In his speech Senator Kerry said this:
We have it in our power to change the world. But only if we're true to our ideals - and that starts by telling the truth to the American people. As president, that is my first pledge to you tonight. As president, I will restore trust and credibility to the White House.
That would be damned refreshing, after nearly four years of secrecy and lies.
And he said this:
For four years we've heard a lot of talk about values. But values spoken without actions taken are just slogans. Values are not just words. Values are what we live by. They're about the causes that we champion and the people that we fight for. And it's time for those who talk about family values to start valuing families.You don't value families by kicking kids out of after-school programs and taking cops off the streets so that Enron can get another tax break.
We believe in the family value of caring for our children and protecting the neighborhoods where they walk and they play.
And that is the choice in this election.
You don't value families by denying real prescription-drug coverage to seniors so big drug companies can get another windfall profit.
We believe in the family value expressed in one of the oldest commandments: "Honor thy father and thy mother." As president, I will not privatize Social Security. I will not cut benefits. And together we will make sure that senior citizens never have to cut their pills in half because they can't afford life-saving medicine.
And that is the choice in this election.
You don't value families if you force them to take up a collection to buy body armor for a son or daughter in the service, if you deny veterans health care or if you tell middle-class families to wait for a tax cut so the wealthiest among us can get even more.
We believe in the value of doing what's right for everyone in the American family.
And that is the choice in this election.
I thought it was a very good speech.
The NYT has put up a useful page of links to the texts of most of the major speeches at the Convention, including Senator Kerry's.
Posted by Linkmeister at July 30, 2004 12:01 AM