Barack Obama

washington __PUNCT__ dc __PUNCT__ it an honor to be here with all of you tonight __PUNCT__

and i got to tell you __PUNCT__ look around thi room __PUNCT__ i remind of the stori congresswoman roybal __PUNCT__ allard tell about the chc first meet three decad_ago __PUNCT__

back then __PUNCT__ her father __PUNCT__ congressman edward roybal __PUNCT__ approach the speaker of the hous __PUNCT__ tip_o'neil __PUNCT__ to ask for a room for the meet __PUNCT__

o'neil respond with hi signatur humor __PUNCT__ by ask if a telephon booth would do __PUNCT__ becaus there were so few member __PUNCT__

well __PUNCT__ i don't think congressman roybal could have imagin that meet would on dai give rise to a gather like thi __PUNCT__ and to an organ that train the next gener of hispan leader all across america __PUNCT__ help young_peopl graduat from high_school __PUNCT__ and attend_colleg __PUNCT__ and becom leader in their field __PUNCT__

i come here tonight as the first african_american nomine of the democrat_parti becaus gener befor me did that same work to break barrier and open_door __PUNCT__

and i hope that becaus of the work all of you ar do __PUNCT__ somewher in thi audienc sit the person who will becom the first hispan presid of the unit_state __PUNCT__

the work of thi organ reflect the charact of the hispan commun in which so mani peopl have come here with so littl __PUNCT__ but had big dream __PUNCT__ big heart __PUNCT__ and a willing to struggl and sacrific so the next gener doesn't have to __PUNCT__

it the same reason my own father came here from kenya so mani year_ago __PUNCT__ becaus he believ that america wa a place where you can make it if you try __PUNCT__

todai __PUNCT__ that fundament american promis is at risk __PUNCT__

our nation is at war and our economi is in turmoil __PUNCT__

more american ar out of work __PUNCT__ and have mortgag thei can't pai __PUNCT__ and car thei can't afford to drive __PUNCT__ and wonder how thei ever afford to retir __PUNCT__

and we all seen the statist __PUNCT__ we all know the hispan commun ha been especi hard hit __PUNCT__

now __PUNCT__ we didn't get here by accid __PUNCT__

the challeng we face ar __PUNCT__ at least in part __PUNCT__ the direct_result of a broken polit in washington and the fail polici of the folk in the white_hous these last two term __PUNCT__

and last week __PUNCT__ we watch as the same_parti respons for the past eight year ask thi countri for anoth four __PUNCT__

now __PUNCT__ i happi to see that in the past few dai __PUNCT__ senat_mccain ha final realiz what we known all along __PUNCT__ that the american_peopl ar hungri for chang __PUNCT__

and he final readi to have a debat about who can deliv that chang __PUNCT__

well __PUNCT__ that a debat i eager to have __PUNCT__

becaus the truth is __PUNCT__ on the issu that matter most in peopl_live __PUNCT__ senat_mccain is offer noth but four year more of the same __PUNCT__

senat mccain ha worn our countri uniform with braveri and distinct __PUNCT__ and for that __PUNCT__ we ow him our gratitud and respect __PUNCT__

but we also ow ourselv a close look at hi record and hi agenda for america __PUNCT__

he vote with georg_bush nineti percent of the time __PUNCT__ and while in recent dai __PUNCT__ he rail against washington_lobbyist __PUNCT__ he neglect to mention that hi campaign is run by washington lobbyist __PUNCT__

he said that our economi ha made __PUNCT__ great progress __PUNCT__ under presid_bush __PUNCT__ and offer the same old philosophi that fail us for decad __PUNCT__ give more to those with the most and hope prosper trickl down to everyon els __PUNCT__

so there ar mani word to describ senat_mccain agenda __PUNCT__ but chang isn't on of them __PUNCT__

it the same old polit and the same old polici that haven't work for the past eight year and won't work now __PUNCT__

and it time for someth new __PUNCT__

we know that govern can't solv all our problem __PUNCT__ and it shouldn't try __PUNCT__

but it should work for us __PUNCT__ not against us __PUNCT__

it should ensur opportun not just for those with the most monei and influenc __PUNCT__ but for everi american will to work __PUNCT__

that what thi elect is about __PUNCT__

thi elect is about the famili __PUNCT__ includ so mani latino famili __PUNCT__ who ar lose their home and their job __PUNCT__ and work job that pai less and come with fewer benefit __PUNCT__

thei need us to solv thi hous_crisi __PUNCT__ and end these tax_break for compani ship job_oversea __PUNCT__ and give real tax_relief to middl_class class_famili __PUNCT__

that what i do as presid __PUNCT__

thi elect is about the latino student who attend overflow class in underfund school and ar drop out of school faster than nearli anyon els __PUNCT__

thei count on us to stop leav the monei behind for no child_left behind __PUNCT__ to recruit an armi of new teacher __PUNCT__ and make colleg afford for anyon who want to go __PUNCT__

that what i do as presid __PUNCT__

thi elect is about the __NUM___million_american who don't have health_care __PUNCT__ on in three hispan __PUNCT__ and about the small_busi busi_owner who can bare stai afloat becaus of rise health_care_cost __PUNCT__

thei count on us to guarante health care for anyon who need it and make it afford for anyon who want it __PUNCT__

that what i do as presid __PUNCT__

thi elect is about the veteran __PUNCT__ includ so mani from thi commun __PUNCT__ who serv thi countri so brave __PUNCT__ but come home to new battl to get the benefit thei earn __PUNCT__

thei count on us to build a __NUM___centuri va __PUNCT__ and pass a __NUM__ centuri gi_bill of right __PUNCT__ and provid good_health health_care __PUNCT__ includ mental_health health_care __PUNCT__

that what i do as presid __PUNCT__

thi elect is about the __NUM___million_peopl peopl_live in the shadow __PUNCT__ the commun take immigr_enforc into their own hands?thei count on us to stop the hate rhetor fill our airwav __PUNCT__ rise abov the fear and demagogueri __PUNCT__ and final enact comprehens_immigr immigr_reform __PUNCT__

now __PUNCT__ i know senat_mccain us to buck hi parti by fight for comprehens reform __PUNCT__ and i admir him for it __PUNCT__

but when he wa run for hi parti nomin __PUNCT__ he abandon hi stanc __PUNCT__ and said he wouldn't even support hi own legisl if it came up for a vote __PUNCT__

and when it came time to write hi parti_platform __PUNCT__ comprehens reform never made it in __PUNCT__

so you got to ask yourself __PUNCT__ if senat_mccain won't stand up to oppon of reform at hi own convent __PUNCT__ how can you trust him to stand up for chang in washington __PUNCT__

well __PUNCT__ i don't know about you __PUNCT__ but i think it time for a presid who won't walk awai from comprehens_immigr immigr_reform when it becom polit unpopular __PUNCT__

that the commit we made in our democrat_parti parti_platform __PUNCT__

that why i wa proud to champion the comprehens_immigr immigr_reform act __PUNCT__

that why i wa proud to stand with you in those march for immigr reform __PUNCT__

and that the kind of partner i be in the white_hous __PUNCT__

now __PUNCT__ those __NUM___million_peopl broke the law __PUNCT__

and we cannot excus that __PUNCT__

but we cannot deport __NUM___million_peopl __PUNCT__

instead __PUNCT__ we requir them to pai a fine __PUNCT__ learn_english __PUNCT__ and go to the back of the line for citizenship __PUNCT__ behind those who came here legal __PUNCT__

at the same_time __PUNCT__ we secur our border and crack down on employ who hire undocu_worker __PUNCT__

that how we reconcil our valu as both a nation of immigr and a nation of law __PUNCT__

make thi kind of chang won't be easi __PUNCT__

but it what so mani of you ar do in our commun everi dai __PUNCT__

it how i start my career __PUNCT__ work with commun_leader __PUNCT__ black __PUNCT__ brown and white __PUNCT__ on the south_side of chicago __PUNCT__ help famili devast when the steel_mill close down and the job dri up __PUNCT__

so i got to tell you __PUNCT__ i wa pretti surpris when i heard our oppon make_fun of that work last week at their convent __PUNCT__ mock what so mani american do everi dai in church_group and union and the pta to serv struggl commun __PUNCT__

frankli __PUNCT__ i don't think it particularli funni that peopl ar lose their job and their home __PUNCT__

i don't think that fail school and crumbl neighborhood ar someth to laugh about __PUNCT__

and i got new for john_mccain __PUNCT__ come togeth to give back to our commun __PUNCT__ that how a lot of us __PUNCT__ democrat __PUNCT__ republican and independ __PUNCT__ that how we put our countri first __PUNCT__

that why i run for presid __PUNCT__

but i can't do thi alon __PUNCT__

so i here tonight to ask for your help __PUNCT__

some of the closest contest thi __DATE__ will be in state like florida __PUNCT__ colorado __PUNCT__ nevada and new mexico __PUNCT__ state with larg latino popul __PUNCT__

and latino voter will plai a critic_role all across thi countri __PUNCT__

and if you have ani doubt about whether you can make a differ __PUNCT__ just rememb how __PUNCT__ back in __NUM__ regist latino voter in new mexico didn't turn out on elect_dai __PUNCT__

senat_kerri lost that state by fewer than __NUM___vote __PUNCT__

__NUM__ vote __PUNCT__

todai __PUNCT__ in __NUM__ an estim___NUM__ latino in new mexico aren't regist to vote __PUNCT__

so i not take a singl hispan_vote for grant in thi campaign __PUNCT__

we meet with latino leader and reach out to latino organ to get input on my polici_propos __PUNCT__

we got a nationwid hispan media strategi __PUNCT__ and we hold latino voter_registr drive across america __PUNCT__

and when i presid __PUNCT__ i be ask mani of you to serv at everi level of govern __PUNCT__

in the end __PUNCT__ though __PUNCT__ what at stake in thi elect is far bigger than ani on parti or platform or candid __PUNCT__

we all know that __PUNCT__

it what we learn in the hardest wai possibl on that __DATE___dai __PUNCT__ seven year_ago tomorrow __PUNCT__ when in the face of unthink tragedi __PUNCT__ we came togeth __PUNCT__ black and white __PUNCT__ latino and asian __PUNCT__ from everi region and religion and walk of life __PUNCT__

those loss were all our loss __PUNCT__ that suffer wa all our suffer __PUNCT__

and at that darkest moment __PUNCT__ we understood that here in america __PUNCT__ we all have a stake in each other __PUNCT__ i am my brother keeper __PUNCT__ i am my sister keeper __PUNCT__ and we rise and fall as on nation __PUNCT__

it the veri idea that brought five member of congress togeth three decad_ago to found the congression hispan caucu __PUNCT__

and it what brought us here tonight __PUNCT__ the belief that america should be a nation where we pursu our individu dream __PUNCT__ but still come togeth __PUNCT__ as on american_famili __PUNCT__ to ensur the next gener can pursu their dream too __PUNCT__

it time that our polit reflect that understand __PUNCT__

it time that we turn the page on the fail polici of the past and brought new energi and idea to the challeng we face __PUNCT__

and if you will to work with me __PUNCT__ and fight with me __PUNCT__ and stand with me thi fall __PUNCT__ togeth __PUNCT__ we won't just win an elect __PUNCT__ we will transform thi nation __PUNCT__

thank you __PUNCT__ god_bless you __PUNCT__ and god_bless_america __PUNCT__