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.