“These are some of the essential issues this election will decide. I offer one direction for America. Senator Clinton and her Democratic rivals offer another, a course I believe is absolutely wrong for America and wrong for the world. It is your turn, my friends, to decide who is right. It’s a huge responsibility. I know you will take it seriously.I don’t expect you to take our promises on faith. I expect you to listen to us, as New Hampshire voters always do, and then examine our records to determine whether we can be trusted to keep our word to you.
I didn’t seek public office to go along to get along. I went to Washington to get something done for the people who sent me there. And since then, I know I’ve made some people angry.
I made defense contractors angry when I blew the whistle on a $30 billion boondoggle and the culprits were sent to jail.
I upset the special interests and Washington lobbyists when I fought for ethics reform and to stop union bosses and corporations from writing million dollar checks to political campaigns.
I made the Pentagon angry when I called for the resignation of Don Rumsfeld; said we needed a different strategy in Iraq; and a bigger military so that ours sons and daughters didn’t have to serve four and five tours in combat zones.
I displeased a lot of the media when I said we couldn’t afford to fail in Iraq, and stood by the changes in our strategy that are now showing success.
I made some folks mad when I worked to cut harmful greenhouse emissions because I believe climate change is a real and needs to be addressed now.
I made politicians angry when I called for earmark reform and spending cuts; for government to do its job, not your job; to do it better and with less of your money. I said no to bridges to nowhere and 74 million dollars for peanut storage in a defense spending bill.
Yes, I’ve made a lot of people angry. But I didn’t go to Washington to win the Mr. Congeniality award. I went there to serve my country.
I might not like the business as usual crowd in Washington, and they might not like me. But I love America. I love her enough to make some people angry.
I’m going to put the business as usual crowd out of business — and make them thank me when I do. I won’t only restore your trust. I’ll make you proud of your government again. I’m going to keep this country safe, prosperous and powerful. So help me God. And I respectfully ask for your vote to help me do it.
Thank you.”
The hall was packed and it erupted
into a standing ovation when he said, “I
didn’t go to Washington to win the Mr. Congeniality award. I went
there to serve my country.”