Obama Gives Commencement Speech At Ohio State University [Video]

President Obama gave a commencement speech today to the students at Ohio State University.

According to NBC, about 50,000 people were in attendance (about 10,000 graduating students) to hear the president deliver his first commencement address of 2013.

Obama focused on America’s need for more “full-time” citizens and urged the graduates to be active participants in society.

The President said: “In fact, I’m asking the same thing of you that President Bush did when he spoke at this commencement in 2002: ‘America needs more than taxpayers, spectators and occasional voters,’ he said. ‘America needs full-time citizens.’ ”

The president acknowledged that the political system in Washington had been torn apart by petty differences and urged the students to work toward a better future.

The president said: “This is a joyous occasion, so let me put it charitably: I think it’s fair to say our democracy isn’t working as well as we know it can… Only you can ultimately break that cycle. Only you can make sure the democracy you inherit is as good as we know it can be… But it requires your dedicated, informed and engaged citizenship.”

Obama, who was given an honorary Doctor of Laws degree, concluded his speech with a dare.

The president said: “I dare you, Class of 2013, to do better. I dare you to dream bigger.”

Here’s the video of President Obama’s commencement speech at Ohio State University.

The Huffington Post notes that President Obama will give two more commencement speeches this year. He’ll speak later this month at the U.S. Naval Academy in Maryland and at Morehouse College in Atlanta.

[Photo Via WhiteHouse.Gov]