Senator John Edwards delivered a hell of a speech to the Commonwealth Club today, and delivered stinging rebukes to President Bush and to members of his own party who wish to run a campaign of anger and attitude. Edwards focused instead on optimism, inclusion and opportunity as the Democratic Party's path to victory.
The full speech can be found here.
Here are some excerpts:
More than 70 years ago, in the heat of his 1932 campaign, Franklin Roosevelt came before the Commonwealth Club and delivered one of the great campaign speeches in American history. Looking out upon our nation in economic and political crisis, FDR said, "Failure is not an American habit; and in the strength of great hope we must shoulder our common load."
The man he was running against, Herbert Hoover, actually had a worse jobs record than George W. Bush. But FDR did not rail in anger. The country had endured three long years of disastrous Republican rule-but you know what?
FDR still looked out at America with a smile, not a scowl. His campaign theme song was, "Happy Days Are Here Again." He didn't scare people or feed their fears. He didn't tell his fellow Democrats that Hoover's errors were all their fault, and that the Depression could have been avoided if they had just gotten in Hoover's face. He told the country to disdain fear. He inspired hope and his optimism defined our party and our country.
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We hear a lot about which candidate can engage the most partisans in December of 2003, and that's important. But what's more important is which candidate will help the most Americans, because that's what matters in November 2004. It's great to engage people through the Internet, but we need to make sure we reach every American: not just those who can afford a computer, but those who can't and those who have no interest in signing up in any campaign. People like that matter, too.
Politically engaged citizens are great Americans; but these quiet families are great Americans, too, struggling to put food on the table each night, going to church or synagogue or mosque every week; wondering whether their hard work still means something in America. If some of us don't hear their voices, maybe that's because you're not listening.
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Where I come from, voters are looking for answers, not attitude. They're tired of Democrats stopping in for a visit to say, "We know what's best, we know what's good for you."
Voters don't want be looked down upon and they aren't looking for a hand out. They want leaders who will them treat with respect. They want you to listen to their concerns, and give them a fair chance to do well in life. I will never keep quiet about what I believe or fail to articulate my values simply because someone might disagree with me. Democrats don't turn their backs on a challenge, and I never will.
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If all we are in 2004 is a party of anger, we can't win. Democrats are the party of optimism and action, and I am in this fight to keep that tradition alive, and to build on our country's great successes.
Because I believe in an America where every man, woman, and child can reach his or her God-given potential. I believe in an America where the family you're born into and the color of your skin should never control your destiny. And I still believe in an America where the son of a mill worker can beat the son of a president to win the White House!