Speech I Wrote for John Kerry in 2004

If I were John Kerry's speech writer for his election night victory speech in 2004, this is what it would look like. (I wrote this in early 2004 before I found out Kerry lost the election. It was a heavy blow when Kerry lost. I was depressed for a couple of days after Bush was declared the winner. 2004 was also a time when I had more faith in God)

I stand before you today humbled by the task ahead--the task for helping to unify the greatest country in the world, the United States of America. While the Statue of Liberty weeps over the recent sad fear created by war and terrorism, hope remains in the hearts of all who fight and die for our freedom. I pledge to you to fight with every ounce of my integrity and being for the American people. Because America needs to stand tall in the world andbe respected by every peace-loving country, my administration will work hard to build more alliances with the countries of Europe and other great nations, to codify a strength of will of all free lands that will solidify security for our children, our children's children and many generations to come. We will revive the power of the United Nations to be strong in the eyes of all, not just a scapegoat for the extreme right. I believe strongly in multi-lateralism, not unilateralism.
In his inaugural address, Abraham Lincoln set in motion his plan to bring the states together into a more perfect union. He said, "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive to finish the work we are in--to bind up the nation's wounds."
Lincoln's words ring true today. As one, we must stand up to terrorism, stand up to poverty, stand up to disease, stand up to those who want to destroy our environment in the name of progress, stand up to corporate criminals, stand up to those who scoff at freedom and don't appreciate the sacrifice of our veterans who served valiantly and who are now serving valiantly in Iraq and elsewhere around the world.
We must teach our children that they don't have to live in fear--that they can prosper in our public education system. We can build our public schools to be the best in the world, with the best locally-based standards. There should be no fears of future Columbines. We are confident in the phrase, "Children First."
There will be no barriers to the achievement of our young students in America.
As captain of this great and proud ship called the USA, I see some rough waters ahead but nothing that the great strength and character of America cannot overcome. Helping me to navigate these waters will be John Edwards; a vice president who shares a vision of perseverance and staying the course. He too is not afraid of the storm because he believes, like I do, in the hearts of the people. We will strive to be a beacon of hope for the world's downtrodden, to help the less fortunate, to let them know in the deepest recesses of their hearts that HELP IS ON THE WAY. We can be an America created for all people, black and white, rich and poor, young and old, gay and straight, Democrats and Republicans. Our differences should not divide us. It's our differences that make us strong.
Borrowing a line from Dickens, yes, it's the best of times and the worst of times...but, HELP IS ON THE WAY. An America with so many opportunities, so many strong traditions, so many experts in so many fields, including health, the military and education. We are a nation filled with people whose souls are yearning for the American dream....and many who have achieved it. But, there is also an America where hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs have been lost to Mexico, China and other distant lands where workers there work for substandard wages in substandard conditions. Corporation presidents are raking in the millions while the workers lose their health plans. This is not the America I dream of. It is time we say "enough is enough." We need to start treating our workers the way they deserve to be treated.
The following was written about George Washington in the Saturday Evening Post many years following his presidency.
"Whether in the wilderness or the battlefield, in the council chambers or in the halls of Congress, whether in jeopardy of armed foe or of treacherous colleagues, the more overwhelming the odds against him, the higher rose his courage, the more flexible became his will, the more complete became his mastery over himself and those about him. Adversity only stiffened his resolution. Danger only increased his coolness or heightened his resourcefulness, and the joy of the battle gave strength and steadiness to his performance."
I pledge to you this kind of leadership based on an undying love for the greatest country this world has ever known. GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!