Pelosi sees Dems' convention opening new era
Nancy Pelosi
Sunday, August 24, 2008
This week, thousands of Americans from across the country will gather in Denver at the Democratic National Convention to nominate our next president of the United States: Barack Obama.
Drawn by Obama's inspirational message of change and committed to moving our nation in a new direction, these Americans will take time off from work and family, and often spend their own money to travel to Colorado for this historic convention. In so doing, we will help write the next great chapter in our nation's history.
California will be particularly well represented by the largest and most diverse state delegation that will deliver the most votes of any state for our next president.
This year, we witnessed a historic Democratic nominating contest. Millions of Americans who had never before involved themselves in politics rallied to the principles of our Democratic Party. Voters were energized by our inspirational candidates and an awareness of how much is at stake for our great nation. We will now gather at this Democratic convention more unified and determined than we have ever been.
As the first female speaker of the House, I will proudly serve as convention chair and call to order a landmark gathering that will nominate Obama for president of these United States. He is truly an agent of change. He represents the best of America and our values.
It is appropriate that we are meeting this year in Denver, as the characteristics that make this city great will also make our nation stronger under the leadership of Obama. He is pioneering and innovative. And like the people of San Francisco, he is hopeful and compassionate.
Monday night, I will have an opportunity to speak to my fellow Democrats and the American people about what I believe is the most critical election of my lifetime. Never before has the choice for president been starker. Never before have the stakes been higher.
As president, Barack Obama will bring all Americans together to achieve real and dramatic change. Barack Obama will address the crisis of global warming, create millions of good-paying, green-energy jobs, and harness innovation to make America independent from dangerous and expensive foreign oil.
Barack Obama will bring change by offering affordable, quality health care to every American.
Barack Obama will help put opportunity within reach of every American who is willing to work for it with an economy and an education system that allows Americans to succeed.
Barack Obama will bring change by rebuilding our military, refocusing on the real war on terror and urgent unmet needs here at home, and responsibly ending the war in Iraq.
Barack Obama's story is an American story that reflects a life of struggle, opportunity and responsibility like those faced by Americans every day.
On Wednesday night, our party will vote to formally nominate our candidate for president. As the people of San Francisco elected me to represent them in Congress, I will have the opportunity to cast my vote. For our city, our nation, for my children and grandchildren, and for the future, I will proudly cast my vote for Barack Obama.
Barack Obama's nomination will be historic, not just due to who he is, but because of this moment in time.
With this election, we have the opportunity to close one chapter in our nation's history - one marked by the years of a war that never should have been waged, of deficits and economic decline that never had to happen - and write a new part of the American story: one of hope, opportunity and peace.
The power to shape American history is in our hands. This week, in Denver, we will begin that change. This fall, on election day, we will make that change real for every American. Let us begin anew.
Nancy Pelosi is speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
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