1988DemocraticNationalConventionKeynoteAddress.doc

1988DemocraticNationalConventionKeynoteAddress AnnRichards:1988DemocraticNationalConventionKeynoteAddress Thankyou.Thankyou.Thankyou,verymuch. Goodevening,ladiesandgentlemen.Buenasnoches,misamigos. Imdelightedtobeherewithyouthisevening,becauseafterlisteningtoGeorgeBushalltheseyears,IfiguredyouneededtoknowwhatarealTexasaccentsoundslike. TwelveyearsagoBarbaraJordan,anotherTexaswoman,Barbaramadethekeynoteaddresstothisconvention,andtwowomeninahundredandsixtyyearsisaboutparforthecourse. But,ifyougiveusachance,wecanperform.Afterall,GingerRogersdideverythingthatFredAstairedid.Shejustdiditbackwardsandinhighheels. IwanttoannouncetothisNationthatinalittlemorethan100days,theReaganMeeseDeaverNofzigerPoindexterNorthWeinbergerWattGorsuchLavelleStockmanHaigBorkNoriegaGeorgeBusherawillbeover Youknow,tonightIfeelalittlelikeIdidwhenIplayedbasketballinthe8thgrade.IthoughtIlookedrealcuteinmyuniform.AndthenIheardaboyyellfromthebleachers,Makethatbasket,Birdlegs Andmygreatestfearisthatsameguyissomewhereoutthereintheaudiencetonight,andhesgoingtocutmedowntosize.BecausewhereIgrewuptherereallywasntmuchtoleranceforselfimportance,peoplewhoputonairs. IwasbornduringtheDepressioninalittlemunityjustoutsideWaco,andIgrewuplisteningtoFranklinRooseveltontheradio.Well,itwasbackthenthatIcametounderstandthesmalltruthsandthehardshipsthatbindneighborstogether.ThosewererealpeoplewithrealproblemsandtheyhadrealdreamsaboutgettingoutoftheDepression.IcanremembersummernightswhenwedputdownwhatwecalledtheBaptistpallet,andwelistenedtothegrownupstalk.Icanstillhearthesoundofthedominoesclickingonthemarbleslabmydaddyhadfoundforatabletop.Icanstillhearthelaughterofthemantellingjokesyouwerentsupposedtoheartalkinabouthowbigthatoldbuckdeerwas,laughinaboutmamaputtinCloroxinthewellwhenthefrogfellin. TheytalkedaboutwarandWashingtonandwhatthiscountryneeded.Theytalkedthestraighttalk.Anditcamefrompeoplewhowerelivingtheirlivesasbesttheycould.Andthatswhatweregoingtodotonight.Weregoingtotellhowthecowatethecabbage. IgotaletterlastweekfromayoungmotherinLorena,Texas,andIwannareadpartofittoyou.Shewrites, “Ourworriesgofrompaydaytopayday,justlikemillionsofothers.Andwehavetwofairlydecentines,butIworryhowImgoingtopaytherisingcarinsuranceandfood.IpraymykidsdonthaveagrowthspurtfromAugusttoDecember,soIdonthavetobuynewjeans.Webuyclothesatthebudgetstoresandwehavethemfrayandfadeandstretchinthefirstwash.Weponderandtrytofigureouthowweregonnapayforcollegeandbracesandtennisshoes.Wedonttakevacationsandwedontgoouttoeat.Pleasedontthinkmeungrateful.Wehavejobsandaniceplacetolive,andwerehealthy.Werethepeopleyouseeeverydayinthegrocerystores,andweobeythelawsandpayourtaxes.Weflyourflagsonholidaysandweplodalongtryingtomakeitbetterforourselvesandourchildrenandourparents.Wearentvocalanymore.Ithinkmaybeweretootired.IbelievethatpeoplelikeusareforgotteninAmerica.” Well,ofcourseyoubelieveyoureforgotten,becauseyouhavebeen. ThisRepublicanAdministrationtreatsusasifwewerepiecesofapuzzlethatcantfittogether.Theyvetriedtoputusintopartmentsandseparateusfromeachother.Theirpoliticaltheoryis“divideandconquer.”TheyvesuggestedtimeandtimeagainthatwhatisofinteresttoonegroupofAmericansisnotofinteresttoanyoneelse.Wevebeenisolated.Wevebeenlumpedintothatsadphraseologycalled“specialinterests.”Theyvetoldfarmersthattheywereselfish,thattheywoulddriveupfoodpricesiftheyaskedthegovernmenttointerveneonbehalfofthefamilyfarm,andwewatchedfarmsgoontheauctionblockwhileweboughtfoodfromforeigncountries.Well,thatswrong Theytoldworkingmothersitsalltheirfaulttheirfamiliesarefallingapartbecausetheyhadtogotoworktokeeptheirkidsinjeansandtennisshoesandcollege.Andtheyrewrong TheytoldAmericanlabortheyweretryingtoruinfreeenterprisebyaskingfor60daysnoticeofplantclosings,andthatswrong.Andtheytoldtheautoindustryandthesteelindustryandthetimberindustryandtheoilindustry,paniesbeingthreatenedbyforeignproductsfloodingthiscountry,thatyoureprotectionistifyouthinkthegovernmentshouldenforceourtradelaws.Andthatiswrong. Whentheybelittleusfordemandingcleanairandcleanwaterfortryingtosavetheoceansandtheozonelayer,thatswrong. Nowonderwefeelisolatedandconfused.Wewantanswersandtheiransweristhatsomethingiswrongwithyou.Wellnothingswrongwithyou.NothingswrongwithyouthatyoucantfixinNovember WevebeentoldwevebeentoldthattheinterestsoftheSouthandtheSouthwestarenotthesameinterestsastheNorthandtheNortheast.Theypitonegroupagainsttheother.Theyvedividedthiscountry,andinourisolationwethinkgovernmentisntgonnahelpus,andwerealoneinourfeelings.Wefeelforgotten.Well,thefactisthatwearenotanisolatedpieceoftheirpuzzle.Weareonenation.WearetheUnitedStatesofAmerica. Now,weDemocratsbelievethatAmericaisstillthecountyoffairplay;thatwecaneoutofasmalltownorapoorneighborhoodandhavethesamechanceasanyoneelse,anditdoesntmatterwhetherweareblackorHispanicordisabledorawomensic.WebelievethatAmericaisacountrywheresmallbusinessownersmustsucceed,becausetheyarethebedrock,backboneofoureconomy. Webelievethatourkidsdeservegooddaycareandpublicschools.Webelieveourkidsdeservepublicschoolswherestudentscanlearnandteacherscanteach.Andwewannabelievethatourparentswillhaveagoodretirementandthatwewilltoo.WeDemocratsbelievethatsocialsecurityisapactthatcannotbebroken. Wewannabelievethatwecanliveoutourliveswithouttheterriblefearthatanillnessisgoingtobankruptusandourchildren.WeDemocratsbelievethatAmericacanovereanyproblem,includingthedreadeddiseasecalledAIDS.WebelievethatAmericaisstillacountrywherethereismoretolifethanjustaconstantstruggleformoney.AndwebelievethatAmericamusthaveleaderswhoshowusthatourstrugglesamounttosomethingandcontributetosomethinglarger,leaderswhowantustobeallthatwecanbe.WewantleaderslikeJesseJackson. JesseJacksonisaleaderandateacherwhocanopenourheartsandopenourmindsandstirourverysouls.Andhehastaughtusthatweareasgoodasourcapacityforcaring,caringaboutthedrugproblem,caringaboutcrime,caringabouteducation,andcaringabouteachother. Now,incontrast,thegreatestnationofthefreeworldhashadaleaderforeightstraightyearsthathaspretendedthathecannothearourquestionsoverthenoiseofthehelicopters.Andweknowhedoesntwannaanswer.Butwehavealotofquestions.Andwhenwegetourquestionsasked,orthereisaleak,oraninvestigationtheonlyanswerwegetis,“Idontknow,”or“Iforgot.” Butyouwouldntacceptthatanswerfromyourchildren.Iwouldnt.Donttellme“youdontknow”or“youforgot.”WerenotgoingtohavetheAmericathatwewantuntilweelectleaderswhoaregonnatellthetruth;notmostdaysbuteveryday;leaderswhodontforgetwhattheydontwanttoremember.AndforeightstraightyearsGeorgeBushhasntdisplayedtheslightestinterestinanythingwecareabout.Andnowthathesafterajobhecantgetappointedto,heslikeColumbusdiscoveringAmerica.Hesfoundchildcare.Hesfoundeducation.PoorGeorge.Hecanthelpit.Hewasbornwithasilverfootinhismouth. Well,nowonder,nowonderwecantfigureitout.BecausetheleadershipofthisnationistellingusonethingonTVanddoingsomethingentirelydifferent.Theytellus,theytellusthattheyrefightingawaragainstterrorists.AndthenwefindoutthattheWhiteHouseissellingarmstotheAyatollah.TheytellusthattheyrefightingawarondrugsandthenpeopleeonTVandtestifythattheCIAandtheDEAandtheFBIknewtheywereflyingdrugsintoAmericaallalong.Andtheyrenegotiatingwithadictatorwhoisshovelingcocaineintothiscountrylikecrazy.IguessthatstheirCentralAmericanstrategy. Now,theytellusthatemploymentratesaregreat,andthattheyreforequalopportunity.Butweknowittakestwopaycheckstomakeendsmeettoday,whenitusedtotakeone.Andtheopportunitytheyresoproudofislowwage,deadendjobs.AndthereisnomajorcityinAmericawhereyoucannotseehomelessmensittinginparkinglotsholdingsignsthatsay“Iwillworkforfood.” Now,myfriends,wereallyareatacrucialpointinAmericanhistory.Underthisadministrationwehavedevotedourresourcesintomakingthiscountryamilitarycolossus.Butweveletoureconomiclinesofdefensefallintodisrepair.Thedebtofthisnationisgreaterthanithaseverbeeninourhistory.WefoughtaworldwaronlessdebtthantheRepublicanshavebuiltupinthelasteightyears.Youknow,itskindoflikethatbrotherinlawwhodrivesaflashynewcarbuthesalwaysborrowinmoneyfromyoutomakethepayments. Well,butletstakewhattheyaremostproudof.Thatistheirstandofdefense.WeDemocratsaremittedtoastrongAmerica,and,quitefrankly,whenourleaderssaytous,Weneedanewweaponssystem,ourinclinationistosay,“Well,theymustberight.”Butwhenwepaybillionsforplainsthatwontfly,billionsfortanksthatwontfire,andbillionsforsystemsthatwontwork,thatolddogwonthunt.AndyoudonthavetobefromWacotoknowthatwhenthePentagonmakescrooksrichanddoesntmakeAmericastrong,thatitsabumdeal. NowImgoingtotellyouImreallygladthatouryoungpeoplemissedtheDepressionandmissedthegreatbigwar.ButIdoregretthattheymissedtheleadersthatIknew,leaderswhotolduswhenthingsweretough,andthatwedhavetosacrifice,andthatthesedifficultiesmightlastforawhile.Theydidnttellusthingswerehardforusbecauseweweredifferent,orisolated,orspecialinterests.Theybroughtustogetherandtheygaveusasenseofnationalpurpose.TheygaveusSocialSecurityandtheytoldustheyweresettingupasystemwherewecouldpayourownmoneyin,andwhenthetimecameforourretirementwecouldtakethemoneyout.Peopleintheruralareasweretoldthatwedeservedtohaveelectriclights,andtheyweregonnaharnesstheenergythatwasnecessarytogiveuselectricitysomygrandmamadidnthavetocarrythatoldcoaloillamparound. Andtheytoldusthattheyweregoingtoguaranteewhenweputourmoneyinthebank,thatthemoneywasgoingtobethere,anditwasgoingtobeinsured.Theydidnotlietous. AndIthinkoneofthesavinggracesofDemocratsisthatwearecandid.Wetalkstraighttalk.Wetellpeoplewhatwethink.AndthattraditionandthosevalueslivetodayinMichaelDukakisfromMassachusetts. MichaelDukakisknowsthatthiscountryisontheedgeofagreatnewera,thatwerenotafraidofchange,thatwereforthoughtful,truthful,strongleadership.Behindhiscalmtheresanimpatiencetounifythiscountryandtogetonwiththefuture.HisinstinctsaredeeplyAmerican.Theyretoughandtheyregenerous.Andpersonally,IhavetotellyouthatIhavenevermetamanwhohadamoreremarkablesenseaboutwhatisreallyimportantinlife. Andthentheresmyfriendandmyteacherformanyyears,SenatorLloydBentsen.AndIcouldntbeprouder,bothasaTexanandasaDemocrat,becauseLloydBentsenunderstandsAmerica.Fromthebarriototheboardroom,heknowshowtobringustogether,byregions,byeconomics,andbyexample.AndhesalreadybeatenGeorgeBushonce.So,whenitesrightdowntoit,thiselectionisacontestbetweenthosewhoaresatisfiedwithwhattheyhaveandthosewhoknowwecandobetter.Thatswhatthiselectionisreallyallabout.ItsabouttheAmericandreamthosewhowanttokeepitforthefewandthosewhoknowitmustbenurturedandpassedalong. Imagrandmothernow.AndIhaveonenearlyperfectgranddaughternamedLily.AndwhenIholdthatgrandbaby,Ifeelthecontinuityoflifethatunitesus,thatbindsgenerationtogeneration,thattiesuswitheachother.AndsometimesIspreadthatBaptistpalletoutonthefloor,andLilyandIrollaballbackandforth.AndIthinkofallthefamilieslikemine,liketheoneinLorena,Texas,liketheonesthatnurturechildrenallacrossAmerica.AndasIlookatLily,Iknowthatitiswithinfamiliesthatwelearnbo