Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Obama's Endorsement of Socialist Bernie Sanders: The Transcript

Due to popular demand we give you the transcript of Barack Obama endorsing self-described socialist Bernie Sanders when Sanders was running for Senate in front of a crowd in Vermont.Here's the video.Here's the transcript:
Obama:"What's going on Bernie"

Bernie Sanders:"It gives us great pleasure and a real sense of gratitude to one of the great leaders of the United States Senate is here today.We are going to have to be brief because we have a thousand people inside.Welcome to the State of Vermont Senator Barack Obama."

Obama:Thank you Vermont.First of all I want to thank whoever arranged the 50 degree weather.When Bernie asked me if I would come out and campaign,I asked when and he said in March and my suspicion was that in March the weather is a little bit like Chicago,unpredictable.But,this is wonderful and I think a lot of it has to do with the fact we've got so many folks out here today just feeling a bit of heat about these two outstanding candidates who all of us in Washington want to see promoted.You know we all want to see Bernie in the Senate and we all want to see Peter(Welch) in the House of Representatives.
You know I think all of us feel cynical about politics sometimes it seems like it's a business instead of a mission it's seems like power is always trumping principle.It seems as if our self-appointed leaders lack leadership.We have an administration that is fundamentally not serious about the things we care about.It's not about the environment it's not serious about energy independence it's not serious about homeland security,it's not serious about making sure every American has a decent shot at life that they've got health insurance and every child actually has genuine educational opportunity and so sometimes we get disheartened and sometimes we pullback and we say you know what nothing is going change and yet when you look a these two men standing beside me it's an indication in fact that things can change.That we can overcome that cynicism that when ordinary people decide they want a different future for themselves and for their children and for their grandchildren and they come together and work at a grassroots level that it doesn't matter how much money is spent it doesn't matter what the powers and principalities say in fact we can bring about a change.That's what this election is going to be about and that's why I want to make sure everybody is as enthusiastic as I am about making sure these guys end up in Washington where they can keep stirring up some trouble.I know we have to be brief so I'm just going to make one closing comment.I was asking the guy who was driving me here Bernie,I said,how do you campaign where everybody knows you? I mean what's the point? Bernie has 100% name recognition the who people who like him you aren't going to change their minds about liking him and the handful of wrongheaded people who don't like him you know you're not going to change their minds either.But,what is important in this election and what I think the essence of the campaign is all of us being activated it's not so much about the candidate in a campaign like this it's about making sure each and every person has the chance to participate and involve themselves in this unbelievable experiment we call democracy the elections are more about us than they are about the candidate they allow us to talk about our values and express our concerns and so I hope that you listen to Bernie and Peter throughout this campaign just keep on reminding yourself that this is really about making sure your values(inaudible) in your participation in the process you're making this country stronger you're making Vermont stronger and you can assure that you're going to be holding these guys accountable not that you have to worry about them they've got enough of a track record you know where there heart is there heart is with Vermont,my heart today is at least with Vermont.
One can only come to the conclusion that Barack Obama is much closer in philosophy to socialism than capitalism.Are you a "wrongheaded person" who doesn't support socialist Bernie Sanders? Now you know what Obama means about "change": having Bernie Sanders vote for more and more government programs.