LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE WELCOME MAYOR SHIRLEY FRANKLIN, MAYOR OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA. [APPLAUSE] >>

THE SECOND SESSION OF THE 45TH QUAD RENALL NATIONAL CONVENTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL PARTY WILL COME TO ORDER. DELEGATES, ALTERNATES, STANDING COMMITTEE MEMBERS, GUESTS AND FELLOW AMERICANS, WELCOME TO THE 2008 DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION DELIBERATIONS. PLEASE RISE FOR THE INVOCATION OFFERED BY THE REVEREND CYNTHIA HALE FROM ...

GEORGIA. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. IT IS MY PRIVILEGE TO LEAD US IN PRAYER. GREAT AND AWESOME GOD, AS WE GATHER IN THIS PLACE FROM ALL ACROSS THE LENGTH AND DREADTH OF THIS NATION, WE -- ANDBREDTH OF THIS NATION WE PAUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU. YOU CREATED US IN YOUR IMAGE AND LIKENESS AND INVITED US TO PARTNER WITH YOU IN THE STEWARDSHIP OF YOUR WORLD. WE ARE CALLED TO BE FAITHFUL TO THE EARTH AND ITS RESOURCES. ON THIS DAY, WAS REGATHER TO RENEW AMERICA'S PROMISE, WE ARE KEENLY AWARE OF THE CHALLENGES AMERICAN FAMILIES ARE FACING. PEOPLE ARE BEING HIT HARD BY THE ECONOMIC DOWN TURN, THE ENERGY CRISIS, AND RISING FOOD COSTS. THEIR SPIRITS ARE BEING CRUSHED BY THE MORTGAGE MAYHEM, AS WELL AS THE ABSENCE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HEALTH CARE. PARENTS DESIRE AND DESERVE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THEIR CHILDREN QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE EDUCATION FROM PRESCHOOL THROUGH COLLEGE. TIMES ARE TOUGH. PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING. SOME HAVE LOST HOPE. WE KNOW, O GOD, THIS IS NOT YOUR INTERFECT WILL FOR YOUR PEOPLE. IT IS YOUR WILL THAT YOUR PEOPLE HAVE THEIR BASIC HUMAN NEEDS MET. IT IS YOUR DESIRE THAT ALL WOULD PROSPER AND BE IN GOOD HEALTH EVEN AS OUR SOULS PROSPER. IT IS YOUR DESIRE THAT EVERYONE BE TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT. AS A NATION AND AS A PARTY, WE ARE AT A CRUCIAL TIME. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY MAKE HISTORY, BUT TO BRING ABOUT CHANGE WE AN ALL BELIEVE IN AND RESTORE HOPE TO THE HEARTS OF WOMEN AND MEN. UNITE US AS A PARTY, O GOAD. LET US BE ONE IN THIS -- O GOD. LET US BE ONE IN THIS PURPOSE. LET US LIVE OUT OUR CREED TO BE ONE NATION UNDER GOD, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. IN YOUR STRONG AND MIGHTY NAME WE PRAY. ...

AMEN. >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE REMAIN STANDING AS OUR COLORS ARE PRESENTED BY THE AMERICAN G.I. FORUM. >> DELEGATES AND GUESTS, PLEASE WELCOME COLBY LANGLEY TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ...

ALLEGIANCE. >> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ...

ALL. >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR THE NATIONAL ANTHEM. SUNG BY THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN CHILDREN'S CHOIR. (music) OH SAY CAN YOU SEE BY THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT WHAT SO PROUDLY WE HAILED BY THE TWILIGHT'S LAST GLEAMING WHOSE BROAD STRIPES AND BRIGHT STARS THROUGH THE PERILOUS FIGHT O'ER THE RAMPARTS WE WATCHED WERE SO GALLANTLY STREAMING AND THE ROCKETS' RED GLARE THE BOMBS BURSTING IN AIR GAVE PROOF THROUGH THE NIGHT THAT OUR FLOOG WAS -- THAT OUR FLAG WAS STILL THERE O SAY, DOES THAT STAR-SPANGLED BANNER YET WAVE O'ER THE LAND OF THE FREE AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE (music)(music) [APPLAUSE] (music) WE DEMAND THE VOTE TELL CONGRESS IN D.C. WE DEMAND THE VOTE FOR REAL PROGRESS D.C. WE DEMAND THE VOTE FOR D.C. WE DEMAND THE VOTE (music) (music) ...

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE WELCOME CONGRESSWOMAN ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON FROM OUR NATION'S CAPITAL, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. >> FELLOW

DEMOCRATS, WITH THE WIND AT OUR BACKS, WE COME TO DENVER AS CHANGE-MAKING, BECAUSE MA-BIDEN DEMOCRATS. -- OBAMA-BIDEN DEMOCRATS. AT THE SAME TIME WE EMBRACE OUR NATION'S GREAT UNCHANGING PRINCIPLES AS WE SEEK TO CHANGE THE POLICIES THAT HAVE BETRAYED THOSE PRINCIPLES. THE NATION'S FOUNDERS STAKED EVERYTHING ON CREATING A COUNTRY WHERE THERE WOULD BE NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION ANYWHERE IN AMERICA. IN THAT TRADITION, DEMOCRATS PROUDLY SUPPORT THE VOTE IN CONGRESS FOR THE 600,000 CITIZENS OF OUR NATION'S CAPITAL. THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA IS NOT YET A STATE, BUT NO ONE CAN DOUBT THAT THE REVOLUTIONARIES WHO INVENTED AMERICA'S MOST TRUSTED NATIONAL SLOGAN DID NOT CREATE A NEW NATION TO GET THE VOTE ONLY TO TURN AROUND AND DENY THE VOTES TO THE CITIZENS OF THEIR OWN CAPITAL. OH, NO. 45 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK, MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. INSPIRED US TO ACT ON THE PRINCIPLE THAT ALL AMERICANS MUST HAVE EQUAL RIGHTS. DEMOCRATS WILL FINISH KING'S UNFINISHED BUSINESS FOR EQUAL VOTING RIGHTS FOR THE CITIZENS OF OUR CAPITAL. KING'S VISION, THAT CHANGE IS BEST ACHIEVED WHEN WRAPPED IN UNCHANGING PRINCIPLES, IS THE HALLMARK OF DEMOCRATS FROM MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. TO THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, BARACK OBAMA. THE FIRST RESIDENTS OF THE DISTRICT VOLUNTEERED AT THE BATTLES OF LEXINGTON AND CONCORD ON THE PROMISE OF THE VOTE. DEMOCRATS WILL KEEP THAT PROMISE. AS YET AGAIN, DISTRICT RESIDENTS RISK THEIR LIVES IN BATTLES, IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN. WE WILL KEEP THE PROMISE MADE TO THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER WHO WAS THE FIRST TO DIE FROM THE DISTRICT IN THE WAR AGAINST TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION AND WE WILL KEEP THAT PROMISE FOR 21-YEAR-OLD D.C. NATIONAL GUARD SPECIALIST DARRELL DENT, THE FIRST D.C. RESIDENT TO DIE FOR HIS COUNTRY IN IRAQ. THE NEW DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS ALREADY HAS SWIFTLY LED THE NATION TO RESOLVE OUR NATION'S OLDEST UNARE RESOLVED HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE. WE THANK THE DEMOCRATIC HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FOR PASSING THE D.C. VOTING RIGHTS ACT. THE SENATE -- THE SENATE CAME WITHIN THREE VOTES. TONIGHT, WE CHALLENGE THE SENATE, ESPECIALLY THE REPUBLICANS, TO MATCH THE HOUSE THIS SESSION AND PASS THE BILL. THEN HAVE NO DOUBT, FELLOW DEMOCRATS, IF GEORGE BUSH WON'T SIGN THE D.C. VOTING RIGHTS ACT, ITS MOST PROMINENT CO-SPONSOR URK OUR NEXT PRESIDENT, BARACK OBAMA, WILL. [APPLAUSE] >> ...

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE WELCOME TED SORENSON, SPEECH WRITER AND SPECIAL ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY. >> GOOD

EVENING. IN MY MORE THAN 50 YEARS OF NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONVENTIONS, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT. FOR OUR EIGHT-YEAR NATIONAL NIGHTMARE OF MENDACITY, MEDIOCRITY, AND ECONOMIC MISERY WITH MILLIONS OF AMERICANS LOSING THEIR JOBS, THEIR HOMES, THEIR HOPES, AND THEIR SAVINGS WILL SOON BE OVER WHEN BARACK OBAMA BECOMES PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. I HAVE LONG DREAMED THAT OUR PARTY WOULD PRODUCE ANOTHER PRESIDENT MATCHING JOHN KENNEDY'S INTELLECT AND INTEGRITY, HIS COMPASSION, HI CARE FOR ALL -- HIS CARE FOR ALL, HIS CAPACITY TO INSPIRE JUSTICE AT HOME AND PEACE AROUND THE WORLD, AND THIS WEEK MY DREAM IS COMING TRUE. ONCE IN A LIFETIME, THE POET SAID. ONCE IN A LIFETIME HOPE AND HISTORY MEET IN ONE EXTRAORDINARY MAN AND MOVEMENT. I THANK THE GOOD LORD THAT I HAVE LIVED LONG ENOUGH TO MEET AND HELP SUCH A MAN TWICE IN MY LIFETIME, JOHN KENNEDY AND BARACK OBAMA. KENNEDY, AT 43, PROVED THAT AGE MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN THE WHITE HOUSE. HIS ENERGY, HIS APPEAL TO OTHER YOUNG WORLD LEADERS, HIS CALM UNDER PRESSURE, HIS OPENNESS TO NEW THINKING SERVED OUR NATION WELL. HE WAS DENOUNCED WHEN ANNOUNCED AS A CANDIDATE FOR LACKING EXPERIENCE, HE DISPLAYED SOUND JUDGMENT IN LEADING A SUCCESSFUL NATIONWIDE CAMPAIGN, CHOOSING A TOP-NOTCH TEAM, NEGOTIATING WITH DIFFICULT LEADERS AND OUT-ORGANIZING AND OUT-THINKING HIS ADVERSARIES JUST AS HE WOULD AS PRESIDENT, PARTICULARLY WHEN, WITH PRUNES AND COURAGE, HE INDUCE -- WITH PRUDENCE AND COURAGE, HE INDUCED THE SOVIETS TO WITHDRAW THEIR MISSILES FROM CUBA WITHOUT THE UNITED STATES FIRING A SHOT. AND THE WHOLE WORLD -- THE WHOLE WORLD -- SAID THANKS, THAT THE MORE EXPERIENCED RICHARD NIXON HAD NOT BEEN ELECTED IN THAT CLOSE ELECTION. IN 1960, KENNEDY, LIKE OBAMA TODAY, FACING A REPUBLICAN TIDE, LOOKED TO THE FUTURE OF NEW IDEAS AND OPPORTUNITIES. HE DID NOT SEND THE MARINE CORPS TO LIBERATE AMERICAN OIL SUPPLIES, HE SENT THE PEACE CORPS TO PRESERVE AMERICA'S STANDING ABROAD. AND WHEN THE SOVIETS HAD A MILITARY ADVANTAGE THROUGH THEIR LEAD IN SPACE, HE MADE EVERY AMERICAN PROUD BY LITERALLY REACHING TO THE MOON. TODAY, WE NEED NEW LEADERSHIP. WE'VE LOST OUR WAY. WE HAVE LOST THE RESPECT OF OUR ALLIES. WE HAVE LOST THE CONFIDENCE OF OUR CONSUMERS AND INVESTORS. ARE WE GOING TO BE THE FIRST GENERATION TO TURN OUR COUNTRY OVER TO OUR CHILDREN IN WORSE SHAPE THAN WE RECEIVED IT IN? IN SHORT, THIS YEAR, MY FRIENDS, THE FATES WILL TRY US, ERASE ALL TRACE OF FEAR AND BIAS. WE HAVE THE MAN WE NEED AT LAST TO EMBRACE THE FUTURE, NOT THE PAST, AND DISPEL EIGHT YEARS OF PAIN AND SHAME, BARACK OBAMA IS HIS NAME. CALL THE ROLL. [APPLAUSE] >> ...

PLEASE WELCOME CALIFORNIA CONGRESSMAN AND D.N.C. VICE CHAIR, MIKE HONDA. [APPLAUSE] >> MY NAME IS MIKE HONDA.

I AM A PROUD SUN STATE DEMOCRAT AND A SILICON VALLEY CONGRESSMAN, BUT ABOVE ALL, I AM A TEACHER. ONE OF MY PROUDEST MOMENTS WAS WHEN I RECEIVED MY FIRST KEYS TO MY VERY FIRST CLASSROOM. IT WAS HIGH QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION THAT ALLOWED THIS SON OF STRAWBERRY CHAIR CROPPERS -- STRAWBERRY SHARECROPPERS, RAISED IN INTERNMENT CAMPS OF WORLD WAR II TO GROW UP TO BE A PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER A VICE CHAIR OF THE D.N.C. AND CHAIR OF THE ASIAN-PACIFIC AMERICAN CAUCUS. EDUCATION IS THE GATEWAY TO THE AMERICAN DREAM. BARACK KNOWS FIRSTHAND THAT IMMIGRANT FAMILIES, ASIAN, HISPANIC, PACIFIC ISLANDER, AFRICAN, AND OTHERS CAN ATTAIN THE AMERICAN DREAM THROUGH A QUALITY EDUCATION AND HARD WORK. BARACK'S STORY OF PROMISE AND OPPORTUNITY PROVES THAT EDUCATION CAN BE THE GREAT EQUALIZER. SADLY, OVER THE PAST EIGHT YEAR THE MISGUIDED BUSH-MCCAIN PRIORITIES HAVE LET OUR SCHOOL RESOURCES DRY, SHUTTING DOWN THAT GATEWAY TO SUCCESS AND HIJACKING OUR CHILDREN'S CAPACITY TO ACHIEVE THE AMERICAN DREAM. WE ARE NOW AT A CROSSROADS. WE CAN EITHER CONTINUE ON A PATH OF FAILED POLICIES WITH JOHN MCCAIN, OR WE CAN CHANGE -- SEEK THE CHANGE WE NEED WHEN WE SELECT BARACK OBAMA AS PRESIDENT. AMERICA IS IN DIRE NEED OF LEADERSHIP. BARACK KNOWS THAT EDUCATION LEADS TO INNOVATION, A CRITICAL ENGINE OF OUR ECONOMY. HIS ABILITY, HIS VISION WILL HELP ENSURE THAT EVERYONE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO OBTAIN A QUALITY EDUCATION. BARACK WILL FIGHT FOR OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE, RATHER THAN BURNING THRU BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON FAILED FOREIGN POLICIES AND AN OPEN-ENDED WAR. BARACK KNOWS THAT THE REAL WAR TO BE FOUGHT IS FOR THE EDUCATION OF OUR CHILDREN, THE FUTURE OF AMERICA'S ECONOMIC HEALTH. HE IS COMMITTED TO DEVELOPING THE TEACHERS OF TOMORROW FROM AMONG THE BRIGHTEST IN OUR CLASSROOMS TODAY AND PREPARING, RETAINING, AND REWARDING EVERY TEACHER IN AMERICA FOR THEIR SERVICE. IN 1965, PRESIDENT KENNEDY'S CALL TO SERVICE LED ME TO BUILD SCHOOLS IN EL SALVADOR. NOW, THOUGH MY HAIR IS GRAY, I AM INSPIRED AGAIN. WITH BARACK OBAMA AND JOE BIDEN AS OUR TICKET, YES, YES THERE IS HOPE FOR THE CHANGE WE NEED. THANK YOU, SENATOR OBAMA FOR UNLOCKING THE IMAGINATION AND IDEALISM OF ALL GENERATIONS OF AMERICANS. INCLUDING OUR ASIAN-PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU FOR INSPIRING ALL OF US TO BE A CRITICAL PART OF YOUR JOURNEY TO VICTORY THIS NOVEMBER. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION, FOR KNOWING THE STRENGTH OF AMERICA'S TOMORROW LIES IN THE CLASSROOMS OF TODAY. [APPLAUSE] >> ...

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE WELCOME DAVID DENT OF NORTH DAKOTA. -- DAVID GIPP OF NORTH DAKOTA. >> [SPEAKING

FOREIGN LANGUAGE] . MY NAME IS DAVID GIPP. I'M FROM THE LAHOTA NATION. I'M PRESIDENT OF UNITED TRIBES TECHNICAL COLLEGE IN BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA, AND I'M ONE OF THOUSANDS OF TRIBAL CITIZENS WHO SUPPORT SENATOR BARACK OBAMA. FOR ACCEPTING TRIBAL NATIONS AND THEIR CITIZENS INTO THE FUTURE HE SEES FOR AMERICA. WE'RE NOT ANOTHER SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP TRYING TO CLAIM A SHARE OF THE AMERICAN PIE. WE ARE, AFTER ALL, THE FIRST AMERICANS. WE HAVE PAID OUR PLACE WITH LAND AND BLOOD. OUR STATUS AS TRIBAL SOLVE REASON NATIONS IS SPECIFICALLY RECOGNIZED IN THE U.S. CONSTITUTION. OUR RIGHTS AS TRIBAL NATIONS TO DETERMINE OUR DESTINY WITHIN OUR GREAT UNITED STATES SHOULD BE PROTECTED AND HONORED BY OUR GOVERNMENT. OUR TREATIES WITH THE U.S. ARE THE SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND. EVERY STEP YOU TAKE ACROSS THIS GREAT NATION, EVERY VISTA YOU ADMIRE, EVERY CITY YOU CALL BY ITS TRIBAL NAME WAS ONCE INDIAN COUNTRY. THE PLACES MANY OF OUR TRIBAL NATIONS OCCUPY UNFORTUNATELY HAVE BEEN LONG HISTORIES OF POCKETS OF POVERTY. WHERE THE WORDS LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL HAVE BECOME EMPTY WORDS ON A PIECE OF PAPER. OUR HEALTH CARE IS A DISASTER. OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS NEED REPAIR. OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS LACK THE RESOURCES TO GUARANTEE SAFETY. PEOPLE IN THE GREEN ZONE IN BAGHDAD MAY BE INDEED SAFER THAN CITIZENS IN INDIAN COUNTRY. YET WE HAVE NEVER TURNED OUR BACK ON AMERICA. OUR TRIBAL VETERANS HAVE SERVED IN EVERY ONE OF THIS NATION'S WARS AND CONFLICTS. IN GREATER NUMBERS PER CAPITA THAN ANY OTHER ETHNIC GROUP. WE RECENTLY HONORED THE LATE WOODROW KEYVO, A HERO OF THE KOREAN WAR WHO RECEIVED THE MEDAL OF HONOR. WE NEVER FORGET THE SACRIFICES OF OUR VETERANS AND OUR ELDERS. WE CAN ONLY RENEW AMERICA'S PROMISE WHEN THE FIRST AMERICANS ARE LEGITIMATE PARTICIPANTS IN FRAMING THE FUTURE OF THIS COUNTRY. I URGE YOU TO LOOK TO THE NATION'S 37 TRIBAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TO HELP LEAD THE WAY IN RENEWING THAT PROMISE FOR AMERICAN INDIANS. THESE INSTITUTIONS PROSWIDE TRIBAL CITIZENS WITH THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO BE VITAL CONTRIBUTORS TO SOCIETY AND TO OUR CULTURE. TRIBAL COLLEGES ARE A KEY TO THE RENAISSANCE IN AMERICAN INDIAN LIFE. AS WE SAVE OUR LANGUAGES AND REBUILD OVER 550 TRIBAL NATIONS, AMERICAN INDIANS ARE STILL HERE AND WE'RE SEEKING JUSTICE FOR OUR PEOPLE. WE OFFER THE STRENGTHS OF OUR SPIRITUALITY AND OUR CONNECTION WITH MOTHER EARTH AND RENEWING AMERICA'S PROMISE FOR ALL. LET US REMEMBER THE WORDS OF THE GREAT LAHOTA PATRIOT SITTING BULL. LET US PUT OUR MINDS TOGETHER AND SEE WHAT LIFE WE CAN MAKE FOR OUR CHILDREN. [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE] THANK YOU. WE ARE ALL RELATED IN EVERY RACE, CREED, AND COLOR, WE ARE INDEED ALL RELATED. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> ...

PLEASE WELCOME CONGRESSWOMAN LINDA SANCHEZ FROM

CALIFORNIA. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M CONGRESSWOMAN LINDA SANCHEZ AND I'D LIKE TO SHARE A STORY WITH YOU. NOT TOO LONG AGO, WHEN I WAS WALKING THROUGH THE CAPITOL ON MY WAY TO VOTE, I HAD TO THROW MY ARM INTO THE CLOSING DOORS OF AN ELEVATOR TO CATCH IT. WHEN I STEPPED IN, THERE WERE TWO MEN THERE AND ONE TURNED TO ME AND SAID, SO WHOSE OFFICE DO YOU WORK IN? WELL, DRESSED PROFESSIONALLY AND WEARING MY PIN THAT IDENTIFIES ME AS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS, I WAS A LITTLE DISMAYED THESE TWO AUTOMATICALLY ASSUMED I WAS SOMEBODY ELSE'S STAFF. I POLITELY RESPONDED OH, I HAVE MY OWN OFFICE IN THIS BUILDING. THE DOORS TO THE ELEVATORS OPENED AND THE TWO OF THEM SCURRIED OUT AND NOT ANOTHER WORD WAS SAID. AS A YOUNG LATINA, MOST PEOPLE MAY NOT THINK OF ME AS A PERSON THEY WOULD GO TO FIRST IN SEARCH OF ANSWERS, BUT I'LL TELL YOU SOMEBODY WHO DID. BARACK OBAMA. HE RECOGNIZED THAT MY BACKGROUND AS A LABOR UNION MEMBER AND ORGANIZER GAVE ME A GRASP OF THE DIFFICULTY THAT FAMILIES ENCOUNTER IN TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET. THAT'S WHY HE PICKS UP THE PHONE TO ASK ME ABOUT POLICIES THAT IMPACT WORKING FAMILIES. WITH THE SOARING COST OF ENERGY, FAMILIES TODAY ARE PAYING MORE FOR BASICS LIKE FOOD AND FUEL AND JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE. RISING HEALTH CARE COSTS MEAN THAT FOR MANY PEOPLE, COVERAGE IS OUT OF REACH. WITH THE JOBLESSNESS RATE ON THE RISE, HARD WORKING FAMILIES ARE BEING SQUEEZED FROM ALL SIDES. THEY WORRY ABOUT THEIR ECONOMIC SECURITY AND WHETHER TOMORROW WILL BE MORE -- BRING MORE HARDSHIP THAN HAPPINESS. BUT BARACK OBAMA KNOWS WHAT WE NEED TO GET THE AMERICAN ECONOMY BACK ON TRACK. HE'S RESTORING AMERICA'S PROMISE THAT IF YOU WORK HARD AND YOU PLAY BY THE RULES, YOU WON'T BE LEFT BEHIND. BARACK OBAMA UNDERSTANDS WHAT SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES CONFRONT EVERY SINGLE DAY BECAUSE HE GREW UP IN A SINGLE PARENT HOME. BARACK OBAMA UNDERSTANDS THAT WE MUST PRESERVE PROGRAMS LIKE LOW INTEREST STUDENT LOANS BECAUSE THAT'S HOW HE WAS ABLE TO AFFORD TO GO TO COLLEGE. BARACK OBAMA UNDERSTANDS THAT AS AMERICANS, WE CAN ACHIEVE ECONOMIC SUCCESS, BUT ALSO LEND A HAND TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING. BECAUSE HE DID JUST THAT WHEN HE BECAME AN ADVOCATE AND AN ORGANIZER FOR COMMUNITIES THAT HAD BEEN DEVASTATED BY PLANT CLOSURES. THERE ARE PEOPLE LISTENING TO ME TONIGHT WHO THINK THAT THE OUTCOME OF THIS ELECTION REALLY DOESN'T AFFECT THEM. BUT IT WILL. IT WILL DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE A CHAMPION ON YOUR SIDE THAT'S GOING TO HELP YOU GET INTO THAT ELEVATOR, OR WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FOUR MORE YEARS OF FAILED LEADERSHIP THAT'S GIVEN HARD-WORKING FAMILIES THE SHAFT. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND GOD BLESS. [APPLAUSE] >> ...

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE WELCOME IOWA GOVERNOR JEFF CULVER. [APPLAUSE] -- CHET CULVER. [APPLAUSE] >>

THE LONG JOURNEY TO THIS HISTORIC CONVENTION BEGAN ON A COLD WINTER'S NIGHT IN THE GREAT STATE OF IOWA. SO I'M HONORED TO JOIN YOU MORE THAN SEVEN MONTHS AND 700 MILES FROM SITE OF THAT FIRST CONTEST AS WE UNITE TO MAKE BARACK OBAMA THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. THIS SUMMER IN IOWA, WE SAW THE MOTIVATING POWER OF HOPE AND DETERMINATION WHEN OUR STATE WAS HIT WITH ONE OF THE WORST NATURAL DISASTERS IN U.S. HISTORY. DESPITE THREE TORNADOES AND 500-YEAR FLOOD LEVELS, COUNTLESS AMERICANS RALLIED TO HELP US. SO ON BEHALF OF EVERY IOWAN, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ASSISTING US IN OUR TIME OF NEED. WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT CHALLENGE. WE KNOW THE IOWA VALUES OF FAITH, HARD WORK, AND COMMON SENSE WILL GUIDE US AND STRENGTHEN US AS WE REBUILD AN EVEN BETTER, SAFER, AND STRONGER STATE. TODAY, I STAND PROUDLY WITH BARACK OBAMA AND JOE BIDEN. NO STRANGERS TO IOWA, WHO SHARE OUR HEARTLAND VALUES. WHEN THEY ARE IN THE WHITE HOUSE, OUR COUNTRY WILL ONCE AGAIN RISE TO MEET THE GREAT CHALLENGES OF OUR TIME. ON THE TOP LIST OF THAT CHALLENGES IS SECURING OUR ENERGY FUTURE. FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, THE BIG OIL COMPANIES AND THEIR WASHINGTON LOBBYISTS HAVE LITERALLY WRITTEN OUR NATIONAL ENERGY POLICIES. THEY HAVE MADE BILLIONS WHILE THE REST OF US ARE PAYING THE BILL. NOW THE OIL COMPANIES ARE PLACING THEIR BETS ON JOHN MCCAIN. BANKROLLING HIS CAMPAIGN AND GAMBLING WITH OUR FUTURE. MCCAIN HAS VOTED AGAINST TAX CREDITS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY 11 TIMES. HIS ONLY IDEA TO SOLVE OUR ENERGY CRISIS IS TO KEEP DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING AS WE WATCH PRICES GO UP AND UP AND UP. BARACK OBAMA UNDERSTANDS OUR NEED FOR CHANGE. ONLY BARACK OBAMA HAS A DETAILED PLAN TO GIVE US THE CHANGE WE NEED. LOWER ENERGY PRICES AND MORE GREEN COLLAR JOBS. IF ANYONE STILL DOUBTS WHETHER RENEWABLE ENERGY CAN LOWER PRICES AND CREATE JOBS, LOOK NO FURTHER THAN IOWA. WE HAVE INVESTED HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN RENEWABLE ENERGY. WE'VE CREATED MORE THAN 100,000 GOOD-PAYING JOBS AND PROVIDED CLEAN ALTERNATIVES TO OVERPRICED FOREIGN OIL. IOWA IS FAST BECOMING THE RENEWABLE ENERGY CAPITAL OF THE UNITED STATES. OTHER STATES LIKE COLORADO ARE DOING THE SAME. ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY, ENTREPRENEURS AND INNOVATORS ARE JOINING STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ON EXCITING, CUTTING-EDGE PROJECTS. JUST THINK HOW WE'LL DO WHEN WE HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO SHARES OUR VISION. BARACK OBAMA'S CLEAN ENERGY PLAN WILL CREATE FIVE MILLION NEW JOBS. HE WILL CRACK DOWN ON THE SPECIAL INTERESTS WHO INTENTIONALLY BID UP ENERGY PRICES FOR THEIR OWN PROFIT. AND HE WILL SET A NATIONAL GOAL OF PRODUCING 25% OF OUR ELECTRICITY FROM RENEWABLE SOURCES BY 2025. IN JUST MORE THAN TWO MONTHS, AMERICANS WILL DECIDE THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION IN A GENERATION. OUR CHOICE IS TO STICK WITH THE STATUS QUO OR MOVE OUR COUNTRY FORWARD. ON ENERGY, THE STAKES COULDN'T BE HIGHER. SO MY FELLOW DEMOCRATS, LET'S LOCK ARMS AND WORK TOGETHER. LET'S ENSURE THAT THE JOURNEY THAT BEGAN IN IOWA WILL CONTINUE ON FROM DENVER TO WASHINGTON, D.C. LET'S PUT BARACK OBAMA AND JOE BIDEN IN THE WHITE HOUSE AND PUT OUR COUNTRY ON A BATH TOWARD ENERGY INDEPENDENCE. THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS AMERICA. [APPLAUSE] >> ...

PLEASE WELCOME GOVERNOR DAVID PATTERSON OF NEW YORK. >> THANK

YOU. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] GOVERNOR -- THANK YOU. MY TIME IS UP. GOVERNOR CULVER AND THE CITIZENS OF IOWA TAUGHT AMERICA A LOT ABOUT ANSWERING A CHALLENGE. THANK YOU, GOVERNOR CULVER AND ALL OF YOU IN IOWA. PERMIT TO EXPRESS MY PROFOUND GRATITUDE AT THE MAGNIFICENT PRIVILEGE OF ADDRESSING THIS CONVENTION. I WAS BORN IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK. WHEN I WAS EIGHT MONTHS OLD, AN INFECTION TO MY OPTIC NERVE LEFT ME LEGALLY BLIND IN THE RIGHT EYE AND TOTALLY BLIND IN THE LEFT EYE. YET MY PARENTS WANTED ME TO GO TO SCHOOL WITH SIGHTED STUDENTS. I GRADUATED FROM HEM STEAD HIGH SCHOOL IN LONG ISLAND, FROM COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, AND FROM THE LAW SCHOOL AT HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY. BUT WHEN I WENT TO APPLY FOR MY FIRST JOB, I WAS TURNED DOWN BECAUSE OF MY DISABILITY. SOMEHOW, BETWEEN THAT LOW MOMENT AND TONIGHT, I HAVE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE BEEN CHOSEN TO SPEAK BEFORE THIS MAGNIFICENT ASSEMBLY AS THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. THANK YOU. WHATEVER ACHIEVEMENT THAT I HAVE MADE, I AM ALWAYS AWARE OF HOW LUCKY I AM. THERE WERE PEOPLE I KNEW WHO WERE SMARTER THAN ME, THERE WERE THOSE WHO WORKED HARDER, AND PROMISE WERE MORE DEDICATED. BUT FOR THE LACK OF OPPORTUNITY, ONE OF THEM WOULD BE STANDING HERE TALKING TO YOU THIS EVENING. MY STORY IS SOMEWHAT UNIQUE, BUT IN MANY WAYS, IT IS NOT. IT IS THE OVERALL PROMISE THAT THIS NATION HAS MADE THAT IF A PERSON WORKS HARD ENOUGH, THAT THEY CAN MAKE THE MOST OF THEIR GOD-GIVEN TALENTS. LAST NIGHT, THIS IS WHAT MICHELLE OBAMA CALLED THE AMERICAN PROMISE. BUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THAT PROMISE IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS? OVER ONE MILLION AMERICANS HAVE LOST THEIR HOMES SINCE LAST SUMMER. 463,000 PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS THIS YEAR ALONE. THE INFLATION RATE IS AT A 17-YEAR HIGH. AND THE GAP BETWEEN EMPLOYMENT RATE AMONG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND THE GENERAL POPULATION CONTINUES TO RISE. ONLY 37% OF DISABLED PEOPLE ARE WORKING IN THIS COUNTRY. ONLY 29% OF BLIND PEOPLE HAVE JOBS. AND THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AMONG DEAF AMERICANS IS NEARLY 90%. NEARLY 90%. SO THE QUESTION IN THIS RACE IS, WHICH OF THE CANDIDATES WILL MAKE THE CHANGE THAT WILL RESTORE THE PROMISE OF AMERICA? WELL, LET'S SEE. IS IT JOHN MCCAIN? AUDIENCE: NO! >> NO? I'M SHOCKED. MAYBE THAT'S BECAUSE JOHN MCCAIN CONTINUES TO CLAIM THAT PRESIDENT BUSH'S POLICIES HAVE BEEN GREAT FOR THE ...

ECONOMY. IN 2007, JOHN MCCAIN VOTED WITH THE ADMINISTRATION 95% OF THE TIME. SO IF HE'S THE ANSWER, THE QUESTION MUST BE RIDICULOUS. THERE IS ONLY ONE CANDIDATE WHO WILL MAKE THE CHANGE THAT WE NEED TO RESTORE THE PROMISE OF AMERICA. HE IS A MAN OF INTEGRITY. HE IS A MAN OF HONESTY. HE LOVES HIS COUNTRY. HE IS BARACK OBAMA. [APPLAUSE] BARACK OBAMA KNOWS THE RIGHT STRATEGIES FROM FAIR TRADE POLICY TO CUTTING TAXES FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS, REINVESTING IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE TO MAKE OUR ECONOMY MOVE AGAIN. AND BARACK OBAMA WILL OPEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE DISABLED BY WORKING WITH SPEAKER PELOSI AND SENATOR REED TO OVERTURN SUPREME COURT DECISIONS THAT HAVE WRONGLY NARROWED THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT. HERE ARE THE CHOICES AMERICA FACES IN 2008. BARACK OBAMA WILL BRING US THE SAME BROKEN -- JOHN MCCAIN WILL BRING US THE BROKEN POLITICS AND PROMISES OF THE PAST. FELLOW DELEGATESING, I HAVE A BETTER IDEA. LET'S GIVE THEM FOUR MORE MONTHS AND THEN ELECT BARACK OBAMA. BECAUSE BARACK OBAMA WILL RESTORE PROSPERITY AND WILL MAKE THE CHANGES WE NEED TO WRITE A NEW CHAPTER IN THE STORY OF THE PROMISE OF AMERICA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] (music) (music) (music) . . (music) (music) (music) (music) ...

CHANGES A REWARD OF THE WORK. THIS WILL BE A TAX CODE THAT REWARDS THE BUSINESSES. THIS IS WHAT CHANGES. [APPLAUSE] CHANGE IS A HEALTH CARE PLAN THAT GUARANTEES INSURANCE TO EVERY AMERICAN WHO WANTS IT. IT STOPS INSURANCE COMPANIES FROM DENYING COVERAGE. THAT IS WHAT CHANGES. [APPLAUSE] CHANGES IN ENERGY POLICY THAT DOES NOT MEAN YOU BUDDYING UP WITH THE SAUDI ARABIA. IT MAKES THE OIL COMPANY INVESTS THEIR PROFITS. IT WILL CREATE MILLIONS OF NEW JOBS IN LEAVES OUR CHILDREN A SAFER PLANET. -- THAT THIS WILL LEAVE THE CHILDREN A SAFER PLANET. THAT IS WHAT CHANGES. CHANGE IS GIVING EVERY CHILD A WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION BY RECRUITING AN ARMY OF NEW TEACHERS WITH BETTER PAY AND MORE SUPPORT BY PROMISING FOUR YEARS OF TUITION TO ANY AMERICAN WANTED TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITY OR COUNTRY ARE REALIZING THE BEST EDUCATION STARTS WITH THE PARENTS WHO TURN OFF THE TV AND TAKE AWAY THE VIDEO GAMES AND READ TO THEIR CHILDREN. THAT IS WHAT CHANGES. [APPLAUSE] >> LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, PLEASE WELCOME THE MEMBERS OF THE BLACK CAUCUS. ...

REPRESENTATIVE JOHN CONYERS. IN THE THOMPSON OF MISSISSIPPI. >>

GREETINGS FROM THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS. 42 MEMBERS FROM 21 STATES REPRESENTING MORE THAN 40 MILLION AMERICANS. OUR MISSION IS TO ENGAGE AND EMPOWER ALL AMERICANS. TODAY, WE CELEBRATE THE LEADERSHIP AND LEGACY OF OUR SISTER AND FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE, CONGRESSWOMAN STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. [APPLAUSE] SHE WAS A TRAILBLAZER. THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN FEMALE TO SERVE AS A PROSECUTOR AND THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN WERE SITS IN AN OHIO POLITICAL SUBJECTS. IN THE FIRST ONE POINTED TO THE POWERFUL, WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE. SHE WAS ALSO MY FRIEND. I WILL CHERISH HER SMILE AND HER FAITHFUL FRIENDSHIP. WE WERE INSPIRED BY HER ENTHUSIASM, ENERGY, AND PASSION THAT SHE LEFT IN OHIO, CONGRESS AND AMERICA. LET US CONTINUE THE WORK SHE STARTED. SHE RECOGNIZED THAT IN THIS ELECTION WE STAND AT THE CROSSROADS OF HOPE AND SHE ALSO RECOGNIZED THAT THIS NOVEMBER, ONLY ONE CANDIDATE, BARACK OBAMA CAN DELIVER THE CHANGE THAT WE SO BADLY NEEDS. LET US CONTINUE THE JOURNEY TO BURST WITH EQUALITY AND OPPORTUNITY AND PROSPERITY FOR ALL. TO HER SON MERVYN, TOO. HER SISTER BARBARA AND HER FAMILY FRIENDS AND ALL OF HER STAFF THAT KNEW HER. A PRAYER SADNESS STILL TEMPERED BY MEMORIES YOU HOLD IN YOUR HEART. A. YOU FIND COMFORT AND STRENGTH KNOWING THAT SHE IS ALWAYS WITH US. -- MAY FIND COMFORT AND STRENGTH. SHE WILL FOREVER BE IN OUR HEARTS. [APPLAUSE] A PRESENT T THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE ON WHICH SHE SERVED, CONGRESSMAN CHARLES RANGEL FROM NEW YORK. [APPLAUSE] >> ...

ALL OF US HERE ARE SO VERY BLESSED. THE WORLD IS CHANGING DIRECTION. AND THOSE OF US WHO IN THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS WE FELT A DEEP LOSS. WE LOST A LEADER IN STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. SHE SHATTERED THE MYTH THAT THE RACISM THAT EXISTED WITH STOPPER. A BLACK WOMAN IN CLEVELAND. HER DAD WAS AN AIRPORT LUGGAGE HANDLER. SHE WENT TO SCHOOL AND BECAME THE FIRST AND ALMOST EVERYTHING. LAWYER, PROSECUTOR, AND JUDGE AND THEN JOINING THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. WE WOULD NOT TOLERATE HER LOSING HER LIFE BY SAYING SHE DID NOT DIE IN VAIN, WE OWE IT TO HER AND A WOOD TO THE PEOPLE WHO SAY WE WILL NOT LIVE THESE LAST EIGHT YEARS AGAIN IN THIS GREAT COUNTRY. WE WILL PICK UP THE PIECES. WE WILL MAKE CERTAIN THAT THE AND PEOPLE OF TODAY WILL UNDERSTAND WHO STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES WAS. WE WILL MAKE CERTAIN THAT DURING OUR LIFETIME THAT WE WILL CHANGE THE COURSE OF THIS GREAT NATION SO THAT RACISM AND SEXISM WILL NOT BE ON THE AGENDA. PEOPLE HAVE A FAIR TAX SYSTEM AND A GREAT TAX SYSTEM. WE WILL BE ABLE TO SAY THANK YOU, STEPHANIE. THANK YOU, DEMOCRATS. THANK YOU, BARACK OBAMA. AND THANK YOU, GOD, FOR GIVING US THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY. [APPLAUSE] WEEK OF -- BEER SO FORTUNATE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO BE THE KEEPER OF THE CONSTITUTION. WE WOULD DECIDE THE VIOLATIONS AND ALSO THE SAD THE CONDUCT OF THE PRESIDENT'S. HOW FORTUNATE WE ARE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO HAVE THE CONSTITUTIONAL COMMITTEE AND THE JUDICIAL COMMITTEE AS THEIR FRIEND. AND THE CHAIRMAN JOHN CONYERS OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN. [APPLAUSE] >> BROTHERS AND SISTERS, I KNEW STEPHANIE AS A CONSTANT VOICE FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE. ...

SEE WAS KNOWN TO US FOR HER WORK AS A PROSECUTOR, A JUDGE AND A CHAIRMAN OF THE ETHICS COMMITTEE FOR THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. SHE WAS A REAL LEADER. SHE WAS ENTHUSIASTIC AND AN ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORTER FOR HILLARY RODMAN -- HILLARY CLINTON'S BID. AFTER BARACK OBAMA PREVAIL, THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS MET WITH SENATOR OBAMA AND STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES LET US STAND ROCK- SOLID IN SUPPORT OF HIM AS A CANDIDATE FOR THE PRESIDENCY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. SHE KNEW THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SURE THAT EVERY VOTE COUNTS AND THAT EVERY VOTE IS COUNTED AND AFTER THE 2004 ELECTION IN OHIO, WHERE SO MANY VOTES WERE UNCOUNTED IN OHIO, STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES MET WITH ME IN THE OTHER HOUSE MEMBERS IN COLUMBUS, OHIO, TO HEAR THE TESTIMONY OF HUNDREDS OF ANGRY CITIZENS AT THE WAY THEY'RE SECRETARY OF STATE HAD MISSED CONDUCTED THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 2004. WHAT WENT WRONG IN OHIO? SHE RETURNED TO WASHINGTON WITH ONE VAL, NEVER AGAIN. NEVER AGAIN. NEVER AGAIN WOULD WE SEEK JUSTICE LEFT UNDONE. NEVER AGAIN WOULD WE SEEK VOTES GO UNCOUNTED. NEVER AGAIN WOULD THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE BE IGNORED. BEFORE LEAVING THIS CONVENTION WITH SENATOR OBAMA NOMINEE AS A CANDIDATE, I ASK THAT WE HONOR THE MEMORY OF STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES AND ALL SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE AS SHE WOULD HAVE. NEVER AGAIN. NEVER AGAIN. >> ...

NEVER AGAIN. >> NEVER AGAIN. >> THANK YOU.

I AM PLEASED TO BRING A DISTINGUISHED LEADER FROM THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI WHO IS NOW CHAIRMAN OF THE HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE, WHO HAS TRAVELED THE COUNTRY IN THE WORLD TRYING TO MAKE THIS COUNTRY SAFE. HIS NAME ISN'T ANY THOMPSON AND HE IS THE CHAIRMAN OF HOMELAND SECURITY. -- HIS NAME IS BENNY THOMPSON. >> AT STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY BECAUSE OF THE PASSING OF MY DEAR FRIEND STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES. ...

AS A MEMBER OF THE BLACK CAUCUS, I WAS OVERJOYED TO BE A PART OF THE HISTORY WITH STEPHANIE. WE BECAME TOO OF THE FIVE MEMBERS WHO SHARED FULL COMMITTEES AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. HER LIFE IS FULL OF HISTORY MAKING. SHE WAS THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO BECOME A MEMBER OF CONGRESS IN OHIO. IN THE FIRST EVER SUCCESSFUL ATTORNEY IN THE STATE. ONE THING WAS CLEAR TO BE THE FIRST AND SO MANY AREAS, TO BE SUCH A TRAILBLAZER IN PUBLIC SERVICE, YOU HAVE TO BE STRONG. YOU HAVE TO BE COMMITTED TO MAKING DIFFERENCES IN THE LIVES OF OTHER. IT IS NOT TO WANT TO THE DOOR AND CLOSE IT TO THE FUTURE. THE ROLE OF THE FIRST IS TO WALK TO THE DOOR OF OPPORTUNITY AND OPEN NEW DOORS AND CREATE NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHERS. MY CHALLENGE TO ALL OF US IS TO AVOID THE LEGACY OF THE ONE AND ONLY. WE DO NOT NEED TO CREATE ANY MORE OPPORTUNITIES THAT GUY WITH AN INDIVIDUAL. WE NEED LEGACIES -- MORE LEGACY'S LIKE STEPHANIE. THE KIND THAT LIVES ON. LEGACY THAT DEMANDS WHAT WE DO. BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD. THIS IS THE CHANGE WE SEE IN BARACK OBAMA. LET'S CONTINUE TO TRAIL BLAZERS, TO TAKE THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED SO THAT SOMEBODY ELSE CAN WALK DOWN THAT ROAD. [APPLAUSE] WE ARE GOING TO SEE A VIDEO TRIBUTE TO OTHER GREAT DEMOCRATS WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS. LET'S OBSERVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE IN THE MEMORY OF STEPHANIE. >> ...

THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] (music) (music) >> >>

LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, PLEASE WELCOME THE SENIOR SENATOR FROM VERMONT. [APPLAUSE] >> I LIVE ON A DIRT ROAD IN A TOWN OF 1800 IN

VERMONT. WE'RE PROUD TO BE A PART OF AMERICA. WE ARE STRUGGLING FROM EIGHT YEARS OF A BUSH-CHENEY ECONOMY. WE FACE A DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT RATES. NOBODY IS HURT BY THE HIGH ENERGY PRICES MORE THAN WE ARE. FINALLY, AFTER EIGHT YEARS OF FAILED POLICY AND MISPLACED PRIORITIES, WE CAN TURN THE PAGE. [APPLAUSE] RURAL AMERICA CANNOT AFFORD MORE OF THE SAME. WE NEED TO CHANGE THAT BARACK OBAMA OFFERS. THE COMMUNITIES ARE SUFFERING. THE JOBS CONTINUE TO DISAPPEAR. 8 MILLION REAL AMERICANS NOW LIVE IN POVERTY AND THROUGH IT ALL, GEORGE BUSH IN THE CHENEY DECIDED -- THEY HAVE CITED THE BIG BUSINESS. AS MUCH AS JOHN MCCAIN WOULD LIKE US TO BELIEVE THAT HE IS DIFFERENT, HIS ECONOMIC PLAN OFFERS NOT A SINGLE NEW IDEA. JUST MORE OF THE SAME. BARACK OBAMA WILL GIVE US THE CHANGE WE NEED. HE WILL LIFT THE ECONOMY AND NEATLY BY TAKING SOME OF IT PROFITS OF THE BIG OIL AND RETURNING $1,000 TO THE POCKETS OF WORKING FAMILIES. HE WILL INVEST WHAT REAL AMERICA NEEDS MOST COMMON GOOD AND NEW JOBS. HE WILL MOVE US AWAY FROM -- HE WILL PUT FIVE OF THE AMERICANS TO WORK. AND LIKE JOHN MCCAIN, BARACK OBAMA UNDERSTANDS THE ROLE COMMUNITIES CAN BE COMPETITIVE. [APPLAUSE] AS A FORMER PROSECUTOR, I KNOW THAT REAL AMERICANS THAT YOU SECURE COMMUNITIES IN THAT IS WHY THE SPIKE IS SO DISTURBING TO US. GEORGE BUSH WANTS TO CUT FUNDING FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT. JOE BIDEN AND I WORK TOGETHER ON THIS TO PUT 100,000 AMERICANS -- 100,000 OFFICERS ON THE BEACH. AND NOW, BARACK OBAMA AND JOE BIDEN HAD A PLAN TO HIRE EVEN MORE. NO ONE IN AMERICA HAVE A SKATE THE GAS PRICES. THEY HAVE NEARLY TRIPLED. NO ONE FEELS IT WORSE THAN IN RULE COMMUNITIES. -- NO ONE FEELS IT WORSE THAN IN THE RURAL COMMUNITIES. GEORGE BUSH GIVES BILLION DOLLAR TAX BREAKS TO THE BIG COMPANIES. THE VERY SAME WELL COMPANIES ARE CALLING THE SHOTS. BIG OIL KNOWS THAT JOHN MCCAIN IS A SURE BET TO LOOK OUT FOR THEM. WE KNOW THAT BARACK OBAMA WILL LOOK OUT FOR US. [APPLAUSE] UNLIKE SENATOR MCCAIN, BARACK OBAMA HAS A COMPREHENSIVE ENERGY PLAN. HE WILL STOP SPECULATORS FROM BIDDING UP PRICES. HE WILL RESPONSIBLY PRODUCE MORE OIL AT HOME. HE WILL MOVE US AWAY FROM THAT AND MOVE US TOWARD CLEAN FUEL. JOHN MCCAIN OFFERS US FOUR MORE YEARS OF THE SAME OF BUSH AND CHENEY POLICIES. BARACK OBAMA IS ON OUR SIDE. HE WILL DELIVER THE CHANGE THAT WE DESPERATELY NEEDS. AFTER EIGHT LONG YEARS, NOW IS THEIR CHANCE TO GET OUR COUNTRY BACK ON THE RIGHT TRACK. WE CAN ONCE AGAIN LOOK WITH HOPE FOR A PROSPEROUS NEW DATE FOR THE COMMUNITIES. SO FROM THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS OF COLORADO, THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> ...

THESE ARE THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR CHANGE. >> THIS

ELECTION THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FACE A CLEAR CHOICE AND THE CHOICE IS THIS. WILL WE CONTINUE DOWN THE DEBT IN PATH THAT HAS MARKED THE LAST EIGHT YEARS OF GEORGE BUSH? DO WE SEES THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS NEW CENTURY TO DELIVER THE CHANGE THAT WE NEED AND BUILD A BRIGHTER, MORE PROSPEROUS AND MORE PEACEFUL FUTURE. THAT IS OUR CHOICE. OUR DECISION WILL HAVE CONSEQUENCES. FOR THE ECONOMY, FOR OUR SCHOOLS, FOR OUR HEALTH. . CONSEQUENCES THAT WE FELT FOR YEARS TO COME, ALL OVER AMERICA, AND IN PLACES FAR FROM OUR SHORES. I KNOW THIS FIRSTHAND. MY FATHER SERVED IN THE NAVY AND THEN WENT ON TO BECOME A UNITED STATES FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICER. HE SERVED AS A BUT INDIA AND PAKISTAN, WHERE I WAS BORN. I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THE WORLD, BUT I ALSO LEARNED A LOT ABOUT AMERICA. ONE MEMORY STANDS OUT. IT WAS IN THE EARLY 1970'S AND I HAD JUST TURNED 14. ONE DAY I TRAVELED WITH MY PARENTS TO A REMOTE VILLAGE INCH ALONG THE. I WALKED INTO A HUT AND AS MY EYES ADJUSTED TO THEM LIKE, I NOTICED THERE WAS A PORTRAIT. IT WAS A PORTRAIT OF JOHN F. KENNEDY. IT WAS TWO YEARS AFTER HE HAD BEEN IN THE WHITE HOUSE IN HALF THE WORLD AWAY FROM OUR COUNTRY. FOR THOSE VILLAGERS, IT REPRESENTED THE AMERICA AND IT SENT THE PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS TO HELP THEM. HE REPRESENTED THE AMERICA THEY LOOK TO AS THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY AND AS A FORCE FOR GOOD AND JUSTICE AROUND THE WORLD. THAT PORTRAIT OF OUR PRESIDENT WAS A BEACON OF HOPE. TODAY, BECAUSE OF THE POLICIES OF GEORGE BUSH, JOHN MCCAIN, THAT BEGAN HAS DIMMED. WE ALL KNOW THIS. NOT ONLY FOR THE WORLD, BUT FOR MANY AMERICANS. HERE AT HOME THE AMERICAN DREAM OF GOOD PAYING JOBS, AFFORD THE HEALTH CARE, COLLEGE EDUCATION, IT SEEMS JUST THAT. JUST A DREAM. AMERICA'S IMAGE HAS BEEN TARNISHED ABROAD. OSAMA BIN LADEN IS STILL AT LARGE. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD MORE OF THE SAME AND WE KNOW IT. IN THIS ELECTION, WE HAVE A CHANCE. WE HAVE A CHANCE TO READ LIKE A BEACON FOR THE WORLD. TO RESTORE THE DREAM FOR AMERICANS AND TO REALIZE THE CHANGE WE NEED AND WE CAN DO IT BY ELECTING BARACK OBAMA AND JOE BIDEN AND EXPANDING THE DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY IN THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS. [APPLAUSE] WE CAN DO THIS. WE STARTED IN 2006 WHEN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE VOTED FOR CHANGE AND FOR A NEW DIRECTION. AND THE DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS HAS DELIVERED. LANDMARK A LOBBYING REFORM. A NEW GI BILL WITH FREE COLLEGE EDUCATION FOR IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN VETERANS. THE FIRST EXPANSION OF FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE IN 15 YEARS. THE FIRST IMPROVEMENT IN FUEL EFFICIENCY STANDARDS IN 32 YEARS. THE LARGEST COLLEGE EXPANSION IN 64 YEARS. THE LARGEST VETERANS' HEALTH CARE FUNDING IN THE HISTORY OF THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION. [APPLAUSE] AND IN EACH OF THESE VICTORIES, WE HAD AN ALLY. AN ALLY IN THE SENATE IN THE NAME OF BARACK OBAMA. [APPLAUSE] BUT IN TO MANY OTHER AREAS, WE HAVE BEEN BLOCKED BY GEORGE BUSH, JOHN MCCAIN AND THE REPUBLICAN ALLIES IN CONGRESS. WE CAME TO STOPPING GIVEAWAYS TO BIG OIL, TO EXPLORING THE SCIENCE OF STEM CELLS AND TO OFFERING HEALTH CARE TO 10 MILLION AMERICAN CHILDREN AND TO RESPONSIBLY IN THE WAR IN IRAQ, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE'S PLEAS FOR EXCHANGE -- THE PLEAS FOR CHANGE HAVE BEEN IGNORED. NOW, WE HAVE TO FINISH THE JOB. WITH PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, HE CANNOT DO IT ALONE BUT WE WILL NEED NOT ONLY TO ELECT BARACK OBAMA, WE NEED TO GIVE HIM A ROBUST DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY IN THE NINE STATES CONGRESS. -- THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS. WE CAN BRING AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE TO EVERY AMERICAN. WE WILL FREE OUR NATION. WE WILL REDEDICATE THIS NATION TO THE REAL THREATS THAT AMERICA FACES IN THE WORLD. THE WAVE OF CHANGE THAT BEGAN IN 2006 CONTINUES TO GROW EVERY DAY. WE HAVE ONE SPECIAL ELECTIONS IN SOME DISTRICTS AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT NOBODY THOUGHT WE COULD WIN. IN ILLINOIS, LOUISIANA, AND IN MISSISSIPPI. NOW WE HAVE TO TAKE THEIR CAMPAIGN TO THE WHOLE COUNTRY. WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE SOME OF THESE PEOPLE WITH US TONIGHT. FROM NEW JERSEY'S THIRD DISTRICT, A FIGHTER FOR THE MIDDLE-CLASS. [APPLAUSE] AN INDEPENDENT FIGHTER FROM ILLINOIS WITH A TRACK RECORD OF CREATING NEW JOBS IN HER DISTRICT. WE OF THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER. [APPLAUSE] LEADING AN INCREDIBLE GRASS- ROOTS CAMPAIGN ACROSS FLORIDA, JOE GARCIA. [APPLAUSE] FROM MEXICO'S THE THIRD DISTRICT, AND A LEADER THERE. [APPLAUSE] FROM FLORIDA'S 13TH DISTRICT, A BANK TELLER WHO WORKED HER WAY UP. CHRISTINE JENNINGS. A PROVEN LEADER IN THE BELOVED MAY YEAR RUNNING IN FLORIDA IS DISTRICT, MR. MARTINEZ. [APPLAUSE] WE HAVE AN ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT AND THAT HE HAS PRODDED TO COLORADO. [APPLAUSE] AND BRINGING INDEPENDENT LEADERSHIP TO THE THIRD DISTRICT, A PATRIOT WHO SERVED IN IRAQ AS THE CAPTAIN AND THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS. [APPLAUSE] THESE MEN AND WOMEN ARE JUST A FEW OF THE 50 OUTSTANDING CANDIDATES OF CHAIN SAID ARE RUNNING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. FROM ALABAMA TO ALASKA. FROM NEW YORK TO MEXICO AND RIGHT HERE TO THE STATE OF COLORADO. WE MUST SUCCEED. IF WE MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE, IT WILL MEET A NEW DIRECTION FOR AMERICA AND FOR THE WORLD. IT WILL MEAN THAT ONE DAY, DECADES FROM NOW ANOTHER YOUNG BOY WILL GO -- WILL GROW UP IN A REMOTE VILLAGE IN THEIR, HANGING ON THE WALL WILL BE THE PORTRAIT OF ANOTHER AMERICAN PRESIDENT, A PRESIDENT THAT WE ELECTED IN 2008. A PRESIDENT, WHO AGAIN, MADE AMERICA A BEACON OF HOPE. A PRESIDENT TO RESTORE THE AMERICAN DREAM AT HOME, AND REBUILD THE ECONOMY IN THE SCHOOLS. IF A PRESIDENT WHO LIT THE TORCH AND INSPIRED A NEW GENERATION. A PRESIDENT NAMED BARACK OBAMA. LET'S GO ON TO VICTORY IN 2008. [APPLAUSE] WILL HAVE A GREAT VICTORY IN 2008 FROM THE WHITE HOUSE TO THE CONGRESS. EVERYBODY, WORKED HARD FOR OUR COUNTRY. GOD BLESS YOU ALL. [APPLAUSE] >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE WELCOME THE PRESIDENT OF THE PLANNED ACTION -- THE PLANNED PARENTHOOD ACTION FUND. >> ...

MY MOTHER, ANN RICHARDS, GAVE THE KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION 20 YEARS AGO. [APPLAUSE] I WISH SHE WERE HERE TO CELEBRATE WITH US TONIGHT BECAUSE EVERYTHING SHE WORKED FOR AND BELIEVED IN IS COMING TRUTH THIS WEEK IN DENVER. AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE PLANNED PARENTHOOD ACTION FUND. AFTER EIGHT YEARS OF GEORGE BUSH YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED THAT A TEXAN IS THE PRESIDENT OF PLANNED PARENTHOOD. AFTER ALL, THERE ARE NOT MANY PEOPLE TOO ENTHUSED ABOUT SEEN THE WORD TEXAN AND PRESIDENT IN THE SAME SENTENCE. THE PLANNED PARENTHOOD ACTION FUND HAS ENDORSED A CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT, BARACK OBAMA. ARE SINNERS ARE THE LEADING PROVIDERS OF HEALTH CARE IN THE COUNTRY. -- WE ARE TEAM SINGLE LEADING PROVIDER OF HEALTH CARE. I SEE FIRSTHAND WHAT FAMILIES ARE FACING. I SEE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO NEED INFORMATION TO MAKE RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR HEALTH CARE. WOMEN DESERVE A PRESIDENT WHO UNDERSTANDS THEIR HEALTHCARE NEEDS AND THE RECORD IS CLEAR. BARACK OBAMA DOES AND JOHN MCCAIN DOES NOT. [APPLAUSE] BARACK OBAMA HAS BEEN A LEADER FOR FAMILY PLANNING FOR COMPREHENSIVE SEX EDUCATION AND FOR A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE. [APPLAUSE] HE WILL BE A PRESIDENT WHO SUPPORTS WOMEN'S HEALTH AND RIGHTS 100 PERCENT SIGN. HE IS THE CHANGE AT AMERICAN NEEDS. AND JOHN MCCAIN, IF HE LIKE GEORGE BUSH, HE WILL BE A LOT MORE OF THE SAME. HE SPENT 25 YEARS WORKING AGAINST HEALTH-CARE FOR WOMEN. HE HAS VOTED AGAINST WOMEN'S HEALTH CARE 100 -- 125 TIMES. HE VOTED AGAINST REAL SEX EDUCATION. AGAINST AFFORDABLE FAMILY PLANNING. IF ELECTED, HE WILL BE APPOINTING SUPREME COURT JUSTICES WHO WILL OVERTURN ROE VS WADE. JOHN MCCAIN BELIEVES THAT JUDGES AND POLITICIANS KNOW BETTER THAN WOMEN THEMSELVES WHAT IS BEST FOR THEIR HEALTH CARE. JUST TWO WEEKS AGO, JOHN MCCAIN SAID HE DID NOT EVEN KNOW IF INSURANCE COMPANIES SHOULD COVER BIRTH CONTROL. LET ME REMIND YOU, YOU ALREADY VOTED AGAINST IT TWICE. WHERE WOMEN'S HEALTH CARE IS CONCERNED, IT SEEMS CLEAR THAT WHEN JOHN MCCAIN SAYS I DO NOT KNOW, WHEN HE REALLY MEANS IS, I DON'T CARE. [APPLAUSE] WOMEN IN THIS COUNTRY DESERVE BETTER. ON THAT SUMMER NIGHT IN ATLANTA 20 YEARS AGO, MY MOTHER INTRODUCED HEARD NEARLY PERFECT GRANDDAUGHTER, MY DAUGHTER. SHE IS HERE TONIGHT. AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT WOULD MAKE MY MOM PROUDER THAN FOR THIS NOVEMBER HER GRANDDAUGHTER WILL CAST HER FIRST VOTE FOR PRESIDENT AND THAT WILL BE BARACK OBAMA. FOR MOLL AND FOR MY DAUGHTER AND FOR ALL WOMEN, BARACK OBAMA IS THE RIGHT TO CHOICE, HE IS THE CHANGE THAT AMERICA NEEDS. THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS. [APPLAUSE] >> ...

PLEASE WELCOME THE CONGRESSMAN OF OHIO. [APPLAUSE] >>

ARE YOU READY FOR NOVEMBER? THIS ONE IS FOR YOU STEPHANIE. LET'S GO TO THE ELECTION DAY. THE DEMOCRATS ARE GIVING AMERICA A WAKE-UP CALL. WAKE UP AMERICA. IN 2001, THE OIL COMPANIES AND THE WAR CONTRACTORS AND THEN NEOCON ARTIST SEES THE ECONOMY AND ADDED FOUR TRILLION DOLLARS OF UNPRODUCTIVE SPENDING TO THE NATIONAL DEBT. WE NOW PAY FOUR TIMES MORE FOR DEFENSE AND THREE TIMES MORE FOR GASOLINE AND HOME HEATING OIL AND TWICE WHAT WE PAY FOR HEALTH CARE. MILLIONS OF AMERICANS HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS AND THEIR HOMES AND THEIR HEALTH CARE AND THEIR PENSION. TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR AN UNNECESSARY WAR, PAID FOR WITH BORROWED MONEY. TENS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. THIS WAS A COST OF THE LIVES OF OUR TROOPS AND INNOCENT IRAQIS WHAT ALL OF THE PRESENCE OF OIL MEN ARE MANEUVERING TO GRAB THE OIL OF IRAQ. THERE IS NO MONEY TO REBUILD BRIDGES IN AMERICA. NOW WE HAVE ANOTHER COLD WAR WITH RUSSIA AND THE AMERICAN ECONOMY HAS BECOME A GAME OF RUSSIAN ROULETTE. IF THEIR WORK AND A OLYMPICS FOR MISLEADING, MISMANAGING, AND MISAPPROPRIATING, THIS ADMINISTRATION WOULD TAKE THE GOLD. WORLD RECORDS. WORLD RECORDS FOR VIOLATIONS OF NATIONAL LAW. THEY WANT ANOTHER FOUR YEAR TERM TO CONTINUE TO ALIENATE OUR ALLIES. WE CANNOT AFFORD ANOTHER REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION. THE INSURANCE COMPANIES TOOK OUR HEALTH CARE. WAKE UP, AMERICA. THE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES TOOK OVER THE DRUG PRICING. WAKE UP, AMERICA. MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS TOOK A TRADE POLICIES. GOOD PAYING JOBS ARE BEING LOST. BUT THE, AMERICA. THE OIL COMPANIES WANT MORE. WAR AGAINST IRAN WILL BE $10 A GALLON GASOLINE. THEY WANT TO DRILL MORE OIL. WAKE UP, AMERICA. CONTRACTORS WANT MORE. THEY WANT MORE. THIS ADMINISTRATION CAN TAP OUR PHONES -- BUT THEY CAN'T TAMPER OUR CREATIVE SPIRIT. THEY CAN OPEN OUR MILL, BUT THE CAN'T LOOK AT THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES. THEY CAN TRACK OUR MOVE, BUT THEY LOST TRACK OF THE ECONOMY OF THE COST OF FOOD, GASOLINE, AND ELECTRICITY SKYROCKETED. THEY HAVE SKILLFULLY PLAYED ON OUR POST 9/11 FEARS. EVERY DAY WEEK IT THE COLOR ORANGE WHILE THE OIL COMPANIES, THE INSURANCE COMPANIES AND THE SPECULATORS AND THE WAR CONTRACTORS GET THE COLOR GREEN. WAKE UP, AMERICA. THIS IS NOT A CALL FOR YOU TO TAKE A NEW DIRECTION FROM RIGHT TO LEFT, THIS IS A CALL FOR YOU TO GO FROM DOWN TO THE UP. UP WITH THE RIGHTS OF WORKERS. UP WITH FAIR TRADE. WE NEED TO REBUILD OUR BRIDGES AND WATER SYSTEMS AND SEWER SYSTEMS. UP WITH CREATING ENERGY JOBS. LOWER THE COST OF ENERGY AND CARBON EMISSIONS AND PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT. UP WITH EDUCATION FOR ALL. UP WITH HOME OWNERSHIP. UP WITH PEACE. UP WITH PROSPERITY. UP WITH THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. WAKE UP, AMERICA. WAKE UP, AMERICA. WAKE UP, AMERICA. [APPLAUSE] >> ...

NOW THE STATE CALIFORNIA COMPTROLLER. [APPLAUSE] >>

GOOD EVENING. FOUR YEARS AGO THIS SON OF THE KANSAS FATHER STOOD BEFORE YOU AND HE LIFTED THE HEARTS AND HOPES AND REMINDED US THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE GREAT IS. AS I WATCHED HIM SPEAK, BUT COULD NOT HELP THAT THINK THAT IT WAS MY STORY. IT IS OUR STORY. IT IS THE AMERICAN STORY. ON THE SURFACE, IT COULD BE VIEWED THAT BARACK OBAMA TO COPYRIGHTS HAVE LITTLE IN COMMON WITH MY PARENTS. HIS CAME FROM AFRICA AND MINE CAME FROM ASIA AND THEY SPOKE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. OUR PARENTS HAD MUCH IN COMMON BECAUSE THEY WERE INDICTED BY THE VALUES THAT THEY TAUGHT THEIR SONS. IN AMERICA, IT DOES NOT MATTER WHERE YOU COME FROM, BUT WHERE YOU ARE GOING. IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT YOUR NAME IS, BUT WHETHER YOU ARE WILLING TO WORK HARD AND MAKE A NAME FOR YOURSELF. BARACK OBAMA'S LIFE REAFFIRMS THE AMERICAN DREAM. THERE ARE COUNTLESS AMERICAN FAMILIES TO THE EAST SHORES TO ROCKY MOUNTAINS AND TO CALIFORNIA. THIS IS OUR NATION'S GREATEST PROMISE, BUT THE PROMISE GROWS HARDER TO REACH. AS THE COMPTROLLER OF THE GREAT STATE OF CALIFORNIA, OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO BUILD A BROADER FISCAL FUTURE FOR MY STATE AND FOR THEIR 37 MILLION RESIDENTS. CALIFORNIA IS STRUGGLING WITH FOR CLOSURES AND RECORD AS PRICES AND RISING UNEMPLOYMENT. WE ARE WORKING HARDER THAN EVER, BUT MANY OF US ARE FALLING FURTHER AND FURTHER BEHIND. WE KNOW IT IS STILL GOLDEN AND WE KNOW THAT PATH TO THE PROMISED LAND AND THE BARACK OBAMA WILL LEAD US THERE. HE UNDERSTANDS AS JOHN F. KENNEDY SAID, THAT A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATS. TOGETHER WE WILL RISE. TOGETHER WE WILL FALL. HERE IN DENVER AND ALL ACROSS THE GREAT COUNTRY, WE CHOOSE TO RISE. TOGETHER WE WILL RISE. WE WILL REJECT THE LAST FOUR YEARS OF POLICY. TOGETHER, WE WILL RISE ABOVE THE COMMON CHALLENGES OF POVERTY AND ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE AND ENERGY INDEPENDENCE. BARACK OBAMA WILL GIVE US THE CHANGE WE NEED SO THAT THE VALUES OF HARD WORKING PEOPLE WHAT OUR PARENTS TAUGHT US WERE JUST AS LOUD AND TRUE FOR OUR CHILDREN AS THEY DID FOR US. ONCE AGAIN, LET'S BUILD A COUNTRY THAT EMBRACES THE GREATEST PROMISE OF ALL FOR PEOPLE. THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL. [APPLAUSE] >> ...

I GREW UP AND AND REALLY BAD NEIGHBORHOOD AND I STARTED WORKING WHEN I WAS 34. -- I STARTED WORKING WHEN I WAS 13. I WAS A BURST -- I WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO GO TO COLLEGE AND GET A DEGREE. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR KIDS HAD MORE THAN THEY DID. THAT IS WHAT HAS BROUGHT ME HERE. WHEN I LISTEN TO BARACK OBAMA, I FEEL THAT HE APPRECIATES MY PARENTS AND THE KIND OF PARENTS THAT A WAR. HE WANTS PEOPLE LIKE MY PARENTS TO SUCCEED AND DO WELL FOR THEMSELVES. IS WHY I AM DEVOTING EVERY SPARE OUT THAT I HAVE TO HIS CAMPAIGN. >> ...

THERE IS THIS ATTITUDE OF SELFLESSNESS AND THIS BELIEF THAT WE HAVE A STAKE IN EACH OTHER. THE IDEA HAS TO EXPRESS ITSELF, BUT THIS DID OUR CHURCHES OR TEMPLES, NOT JUST IN OUR FAMILIES, WE HAVE TO EXPRESS OURSELVES TO OUR GOVERNMENT. THAT IS PART OF WHAT AMERICA IS ALL ABOUT. >> HE HAS A TREMENDOUS ABILITY TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER. ...

I HAVE NOT SEEN THIS IN A LONG TIME. >>

DELEGATES, ALTERNATES AND GUESTS, PLEASE WELCOME THE WISCONSIN GOVERNOR, JIM DOYLE. >>

THANK YOU. WHEN I WAS A BOY IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, MILLIONS OF YOUNG AMERICANS LIKE ME OR CALLED TO THE PATRIOTISM OF SERVICE BY JOHN F. KENNEDY. I FELT HIS WORDS WERE DIRECTED AT ME. BACKE CARRIED HIS CALL IN MY HEART. -- I CARRIED HIS CALL IN MY HEART. . . WE ARE READY TO MOVE PAST EIGH YEARST OF AN ECONOMIC DOCTRINE BET FAVORS THE RICH AND IGNORES THE REST. WE ARE READY TO REJECT JOHN MCCAIN'S A CAMPAIGN DEBT OFFERS NOTHING BUT FOUR YEARS OF A MORE OF THE SAME. WE ARE READY TO INNOVATE, BUILD, AND WORK HARD TO ACHIEVE OUR DREAMS. FOR THE PEOPLE OF MY STATE, HARD WORK IS NOTHING NEW. WE COULD GET UP EVERY DAY AND FACE THE CHALLENGES AHEAD OF US. CARING FOR OUR FAMILIES, TEACHING OUR CHILDREN AND DOING OUR JOBS TO THE VERY BEST OUR ABILITIES. FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER THERE HAS BEEN A SORT OF AN UNWRITTEN RULE IN AMERICA, AND SOME CALL IT THE AMERICAN DREAM. IT SAYS, IF YOU WORK HARD AND PLAY BY THE RULES YOU CAN GO AS FAR IN LIFE AS YOUR TALENT AND DEDICATION WILL TAKE YOU. IN WISCONSIN, AND ACROSS OUR COUNTRY TODAY, PEOPLE ARE WORKING JUST AS HARD AS EVER. BAY ARE STILL PLAYING BY THE RULES. BUT THEY ARE FINDING THEIR DREAMS FURTHER AND FURTHER OUT OF REACH. MY FAMILY, I THINK, WAS AMONG THE EARLIEST TO ENDORSE BARACK OBAMA. I WOULD SAY IT HAPPENED ABOUT FIVE MINUTES INTO THE KEYNOTE SPEECH HE DELIVERED FOUR YEARS AGO. I HAVE PASSED ALL OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS WHITEBAIT SUPPORT SENATOR BOB, SO STRONGLY. BUT NOBODY SAID A BETTER THAN MY EIGHT YEAR-OLD GRANDSON. HE SAID, WE NEED A PRESIDENT WHO WILL WORK HARD FOR US. THAT IS THE WISDOM OF A CHILD. IN BARACK OBAMA WE WILL KNOW WHAT IT IS TO HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO REALLY WORKS HARD FOR US. AND HE KNOWS THAT THE BEST WAY TO GET AMERICA OFF WORKING AGAIN IS BY INVESTING IN THE GREEN ENERGY JOBS OF TOMORROW. JUST THIS MONTH BY WAS AT A SMALL TOWN FACTORY IN NORTHERN WISCONSIN. IT HAS A LONG HISTORY OF MAKING GEARBOXES. MOST VOTE THEM USED TO GO INTO CARS AND TRUCKS. BUT NOW THERE MOST HIGHLY ENGINEERED PEERS ARE TURNING INSIDE THE GENERATORS OF WINDMILLS. AND THEY SAY BUSINESS IS BOOMING. THE BOOM THERE CAN HAPPEN AT FACTORIES AND IN TOWNS EVERYWHERE, BUT THAT WILL ONLY HAPPEN IF WE HAVE A PRESIDENT COMMITTED TO INVESTING IN EDUCATION, JOB TRAINING, AND LOW TAXES FOR CLEAN ENERGY INNOVATORS. JOHN MCCAIN STANDS FOR MORE OF THE SAME. BARACK OBAMA HAS A PLAN TO PUT 5 MILLION AMERICANS TO WORK IN LOW-PAYING, CLEAN ENERGY JOBS. THAT IS THE KIND OF CHANGE WE NEED. BUT THIS VICTORY AND THIS NEW DIRECTION WILL NOT COME EASY. THE POWERS OF THE BUSH-TO A YEARS HAVE EVERYTHING TO GAIN FROM KEEPING THINGS AS THEY ARE. THEY WILL PULL OUT ALL OF THE STOPS TO MAKE SURE THAT JOHN MCCAIN IS SELECTED BECAUSE THEY KNOW HE WILL KEEP LOOKING OUT FOR THEM. BUT I HAVE NEWS FOR THEM. THEIR DAYS ARE NUMBERED. OUR TIME HAS COME. I PROMISED TO YOU THAT I AM GOING TO WORK MY HEART OUT FOR BARACK OBAMA. I WILL DO IT FOR MY GRANDSON SO THAT HE IS BLESSED IN HIS LIFE WOULD BE HOPEFUL AND DETERMINED SPIRIT THAT JOHN KENNEDY GAVE ME. I WILL WORK FOR BARACK OBAMA SO THAT ALL OF OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO WORKS FOR US. I KNOW WISCONSIN WILL WORK HARD. I KNOW ALL OF YOU WILL WORK HARD, AND TOGETHER WE WILL ELECT A PRESIDENT DOES THE GOOD AS THE PEOPLE OF OUR PAST GREAT COUNTRY. THANK YOU, EVERYONE TO READ IT ON, WISCONSIN, AND GOD BLESS AMERICA. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] DOPPLER >> PLEASE WELCOME THE CHAIR OF THE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS' ASSOCIATION, THE GOVERNOR BOB WEST VIRGINIA. -- THE GOVERNOR OF WEST VIRGINIA. >> ...

I AM THE GOVERNOR OF THE GREAT STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. AND CHAIRMAN OF THE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION. IT IS AN HONORS TO STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY. GOVERNORS WORK ACROSS PARTY LINES TO GET THINGS DONE. WE ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE EACH AND EVERY DAY FOR FINDING WAYS TO SOLVE OUR STATE'S MOST PRESSING PROBLEMS. 28 STATES INCLUDING RED AND BLUE STATES CURRENTLY HAVE DEMOCRATS IN THE GOVERNOR OFFICE. THEY ARE DOING WHAT HARD-WORKING FAMILIES HAVE TO DO, LIVING WITHIN THEIR MEANS, KEEPING THEIR BUDGETS IN BALANCE. OUR GOAL IS TO SIMPLY KEEP OUR COUNTRY STRONG AND OUR ECONOMY IS VIBRANT, STATE-BY-STATE. WEST VIRGINIA STATE LEADERSHIP HAS PRODUCED A RECORD NUMBER OF NEW JOBS. LOW UNEMPLOYMENT, AND FEWER TAXES TO READ -- AND YOUR TAXES. WE REDUCED THE SIZE OF STATE GOVERNMENT AND TACKLE OUR DEBTS. NOW THE TIME HAS DONE -- COME FOR WASHINGTON TO FOLLOW OUR EXAMPLE AND BRIDGE PARTISAN DIVIDES TO BRING AMERICA THE CHANGING NEEDS THREE. THE STATES OF OUR UNION CANNOT AFFORD ANY MORE OF THE SAME OLD GRIDLOCK THAT CURRENTLY OPERATES IN WASHINGTON. WHAT WE NEED FROM WASHINGTON IS A REALISTIC ENERGY POLICY AS WELL AS HEALTH CARE FOR EVERY WORKING PERSON. WE NEED A COMMITMENT TO FIXING ARE ROADS AND BRIDGES AND A RENEWED EDUCATION SYSTEM THAT PREPARES OUR WORK FORCE TO COMPETE GLOBALLY. TOGETHER WE CAN TURN THE PAGE ON NOVEMBER THE FOURTH BY VOTING FOR THE ONE CANDIDATE WHO CAN BRING US THE CHANGE WE NEED. BARACK OBAMA. [APPLAUSE] I WAS NOT BORN WITH A SILVER SPOON IN MY MOUTH, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY I AM A CHILD OF PRIVILEGE. MY GRANDPARENTS WERE ITALIANS AND CHECKS THE WALK-IN IMMIGRANTS TO SEARCH FOR A BETTER LIFE, AND WENT TO THE SMALL COAL MINING TOWNS OF WEST VIRGINIA. THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT LIFE IN AMERICA IS A PRIVILEGE. IN EXCHANGE FOR THE PRIVILEGE THEY BELIEVED THEY HAD A RESPONSIBILITY TO GIVE SOMETHING BACK. THEY TAUGHT ME THE IMPORTANCE NOT ONLY OF HARD WORK BUT ALSO OF HAVING COMPASSION FOR ALL PEOPLE. THE EXAMPLE THEY SET ALONG WITH THE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE OF MY FAMILY AND THE STRONG SUPPORT OF MY COMMUNITY ENABLED ME TO ATTEND COLLEGE, RUN A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS, AND LAUNCH A CAREER IN PUBLIC SERVICE. I AM VERY PROUD TO REPRESENT THE GREAT STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY IT'S PEOPLE. WEST VIRGINIANS VALUE HARDWARE, PATRIOTISM, AND FAITH IN GOD THEY HAVE FACED ADVERSITY WITH COURAGE AND THEY HELP EACH OTHER IN CHALLENGING TIMES. THEY DO THE HEAVY LIFTING IN THE ECONOMY. A MONTH NICKEL, MAKE THE STEEL, AND WORK THE ASSEMBLY LINES THAT MAKE OUR ENERGY -- INDUSTRIES STAKE. THEIR EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE HAS EARNED EACH OF THEM A PH.D. IN LIFE. THEY CAN SHAKE YOUR HAND, LOOK YOU IN THE EYE AND TOUCH YOUR HEART. AND LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING. THEY CANNOT AFFORD FOUR MORE YEARS TO LIFE THE LAST EIGHT. [APPLAUSE] THEY NEED AND DESERVE BETTER FROM WASHINGTON. THEY NEED A PRESIDENT WHO PUTS THEIR BEST INTERESTS FIRST. THEY NEED A PRESIDENT WHO WILL TACKLE THE MAJOR ISSUES, BALANCE OUR NATION'S BUDGET AND HELP STRUGGLING MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES REGAIN THEIR FOOTING. THEY NEED A PRESIDENT WHO WILL RE-ESTABLISH OUR COUNTRY'S REPUTATION IN THE WORLD COMMUNITY. THEY NEED A PRESIDENT WHO WILL RESTORE THE PROMISE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY THAT IS EVERY AMERICAN'S RIGHT. THEY NEED TO CHANGE, AND A BARACK OBAMA AS PRESIDENT. [APPLAUSE] WE CAN MOVE FROM RECESSION TO RESURGENCE. TOGETHER WE CAN STOP RUNNING FROM OUR DOMESTIC PROBLEMS AND START SPREADING TOWARDS SOLUTIONS. WE CAN RAISE OUR EXPECTATIONS OF WASHINGTON AND DEMAND THAT THEY TACKLE THE TOUGH CHALLENGES JUST AS OUR NATION'S GOVERNORS TO EVERY DAY. MY FELLOW AMERICANS, WE NEED A NEW LEADER FOR A NEW TIME. BARACK OBAMA IS THE ONLY CANDIDATE IN THIS RACE WHO HAS CAPTURED OUR NATION'S HOPES FOR THE KIND OF CHANGE WE SO DESPERATELY NEED. LET'S DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR AMERICA AND SELECT BARACK OBAMA AS THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THANK YOU. GOD BLESS YOU. GOD SAVE THE STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. AND MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> SIMIKOT YEARS AGO, THERE WAS THE FIRST DEMOCRATIC WOMAN ELECTED TO THE UNITED STATES AND A. ...