Barack Obama

you know __PUNCT__ there is a spirit that brought us here tonight __PUNCT__ a spirit of chang __PUNCT__ and hope __PUNCT__ and possibl __PUNCT__

and there ar few peopl in thi countri who embodi that spirit more than our friend and our champion __PUNCT__ senat edward_kennedi __PUNCT__

he ha spent hi life in servic to thi countri not for the sake of glori or recognit __PUNCT__ but becaus he care __PUNCT__ deepli __PUNCT__ in hi gut __PUNCT__ about the caus of justic __PUNCT__ and equal __PUNCT__ and opportun __PUNCT__

so mani of us here have benefit in some wai or anoth becaus of the battl he wage __PUNCT__ and some of us ar here becaus of them __PUNCT__

we know he is not well right now __PUNCT__ but we also know that he a fighter __PUNCT__

and as he take on thi fight __PUNCT__ let us lift hi spirit tonight by let ted_kennedi know that we ar think of him __PUNCT__ that we ar prai for him __PUNCT__ that we ar stand with him __PUNCT__ and that we will be fight with him everi step of the wai __PUNCT__

fifteen month_ago __PUNCT__ in the depth of winter __PUNCT__ it wa in thi great state where we took the first step of an unlik journei to chang america __PUNCT__

the skeptic predict we wouldn't get veri far __PUNCT__

the cynic dismiss us as a lot of hype and a littl too much hope __PUNCT__

and by the fall __PUNCT__ the pundit in washington had all but count us out __PUNCT__

but the peopl of iowa had a differ idea __PUNCT__

from the veri begin __PUNCT__ you knew that thi journei wasn't about me or ani of the other candid in thi race __PUNCT__

it about whether thi countri __PUNCT__ at thi defin moment __PUNCT__ will continu down the same road that ha fail us for so long __PUNCT__ or whether we will seiz thi opportun to take a differ path __PUNCT__ to forg a differ futur for the countri we love __PUNCT__

that is the question that sent thousand upon thousand of you to high_school gym and vfw hall __PUNCT__ to backyard and front_porch __PUNCT__ to steak fri and jj dinner __PUNCT__ where you spoke about what that futur would look like __PUNCT__

you spoke of an america where work_famili don't have to file for bankruptci just becaus a child get sick __PUNCT__ where thei don't lose their home becaus some predatori lender trick them out of it __PUNCT__ where thei don't have to sit on the sidelin of the global_economi becaus thei couldn't afford the cost of a colleg_educ __PUNCT__

you spoke of an america where our parent and grandpar don't spend their retir in poverti becaus some ceo dump their pension __PUNCT__ an america where we don't just valu wealth __PUNCT__ but the work and the worker who creat it __PUNCT__

you spoke of an america where we don't send our son and daughter on tour after tour of duti to a war that ha cost us thousand of live and billion of dollar but ha not made us safer __PUNCT__

you spoke of an america where we match the might of our militari with the strength of our diplomaci and the power of our ideal __PUNCT__ a nation that is still the beacon of all that is good and all that is possibl for humankind __PUNCT__

you spoke of a futur where the polit we have in washington final reflect the valu we hold as american __PUNCT__ the valu you live by here in iowa __PUNCT__ common_sens and honesti __PUNCT__ generos and compass __PUNCT__ decenc and respons __PUNCT__

these valu don't belong to on class or on region or even on parti __PUNCT__ thei ar the valu that bind us togeth as on countri __PUNCT__

that is the countri i saw in the face of crowd that would stretch far into the horizon of our heartland __PUNCT__ face of everi color __PUNCT__ of everi ag __PUNCT__ face i see here tonight __PUNCT__

you ar democrat who ar tire of be divid __PUNCT__ republican who no longer recogn the parti that run washington __PUNCT__ independ who ar hungri for chang __PUNCT__

you ar the young_peopl who been inspir for the veri first time and those not __PUNCT__ so __PUNCT__ young folk who been inspir for the first time in a long_time __PUNCT__

you ar veteran and church __PUNCT__ goer __PUNCT__ sportsmen and student __PUNCT__ farmer and factori_worker __PUNCT__ teacher and busi_owner who have vari background and differ tradit __PUNCT__ but the same simpl dream for your children futur __PUNCT__

mani of you have been disappoint by polit and politician more time than you can count __PUNCT__

you seen promis broken and good_idea drown in the sea of influenc __PUNCT__ and point __PUNCT__ score __PUNCT__ and petti bicker that ha consum washington __PUNCT__

and you been told over and over and over again to be cynic __PUNCT__ and doubt __PUNCT__ and even fear about the possibl that thing can ever be differ __PUNCT__

and yet __PUNCT__ in spite of all the doubt and disappoint __PUNCT__ or perhap becaus of it __PUNCT__ you came out on a cold winter night in number that thi countri ha never seen __PUNCT__ and you stood for chang __PUNCT__

and becaus you did __PUNCT__ a few more stood up __PUNCT__

and then a few thousand stood up __PUNCT__

and then a few million stood up __PUNCT__

and tonight __PUNCT__ in the full of spring __PUNCT__ with the help of those who stood up from portland to louisvil __PUNCT__ we have return to iowa with a major of deleg elect by the american_peopl __PUNCT__ and you have put us within reach of the democrat_nomin for presid of the unit_state __PUNCT__

the road here ha been long __PUNCT__ and that is partli becaus we travel it with on of the most formid candid to ever run for thi offic __PUNCT__

in her thirti __PUNCT__ five year of public_servic __PUNCT__ senat hillari rodham clinton ha never given up on her fight for the american_peopl __PUNCT__ and tonight i congratul her on her victori in kentucki __PUNCT__

we have had our disagr dure thi campaign __PUNCT__ but we all admir her courag __PUNCT__ her commit and her persever __PUNCT__

no matter how thi primari end __PUNCT__ senat_clinton ha shatter myth and broken barrier and chang the america in which my daughter and your will come of ag __PUNCT__

some mai see the million upon million of vote cast for each of us as evid that our parti is divid __PUNCT__ but i see it as proof that we have never been more energ and unit in our desir to take thi countri in a new direct __PUNCT__

more than anyth __PUNCT__ we need thi uniti and thi energi in the month to come __PUNCT__ becaus while our primari ha been long and hard __PUNCT__ fought __PUNCT__ the hardest and most import_part of our journei still li ahead __PUNCT__

we face an oppon __PUNCT__ john_mccain __PUNCT__ who arriv in washington nearli three decad_ago as a vietnam_war war_hero __PUNCT__ and earn an admir reput for straight talk and occasion independ from hi parti __PUNCT__

but thi year republican_primari wa a contest to see which candid could out __PUNCT__ bush the other __PUNCT__ and that is the contest john_mccain won __PUNCT__

the bush_tax_cut for the wealthiest___NUM__ __PUNCT__ of american that onc bother senat_mccain conscienc ar now hi onli econom_polici __PUNCT__

the bush health_care_plan that onli help those who ar alreadi healthi and wealthi is now john_mccain answer to the __NUM___million_american without insur and the million more who can't pai their medic_bill __PUNCT__

the bush iraq_polici that ask everyth of our troop and noth of iraqi politician is john_mccain polici too __PUNCT__ and so is the fear of tough and aggress diplomaci that ha left thi countri more isol and less secur than at ani time in recent_histori __PUNCT__

the lobbyist who rule georg_bush washington ar now run john_mccain mccain_campaign __PUNCT__ and thei actual had the nerv to sai that the american_peopl won't care about thi __PUNCT__

talk about out of touch __PUNCT__

i will leav it up to senat_mccain to explain to the american_peopl whether hi polici and posit repres long __PUNCT__ held convict or washington calcul __PUNCT__ but the on thing thei don't repres is chang __PUNCT__

chang is a tax_code that reward work instead of wealth by cut_tax for middl __PUNCT__ class_famili __PUNCT__ and senior_citizen __PUNCT__ and struggl homeown __PUNCT__ a tax_code that reward busi that creat good_job here in america instead of the corpor that ship them oversea __PUNCT__

that what chang is __PUNCT__

chang is a health_care_plan that guarante insur to everi american who want __PUNCT__ that bring down premium for everi famili who need it __PUNCT__ that stop insur_compani from discrimin and deni coverag to those who need it most __PUNCT__

chang is an energi_polici that doesn't reli on buddi up to the saudi royal_famili and then beg them for oil __PUNCT__ an energi_polici that put a price on pollut and make the oil_compani invest their record profit in clean __PUNCT__ renew_sourc of energi that will creat five million new job and leav our children a safer planet __PUNCT__

that what chang is __PUNCT__

chang is give everi child a world __PUNCT__ class educ by recruit an armi of new teacher with better pai and more support __PUNCT__ by promis four year of tuition to ani american will to serv their commun and their countri __PUNCT__ by realiz that the best educ start with parent who turn off the tv __PUNCT__ and take awai the video_game __PUNCT__ and read to our children onc in awhil __PUNCT__

chang is end a war that we never should start and finish a war against al_qaeda in afghanistan that we never should ignor __PUNCT__

chang is face the threat of the twenti __PUNCT__ first centuri not with bluster __PUNCT__ or fear __PUNCT__ monger __PUNCT__ or tough talk __PUNCT__ but with tough diplomaci __PUNCT__ and strong allianc __PUNCT__ and confid in the ideal that have made thi nation the last __PUNCT__ best hope of earth __PUNCT__

that is the legaci of roosevelt __PUNCT__ and truman __PUNCT__ and kennedi __PUNCT__

that is what chang is __PUNCT__

that is the choic in thi elect __PUNCT__

the same_question that first led us to iowa fifteen month_ago is the on that ha brought us back here tonight __PUNCT__ it is the on we will debat from washington to florida __PUNCT__ from new hampshir to new mexico __PUNCT__ the question of whether thi countri __PUNCT__ at thi moment __PUNCT__ will keep do what we been do for four more year __PUNCT__ or whether we will take that differ path __PUNCT__

it is more of the same versu chang __PUNCT__

it is the past versu the futur __PUNCT__

it ha been ask and answer by gener befor us __PUNCT__ and now it is our turn to choos __PUNCT__

we will face our share of difficult and uncertain dai in the journei ahead __PUNCT__

the other side know thei have embrac yesterdai polici and so thei will also embrac yesterdai tactic to try and chang the subject __PUNCT__

thei will plai on our fear and our doubt and our divis to distract us from what matter to you and your futur __PUNCT__

well thei can take the low road if thei want __PUNCT__ but it will not lead thi countri to a better place __PUNCT__

and it will not work in thi elect __PUNCT__

it won't work becaus you won't let it __PUNCT__

not thi time __PUNCT__

not thi year __PUNCT__

my faith in the decenc __PUNCT__ and honesti __PUNCT__ and generos of the american_peopl is not base on fals hope or blind optim __PUNCT__ but on what i have live and what i have seen in thi veri state __PUNCT__

for in the darkest dai of thi campaign __PUNCT__ when we were dismiss by all the poll and all the pundit __PUNCT__ i would come to iowa and see that there wa someth happen here that the world did not yet understand __PUNCT__

it what led high_school and colleg_student to give up their vacat to stuff envelop and knock on door __PUNCT__ and why grandpar have spent all their afternoon make phone_call to perfect stranger __PUNCT__

it what led men and women who can bare pai the bill to dig into their save and write five dollar check and ten dollar check __PUNCT__ and why young_peopl from all over thi countri have left their friend and their famili for a job that offer littl pai and less sleep __PUNCT__

chang is come to america __PUNCT__

it the spirit that sent the first patriot to lexington and concord and led the defend of freedom to light the wai north on an underground railroad __PUNCT__

it what sent my grandfath gener to beachhead in normandi __PUNCT__ and women to seneca fall __PUNCT__ and worker to picket_line and factori fenc __PUNCT__

it what led all those young_men and women who saw beat and billi club on their televis screen to leav their home __PUNCT__ and get on buse __PUNCT__ and march through the street of selma and montgomeri __PUNCT__ black and white __PUNCT__ rich and poor __PUNCT__

chang is come to america __PUNCT__

it what i saw all those year_ago on the street of chicago when i work as an organ __PUNCT__ that in the face of jobless __PUNCT__ and hopeless __PUNCT__ and despair __PUNCT__ a better dai is still possibl if there ar peopl will to work for it __PUNCT__ and fight for it __PUNCT__ and believ in it __PUNCT__

that what i seen here in iowa __PUNCT__

that what is happen in america __PUNCT__ our journei mai be long __PUNCT__ our work will be great __PUNCT__ but we know in our heart we ar readi for chang __PUNCT__ we ar readi to come togeth __PUNCT__ and in thi elect __PUNCT__ we ar readi to believ again __PUNCT__

thank you iowa __PUNCT__ and mai god_bless_america __PUNCT__