Click here to listen to President Barack Obama's full interview with the TJMS.
Today's the big day for President Barack Obama but that did not stop him from calling into the Tom Joyner Morning Show to urge people to get out and vote, remind them of the work he has done, and reassure people that he is the best option for the next four years.
Read the full transcription below.
TOM JOYNER: Mr. President! Big Chief.
BO: Can you hear me?
TOM JOYNER: I hear you now.
BO: It’s Election Day.
TOM JOYNER: It’s Election Day.
SYBIL WILKES: It’s voting day.
BO: It’s voting day.
TOM JOYNER: And you got a little bit of voice left.
BO: I just saved a little bit for the Tom Joyner show.
TOM JOYNER: Alright. Fire up.
BO: I am fired up, I am ready to go, and Tom, Sybil and everybody I just want to say thank you for, I know you guys been talking about voting. You’ve been talking about how folks have to turn out. What’s at stake. Why it’s so important. But today the rubber hits the road.
TOM JOYNER: That’s right.
BARACK OBAMA: All the work we’ve been doing, not just for this campaign, but all the work we’ve been doing for the last four years to get people healthcare, and the war in the Iraq, and make sure that our veterans are cared for, putting folks back to work and expanding student aid to the kids who are going to college. All that stuff is at stake, and you know, now people have the power, but they’ve got to take that power. So I’m hoping that everybody gets to their polling place. And if you need information about where to go, go to vote.barackobama.com and I just want to thank all the supporters all across the country we’ve been seeing who have been working so hard to make this thing happen.
TOM JOYNER: Well, it was four years ago you called on Election Day, and that worked. And four years ago you also played some basketball. We talked with Valerie Jarrett earlier. And are you at the …
SYBIL WILKES: One of the rituals.
BARACK OBAMA: We’re going to be hooping.
BARACK OBAMA: We will. We don’t do anything different.
BARACK OBAMA: I told, we got to figure out exactly what I ate.
BARACK OBAMA: What time I got my hair cut.
BARACK OBAMA: We’re just going to do the exact same thing.
TOM JOYNER: Except it won’t be in Grant Park.
BARACK OBAMA: We’re going to do it inside, we got too lucky last time.
SYBIL WILKES: Yeah.
TOM JOYNER: Yeah.
BARACK OBAMA: It was 65 degrees outside in Chicago in November and you know, Tom, that’s not right.
TOM JOYNER: So when you play today are you shirts or skins?
BARACK OBAMA: Uh, well, you know, the President is always shirts.
SYBIL WILKES: Okay.
BARACK OBAMA: Yeah, that’s how that works.
SYBIL WILKES: That’s right. That’s right, Mr. President.
BARACK OBAMA: By the way I want to thank folks for some Girl Scout cookies that I got.
SYBIL WILKES: Oh, great.
BARACK OBAMA: Brought by the Oval Office.
TOM JOYNER: Oh, yeah?
BARACK OBAMA: Yeah. I just want to say thank you to you all. That was really nice.
SYBIL WILKES: I know you don’t eat sweets, but we did want you to have a little something.
BARACK OBAMA: It was very sweet. I appreciated that.
SYBIL WILKES: April Ryan did her interview, conducted her interview with the President, and we purchased cookies from April’s daughter. And she was kind enough to pass those along to the President, so we’re glad you got them, so.
BARACK OBAMA: Oh, it was really nice.
TOM JOYNER: Yeah.
SYBIL WILKES: Well, it’s really nice for you to call today, and the one last push to remind people what is at stake, as you have done. And we just wish that all of your rituals are in place and they go so that people can get to the polls and do the right thing today.
BARACK OBAMA: Well, like I said, everybody’s work so hard for so long to put us in the position where we can really make a difference in folks’ lives. And I know the last four years have been tough, but I promise you they would’ve been tougher if it hadn’t been for the work we did. And, you know, right now we’re starting to see things pick up to be where they need to be. And we got a long way to go, but if we can continue on the path we’re on right now for the next four years I truly believe that by the end of my presidency we’ll be able to look back and say the community is stronger, more folks have work, incomes are higher, young peoples’ education is better, healthcare is better, our image around the world is better. We will be in a better spot. But everything we’ve done could be reversed in a moment if we don’t turn out to vote today. We got the votes to win this thing. It’s all going to depend on whether people turn out. So.
SYBIL WILKES: We’ll go forward.
BARACK OBAMA: Okay. Let’s do it guys. And I appreciate you guys so much.
TOM JOYNER: I’ll see you tonight.
SYBIL WILKES: See you tonight, sir.
TOM JOYNER: At McCormick Place.
BARACK OBAMA: Thank you.
TOM JOYNER: Alright.
BARACK OBAMA: Bye.
