Weekly Address: Giving Thanks for Our Troops

In this week's address, the President thanked the men and women in uniform who serve and sacrifice to protect the freedom, prosperity, and security that we all enjoy as Americans. On Monday, the President will visit troops at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey and voice his appreciation in person for their incredible service.

These troops, as well as the many who are still overseas, have met every mission they have been tasked with, from bringing a responsible end to our war in Afghanistan, to working to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL, to saving lives by fighting to contain the spread of Ebola. During this holiday season, a time of blessings and gratitude, the President reminded everyone to find a way to thank and serve the members of the military who serve us every day.

Watch the President's Weekly Address now.

"They" Are "Us"

President Obama traveled to Casa Azafran in Nashville on Tuesday to speak with Tennesseans and answer a few questions about the recent steps he took to fix our broken immigration system.

Nashville is a city brimming with the vitality that immigrants bring to a local economy and culture. As the President said, immigrants are woven into the very fabric of who we are:

"They" are "us." They work as teachers in our schools, doctors in our hospitals, police officers in our neighborhoods. They start small businesses at a faster rate than many native-born Americans. They create jobs making this city more prosperous, and a more innovative place.

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Investing in Our Kids

On Wednesday, President Obama convened the White House Summit on Early Education, bringing together a number of policymakers, school superintendents, corporate and community leaders, and others to talk about the importance of quality early childhood education.

In addition to announcing a collective investment of more than $1 billion in the education and development of our young children, the summit also highlighted the launch of Invest in US -- a new initiative created by the nonprofit First Five Years Fund, in partnership with private philanthropic leaders.

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President Obama Takes Over the Colbert Report

As the Colbert Report winds down to its final episode, Stephen Colbert traveled south to George Washington University on Monday to sit down with President Obama -- or, as Stephen prefers, the man who once sat down with Bill O'Reilly.

It was a memorable meeting of two great leaders -- one of the free world, the other of "medium cable ratings." They discussed health care reform, the President's recent actions on immigration, climate change, and the presidency vs. punditry.

President Barack Obama tapes "The Word" for "The Colbert Report with Stephen Colbert" at Lisner Auditorium at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. December 8, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

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As always, see more of the week's events in the latest edition of West Wing Week.