Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton addresses supporters in Ohio.
"This is your campaign and your moment, and I need your support. For more than a year, I’ve been listening to the voices of people across our country, you know, the single mom who told me she works two jobs, neither provides health care for her kids. She just can’t work any harder.
The little girl who asked how I’d help people without homes? It turns out her family was about to lose their own. The young man in a Marine Corps shirt who said he waited months for medical care, he said to me, “Take care of my buddies. A lot of them are still over there. And then will you please help take care of me?”
Americans don’t need more promises. They’ve heard plenty of speeches. They deserve solutions, and they deserve them now. America needs a president who’s ready to lead, ready to stand up for what’s right even when it’s hard. And after seven long years of George W. Bush we sure are ready for a president who will be a fighter, a doer, and a champion for the American people again.
Oh, I think we’re ready for health care, not just for some people or most people, but for every American. I think we’re ready for an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top, but every single hard-working American who deserves a shot at the American dream. I think we’re ready to declare energy independence and create millions of green-collar jobs.
We’re ready to reach out to our allies and confront our shared challenges. We’re ready to end the war in Iraq and win the war in Afghanistan. And we’re past ready to serve our veterans with the same devotion that they served us.
You know, protecting America is the first and most urgent duty of the president. When there’s a crisis and that phone rings at 3 a.m. in the White House, there’s no time for speeches or on-the-job training. You have to be ready to make a decision.
I congratulate Senator McCain on winning his party’s nomination, and I look forward to a spirited and substantive debate with him."
