Hi, everybody.

I hope you're all having a great Fourth of July weekend. I want to begin today by saying a special word to the U.S. Men's Soccer Team, who represented America so well the past few weeks. We are so proud of you. You've got a lot of new believers.

And I know there's actually a petition（请愿，祈求） on the White House website to make Tim Howard the next Secretary of Defense. Chuck Hagel's got that spot right now, but if there is a vacancy（空缺）, I'll think about it.

It was 238 years ago that our founders came together in Philadelphia to launch our American experiment. There were farmers and businessmen, doctors and lawyers, ministers and a kite-flying scientist. Those early patriots may have come from different backgrounds and different walks of life.

But they were united by a belief in a simple truth-that we are all created equal; that we are all endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights; and that among these rights are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Over the years, that belief has sustained us through war and depression; peace and prosperity. It's helped us build the strongest democracy, the greatest middle class, and the most powerful military the world has ever known.

And today, there isn't a nation on Earth that wouldn't gladly trade places with the United States of America. But our success is only possible because we have never treated those self-evident truths as self-executing.

Generations of Americans have marched, organized, petitioned, fought and even died to extend those rights to others;to widen the circle of opportunity for others; and to perfect this union we love so much.

That's why I want to say a special thanks to the men and women of our armed forces and the families who serve with them-especially those service members who spent this most American of holidays serving your country far from home.

You keep us safe, and you keep the United States of America a shining beacon（灯塔，浮标） of hope for the world. And for that, you and your families deserve not only the appreciation of a grateful nation, but our enduring commitment to serve you as well as you've served us.

God bless you all. And have a great weekend.