John Edwards

thank you all veri much __PUNCT__

we veri proud to be back here __PUNCT__

dure the spring of __NUM__ i had the extraordinari experi of bring __NUM__ colleg kid here to new orlean to work __PUNCT__

these ar kid who gave up their spring break to come to new orlean to work __PUNCT__ to rehabilit hous __PUNCT__ becaus of their commit as american __PUNCT__ becaus thei believ in what wa possibl __PUNCT__ and becaus thei care about their countri __PUNCT__

i began my presidenti_campaign here to remind the countri that we __PUNCT__ as citizen and as a govern __PUNCT__ have a moral_respons to each other __PUNCT__ and what we do togeth matter __PUNCT__

we must do better __PUNCT__ if we want to live up to the great promis of thi countri that we all love so much __PUNCT__

it is appropri that i come here todai __PUNCT__

it time for me to step asid so that histori can blaze it path __PUNCT__

we do not know who will take the final step to __NUM__ pennsylvania_avenu __PUNCT__ but what we do know is that our democrat_parti will make histori __PUNCT__

we will be strong __PUNCT__ we will be unifi __PUNCT__ and with our convict and a littl backbon we will take back the white_hous in __DATE__ and we creat hope and opportun for thi countri __PUNCT__

thi journei of our began right here in new orlean __PUNCT__

it wa a __DATE___morn in the lower ninth_ward when peopl went to work __PUNCT__ not just me __PUNCT__ but lot of other went to work with shovel and hammer to help restor a hous that had been destroi by the storm __PUNCT__

we join togeth in a citi that had been abandon by our govern and had been forgotten __PUNCT__ but not by us __PUNCT__

we knew that thei still mourn the dead __PUNCT__ that thei were still stun by the destruct __PUNCT__ and that thei wonder when all those cement step in all those vacant_lot would onc again lead to a door __PUNCT__ to a home __PUNCT__ and to a dream __PUNCT__

we came here to the lower ninth_ward to rebuild __PUNCT__

and we go to rebuild todai and work todai __PUNCT__ and we will continu to come back __PUNCT__

we will never forget the heartach and we alwai be here to bring them hope __PUNCT__ so that somedai __PUNCT__ on dai __PUNCT__ the trumpet will sound in musician __PUNCT__ villag __PUNCT__ where we ar todai __PUNCT__ plai loud across lake ponchartrain __PUNCT__ so that work_peopl can come march in and those step onc again can lead to a famili_live out the dream in america __PUNCT__

we sat with poultri worker in mississippi __PUNCT__ janitor in florida __PUNCT__ nurs in california __PUNCT__

we listen as child after child told us about their worri about whether we would preserv the planet __PUNCT__

we listen to worker after worker sai __PUNCT__ the economi is tear my famili apart __PUNCT__

we walk the street of cleveland __PUNCT__ where hous after hous wa in foreclosur __PUNCT__

and we said __PUNCT__ we better than thi __PUNCT__

and econom_justic in america is our caus __PUNCT__

and we spent a dai __PUNCT__ a summer dai __PUNCT__ in wise __PUNCT__ virginia __PUNCT__ with a man name jame low __PUNCT__ who told us the stori of have been born with a cleft palat __PUNCT__

he had no health_care coverag __PUNCT__

hi famili couldn't afford to fix it __PUNCT__

and final some good_samaritan came along and paid for hi cleft palat to be fix __PUNCT__ which allow him to speak for the first time __PUNCT__

but thei did it when he wa __NUM___year old __PUNCT__

hi amaz stori __PUNCT__ though __PUNCT__ gave thi campaign voic __PUNCT__ univers_health_care for everi man __PUNCT__ woman and child in america __PUNCT__

that is our caus __PUNCT__

and we do thi __PUNCT__ we do thi for each other in america __PUNCT__

we don't turn awai from a neighbor in their time of need __PUNCT__

becaus everi on of us know that what __PUNCT__ but for the grace of god __PUNCT__ there goe us __PUNCT__

the american_peopl have never stop do thi __PUNCT__ even when their govern walk awai __PUNCT__ and walk awai it ha from hardwork peopl __PUNCT__ and __PUNCT__ ye __PUNCT__ from the poor __PUNCT__ those who live in poverti in thi countri __PUNCT__

for decad __PUNCT__ we stop focus on those struggl __PUNCT__

thei didn't regist in polit poll __PUNCT__ thei didn't get us vote and so we stop_talk about it __PUNCT__

i don't know how it start __PUNCT__

i don't know when our parti began to turn awai from the caus of work_peopl __PUNCT__ from the father who were work three job liter just to pai the rent __PUNCT__ mother send their kid to bed wrap up in their cloth and in coat becaus thei couldn't afford to pai for heat __PUNCT__

we know that our brother and sister have been bulli into believ that thei can't organ and can't put a union in the workplac __PUNCT__

well __PUNCT__ in thi campaign __PUNCT__ we didn't turn our head __PUNCT__

we look them squar in the ey and we said __PUNCT__ we see you __PUNCT__ we hear you __PUNCT__ and we ar with you __PUNCT__

and we will never forget you __PUNCT__

and i have a feel that if the leader of our great democrat_parti continu to hear the voic of work_peopl __PUNCT__ a proud progress will occupi the white_hous __PUNCT__

now __PUNCT__ i spoken to both senat_clinton and senat_obama __PUNCT__

thei have both pledg to me and more importantli through me to america __PUNCT__ that thei will make end_poverti central to their campaign for the presid __PUNCT__

and more importantli __PUNCT__ thei have pledg to me that as presid of the unit_state thei will make end_poverti and econom_inequ central to their presid __PUNCT__

thi is the caus of my life and i now have their commit to engag in thi caus __PUNCT__

and i want to sai to everyon here __PUNCT__ on the wai here todai __PUNCT__ we pass under a bridg that carri the interst where __NUM__ to __NUM__ homeless american sleep everi night __PUNCT__

and we stop __PUNCT__ we got out __PUNCT__ we went in and spoke to them __PUNCT__

there wa a minist there who come everi morn and feed the homeless out of her own pocket __PUNCT__

she said she ha no monei_left in her bank_account __PUNCT__ she struggl to be abl to do it __PUNCT__ but she know it the moral __PUNCT__ just and right thing to do __PUNCT__

and i spoke to some of the peopl who were there and as i wa leav __PUNCT__ on woman said to me __PUNCT__ you won't forget us __PUNCT__ will you __PUNCT__ promis me you won't forget us __PUNCT__

well __PUNCT__ i sai to her and i sai to all of those who ar struggl in thi countri __PUNCT__ we will never forget you __PUNCT__

we will fight for you __PUNCT__

we will stand up for you __PUNCT__

but i want to sai thi __PUNCT__ i want to sai thi becaus it import __PUNCT__

with all of the injustic that we seen __PUNCT__ i can sai thi __PUNCT__ america hour of transform is upon us __PUNCT__

it mai be hard to believ when we have bullet fly in baghdad and it mai be hard to believ when it cost___MONEY__ to fill your car up with ga __PUNCT__

it mai be hard to believ when your school doesn't have the right book for your kid __PUNCT__

it hard to speak out for chang when you feel like your voic is not be heard __PUNCT__

but i do hear it __PUNCT__

we hear it __PUNCT__

thi democrat_parti hear you __PUNCT__

we hear you __PUNCT__ onc again __PUNCT__

and we will lift you up with our dream of what possibl __PUNCT__

on america __PUNCT__ on america that work for everybodi __PUNCT__

on america where struggl town and factori come back to life becaus we final transform our economi by end our depend on oil __PUNCT__

on america where the men who work the late shift and the women who get up at dawn to drive a two __PUNCT__ hour commut and the young_person who close the store to save for colleg __PUNCT__

thei will be honor for that work __PUNCT__

on america where no child will go to bed hungri becaus we will final end the moral shame of __NUM___million_peopl peopl_live in poverti __PUNCT__

on america where everi singl man __PUNCT__ woman and child in thi countri ha health_care __PUNCT__

on america with on public_school_system that work for all of our children __PUNCT__

on america that final bring thi war in iraq to an end __PUNCT__

and bring our servic_member home with the hero welcom that thei have earn and that thei deserv __PUNCT__

todai __PUNCT__ i am suspend my campaign for the democrat_nomin for the presid __PUNCT__

but i want to sai thi to everyon __PUNCT__ with elizabeth __PUNCT__ with my famili __PUNCT__ with my friend __PUNCT__ with all of you and all of your support __PUNCT__ thi son of a millwork gonna be just fine __PUNCT__

our job now is to make certain that america will be fine __PUNCT__

and i want to thank everyon who ha work so hard __PUNCT__ all those who have volunt __PUNCT__ my dedic campaign_staff who have work absolut tirelessli in thi campaign __PUNCT__

and i want to sai a person word to those i seen liter in the last few dai __PUNCT__ those i saw in oklahoma yesterdai __PUNCT__ in missouri __PUNCT__ last night in minnesota __PUNCT__ who came to me and said don't forget us __PUNCT__

speak for us __PUNCT__

we need your voic __PUNCT__

i want you to know that you almost chang my mind __PUNCT__ becaus i hear your voic __PUNCT__ i feel you __PUNCT__ and your caus it our caus __PUNCT__

your countri need you __PUNCT__ everi singl on of you __PUNCT__

all of you who have been involv in thi campaign and thi movement for chang and thi caus __PUNCT__ we need you __PUNCT__

it is in our hour of need that your countri need you __PUNCT__

don't turn awai __PUNCT__ becaus we have not just a citi of new orlean to rebuild __PUNCT__

we have an american hous to rebuild __PUNCT__

thi work goe on __PUNCT__

it goe on right here in musician __PUNCT__ villag __PUNCT__

there ar home to build here __PUNCT__ and in neighborhood all along the gulf __PUNCT__

the work goe on for the student in crumbl school just yearn for a chanc to get ahead __PUNCT__

it goe on for dai_care care_worker __PUNCT__ for steel_worker risk their live in citi all across thi countri __PUNCT__

and the work goe on for two hundr_thousand men and women who wore the uniform of the unit_state of america __PUNCT__ proud veteran __PUNCT__ who go to sleep everi night under bridg __PUNCT__ or in shelter __PUNCT__ or on grate __PUNCT__ just as the peopl we saw on the wai here todai __PUNCT__

their caus is our caus __PUNCT__

their struggl is our struggl __PUNCT__

their dream ar our dream __PUNCT__

do not turn awai from these great struggl befor us __PUNCT__

do not give up on the caus that we have fought for __PUNCT__

do not walk awai from what possibl __PUNCT__ becaus it time for all of us __PUNCT__ all of us togeth __PUNCT__ to make the two america on __PUNCT__

thank you __PUNCT__

god_bless you __PUNCT__ and let go to work __PUNCT__

thank you all veri much __PUNCT__