Politics & Government

Obama Mentions Mentor in Acceptance Speech

During his speech in Chicago, Obama discussed a family he met while campaigning in Mentor

Just days after he campaigned in Mentor, President Barack Obama gave the city a shout-out Wednesday morning in his acceptance speech.

While discussing his "Obamacare" initative, Obama gave a brief account of meeting Kevin Potter, a Kirtland man he met while visiting Mentor. Potter's daughter 3-year-old daughter, Erin, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in 2007. When Potter introduced Obama at his Mentor High School rally, he said Obamacare saved the girl's life.

Here's what the President said, as transcribed by Fox8.com:

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"I saw it just the other day in Mentor, Ohio where a father told the story of his eight-year-old daughter whose long battle with leukemia nearly cost the family everything ... Had it not been for the health care reform passing just a few months before the insurance company was about to stop paying for her care. I had an opportunity to not just talk to the father, but to meet this incredible daughter of his. And when he spoke to the crowd, listening to that father’s story, every parent in the crowd had tears in their eyes because we knew that little girl could be our own. And I know every American wants her future to be just as bright. That’s who we are. That’s the country I’m so proud to lead as your president"

Erin has also met Justin Bieber. After her father introduced the President at Saturday's rally, Obama joked that he was only "the second most impressive person" the young girl had met.

Find out what's happening in Mentorwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


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