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Hello, Chicago.
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If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where 3 l1 K* ?, T2 K# F! [
all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is 0 L( T$ q! y6 z2 f1 Q2 Q
alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight
0 i+ s8 E3 z5 t8 Nis your answer.
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2 P: ^" g0 }9 e4 DIt's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in * H) M0 M% g6 k! p0 y) m) O
numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and
: R+ {0 t% s$ J6 P: tfour hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed 2 o* t; s" u3 p9 P4 J% e
that this time must be different, that their voices could be that 7 q7 Z2 m, N0 ]6 |' N
difference.
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" f; l0 e. }8 w3 |/ K* L9 ZIt's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and * }' g9 M& J* |
Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, 2 E+ V) Q' N0 U. l$ E
disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that
5 c$ J( _, V5 U! e: C/ L$ N, u( @we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red ) R1 V3 A& C: l: I" Z& L& d
states and blue states.' h& S/ L: D* I: }) G
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We are, and always will be, the United States of America.4 t2 X) Q j3 q) E& m w2 F& I
, U' I7 @0 \/ S8 u Z6 bIt's the answer that led those who've been told for so long by so many to
- }$ v2 P, J& `2 ~5 \; k( @be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their
8 Q" q* M; T, I# c0 n+ p: i$ jhands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a 0 x7 p8 w( c% ^, X2 [
better day. Video Watch Obama's speech in its entirety ?) q" K, b- e0 t, w9 u
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It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this 3 b( K& m, O1 y% i) u
date in this election at this defining moment change has come to America.0 D: `. I9 |) u! k$ z
' f$ U: i8 d* Z8 |8 h6 A: H: AA little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious ( V# S4 g* V8 i
call from Sen. McCain.! }( f6 ?) n1 ]
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Sen. McCain fought long and hard in this campaign. And he's fought even
4 _; R9 x. A/ Zlonger and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices
7 U+ ]: Z& i- ^( xfor America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for
5 ?/ S) w8 r/ ~5 Q: fthe service rendered by this brave and selfless leader.
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I congratulate him; I congratulate Gov. Palin for all that they've 7 |" I5 a7 @% ~, ~7 ~' v% a8 ?
achieved. And I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's
# U$ G9 A* Y2 e7 K5 G. ~& Zpromise in the months ahead., O. O9 Z' ]' W
- U& m; N9 M5 A3 [I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his
2 k/ C+ T- q5 D9 e! }3 \heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of
0 C. P2 [& x* j5 c( x* n: OScranton and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice 0 j1 i8 o; [+ y# n- h# @' w
president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.$ W6 a! k0 h0 |
! w$ ]6 S' q( G% F7 |5 ?, aAnd I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of
- T5 I* |7 }4 R1 v: h, |8 Bmy best friend for the last 16 years the rock of our family, the love of my 2 J; p' e9 V9 U5 L. k
life, the nation's next first lady Michelle Obama.0 `$ \; U0 t" ~* n! Y& {
# n% }% v/ v* D2 _- I! l6 qSasha and Malia I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have
4 R9 G. P3 i4 K; a3 a7 m7 I- P+ rearned the new puppy that's coming with us to the new White House.$ j. i8 c/ @. T6 B- f" {7 q! c
2 z7 u+ s- l1 @! U) ^" n% MAnd while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother's watching, along 8 e, J% B1 h+ m& D. H
with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight. I know that my
. @/ I- T5 s/ g- }1 m/ pdebt to them is beyond measure.: ]3 L/ W, E' }. Q/ X# z
, F6 ~( @% @, }* I$ ?6 O. k) _To my sister Maya, my sister Alma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank ( |1 X* s9 Y# y: L
you so much for all the support that you've given me. I am grateful to them.
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And to my campaign manager, David Plouffe, the unsung hero of this ! W8 f% y* ?( \9 z0 v
campaign, who built the best -- the best political campaign, I think, in
; ]' t1 k! `; u* O" @- { a9 |the history of the United States of America./ `9 q0 C* ?; l4 E: n3 E
2 W1 X& g, c, vTo my chief strategist David Axelrod who's been a partner with me every
( [% _" |- }2 Ystep of the way.
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3 p3 J+ y( U* ? N$ sTo the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics you
, w, h( \6 R0 m# W' Cmade this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to
- W5 Q1 o, H6 [% [6 W3 t9 `4 v- Mget it done.9 I' I- U! ]- y" x& s$ D. G
; o; M2 h' b/ K3 oBut above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It
! ~7 s4 D* ]% H5 ~belongs to you. It belongs to you.
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I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with 5 s; A* D7 ?& U2 G. L4 X
much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls 9 v2 r7 {4 w: h3 X9 d
of Washington. It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms ( @& W5 Z" V/ T B5 @' U/ ^2 F- i
of Concord and the front porches of Charleston. It was built by working men 8 j5 D. w5 q) t8 d: |$ s0 R
and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and 0 t: n2 o. Q4 t* m6 r# U$ n" t; ^
$20 to the cause.( _0 p, B4 M+ o, }% O! ^, s
q$ _! Y! r% p- G) yIt grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their + f( Z- m0 N& s7 u- B# y
generation's apathy who left their homes and their families for jobs that $ \2 \- e8 \# N
offered little pay and less sleep.9 q2 o5 p7 u) g- h
: b0 t2 V$ R7 R& L4 @$ W8 XIt drew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold
9 |5 H2 x' K S- h- iand scorching heat to knock on doors of perfect strangers, and from the 6 e2 f2 z6 P* V7 A Z/ S
millions of Americans who volunteered and organized and proved that more
# Y( M% X1 K% o. R/ _8 Ethan two centuries later a government of the people, by the people, and for
( v, O& B9 _8 pthe people has not perished from the Earth.
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This is your victory.% h; @: d0 D9 ~4 ^, k( A& ?
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And I know you didn't do this just to win an election. And I know you
# U) w- z9 D. f" W& g4 hdidn't do it for me.
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& V1 s; Q. z. {$ ~You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead.
% g0 N* i' U. u6 x$ o* o5 C5 ]For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will ' |( M8 E- ]+ f" w3 f* o
bring are the greatest of our lifetime -- two wars, a planet in peril, the & j3 A7 c; ~# N0 J# q& V. l+ Y+ z+ N
worst financial crisis in a century.8 g6 d( M; U- L( u
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Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up ( h! N% r _7 I* S4 i
in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives
3 }6 F$ }9 j p1 `3 q2 [for us.
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( |- B8 _$ T! ~8 K1 aThere are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after the children fall
: S# K( j, `- Easleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage or pay their doctors' bills
$ m( z: |) T# t9 a8 r9 aor save enough for their child's college education.9 }! r$ I$ O8 r/ w
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There's new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to
; x& y2 |, S& ~; pbuild, and threats to meet, alliances to repair.* [( \! v$ }0 z+ x
! i1 ^+ [: N( P$ \* r* Z! Q* v2 sThe road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there
% F. u* {5 x- C' @in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more
6 q1 I \) @: ?2 t3 L2 K# ~hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.$ ^$ m- L& f0 \* @3 E
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I promise you, we as a people will get there.9 r# b" s# V4 b& R) P7 g
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There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree
: s+ M% w7 }. u! | Dwith every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the
) b' i- f& \. E; H. kgovernment can't solve every problem.- v: l9 `2 S$ V% I: M0 }3 u( t
* N2 r( N3 _' f. Z! uBut I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will
* K; t$ q1 x6 x- V) R% ulisten to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you
* c2 s9 `6 n4 jto join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it's been done in % g& n7 R) U0 R: {4 v
America for 221 years -- block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by # P e9 _1 @3 ?. ^: A/ z# v
calloused hand.$ P, P1 W; V3 A3 I; |- R
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What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn + s1 U5 j& d7 Z; c
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/ e3 T6 @0 v* Q% A5 aThis victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us # b4 j, X; S. c s4 a) _
to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things $ n3 Q; I3 Z/ k/ y5 r; w' Y
were.
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- [; j4 ?: f' M( H; @# Y( q* eIt can't happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit + S8 G0 M+ l% b6 s* m5 }* W
of sacrifice.
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So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each
: `: l$ u; r9 I3 k' qof us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only $ R' X7 x1 C8 A3 c
ourselves but each other.( ?6 C5 j& }* u/ O
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Let us remember that, if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's
6 B8 \5 j+ O# G% d8 u) hthat we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers.. m5 j" N4 X# F7 W1 J* K
' e }+ F' j, W1 q2 c0 F9 SIn this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let's resist
" C( R. D0 B% m8 h% w( r3 I% c" dthe temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and ; e9 M2 a4 }) B8 [6 M8 B2 V6 m
immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.
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% b, b5 E3 g# pLet's remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the
7 _' C5 Y- T: |banner of the Republican Party to the White House, a party founded on the
' I- s+ @2 Z1 ~values of self-reliance and individual liberty and national unity.3 Z2 a f* h# y I% i
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Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party has won
. h, A( t4 R7 P0 ~" ba great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and 0 m R" y' J5 [+ E1 i# Q4 k J
determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.
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2 v$ e8 l+ G j& P" G- Y, [As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies , o" W; r' r1 W# M
but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds : G. [7 k1 p/ g* V7 c8 C
of affection.- g$ Y- I+ k2 R2 d6 k! y
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And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won & t& Y& S# x k8 \2 w" k. T
your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be
2 M4 t7 Z8 T. \6 @0 Kyour president, too.& C& c8 p& y7 t: e
! ~1 H, O- i) K \And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments 1 ]+ q' i9 f" s. Z# k, _
and palaces, to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten
) ?% x2 z- R! @* h# q1 Scorners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared,
: @) ?7 g. x d F) I7 iand a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.; X( U5 i0 v) ~2 c
; E2 s! m: `5 W; nTo those -- to those who would tear the world down: We will defeat you. To
$ ~1 \" i' e' ?) O) sthose who seek peace and security: We support you. And to all those who ( ^) w4 d* M/ e6 v- N; m7 N3 p
have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright: Tonight we proved
+ |8 t2 D/ e4 ], J) M$ fonce more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of
4 U& n, R k/ }* X; V! b' o& gour arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our
6 ^, t% N5 O4 o3 k, Q( s4 A O# Bideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.& F1 H, z5 U3 N8 p- N
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That's the true genius of America: that America can change. Our union can # p( ^7 i+ K& a' m' u" U
be perfected. What we've already achieved gives us hope for what we can and $ `8 U) G, S+ `$ |7 Q+ h# q3 U2 J
must achieve tomorrow.
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This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for
# E+ z5 q& d' M- O$ Jgenerations. But one that's on my mind tonight's about a woman who cast her
& w/ {: O3 G: t% `! Eballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in
* f+ w" D( b8 G/ V" lline to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing: Ann
) F$ D, V! i6 Z+ @5 L% fNixon Cooper is 106 years old.
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She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars 1 o& A: d0 e* T1 p- U& S( n
on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for ) c2 g4 L' Y/ q1 A
two reasons -- because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.
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And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in 6 A. H$ U! M3 X0 i) f' r+ K
America -- the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the
/ O: h8 k( C' w: P+ [5 @times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that / \3 n( q" i/ d/ p. {( P5 E
American creed: Yes we can.+ t, `! y4 W" }2 _
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At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she 7 u1 j5 U2 D( N q9 }0 e! V
lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we 3 I& B( r! ]4 {/ u5 ^: |$ F
can./ X1 h6 _" j7 ], W0 F: u
3 j) d( q& B# N7 t. `5 dWhen there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she $ o' ~" f% b4 v5 G. ?3 D7 T
saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of 6 i. G' X6 @7 y
common purpose. Yes we can.
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: C) e7 a8 _5 d9 CWhen the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was ! ^2 L) G- q4 I. Q& |. J! w
there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. . E5 D o( S% t+ _+ ^' g! `2 E" O
Yes we can.
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8 T1 M1 Y i2 F ]" _6 p& Z9 _& XShe was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a
: ~- V/ N/ k5 Q8 `4 R0 zbridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We ( S5 Q% S2 E' ~! Y
Shall Overcome." Yes we can.7 j% R' ^- d, ^1 K" u" t% A
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A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was M5 J6 D+ a$ v9 _/ A
connected by our own science and imagination.. T$ |* r$ q" Q/ l2 a
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And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and - U4 h5 y. m* O S; C
cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of ) r3 Q- R* M/ S1 h) D
times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.8 D. p: h7 J f4 K& Q4 o) A
' W& y! P) f2 ?9 F" _2 WYes we can.0 B1 V/ D, ^. o! |6 O' s; X% {; w H
" F' t* i- |- P5 d( u- P! cAmerica, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much
2 p1 u0 `6 _% E2 |) ], w" f- b& Wmore to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves -- if our children should live
3 _7 b7 q! \! D0 s5 cto see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long 2 V3 h7 K- r" e! ]6 s, {, ^5 C
as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have : R2 q5 a' z9 e" R
made?
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This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.8 l. \9 { _) @ Z; c3 A. K# ?# k
( D2 ?& z) s$ F& H1 m- C; XThis is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of
/ z1 D# ~8 M3 [. t2 ropportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of 8 f2 m, U( K' m% f
peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, $ s& i: D* z1 }% |- d3 f+ U; c
that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we . I" V9 Z% \8 U, Z$ B
are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we + H Q3 p. s% P% W/ O+ m2 h
will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:
) \5 }) o' i D" n& f* ~% e8 A \$ FYes, we can.
* n* T& W$ Z: D0 W9 W) s. k4 tThank you. God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America. |
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