LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, EIGHT 
YEARS AGO I STOOD ON A STAGE IN 
DENVER, AND I ACCEPTED YOUR 
NOMINATION TO BE VICE PRESIDENT 
OF THE UNITED STATES, AND EVERY 
SINGLE DAY SINCE THEN HAS BEEN 
THE HONOR OF OUR LIVES FOR JILL 
AND ME.
EVERY DAY WE'VE BEEN GRATEFUL TO
BARACK AND MICHELLE FOR ASKING 
US TO JOIN THEM IN THAT 
INCREDIBLE JOURNEY.
A JOURNEY -- A JOURNEY THAT CAN 
ONLY HAPPEN IN AMERICA.
BUT WE NOT ONLY HAVE WORKED 
TOGETHER AS IT BECOMES PRETTY 
OBVIOUS, WE'VE BECOME FRIENDS.
WE'RE NOW FAMILY.
WE'RE FAMILY.
FOLKS, YOU'VE ALL SEEN OVER THE 
LAST EIGHT YEARS WHAT PRESIDENT 
OBAMA MEANS TO THIS COUNTRY.
HE'S THE EMBODIMENT -- HE IS THE
EMBODIMENT OF HONOR, RESOLVE AND
CHARACTER, ONE OF THE FINEST 
PRESIDENTS WE HAVE EVER HAD.
THAT'S RIGHT!
>> THIS IS A MAN OF CHARACTER.
AND HE'S BECOME A BROTHER TO 
JILL AND ME, AND MICHELLE, I 
DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE, KID, 
BUT YOU'RE INCREDIBLE!
YOU ARE INCREDIBLE.
WHEN I WAS TALKING TO BARACK 
TODAY, IT'S NO LONGER WHO IS 
GOING TO GIVE THE BEST SPEECH.
WE KNOW WHO DID THAT.
YOU WERE INCREDIBLE MONDAY 
NIGHT.
TO THE DELAWARE DELEGATION AS 
THEY SAY IN SOUTHERN DELAWARE, 
BARACK AND I MARRIED WAY UP.
WAY UP.
FOLKS, AS I STAND HERE TONIGHT, 
I SEE SO MANY FRIENDS AND 
COLLEAGUES LIKE MY BUDDY CHRIS 
DODD AND THE CONNECTICUT 
DELEGATION.
SO MANY PEOPLE HERE, I SEE THE 
FACES OF THOSE WHO HAVE PLACED 
THEIR BELIEF IN BARACK AND ME, 
SO MANY FACES, BUT ONE.
THIS IS KIND OF A BITTERSWEET 
MOMENT FOR JILL AND ME AND OUR 
FAMILY.
IN 2008 WHEN HE WAS ABOUT TO 
DEPLOY TO IRAQ AND AGAIN IN 2012
OUR SON BEAU INTRODUCED ME TO 
THE COUNTRY AND PLACED MY NAME 
IN NOMINATION.
YOU GOT A GLIMPSE I KNOW I SOUND
LIKE A DAD, BUT YOU GOT A 
GLIMPSE OF WHAT AN INCREDIBLY 
FINE YOUNG MAN BEAU WAS.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.
>> HIS WIFE HALLE AND HIS TWO 
KIDS ARE HERE TONIGHT.
BUT AS ERNEST HEMINGWAY ONCE 
WROTE, THE WORLD BREAKS EV
EVERYONE, AND AFTERWARDS MANY 
ARE STRONG AT THE BROKEN PLACES.
I'VE BEEN MADE STRONG AT THE 
BROKEN PLACES BY MY LOVE JILL, 
BY MY HEART, MY SON HUNTER AND 
THE LOVE OF MY LIFE, MY ASHLEY, 
AND BY ALL OF YOU, AND I MEAN 
THIS SINCERELY, THOSE THAT HAVE 
BEEN THROUGH THIS, YOU KNOW WHAT
I MEAN WHAT I SAY.
BY ALL OF YOU, YOUR LOVE, YOUR 
PRAYERS, YOUR SUPPORT, BUT YOU 
KNOW WHAT?
WE TALK ABOUT -- WE THINK ABOUT 
THE COUNTLESS THOUSANDS OF OTHER
PEOPLE WHO SUFFERED SO MUCH MORE
THAN WE HAVE WITH SO MUCH LESS 
SUPPORT.
SO MUCH LESS REASON TO GO ON, 
BUT THEY GET UP EVERY MORNING, 
EVERY DAY.
THEY PUT ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF 
THE OTHER.
THEY KEEP GOING.
THAT'S THE UNBREAKABLE SPIRIT OF
THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA.
THAT'S WHO WE ARE!
>> THAT'S WHO WE ARE!
DON'T FORGET IT.
LIKE THE PEOPLE IN THE 
NEIGHBORHOOD THAT JILL AND I 
GREW UP IN.
SHE IN WILLOW GROVE AND ME DOWN 
IN WILMINGTON IN CLAYMONT.
THE KID IN CLAYMONT WITH THE 
MOST COURAGE ALWAYS JUMPED IN 
WHEN YOU WERE DOUBLE TEAMED OR 
YOUR BACK WAS AGAINST THE WALL, 
WHO BECAME A COP BECAUSE HE 
ALWAYS WANTED TO HELP PEOPLE.
THE MIDDLE DAUGHTER OF THREE 
DAUGHTERS WHO ALWAYS MADE HER 
MOTHER SMILE, WHO WAS A HERO TO 
HER SISTERS, NOW A MAJOR IN THE 
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS 
BECAUSE MR. VICE PRESIDENT, I 
WANTED TO SERVE MY COUNTRY.
THE TEACHER -- THE TEACHERS WHO 
JILL KNOWS AND SO MANY OF YOU 
KNOW WHO TAKE MONEY OUT OF THEIR
OWN POCKETS TO BUY PENCILS AND 
NOTEBOOKS FOR THEIR STUDENTS WHO
CAN'T AFFORD THEM.
WHY?
WHY?
BECAUSE BEING A TEACHER IS NOT 
WHAT THEY DO.
IT'S WHO THEY ARE.
>> YOU KNOW WHAT I KNOW.
FOR REAL, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE 
WHO ARE THE HEART AND SOUL OF 
THIS COUNTRY.
IT'S THE AMERICA THAT I KNOW, 
THE AMERICA THAT HILLARY KNOWS 
AND TIM KAINE KNOWS.
YOU KNOW, I'VE KNOWN HILLARY FOR
WELL OVER 30 YEARS.
BEFORE SHE WAS FIRST LADY OF THE
UNITED STATES, WHEN SHE BECAME 
FIRST LADY, WE SERVED TOGETHER 
IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE, AND
DURING HER YEARS AS SECRETARY OF
STATE ONCE A WEEK WE HAD 
BREAKFAST IN MY HOME, THE VICE 
PRESIDENT'S RESIDENCE.
EVERYBODY KNOWS SHE'S SMART.
EVERYBODY KNOWS SHE'S TOUGH, BUT
I KNOW WHAT SHE'S PASSIONATE 
ABOUT.
I KNOW HILLARY.
HILLARY UNDERSTANDS
HILLARY GETS IT AND HILLARY 
UNDERSTANDS THAT THE STUDENT 
LOAN IS MORE THAN GETTING AN 
EDUCATION, AND IT'S ABOUT SAVING
THE MOM AND THE DAD FROM THE 
INDIGNITY OF HAVING TO LOOK AT 
THEIR TALENTED CHILD AND SAYING 
HONEY, I'M SO SORRY.
THE BANK WOULDN'T LEND ME THE 
MONEY.
I CAN'T HELP YOU TO GET TO 
SCHOOL.
I KNOW THAT ABOUT HILLARY.
HILLARY UNDERSTOOD THAT FOR 
YEARS, MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WENT 
TO BED STARING AT THE CEILING 
THINKING OH, MY GOD, WHAT IF I 
GET BREAST CANCER OR HE HAS A 
HEART ATTACK?
I WILL LOSE EVERYTHING.
WHAT WILL WE DO THEN?
I KNOW ABOUT HILLARY CLINTON!
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE ALL 
UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WILL MEAN FOR
OUR DAUGHTERS AND GRANDDAUGHTERS
WHEN HILLARY CLINTON WALKS INTO 
THE OVAL OFFICE AS PRESIDENT OF 
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
IT WILL CHANGE THEIR LIVES!
MY DAUGHTERS AND GRANDDAUGHTERS 
CAN DO ANYTHING ANY SON OR 
GRANDSON CAN DO, AND SHE WILL 
PROVE IT, MR. MAYOR!
SO LET ME SAY AS CLEARLY AS I 
CAN, IF YOU LIVE IN THE 
NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE THE ONE JILL 
AND I GREW UP IN, IF YOU WORRY 
ABOUT YOUR JOB AND GETTING A 
DECENT PAY, IF YOU WORRY ABOUT 
YOUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION, IF 
YOU'RE TAKING CARE OF AN ELDERLY
PARENT, THEN THERE'S ONLY ONE --
ONLY ONE PERSON IN THIS ELECTION
THAT WILL HELP YOU.
THERE'S ONLY ONE PERSON IN THIS 
RACE WHO WILL BE THERE, WHO HAS 
ALWAYS BEEN THERE FOR YOU AND 
THAT'S HILLARY CLINTON'S LIFE 
STORY.
IT'S NOT JUST WHO SHE IS.
IT'S HER LIFE STORY!
SHE'S ALWAYS THERE.
SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN THERE!
AND SO HAS TIM KAINE.
>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, TO 
STATE THE OBVIOUS, AND I'M NOT 
TRYING TO BE A WISE GUY HERE.
I REALLY MEAN IT.
THAT'S NOT DONALD TRUMP'S STORY.
JUST LISTEN TO ME A SECOND 
WITHOUT BOOING OR CHEERING.
I MEAN THIS SINCERELY.
WE SHOULD REALLY THINK ABOUT 
THIS.
HIS CYNICISM IS UNBOUNDED.
HIS LACK OF EMPATHY AND 
COMPASSION CAN BE SUMMED UP IN A
PHRASE I SUSPECT HE'S MOST PROUD
OF HAVING MADE FAMOUS, "YOU'RE 
FIRED."
I MEAN REALLY.
I'M NOT JOKING.
THINK ABOUT THAT.
THINK ABOUT THAT.
THINK ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU 
LEARNED AS A CHILD NO MATTER 
WHERE YOU WERE RAISED.
HOW CAN THERE BE PLEASURE IN 
SAYING "YOU'RE FIRED"?
HE'S TRYING TO TELL US HE CARES 
ABOUT THE MIDDLE CLASS?
GIVE ME A BREAK!
THAT'S A BUNCH OF MALARKEY!
>> I TELL YOU -- FOLKS -- 
WHATEVER HE THINKS, WHATEVER HE 
THINKS, AND I MEAN THIS FROM THE
BOTTOM OF MY HEART, I KNOW I'M 
CALLED MIDDLE-CLASS JOE AND IN 
WASHINGTON THAT'S NOT MEANT AS A
COMPLIMENT.
IT MEANS YOU'RE NOT 
SOPHISTICATED, BUT I KNOW WHY 
WE'RE STRONG.
I KNOW WHY WE HAVE HELD 
TOGETHER.
I KNOW WHY WE ARE UNITED, IT'S 
BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN A 
GROWING MIDDLE CLASS.
THIS GUY DOESN'T HAVE A CLUE 
ABOUT THE MIDDLE CLASS.
NOT A CLUE.
BECAUSE, FOLKS, WHEN THE MIDDLE 
CLASS DOES WELL -- WHEN THE 
MIDDLE CLASS DOES WELL, THE RICH
DO VERY WELL AND THE POOR HAVE 
HOPE.
THEY HAVE A WAY UP.
HE HAS NO CLUE ABOUT WHAT MAKES 
AMERICA GREAT.
ACTUALLY, HE HAS NO CLUE, 
PERIOD.
BUT FOLKS -- LET ME -- 
[ CROWD CHANTING "NOT A CLUE" ]
>> YOU GOT IT.
LET ME -- 
[ CROWD CHANTING "NOT A CLUE" ]
>> OKAY.
BUT FOLKS, LET ME -- LET ME S
SAY -- LET ME SAY SOMETHING THAT
HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH POLITICS.
LET ME TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT
I AM DEADLY SERIOUS ABOUT.
THIS IS A COMPLICATED AND 
UNCERTAIN WORLD WE LIVE IN.
THE THREATS ARE TOO GREAT.
THE TIMES ARE TOO UNCERTAIN TO 
ELECT DONALD TRUMP AS PRESIDENT 
OF THE UNITED STATES.
NOW LET ME FINISH.
NO MAJOR PARTY, NO MAJOR PARTY 
NOMINEE IN THE HISTORY OF THIS 
NATION HAS EVER KNOWN LESS OR 
HAS BEEN LESS PREPARED TO DEAL 
WITH OUR NATIONAL SECURITY.
WE CANNOT ELECT A MAN WHO 
EXPLOITS OUR FEARS OF ISIS AND 
OTHER TERRORISTS, WHO HAS NO 
PLAN WHATSOEVER TO MAKE US 
SAFER.
A MAN WHO EMBRACES THE TACTICS 
OF OUR ENEMIES, TORTURE, 
RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE, YOU ALL 
KNOW, ALL THE REPUBLICANS KNOW, 
THAT'S NOT WHO WE ARE.
IT BETRAYS OUR VALUES.
IT ALIENATES THOSE WHO WE NEED 
IN THE FIGHT AGAINST ISIS.
DONALD TRUMP WITH ALL HIS 
RHETORIC WOULD LITERALLY MAKE US
LESS SAFE.
WE CANNOT ELECT A MAN WHO 
BELITTLES OUR CLOSEST ALLIES 
WHILE EMBRACING DICTATORS LIKE 
VLADIMIR PUTIN.
NO, I MEAN IT.
A MAN WHO SEEKS TO SOW DIVISION 
IN AMERICA FOR HIS OWN GAIN AND 
DISORDER AROUND THE WORLD.
A MAN WHO CONFUSES BLUSTER WITH 
STRENGTH, WE SIMPLY CANNOT LET 
THAT HAPPEN AS AMERICANS.
PERIOD.
>> FOLKS, -- I HAVE -- NO ONE 
EVER -- NO ONE EVER DOUBTS WHAT 
I SAY, IT'S JUST THAT SOMETIMES 
I SAY ALL THAT I MEAN, BUT 
FOLKS, LET ME TELL YOU WHAT I 
LITERALLY TELL EVERY WORLD 
LEADER I'VE MET WITH, AND I'VE 
MET THEM ALL.
IT'S NEVER, NEVER, NEVER BEEN A 
GOOD BET TO BET AGAINST AMERICA.
WE HAVE THE FINEST FIGHTING 
FORCE IN THE WORLD.
NOT ONLY -- NOT -- NOT ONLY -- 
NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE THE LARGEST 
ECONOMY IN THE WORLD.
WE HAVE THE STRONGEST ECONOMY IN
THE WORLD.
WE HAVE THE MOST PRODUCTIVE 
WORKERS IN THE WORLD, AND GIVEN 
A FAIR SHOT, GIVEN A FAIR 
CHANCE, AMERICANS HAVE NEVER, 
EVER, EVER, EVER LET THEIR 
COUNTRY DOWN!
NEVER!
NEVER!
ORDINARY PEOPLE LIKE US WHO DO 
EXTRAORDINARY THINGS!
WE'VE HAD CANDIDATES BEFORE WHO 
ATTEMPTED TO GET ELECTED BY 
APPEALING TO OUR FEAR, BUT THEY 
NEVER SUCCEEDED BECAUSE WE DO 
NOT SCARE EASILY.
WE NEVER BOW!
WE NEVER BEND!
WE NEVER BREAK WHEN CONFRONTED 
WITH CRISIS!
NO, WE ENDURE!
WE OVERCOME AND WE ALWAYS, 
ALWAYS, ALWAYS MOVE FORWARD!
THAT'S WHY -- THAT'S WHY I CAN 
SAY WITH ABSOLUTE CONVICTION I 
AM MORE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT OUR 
CHANCES TODAY THAN WHEN I WAS 
ELECTED AS A 29-YEAR-OLD KID TO 
THE SENATE.
THE 21st CENTURY IS GOING TO BE 
THE AMERICAN CENTURY BECAUSE -- 
BECAUSE WE LEAD NOT ONLY BY THE 
EXAMPLE OF OUR POWER, BUT BY THE
POWER OF OUR EXAMPLE!
THAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE 
JOURNEY OF AMERICA, AND GOD 
WILLING, GOD WILLING HILLARY 
CLINTON WILL WRITE THE NEXT 
CHAPTER IN THAT JOURNEY.
WE ARE AMERICA, SECOND TO NONE 
AND WE OWN THE FINISH LINE!
DON'T FORGET IT!
GOD BLESS YOU ALL, AND MAY GOD 
PROTECT OUR TROOPS!
