It was a
busy night at the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia,
as the party’s leading lights like Barack Obama, Joe Biden and others
made their case for Hillary Clinton.
Obama blasted Trump as a man who did business with people and left his
workers feeling used and also praised Hillary Clinton, saying she was
even more qualified for the presidency than him, or even her husband-
Bill Clinton. Read the full transcript of President Obama’s speech after
the cut…
Twelve years ago tonight, I addressed this convention for the very first time.
You met my two little girls, Malia and Sasha – now two amazing young
women who just fill me with pride. You fell for my brilliant wife and
partner Michelle, who’s made me a better father and a better man; who’s
gone on to inspire our nation as First Lady; and who somehow hasn’t aged
a day.
I know the same can’t be said for me. My girls remind me all the time. Wow, you’ve changed so much, daddy.
And it’s true – I was so young that first time in Boston. Maybe a
little nervous addressing such a big crowd. But I was filled with faith;
faith in America – the generous, bighearted, hopeful country that made
my story – indeed, all of our stories – possible.
A lot’s happened over the years. And while this nation has been
tested by war and recession and all manner of challenge – I stand before
you again tonight, after almost two terms as your President, to tell
you I am even more optimistic about the future of America.
How could I not be – after all we’ve achieved together?
After the worst recession in 80 years, we’ve fought our way back.
We’ve seen deficits come down, 401(k)s recover, an auto industry set new
records, unemployment reach eight-year lows, and our businesses create
15 million new jobs.
After a century of trying, we declared that health care in America is
not a privilege for a few, but a right for everybody. After decades of
talk, we finally began to wean ourselves off foreign oil, and doubled
our production of clean energy.
We brought more of our troops home to their families, and delivered
justice to Osama bin Laden. Through diplomacy, we shut down Iran’s
nuclear weapons program, opened up a new chapter with the people of
Cuba, and brought nearly 200 nations together around a climate agreement
that could save this planet for our kids.
We put policies in place to help students with loans; protect
consumers from fraud; and cut veteran homelessness almost in half. And
through countless acts of quiet courage, America learned that love has
no limits, and marriage equality is now a reality across the land.
By so many measures, our country is stronger and more prosperous than it was when we started.
And through every victory and every setback, I’ve insisted that
change is never easy, and never quick; that we wouldn’t meet all of our
challenges in one term, or one presidency, or even in one lifetime.
So tonight, I’m here to tell you that yes, we still have more work to
do. More work to do for every American still in need of a good job or a
raise, paid leave or a decent retirement; for every child who needs a
sturdier ladder out of poverty or a world-class education; for everyone
who hasn’t yet felt the progress of these past seven and a half years.
We need to keep making our streets safer and our criminal justice system
fairer; our homeland more secure, and our world more peaceful and
sustainable for the next generation. We’re not done perfecting our
union, or living up to our founding creed – that all of us are created
equal and free in the eyes of God.
That work involves a big choice this November. Fair to say, this is
not your typical election. It’s not just a choice between parties or
policies; the usual debates between left and right. This is a more
fundamental choice – about who we are as a people, and whether we stay
true to this great American experiment in self-government.
Look, we Democrats have always had plenty of differences with the
Republican Party, and there’s nothing wrong with that; it’s precisely
this contest of ideas that pushes our country forward.
But what we heard in Cleveland last week wasn’t particularly
Republican – and it sure wasn’t conservative. What we heard was a deeply
pessimistic vision of a country where we turn against each other, and
turn away from the rest of the world. There were no serious solutions to
pressing problems – just the fanning of resentment, and blame, and
anger, and hate.
And that is not the America I know.
The America I know is full of courage, and optimism, and ingenuity.
The America I know is decent and generous. Sure, we have real anxieties –
about paying the bills, protecting our kids, caring for a sick parent.
We get frustrated with political gridlock, worry about racial divisions;
are shocked and saddened by the madness of Orlando or Nice. There are
pockets of America that never recovered from factory closures; men who
took pride in hard work and providing for their families who now feel
forgotten; parents who wonder whether their kids will have the same
opportunities we had.
All that is real. We’re challenged to do better; to be better. But as
I’ve traveled this country, through all fifty states; as I’ve rejoiced
with you and mourned with you, what I’ve also seen, more than anything,
is what is right with America. I see people working hard and starting
businesses; people teaching kids and serving our country. I see
engineers inventing stuff, and doctors coming up with new cures. I see a
younger generation full of energy and new ideas, not constrained by
what is, ready to seize what ought to be.
Most of all, I see Americans of every party, every background, every
faith who believe that we are stronger together – black, white, Latino,
Asian, Native American; young and old; gay, straight, men, women, folks
with disabilities, all pledging allegiance, under the same proud flag,
to this big, bold country that we love.
That’s the America I know. And there is only one candidate in this
race who believes in that future, and has devoted her life to it; a
mother and grandmother who’d do anything to help our children thrive; a
leader with real plans to break down barriers, blast through glass
ceilings, and widen the circle of opportunity to every single American –
the next President of the United States, Hillary Clinton.
Now, eight years ago, Hillary and I were rivals for the Democratic
nomination. We battled for a year and a half. Let me tell you, it was
tough, because Hillary’s tough. Every time I thought I might have that
race won, Hillary just came back stronger.
But after it was all over, I asked Hillary to join my team. She was a
little surprised, but ultimately said yes – because she knew that what
was at stake was bigger than either of us. And for four years, I had a
front-row seat to her intelligence, her judgment, and her discipline. I
came to realize that her unbelievable work ethic wasn’t for praise or
attention – that she was in this for everyone who needs a champion. I
understood that after all these years, she has never forgotten just who
she’s fighting for.
Hillary’s still got the tenacity she had as a young woman working at
the Children’s Defense Fund, going door to door to ultimately make sure
kids with disabilities could get a quality education.
She’s still got the heart she showed as our First Lady, working with
Congress to help push through a Children’s Health Insurance Program that
to this day protects millions of kids.
She’s still seared with the memory of every American she met who lost
loved ones on 9/11, which is why, as a Senator from New York, she
fought so hard for funding to help first responders; why, as Secretary
of State, she sat with me in the Situation Room and forcefully argued in
favor of the mission that took out Bin Laden.
You know, nothing truly prepares you for the demands of the Oval
Office. Until you’ve sat at that desk, you don’t know what it’s like to
manage a global crisis, or send young people to war. But Hillary’s been
in the room; she’s been part of those decisions. She knows what’s at
stake in the decisions our government makes for the working family, the
senior citizen, the small business owner, the soldier, and the veteran.
Even in the middle of crisis, she listens to people, and keeps her cool,
and treats everybody with respect. And no matter how daunting the odds;
no matter how much people try to knock her down, she never, ever quits.
That’s the Hillary I know. That’s the Hillary I’ve come to admire.
And that’s why I can say with confidence there has never been a man or a
woman more qualified than Hillary Clinton to serve as President of the
United States of America.
And, by the way, in case you were wondering about her judgment, look
at her choice of running mate. Tim Kaine is as good a man, as humble and
committed a public servant, as anyone I know. He will be a great Vice
President, and he’ll make Hillary a better President. Just like my dear
friend and brother Joe Biden has made me a better President.
Now, Hillary has real plans to address the concerns she’s heard from
you on the campaign trail. She’s got specific ideas to invest in new
jobs, to help workers share in their company’s profits, to help put kids
in preschool, and put students through college without taking on a ton
of debt. That’s what leaders do.
And then there’s Donald Trump. He’s not really a plans guy. Not
really a facts guy, either. He calls himself a business guy, which is
true, but I have to say, I know plenty of businessmen and women who’ve
achieved success without leaving a trail of lawsuits, and unpaid
workers, and people feeling like they got cheated.
Does anyone really believe that a guy who’s spent his 70 years on
this Earth showing no regard for working people is suddenly going to be
your champion? Your voice? If so, you should vote for him. But if you’re
someone who’s truly concerned about paying your bills, and seeing the
economy grow, and creating more opportunity for everybody, then the
choice isn’t even close. If you want someone with a lifelong track
record of fighting for higher wages, better benefits, a fairer tax code,
a bigger voice for workers, and stronger regulations on Wall Street,
then you should vote for Hillary Clinton.
And if you’re concerned about who’s going to keep you and your family
safe in a dangerous world – well, the choice is even clearer. Hillary
Clinton is respected around the world not just by leaders, but by the
people they serve. She’s worked closely with our intelligence teams, our
diplomats, our military. And she has the judgment, the experience, and
the temperament to meet the threat from terrorism. It’s not new to her.
Our troops have pounded ISIL without mercy, taking out leaders, taking
back territory. I know Hillary won’t relent until ISIL is destroyed.
She’ll finish the job – and she’ll do it without resorting to torture,
or banning entire religions from entering our country. She is fit to be
the next Commander-in-Chief.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump calls our military a disaster. Apparently, he
doesn’t know the men and women who make up the strongest fighting force
the world has ever known. He suggests America is weak. He must not hear
the billions of men, women, and children, from the Baltics to Burma,
who still look to America to be the light of freedom, dignity, and human
rights. He cozies up to Putin, praises Saddam Hussein, and tells the
NATO allies that stood by our side after 9/11 that they have to pay up
if they want our protection. Well, America’s promises do not come with a
price tag. We meet our commitments. And that’s one reason why almost
every country on Earth sees America as stronger and more respected today
than they did eight years ago.
America is already great. America is already strong. And I promise
you, our strength, our greatness, does not depend on Donald Trump.
In fact, it doesn’t depend on any one person. And that, in the end,
may be the biggest difference in this election – the meaning of our
democracy.
Ronald Reagan called America “a shining city on a hill.” Donald Trump
calls it “a divided crime scene” that only he can fix. It doesn’t
matter to him that illegal immigration and the crime rate are as low as
they’ve been in decades, because he’s not offering any real solutions to
those issues. He’s just offering slogans, and he’s offering fear. He’s
betting that if he scares enough people, he might score just enough
votes to win this election.
That is another bet that Donald Trump will lose. Because he’s selling
the American people short. We are not a fragile or frightful people.
Our power doesn’t come from some self-declared savior promising that he
alone can restore order. We don’t look to be ruled. Our power comes from
those immortal declarations first put to paper right here in
Philadelphia all those years ago; We hold these truths to be
self-evident, that all men are created equal; that together, We, the
People, can form a more perfect union.
That’s who we are. That’s our birthright – the capacity to shape our
own destiny. That’s what drove patriots to choose revolution over
tyranny and our GIs to liberate a continent. It’s what gave women the
courage to reach for the ballot, and marchers to cross a bridge in
Selma, and workers to organize and fight for better wages.
America has never been about what one person says he’ll do for us.
It’s always been about what can be achieved by us, together, through the
hard, slow, sometimes frustrating, but ultimately enduring work of
self-government.
And that’s what Hillary Clinton understands. She knows that this is a
big, diverse country, and that most issues are rarely black and white.
That even when you’re 100 percent right, getting things done requires
compromise. That democracy doesn’t work if we constantly demonize each
other. She knows that for progress to happen, we have to listen to each
other, see ourselves in each other, fight for our principles but also
fight to find common ground, no matter how elusive that may seem.
Hillary knows we can work through racial divides in this country when
we realize the worry black parents feel when their son leaves the house
isn’t so different than what a brave cop’s family feels when he puts on
the blue and goes to work; that we can honor police and treat every
community fairly. She knows that acknowledging problems that have
festered for decades isn’t making race relations worse – it’s creating
the possibility for people of good will to join and make things better.
Hillary knows we can insist on a lawful and orderly immigration
system while still seeing striving students and their toiling parents as
loving families, not criminals or rapists; families that came here for
the same reasons our forebears came – to work, and study, and make a
better life, in a place where we can talk and worship and love as we
please. She knows their dream is quintessentially American, and the
American Dream is something no wall will ever contain.
It can be frustrating, this business of democracy. Trust me, I know.
Hillary knows, too. When the other side refuses to compromise, progress
can stall. Supporters can grow impatient, and worry that you’re not
trying hard enough; that you’ve maybe sold out.
But I promise you, when we keep at it; when we change enough minds;
when we deliver enough votes, then progress does happen. Just ask the
twenty million more people who have health care today. Just ask the
Marine who proudly serves his country without hiding the husband he
loves. Democracy works, but we gotta want it – not just during an
election year, but all the days in between.
So if you agree that there’s too much inequality in our economy, and
too much money in our politics, we all need to be as vocal and as
organized and as persistent as Bernie Sanders’ supporters have been. We
all need to get out and vote for Democrats up and down the ticket, and
then hold them accountable until they get the job done.
If you want more justice in the justice system, then we’ve all got to
vote – not just for a President, but for mayors, and sheriffs, and
state’s attorneys, and state legislators. And we’ve got to work with
police and protesters until laws and practices are changed.
If you want to fight climate change, we’ve got to engage not only
young people on college campuses, but reach out to the coal miner who’s
worried about taking care of his family, the single mom worried about
gas prices.
If you want to protect our kids and our cops from gun violence, we’ve
got to get the vast majority of Americans, including gun owners, who
agree on background checks to be just as vocal and determined as the gun
lobby that blocks change through every funeral we hold. That’s how
change will happen.
Look, Hillary’s got her share of critics. She’s been caricatured by
the right and by some folks on the left; accused of everything you can
imagine – and some things you can’t. But she knows that’s what happens
when you’re under a microscope for 40 years. She knows she’s made
mistakes, just like I have; just like we all do. That’s what happens
when we try. That’s what happens when you’re the kind of citizen Teddy
Roosevelt once described – not the timid souls who criticize from the
sidelines, but someone “who is actually in the arena…who strives
valiantly; who errs…[but] who at the best knows in the end the triumph
of high achievement.”
Hillary Clinton is that woman in the arena. She’s been there for us –
even if we haven’t always noticed. And if you’re serious about our
democracy, you can’t afford to stay home just because she might not
align with you on every issue. You’ve got to get in the arena with her,
because democracy isn’t a spectator sport. America isn’t about “yes he
will.” It’s about “yes we can.” And we’re going to carry Hillary to
victory this fall, because that’s what the moment demands.
You know, there’s been a lot of talk in this campaign about what
America’s lost – people who tell us that our way of life is being
undermined by pernicious changes and dark forces beyond our control.
They tell voters there’s a “real America” out there that must be
restored. This isn’t an idea that started with Donald Trump. It’s been
peddled by politicians for a long time – probably from the start of our
Republic.
And it’s got me thinking about the story I told you twelve years ago
tonight, about my Kansas grandparents and the things they taught me when
I was growing up. They came from the heartland; their ancestors began
settling there about 200 years ago. I don’t know if they had their birth
certificates…
They were Scotch-Irish mostly, farmers, teachers, ranch hands,
pharmacists, oil rig workers. Hardy, small town folks. Some were
Democrats, but a lot of them were Republicans. The party of Lincoln. My
grandparents explained that they didn’t like show-offs. They didn’t
admire braggarts or bullies. They didn’t respect mean-spiritedness, or
folks who were always looking for shortcuts in life. Instead, they
valued traits like honesty and hard work. Kindness and courtesy.
Humility; responsibility; helping each other out.
That’s what they believed in. True things. Things that last. The things we try to teach our kids.
And what my grandparents understood was that these values weren’t
limited to Kansas. They weren’t limited to small towns. These values
could travel to Hawaii; even the other side of the world, where my
mother would end up working to help poor women get a better life. They
knew these values weren’t reserved for one race; they could be passed
down to a half-Kenyan grandson, or a half-Asian granddaughter; in fact,
they were the same values Michelle’s parents, the descendants of slaves,
taught their own kids living in a bungalow on the South Side of
Chicago. They knew these values were exactly what drew immigrants here,
and they believed that the children of those immigrants were just as
American as their own, whether they wore a cowboy hat or a yarmulke; a
baseball cap or a hijab.
America has changed over the years. But these values my grandparents
taught me – they haven’t gone anywhere. They’re as strong as ever; still
cherished by people of every party, every race, and every faith. They
live on in each of us. What makes us American, what makes us patriots,
is what’s in here. That’s what matters. That’s why we can take the food
and music and holidays and styles of other countries, and blend it into
something uniquely our own. That’s why we can attract strivers and
entrepreneurs from around the globe to build new factories and create
new industries here. That’s why our military can look the way it does,
every shade of humanity, forged into common service. That’s why anyone
who threatens our values, whether fascists or communists or jihadists or
homegrown demagogues, will always fail in the end.
That’s America. Those bonds of affection; that common creed. We don’t
fear the future; we shape it, embrace it, as one people, stronger
together than we are on our own. That’s what Hillary Clinton understands
– this fighter, this stateswoman, this mother and grandmother, this
public servant, this patriot – that’s the America she’s fighting for.
And that’s why I have confidence, as I leave this stage tonight, that
the Democratic Party is in good hands. My time in this office hasn’t
fixed everything; as much as we’ve done, there’s still so much I want to
do. But for all the tough lessons I’ve had to learn; for all the places
I’ve fallen short; I’ve told Hillary, and I’ll tell you what’s picked
me back up, every single time
It’s been you. The American people.
It’s the letter I keep on my wall from a survivor in Ohio who twice
almost lost everything to cancer, but urged me to keep fighting for
health care reform, even when the battle seemed lost. Do not quit.
It’s the painting I keep in my private office, a big-eyed, green owl,
made by a seven year-old girl who was taken from us in Newtown, given
to me by her parents so I wouldn’t forget – a reminder of all the
parents who have turned their grief into action.
It’s the small business owner in Colorado who cut most of his own
salary so he wouldn’t have to lay off any of his workers in the
recession – because, he said, “that wouldn’t have been in the spirit of
America.”
It’s the conservative in Texas who said he disagreed with me on
everything, but appreciated that, like him, I try to be a good dad.
It’s the courage of the young soldier from Arizona who nearly died on
the battlefield in Afghanistan, but who’s learned to speak and walk
again – and earlier this year, stepped through the door of the Oval
Office on his own power, to salute and shake my hand.
It’s every American who believed we could change this country for the
better, so many of you who’d never been involved in politics, who
picked up phones, and hit the streets, and used the internet in amazing
new ways to make change happen. You are the best organizers on the
planet, and I’m so proud of all the change you’ve made possible.
Time and again, you’ve picked me up. I hope, sometimes, I picked you
up, too. Tonight, I ask you to do for Hillary Clinton what you did for
me. I ask you to carry her the same way you carried me. Because you’re
who I was talking about twelve years ago, when I talked about hope –
it’s been you who’ve fueled my dogged faith in our future, even when the
odds are great; even when the road is long. Hope in the face of
difficulty; hope in the face of uncertainty; the audacity of hope!
America, you have vindicated that hope these past eight years. And
now I’m ready to pass the baton and do my part as a private citizen.
This year, in this election, I’m asking you to join me – to reject
cynicism, reject fear, to summon what’s best in us; to elect Hillary
Clinton as the next President of the United States, and show the world
we still believe in the promise of this great nation.
Thank you for this incredible journey. Let’s keep it going. God bless the United States of America.
Posts
The
Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hammed Ali
(retd.), has raised the alarm over increasing influx of illegal firearms
into the country.
