Obama Ipsum

And it offends our conscience. As William Faulkner once wrote, "The past isn't dead and buried.

Tonight, we gather to affirm the greatness of our nation - not because of the height of our skyscrapers, or the power of our military, or the size of our economy. But then I asked myself: Are we serving Shamus as well as he is serving us? Let us find that common stake we all have in one another, and let our politics reflect that spirit as well. Out of work? Tough luck. And we will keep our promise to every young American - if you commit to serving your community or your country, we will make sure you can afford a college education.

We shouldn't use the obstacles we face as an excuse for cynicism. The Bush-McCain foreign policy has squandered the legacy that generations of Americans - Democrats and Republicans - have built, and we are here to restore that legacy. Without these ingredients, elections alone do not make true democracy. This tolerance is essential for religion to thrive, but it is being challenged in many different ways.

I've been speaking to a lot of churches recently, so it's nice to be speaking to one that's so familiar. This time we want to talk about how the lines in the Emergency Room are filled with whites and blacks and Hispanics who do not have health care; who don't have the power on their own to overcome the special interests in Washington, but who can take them on if we do it together. These are my heroes. I do not believe that women must make the same choices as men in order to be equal, and I respect those women who choose to live their lives in traditional roles.

I wanted to be part of something larger. And Ashley said that when she was nine years old, her mother got cancer. I am also proud to carry with me the goodwill of the American people, and a greeting of peace from Muslim communities in my country: assalaamu alaykum. Let me also address the issue of Iraq.

Thank you, and God bless America.