| HISTORIANS' COMMENTS | Historians' Comments- PENIEL JOSEPH, Brandeis University on"Barack Obama's Historic, unconventional speech":
Well, a truly historic night, one whose symbolic power is going to reverberate around the nation. Barack Obama
has really catapulted America into its 21st-century multi-cultural future, really whether Americans are ready
for that or not. -
PBS Newshour, 8-28-08
- RICHARD NORTON SMITH, George Mason University on"Barack Obama's Historic, unconventional speech":
You know, I think the lack of a balloon drop wasn't the only unconventional thing about this speech. I think it
was a remarkable speech for one thing, I think, in some ways, it sacrificed eloquence of the conventional variety
for electability. This was someone who, as Judy has said, was putting meat on the bones, defining what change
means to people sitting around the kitchen table, but also he talked about eliminating obsolescent government
programs, as well as closing corporate loopholes. Over and over, he talked about the search for common ground
on issues that have been so divisive -- abortion, gun control, gay rights -- and implicit in all that is
the search for a more civil, more workable, if you will, kind of government. It's going to be very difficult,
it seems to me, for people to pin him with the label of conventional liberal or maybe conventional Democrat. -
PBS Newshour, 8-28-08
- MICHAEL BESCHLOSS, Presidential Historian
Yep. You know, Jim, we were talking earlier about John Kennedy's amazing acceptance speech in 1960. I listened to
Barack Obama tonight; I think this one was better. He told you exactly what he's going to do, point by point,
told you who he is, and also didn't do the cheap thing, trying to sort of make himself into something he's not.
This line where he said,"I realize that I am not the likeliest candidate for this office, I don't fit the typical
pedigree," 9 out of 10 politicians wouldn't have done -- 9 out of 10 would not have done that. It gives you a
sense of who this man is. I think it's going to be a very powerful help with his campaign. -
PBS Newshour, 8-28-08
- Michael Beschloss, Richard Norton Smith and Peniel Joseph:
A Historic Night
Analysts Mark Shields and David Brooks and historians Michael Beschloss, Richard Norton Smith and Peniel Joseph
offer thoughts on the closing night of the DNC. -
PBS NewsHour, 8-28-08, Download
- Ted Widmer on Obama's Oratory Skills:"He is blessed with a richly resonant voice that we love to hear; he could read the telephone directory and it would
sound good," said Ted Widmer, editor of an acclaimed edition of American political speeches and a former
Bill Clinton speechwriter."He is very good at pauses and inflection, and he cuts an impressive figure on stage -
all of which adds up to making an Obama speech a special event." -
Guardian UK, 8-28-08
- Michael Beschloss on"Panel says Chicago forged Obama's political skill":
Michael Beschloss, a leading presidential historian, noted that previous presidents have come on
varying paths to the White House."If you go through presidents and look what made the great ones, probably a length of time in the United
States Congress doesn't help too much; same with governorships," he said. -
Denver Post, 8-28-08
- Gil Troy"DNC Day 3: The Clinton Catharsis was a Con – and a Historical Hijacking":
...Moreover, ultimately, despite Bill Clinton’s clever, skillful endorsement, both Clintons made Barack Obama
look weak. One Fox News commentator suggested that had the Clintons been the winners, they would have imposed a
deal on Obama. They would have pushed supporters to cover the defeated rival's campaign debt on the condition that
he maintain a low profile at the convention and follow their script to a tee. Instead, as always with the Clintons,
too much of this convention was all about them, rather than about Barack Obama and his historic but now somewhat
distracted push for the presidency. -
HNN, 8-28-08
- Andrew Bacevich: Obama's Limits: An Interview With Andrew Bacevich -
..."Jimmy Carter, his famous 'malaise' speech in 1979 was enormously prescient in warning about the consequences
of ever-increasing debt and dependency. Carter's argument was that energy independence provided a vehicle for
us to assert control of our destiny, and to reassess what we meant by freedom: is it something more than simply
consumerism? But that speech was greeted with howls of derision. Ronald Reagan said we could have anything we
wanted. There were no limits. Then we the people rejected Carter's warning and embraced Reagan's promise
of never-ending abundance. That was a fateful choice."That's the language of American politics, for both the
mainstream left and the mainstream right. But that idea is not really sustainable when we look at the facts." -
The Nation, 8-28-08
- Timuel Black on"Chicago area residents clear schedules to watch":
Chicago area historian Timuel Black was in Washington DC 45 years ago when King gave his"I Have a Dream" speech at the height of the civil rights movement. Black said the emotion was overwhelming,
and the 89-year-old said he expected to be emotional again Thursday night while witnessing King's words come true."Forty-five years later, Barack Obama epitomizes what Dr. King was dreaming of; that one can move from the bottom
of the ladder to the top of the ladder," Black said. -
ABC News, 8-28-08
- Robert Caro: Johnson's Dream, Obama's Speech -
NYT, 8-28-08
- Gil Troy"Obama's lousy summer":
...This failure to embrace his centrism played into his larger mistake -- he did nothing this summer to advance
the narrative, to give Americans a new reason to vote for him. In the absence of a new plot dictated by Obama,
the growing case of buyer's remorse dominated the headlines, and shaped the pre-convention plot lines.
Just as it was a mistake to count out McCain prematurely, it would be foolish to underestimate Obama's chances.
Four years ago, a self-described"skinny kid with a funny name" wowed the Democratic National Convention--and most
Americans -- with the greatest convention speech since William Jennings Bryan's populist Cross of Gold speech in
1896. That 2004 speech catapulted Barack Obama into the Democratic stratosphere.
Obama plans to accept the nomination tonight on the 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's now-legendary"I have a dream" speech. Obama actually has the skill to match that historic moment. The race is indeed on --
but in order to win it, Barack Obama will have to use his tremendous assets, both personal and political, to
overcome his disappointing summer. -
National Post, 8-28-08 - Peniel Joseph, Richard Norton Smith on"Stevenson's 1952, Clinton's 1992 Speeches Among
Historian Favorites":
Penial Joseph picked Bill Clinton’s 1992 address in New York when he argued that the party needed a"new covenant"
with America:"What Clinton offers in 1992 in terms of rhetorical eloquence and political genius is this notion
that the Democratic Party can still help poor people but it’s going to have to do this on a much smaller scale,"
Joseph said."He talks about we need a leaner government and not a meaner government."
PBS NewsHour, 8-28-08
- Peniel Joseph, Richard Norton Smith on"Stevenson's 1952, Clinton's 1992 Speeches Among
Historian Favorites":
For Richard Norton Smith, Adlai Stevenson set the gold standard for Democratic convention speeches with
his 1952 speech in Chicago. After delivering a well-received welcoming speech, Stevenson was selected as
the party's presidential candidate two days later. It is that acceptance speech that Norton Smith said
electrified millions of Americans listening to their radios back home:"He used words in a way that no one had heard before. There was an urbanity, there was a wit, there was a
sense of the ridiculous about the political process. And it was all about challenging the American people.
Stevenson said,"better lose an election than mislead the American people." Norton Smith said."Stevenson raised
the bar." -
PBS NewsHour, 8-28-08
- Douglas Brinkley on"Decades Later, John Kennedy’s 'New Frontier' Speech Echoes":"The Obama campaign has been purposely modeling its acceptance speech after J.F.K. in 1960," said Douglas Brinkley,
the presidential historian,"and we'll soon see whether the content on Thursday is another nod to Camelot." -
NYT, 8-28-08
- Obama outdoor speech echoes JFK's 1960 move -
USA Today, 8-27-08
- MICHAEL BESCHLOSS, Presidential Historian on"Bill Clinton had key moment": I sure do, Jim. This was
a great, big night for the Democrats and a huge help to this ticket. Bill Clinton gave one of his best speeches,
including the seven words that Hillary Clinton did not quite speak last night. He said,"Barack Obama is ready to be president."
That's going to be a great help to those who are going to cite Hillary's words from earlier in the primary
campaign against her. You also saw one of the reasons why Joe Biden is on this ticket. You know, vice
presidents, like Hubert Humphrey in 1964, that convention, went after Barry Goldwater. Fritz Mondale,
whom you interviewed earlier this evening, Jim, in 1976, brought the house down at the Carter convention
by saying,"We've had the worst scandal in our history, Watergate, and this nominee, Gerald Ford,
pardoned the guy who did it."And, of course, Al Gore in 1992,"What time is it? It's time for them to go."
And the interesting thing, finally, Jim, is that Joe Biden showed sort of an ironic and interesting sense
of history, because when he kept on saying,"Do you want change or more of the same?", who's slogan was
that? It was Bill Clinton's in 1992. -
PBS Newshour, 8-27-08
Download
- RICHARD NORTON SMITH, George Mason University on Joe Biden:
Well, it's funny. Like Michael, I saw the ghost of Hubert Humphrey in this hall tonight, you know?
We've heard this week from Kennedy Democrats, and Clinton Democrats, and Obama Democrats, and tonight was
Hubert's night. I mean, this was one-part classic populism and one-part the politics of joy.
But it was also something else. It was very interesting. This was a values speech. This was a character speech.
And it does indicate that this is a party that is going to go after values voters, with which they have not always
been terribly successful in some recent elections. That, in itself, it seems to me makes it significant.
And it also really, I think, ups the ante for Senator McCain who has, I guess, about two days in which to
decide who he wants to pit in that vice presidential debate against the man we heard tonight.
-
PBS Newshour, 8-27-08
Download
|
| THE SPEECHES... | The Speeches....-
Hillary Clinton's Statement:
Barack Obama's speech tonight laid out his specific, bold solutions and optimistic vision for our nation and our
children's future.
His speech crystallized the clear choice between he and Senator McCain. Four more years of the same failed
policies or a leader who can tackle the great challenges we face: revitalizing our economy and restoring
our standing in the world. I am proud to support Senator Obama, our next President of the United States and
Joe Biden, our next Vice President of the United States.
-
Barack Obama's Acceptance Speech:
To Chairman Dean and my great friend Dick Durbin; and to all my fellow citizens of this great nation.
With profound gratitude and great humility, I accept your nomination for presidency of the United States.
Let me express my thanks to the historic slate of candidates who accompanied me on this journey, and especially
the one who traveled the farthest -- a champion for working Americans and an inspiration to my daughters and
yours -- Hillary Rodham Clinton. To President Bill Clinton, who made last night the case for change as only
he can make it; to Ted Kennedy, who embodies the spirit of service; and to the next vice president of the
United States, Joe Biden, I thank you. I am grateful to finish this journey with one of the finest statesmen
of our time, a man at ease with everyone from world leaders to the conductors on the Amtrak train he still
takes home every night.
To the love of my life, our next first lady, Michelle Obama, and to Malia and Sasha -- I love you so much,
and I'm so proud of you.
Four years ago, I stood before you and told you my story -- of the brief union between a young man from Kenya
and a young woman from Kansas who weren't well off or well-known, but shared a belief that in America, their
son could achieve whatever he put his mind to.
It is that promise that has always set this country apart -- that through hard work and sacrifice, each of us
can pursue our individual dreams but still come together as one American family, to ensure that the next
generation can pursue their dreams as well.
That's why I stand here tonight. Because for 232 years, at each moment when that promise was in jeopardy,
ordinary men and women -- students and soldiers, farmers and teachers, nurses and janitors -- found the
courage to keep it alive....
Tonight, I say to the people of America, to Democrats and Republicans and independents across this great land --
enough! This moment -- this election -- is our chance to keep, in the 21st century, the American promise alive.
Because next week, in Minnesota, the same party that brought you two terms of George Bush and Dick Cheney will
ask this country for a third. And we are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years
look just like the last eight. On November 4, we must stand up and say:"Eight is enough."...
But the record's clear: John McCain has voted with George Bush 90 percent of the time. Sen. McCain likes to talk
about judgment, but really, what does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush has been right more
than 90 percent of the time? I don't know about you, but I'm not ready to take a 10 percent chance on change.
The truth is, on issue after issue that would make a difference in your lives -- on health care and education
and the economy -- Sen. McCain has been anything but independent. He said that our economy has made"great progress" under this president. He said that the fundamentals of the economy are strong. And when one of his
chief advisers -- the man who wrote his economic plan -- was talking about the anxieties that Americans are feeling,
he said that we were just suffering from a"mental recession," and that we've become, and I quote,"a nation of
whiners."
A nation of whiners? Tell that to the proud autoworkers at a Michigan plant who, after they found out it was
closing, kept showing up every day and working as hard as ever, because they knew there were people who counted
on the brakes that they made. Tell that to the military families who shoulder their burdens silently as they
watch their loved ones leave for their third or fourth or fifth tour of duty. These are not whiners. They work
hard and they give back and they keep going without complaint. These are the Americans I know.
Now, I don't believe that Sen. McCain doesn't care what's going on in the lives of Americans. I just think he doesn't
know. Why else would he define middle-class as someone making under $5 million a year? How else could he propose
hundreds of billions in tax breaks for big corporations and oil companies but not one penny of tax relief to more
than 100 million Americans? How else could he offer a health care plan that would actually tax people's benefits,
or an education plan that would do nothing to help families pay for college, or a plan that would privatize Social
Security and gamble your retirement?
It's not because John McCain doesn't care. It's because John McCain doesn't get it....
Now, I don't know what kind of lives John McCain thinks that celebrities lead, but this has been mine. These are my
heroes. Theirs are the stories that shaped my life. And it is on behalf of them that I intend to win this election
and keep our promise alive as president of the United States.
What is that American promise?
It's a promise that says each of us has the freedom to make of our own lives what we will, but that we also have the
obligation to treat each other with dignity and respect.
It's a promise that says the market should reward drive and innovation and generate growth, but that businesses should
live up to their responsibilities to create American jobs, to look out for American workers, and play by the rules
of the road.
Ours is a promise that says government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot
do for ourselves -- protect us from harm and provide every child a decent education; keep our water clean and our
toys safe; invest in new schools and new roads and science and technology.
Our government should work for us, not against us. It should help us, not hurt us. It should ensure opportunity not
just for those with the most money and influence, but for every American who's willing to work.
That's the promise of America -- the idea that we are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as
one nation; the fundamental belief that I am my brother's keeper; I am my sister's keeper.
That's the promise we need to keep. That's the change we need right now. So let me spell out exactly what that
change would mean if I am president.
Change means a tax code that doesn't reward the lobbyists who wrote it, but the American workers and small
businesses who deserve it.
America, now is not the time for small plans.
Now is the time to finally meet our moral obligation to provide every child a world-class education, because
it will take nothing less to compete in the global economy. You know, Michelle and I are only here tonight
because we were given a chance at an education. And I will not settle for an America where some kids don't
have that chance. I'll invest in early childhood education. I'll recruit an army of new teachers, and pay
them higher salaries and give them more support. And in exchange, I'll ask for higher standards and more
accountability. And we will keep our promise to every young American -- if you commit to serving your
community or our country, we will make sure you can afford a college education.
Now is the time to finally keep the promise of affordable, accessible health care for every single American. If
you have health care, my plan will lower your premiums. If you don't, you'll be able to get the same kind of
coverage that members of Congress give themselves. And as someone who watched my mother argue with insurance
companies while she lay in bed dying of cancer, I will make certain those companies stop discriminating against
those who are sick and need care the most.
Now is the time to help families with paid sick days and better family leave, because nobody in America should
have to choose between keeping their job and caring for a sick child or ailing parent.
Now is the time to change our bankruptcy laws, so that your pensions are protected ahead of CEO bonuses; and
the time to protect Social Security for future generations.
And now is the time to keep the promise of equal pay for an equal day's work, because I want my daughters to
have the exact same opportunities as your sons....
For while Sen. McCain was turning his sights to Iraq just days after 9/11, I stood up and opposed this war,
knowing that it would distract us from the real threats that we face. When John McCain said we could just"muddle through" in Afghanistan, I argued for more resources and more troops to finish the fight against the
terrorists who actually attacked us on 9/11, and made clear that we must take out Osama bin Laden and his
lieutenants if we have them in our sights. You know, John McCain likes to say that he'll follow bin Laden
to the Gates of Hell -- but he won't even go to the cave where he lives.
And today, as my call for a time frame to remove our troops from Iraq has been echoed by the Iraqi government and
even the Bush administration, even after we learned that Iraq has $79 billion in surplus while we are wallowing
in deficits, John McCain stands alone in his stubborn refusal to end a misguided war.
That's not the judgment we need. That won't keep America safe. We need a president who can face the threats of
the future, not keep grasping at the ideas of the past.
You don't defeat a terrorist network that operates in 80 countries by occupying Iraq. You don't protect Israel
and deter Iran just by talking tough in Washington. You can't truly stand up for Georgia when you've strained
our oldest alliances. If John McCain wants to follow George Bush with more tough talk and bad strategy, that
is his choice -- but that is not the change that America needs.
We are the party of Roosevelt. We are the party of Kennedy. So don't tell me that Democrats won't defend this
country. Don't tell me that Democrats won't keep us safe. The Bush-McCain foreign policy has squandered the
legacy that generations of Americans -- Democrats and Republicans -- have built, and we are here to restore
that legacy....
But what I will not do is suggest that the senator takes his positions for political purposes. Because one of the
things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each
other's character and each other's patriotism.
The times are too serious, the stakes are too high for this same partisan playbook. So let us agree that patriotism
has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain. The men and women who serve in our
battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and independents, but they have fought together and bled together
and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America -- they
have served the United States of America.
So I've got news for you, John McCain. We all put our country first.
America, our work will not be easy. The challenges we face require tough choices, and Democrats as well as
Republicans will need to cast off the worn-out ideas and politics of the past. For part of what has been
lost these past eight years can't just be measured by lost wages or bigger trade deficits. What has also
been lost is our sense of common purpose. That's what we have to restore.
We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in
this country. The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than they are for
those plagued by gang-violence in Cleveland, but don't tell me we can't uphold the Second Amendment while
keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals. I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely
we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the
hospital and to live lives free of discrimination. You know, passions may fly on immigration, but I don't
know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American
wages by hiring illegal workers. But this, too, is part of America's promise -- the promise of a democracy
where we can find the strength and grace to bridge divides and unite in common effort.
I know there are those who dismiss such beliefs as happy talk. They claim that our insistence on something larger,
something firmer and more honest in our public life is just a Trojan Horse for higher taxes and the abandonment of
traditional values. And that's to be expected. Because if you don't have any fresh ideas, then you use stale tactics
to scare voters. If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should
run from.
You make a big election about small things...
I get it. I realize that I am not the likeliest candidate for this office. I don't fit the typical pedigree, and I
haven't spent my career in the halls of Washington.
But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the naysayers don't understand
is that this election has never been about me. It's about you. It's about you.
For 18 long months, you have stood up, one by one, and said enough to the politics of the past. You understand
that in this election, the greatest risk we can take is to try the same old politics with the same old players
and expect a different result. You have shown what history teaches us -- that at defining moments like this one,
the change we need doesn't come from Washington. Change comes to Washington. Change happens because the American
people demand it -- because they rise up and insist on new ideas and new leadership, a new politics for a new time.
America, this is one of those moments.
I believe that as hard as it will be, the change we need is coming. Because I've seen it. Because I've lived it....
You know, this country of ours has more wealth than any nation, but that's not what makes us rich. We have the
most powerful military on Earth, but that's not what makes us strong. Our universities and our culture are the
envy of the world, but that's not what keeps the world coming to our shores.
Instead, it is that American spirit -- that American promise -- that pushes us forward even when the path is
uncertain; that binds us together in spite of our differences; that makes us fix our eye not on what is seen,
but what is unseen, that better place around the bend.
That promise is our greatest inheritance. It's a promise I make to my daughters when I tuck them in at night, and
a promise that you make to yours -- a promise that has led immigrants to cross oceans and pioneers to travel west;
a promise that led workers to picket lines, and women to reach for the ballot.
And it is that promise that 45 years ago today, brought Americans from every corner of this land to stand together
on a Mall in Washington, before Lincoln's Memorial, and hear a young preacher from Georgia speak of his dream.
The men and women who gathered there could've heard many things. They could've heard words of anger and discord.
They could've been told to succumb to the fear and frustration of so many dreams deferred.
But what the people heard instead -- people of every creed and color, from every walk of life -- is that in America,
our destiny is inextricably linked. That together, our dreams can be one.
"We cannot walk alone," the preacher cried."And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march
ahead. We cannot turn back."
America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many
veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families
to protect and so many lives to mend. America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this
election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise -- that American promise --
and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess.
Thank you, God Bless you, and God Bless the United States of America.
-
McCain to extend his congratulations to Obama in special ad
"Senator Obama, this is truly a good day for America. Too often the achievements of our opponents go
unnoticed. So I wanted to stop and say, congratulations. How perfect that your nomination would come on
this historic day." McCain also says in reference to the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s '
I Have a Dream' speech."Tomorrow, we'll be back at it. But tonight Senator, job well done."
-
Al Gore's Convention Speech :
The question facing us simply put is: Will we seize this opportunity for a change?
That's why I came here tonight to tell you why I feel so strongly that we must seize this opportunity to elect
Barack Obama president of the United States of America.
Eight years ago, some said there was not much difference between the nominees of the two major parties and
it didn't really matter who became president. Our nation was enjoying peace and prosperity, and some assumed
we would continue with both, no matter the outcome.
But here we all are in 2008, and I doubt anyone would argue now that election didn't matter.
Take it from me. If it had ended differently, we would not be bogged down in Iraq; we would have pursued bin
Laden until we captured him.
We wouldn't be facing a self-inflicted economic crisis; we'd be fighting for middle-income families.
We would not be showing contempt for the Constitution; we'd be protecting the rights of every American
regardless of race, religion, disability, gender, or sexual orientation.
And we would not be denying the climate crisis; we'd be solving the climate crisis.
Today, we face essentially the same choice we faced in 2000, though it may be even more obvious now, because
John McCain, a man who has earned our respect on many levels, is now openly endorsing the policies of the
Bush-Cheney White House and promising to actually continue them.
The same policies, those policies, all over again? Hey, I believe in recycling, but that's ridiculous....
Military experts warn us our national security is threatened by massive waves of climate refugees destabilizing
countries around the world. And scientists tell us the very web of life is endangered by unprecedented extinctions.
We are facing a planetary emergency, which, if not solved, would exceed anything we've ever experienced in the
history of humankind.
In spite of John McCain's past record of open-mindedness and leadership on the climate crisis, he has now apparently
allowed his party to browbeat him into abandoning his support of mandatory caps on global warming pollution. And it
just so happens that the climate crisis is intertwined with the other two great challenges facing our nation:
reviving our economy and strengthening our national security. The solutions to all three require us to end our
dependence on carbon-based fuels.
Instead of letting lobbyists and polluters control our destiny, we need to invest in American innovation. Almost
a hundred years ago, Thomas Edison, our most famous inventor, said, quote,"I would put my money on the sun and
solar energy. What a source of power," he continued."I hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out
before we tackle that."
Well, now, in 2008, we have everything we need to start using the sun, the wind, geothermal power, conservation,
and efficiency to solve the climate crisis, everything, that is, except a president in the White House who inspires
us to believe,"Yes, we can."
And we know how to fix that....
So what can we do about it? We can carry Barack Obama's message of hope and change to every family in America and
pledge that we'll be there for him, not only in the heat of this election, but in the aftermath, as we put his
agenda to work for our country.
We can tell Republicans and independents, as well as Democrats, exactly why our nation so badly needs a change
from the approach of Bush, Cheney and McCain.
After they wrecked our economy, it's time for a change. After they abandoned the search for the terrorists who
attacked us and redeployed the troops to invade a nation that did not attack us, it's time for a change.
After they abandoned the principle first laid down by General George Washington, when he prohibited the torture
of captives because it would bring, in his words,"shame, disgrace and ruin" to our nation, it's time for a change.
When as many as three Supreme Court justices could be appointed in the first term of the next president, and John
McCain promises to appoint more Scalias and Thomases and end a woman's right to choose, it is time for a change....
In 2008, once again, we find ourselves at the end of an era with a mandate from history to launch another new
beginning. And once again, we have a candidate whose experience perfectly matches an extraordinary moment of
transition.
Barack Obama had the experience and wisdom to oppose a popular war based on faulty premises.
His leadership experience has given him a unique capacity to inspire hope in the promise of the American dream of
a boundless future.
His experience has also given him genuine respect for different views and humility in the face of complex
realities that cannot be squeezed into the narrow compartments of ideology.
His experience has taught him something that career politicians often overlook: that inconvenient truths
must be acknowledged if we are to have wise governance.
And the extraordinary strength of his personal character -- and that of his wonderful wife, Michelle -- who gave
such a magnificent address and will be such a wonderful first lady for our country -- their strength of character
is grounded in the strengths of the American community.
Barack Obama's vision and his voice represent the best of America. His life experience embodies the essence of
our motto,"E pluribus unum (NYSE:UNM)," out of many, one. That is the linking identity at the other end of
all the hyphens that pervade our modern political culture.
It is that common American identity which Barack Obama exemplifies, heart and soul, that enables us as Americans
to speak with moral authority to all of the peoples of the world, to inspire hope that we as human beings can
transcend our limitations to redeem the promise of human freedom.
Late this evening, our convention will end with a benediction. As we bow in reverence, remember the words of the
old proverb,"When you pray, move your feet." And then let us leave here tonight and take that message of hope
from Denver to every corner of our land, and do everything we can to serve our nation, our world, and our children
and their future, by electing Barack Obama president of the United States of America.
-
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson:
Is anyone here going to miss Dick Cheney? ...
John McCain is the first candidate in history who thinks he can win by telling voters they are not thinking
for themselves....
Fellow citizens, I am not known as a quiet man. But I hope you will allow me, for a moment, to bring quiet to this
great hall. Because at a time when young men and women are dying for our country overseas, America faces a question
worthy of silent reflection. And the American people are watching to see how we answer it. What is the best measure
of a person's capacity to protect this country? There are often moments of great importance that go unnoticed in the
unruly course of history....
And ladies and gentlemen, Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe it's time to finish the job and get bin Laden.
We don't need another four years of more of the same. It's time for the change America needs. This is the
judgment and vision of Barack Obama. This is the preparation he has to be President of the United States.
And this is the man we need to return our country into the goodwill of other nations and the grace of history.
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DNC Chairman Howard Dean:
But we had hope. A plan:"Show up." We knew if we knocked on doors and told people what we believe, they would
respect us and vote for us. That's exactly what you did. And because you did, today, our party competes in all
50 states. Today, we are a party that took back Congressional seats in Louisiana and Mississippi, and we're
gonna win in Virginia and Alaska. Today, ours is a party that had 35 million Americans vote in our primaries.
Today, our party knows that power grows from the grassroots up....
I know exactly how many houses I own. ... John McCain is a yes man.
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Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine
What an honor to be here on this powerful night! What an honor to speak not just to those gathered here in Denver
but to homes across America-and not just those owned by John McCain.
Looking out at this crowd and feeling the energy, I can tell you this: We are making history.
I am here tonight not just as the governor of Virginia who knows the people of my state need a better partner
in White House, not just as a Democrat who is tired of politics as usual, but most importantly as an American
who wants to see American values guiding our country again.
For eight years we've seen what happens when a president lets Washington values become more important than American
values. Gas prices skyrocket when the White House lets oil companies call the shots. Our children are left behind
when an administration cares more about sound bites than sound schools. And middle-class families are left to fend
for themselves to save their jobs, their homes, and their grasp on the American dream.
Maybe for John McCain the American dream means seven houses-and if that's your America, John McCain is your candidate.
But for the rest of us, the American dream means one home-in a safe neighborhood, with good schools and good health
care and a little money left over every month to go out for dinner and save for the future.
Does that seem like too much to ask? John McCain thinks it is.
He'll keep answering to the special interests and Washington lobbyists-we're ready for leadership that answers
to us. And the leader who will deliver the change we need is Barack Obama....
If we put our faith into action, we can move mountains.
We can move the mountains of negativity and division and gridlock.
We can move the mountains of special interests and business as usual.
We can move the mountains of hopelessness that surround too many of our people and communities.
Does anybody here have a little faith tonight? Is anybody here ready to move those mountains?
Starting right here in the Mile High City, we will put our faith into action; we will reject the failed policies
of George Bush and John McCain; we will elect Barack Obama our next president.
In the words of the gospel hymn-"move mountain."
Say it with me-"move mountain."
Say it with me again-"move mountain."
Mountain, get out of our way!
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Luis Gutierrez, Congressman from Illinois:
When Martin Luther King saw people facing injustice, he did not wait for others to act — he changed the way
we treat each other. If you want change, it is time for Latinos, and for immigrants to rally behind the next
president of the United States, Barack Obama.
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Mark Udall, a Senate candidate from Colorado
It's fitting that the change we need in Washington starts here in the Rocky Mountain West.
In the spirit of the West, we can move forward, but it's going to take leaders who are strong enough to
stand up for what's right, bold enough to bring new ideas and sweep away the worst of Washington's old ways.
Leaders like Barack Obama.
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Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga.:
I was there that day when Dr. King delivered his historic speech before an audience of more than 250,000.
I am the last remaining speaker from the March on Washington, and I was there when Dr. King urged this nation
to lay down the burden of discrimination and segregation and move toward the creation of a more perfect union....
We've come a long way, but we still have a distance to go. We've come a long way, but we must march again. On
November 4th, we must march in every state, in every city, in every village, in every hamlet; we must march to
the ballot box. We must march like we have never marched before to elect the next President of the United States,
Senator Barack Obama.
For those of us who stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, or who in the years that followed may have lost
hope, this moment is a testament to the power and vision of Martin Luther King Jr. It is a testament to the
ability of a committed and determined people to make a difference in our society. It is a testament to the
promise of America.
Tonight, we have put together a tribute to the man and his message. Let us take a moment to reflect on the legacy
and the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. on this 45th anniversary of the historic march on Washington.
- Martin Luther King's son,
Martin Luther King III, echoed those sentiments and described"the majesty" of his father's
dream:
On this day, exactly 45 years ago, my father stood on the National Mall in the shadow of Abraham Lincoln and
proclaimed, 'I have a dream that one day, this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed:
We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.' Let us give our nation a leader who
has heard this clarion call and will help us achieve the change.
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