we didn't start with much money or many endorsements our campaign was not
hatched in the halls of washington it began in the backyards of des moines in the living rooms
of concord and the front porches of charleston it was built by working men and women who dug into
what little savings they had to give five dollars of ten dollars and twenty dollars to the cause
it grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy
who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep it drew
strength from the not so young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on
doors of perfect strangers and from the millions of americans who volunteered and organized
and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people
by the people and for the people has not perished from the earth this is your victory
there are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder
how they'll make the mortgage or pay their doctor's bills
or save enough for their child's college education
there's new energy to harness new jobs to be created new schools to build
and threats to meet alliances to repair the road ahead will be long our climb will be steep
we may not get there in one year or even in one term but america i have never been more hopeful
than i am tonight that we will get there i promise you we as a people will get there
there will be setbacks and false starts there are many who won't agree with every decision
or policy i make as president and we know the government can't solve every problem
but i will always be honest with you about the challenges we face i will listen to you especially
when we disagree and above all i will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation
the only way it's been done in america for 221 years block by block brick by brick calloused hand
by callous hand what began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night
this victory alone is not the change we seek it is only the chance for us to make that change
and that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were
it can't happen without you without a new spirit of service a new spirit of sacrifice
so let us summon a new spirit a patriotism of responsibility where each of us resolves
to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other
let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything it's that we cannot have a
thriving wall street while main street suffers in this country we rise or fall as one nation
as one people let's resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness
and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long let's remember that it was a man
from this state who first carried the banner of the republican party to the white house
a party founded on the values of self-reliance and individual liberty and national unity those are
values that we all share and while the democratic party has won a great victory tonight we do so
with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress
and all those watching tonight from beyond our shores from parliaments and palaces to
those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world
our stories are singular but our destiny is shared and a new dawn of american leadership is at hand
god bless you and may god bless the united states of america