Fred Thompson

my friend __PUNCT__ i come to you todai to tell you that i intend to run for presid __PUNCT__

i feel deepli that i am do it for the right reason __PUNCT__

i love my countri and i am concern about it futur __PUNCT__

just within the next few year __PUNCT__ some veri seriou challeng ar move toward us that will present a difficult and danger time in the life of our nation __PUNCT__

there ar grave issu affect the safeti and secur of the american_peopl and our econom well be __PUNCT__

i go to do my level best in thi campaign to address these problem __PUNCT__

i go to give thi campaign all that i have to give __PUNCT__ and i hope that you will join me __PUNCT__

my stori is an american stori __PUNCT__ like on of mani our countri ha produc __PUNCT__ where a small_town kid of modest mean and modest goal grow up to realiz that he ha been a veri lucki person __PUNCT__

lucki to have been born in america __PUNCT__ lucki to have had the parent i had and lucki to have had a few peopl in my life who sometim saw more in me than i saw in myself __PUNCT__

i have seen my countri from a lot of differ vantag_point __PUNCT__

i wa a teenag husband and had three wonder children earli __PUNCT__

i have work for minimum_wage __PUNCT__ for salari more than i ever thought i would make __PUNCT__ and for everyth in between __PUNCT__

i have had dinner on the factori floor __PUNCT__ while work the graveyard shift __PUNCT__ and i have dine with world_leader in foreign_capit __PUNCT__

as a lawyer __PUNCT__ i have been a feder_prosecutor and a counsel for the waterg committe __PUNCT__

in privat practic a courag woman and the juri_trial that we had against a corrupt state administr result in a movi __PUNCT__

i wa ask to plai myself __PUNCT__ which start a most unlik part_time film career __PUNCT__

then a senat_seat open up in tennesse __PUNCT__

for me it repres an opportun for public_servic __PUNCT__ not for a new career as a politician __PUNCT__

so i set asid my law practic and the movi __PUNCT__ place term_limit on myself __PUNCT__ and won two elect by __NUM___point margin in a state that presid_clinton carri twice __PUNCT__

in __NUM__ when i first ran __PUNCT__ i advoc the same common_sens conserv_posit that i hold todai __PUNCT__

thei ar base upon what i believ to be sound conserv first principl __PUNCT__ reflect the natur of man and the wisdom of the ag __PUNCT__

thei ar base upon the convict that our declar of independ and our constitut ar not outdat document that have outliv their us __PUNCT__

it is a recognit that our basic right come from god and not from govern __PUNCT__

that govern should have it power divid __PUNCT__ not onli at the feder_level but between the feder_govern and the state __PUNCT__

feder is the belief that not everi problem should have a feder solut __PUNCT__

essenti it about freedom __PUNCT__

a govern that is big enough to do everyth for us is power enough to do anyth to us __PUNCT__

these principl lead me to believ in lower_tax __PUNCT__ which foster growth and leav more power in the hand of the peopl __PUNCT__

thei also respect free_market __PUNCT__ privat_properti __PUNCT__ and fair competit __PUNCT__

thei honor the sanctiti of life __PUNCT__ the great truth everi life matter __PUNCT__ and no person is beneath the protect of the law __PUNCT__

these principl made our countri great and we should reded ourselv to them __PUNCT__ not abandon them __PUNCT__

now to my republican friend __PUNCT__ i point out that in __NUM__ we were down after a clinton victori __PUNCT__

in __NUM__ our conserv_principl led us to a comeback and major control of the congress __PUNCT__

now you don't want to have to come back from anoth clinton victori __PUNCT__

our countri need us to win next year __PUNCT__ and i am readi to lead that effort __PUNCT__

when i went to the senat __PUNCT__ i want to help accomplish certain thing that i thought were necessari and achiev __PUNCT__

i want to balanc the budget __PUNCT__ cut_tax __PUNCT__ reform_welfar __PUNCT__ requir congress to live under the law that thei had impos on other and i want to begin modern of our militari __PUNCT__

we were abl to get those thing done __PUNCT__

i also took a leadership_role in the passag of the homeland_secur bill __PUNCT__ and block export control legisl that would have allow the sale of our sensit technolog to unreli countri __PUNCT__

as chairman of the government affair committe __PUNCT__ i led an investig and held hear on the failur and shortcom of our govern __PUNCT__

thi result in a two volum work that i publish in __NUM__ entitl __PUNCT__ govern at the brink __PUNCT__ and still avail on the internet __PUNCT__

it outlin these defici and made recommend to cut wast and save billion __PUNCT__

now these problem have onli grown wors sinc that time __PUNCT__

i serv on the intellig committe and saw close up the import of improv our intellig capabl in our fight against terror and got a good_sens of other troubl over the horizon __PUNCT__

in __NUM__ i announc that i would not run for re __PUNCT__ elect and i re __PUNCT__ enter privat_life __PUNCT__

while my televis work on __PUNCT__ law __PUNCT__ order __PUNCT__ got more attent __PUNCT__ i stai involv in nation_secur secur_issu includ servic as chairman of the intern_secur advisori_board at the state_depart __PUNCT__

on of the most reward experi i had wa when presid_bush ask me to assist now chief_justic justic_john john_robert through the senat confirm process __PUNCT__

it is veri import that the next presid appoint feder_judg who interpret the constitut __PUNCT__ not try to make it fit their own person or polit_view __PUNCT__

i have seen both kind of judg __PUNCT__ and i know the differ __PUNCT__

a gui can do a lot of thing and travel the world but find that the most import_thing in life occur under hi own roof __PUNCT__

i marri a wonder ladi dure my last year in the senat and the follow year we found out that we were go to be parent __PUNCT__

i knew from the moment i heard the new that we had been bless __PUNCT__

how true it wa __PUNCT__

our littl girl __PUNCT__ hayden __PUNCT__ who will tell you she is three and three __PUNCT__ quarter year old __PUNCT__ now ha a littl brother __PUNCT__

hi name is sammi and he is __NUM___month old __PUNCT__

earlier thi year when i thought about whether i should enter thi race __PUNCT__ i kept come back to __NUM__ question __PUNCT__

first __PUNCT__ what kind of countri ar our children and grandchildren go to grow up in and second __PUNCT__ how mani peopl have the opportun to do someth about it __PUNCT__ that lead me here and why i talk to you todai __PUNCT__

on the next presid watch __PUNCT__ our countri will be make_decis that will affect our live and our famili far into the futur __PUNCT__

we cannot allow ourselv to becom a weaker __PUNCT__ less prosper and more divid nation __PUNCT__

todai as in past_gener __PUNCT__ the fate of million across the world depend on the uniti and resolv of the american_peopl __PUNCT__

the specter of weapon of mass_destruct in the hand of our worst enemi continu to grow __PUNCT__ and still we have yet to realli come to term with the natur and extent of the threat we ar face from radic_islam islam_terror __PUNCT__

these extremist look at thi war as a long struggl that ha been go on for centuri __PUNCT__ thei ar will to take as long as necessari to bring the unit_state and our alli to our knee __PUNCT__ while kill hundr of thousand of innoc_peopl __PUNCT__ if possibl __PUNCT__

iraq and afghanistan ar current front in thi war and the world watch as our will is test __PUNCT__

our courag as a peopl must match that of the brave men and women in uniform fight for us __PUNCT__

we must do everyth in our power to achiev success and make sure that thei and their famili __PUNCT__ sacrific ar not made in vain __PUNCT__

thei know that if we abandon our effort or appear weak and divid __PUNCT__ we will pai a heavi price for it in the futur __PUNCT__

some of our leader in congress need to understand thi as well __PUNCT__

in thi broader war with thi differ kind of enemi __PUNCT__ our success cannot alwai be measur by battlefield victori __PUNCT__

success will depend upon the determin of the american_peopl and that why we win __PUNCT__

there is a courag that come in uniti __PUNCT__

now is the time to show that america unit can overcom ani danger __PUNCT__ and america unit can complet ani mission __PUNCT__

befor the end of my senat servic __PUNCT__ in the year after 9/11 __PUNCT__ i saw the congress of the unit_state at it best __PUNCT__ alert to danger and focus on duti __PUNCT__

we need to recov that clariti and convict in matter of nation_secur __PUNCT__

the threat of catastroph violenc in america is real and the terrorist aren't go awai of their own accord __PUNCT__

we must deploi everi resourc includ diplomaci __PUNCT__ intellig __PUNCT__ and econom_power to defend thi nation and our nation_interest __PUNCT__

if i am command in chief __PUNCT__ thi countri will never be left to the merci of terror regim or terror state __PUNCT__

we have challeng on the home front as well __PUNCT__

befor long we will have spent the social_secur surplu and will see the __PUNCT__ babi_boomer __PUNCT__ begin to retir __PUNCT__

on our present cours __PUNCT__ deficit financ will saddl futur_gener with enorm tax __PUNCT__ jeopard our economi and endang our retir program __PUNCT__

the govern_account_offic __PUNCT__ the comptrol of the unit_state __PUNCT__ and conserv and liber economist alik __PUNCT__ tell us that thi path is econom unsustain __PUNCT__

bipartisan leadership must address thi issu as part of a nation convers __PUNCT__ rememb that those yet to be born also have a seat at the tabl __PUNCT__

after all __PUNCT__ it their monei that we ar spend __PUNCT__ and it is econom_secur that in the balanc __PUNCT__

other import_issu issu_face our countri __PUNCT__

our depend upon foreign_oil __PUNCT__ especi from troubl spot in the middl_east and elsewher __PUNCT__ endang our nation_secur as well as our economi __PUNCT__

for __NUM___year nearli everi recess ha been associ with a spike in oil_price __PUNCT__

what we need is anoth spike in american creativ and innov __PUNCT__

over the past sever year we have had revolut in our commun __PUNCT__ scienc __PUNCT__ and medic field __PUNCT__

we need to reviv that same american know __PUNCT__ how for our energi_secur __PUNCT__ along with a willing to avail ourselv of the energi_sourc we alreadi have right here at home __PUNCT__

in educ __PUNCT__ school continu to fail our children and endang america_futur competit __PUNCT__

increas amount of feder_fund and govern_mandat have not result in real improv __PUNCT__

the feder_govern can assist state and local through grant with fewer string and less bureaucraci but should not take school out of the hand of parent and local_offici __PUNCT__

we should encourag the right of parent to choos the school and what best for their child educ __PUNCT__

rise health_care_cost ar anoth major_problem __PUNCT__

we have the best health_care in the world but we ar pai more than we should for it __PUNCT__

we have a massiv bureaucraci in both the privat and public_health health_care sector that control_cost by dictat what servic we ar allow to get and when __PUNCT__

someon ha to decid what cost ar worth the monei __PUNCT__

it can be the govern __PUNCT__ the insur_compani or it can be you __PUNCT__

i think it is best if you __PUNCT__ yourself decid what is best for you and your famili __PUNCT__ with insur that doesn't have to depend on your employ __PUNCT__ coverag that you can take with you if you chang job __PUNCT__ insur that you mai purchas from anywher in the nation for the best valu __PUNCT__

thi would be market driven and would make health_insur afford for more american __PUNCT__

when we look to washington __PUNCT__ we see a bureaucrat govern that is increasingli unabl or unwil to carri out basic government function __PUNCT__ includ the fundament respons of secur our border against illeg_immigr and enforc our law __PUNCT__

a nation that can't protect it border will no longer be a sovereign_nation __PUNCT__

we see a congress more politic and divid than ever and disconnect from the american_peopl __PUNCT__

is thi the govern that some would have plai an even greater role in run our live __PUNCT__ we must do better __PUNCT__

i know that reform is possibl in washington becaus i have seen it done __PUNCT__

i do not accept it as a fact of life beyond our power to chang that the feder_govern must go on expand more __PUNCT__ tax more __PUNCT__ and spend more forev __PUNCT__

we __PUNCT__ the american_peopl __PUNCT__ must assert ourselv __PUNCT__

in time of stress and peril in thi countri histori __PUNCT__ includ world_war __PUNCT__ a great_depress __PUNCT__ assassin and attack __PUNCT__ other gener have put their differ asid __PUNCT__ rememb their common belief and overcam great obstacl __PUNCT__

and we have come out stronger and wiser for it __PUNCT__

now it our turn __PUNCT__

no on person __PUNCT__ includ the presid __PUNCT__ ha the abil or wisdom to singlehandedli solv these problem __PUNCT__

nor doe on parti __PUNCT__

but togeth the american_peopl do __PUNCT__

these problem will be dealt with when our leader come togeth __PUNCT__ as adult __PUNCT__ and honestli seek solut that extend past the next elect_cycl __PUNCT__

that will happen when __PUNCT__ and onli when __PUNCT__ the american_peopl peopl_demand it __PUNCT__

you can do that at the ballot_box and no elect is more import than the on for presid __PUNCT__

it demand a leader who understand thi countri __PUNCT__ our peopl and what america prioriti ought to be __PUNCT__

recent __PUNCT__ i talk to a young marin at walter reed hospit __PUNCT__

he had lost both leg in iraq but wa look to the futur __PUNCT__

i ask him what he plan to do __PUNCT__ he said he want to work with a nonprofit_organ that wa do a lot to help peopl __PUNCT__

then he look at me and said __PUNCT__ i just thought it wa time i gave someth back __PUNCT__

that young_man __PUNCT__ who ha given so much for america and yet still ask to give more __PUNCT__ is typic of the men and women of the unit_state arm_forc __PUNCT__

our countri ha shed more blood for the freedom of other peopl than all the other countri in the world combin __PUNCT__

we ar steep in the tradit of honor and sacrific for the greater_good __PUNCT__

we ar proud of thi heritag __PUNCT__

i believ that american ar onc again readi to achiev thi greater good __PUNCT__ which is noth less than the secur __PUNCT__ prosper __PUNCT__ and uniti of our countri __PUNCT__

that the belief that thi campaign is base upon __PUNCT__

i appreci your support of thi caus and ani contribut you abl to give __PUNCT__

i try to make you proud that you did it __PUNCT__

thank you and mai god_bless all of us __PUNCT__