Introduction of Sarah Palin - Sept. 5, 2011

Hello New Hampshire! Thank you so much for coming out and meeting the Tea Party Express today, on our fifth national best tour where we are reclaiming America and our buses are made in America. That's called job creation, President Obama. He might learn a thing or two.

We are so glad to be here with you all. I don't know if you know anything about me, but I've never been politically active in my life. I'm a former Delta Airlines flight attendant and a mom who two and a half years ago was sick and tired of yelling at my TV and radio and got off my couch and did something about it. I came together with other conservatives through Twitter and social media, and we started what is now the modern-day Tea Party movement, and we've had tea parties for the past two and a half years, and that's great we love to have tea parties, but we are truly effecting change in Washington DC with our vote. Look at what we did last November? It was nothing short of amazing and we are just getting started.

Earlier this year, earlier this year, when President Obama wanted a blank check from Congress, we the people stood up and said no more, we're not giving you a blank check, we want a balanced budget. We want Washington to live within their means just like we live within our means, just like businesses live within their means, and a coalition of people of groups came together and all these people across the country got behind the cut cap and balance pledge. It started as a pledge online. It ended up being legislation that was passed in the House of Representatives and went on to the Senate, and Harry Reid decided he knew what was best for us and he pulled it from the Senate and tabled it so they wouldn't debate it or vote on it. Well I have news for Harry, he's not going to be in charge much longer because we're taking back the US Senate and we're taking that gavel out of his hands.

You know, this movement has had a major impact on politics all across the country, and earlier this year, we announced that we partnered with CNN to host the first-ever Tea Party presidential debate. That debate is happening on Monday night September 12th, that's one week from today in Tampa, Florida at 8PM and that's an opportunity for the candidates to stand up and tell us where they stand on the issues of fiscal responsibility, free markets, and constitutionally limited government. We want to hear what their ideas and solutions are to turn the economy around, get us back on track so that we're on the path to prosperity and we remain that shining city on the hill.

We need jobs, we need the housing crisis figured out, we need somebody who's going to make the tough, bold steps to get us back on that path, and right now President Obama, he's not leading us in that direction. So the time has come, he's been in office three years it's time to fire him and send a conservative to the White House and that's we’re gonna do. As we crossed the country, we've invited all of the presidential candidates to come out to all of our rallies and speak to the activists in this movement, to speak them to we the people and some of them have- have started coming to our rallies, we expect more this week. We're really excited about this and the reason it's so important is because going into 2012, the Republican Party is not going to choose the nominee for president it's we the people that are going to choose the nominee.

So we have some great people here with us today, you're going to hear from some of these candidates, and right now, I have somebody I want to bring up and introduce to you. She has been absolutely one of the strongest voices out on the front lines, taking on the establishment, and fighting for the conservative cause. She's been an inspiration to all of us and we are so glad that she is part of this Tea Party movement. She's a mom of five children, she started out as the mayor of Wasilla, went on to the oil and gas commission, became the governor of Alaska, and was the Republican VP nominee in 2008, and regardless of what she decides to do whether she decides to run or not, we know she's going to continue to fight with us and stand strong. I want to bring to the stage now and welcome Governor Sarah Palin.