Howard Dean's "Declaration of Candidacy" Announcement Event

Right right. I do. Good afternoon and welcome.

And I'm still mayor of the city of Burlington and I want to say what a spectacular day in Burlington and what talent you have seen with. Them. Yeah the big talent of the day is yet to come. And as I look around I know that we have people here from across the country and I want to acknowledge a few of our distinguished guests. Now those promoters that are elected officials elected officials from Vermont. All right. Former governor Madeline Kunin is here. The girl writes Madeline book. Former Governor Tom. From California we have U.S. representatives all off. Thank you.

What modifications include Secretary of State Deb Markowitz. Or state treasurer Jeb Spaulding the the Senate president Peter Welch. All right. The Democratic leader of the Vermont House then. The guy. From far away instead of Oregon we have the secretary of state Bill Bradbury. Thank you Bill. Thanks for being here. A lot of folks there from South Carolina from Virginia including the South Carolina Representative David Mack. Thanks for being here and we had a whole bus load of elected officials from New Hampshire thank you for crossing the Connecticut River today dog.

So I have the pleasant task of introducing our next speaker. Many many many of us in this city in this state across this country believe that George W. Bush is taking us in the wrong direction. Ogburn. We believe that he is taking us absolutely down the wrong road. Dog. Look across this country the economy is stagnant. The foreign policy is a disaster. Environmental Protections what foreign policy. Good question. Environmental protections which are important to clean air and water that we can drink are being scrapped. There is a refusal to invest in education in this country. We're seeing a tax policy that in a

substantial way is shifting burden from the wealthiest of Americans to those at least can afford to pay taxes. And we're seeing the building of a deficit that our kids and our grandkids will have to shoulder. But I'll tell you it's easy. It's very very easy to articulate this message if you're Democrats if you're a progressive even if you're an independent. It's more difficult to articulate this message if you've spent your life a life of superb public service in the Republican Party. It requires principles. It requires integrity. It requires political courage. May 14th was a day like this in the year 2001. History was made in the city of Pearlington cars. Ugh And for those of you

that may have short memories. History was made on that day. When a U.S. senator. Who has served this state as our senator since 1988 and one who served 14 years prior in the U.S. House of Representatives said he could no longer stay. He could no longer stay in the Republican Party. Ah the book. And I hope I'm not still in a speech but he said this is a party that was not the party that I've worked in my entire life. This is a party that is growing more conservative. So he issued his declaration of independence. So I know I speak for many many here many across this country when I again say thank you Jim and please join me in welcoming.

US Senator Jim Jeffords to the podium or a few hundred. Acres. Of the. The the. Thank you thank you. There was a great introduction I'm going to get you on the trail of time too. I'm so happy so happy to be here today. To join in this celebration. The formal kickoff of the Howard Dean's campaign for the presidency. Was the book. I have known Howard since his early days in the legislature. Through those many

years he has proven himself to be highly dedicated public servant who speaks the truth. And acts upon his convictions. Howard Dean is in the Vermont. Tradition of free and independent thinking. We praise him for that. Dog. Look. What is right not what the polls tell him to make him popular. Because. He tells us what we need to hear not necessarily what we want to hear. Any does it in a straightforward honest manner that makes us all proud. Was the the unfortunately. These are traits that are sorely lacking now in our White House.

And. The gov't. And that is why we need Howard Dean in Washington. Was young. The day. It is yours is gone or. On a steady and healthy course leadership. Much of the pain now suffering through this economic downturn. He ensured that nearly every child in Vermont has health care coverage. Was. He was the head of the nation and recognizing the importance of early childhood programs. And he was and he was a great Stuart. Of the environment. Doctor. Now it is time that Howard Dean take that leadership. To a higher level.

To change the course of our country was. We need to do less for the millionaires and more. America was careering to do less for the oil industry and more for the environment was. It was wrong and we need to do less for big business and more for small children. God. Right now we have a president who hopes war will win him another election. We have a president who deceives the American public about weapons of mass destruction was.

We have a president who has turned a blind eye to the problems here at home in hopes that we will too. But we won't. Was. We're watching and we are waiting. Waiting for 2004. Waiting to change the course of this nation and working to give Howard Dean the chance to do it. Was. Thank you for all of you for letting me celebrate this great occasion with you and now I turned over my podium. To my wonderful friend and colleague. Senator Patrick Leahy. Was. Like he is doing such a great job at making sure that our federal judiciary are in balance the wrong and free for.

The the. Course that would be much easier. In the White House. Wrong right now. The wrong. The cock. The car the fuck you. Fuck. The dog. Good to see you. Thanks Jim. Because you can see why they love us at the White House. Marcel and I and the family are so happy to be here. Today. I think back just a few short years ago. We had a presidential election. The Republican nominee. Republican nominee was Governor George Bush of Texas. Now he was.

Remembered. Remember he was going to be a compassionate. Conservative. Committed. You know a sensitive new age Republican with a cowboy hat a big belt buckle. He said he's going to be a united or. Not a divider remember that line. And there is some third party candidates. Who say there's no difference. Between the Republican and Democratic candidates. No differences on budget priorities. We're on the environment. We're on fiscal responsibility. On unilateralism in foreign policy. And they said there'd be no difference in judicial nominations. My parents we got swindled. And all our values were by this White House they were squandered. I'm not

talking about small time squandered. I'm talking about massive. Texas size quandary. Then ministration. Squandered our record surpluses. Remember they inherited the largest surpluses of any president in history and now they've turned it in to the largest deficit. They squandered a huge outpouring of goodwill there was toward America. After 9/11. And they turned it into unprecedented anger at this administration's arrogance. And unilateralism. They squandered their promises about working with us to save Medicare and Social Security. But there's some good news. And that is that there is a big difference between Governor Howard Dean and President George Bush was. Iraq

I don't know. That the Who knows how to balance budgets and endless deficit spending joyride Governor Howard Dean with the Who knows how to provide health care to all America's children because he's done it right here in Vermont Governor Howard Dean who will put the interests of the environment against those of the interests of the polluters now running the show in Washington. How on earth can. Who'll be a champion for human rights for civil rights for all Americans regardless of your race your gender your sexual orientation. Governor then. The married of whom are friends. Who do you want. To appoint the next justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. The governor ordered. The Oval Office are due. To eat our DA's been a Vermont treasure for the

last 10 years he says. And America is discovering what all of us have known. Howard Dean's been a great leader in Vermont. Howard Dean. Will be a great leader for this wonderful nation of ours. Thank you go on the. Oh. Oh.

Oh. It.

Was. Senator Leahy Senator Jeffords mayor Cobell. Distinguished guests honored friends and family. Good afternoon. Patti. My name is Gray and it is my distinct honor to be here today. I was born and raised in Birmingham Alabama. Among the foothills of the same Appalachian Mountains and I'm currently a student at Presbyterian College in Clinton South Carolina. I was driving in my car one afternoon last summer. I heard a news segment on the radio about a presidential candidate for the 2004 election. As the commentator described this man something struck me. I wanted to know more. I researched. I read articles and the more I learned the more I

realized there was something incredible about this man. Was it that in the year since I've tried to convey to others what it is that sets this man apart. Many people agree with my beliefs. But this man has stood up for them. Was it the many people stand. For equality but this man risked his career for it. It was. If many people promise to improve health care to balance the budget to preserve our public lands or to grow the economy but this man has done every one of them was when he is a doctor a governor a husband a father a fighter and a leader and as all

great leaders do. He urged me on to action of my own. I was full. This year I got in my car and I drove to Burlington Vermont. Was the. I am now living here in the same mountains I saw as a child working for our calls which spans mountains and cities and families and all of America because I believe this man when he says this country can be better was. Oh and it is with great honor and pride that I introduce to you. The next president of the United States. I don't know how right they. Are amplified. I am.

I am a and. I am. I am. The. The the the. Thank you. God you are unbelievable. Was actually was accurate.

The Cure are unbelievable. Five thousand people here and they had to shut the farm up. Place the farmhouses shut the place down there's people behind us. I appreciate you're sticking with us I know the sound system doesn't go that far back up. Thank you. So now the really interesting was has let me back Peter till now. It's been a great friend a parent and a great mayor. For many many years I think it's 14. Let me thank Jim Jeffords I am so proud of Jim Jeffords Congress. Was it hard to stand up for what's right in America and put his principles before party. God. As I and let me thank the senior senator from this incredible St. Patrick J lady who has stood up at

ATOM who has stood up for civil rights before it was fashionable and stopped right wing judges for being appointed to the Supreme Court. PATRICK LEAHY Thank you so very much have was to it. And I want to thank Gray isn't a young believable the great your generation is feeling this campaign to take back this country so that your generation will inherit an America that we were taught to believe in the as the it is great to be home. The. Words unity and I got our start as parents and doctors here in Burlington that our children and Paul were born just up the street. It's where I first met Esther several. My mentor our.

Up who gave me so much guidance and without whom I would not be standing here today. And I wonder somewhere in this audience is her granddaughter McKenzie several and her daughter Mikael Isarel WALLACE If they hear any place. All right thank you so very very much. The the. Thanks. And it's from here that I drove to my pier in August 1991. To become the governor of this proud. And remarkable state. I thank Judy my children and my family for their on conditional love and support. My father and my brother Charlie for their inspiration and eternal presence in my life my brother my mother and brothers. Jim and Bill. Who sustain me to this day. While the mistakes I make during this campaign will be my own. If people see good in

me. People see principles. People see the values family and community. It's because of you the community of Vermont that stands with me today. It was as of today I announce that I'm running for the presidency of the United States of America was. Whoever was the book I speak not only for my candidacy I speak for a New American Century and a new generation of Americans both young

people. And young at heart. We seek the great restoration of American values and the rest of a restoration of our nation's traditional purpose. In this world. This is a campaign to unite. And empower people. It is a call to every American regardless of party to join together in common purpose for the common good. And for the common good to save and restore all that it means to be an American. Over at at the over a year ago I began to travel the country the way one does. When seeking the presidency. I believe that by running for president that I could raise the issues of health care for every American. The need to folk the. The need to focus on early childhood development I wanted to bring those issues.

To the forefront. Of the national debate. And I wanted to balance the budget to bring fiscal stability and jobs back to the United States of America was the but most importantly I wanted my party to stand up for what we believe again was the something changed. Along the way. As I listen to Americans. Around this country. On my first trip to Iowa. I heard people speak of a profound fear and a distrust of multinational corporations. From New Hampshire to Texas I met Americans doubting the words of our leaders and our government in Washington. And everywhere I go people are asking fundamental questions Who can we trust. Is the media reporting the truth. What is happening.

To our country. Americans I've met love their country. God. They believe deeply in our promise and our values and our principles but they know something is wrong and they want to take action. They want to do something to right our past but they feel Washington is not listening. As individuals they lack the power to change the course that Washington has put us on. What they know is that somehow. Seven trillion dollars of our country's wealth has disappeared. Nearly one in 10 retired people without a retired return to the workforce because they have lost their pensions. Young people returning home to live with their parents after graduation because they can't find a job. Companies leaving the country to avoid paying taxes or avoid paying people livable wage and corporations doing this with the support of our own government.

Look up. At the political process in Washington that they rent. If not own. Up to this. This is the fear of James Madison and Thomas Jefferson the fear that economic power would one day try to seize political power. And theater Roosevelt said it best. Every special interest is entitled to justice full fair and complete. But not one is entitled to vote in Congress not one entitled to a voice on the bench and not one to any representation in public office. It was of. Today. Our nation is in crisis. At home the crisis manifests itself in the president's destruction. Of the idea of community.

The president pushes forward an agenda and policies which divide us. He advocates economic policies which beggar the middle class and raise property taxes so that income taxes may be cut for those who ran and run. He divides us he divides us by race by using the word quota. What you're peeled to the worst in us by instilling the fear that people of color might take our jobs are places in the universities best in the nation's best universities even the most conservative Supreme Court since the Dred Scott decision did not completely agree with this president attack on diversity and the community values that we hold so dear that include every single American God. As the key divides us by gender by attacking a woman's right to make her own health care decisions was the he even divides us by attacking Title

9 which allows a young woman to have the same athletic opportunities that young men do we can do better than that was he divides us by sexual orientation by supporting senators slander gay Americans and appeals once again to the worst instincts in us instead of all that which is good in America. It was the the tax cuts the better the radicals weapons are not about tax cuts for working people and they're not even about tax cuts for millionaires. Instead. These tax cuts are designed to destroy Social Security. Medicare. Our public schools and public services through starvation and privatization. Our president and too many in Washington are giving away our future so that we pass to our children not the flickering flame of freedom but a trail of insurmountable debt. We can do

better than this. God. God. God no. No parent in America would do this and America must not do this either. And so. For me the long journey of a presidential campaign has begun with the people that I have met affecting me far more. Than any effect. That I may have had on them. Because of that. The reasons why I seek the presidency have changed. This campaign is about more than issue differences on health care. Or tax policy. National security jobs the environment. Our economy. It's about something that's him as important as our children. It's about who we are. As Americans. Was.

The Hear the words of John Winthrop. We shall be as one. We shall delight in each other make others condition our own rejoice together mourn together labor and suffer together always. Living before our eyes our commission. And community in our work. That. Is the ideal. The ideal of American community. Which we seek to restore. An America where it is not enough for me to want health care for my family. The obligation and responsibility of every one of us as American citizens is to insure that health care for all of our families. When America. Was in America it's not enough for me to want good public schools in my community. But it's important for every one of you to understand that you have an obligation as I do as American citizens to make sure that every child can go to public schools in their community to have equal

opportunity under the law. God America where it's not enough to protect my rights under the law but where it's a duty and obligation for each of us of under as Americans to make sure that every single American is equal under the law was the the. Thought. If September 11 2001 taught America anything. It's that we are stronger. When we are beholden to each other as a national community and we care when we act only as individuals. That tragedy gave us an enormous opportunity. To focus not only our on our common peril. But on our common dreams the peril remains. But the dreams must be resurrected and they will be in a New American Century. President Kennedy challenged us to pass the torch to a new generation of

Americans. And so too we must restore the deepest belief of our people that each generation has a responsibility to pass to our children a nation and a world that is better and stronger than the one that was passed to us. Was the worst thing. The. Fact that. As we experience the crisis of community at home. We're witnessing an effort to repudiate two hundred and twenty five years of American consensus and what our nation's place is in the world since the time of Thomas Paine and John Adams our founders have implored that we were not to be the new Rome. We are not to conquer and suppress other nations to submit to our will. We are to inspire them. Was the the idea of America using its power

solely for its own ends is not consistent with the idealistic moral force that this world has known for over two centuries. We must rejoin the world community. The was. Was it the the America is far stronger as the moral and military leader of the world than we will ever be on military power. It with the weak that we destroyed the. Repressive communist regimes without firing a shot not simply because we have a stronger military but because we had a better ideal to show the world. Was full of the the every. The that every American president must and will take up

arms in the defense of our nation. It is a solemn oath that cannot and will not be compromised. But there is a fundamental difference between the defense of our nation and the doctrine of preemptive war by this administration was. Thought the president's group of narrow minded ideological advisors are undermining our nation's greatness in the world. They have embraced a form of unilateralism that is even more dangerous than isolationism. This administration has shown disdain for allies treaties and international organ organizations alike. And in doing so. They would throw aside. Our Nation's role. As the inspirational leader of the world. The beacon of hope. And justice. In the interests of humankind. They would present our face to the world as

a dominant power. Prepared to push aside any nation. With which we disagree. Our foreign. And military policies. Must be about America leading the world not America against the world. God. Thought. How. Did we come to this point. How is it. That our leaders. Have forgotten. And abandoned our communities and repudiated. Our idealism. And our principles. When confronted. With the president's idea logs. Too many Americans. Have stopped participating.

STOP VOTING. Stop believing that they can change America. And we in politics have not given people a reason to vote or a reason to participate. We have slaver SLI spewed soundbites copying each other while saying little we raise millions of dollars each year make lofty promises while every year the struggle of ordinary Americans increases and fewer Americans vote. In our politicians. Many of them good people have been paralyzed by their fear of losing office. This leadership has developed a vocabulary. Which has become meaningless. To the American people. There is no greater example of this than a self-described conservative Republican president who creates the largest deficits in the history of the United States of America.

Or a president who boasts of the Clear Skies Initiative which allows us to put much more pollution into the air. Or a president who co-opts from an advocacy organization. The phrase no child left behind while paying for irresponsible tax cuts by cutting small children off of health care was a will. God thank you. Martin Luther King. Jr. said that our lives begin to end. On the day we become silent. About the things that matter. The history. Of our nation is clear at every turn when there has been an imbalance of power. The truth questioned are our beliefs and values distorted. The changes required to restore our nationhood has always come.

From the bottom up for our people. Gods. Of thought. And so while the president raises four million dollars more tonight to maintain his agenda. We. Will not be silent. God. God. Was. Looking. For was. God. God. God. God. God. He calls. His biggest fundraisers Rangers and pioneers. But today. We stand with more than five thousand people in Burlington Vermont.

It was the day and tens of thousands of people all across America standing with us right now in every single state in the nation. It was because and we call. It the. We call ourselves. Americans. God. Because And today we stand in common purpose to take our country was to look. Look.

Look. Look. Look. Look. Look. Look. Look. I'm a doctor. And I was proud to be governor of Vermont. Where we. Where we have the greatest congressional delegation in the United States senate and house was. It was the first where we made sure that never every single child in our state had health insurance. The the the there we're proud to be the stewards of our land and natural resources. The Iraq where on the first Tuesday of March every year. For maters gather to make decisions. On matters viol to our communities. Where we hold these truths to be self-evident.

That all are created equal that all are endowed with the inalienable rights of life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And where we like all Americans love our country and want to see your flag stand for freedom and justice for all. And that flag is not the property of either party. That flag belongs to every single American God. Ik that thought is from this place. The rest of his journey. On this campaign continues. We will ask the American people to participate. In this campaign. And this challenge. We are. An extraordinary grassroots campaign. In the modern era. With the how many here from meet up dot com

was the fact we are built from mouse pads shoe leather and hope. And like move on dot org we seek to build a community of millions and strengthen the voice of our people. And like the founders of the Republic we see change and I ask all Americans regardless of party to meet with me across this nation to come together in common cause to forge a new American century. Help us in the quest for return to greatness and return high moral purpose to the United States of America. God. It was. The. The biggest lie. Spoken by. People on platforms like this is the cry that if you elect me. I'll solve all your problems. The truth is.

That the future of our country. Lies in your hands not mine. Abraham Lincoln. Said that a government of the people. By the People. And for the people. Shall not perish from this earth. The. To go. To have the power to reclaim our nation's destiny. You have the power to rid Washington of the politics of money. You have the power to make it right. Just as important as my you have the power to give America a reason to vote again. You have the power to restore our nation to fiscal sanity and bring jobs back to our people. You have the power to fulfill Harry Truman's pledge of health care for all Americans. You have the power to give US foreign policy consistent with American values again. You have the power to take back the Democratic Party. You have the power to take our country

back and you have the power to take the White House back in 2000 and force them out is exactly what we're going to be doing. The power to use the power the you have the power you have the power to take this country back. You have the power. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. We're going to take our country back. Very much the you have the power the I think you very much were the. Way. The. A.

Daughter Mackenzie's the rel and her daughter McAllister all while US are they here any place.

All right. Thank you so very very much. Thank you. And it's from here that I drove to Mark here in August 1991. To become the governor of this proud and remarkable state. I thank Judy my children. My family for their on conditional love and support. My father and my brother Charlie for their inspiration and eternal presence in my life my brother my mother and brothers German bill. Who sustain me to this day. While the mistakes I make during this campaign will be my own. If people see good in me. People see principles. People see the values family and community. It's because of you the community of Vermont that stands with me today.

Evan. The day I announce that I am running for the presidency of the United States of America the I speak not only for my candidacy I speak for a New American Century and a new generation of Americans both young people and young at heart. We seek the great restoration of American values and the rest of a restoration of our nation's traditional purpose. In this world. This is a campaign to unite and empower people.

It is a call to every American regardless of party to join together in common purpose for the common good. And for the common good to save and restore all that it means to be an American. The full over a year ago I began to travel the country the way one does. When seeking the presidency. I believe that by running for president. That I could raise the issues of health care for every American. The need to folk the need to focus on. Early Childhood Development I wanted to bring those issues. To the forefront. Of the dash. And I wanted to balance the budget to bring jobs back to the United States of America.

I was but most importantly I wanted my party to stand up for what we believe again was has. Will something changed along the way as I listen to Americans. Around this country. On my first trip to Iowa. I heard people speak of a profound fear and a distrust of multinational corporations. From New Hampshire to Texas. I met Americans doubting the words of our leaders and our government in Washington. And everywhere I go people are asking fundamental questions Who can we trust. Is the media reporting the truth. What is happening. To our country. Americans I've met love their country. Was. They believe deeply in our promise and our values and our principles but they know something

is wrong and they want to take action. They want to do something to right our past but they feel Washington is not listening as individuals they lack the power to change the course that Washington has put us on. What they know is that somehow. Seven trillion dollars of our country's wealth has disappeared. Nearly one in 10 retired people without a retired return to the workforce because they lost their pensions. Young people returning home to live with their parents after graduation because they can't find a job. Companies leaving the country to avoid paying taxes or avoid paying people livable wage and corporations doing this with the support of our own government. Look what the. Political process in Washington that they ran. If not own up to this. This is the fear of James Madison and Thomas Jefferson the fear that

economic power would one day try to seize political power. And theater. Roosevelt said it best. Every special interest is intitled to justice full fair and complete. But not one is entitled to vote in Congress not one entitled to a voice on the bench and not one to any representation in public office. God. Eh that today. The the our nation is in crisis. At home the crisis manifests itself in the president's destruction. Of the idea of community. The president pushes forward an agenda and policies which divide us. He advocates economic policies which beggar the middle class and raise property taxes so that income taxes may be cut for those who ran Enron. He divides us. He divides us by race by using the word quota

which appeals to the worst in us by instilling the fear that people of color might take our jobs or places in the universities best in the nation's best universities even the most conservative Supreme Court since the Dred Scott decision did not completely agree with this president attack on diversity and the community values that we hold so dear that include every single American. Or as. The the book he divides us by gender by attacking a woman's right to make her own health care decisions was the key even divides us by attacking Title 9 which allows a young woman to have the same athletic opportunities that young men DO WE CAN DO BETTER NOT God he divides us by sexual orientation by supporting Sanders slander gay Americans and appeals once

again to the worst instincts in us instead of all that which is good in America. The Gog of the the tax cuts the better the radicals weapons are not about tax cuts for working people and they're not even about tax cuts for millionaires. Instead these tax cuts are designed. To destroy Social Security. Medicare. Our public schools and public services through starvation and privatization. Our president and too many in Washington are giving away our future so that we pass to our children not the flickering flame of freedom but a trail of insurmountable debt. We can do better than this. The. It was No. Hope of no parent in America would do this and America must not do this either. And so.

For me. The long journey of a presidential campaign has begun with the people that I have met affecting me far more. Than any effect. That I may have had on them. Because of that. The reasons why I seek the presidency have changed. This campaign is about more than issue differences on health care. Or tax policy. National security jobs the environment. Our economy. It's about something that's as important as our children. It's about who we are. As Americans. Was. It worth. The fear of the words of John Winthrop. We shall be as one. We shall delight in each other make others conditions our own rejoice together. Mourn together labor and suffer together always. Living before our

eyes our commission. And community in our work. That. Is the ideal. The ideal of American community. Which we seek to restore an America where it is not enough for me to want health care for my family. The obligation and responsibility of every one of us as American citizens is to ensure that health care is for all of our families in America. Was it when America it's not enough. For me to want good public schools in my community. That is important for every one of you to understand that you have an obligation as I do as American citizens to make sure that every child can go to public schools in their community to have equal opportunity. Under the law of God. God America where it's not enough to protect my rights under the law but where is a duty and obligation for each of us of honor as Americans to make sure that every single American is equal under the

law. Was it the day of September 11 2001. Taught America anything. It's that we are stronger. When we are beholden to each other as a national community and weaker when we act only as individuals. That tragedy gave us an enormous opportunity. To focus not only our on our common peril. But on our common dreams the peril remains but the dreams must be resurrected and they will be in a New American Century. President Kennedy challenged us to pass the torch to a new generation of Americans. And so too we must restore the deepest belief of our people that each generation has a responsibility to pass to our children a nation and a world that is better and stronger than the one that was passed to us. Eat it was

the the the. The the the. As we experience the crisis of community at home. We're witnessing an effort to repudiate two hundred and twenty five years of American consensus and what our nation's place is in the world since the time of Thomas Paine and John Adams our founders have implored that we were not to be the new Rome. We are not to conquer and suppress other nations to submit to our will. We are to inspire them. Was the the idea. Of America using its power solely for its own ends is not consistent with the idealistic moral force that this world has known for over two centuries. We must rejoin the world community the.

The the America is far stronger as the moral and military leader of the world than we will ever be relying solely on military power. The old we know that we destroy the repressive communist regimes without firing a shot not simply because we have a stronger military but because we had a better ideal to show the world the God the Calvary the that every American president must and will take up arms in the defense of our nation. It is a solemn oath that cannot and that will not be compromised. But there is a fundamental difference between the defense of our nation and the doctrine of

preemptive war espoused by this administration. Was. It think the president's group think of narrow minded ideological advisors are undermining our nation's greatness in the world. They have embraced a form of unilateralism that is even more dangerous than isolationism. This administration has shown distain for allies treaties and international organ organizations alike. And in doing so. They would throw aside. Our Nation's role. As the inspirational leader of the world. The beacon of hope. And justice. In the interests of humankind. They would present our face to the world as a dominant power. Prepared to push aside any nation. With which we disagree. Our foreign. And military policies.

Must be about America leading the world not America against the world to him. Thank you. Thank you. Thank thank. How. Did we come to this point. How is it. That our leaders. Have forgotten. And abandoned our communities and repudiated our idealism. And our principles. When confronted. With the president's idea logs. Too many Americans. Have stopped participating. STOP VOTING. Stop believing that they can change America and we in politics have not given people a reason to vote or a reason to participate. We have slavers least a few soundbites copying each other while saying little we raise millions of dollars each year. Make lofty promises.

Well every year the struggle of ordinary Americans increases and fewer Americans vote. In our politicians. Many of them good people. Have been paralyzed by their fear of losing office. Thanks. Thank you. This leadership has developed a vocabulary which has become meaningless to the American people. There is no greater example of this than a self-described conservative Republican president who creates the largest deficits in the history of the United States of America or a president who boasts of the Clear Skies Initiative which allows us to put much more pollution into the air. Or a president who co-opts from an advocacy organization. The phrase no child left behind while paying for irresponsible tax cuts by cutting small children off of health care

was. God thank you. Martin Luther King Jr. said that our lives begin to end. On the day we become silent. About the things that matter. The history. Of our nation is clear. At every turn when there has been an imbalance of power. The truth questioned are our beliefs and values distorted. The changes required to restore our nationhood. Has always come. From the bottom up for our people. God's. Wrath of the president raises four million dollars more tonight to maintain his agenda. We will not be silent.

God. I was hooked. The God the God the God Who owns. The he calls. His biggest fundraisers Rangers and pioneers. But today. We stand with more than five thousand people in Burlington Vermont. The tens of thousands of people all across America are standing with us right now in every single state in the nation the

God the day and week. We call ourselves. Americans God and today we stand. In common purpose to take our country back. I was hooked.