^beth ellen^

"I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to – it belongs to you." - Barack Obama, Election Night 2008

Read the full speech, as prepared for delivery . . .

Remarks of President-Elect Barack Obama

(as prepared for delivery)

Election Night

Tuesday, November 4th, 2008

Chicago, Illinois

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that ..this.. time must be different; that their voice could ..be.. that difference.

It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled – Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the ..United.. States of America.

It's the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.

I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he's fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation's next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House. And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics – you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to – it belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington – it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.

I know you didn't do this just to win an election and I know you didn't do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime – two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor's bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America – I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you – we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years – block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek – it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers – in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.

Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House – a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, "We are not enemies, but friends…though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection." And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn – I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world – our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down – we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security – we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright – tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.

For that is the true genius of America – that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing – Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons – because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America – the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves – if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time – to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth – that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

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..LIVE STREAM EVENT DISPLAY: IF YOU SEE A PICTURE OF A LIVE EVENT IN PROGRESS COVERING THE DISPLAY AND NO SOUND, GO TO BARACKOBAMA.COM/LIVE .. .. ..

Barack Obama and Joe Biden have a plan to restore fiscal discipline to Washington. Every single proposal Barack has made is completely paid for in his plan, because he and Joe believe in strong fiscal responsibility. They will stop government waste by going through the entire federal budget line by line and eliminating the programs that don't work for the American people. And Barack and Joe will make sure the programs that Americans do need work better and cost less. Barack will cut funding for programs that waste money, and improve efficiency using methods from the private sector. Barack wants to give you a window into the government budget. He will ensure that the meetings where laws are written will be more open to the public, so the American taxpayers can see where their money is spent. An Obama-Biden administration would also cut down on tax shelter and tax haven abuse. They will shut down corporate loopholes so that hard-working Americans aren't left paying the bill for large companies who find a loophole to avoid paying their fair share. The most important aspect of the Obama-Biden plan for fiscal policy is focused on you: tax cuts for middle class families. Barack will give $1000 in tax relief to 95 percent of American workers and their families. Learn more about the fiscal policy from Barack in this video:

Read about the Obama-Biden fiscal plan. And now you can compare Barack's plans with McCain's on our newly redesigned Issues page. ..OBAMA-BIDEN HEALTHCARE PLAN: HEALTHCARE FOR EVERY AMERICAN

Barack Obama and Joe Biden have a health care plan that will make quality health care affordable and accessible for every American. It builds on the existing health care plan, so if you like you're health insurance – you can keep it, and will pay up to $2,500 less annually than you do now. If you're one of the more than 45 million Americans who don't have health insurance -- you will have a choice of quality, affordable health care options, including the same plan enjoyed by Senators Obama and Biden themselves. And if you have a pre-existing condition, you cannot be denied coverage. The Obama-Biden plan doesn't leave the burden on small businesses, either. Barack's plan will create a new Small Business Health Tax Credit to help small businesses provide affordable health insurance to their employees. The Obama-Biden plan is all about giving you choices, while making quality health care an affordable option for all Americans. Learn more about it from Barack himself:

Read more about the Obama-Biden health care plan.

And compare it with John McCain's record on healthcare.

..JOE'S FULL SPEECH IN DANVILLE, VA .. ..MCCAIN'S PLAN FOR A SPENDING SPREE ON BORROWED MONEY FROM CHINA .. ..

As the financial crisis unfolds, more and more Americans are concerned about the economy.

Barack Obama has a plan to restore America's economy by creating new jobs and providing much-needed relief for ordinary Americans. The Obama-Biden plan will turn the economy around by providing a $1000 emergency energy rebate to help middle class Americans pay the costs of their rising bills, and give a sizeable tax cut to working families. The Obama-Biden plan also includes a $1000 tax cut for working families.

At JohnMcCainRecord.com, you can learn more about John McCain's record on the economy, including McCain's plan to give a $4 billion tax cut to big oil companies, while leaving more than 100 million hardworking Americans without relief. Visit JohnMcCainRecord.com, and let the facts speak for themselves.

Getting the economy back on track is critically important. Read the Obama-Biden plan for America and see Barack's plan to put working Americans first.

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..OBAMA: THE WAR IN IRAQ HAS BURDENED AMERICAN WORKING FAMILIES .."ARTICLE" ..

CHICAGO, IL – Today, the Obama-Biden campaign released a new 30 second TV ad, Article, which highlights that despite the current economic crisis, John McCain is arguing for more deregulation – this time in the health insurance marketplace.

Below is what Senator John McCain has to say about the healthcare reform:

"Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation."

Read the article and watch the ad...

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..Lilly Ledbetter, the Alabama woman whose fight for equal pay led her to the United States Supreme Court and inspired the 2007 fair pay legislation that bears her name. Ledbetter announced her support for the Obama-Biden ticket this week at an event with Michelle Obama, who has been holding roundtables with women all across the country for over a year. ..In the new ad called “Need Education,” Ledbetter tells her story of pay discrimination. Families are hurting under George Bush’s economic policies, and women are more squeezed than ever, working for less pay than men and juggling increasing family commitments. But even in 2008, John McCain opposes laws to fix the pay gap, and he doesn’t have a plan to help women manage these new challenges. Obama will support women and families in this shaky economy and continue to fight to close the pay gap that is hurting families across America. ..Watch "Need Education" below... .. ..EQUAL PAY .. ..

..BARACK IN FAIRFAX, VA: "THESE ARE THE REAL DIFFERENCES IN THIS ELECTION" ..Here's the full video of Barack's opening remarks at the Women's Economic Town Hall July 10 in Fairfax, Virginia: ..

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.. ..2004: OBAMA WON HIS U.S. SENATE SEAT BY 71% BY ACQUIRING A VERY BROAD COALITION IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. ..(Anyone have Biden's percentages from his last reelection, please share it with Beth and provide a link.) .. .. ..Barack Obama Barack Obama for President U.S. Senator Barack Obama Barack Obama Senator for Illinois Obama’08 Obama for America Michelle Obama .. ..MCCAIN-PALIN EXTREME, RADICAL AND DANGEROUS ..

VIDEO: McCain-Palin: extreme and dangerous Category: News and Politics

McCain and Palin's anti-choice views are extreme and dangerous.

Sarah Palin opposes abortion even in cases of rape or incest. When asked about the situation if her daughter was raped, she replied, "I would choose life."

Palin told the Anchorage Daily News that she's just as "pro-life as any candidate can be."

John McCain supports the repeal of Roe v. Wade, and is "proud" of his long anti-choice voting record.

These two would take away our choice and reproductive rights if elected - we can't let that happen.

Visit www.MeetTheRealMcCain.com to learn more and find out what you can do.

..NANCY KEENAN OF NARAL AT DNC ..