Bill Richardson

i want to take thi opportun to thank and acknowledg all the hard_work union_member that ar here with us todai __PUNCT__

todai __PUNCT__ american_worker ar more product than ever __PUNCT__

but their real_wage ar shrink __PUNCT__ their pension ar threaten __PUNCT__ and their health __PUNCT__ care coverag is cut __PUNCT__

meanwhil thi administr cut student_loan __PUNCT__ hand out tax_break for compani that ship job_oversea and want to privat social_secur __PUNCT__

america worker ar the backbon of our countri and i am proud to stand with you here todai __PUNCT__ and i want to thank you for stand with me throughout my career __PUNCT__

the men and women of the labor_movement ar a primari reason why i have been abl to accomplish so much in new mexico __PUNCT__

creat more than __NUM___job in the last four year __PUNCT__

cut on billion in tax __PUNCT__ not for the wealthi __PUNCT__ but for work_famili and expand access to health_insur to work_famili __PUNCT__ and todai everi child five year or younger ha access to health_care coverag __PUNCT__

their support help me and the democrat recaptur state_govern after eight year of republican rule __PUNCT__

and it is onli with the help of the hardwork men and women of labor that democrat will recaptur the white_hous __PUNCT__

it through that same hard_work that the peopl of new hampshir have a new minimum_wage __PUNCT__ a wage with digniti __PUNCT__

after three year work side __PUNCT__ by __PUNCT__ side with labor __PUNCT__ we been abl to do the same in new mexico __PUNCT__

but i think we all know __PUNCT__ rais the minimum wage is the best wai to stand up for the work_poor __PUNCT__

but __PUNCT__ we need to stand up for the middl_class too __PUNCT__

and the best wai we can do that is by support union __PUNCT__

rais state minimum_wage is good __PUNCT__ but not good enough __PUNCT__

rais the feder minimum wage is good __PUNCT__ but not good enough __PUNCT__

to renew america middl_class __PUNCT__ we shouldn't stop until everi worker wage is a union wage __PUNCT__

and that start with major author __PUNCT__

that doesn't just mean give employe a chanc to form union by sign card author union represent __PUNCT__

that also mean swiftli punish those employ who violat ani worker right to organ __PUNCT__

i believ the member organ of afl __PUNCT__ cio don't have to ask where i stand __PUNCT__ as on of my first act as governor __PUNCT__ i stood with the afscm __PUNCT__ cwa __PUNCT__ aft and restor collect_bargain right for public_employe __PUNCT__ with card __PUNCT__ check recognit and fair_share __PUNCT__

there ar no free rider in my state __PUNCT__ period __PUNCT__

i stood with the american_feder of teacher __PUNCT__ and togeth we creat new standard __PUNCT__ link them to higher teacher salari __PUNCT__ and our teacher salari have move from __NUM__ to __NUM__ in the nation __PUNCT__ and our teacher qualiti ha jump from __NUM__ to __NUM__ __PUNCT__

i stood with cwa and togeth we a statewid project call wire new mexico to creat a high __PUNCT__ speech __PUNCT__ high capac data __PUNCT__ voic and video commun backbon __PUNCT__

that network will be instal __PUNCT__ maintain and upgrad by union_worker __PUNCT__

i stood with the theatric and stage employe union to invest state_fund to train new technician to work on more than __MONEY___billion billion_dollar in film and televis product over the last four year __PUNCT__

that union ha grown from __NUM__ regist member to over __NUM__ and those product ar proudli stamp made in the usa with a union label __PUNCT__

i stood with the new mexico build and trade __PUNCT__

when we financ the __MONEY___million construct for a new state hospit __PUNCT__ we negoti the first public_work project labor agreement in new mexico histori __PUNCT__

that __NUM__ __PUNCT__ union project is on __PUNCT__ time and on __PUNCT__ budget __PUNCT__

and in my state __PUNCT__ i made the prevail wage a union wage __PUNCT__

i also work with the build and trade depart to creat the toughest independ_contractor law in the countri __PUNCT__

in new mexico __PUNCT__ we requir independ contractor to be licens as a busi __PUNCT__ have a written contract and control the work __PUNCT__

break the law __PUNCT__ and you face a fine or spend some time in jail __PUNCT__ a __NUM__ __PUNCT__ union __PUNCT__ built jail __PUNCT__

and i stood with worker when i wa presid_clinton secretari of energi __PUNCT__

when i start __PUNCT__ there wa a disturb number of staff __PUNCT__ craftsmen __PUNCT__ and mani of your member who were sick or dy __PUNCT__ i call them the __PUNCT__ silent cold warrior __PUNCT__

these brave men and women had serv for decad support the critic research and test to guarante america nuclear defens __PUNCT__

but __PUNCT__ everyon wa focus on what went into the air and water __PUNCT__ not what wa go into the bodi of our worker __PUNCT__

first __PUNCT__ i did what should have been done long_ago __PUNCT__ i apolog for the feder_govern govern_failur to protect these worker __PUNCT__

second __PUNCT__ i work with congress and presid_clinton to put togeth a nuclear worker compens packag __PUNCT__ __MONEY__ dollar per worker and payment of all medic expens __PUNCT__

i proud to sai __PUNCT__ to __PUNCT__ date __PUNCT__ it ha dispens more than __MONEY___billion to worker or their survivor __PUNCT__ try to right a terribl wrong __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ in new mexico __PUNCT__ labor sit at the head of the tabl __PUNCT__

no i sit at the head of the tabl but we have union repres on everi commiss affect your membership __PUNCT__ in my cabinet __PUNCT__ all the wai up to deputi_chief of staff and former head of the new mexico build trade __PUNCT__ brian condit __PUNCT__

over the year __PUNCT__ union and i have seen ey __PUNCT__ to __PUNCT__ ey a lot __PUNCT__

as governor i been proud to receiv the endors of everi state labor_union __PUNCT__ the support of labor as secretari of energi __PUNCT__ and in my __NUM___year in congress i receiv an __NUM__ __PUNCT__ rate from the afl __PUNCT__ cio __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ and for the __NUM__ __PUNCT__ who disagre with me __PUNCT__ i also have been endors by the nra __PUNCT__ and thei would like to have a word with you __PUNCT__

just kid __PUNCT__ i want to underscor an import_point __PUNCT__

in __NUM__ union household turn out __NUM__ __PUNCT__ of the vote __PUNCT__ the entir nation_vote __PUNCT__ and governor clinton becam the first democrat_presid in a dozen year __PUNCT__

in __NUM__ union turn out __NUM__ __PUNCT__ of the vote __PUNCT__ and al_gore won __PUNCT__

in __NUM__ union turn out in forc and todai __PUNCT__ we have a democrat_congress __PUNCT__

you alwai done your part in help democrat __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ heck __PUNCT__ you do more than your part __PUNCT__

it now time democrat did our __PUNCT__

labor ha a seat at my cabinet tabl and a voic in my administr in new mexico __PUNCT__

when i presid __PUNCT__ my secretari of labor will be from the rank of organ_labor __PUNCT__

you will sit at my cabinet tabl and you will be the voic of labor __PUNCT__ in my administr __PUNCT__

second __PUNCT__ democrat need to work to creat new job __PUNCT__ clean_energi job __PUNCT__

let me tell you about those __NUM__ __PUNCT__ thousand new job in new mexico __PUNCT__

we build biodiesel and ethanol plant __PUNCT__ electr automot and solar manufactur site __PUNCT__ and provid new incent to construct clean_coal coal_plant __PUNCT__

we reduc our depend on foreign_oil __PUNCT__ beat global_warm and creat thousand of high __PUNCT__ wage_job __PUNCT__

we becom the clean_energi state __PUNCT__

i want to make us the clean energi nation __PUNCT__ and be america first __PUNCT__ energi presid __PUNCT__

now __PUNCT__ anoth presid __PUNCT__ bill_clinton us to send me in to negoti the freedom of american hostag and polit_prison __PUNCT__

he sai __PUNCT__ send richardson __PUNCT__ bad_gui seem to like him __PUNCT__

and that how i end up negoti face __PUNCT__ to __PUNCT__ face with peopl like saddam_hussein __PUNCT__ fidel_castro __PUNCT__ and the north_korean __PUNCT__

and everi time __PUNCT__ i brought american home __PUNCT__

i think we need the same_sort of strong and focus diplomaci __PUNCT__ with friend and foe alik __PUNCT__ in order to adapt our foreign_polici to the global natur of energi __PUNCT__ the global catastroph of global_warm __PUNCT__ and the disast in iraq __PUNCT__

we have to undo the damag __PUNCT__ and the world is wait __PUNCT__

but __PUNCT__ if thi presid foreign_polici inexperi got us into thi war __PUNCT__ then it go to take someon with real hand __PUNCT__ on intern experi to lead us out __PUNCT__

in the next nine month __PUNCT__ i hope you will ask each candid lot of question __PUNCT__

listen to what promis we make __PUNCT__ but ask us what promis we kept __PUNCT__

listen to how we will unifi our parti __PUNCT__ but ask us how we can unifi the countri __PUNCT__

listen to how we will withdraw from iraq __PUNCT__ but ask us how we will negoti the peac __PUNCT__

choos a candid who got the vision and experi __PUNCT__ to win the presid __PUNCT__ to unifi our countri __PUNCT__ and to renew our leadership in the world __PUNCT__

i believ i offer that vision and experi __PUNCT__

i ask you to join me __PUNCT__

let end the divis and bring our countri togeth __PUNCT__

let start fight for thing that matter __PUNCT__ access to health_care __PUNCT__ qualiti_educ __PUNCT__ better job __PUNCT__ and creat a clean_energi energi_economi __PUNCT__

let rebuild america middl_class by support everi worker right to organ __PUNCT__

and becaus stubborn isn't a foreign_polici __PUNCT__ let never be afraid to talk with our foe __PUNCT__

and let have the courag to end thi war in iraq and renew america diplomaci and reput in the world __PUNCT__

thank you __PUNCT__

god_bless you __PUNCT__ and god bless the unit_state of america __PUNCT__