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2008Page1MichelleObamaDemocraticNationalConventionAddressDelivered25August2008,INVESCOFieldatMileHighStadium,Denver,ColoradoAUTHENTICITYCERTIFIED:TextversionbelowtranscribeddirectlyfromaudioAsyoumightimagine,forBarack,runningforPresidentisnothingcomparedtothatfirstgameofbasketballwithmybrotherCraig.
Ican'ttellyouhowmuchitmeanstohaveCraigandmymomheretonight.
LikeCraig,Icanfeelmydadlookingdownonus,justasI'vefelthispresenceineverygracefilledmomentofmylife.
Andatsixfootsix,I'veoftenfeltlikeCraigwaslookingdownonme,tooliterally.
Butthetruthis,bothwhenwewerekidsandtoday,Craigwasn'tlookingdownonmehewaswatchingoverme.
Andhehasbeenthereformeeverystepofthewaysincethatclearday,February,19monthsago,when,withlittlemorethanourfaithineachotherandahungerforchange,wejoinedmyhusband,BarackObama,ontheimprobablejourneythathasledustothismoment.
Buteachofuscomesherealsobywayofourownimprobablejourney.
Icomeheretonightasasister,blessedwithabrotherwhoismymentor,myprotector,andmylifelongfriend.
AndIcomehereasawifewholovesmyhusbandandbelieveshewillbeanextraordinaryPresident.
AndIcomehereasamomwhosegirlsaretheheartofmyheartandthecenterofmyworld.
They'rethefirstthingsIthinkaboutwhenIwakeupinthemorningandthelastthingIthinkaboutbeforeIgotobedatnight.
Theirfutureandallourchildren'sfutureismystakeinthiselection.
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2008Page2AndIcomehereasadaughter,raisedontheSouthSideofChicagobyafatherwhowasabluecollarcityworkerandamotherwhostayedathomewithmybrotherandme.
Mymother'slovehasalwaysbeenasustainingforceforourfamily,andoneofmygreatestjoysisseeingherintegrity,hercompassion,herintelligencereflectedinmydaughters.
Mydadwasourrock.
Andalthoughhewasdiagnosedwithmultiplesclerosisinhisearly30s,hewasourprovider.
Hewasourchampion,ourhero.
Butashegotsicker,itgotharderforhimtowalk,tookhimlongertogetdressedinthemorning,youknow.
Butifhewasinpain,heneverleton.
Heneverstoppedsmilingandlaughing,evenwhilestrugglingtobuttonhisshirt,evenwhileusingtwocanestogethimselfacrosstheroomtogivemymomakiss.
Hejustwokeupalittleearlierandheworkedalittleharder.
HeandmymompouredeverythingtheyhadintomeandCraig.
Itwasthegreatestgiftachildcouldreceive,neverdoubtingforasingleminutethatyou'relovedandcherishedandhaveaplaceinthisworld.
Andthankstotheirfaithandtheirhardwork,webothwereabletogotocollege.
SoIknowfirsthand,fromtheirlivesandmine,thattheAmericanDreamendures.
Andyouknow,whatstruckmewhenIfirstmetBarackwasthateventhoughhehadthisfunnyname,andeventhoughhehadgrownupallthewayacrossthecontinentinHawaii,hisfamilywassomuchlikemine.
Hewasraisedbygrandparentswhowereworkingclassfolksjustlikemyparents,andbyasinglemotherwhostruggledtopaythebillsjustlikewedid.
Andlikemyfamily,theyscrimpedandsavedsothathecouldhaveopportunitiesthattheyneverhadforthemselves.
AndBarackandIwereraisedwithsomanyofthesamevalues,likeyouworkhardforwhatyouwantinlifethatyourwordisyourbondthatyoudowhatyousayyou'regoingtodothatyoutreatpeoplewithdignityandrespect,evenifyoudon'tknowthemandevenifyoudon'tagreewiththem.
AndBarackandIsetouttobuildlivesguidedbythesevaluesandtopassthemontothenextgeneration,becausewewantourchildrenandallchildreninthisnationtoknowthattheonlylimittotheheightofyourachievementsisthereachofyourdreamsandyourwillingnesstoworkhardforthem.
AndasourfriendshipgrewandIlearnedmoreaboutBarack,heintroducedmetotheworkthathe'ddonewhenhefirstmovedtoChicagoaftercollege.
Yousee,insteadofheadingtoWallStreet,Barackwenttoworkinneighborhoodsthathadbeendevastatedbytheclosingofsteelplants.
Jobsdriedup.
AndBarackwasinvitedbacktospeaktopeoplefromthoseneighborhoodsabouthowtorebuildtheircommunity.
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2008Page3Andthepeoplegatheredtheretogetherthatdaywereordinaryfolksdoingthebesttheycouldtobuildagoodlife.
See,theywereparentstryingtogetbyfrompaychecktopaycheckgrandparentstryingtogetittogetheronafixedincomemenfrustratedthattheycouldn'tsupporttheirfamiliesafterjobshaddisappeared.
Yousee,thosefolksweren'taskingforahandoutorashortcut.
See,theywerereadytowork.
Theywantedtocontribute.
Theybelieved,likeyouandIbelieve,thatAmericashouldbeaplacewhereyoucanmakeitifyoutry.
AndBarackstoodupthatday,andhespokewordsthathavestayedwithmeeversince.
Hetalkedabouttheworldasitisandtheworldasitshouldbe.
Andhesaidthatalltoooftenweacceptthedistancebetweenthetwo,andwesettlefortheworldasitis,evenwhenitdoesn'treflectourvaluesandaspirations.
Butheremindedusthatwealsoknowwhattheworldshouldlooklike.
Hesaidweknowwhatfairnessandjusticeandopportunitylooklike,andheurgedustobelieveinourselves,tofindthestrengthwithinourselvestostrivefortheworldasitshouldbe.
Andisn'tthatthegreatAmericanstoryIt'sthestoryofmenandwomengatheredinchurchesandunionhalls,inhighschoolgyms,andpeoplewhostoodupandmarchedandriskedeverythingtheyhad,refusingtosettle,determinedtomoldourfutureintotheshapeofourideals.
Andit'sbecauseoftheirwillanddeterminationthatthisweekwecelebratetwoanniversaries:the88thanniversaryofwomenwinningtherighttovoteandthe45thanniversaryofthathotsummerdaywhenDr.
Kingliftedoursightsandourheartswithhisdreamforournation.
AndIstandheretodayatthecrosscurrentsofthathistory,knowingthatmypieceoftheAmericandreamisablessinghardwonbythosewhocamebeforeme,allofthemdrivenbythesameconvictionthatdrovemydadtogetupanhourearlyeachdaytopainstakinglydresshimselfforwork,thesameconvictionthatdrivesthemenandwomenI'vemetallacrossthiscountry:Peoplewhoworkthedayshift,thenkisstheirkidsgoodnightandheadoutforthenightshiftwithoutdisappointment,withoutregret.
See,thatgoodnightkissisareminderofeverythingthey'reworkingfor.
Themilitaryfamilieswhosaygraceeachnightwithanemptyseatatthetable.
Theservicemenandwomenwholovethiscountrysomuch,theyleavethosetheylovemosttodefendit.
TheyoungpeopleacrossAmericaservingourcommunities,teachingchildren,cleaningupneighborhoods,caringfortheleastamongus,eachandeveryday.
PeoplelikeHillaryClintonwhoputthose18millioncracksinthatglassceilingsothatourdaughtersandoursonscandreamalittlebiggerandaimalittlehigher.
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2008Page4PeoplelikeJoeBidenwhohasneverforgottenwherehecamefromandneverstoppedfightingforfolkswhoworklonghoursandfacelongoddsandneedsomeoneontheirsideagain.
Allofusdrivenbythesimplebeliefthattheworldasitisjustwon'tdothatwehaveanobligationtofightfortheworldasitshouldbe.
Andthatisthethreadthatconnectsourhearts.
ThatisthethreadthatrunsthroughmyjourneyandBarack'sjourneyandsomanyotherimprobablejourneysthathavebroughtusheretonight,wherethecurrentofhistorymeetsthisnewtideofhope.
Andyousee,thatiswhyIlovethiscountry.
Andinmyownlife,inmyownsmallway,Ihavetriedtogivebacktothiscountrythathasgivenmesomuch.
See,that'swhyIleftajobatabiglawfirmforacareerinpublicservice,workingtoempoweryoungpeopletovolunteerintheircommunities,becauseIbelievethateachofusnomatterwhatourageorbackgroundorourwalkinlifeeachofushassomethingtocontributetothelifeofthisnation.
Andit'sabeliefBarackshares,abeliefattheheartofhislife'swork.
See,it'swhathedidallthoseyearsagoinChicago,settingupjobtrainingtogetpeoplebacktoworkandafterschoolprogramstokeepkidssafeworkingblockbyblocktohelppeopleliftuptheirfamilies.
It'swhathedidintheIllinoisSenate,movingpeoplefromwelfaretojobs,passingtaxcutsforhardworkingfamilies,andmakingsurewomengetequalpayforequalwork.
It'swhathe'sdoneintheUnitedStatesSenate,fightingtoensurethatthemenandwomenwhoservethiscountryarewelcomedhomenotjustwithmedalsandparades,butwithgoodjobsandbenefitsandhealthcare,includingmentalhealthcare.
See,that'swhyBarack'srunning:toendthewarinIraqresponsiblytobuildaneconomythatliftseveryfamilytomakesurehealthcareisavailableforeveryAmericanandtomakesurethateverysinglechildinthisnationhasaworldclasseducationallthewayfrompreschooltocollege.
That'swhatBarackObamawilldoasPresidentoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica.
He'llachievethesegoalsthesamewayhealwayshas:bybringingustogetherandremindingushowmuchweshareandhowalikewereallyare.
Yousee,Barackdoesn'tcarewhereyou'refromorwhatyourbackgroundisorwhatparty,ifany,youbelongto.
See,that'sjustnothowheseestheworld.
Heknowsthatthreadthatconnectsus:ourbeliefinAmerica'spromise,ourcommitmenttoourchildren'sfutureheknowsthatthatthreadisstrongenoughtoholdustogetherasonenationevenwhenwedisagree.
ItwasstrongenoughtobringhopetothoseneighborhoodsinChicago.
ItwasstrongenoughtobringhopetothemotherhemetwhowasworriedaboutherchildinIraqhopetothemanwho'sunemployedandcan'taffordgastofindajobhopetothestudentworkingnightstopayforhersister'shealthcare,sleepingjustafewhoursaday.
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2008Page5AnditwasstrongenoughtobringhopetopeoplewhocameoutonacoldIowanightandbecamethefirstvoicesinthischorusforchangethathasbeenechoedbymillionsofAmericansfromeverycornerofthisnationmillionsofAmericanswhoknowthatBarackunderstandstheirdreamsmillionsofAmericanswhoknowthatBarackwillfightforpeoplelikethemandthatBarackwillbringfinallythechangethatweneed.
Andintheend,afterallthat'shappenedthesepast19months,see,theBarackObamaIknowtodayisthesamemanIfellinlovewith19yearsago.
He'sthesamemanwhodrovemeandournewbabydaughterhomefromthehospital10yearsagothissummer,inchingalongatasnail'space,peeringatusanxiouslythroughtherearviewmirror,feelingthewholeweightofherfutureinhishands,determinedtogivehereverythinghe'dstruggledsohardforhimself,determinedtogivehersomethingheneverhad:theaffirmingembraceofafather'slove.
AndasItuckthatlittlegirlandherlittlesisterintobedatnight,yousee,Ithinkabouthowoneday,they'llhavefamiliesoftheirownandhowoneday,theyandyoursonsanddaughterswilltelltheirownchildrenaboutwhatwedidtogetherinthiselection.
They'lltellthemhowthistime,welistenedtoourhopesinsteadofourfearshowthistime,wedecidedtostopdoubtingandtostartdreaminghowthistime,inthisgreatcountrywhereagirlfromtheSouthSideofChicagocangotocollegeandlawschool,andthesonofasinglemotherfromHawaiicangoallthewaytotheWhiteHousethatwecommittedourselvestobuildingtheworldasitshouldbe.
Sotonight,inhonorofmyfather'smemoryandmydaughters'future,outofgratitudeforthosewhosetriumphswemarkthisweekandthosewhoseeverydaysacrificeshavebroughtustothismoment,letusdevoteourselvestofinishingtheirworkletusworktogethertofulfilltheirhopesandlet'sstandtogethertoelectBarackObamaPresidentoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica.