Tonight, if you feel the same energy that I do, if you feel the same urgency that I do, if you feel the same passion I do, if you feel the same hopefulness that I do — if we do what we must do, then I have no doubts that all across the country, from Florida to Oregon, from Washington to Maine, the people will rise up in November, and John Kerry will be sworn in as president, and John Edwards will be sworn in as vice president, and this country will reclaim its promise, and out of this long political darkness a brighter day will come. John Kerry calls on us to hope. They know we can do better. It’s what allows us to pursue our individual dreams and yet still come together as one American family. Hope in the face of difficulty. He grew up herding goats, went to school in a tin-roof shack. Hall in East Moline, Ill.. He told me he'd joined the Marines and was heading to Iraq the following week.And as I listened to him explain why he had enlisted – the absolute faith he had in our country and its leaders, his devotion to duty and service – I thought, this young man was all that any of us might ever hope for in a child. They would give me an African name, Barack, or “blessed,” believing that in a tolerant America, your name is no barrier to success.They imagined me going to the best schools in the land, even though they weren't rich, because in a generous America you don't have to be rich to achieve your potential.They're both passed away now. Our pride is based on a very simple premise, summed up in a declaration made over two hundred years ago: There are no comments yet - be the first to add your thoughts In this election, we offer that choice. And yet I know that, on this night, they look down on me with great pride.And I stand here today grateful for the diversity of my heritage, aware that my parents' dreams live on in my two precious daughters.I stand here knowing that my story is part of the larger American story, that I owe a debt to all of those who came before me, and that in no other country on Earth is my story even possible.Tonight, we gather to affirm the greatness of our nation not because of the height of our skyscrapers, or the power of our military, or the size of our economy; our pride is based on a very simple premise, summed up in a declaration made over 200 years ago: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.“That is the true genius of America, a faith in simple dreams, an insistence on small miracles; that we can tuck in our children at night and know that they are fed and clothed and safe from harm; that we can say what we think, write what we think, without hearing a sudden knock on the door; that we can have an idea and start our own business without paying a bribe; that we can participate in the political process without fear of retribution; and that our votes will be counted – or at least, most of the time.This year, in this election, we are called to reaffirm our values and our commitments, to hold them against a hard reality and see how we are measuring up, to the legacy of our forbears and the promise of future generations.And fellow Americans, Democrats, Republicans, independents, I say to you, tonight, we have more work to do...more work to do, for the workers I met in Galesburg, Illinois, who are losing their union jobs at the Maytag plant that's moving to Mexico, and now they're having to compete with their own children for jobs that pay seven bucks an hour; more to do for the father I met who was losing his job and choking back the tears wondering how he would pay $4,500 a month for the drugs his son needs without the health benefits that he counted on; more to do for the young woman in East St. Louis, and thousands more like her who have the grades, have the drive, have the will, but don't have the money to go to college.Now, don't get me wrong, the people I meet in small towns and big cities and diners and office parks, they don't expect government to solves all of their problems. The hope of a young naval lieutenant bravely patrolling the Mekong Delta.

They would give me an African name, Barack, or ”blessed,” believing that in a tolerant America your name is no barrier to success. Please Go into any inner city neighborhood, and folks will tell you that government alone can’t teach our kids to learn — they know that parents have to teach, that children can’t achieve unless we raise their expectations and turn off the television sets and eradicate the slander that says a black youth with a book is acting white. Start your Independent Premium subscription today.Are you sure you want to mark this comment as inappropriate?Independent Premium Comments can be posted by members of our membership scheme, Independent Premium. I stand here knowing that my story is part of the larger American story, that I owe a debt to all of those who came before me, and that, in no other country on earth, is my story even possible. I thought of the 900 men and women — sons and daughters, husbands and wives, friends and neighbors, who won’t be returning to their own hometowns. There are no comments yet - be the first to add your thoughts I believe that we have a righteous wind at our backs and that as we stand on the crossroads of history, we can make the right choices, and meet the challenges that face us. I'm not talking about blind optimism here, the almost willful ignorance that thinks unemployment will go away if we just don't think about it, or the healthcare crisis will solve itself if we just ignore it.That's not what I'm talking about. He grew up herding goats, went to school in a tin-roof shack. After the war, they studied on They imagined me going to the best schools in the land, even though they weren’t rich, because in a generous America you don’t have to be rich to achieve your potential. I'm talking about something more substantial. Let me be clear.