Let me tell you, it's pretty nice to be introduced by your mom and your daughter. In addition, I want to say (unintelligible) I've got my inquisitive daughter Lindsay, my soccer-playing son Teddy, and the love of my life, Annie. Annie is working eight-hour days outside of the house, and another eight-hours managing a household filled with rambunctious teenagers.
I didn't quite know how she'd respond when I said "Annie, I'm thinking about doing, maybe..."
"I'm there. I'm a hundred percent there," she said. I couldn't do it without the backing and support of my family, my old friends, and all my new friends (drowned out by applause).
Every once in a while in our household we have an old-fashioned kitchen table political debate about what's important and what we ought to be thinking about. It's a habit I picked up from my dad....Where's my dad?
[Lamont Sr.: "That's my boy!"]
[LAUGHTER. APPLAUSE. THEY HUG. MORE APPLAUSE.]
He inspired me so much. He led those same dinnertime conversations when I was growing up. And I don't know why the political brass is so upset about the prospect of a little old primary. [APPLAUSE]
(inaudible) primary. It's just an old-fashioned kitchen table debate amongst we, the Democratic family, where we're going to decide what we stand for in the Party, where we want our country to go and how we're going to get there.
I figured if I'm going to run for Senate I ought to have a pretty good campaign speech. Didn't know where to turn so I Googled "campaign speech". Saw some really great pieces, one of which I'd like to share with you.
It was about 18 years ago and this Democrat said, and I paraphrase: "Connecticut needs a Senator who will bring new energy to Washington and new help [?] back here in Connecticut. A Senator who will put Connecticut first."
Senator Lieberman, those words are just as true today as they were 18 years ago.
And Senator, I wish you didn't need to be challenged. I wish there was nothing to challenge you on the issues. But you've changed and we haven't.
Here we are 18 years later and it is time for us to stand up and elect a Senator who will stand up for Connecticut, stand up for our progressive Democratic values, and stand up to this Bush administration whose policies are so harmful to our state and to our country.
That's why, here and now, I declare that I'm going to throw my hat into the ring for the Democratic nomination to the United States Senate. [PROLONGED APPLAUSE AND CHANTING]
Bottle that enthusiasm. I need you on board for the next eight months and we are going to be there all the way.
But listening to you, I know there are still a few of you are here because I'm not Joe and I'm against the war and I want you to know who I am and what I stand for.
Right out of college I went to a small town weekly newspaper. Was editor of it. This small town was flat on its back. The largest employer just pulled up roots, taking all the good paying jobs with it. Sounds a little familiar.
I talked to the people. They welcomed me into their homes. They welcomed me into their hearts. We dealt with the elected officials. We dealt with the civic officials. And you really had a sense that good government can make a difference in people's lives.
It just seems to me, as I look at Washington, DC, today, that government has stopped trying to make a real difference in people's lives. We just want to make a difference.
Instead of reaching out a helping hand to that working family whose job is at risk and whose benefits are being cut back, they say "Good night, and good luck."
That's not America. We're not going to let that happen as Democrats. Senator, I urge you to stop by Bridgeport on your way back from Baghdad. [drowned out by applause]
They tell me "I earned my Social Security, not a private savings account."
"We deserve universal affordable healthcare." (inaudible)
"I want a great community school for my kids, not a voucher."
As Max mentioned, I teach a course at Harding High in Bridgeport, "How To Start Your Own Business." It's an old school, with great teachers. But we're long on security guards and short on the arts and sports and a lot of the things that inspire kids to want to go to school and learn why they want to succeed. And I try to do, in my class, to bring in mentors, people who've started up a business. They tell these kids how we did it and we tell these kids: You can do it, too.
I met a great friend and a wonderful man named Joshua Brand. Joshua started up a restaurant called Soul To Soul in Bridgeport and he inspired these kids...they put together a PowerPoint marketing plan that would knock your socks off. He may have us believing we'll take Soul to Soul coast to coast. We will! And I got to tell you, Joshua, you're an inspiration to our class. Please stand up. [APPLAUSE]
I also started up a business. It's a telecommunications company. We provide advanced seervices for college campuses. We compete with the largest cable operators in the country. And I think it's important, we give our universities a choice.
And I think in politics it's high time we give the voters a choice.
Let's have the debate!
Three years ago, the politicians in Washington, with all those many years of political experience, they sent our troops off to war in Iraq. They said the war would be easy. They said we'd be greeted as liberators. And here we are three years later.
America's no safer. Israel's no safer. The Middle East is destabilized. Iran is on the prowl. Osama bin Laden is still on the prowl. We have 135,000 troops stuck in the middle of a bloody civil war.
I say that those who got us into this mess should be held accountable. Instead, Washington gives these neocons medals. In my world we say, "You're fired!"
I say it's high time the Iraqis take control of their own destiny and we're just getting in the way.
We're spending $250 million a day on the war in Iraq and we're cutting back on preschool, and student loans, and healthcare, and veterans benefits.
I say, "Let's have the debate!"
I would have led the charge against the nomination of Judge Alito, who (inaudible) tilts the Supreme Court in the wrong direction and it's serious.
They have a bill coming out of South Dakota, rubber-stamped by the governor, on a fast track to the Supreme Court outlawing a woman's right to choose, even in a case of rape, incest and the health of the mother.
I say, "Let's have the debate!"
I challenge the Bush administration for their reckless fiscal policies, their ruinous environmental policies, their illegal wiretaps. Nobody will be calling me George Bush's favorite Democrat.
I know a few of you have heard it before, but I'm going to say it again, I'm not going to let you forget it. Don't forget the Bridge To Nowhere. That bridge to an empty island in Alaska, part of the Omnibus Transportation Bill. 6,371 earmarks. Earmarks are special favors for a favored congressman, written by their lobbyists, submitted in the last moment. It's corrupt but legal. It's part of the Big Easy for career politicians.
And if you're not shouting from the rafters that this is wrong, then you're complicit and you're part of the problem.
Boy I'm getting pretty jazzed up here today.But I'm not a shouter. I'm also not afraid of a challenge.
I think we are going to challenge the phony politics in Washington, DC. We're going to challenge this Bush adminsitration when they're wrong.
We're going to tell them to put their haughty arrogance in their back pocket and start dealing with the rest of the world with respect. That's how we're going to win (drowned out by cheers) That's how we're going to win in the post-9/11 world.
I'm going flat out. I'm going to every town, five, six nights a week, seven nights, going to all we can. Listening to people. Listening to students. Listening to veterans. Listening to teachers. Listening to the elderly. Talking to the small businesspeople. Talking to labor.
And they're saying, "We want a choice. We want a debate. How did we get into this mess? And how do we get out?"
(inaudible) Not everybody is quite so enthusiastic. Some of the party brass has suggested, "Ned, we don't want to lose a safe seat."
"Madame Chairman, we're a progressive state. You're not going to lose a Senator. You're going to gain a Democrat."
Let me tell you, they tell me "Ned, don't rock the boat."
Baby, I say it's high time we rocked the boat. [APPLAUSE]
We're going to fight for the heart and soul of the Democratic party. And with your passion, your enthusiasm, the grassroots, the netroots, we're going to show people on a hot day in August that we can win.
We can win not by being Republican-Lite but by being proud Democrats.
And that evening the pundits are going to be shaking their heads and they're going to be saying, "We didn't think it was possible but the Democrats are on the march."
And I need you help every step of the way. God bless the troops and God bless America.
