Remarks at the 2008 Democratic National Convention - Sept. 3, 2008

In 145 days, George W. Bush will no longer be president of the United States. And if we do everything we can for the next 67 days, my friend Barack Obama will take his place.

Now, for the family on the verge of losing their home, the uninsured dad who is praying each night his kids don't get sick, the waitress struggling with the rising cost of everything-for them, and millions more middle-class Americans who are barely holding on, this moment can't come too soon.

The choice is clear: continue the failed Bush-McCain policies of the past eight years or head in a new direction for the change we need.

There's John McCain, who feels the pain of the big oil executives worried about losing their multi-billion dollar tax breaks. And then there's Barack Obama who feels the pain of mom or dad who fears their child will be part of the first generation of Americans to have less opportunity than the previous one.

Barack Obama believes the best is yet to come for America.

Those of us who served with him in the Illinois state legislature and in the U.S. Congress have seen how he gets things done. We know that he is the leader who can deliver the change we need. And now it's up to us.

The outcome of this historic election is in our hands. In 2000, we came just 537 votes short of preventing the national nightmare of the Bush years. 537 more knocks on the door or 537 more registered voters could have changed the course of history.

Tonight, let’s take responsibility to register every last voter, knock on every last door, call every list twice, recruit everyone we know. Each of us could be the person who decides the outcome of this election.

Tomorrow we'll fan out across this country, an army of everyday Americans who will accomplish something most extraordinary. Together we will rekindle the American dream and elect Barack Obama President of the United States of America.

Let’s do it!

Speech from YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-otrWxdSu4.