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.
