Barack Obama

over two week_ago __PUNCT__ we saw the peopl of iowa proclaim that our time for chang ha come __PUNCT__

but there were those who doubt thi countri desir for someth new __PUNCT__ who said iowa wa a fluke not to be repeat again __PUNCT__

well __PUNCT__ tonight __PUNCT__ the cynic who believ that what began in the snow of iowa wa just an illus were told a differ stori by the good_peopl of south_carolina __PUNCT__

after four great contest in everi corner of thi countri __PUNCT__ we have the most vote __PUNCT__ the most deleg __PUNCT__ and the most divers coalit of american we seen in a long __PUNCT__ long_time __PUNCT__

thei ar young and old __PUNCT__ rich and poor __PUNCT__

thei ar black and white __PUNCT__ latino and asian __PUNCT__

thei ar democrat from de_moin and independ from concord __PUNCT__ republican from rural nevada and young_peopl across thi countri who never had a reason to particip until now __PUNCT__

and in nine dai __PUNCT__ nearli half the nation will have the chanc to join us in sai that we ar tire of busi __PUNCT__ as __PUNCT__ usual in washington __PUNCT__ we ar hungri for chang __PUNCT__ and we ar readi to believ again

but if there anyth we been remind of sinc iowa __PUNCT__ it that the kind of chang we seek will not come easi __PUNCT__

partli becaus we have fine candid in the field __PUNCT__ fierc competitor __PUNCT__ worthi of respect __PUNCT__

and as contenti as thi campaign mai get __PUNCT__ we have to rememb that thi is a contest for the democrat_nomin __PUNCT__ and that all of us share an abid desir to end the disastr polici of the current administr __PUNCT__

but there ar real differ between the candid __PUNCT__

we ar look for more than just a chang of parti in the white_hous __PUNCT__

we look to fundament chang the statu_quo in washington __PUNCT__ a statu quo that extend beyond ani particular parti __PUNCT__

and right now __PUNCT__ that statu quo is fight_back with everyth it got __PUNCT__ with the same old tactic that divid and distract us from solv the problem peopl face __PUNCT__ whether those problem ar health_care thei can't afford or a mortgag thei cannot pai __PUNCT__

so thi will not be easi __PUNCT__

make no mistak about what we up against __PUNCT__

we ar up against the belief that it ok for lobbyist to domin our govern __PUNCT__ that thei ar just part of the system in washington __PUNCT__

but we know that the undu influenc of lobbyist is part of the problem __PUNCT__ and thi elect is our chanc to sai that we not go to let them stand in our wai anymor __PUNCT__

we ar up against the convent think that sai your abil to lead as presid come from longev in washington or proxim to the white_hous __PUNCT__

but we know that real leadership is about candor __PUNCT__ and judgment __PUNCT__ and the abil to ralli american from all walk of life around a common_purpos __PUNCT__ a higher purpos __PUNCT__

we ar up against decad of bitter partisanship that caus politician to demon their oppon instead of come togeth to make colleg afford or energi cleaner __PUNCT__ it the kind of partisanship where you not even allow to sai that a republican had an idea __PUNCT__ even if it on you never agre with __PUNCT__

that kind of polit is bad for our parti __PUNCT__ it bad for our countri __PUNCT__ and thi is our chanc to end it onc and for all __PUNCT__

we ar up against the idea that it accept to sai anyth and do anyth to win an elect __PUNCT__

we know that thi is exactli what wrong with our polit __PUNCT__ thi is why peopl don't believ what their leader sai anymor __PUNCT__ thi is why thei tune out __PUNCT__

and thi elect is our chanc to give the american_peopl a reason to believ again __PUNCT__

and what we seen in these last week is that we also up against forc that ar not the fault of ani on campaign __PUNCT__ but feed the habit that prevent us from be who we want to be as a nation __PUNCT__

it the polit that us religion as a wedg __PUNCT__ and patriot as a bludgeon __PUNCT__

a polit that tell us that we have to think __PUNCT__ act __PUNCT__ and even vote within the confin of the categori that supposedli defin us __PUNCT__

the assumpt that young_peopl ar apathet __PUNCT__

the assumpt that republican won't cross over __PUNCT__

the assumpt that the wealthi care noth for the poor __PUNCT__ and that the poor don't vote __PUNCT__

the assumpt that african __PUNCT__ american can't support the white candid __PUNCT__ white can't support the african __PUNCT__ american candid __PUNCT__ black and latino can't come togeth __PUNCT__

but we ar here tonight to sai that thi is not the america we believ in __PUNCT__

i did not travel around thi state over the last year and see a white_south south_carolina or a black south carolina __PUNCT__

i saw south carolina __PUNCT__

i saw crumbl school that ar steal the futur of black_children and white children __PUNCT__

i saw shutter mill and home for sale that onc belong to american from all walk of life __PUNCT__ and men and women of everi color and creed who serv togeth __PUNCT__ and fight togeth __PUNCT__ and bleed togeth under the same proud flag __PUNCT__

i saw what america is __PUNCT__ and i believ in what thi countri can be __PUNCT__

that is the countri i see __PUNCT__

that is the countri you see __PUNCT__

but now it is up to us to help the entir nation embrac thi vision __PUNCT__

becaus in the end __PUNCT__ we ar not just up against the ingrain and destruct habit of washington __PUNCT__ we ar also struggl against our own doubt __PUNCT__ our own fear __PUNCT__ and our own cynic __PUNCT__

the chang we seek ha alwai requir great struggl and sacrific __PUNCT__

and so thi is a battl in our own heart and mind about what kind of countri we want and how hard we will to work for it __PUNCT__

so let me remind you tonight that chang will not be easi __PUNCT__

that chang will take time __PUNCT__

there will be setback __PUNCT__ and fals start __PUNCT__ and sometim we will make_mistak __PUNCT__

but as hard as it mai seem __PUNCT__ we cannot lose hope __PUNCT__

becaus there ar peopl all across thi countri who ar count us __PUNCT__ who can't afford anoth four year without health_care or good school or decent_wage becaus our leader couldn't come togeth and get it done __PUNCT__

their ar the stori and voic we carri on from south_carolina __PUNCT__

the mother who can't get medicaid to cover all the need of her sick child __PUNCT__ she need us to pass a health_care_plan that cut_cost and make health_care avail and afford for everi singl american __PUNCT__

the teacher who work anoth shift at dunkin donut after school just to make end meet __PUNCT__ she need us to reform our educ_system so that she get better pai __PUNCT__ and more support __PUNCT__ and her student get the resourc thei need to achiev their dream __PUNCT__

the maytag worker who is now compet with hi own teenag for a __MONEY__ job at wal __PUNCT__ mart becaus the factori he gave hi life to shut it door __PUNCT__ he need us to stop give tax_break to compani that ship our job_oversea and start put them in the pocket of work_american who deserv it __PUNCT__

and struggl homeown __PUNCT__

and senior who should retir with digniti and respect __PUNCT__

the woman who told me that she hasn't been abl to breath sinc the dai her nephew left for iraq __PUNCT__ or the soldier who doesn't know hi child becaus he on hi third or fourth tour of duti __PUNCT__ thei need us to come togeth and put an end to a war that should never been author and never been wage __PUNCT__

the choic in thi elect is not between region or religion or gender __PUNCT__

it not about rich versu poor __PUNCT__ young versu old __PUNCT__ and it is not about black versu white __PUNCT__

it about the past versu the futur __PUNCT__

it about whether we settl for the same divis and distract and drama that pass for polit todai __PUNCT__ or whether we reach for a polit of common_sens __PUNCT__ and innov __PUNCT__ a share sacrific and share_prosper __PUNCT__

there ar those who will continu to tell us we cannot do thi __PUNCT__

that we cannot have what we long for __PUNCT__

that we ar peddl fals hope __PUNCT__

but here what i know __PUNCT__

i know that when peopl sai we can't overcom all the big_monei and influenc in washington __PUNCT__ i think of the elderli woman who sent me a contribut the other dai __PUNCT__ an envelop that had a monei order for __MONEY__ along with a vers of scriptur tuck insid __PUNCT__

so don't tell us chang isn't possibl __PUNCT__

when i hear the cynic talk that black and white and latino can't join togeth and work togeth __PUNCT__ i remind of the latino brother and sister i organ with __PUNCT__ and stood with __PUNCT__ and fought with side by side for job and justic on the street of chicago __PUNCT__

so don't tell us chang can't happen __PUNCT__

when i hear that we never overcom the racial divid in our polit __PUNCT__ i think about that republican woman who us to work for strom thurmond __PUNCT__ who now devot to educ inner __PUNCT__ citi children and who went out onto the street of south_carolina and knock on door for thi campaign __PUNCT__

don't tell me we can't chang __PUNCT__

ye we can chang __PUNCT__

ye we can heal thi nation __PUNCT__

ye we can seiz our futur __PUNCT__

and as we leav thi state with a new wind at our back __PUNCT__ and take thi journei across the countri we love with the messag we carri from the plain of iowa to the hill of new hampshir __PUNCT__ from the nevada desert to the south carolina coast __PUNCT__ the same messag we had when we were up and when we were down __PUNCT__ that out of mani __PUNCT__ we ar on __PUNCT__ that while we breath __PUNCT__ we hope __PUNCT__ and where we ar met with cynic __PUNCT__ and doubt __PUNCT__ and those who tell us that we can't __PUNCT__ we will respond with that timeless creed that sum up the spirit of a peopl in three simpl word __PUNCT__

ye __PUNCT__

we __PUNCT__

can __PUNCT__