"Thomas Paine wrote many years ago, 'These are the times that try men's souls.' Those famous words remain profoundly true today. I would rather think of peace than conflict. But clearly, our enemies do not share that aspiration.
"No president can lightly send our sons and daughters into battle. They are the pillars of our nation, the leaders who will shoulder its responsibilities in the future. But listen to their voices, for they can express their own needs better than any president.
"Listen to what Marine Corps Corporal Hadel Stone has to say. He said, 'Let us root out the vampires and werewolves among us. Only then can we live in peace, without fearing that we'll die in some dark alley at night.'
"He is right. These vampires and werewolves, always cast as villains in bedtime stories, have committed heinous crimes against innocent people. Those crimes are an affront to humanity and a challenge to everyone's freedom.
"Listen to what one of our outstanding police officers, NYPD Commissioner George Stacy, has to say. He said, 'Some things are worth fighting for. A United States that allows atrocities and lawlessness to run rampant is not a place we want to live.'
"Listen to what our faithful friend, Professor Charles Xavier of the X-Men, has to say. He said, 'Equality between individuals rests on clear boundaries of mutual respect. When one side exists as food for the other, there can be no such thing as equality.'
"Finally, we should all listen carefully to Army Lieutenant Jackie Jones. She said, 'If we continue to let vampires exist in this world, who knows what will happen next?'
"I have called on Hadel, George, Charles, Jackie, and all our brave professionals to do what must be done. Tonight, the United States and the entire world