Hello, my friends. My fellow Democrats. I started my journey to this stage in 1988. I was 12 years old and my family was watching the Democratic National Convention. Now, to be honest, I wanted to watch something else, but we all knew when my grandfather sat in his chair, the TV was his. But folks, when Reverend Jackson came on, I paid attention. A black man from South Carolina, raised by a single mother. That was me, and as long as I live, I will never forget what he said. He challenged young people to hope and to dream. So, that’s exactly what I did. I dreamed big, I worked hard, and I never lost hope.
(01:07)
When our power was cut off, when there was nothing in the fridge, when we lost our home to a conman, I never lost hope. Now my friends, I’m standing on the same convention stage that inspired me, and I’m the Chair of the Democratic Party, the world’s oldest political party. Folks, only in America. That’s the beautiful thing about this country that I love so much. Hope and hard work can take you anywhere. You can go to college, you can start your own business. You can even win the Olympics. That’s the America Democrats believe in, and that’s the America Democrats are fighting for.
(01:58)
So, four years ago, my friends, we were a country divided by fear and we were stuck under a man who preached bigotry and hatred. Hope was lost. But my friends, we found hope in President Biden and Vice President Harris and the 80 million Americans who stood by their side. Now we are united. We’re united in our pursuit of progress because, my friends, they saw us, they fought for us, they heard us. Under their transformational leadership, we have forgiven billions in student loans. We have expanded access to healthcare and we have strengthened the middle class. But the fight continues and there are still more work to do. I know that when we elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, they will build our accomplishments and they will create a country that works for every American. They will invest in our dreams and our futures and hope will light our path forward. They will leave us in the fight for America. Believe me, when we fight… [inaudible 00:03:16]
(03:16)
We win. Folks, we can never forget who we are fighting for. This election is about Americans who are watching right now wondering who’s going to finally pave that dirt road, or make it easier to feed their family, or get medical bills under control. This election is about those who believe anybody can achieve their dreams, if they work hard and trust in the endless possibilities of America. This election is about communities who need to see that hope and joy will always overcome fear and chaos. This election is about every little boy inspired by a party chair who looks like him, and every little girl who will finally see a president who looks like her.
(04:09)
My friends, we are paving a path for them. We’re working toward a brighter future for them, and we need each and every one of you to join us. In my beloved home state of South Carolina, our motto is, “While I breathe, I hope.” Folks, I believe in the power of hope, but it’s going to take more than hope to win this election. So, in the next 78 days, our motto can’t be just, “While I breathe, I hope,” it must be, “While I breathe, I vote.” Because that is how we make hope real for all of America. America, let’s vote for Democrats up and down the ticket. Let’s save our democracy. Let’s vote for our MVP Kamala Harris and our coach Tim Walz. Thank you all so much for being here.
(05:07)
Now, it is indeed my pleasure to introduce our next speaker who will be co-chair for tonight. This is a young woman who is the current lieutenant governor of the great state of Minnesota. When Tim Walz becomes vice president, she will become the first Native American governor in this great country. Folks, let’s welcome Patty Flanagan!