Barack Obama

tonight __PUNCT__ after fifti __PUNCT__ four hard __PUNCT__ fought contest __PUNCT__ our primari_season ha final come to an end __PUNCT__

sixteen month have pass sinc we first stood togeth on the step of the old state_capitol in springfield __PUNCT__ illinoi __PUNCT__

thousand of mile have been travel __PUNCT__

million of voic have been heard __PUNCT__

and becaus of what you said __PUNCT__ becaus you decid that chang must come to washington __PUNCT__ becaus you believ that thi year must be differ than all the rest __PUNCT__ becaus you chose to listen not to your doubt or your fear but to your greatest hope and highest aspir __PUNCT__ tonight we mark the end of on histor journei with the begin of anoth __PUNCT__ a journei that will bring a new and better dai to america __PUNCT__

tonight __PUNCT__ i can stand befor you and sai that i will be the democrat_nomine for presid of the unit_state __PUNCT__

i want to thank everi american who stood with us over the cours of thi campaign __PUNCT__ through the good dai and the bad __PUNCT__ from the snow of cedar rapid to the sunshin of sioux fall __PUNCT__

and tonight i also want to thank the men and woman who took thi journei with me as fellow candid for presid __PUNCT__

at thi defin moment for our nation __PUNCT__ we should be proud that our parti put forth on of the most talent __PUNCT__ qualifi field of individu ever to run for thi offic __PUNCT__

i have not just compet with them as rival __PUNCT__ i have learn from them as friend __PUNCT__ as public_servant __PUNCT__ and as patriot who love_america and ar will to work tirelessli to make thi countri better __PUNCT__

thei ar leader of thi parti __PUNCT__ and leader that america will turn to for year to come __PUNCT__

that is particularli true for the candid who ha travel further on thi journei than anyon els __PUNCT__

senat hillari_clinton ha made histori in thi campaign not just becaus she a woman who ha done what no woman ha done befor __PUNCT__ but becaus she a leader who inspir million of american with her strength __PUNCT__ her courag __PUNCT__ and her commit to the caus that brought us here tonight __PUNCT__

we certainli had our differ over the last sixteen month __PUNCT__

but as someon who share a stage with her mani time __PUNCT__ i can tell you that what get hillari clinton up in the morn __PUNCT__ even in the face of tough odd __PUNCT__ is exactli what sent her and bill_clinton to sign up for their first campaign in texa all those year_ago __PUNCT__ what sent her to work at the children defens fund and made her fight for health_care as first ladi __PUNCT__ what led her to the unit_state state_senat and fuel her barrier __PUNCT__ break campaign for the presid __PUNCT__ an unyield desir to improv the live of ordinari_american __PUNCT__ no matter how difficult the fight mai be __PUNCT__

and you can rest_assur that when we final win the battl for univers_health_care in thi countri __PUNCT__ she will be central to that victori __PUNCT__

when we transform our energi_polici and lift our children out of poverti __PUNCT__ it will be becaus she work to help make it happen __PUNCT__

our parti and our countri ar better off becaus of her __PUNCT__ and i am a better candid for have had the honor to compet with hillari rodham clinton __PUNCT__

there ar those who sai that thi primari ha somehow left us weaker and more divid __PUNCT__

well i sai that becaus of thi primari __PUNCT__ there ar million of american who have cast their ballot for the veri first time __PUNCT__

there ar independ and republican who understand that thi elect isn't just about the parti in charg of washington __PUNCT__ it about the need to chang washington __PUNCT__

there ar young_peopl __PUNCT__ and african __PUNCT__ american __PUNCT__ and latino __PUNCT__ and women of all ag who have vote in number that have broken record and inspir a nation __PUNCT__

all of you chose to support a candid you believ in deepli __PUNCT__

but at the end of the dai __PUNCT__ we aren't the reason you came out and wait in line that stretch block after block to make your voic_heard __PUNCT__

you didn't do that becaus of me or senat_clinton or anyon els __PUNCT__

you did it becaus you know in your heart that at thi moment __PUNCT__ a moment that will defin a gener __PUNCT__ we cannot afford to keep do what we been do __PUNCT__

we ow our children a better futur __PUNCT__

we ow our countri a better futur __PUNCT__

and for all those who dream of that futur tonight __PUNCT__ i sai __PUNCT__ let us begin the work togeth __PUNCT__

let us unit in common effort to chart a new cours for america __PUNCT__

in just a few short month __PUNCT__ the republican_parti will arriv in st __PUNCT__ paul with a veri differ agenda __PUNCT__

thei will come here to nomin john_mccain __PUNCT__ a man who ha serv thi countri heroic __PUNCT__

i honor that servic __PUNCT__ and i respect hi mani accomplish __PUNCT__ even if he choos to deni mine __PUNCT__

my differ with him ar not person __PUNCT__ thei ar with the polici he ha propos in thi campaign __PUNCT__

becaus while john mccain can legitim tout moment of independ from hi parti in the past __PUNCT__ such independ ha not been the hallmark of hi presidenti_campaign __PUNCT__

it not chang when john_mccain decid to stand with georg_bush nineti __PUNCT__ five percent of the time __PUNCT__ as he did in the senat last year __PUNCT__

it not chang when he offer four more year of bush econom_polici that have fail to creat well __PUNCT__ pai_job __PUNCT__ or insur our worker __PUNCT__ or help american afford the skyrocket cost of colleg __PUNCT__ polici that have lower the real_incom of the averag_american american_famili __PUNCT__ widen the gap between wall_street and main_street __PUNCT__ and left our children with a mountain of debt __PUNCT__

and it not chang when he promis to continu a polici in iraq that ask everyth of our brave men and women in uniform and noth of iraqi politician __PUNCT__ a polici where all we look for ar reason to stai in iraq __PUNCT__ while we spend billion of dollar a month on a war that isn't make the american_peopl ani safer __PUNCT__

so i sai thi __PUNCT__ there ar mani word to describ john_mccain attempt to pass off hi embrac of georg_bush bush_polici as bipartisan and new __PUNCT__

but chang is not on of them __PUNCT__

chang is a foreign_polici that doesn't begin and end with a war that should never been author and never been wage __PUNCT__

i won't stand here and pretend that there ar mani good option left in iraq __PUNCT__ but what not an option is leav our troop in that countri for the next hundr_year __PUNCT__ especi at a time when our militari is overstretch __PUNCT__ our nation is isol __PUNCT__ and nearli everi other threat to america is be ignor __PUNCT__

we must be as care get out of iraq as we were careless get in __PUNCT__ but start leav we must __PUNCT__

it time for iraqi to take respons for their futur __PUNCT__

it time to rebuild our militari and give our veteran the care thei need and the benefit thei deserv when thei come home __PUNCT__

it time to refocu our effort on al_qaeda leadership and afghanistan __PUNCT__ and ralli the world against the common threat of the __NUM___centuri __PUNCT__ terror and nuclear_weapon __PUNCT__ climat chang and poverti __PUNCT__ genocid and diseas __PUNCT__

that what chang is __PUNCT__

chang is realiz that meet todai threat requir not just our firepow __PUNCT__ but the power of our diplomaci __PUNCT__ tough __PUNCT__ direct diplomaci where the presid of the unit_state isn't afraid to let ani petti dictat know where america stand and what we stand for __PUNCT__

we must onc again have the courag and convict to lead the free_world __PUNCT__

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

that what the american_peopl want __PUNCT__

that what chang is __PUNCT__

chang is build an economi that reward not just wealth __PUNCT__ but the work and worker who creat it __PUNCT__

it understand that the struggl face work_famili can't be solv by spend billion of dollar on more tax_break for big_corpor and wealthi ceo __PUNCT__ but by give a the middl __PUNCT__ class a tax_break __PUNCT__ and invest in our crumbl infrastructur __PUNCT__ and transform how we us energi __PUNCT__ and improv our school __PUNCT__ and renew our commit to scienc and innov __PUNCT__

it understand that fiscal_respons and share_prosper can go hand __PUNCT__ in __PUNCT__ hand __PUNCT__ as thei did when bill_clinton wa presid __PUNCT__

john_mccain ha spent a lot of time talk about trip to iraq in the last few week __PUNCT__ but mayb if he spent some time take trip to the citi and town that have been hardest hit by thi economi __PUNCT__ citi in michigan __PUNCT__ and ohio __PUNCT__ and right here in minnesota __PUNCT__ he understand the kind of chang that peopl ar look for __PUNCT__

mayb if he went to iowa and met the student who work the night shift after a full dai of class and still can't pai the medic_bill for a sister who ill __PUNCT__ he understand that she can't afford four more year of a health_care_plan that onli take care of the healthi and wealthi __PUNCT__

she need us to pass health_care_plan that guarante insur to everi american who want it and bring down premium for everi famili who need it __PUNCT__

that the chang we need __PUNCT__

mayb if he went to pennsylvania and met the man who lost hi job but can't even afford the ga to drive around and look for a new on __PUNCT__ he understand that we can't afford four more year of our addict to oil from dictat __PUNCT__

that man need us to pass an energi_polici that work with automak to rais fuel standard __PUNCT__ and make corpor pai for their pollut __PUNCT__ and oil_compani invest their record profit in a clean_energi futur __PUNCT__ an energi_polici that will creat million of new job that pai well and can't be outsourc __PUNCT__

that the chang we need __PUNCT__

and mayb if he spent some time in the school of south_carolina or st __PUNCT__ paul or where he spoke tonight in new orlean __PUNCT__ he understand that we can't afford to leav the monei behind for no child_left behind __PUNCT__ that we ow it to our children to invest in earli_childhood childhood_educ __PUNCT__ to recruit an armi of new teacher and give them better pai and more support __PUNCT__ to final_decid that in thi global_economi __PUNCT__ the chanc to get a colleg_educ should not be a privileg for the wealthi few __PUNCT__ but the birthright of everi american __PUNCT__

that the chang we need in america __PUNCT__

that why i run for presid __PUNCT__

the other side will come here in __DATE__ and offer a veri differ set of polici and posit __PUNCT__ and that is a debat i look forward to __PUNCT__

it is a debat the american_peopl deserv __PUNCT__

but what you don't deserv is anoth elect that govern by fear __PUNCT__ and innuendo __PUNCT__ and divis __PUNCT__

what you won't hear from thi campaign or thi parti is the kind of polit that us religion as a wedg __PUNCT__ and patriot as a bludgeon __PUNCT__ that see our oppon not as competitor to challeng __PUNCT__ but enemi to demon __PUNCT__

becaus we mai call ourselv democrat and republican __PUNCT__ but we ar american first __PUNCT__

we ar alwai american first __PUNCT__

despit what the good senat from arizona said tonight __PUNCT__ i have seen peopl of differ view and opinion find common caus mani time dure my two decad in public_life __PUNCT__ and i have brought mani togeth myself __PUNCT__

i walk arm __PUNCT__ in __PUNCT__ arm with commun_leader on the south_side of chicago and watch tension fade as black __PUNCT__ white __PUNCT__ and latino fought togeth for good_job and good school __PUNCT__

i sat across the tabl from law_enforc and civil right advoc to reform a crimin_justic_system that sent thirteen innoc_peopl to death_row __PUNCT__

and i work with friend in the other parti to provid more children with health_insur and more work_famili with a tax_break __PUNCT__ to curb the spread of nuclear_weapon and ensur that the american_peopl know where their tax_dollar ar be spent __PUNCT__ and to reduc the influenc of lobbyist who have all too often set the agenda in washington __PUNCT__

in our countri __PUNCT__ i have found that thi cooper happen not becaus we agre on everyth __PUNCT__ but becaus behind all the label and fals divis and categori that defin us __PUNCT__ beyond all the petti bicker and point __PUNCT__ score in washington __PUNCT__ american ar a decent __PUNCT__ gener __PUNCT__ compassion peopl __PUNCT__ unit by common challeng and common hope __PUNCT__

and everi so often __PUNCT__ there ar moment which call on that fundament good to make thi countri great again __PUNCT__

so it wa for that band of patriot who declar in a philadelphia hall the format of a more perfect_union __PUNCT__ and for all those who gave on the field of gettysburg and antietam their last full_measur of devot to save that same union __PUNCT__

so it wa for the greatest_gener that conquer fear itself __PUNCT__ and liber a contin from tyranni __PUNCT__ and made thi countri home to untold opportun and prosper __PUNCT__

so it wa for the worker who stood out on the picket_line __PUNCT__ the women who shatter glass_ceil __PUNCT__ the children who brave a selma bridg for freedom caus __PUNCT__

so it ha been for everi gener that face down the greatest_challeng and the most improb odd to leav their children a world that better __PUNCT__ and kinder __PUNCT__ and more just __PUNCT__

and so it must be for us __PUNCT__

america __PUNCT__ thi is our moment __PUNCT__

thi is our time __PUNCT__

our time to turn the page on the polici of the past __PUNCT__

our time to bring new energi and new idea to the challeng we face __PUNCT__

our time to offer a new direct for the countri we love __PUNCT__

the journei will be difficult __PUNCT__

the road will be long __PUNCT__

i face thi challeng with profound humil __PUNCT__ and knowledg of my own limit __PUNCT__

but i also face it with limitless faith in the capac of the american_peopl __PUNCT__

becaus if we ar will to work for it __PUNCT__ and fight for it __PUNCT__ and believ in it __PUNCT__ then i am absolut certain that gener from now __PUNCT__ we will be abl to look back and tell our children that thi wa the moment when we began to provid care for the sick and good_job to the jobless __PUNCT__ thi wa the moment when the rise of the ocean began to slow and our planet began to heal __PUNCT__ thi wa the moment when we end a war and secur our nation and restor our imag as the last __PUNCT__ best hope on earth __PUNCT__

thi wa the moment __PUNCT__ thi wa the time __PUNCT__ when we came togeth to remak thi great_nation so that it mai alwai reflect our veri best selv __PUNCT__ and our highest ideal __PUNCT__

thank you __PUNCT__ god_bless you __PUNCT__ and mai god bless the unit_state of america __PUNCT__