SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON: Our next candidate [cheers] well you've already figured it out huh?  In 1971 John Kerry came back from Vietnam a 24-year old decorated war hero.  He challenged a government that had lost faith with its soldiers.  At that time he asked a question that caught the attention of the nation and that is as true today as it was then.  Where are our leaders?

Well the answer to that question is found with the person who asked it.  He has spent a lifetime fighting for public education reform, children's issues, to strengthen the economy, to create jobs, to protect the environment, to enhance our preparedness, and to safeguard our national security.  John Kerry did these things because he loves his country and he knows that every patriot's duty is to ask tough questions and to lead.  He challenges our nation to the highest calling of citizenship--service, hard work and dedication to the bedrock values that have made our country what it is today and will make it stronger tomorrow here and abroad.  It is my great pleasure to introduce a veteran, a Senator, a reformer--John Kerry.

[Music].

SEN. KERRY: Thank you very much.  Iowa Democrats, Iowa Democrats, thank you.  Iowa Democrats, thank you.  Iowa Democrats, tonight we make it real.  George Bush, George Bush thought he could play dress up on an aircraft carrier, and stand up, and stand up in front of a sign that said "Mission Accomplished."

And he thought we wouldn't notice that the troops are dying every day.  He thought we wouldn't notice that on family farms and in factories millions of Americans are hurting every day.  He thought we wouldn't notice that two jobs are lost every minute.  He thought we wouldn't notice that he adds $1 billion to the deficit each day.  Well we did notice and we've come here tonight to say that we reject George Bush's cynicism and the radical direction he's leading this country.  We, my friends in Iowa, my friends in Iowa tonight marks the beginning of the end of the Bush presidency.

We, you want to talk, you want to talk about Mission Accomplished, you want to talk about Mission Accomplished?  Then just measure the numbers of lobbyists that are writing the laws in the White House, measure the tax cut to the wealthiest people in America, measure George Bush coddling up to big oil and you can see that the only mission accomplished is giving in to the special interests in this country.  We know there's a better way to go.  The measure of our--the measure of what we should be doing is jobs, health care, children, education, and there George Bush doesn't even come up with Mission Not Accomplished, it's Mission Abandoned, it's Mission Never Begun.

My friends on every single issue, on every single issue, George W. Bush has give America a raw deal and everyone in this room knows it.  The day after Veteran--on Veteran's Day he goes to Arlington Cemetery and he lays a wreathe, but the very next day they try to push a million veterans out of the VA even after cutting the VA benefits.  There are veterans in this room and those veterans understand the truth.  What has George Bush given the veterans in this country?  A raw deal.

George Bush opens fire houses in Baghdad, but he allows them to shut in the United States.  There are fire fighters in this room and they know the truth.  What has George Bush given to the first defenders in our country?  A raw deal.

There are farmers.  He'll give a break to hog lot owners, and he'll give the shaft to the small farmers.  There are farmers all over Iowa, farmers in this room.  And every one of them knows the truth.  What has George Bush given to family farmers in America?  A raw deal.

And teachers.  He's cut, he's cut taxes for the wealthiest people in America and he turns around and watches while schools are cut.  He makes a mockery of no child left behind.  And teachers are struggling to try to do what they gave their lives to do to raise our children and they know the truth.  What has George Bush given to the children of America?  A raw deal.

My friends the motto of this administration should be no special interest left behind.  And I think it's time--I believe, I believe that it's time for us to start a new kind of deal with Americans, a real deal where we stand up and fight for working people, where we make the workplace of America fair again, where we make our economy an economy that's based on people and products, not on perks and on privileges. We need to make that happen.

And we are at war today.  We are at war.  And the world is looking to us for leadership.

I'm running for president of the United States because George Bush has shown that he does not have the experience to be commander in chief, shown that he has no plan for peace in Iraq, shown that he has lost our allies and our friends around the world, overextended the armed forces of the United States.  He can't find Osama bin Laden.  He can't find Saddam Hussein.  He can't even find the leaker in the White House.

If George Bush--I know something about aircraft carriers for real, and if George Bush wants to make national security the issue of this campaign then I have three words for him that I know he understands.  Bring it on.  Bring it on.

I, I'm running for president of the United States because it is long overdue that we had a health care plan in America that we can be proud of.  I lost both my parents in the last two years and I had a major operation .  I've seen that system, its ups and its downs.   It is time for us to recognize that the reason I got great health care is because I'm a United States Senator.  And Senators and Congressman give themselves great health care thanks to you.  We need to give every American the same kind of health care that we get, and when I'm president every family's health care in America will be as good as that which we get in the United States Congress.  And, and I, I'm running for president to roll back the tax cut for the wealthiest Americans so we can invest in health care and in education and I will not balance the budget on the backs of the most vulnerable people in America and I will not raise taxes on the middle class, because the one problem we have in America is not that the middle class has too much money.

I, my fellow Democrats we are a Democratic party that offers real solutions, real leaders, the party of Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, John Kennedy, and Bill Clinton.  They offered, they offered hope and leadership and vision and that's what we need to offer to the country next year.  We need to offer answers, not just anger; we need to offer solutions, not just slogans.

So Iowa, Iowa don't just send them a message next January, send them a president.  We need to send somebody who can do the job.  I, I believe, I believe, I believe as I know you do, each of you in your hearts and in your guts, that the courage of Americans can change this country and I ask you to stand up if you're willing to stand up with that courage to the polluters of this nation.

Stand up if you're willing to stand up against those corporations that take jobs overseas.

Stand up if you're willing to stand up for civil liberties, civil rights, for an Attorney General who is not John Ashcroft.

Stand up if you're willing to fight against the NRA for an assault weapons ban.

Stand up if you're willing to show the courage to give America a real deal.

Shut down the raw deal.  We're sending George Bush back on November 2nd 2004, and we have to show the courage to finally say Mission Accomplished: Democrat in the White House.

Thank you and God Bless.

[Music].

Copyright © 2003  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action.