You can choose a future where more Americans have the chance to gain the skills they need to compete no matter how old they are or how much money they have. Education was the gateway to opportunity for me. It was the gateway for Michelle. And now more than ever it is the gateway to a middle-class life.

In my childhood America was like a religion. Then real-life Americans abruptly entered my life - in jeeps - and upset all my dreams.

American dreams are strongest in the hearts of those who have seen America only in their dreams.

Our theme for this year's festivities Dreams and Challenges of Asian Pacific Americans speaks to the many generations of Asian Pacific Americans who worked hard to overcome economic hardship racism and other barriers in their pursuit of the American dream.

We grew up founding our dreams on the infinite promise of American advertising. I still believe that one can learn to play the piano by mail and that mud will give you a perfect complexion.

I part of this great nation because my grandfather was born here in Cincinnati Ohio. He took a horse back in 1895 and ride it all the way down to Guanajuato looking for his American dream. No penny in his pocket only dreams in his head. And he was an immigrant coming from the States into Mexico. And he found his American dream in Mexico.

I say to my colleagues never confine your best work your hopes your dreams the aspiration of the American people to what will be signed by George W. Bush because that is too limiting a factor.

Instead of plotting the demise of the traditional family as some politicians and religious leaders would have you believe gay people mow their lawns and watch 'American Idol' and video their children's concerts and have the same hopes and dreams that their straight counterparts do.

Genius is an African who dreams up snow.

We must stop talking about the American dream and start listening to the dreams of Americans.

Mitt Romney will stop the attacks on job creators encourage entrepreneurs to chase their dreams and bring good jobs and a better future to all Americans.

This is the city of dreamers and time and again it's the place where the greatest dream of all the American dream has been tested and has triumphed.

Look at the average American diet: ice cream butter cheese whole milk all this fat. People don't realize how much of this stuff you get by the end of the day. High blood pressure is from all this high-fat eating.

I grew up with a heavy diet of gospel folk and blues because those are kind of the cornerstones of traditional American music.

As American as an apple is and as American as baseball is they don't go together. You can't be chewing an apple at a baseball game. You've got to let go of the diet that day.

Right now I'd love to be sitting on a Greek island somewhere because of being Greek American eating great octopus salad and some fantastic lamb. Or sipping a little ouzo. I think the Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest... Lots of nuts vegetables fruits fresh fish lean meats yogurt.

We always think of a diet with a big groan. But I think diets are fun. I think it is an American pastime for a lot of women.