January 31, 2006
STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT
United States Capitol
Washington, D.C.
9:12 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Mr. Speaker, Vice President Cheney,
members of Congress, members of the Supreme Court and diplomatic corps,
distinguished guests, and fellow citizens: Today our nation lost a
beloved, graceful, courageous woman who called America to its founding
ideals and carried on a noble dream. Tonight we are comforted by the
hope of a glad reunion with the husband who was taken so long ago, and
we are grateful for the good life of Coretta Scott King. (Applause.)
Every time I'm invited to this rostrum, I'm humbled by the privilege,
and mindful of the history we've seen together. We have gathered under
this Capitol dome in moments of national mourning and national
achievement. We have served America through one of the most
consequential periods of our history -- and it has been my honor to
serve with you.
In a system of two parties, two chambers,
and two elected branches, there will always be differences and debate.
But even tough debates can be conducted in a civil tone, and our
differences cannot be allowed to harden into anger. To confront the
great issues before us, we must act in a spirit of goodwill and respect
for one another -- and I will do my part. Tonight the state of our
Union is strong -- and together we will make it stronger. (Applause.)
In
this decisive year, you and I will make choices that determine both the
future and the character of our country. We will choose to act
confidently in pursuing the enemies of freedom -- or retreat from our
duties in the hope of an easier life. We will choose to build our
prosperity by leading the world economy -- or shut ourselves off from
trade and opportunity. In a complex and challenging time, the road of
isolationism and protectionism may seem broad and inviting -- yet it
ends in danger and decline. The only way to protect our people, the
only way to secure the peace, the only way to control our destiny is by
our leadership -- so the United States of America will continue to
lead. (Applause.)
Abroad, our nation is committed to an
historic, long-term goal -- we seek the end of tyranny in our world.
Some dismiss that goal as misguided idealism. In reality, the future
security of America depends on it. On September the 11th, 2001, we
found that problems originating in a failed and oppressive state 7,000
miles away could bring murder and destruction to our country.
Dictatorships shelter terrorists, and feed resentment and radicalism,
and seek weapons of mass destruction. Democracies replace resentment
with hope, respect the rights of their citizens and their neighbors,
and join the fight against terror. Every step toward freedom in the
world makes our country safer -- so we will act boldly in freedom's
cause. (Applause.)
Far from being a hopeless dream, the
advance of freedom is the great story of our time. In 1945, there were
about two dozen lonely democracies in the world. Today, there are
122. And we're writing a new chapter in the story of self-government
-- with women lining up to vote in Afghanistan, and millions of Iraqis
marking their liberty with purple ink, and men and women from Lebanon
to Egypt debating the rights of individuals and the necessity of
freedom. At the start of 2006, more than half the people of our world
live in democratic nations. And we do not forget the other half -- in
places like Syria and Burma, Zimbabwe, North Korea, and Iran -- because
the demands of justice, and the peace of this world, require their
freedom, as well. (Applause.)
No one can deny the success
of freedom, but some men rage and fight against it. And one of the
main sources of reaction and opposition is radical Islam -- the
perversion by a few of a noble faith into an ideology of terror and
death. Terrorists like bin Laden are serious about mass murder -- and
all of us must take their declared intentions seriously. They seek to
impose a heartless system of totalitarian control throughout the Middle
East, and arm themselves with weapons of mass murder.
Their
aim is to seize power in Iraq, and use it as a safe haven to launch
attacks against America and the world. Lacking the military strength
to challenge us directly, the terrorists have chosen the weapon of
fear. When they murder children at a school in Beslan, or blow up
commuters in London, or behead a bound captive, the terrorists hope
these horrors will break our will, allowing the violent to inherit the
Earth. But they have miscalculated: We love our freedom, and we will
fight to keep it. (Applause.)
In a time of testing, we
cannot find security by abandoning our commitments and retreating
within our borders. If we were to leave these vicious attackers alone,
they would not leave us alone. They would simply move the battlefield
to our own shores. There is no peace in retreat. And there is no
honor in retreat. By allowing radical Islam to work its will -- by
leaving an assaulted world to fend for itself -- we would signal to all
that we no longer believe in our own ideals, or even in our own
courage. But our enemies and our friends can be certain: The United
States will not retreat from the world, and we will never surrender to
evil. (Applause.)
America rejects the false comfort of
isolationism. We are the nation that saved liberty in Europe, and
liberated death camps, and helped raise up democracies, and faced down
an evil empire. Once again, we accept the call of history to deliver
the oppressed and move this world toward peace. We remain on the
offensive against terror networks. We have killed or captured many of
their leaders -- and for the others, their day will come.
We
remain on the offensive in Afghanistan, where a fine President and a
National Assembly are fighting terror while building the institutions
of a new democracy. We're on the offensive in Iraq, with a clear plan
for victory. First, we're helping Iraqis build an inclusive
government, so that old resentments will be eased and the insurgency
will be marginalized.
Second, we're continuing
reconstruction efforts, and helping the Iraqi government to fight
corruption and build a modern economy, so all Iraqis can experience the
benefits of freedom. And, third, we're striking terrorist targets
while we train Iraqi forces that are increasingly capable of defeating
the enemy. Iraqis are showing their courage every day, and we are
proud to be their allies in the cause of freedom. (Applause.)
Our
work in Iraq is difficult because our enemy is brutal. But that
brutality has not stopped the dramatic progress of a new democracy. In
less than three years, the nation has gone from dictatorship to
liberation, to sovereignty, to a constitution, to national elections.
At the same time, our coalition has been relentless in shutting off
terrorist infiltration, clearing out insurgent strongholds, and turning
over territory to Iraqi security forces. I am confident in our plan
for victory; I am confident in the will of the Iraqi people; I am
confident in the skill and spirit of our military. Fellow citizens, we
are in this fight to win, and we are winning. (Applause.)
The
road of victory is the road that will take our troops home. As we make
progress on the ground, and Iraqi forces increasingly take the lead, we
should be able to further decrease our troop levels -- but those
decisions will be made by our military commanders, not by politicians
in Washington, D.C. (Applause.)
Our coalition has
learned from our experience in Iraq. We've adjusted our military
tactics and changed our approach to reconstruction. Along the way, we
have benefitted from responsible criticism and counsel offered by
members of Congress of both parties. In the coming year, I will
continue to reach out and seek your good advice. Yet, there is a
difference between responsible criticism that aims for success, and
defeatism that refuses to acknowledge anything but failure.
(Applause.) Hindsight alone is not wisdom, and second-guessing is not
a strategy. (Applause.)
With so much in the balance,
those of us in public office have a duty to speak with candor. A
sudden withdrawal of our forces from Iraq would abandon our Iraqi
allies to death and prison, would put men like bin Laden and Zarqawi in
charge of a strategic country, and show that a pledge from America
means little. Members of Congress, however we feel about the decisions
and debates of the past, our nation has only one option: We must keep
our word, defeat our enemies, and stand behind the American military in
this vital mission. (Applause.)
Our men and women
in uniform are making sacrifices -- and showing a sense of duty
stronger than all fear. They know what it's like to fight house to
house in a maze of streets, to wear heavy gear in the desert heat, to
see a comrade killed by a roadside bomb. And those who know the costs
also know the stakes. Marine Staff Sergeant Dan Clay was killed last
month fighting in Fallujah. He left behind a letter to his family, but
his words could just as well be addressed to every American. Here is
what Dan wrote: "I know what honor is. … It has been an honor to
protect and serve all of you. I faced death with the secure knowledge
that you would not have to…. Never falter! Don't hesitate to honor and
support those of us who have the honor of protecting that which is
worth protecting."
Staff Sergeant Dan Clay's wife, Lisa, and his mom and dad, Sara Jo
and Bud, are with us this evening. Welcome. (Applause.)
Our
nation is grateful to the fallen, who live in the memory of our
country. We're grateful to all who volunteer to wear our nation's
uniform -- and as we honor our brave troops, let us never forget the
sacrifices of America's military families. (Applause.)
Our
offensive against terror involves more than military action.
Ultimately, the only way to defeat the terrorists is to defeat their
dark vision of hatred and fear by offering the hopeful alternative of
political freedom and peaceful change. So the United States of America
supports democratic reform across the broader Middle East. Elections
are vital, but they are only the beginning. Raising up a democracy
requires the rule of law, and protection of minorities, and strong,
accountable institutions that last longer than a single vote.
The
great people of Egypt have voted in a multi-party presidential election
-- and now their government should open paths of peaceful opposition
that will reduce the appeal of radicalism. The Palestinian people have
voted in elections. And now the leaders of Hamas must recognize
Israel, disarm, reject terrorism, and work for lasting peace.
(Applause.) Saudi Arabia has taken the first steps of reform -- now it
can offer its people a better future by pressing forward with those
efforts. Democracies in the Middle East will not look like our own,
because they will reflect the traditions of their own citizens. Yet
liberty is the future of every nation in the Middle East, because
liberty is the right and hope of all humanity. (Applause.)
The
same is true of Iran, a nation now held hostage by a small clerical
elite that is isolating and repressing its people. The regime in that
country sponsors terrorists in the Palestinian territories and in
Lebanon -- and that must come to an end. (Applause.) The Iranian
government is defying the world with its nuclear ambitions, and the
nations of the world must not permit the Iranian regime to gain nuclear
weapons. (Applause.) America will continue to rally the world to
confront these threats.
Tonight, let me speak directly
to the citizens of Iran: America respects you, and we respect your
country. We respect your right to choose your own future and win your
own freedom. And our nation hopes one day to be the closest of friends
with a free and democratic Iran. (Applause.)
To
overcome dangers in our world, we must also take the offensive by
encouraging economic progress, and fighting disease, and spreading hope
in hopeless lands. Isolationism would not only tie our hands in
fighting enemies, it would keep us from helping our friends in
desperate need. We show compassion abroad because Americans believe in
the God-given dignity and worth of a villager with HIV/AIDS, or an
infant with malaria, or a refugee fleeing genocide, or a young girl
sold into slavery. We also show compassion abroad because regions
overwhelmed by poverty, corruption, and despair are sources of
terrorism, and organized crime, and human trafficking, and the drug
trade.
In recent years, you and I have taken
unprecedented action to fight AIDS and malaria, expand the education of
girls, and reward developing nations that are moving forward with
economic and political reform. For people everywhere, the United
States is a partner for a better life. Short-changing these efforts
would increase the suffering and chaos of our world, undercut our
long-term security, and dull the conscience of our country. I urge
members of Congress to serve the interests of America by showing the
compassion of America.
Our country must also remain on
the offensive against terrorism here at home. The enemy has not lost
the desire or capability to attack us. Fortunately, this nation has
superb professionals in law enforcement, intelligence, the military,
and homeland security. These men and women are dedicating their lives,
protecting us all, and they deserve our support and our thanks.
(Applause.) They also deserve the same tools they already use to fight
drug trafficking and organized crime -- so I ask you to reauthorize the
Patriot Act. (Applause.)
It is said that prior to the
attacks of September the 11th, our government failed to connect the
dots of the conspiracy. We now know that two of the hijackers in the
United States placed telephone calls to al Qaeda operatives overseas.
But we did not know about their plans until it was too late. So to
prevent another attack –- based on authority given to me by the
Constitution and by statute -- I have authorized a terrorist
surveillance program to aggressively pursue the international
communications of suspected al Qaeda operatives and affiliates to and
from America. Previous Presidents have used the same constitutional
authority I have, and federal courts have approved the use of that
authority. Appropriate members of Congress have been kept informed.
The terrorist surveillance program has helped prevent terrorist
attacks. It remains essential to the security of America. If there
are people inside our country who are talking with al Qaeda, we want to
know about it, because we will not sit back and wait to be hit again.
(Applause.)
In all these areas -- from the disruption
of terror networks, to victory in Iraq, to the spread of freedom and
hope in troubled regions -- we need the support of our friends and
allies. To draw that support, we must always be clear in our
principles and willing to act. The only alternative to American
leadership is a dramatically more dangerous and anxious world. Yet we
also choose to lead because it is a privilege to serve the values that
gave us birth. American leaders -- from Roosevelt to Truman to Kennedy
to Reagan -- rejected isolation and retreat, because they knew that
America is always more secure when freedom is on the march.
Our
own generation is in a long war against a determined enemy -- a war
that will be fought by Presidents of both parties, who will need steady
bipartisan support from the Congress. And tonight I ask for yours.
Together, let us protect our country, support the men and women who
defend us, and lead this world toward freedom. (Applause.)
Here
at home, America also has a great opportunity: We will build the
prosperity of our country by strengthening our economic leadership in
the world.
Our economy is healthy and vigorous,
and growing faster than other major industrialized nations. In the
last two-and-a-half years, America has created 4.6 million new jobs --
more than Japan and the European Union combined. (Applause.) Even in
the face of higher energy prices and natural disasters, the American
people have turned in an economic performance that is the envy of the
world.
The American economy is preeminent, but we cannot
afford to be complacent. In a dynamic world economy, we are seeing new
competitors, like China and India, and this creates uncertainty, which
makes it easier to feed people's fears. So we're seeing some old
temptations return. Protectionists want to escape competition,
pretending that we can keep our high standard of living while walling
off our economy. Others say that the government needs to take a larger
role in directing the economy, centralizing more power in Washington
and increasing taxes. We hear claims that immigrants are somehow bad
for the economy -- even though this economy could not function without
them. (Applause.) All these are forms of economic retreat, and they
lead in the same direction -- toward a stagnant and second-rate economy.
Tonight
I will set out a better path: an agenda for a nation that competes
with confidence; an agenda that will raise standards of living and
generate new jobs. Americans should not fear our economic future,
because we intend to shape it.
Keeping America
competitive begins with keeping our economy growing. And our economy
grows when Americans have more of their own money to spend, save, and
invest. In the last five years, the tax relief you passed has left
$880 billion in the hands of American workers, investors, small
businesses, and families -- and they have used it to help produce more
than four years of uninterrupted economic growth. (Applause.) Yet the
tax relief is set to expire in the next few years. If we do nothing,
American families will face a massive tax increase they do not expect
and will not welcome.
Because America needs more than a
temporary expansion, we need more than temporary tax relief. I urge
the Congress to act responsibly, and make the tax cuts permanent.
(Applause.)
Keeping America competitive requires us to be
good stewards of tax dollars. Every year of my presidency, we've
reduced the growth of non-security discretionary spending, and last
year you passed bills that cut this spending. This year my budget will
cut it again, and reduce or eliminate more than 140 programs that are
performing poorly or not fulfilling essential priorities. By passing
these reforms, we will save the American taxpayer another $14 billion
next year, and stay on track to cut the deficit in half by 2009.
(Applause.)
I am pleased that members of Congress are
working on earmark reform, because the federal budget has too many
special interest projects. (Applause.) And we can tackle this problem
together, if you pass the line-item veto. (Applause.)
We
must also confront the larger challenge of mandatory spending, or
entitlements. This year, the first of about 78 million baby boomers
turn 60, including two of my Dad's favorite people -- me and President
Clinton. (Laughter.) This milestone is more than a personal crisis --
(laughter) -- it is a national challenge. The retirement of the baby
boom generation will put unprecedented strains on the federal
government. By 2030, spending for Social Security, Medicare and
Medicaid alone will be almost 60 percent of the entire federal budget.
And that will present future Congresses with impossible choices --
staggering tax increases, immense deficits, or deep cuts in every
category of spending.
Congress did not act last year on my
proposal to save Social Security -- (applause) -- yet the rising cost
of entitlements is a problem that is not going away. (Applause.) And
every year we fail to act, the situation gets worse.
So
tonight, I ask you to join me in creating a commission to examine the
full impact of baby boom retirements on Social Security, Medicare, and
Medicaid. This commission should include members of Congress of both
parties, and offer bipartisan solutions. We need to put aside partisan
politics and work together and get this problem solved. (Applause.)
Keeping
America competitive requires us to open more markets for all that
Americans make and grow. One out of every five factory jobs in America
is related to global trade, and we want people everywhere to buy
American. With open markets and a level playing field, no one can
out-produce or out-compete the American worker. (Applause.)
Keeping
America competitive requires an immigration system that upholds our
laws, reflects our values, and serves the interests of our economy.
Our nation needs orderly and secure borders. (Applause.) To meet this
goal, we must have stronger immigration enforcement and border
protection. (Applause.) And we must have a rational, humane guest
worker program that rejects amnesty, allows temporary jobs for people
who seek them legally, and reduces smuggling and crime at the border.
(Applause.)
Keeping America competitive requires
affordable health care. (Applause.) Our government has a
responsibility to provide health care for the poor and the elderly, and
we are meeting that responsibility. (Applause.) For all Americans --
for all Americans, we must confront the rising cost of care, strengthen
the doctor-patient relationship, and help people afford the insurance
coverage they need. (Applause.)
We will make wider
use of electronic records and other health information technology, to
help control costs and reduce dangerous medical errors. We will
strengthen health savings accounts -- making sure individuals and small
business employees can buy insurance with the same advantages that
people working for big businesses now get. (Applause.) We will do
more to make this coverage portable, so workers can switch jobs without
having to worry about losing their health insurance. (Applause.) And
because lawsuits are driving many good doctors out of practice --
leaving women in nearly 1,500 American counties without a single OB/GYN
-- I ask the Congress to pass medical liability reform this year.
(Applause.)
Keeping America competitive requires
affordable energy. And here we have a serious problem: America is
addicted to oil, which is often imported from unstable parts of the
world. The best way to break this addiction is through technology.
Since 2001, we have spent nearly $10 billion to develop cleaner,
cheaper, and more reliable alternative energy sources -- and we are on
the threshold of incredible advances.
So tonight, I
announce the Advanced Energy Initiative -- a 22-percent increase in
clean-energy research -- at the Department of Energy, to push for
breakthroughs in two vital areas. To change how we power our homes and
offices, we will invest more in zero-emission coal-fired plants,
revolutionary solar and wind technologies, and clean, safe nuclear
energy. (Applause.)
We must also change how we power
our automobiles. We will increase our research in better batteries for
hybrid and electric cars, and in pollution-free cars that run on
hydrogen. We'll also fund additional research in cutting-edge methods
of producing ethanol, not just from corn, but from wood chips and
stalks, or switch grass. Our goal is to make this new kind of ethanol
practical and competitive within six years. (Applause.)
Breakthroughs
on this and other new technologies will help us reach another great
goal: to replace more than 75 percent of our oil imports from the
Middle East by 2025. (Applause.) By applying the talent and
technology of America, this country can dramatically improve our
environment, move beyond a petroleum-based economy, and make our
dependence on Middle Eastern oil a thing of the past. (Applause.)
And
to keep America competitive, one commitment is necessary above all: We
must continue to lead the world in human talent and creativity. Our
greatest advantage in the world has always been our educated,
hardworking, ambitious people -- and we're going to keep that edge.
Tonight I announce an American Competitiveness Initiative, to encourage
innovation throughout our economy, and to give our nation's children a
firm grounding in math and science. (Applause.)
First,
I propose to double the federal commitment to the most critical basic
research programs in the physical sciences over the next 10 years.
This funding will support the work of America's most creative minds as
they explore promising areas such as nanotechnology, supercomputing,
and alternative energy sources.
Second, I propose to make
permanent the research and development tax credit -- (applause) -- to
encourage bolder private-sector initiatives in technology. With more
research in both the public and private sectors, we will improve our
quality of life -- and ensure that America will lead the world in
opportunity and innovation for decades to come. (Applause.)
Third,
we need to encourage children to take more math and science, and to
make sure those courses are rigorous enough to compete with other
nations. We've made a good start in the early grades with the No Child
Left Behind Act, which is raising standards and lifting test scores
across our country. Tonight I propose to train 70,000 high school
teachers to lead advanced-placement courses in math and science, bring
30,000 math and science professionals to teach in classrooms, and give
early help to students who struggle with math, so they have a better
chance at good, high-wage jobs. If we ensure that America's children
succeed in life, they will ensure that America succeeds in the world.
(Applause.)
Preparing our nation to compete in the
world is a goal that all of us can share. I urge you to support the
American Competitiveness Initiative, and together we will show the
world what the American people can achieve.
America is a
great force for freedom and prosperity. Yet our greatness is not
measured in power or luxuries, but by who we are and how we treat one
another. So we strive to be a compassionate, decent, hopeful society.
In
recent years, America has become a more hopeful nation. Violent crime
rates have fallen to their lowest levels since the 1970s. Welfare
cases have dropped by more than half over the past decade. Drug use
among youth is down 19 percent since 2001. There are fewer abortions
in America than at any point in the last three decades, and the number
of children born to teenage mothers has been falling for a dozen years
in a row. (Applause.)
These gains are evidence of a
quiet transformation -- a revolution of conscience, in which a rising
generation is finding that a life of personal responsibility is a life
of fulfillment. Government has played a role. Wise policies, such as
welfare reform and drug education and support for abstinence and
adoption have made a difference in the character of our country. And
everyone here tonight, Democrat and Republican, has a right to be proud
of this record. (Applause.)
Yet many Americans,
especially parents, still have deep concerns about the direction of our
culture, and the health of our most basic institutions. They're
concerned about unethical conduct by public officials, and discouraged
by activist courts that try to redefine marriage. They worry about
children in our society who need direction and love, and about fellow
citizens still displaced by natural disaster, and about suffering
caused by treatable diseases.
As we look at these
challenges, we must never give in to the belief that America is in
decline, or that our culture is doomed to unravel. The American people
know better than that. We have proven the pessimists wrong before --
and we will do it again. (Applause.)
A hopeful
society depends on courts that deliver equal justice under the law.
The Supreme Court now has two superb new members -- new members on its
bench: Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Sam Alito. (Applause.)
I thank the Senate for confirming both of them. I will continue to
nominate men and women who understand that judges must be servants of
the law, and not legislate from the bench. (Applause.)
Today
marks the official retirement of a very special American. For 24 years
of faithful service to our nation, the United States is grateful to
Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. (Applause.)
A hopeful
society has institutions of science and medicine that do not cut
ethical corners, and that recognize the matchless value of every life.
Tonight I ask you to pass legislation to prohibit the most egregious
abuses of medical research: human cloning in all its forms, creating
or implanting embryos for experiments, creating human-animal hybrids,
and buying, selling, or patenting human embryos. Human life is a gift
from our Creator -- and that gift should never be discarded, devalued
or put up for sale. (Applause.)
A hopeful society
expects elected officials to uphold the public trust. (Applause.)
Honorable people in both parties are working on reforms to strengthen
the ethical standards of Washington -- I support your efforts. Each of
us has made a pledge to be worthy of public responsibility -- and that
is a pledge we must never forget, never dismiss, and never betray.
(Applause.)
As we renew the promise of our institutions,
let us also show the character of America in our compassion and care
for one another.
A hopeful society gives special
attention to children who lack direction and love. Through the Helping
America's Youth Initiative, we are encouraging caring adults to get
involved in the life of a child -- and this good work is being led by
our First Lady, Laura Bush. (Applause.) This year we will add
resources to encourage young people to stay in school, so more of
America's youth can raise their sights and achieve their dreams.
A
hopeful society comes to the aid of fellow citizens in times of
suffering and emergency -- and stays at it until they're back on their
feet. So far the federal government has committed $85 billion to the
people of the Gulf Coast and New Orleans. We're removing debris and
repairing highways and rebuilding stronger levees. We're providing
business loans and housing assistance. Yet as we meet these immediate
needs, we must also address deeper challenges that existed before the
storm arrived.
In New Orleans and in other places, many
of our fellow citizens have felt excluded from the promise of our
country. The answer is not only temporary relief, but schools that
teach every child, and job skills that bring upward mobility, and more
opportunities to own a home and start a business. As we recover from a
disaster, let us also work for the day when all Americans are protected
by justice, equal in hope, and rich in opportunity. (Applause.)
A
hopeful society acts boldly to fight diseases like HIV/AIDS, which can
be prevented, and treated, and defeated. More than a million Americans
live with HIV, and half of all AIDS cases occur among African
Americans. I ask Congress to reform and reauthorize the Ryan White
Act, and provide new funding to states, so we end the waiting lists for
AIDS medicines in America. (Applause.) We will also lead a nationwide
effort, working closely with African American churches and faith-based
groups, to deliver rapid HIV tests to millions, end the stigma of AIDS,
and come closer to the day when there are no new infections in
America. (Applause.)
Fellow citizens, we've been called to
leadership in a period of consequence. We've entered a great
ideological conflict we did nothing to invite. We see great changes in
science and commerce that will influence all our lives. Sometimes it
can seem that history is turning in a wide arc, toward an unknown
shore. Yet the destination of history is determined by human action,
and every great movement of history comes to a point of choosing.
Lincoln
could have accepted peace at the cost of disunity and continued
slavery. Martin Luther King could have stopped at Birmingham or at
Selma, and achieved only half a victory over segregation. The United
States could have accepted the permanent division of Europe, and been
complicit in the oppression of others. Today, having come far in our
own historical journey, we must decide: Will we turn back, or finish
well?
Before history is written down in books, it is written
in courage. Like Americans before us, we will show that courage and we
will finish well. We will lead freedom's advance. We will compete and
excel in the global economy. We will renew the defining moral
commitments of this land. And so we move forward -- optimistic about
our country, faithful to its cause, and confident of the victories to
come.
May God bless America. (Applause.)
END10:03 P.M. EST