Attendance

Thank you for allowing me to serve as Secretary of this great convention. My job tonight is to determine that our 56 delegations are in the hall. Please sign in and vote present as I continue to speak.

What a beautiful picture we are. Our convention truly looks like America. Take a moment. Look around. We look just like America, and America knows it. We Democrats and this election are about the future. You are here, like Barack Obama, because you believe in hope and our hunger for change. And you work every day to make our country better.

Whether as a governor, or as a first-time delegate, we will make the American dream a reality: a strong and honorable country, a responsible foreign policy, good schools, decent jobs, real opportunity, health care, a clean environment, respect for all our rights and for all our citizens. We celebrate the American people.

We are enriched by our shared values, common sense and good old-fashioned American optimism. That is who Barack Obama is and that is who Joe Biden is and that is why they will be our next president and vice president.

But let us also remember that in our passion to win, and win we must, the desire for change knows no party lines, and as Democrats we believe in working together to build one nation.

Our system has completed the tally. Congratulations to our 56 delegations both in this hall and turning blue all across America. I’d like to thank the officers of the convention and my colleagues on the Democratic National Committee, and particularly our great chairs, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Governor Howard Dean.

And especially I would like to thank all of you. Thank you so much.