role of international statesman in this speech.
COSTELLO: Of course, John Avlon, we can never forget that we're in the middle of a presidential election. Republicans have been criticizing the President for weak leadership in the Middle East. Did this speech show strong leadership?
JOHN AVLON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I think it did. This was a speech that was very much about a statement of principle. It was a vision speech and the President addressed not only all the things that are going on in the world from Libya to Syria.
But by framing the speech with a tribute to Ambassador Stevens he really did lay out a vision of American leadership and American principles that can resonate not only in the American electorate but around the globe. I think this is one of those speeches that could last because he did delineate the conflicts around the world as one being between those who would build and those who would destroy. The people who use hate and division to try to define humanity.
In that case it was a larger rallying cry that could resonate beyond our own election across borders. It was a strong speech by the President. COSTELLO: Ambassador, I just want to ask you one more question, I mean, the President did talk about Iran, but he didn't dwell on it. Most of his speech had to do with this anti-Islam film and Libya and events in the larger Middle East. Did that surprise you?
HILL: No, it didn't actually. I think he laid out very clearly his preference for diplomacy, but his observation that it won't last forever. And I think he made a very important point which is we're not looking to contain the Iran nuclear issue. We're looking to end the Iran nuclear issue. So I think it's very much consistent with his views.
I mean often in U.S. audiences as he has talked about the fact that, you know, everything is on the table, but I think in a speech like this, which he is really kind of laying claim to this kind of global statesmanship, I think he didn't want to get into some of those issues that are more really for American domestic audiences.
But I don't think anyone listening to that speech would have been left with the impression that this is a person without resolve for dealing with Iran. He very much made it clear.
COSTELLO: Yes, and I ask you that in light of, you know, Governor Romney gave his speech before the Clinton Global Initiative in the last hour. He intimated that Iran was the voice of unspeakable evil and there was a contrast there. So I'm sure that this will be parsed throughout the day.
Thank you so much for being with us, Ambassador, and also John Avlon and Jessica Yellin, our chief White House correspondent who has a busy day ahead of her.
Thanks to all of you for participating. We appreciate. I'm Carol Costello. Thank you for joining me today.
"CNN NEWSROOM" with Ashleigh Banfield continues after a quick break.
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