John Edwards

thank you __PUNCT__

good to see all of you __PUNCT__

there been a lot of talk up here in new hampshir about chang late __PUNCT__

but chang is just a word when it not back up by real action __PUNCT__

anybodi can sai it __PUNCT__

it what you do that show whether you realli mean it __PUNCT__

to actual creat chang __PUNCT__ we should start by tell the truth __PUNCT__

here the truth __PUNCT__ the system in washington is broken __PUNCT__

monei is corrupt our democraci __PUNCT__

lobbyist and the special_interest thei repres ar pour million of dollar into the system __PUNCT__ and stop the chang we need dead in it track __PUNCT__

our found_father intend our govern to do the will of the peopl __PUNCT__

but todai __PUNCT__ it do the will of the special_interest instead __PUNCT__

the cynic sai that it will alwai be thi wai __PUNCT__

thei sai that the kind of big __PUNCT__ bold chang we need todai can't be achiev __PUNCT__ and we just shouldn't try __PUNCT__

but you can't listen to them __PUNCT__

we done it befor __PUNCT__ and we can do it again __PUNCT__

throughout our histori __PUNCT__ there have been time when good_peopl have had to take the power back from the power_interest __PUNCT__

thi is on of those time __PUNCT__

a centuri_ago __PUNCT__ the system wa broken __PUNCT__ too __PUNCT__

power busi_interest establish control over the biggest sector of the american_economi __PUNCT__

men like rockefel and carnegi collud to control price __PUNCT__ elimin competit __PUNCT__ and manipul the free_market in the name of their own narrow interest __PUNCT__

then as now __PUNCT__ the american_peopl knew the system wa broken __PUNCT__

and thei had the same choic that we have todai __PUNCT__ accept it __PUNCT__ or demand chang __PUNCT__

we all know what happen __PUNCT__

thei demand chang __PUNCT__ and elect a leader name theodor_roosevelt to deliv it __PUNCT__

becaus of roosevelt leadership __PUNCT__ the come decad were known as the __PUNCT__ american_centuri __PUNCT__ and in it we built the biggest __PUNCT__ strongest __PUNCT__ most prosper middl_class in histori __PUNCT__

todai __PUNCT__ onc again __PUNCT__ power special_interest have establish control over our democraci __PUNCT__

but what we face_todai is not a monopoli of control over our economi __PUNCT__ it is a monopoli of influenc over our govern __PUNCT__

we can fix thi broken system __PUNCT__ as gener befor us fix the problem thei face in their time __PUNCT__

but we need a leader who won't accept the corrupt in washington __PUNCT__

we need a leader strong enough to sai __PUNCT__ no __PUNCT__ to monei from lobbyist and special_interest __PUNCT__

we need a leader who will fight for the big chang we need to see __PUNCT__

to clean up our govern __PUNCT__ you have to do two thing __PUNCT__

you have to be commit to chang the system __PUNCT__

and you have to run a campaign that doe not take monei from lobbyist or special interest __PUNCT__ so you ar not beholden to the peopl who ar corrupt our system by the time you get to washington __PUNCT__

you can't do on without the other __PUNCT__

you have to do both __PUNCT__

in thi elect __PUNCT__ more than ani other __PUNCT__ the candid who stand with the special interest will lose __PUNCT__

i have fought the special interest my entir life __PUNCT__

as a lawyer __PUNCT__ i defend hard __PUNCT__ work_american dure the toughest time of their live against the big_corpor that were try to victim them __PUNCT__

as a unit_state state_senat __PUNCT__ i unseat a corrupt republican incumb in a red_state __PUNCT__ becaus the voter knew that i would fight for them __PUNCT__ and not the special_interest __PUNCT__

now __PUNCT__ i am run for presid to end the corrupt system in washington __PUNCT__ and return the power of thi govern_back to the hard __PUNCT__ work_peopl of america __PUNCT__

and i am refus to take monei from lobbyist and special_interest __PUNCT__ becaus if there on thing i learn out here on the campaign_trail __PUNCT__ it that the american_peopl ar look for more than just talk about chang __PUNCT__

thei ar look for a leader who will back up their word with action __PUNCT__

the american peopl ar sick and tire of busi as usual __PUNCT__

the statu_quo and the washington_establish will not get us the chang we need __PUNCT__

when i wa in congress __PUNCT__ i saw what busi as usual look like __PUNCT__

sometim it blatant __PUNCT__ like the time current hous minor_leader john_boehner hand out check from big tobacco compani to lawmak on the floor of the hous of repres __PUNCT__

or the time someon offer __MONEY__ to congressman nick smith son campaign in exchang for a vote __PUNCT__

but usual __PUNCT__ it more subtl __PUNCT__

the influenc peddler bui seat at the tabl where decis ar made __PUNCT__

thei explain their special need to politician __PUNCT__ in their offic and at cocktail_parti __PUNCT__

and thei surround them with hand __PUNCT__ pick expert who will back up their case __PUNCT__

the problem is that on side of the argument usual ha all the monei and all the manpow __PUNCT__

it like a courtroom where onli on side of the case is be argu __PUNCT__

if you want to see how the special_interest get their wai __PUNCT__ just look at the univers_health_care health_care_bill that senat_clinton tri to get pass in the 1990 __PUNCT__

at first __PUNCT__ the american_peopl peopl_support her propos __PUNCT__

but then the health_insur insur_compani deploi armi of lobbyist to capitol_hill to pressur lawmak __PUNCT__

thei spent million of dollar on televis ad __PUNCT__

and thei won __PUNCT__

i believ senat_clinton deserv credit for her effort __PUNCT__

her plan wasn't perfect __PUNCT__ but it includ a lot of good_idea __PUNCT__

the place where she and i differ is the lesson we learn sinc then __PUNCT__

she seem to think that you should still give lobbyist a seat at the tabl __PUNCT__

i think if you give them a seat at the tabl __PUNCT__ thei eat all the food __PUNCT__

she seem to think you can talk about end the influenc of lobbyist __PUNCT__ but still take million of dollar from them __PUNCT__

i believ that if you ar seriou about end the influenc of lobbyist __PUNCT__ you have to stop take their monei __PUNCT__

when i challeng her on thi __PUNCT__ she respond by defend the system __PUNCT__

i don't think you can talk about chang america __PUNCT__ and then turn around and defend the broken system in washington __PUNCT__

and i think if you ar go to talk about end the influenc of special_interest __PUNCT__ you can't turn around and hold a fundrais where you bring the special interest togeth with the veri lawmak thei ar try to influenc __PUNCT__

thi is the poster child for what is wrong with polit todai __PUNCT__

politician try to have it both wai __PUNCT__ thei talk about chang the system __PUNCT__ but then conduct busi as usual __PUNCT__

the american_peopl need a presid who will be straight with them __PUNCT__ who will be honest about the greatest_challeng our govern face __PUNCT__

and on of the most import of those is the loom social_secur crisi __PUNCT__

first __PUNCT__ senat_clinton said she would just wait for thing to get better __PUNCT__

now __PUNCT__ she ha appar told some peopl that she realli support my idea of ask peopl who make more than __MONEY__ a year to contribut a littl more __PUNCT__

i don't believ open govern mean popular answer in public and honest candor in privat __PUNCT__

part of the reason the system is broken is that the special_interest ar win mani fight behind the scene __PUNCT__ befor the american_peopl ever hear about them __PUNCT__

just a few dai_ago __PUNCT__ the hedg_fund industri won a behind __PUNCT__ the __PUNCT__ scene war to kill a bill that would have plug a loophol that funnel billion of dollar into the pocket of some of the highest __PUNCT__ paid peopl in america __PUNCT__

the hedg fund industri hire more than __NUM__ lobbi_firm __PUNCT__ corpor republican and corpor democrat __PUNCT__

at the same_time __PUNCT__ thei step up their campaign_contribut __PUNCT__ to remind politician what thei would be miss if thei didn't plai along __PUNCT__

of cours __PUNCT__ congress drop the bill __PUNCT__ and left the loophol wide_open __PUNCT__

thi happen all the time in washington __PUNCT__

measur that lobbyist oppos just fall off the schedul __PUNCT__

look at the debat over global_warm __PUNCT__

earlier thi year __PUNCT__ over __NUM__ of the world top client scientist releas a report that conclud with at least __NUM__ percent certainti that global warm is happen __PUNCT__ and that man __PUNCT__ made greenhous_gase ar a major caus __PUNCT__

thi is the same group that is share the nobel_prize with vice_presid al_gore __PUNCT__

but the fact in their report were not the fact that the big_oil oil_compani want to hear __PUNCT__

so a conserv think tank fund by exxonmobil offer scientist __MONEY__ plu travel and other expens __PUNCT__ to undermin the fact in the report to politician on capitol_hill __PUNCT__

it wa no wonder that the energi_bill that pass congress did not includ a cap on greenhous_ga_emiss __PUNCT__

ar you see a pattern here __PUNCT__ the american_peopl want chang __PUNCT__

but the special_interest see chang as a threat to their profit __PUNCT__

so thei hire lobbyist __PUNCT__ step up their campaign_contribut __PUNCT__ and block the chang that peopl want __PUNCT__

in washington __PUNCT__ that the wai the game is plai __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ well __PUNCT__ i sai it time we end thi game __PUNCT__

thi govern belong to the american_peopl __PUNCT__

it time we put the power back in their hand __PUNCT__

that is why todai __PUNCT__ i am propos the on democraci initi __PUNCT__ to end the power of the special_interest __PUNCT__ restor our democraci __PUNCT__ and start build on america __PUNCT__

the first thing we have to do is cut off special interest __PUNCT__ abil to influenc campaign with their monei __PUNCT__ and increas the power of regular_peopl __PUNCT__

right now __PUNCT__ ani individu can donat up to __MONEY__ to a campaign __PUNCT__

that mean candid ar spend their time glad __PUNCT__ hand with the tini fraction of american who can write a __MONEY__ check __PUNCT__

as presid __PUNCT__ i would rewrit the rule to put small_donor in charg by match the first __MONEY__ of donat at a rate of __NUM__ __PUNCT__ to __PUNCT__ __NUM__ __PUNCT__

under my plan __PUNCT__ two __MONEY__ check will be worth the same as on __MONEY__ check __PUNCT__ and no on will be allow to give more than __MONEY__

but i will not stop there __PUNCT__

with all the monei that is flood into thi race __PUNCT__ you would think it wa an auction __PUNCT__ not an elect __PUNCT__

i have decid to take public_financ __PUNCT__ which will help my campaign rais_monei from small_donor __PUNCT__ and make a statement about my independ from big donor __PUNCT__

thi is anoth place where senat_clinton and i part wai __PUNCT__

we have both said we support the public_financ of campaign as the best wai to get special_interest monei out of our elect __PUNCT__

i have back up my word with action __PUNCT__ and challeng her to do the same __PUNCT__

she hasn't yet __PUNCT__ but i hope she will __PUNCT__

if she is not go to take public_financ __PUNCT__ i believ the american_peopl deserv to know why she sai she believ in the public_financ financ_system __PUNCT__ but will not particip in it __PUNCT__

unlik senat_clinton __PUNCT__ i have also never taken a dime from feder lobbyist or polit_action_committe __PUNCT__ becaus i know that monei come with string attach __PUNCT__

i think that should be the rule __PUNCT__ not the except __PUNCT__

as presid __PUNCT__ i will prohibit all candid and feder_offic holder from accept contribut from lobbyist __PUNCT__

all thi monei is make it extrem_difficult for non __PUNCT__ wealthi candid to run __PUNCT__

i believ that a high __PUNCT__ school_teacher here in keen __PUNCT__ or a nurs in manchest __PUNCT__ should have the same opportun to run for congress as a lawyer from north_carolina __PUNCT__

i believ everyon should have the same chanc to run for offic as i had __PUNCT__

but todai __PUNCT__ the cost of even a congression campaign is climb into the million __PUNCT__

unfortun __PUNCT__ our broken system help creat the percept that to run for offic __PUNCT__ you either need to be veri wealthi or will to be veri bought by the special_interest __PUNCT__

as presid __PUNCT__ i will fix thi by creat a public_financ option for congression candid that would give all candid equal budget and equal airtim __PUNCT__

that wai __PUNCT__ regular american just like the peopl in thi room can run for offic without have to cozi up to big contributor __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ we also need to restor confid in our democraci __PUNCT__

in america __PUNCT__ everyon vote should count the same __PUNCT__

but after the vote __PUNCT__ count fiasco of recent_year __PUNCT__ we need to reassur peopl that their vote will be count correctli __PUNCT__

as presid __PUNCT__ i will requir that all vote_machin __PUNCT__ includ electron on __PUNCT__ us paper ballot that can be verifi by voter __PUNCT__

we also need to make sure that all of our citizen ar abl to particip in our democraci __PUNCT__ and have the represent thei deserv __PUNCT__

we need to end the disenfranchis of resid of washington __PUNCT__ d.c __PUNCT__ and give d.c __PUNCT__ resid a vote in congress __PUNCT__

we also need to end the disenfranchis of former prison who have serv their time __PUNCT__

and we need to end the voter suppress and intimid that ha been report in recent_elect __PUNCT__

i believ in the wisdom of the american_peopl __PUNCT__ and i think the more power thei have in our democraci __PUNCT__ the better our countri will be __PUNCT__

that why everi two year __PUNCT__ i will ask on million citizen to come togeth to tackl our toughest issu in local forum across the nation __PUNCT__

these citizen congress will combin old __PUNCT__ fashion town_hall with __NUM___centuri technolog __PUNCT__

thei will give regular american a chanc to speak to each other __PUNCT__ and to their elect_offici in washington __PUNCT__ without the filter of interest_group and the media __PUNCT__

like so much of what washington need __PUNCT__ thi idea of grassroot democraci is alreadi work out in the real_world __PUNCT__ in town just like thi on __PUNCT__

right here in new hampshir __PUNCT__ the portsmouth studi circl ha brought hundr of regular_peopl togeth for over a decad to work out issu __PUNCT__ from school redistrict to end racial_profil to the citi __NUM__ __PUNCT__ year plan __PUNCT__

and the __DATE__ coalit is work to rais_awar of local democraci and promot a new gener of citizen __PUNCT__ center work __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ that is the promis of our democraci __PUNCT__ that everydai __PUNCT__ hard __PUNCT__ work_american and their famili can come togeth and exercis their democrat power to chang thi countri for the better __PUNCT__

but to give them that power __PUNCT__ we need to do more than just clean up our elect __PUNCT__

we also need to break the link between k street and capitol_hill __PUNCT__

the bread and butter of wealthi lobbyist ar earmark __PUNCT__ take monei from the u. __PUNCT__ treasuri and send it directli to their client through spend_bill __PUNCT__

top lobbyist earn million thi wai __PUNCT__

i will end that practic with a constitut version of the line __PUNCT__ item_veto __PUNCT__ where the presid can requir an up or down vote on ani spend item he deem irrespons or inappropri we also need to close the revolv_door between capitol_hill and k street __PUNCT__

i will reinstat the five __PUNCT__ year ban on lobbi by former top govern_offici __PUNCT__

presid_bill_clinton pass that ban __PUNCT__ but then he cancel it in hi last dai in offic __PUNCT__

i will reenact it by statut so no presid can rescind it again __PUNCT__

we also need to bar feder lobbyist from set polici over their former industri __PUNCT__

when i presid __PUNCT__ there will be no more fox guard the henhous __PUNCT__

if you want to see whether anoth candid realli stand for chang __PUNCT__ ask them whether thei will do the same __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ the wai washington is rush to do the bid of special_interest these dai __PUNCT__ you would think that thei were the on that made america_great __PUNCT__

but thei not __PUNCT__

the hard __PUNCT__ work_men and women of america __PUNCT__ like the peopl in thi room __PUNCT__ ar the on who made thi countri great __PUNCT__

i talk a lot about what i will do as presid to fix the broken system in washington __PUNCT__

but you all have a role to plai in thi __PUNCT__ too __PUNCT__

the statu_quo will onli continu if you let it __PUNCT__

it will continu if you look the other wai while peopl defend a system we all know is broken __PUNCT__

it will continu if you settl for replac a bunch of corpor republican with a bunch of corpor democrat __PUNCT__

the statu quo will continu if you let it __PUNCT__ but it will chang if you demand it __PUNCT__

that is why i am challeng you todai __PUNCT__ be vigil __PUNCT__

rememb that democraci doe not defend itself __PUNCT__

everi gener ha to fight to fulfil the promis of america __PUNCT__ of a nation where everyon is equal __PUNCT__ and the govern respond to the will of the peopl __PUNCT__

we ar the great_nation we ar todai becaus the gener that went befor us stood up and fix our democraci when it wa broken __PUNCT__

todai __PUNCT__ that respons fall on all of us __PUNCT__

my youngest daughter __PUNCT__ emma clair __PUNCT__ is __NUM___year old __PUNCT__

mani of you mai have children or grandchildren around that ag __PUNCT__

if we join togeth __PUNCT__ start todai __PUNCT__ and demand chang __PUNCT__ think about how differ thi countri could be by the time thei ar out of high_school __PUNCT__

we could be live in an america where everi man __PUNCT__ woman and child is guarante high __PUNCT__ qualiti health_care __PUNCT__

an america where we ar final work to halt global_warm __PUNCT__ develop clean fuel and end our addict to foreign_oil __PUNCT__

an america on the road to end_poverti __PUNCT__ with the american_dream becom a new realiti for million of hard __PUNCT__ work_american __PUNCT__

an america where we have restor our moral leadership in the world __PUNCT__

but to reach that america tomorrow __PUNCT__ we need to rise to the challeng we face_todai __PUNCT__

no matter what the cynic sai __PUNCT__ if we join togeth and fight for real chang __PUNCT__ we can restor our democraci __PUNCT__ and make our govern_work again __PUNCT__

so don't settl for more of the same __PUNCT__

don't settl for a broken system that ignor your cri for chang __PUNCT__

demand better __PUNCT__

let be the gener that restor our democraci __PUNCT__

let be the gener that return the power of our govern_back to the peopl __PUNCT__

let be the gener that restor our nation to great __PUNCT__

let be the chang we want to see __PUNCT__

thi is our govern __PUNCT__

thi is our america __PUNCT__

and thi is our moment to take it back __PUNCT__

stand with me todai __PUNCT__

and togeth __PUNCT__ we can chang thi countri __PUNCT__

thank you __PUNCT__ and god_bless __PUNCT__