BROTHERS AND SISTERS GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT WARM WELCOME.

FIRST, LET ME GIVE ALL GLORY AND HONOR TO GOD, WHO IS ALWAYS AT THE CENTER OF MY LIFE.

WHAT A WONDERFUL AND GLORIOUS DAY HE HAS MADE.

I AM SO THANKFUL FOR THIS CHANCE TO WORSHIP WITH YOU, AND TO SHARE SOME OF MY THOUGHTS AS WE FACE A HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY.

BEFORE I BRING YOU A MESSAGE ON BEHALF OF A FRIEND OF MINE,

I WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT YOUR GOOD SHEPPARD,

MY GOOD AND COURAGEOUS FRIEND:

REVEREND DOUGLAS PARHAM.

REVEREND,

OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, YOU HAVE DISPLAYED A SENSE OF COURAGE, DIGNITY AND RESOLVE THAT IS TRULY INSPIRING.

THE TROUBLES THAT DIVIDE OUR COMMUNITY CAN ONLY BE HEALED BY SPEAKING THE TRUTH,

OPPOSING INJUSTICE,

AND HAVING THE COURAGE TO PUT OUR FAITH INTO ACTION.

YOU HAVE TAKEN ON THAT BURDEN WITH GREAT ENERGY AND TOTAL INTEGRITY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN OUR COMMUNITY.

CAN WE HAVE A HAND FOR REVEREND PARHAM? (LEAD APPLAUSE)

BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
WE ARE LIVING IN HISTORIC TIMES.

YESTERDAY, A BRIGHT, YOUNG AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADER WON A RESOUNDING VICTORY IN THE HEART OF THE OLD CONFEDERACY..SOUTH CAROLINA.

IN THE VERY PLACE WHERE THE CIVIL WAR BEGAN TO WIN OUR HUMAN FREEDOM,

MY FRIEND BARACK OBAMA SENT A POWERFUL MESSAGE THAT WILL RESOUND ACROSS THIS COUNTRY,

AND ACROSS THE GENERATIONS…

THE DREAM IS NOW,
AND OUR TIME HAS COME!


OF COURSE, TODAY, WE’RE IN GOD’S HOUSE,

SO I WON’T TELL YOU WHO TO VOTE FOR.

BUT I WILL ASK YOU TO THINK ABOUT WHAT KIND OF LEADER WE NEED IN OUR COUNTRY.

AND WHEN YOU ASK YOURSELF THAT QUESTION,

ASK YOURSELF,
ARE WE READY TO EMBRACE REAL CHANGE, OR ARE WE JUST CONTENT TO TINKER AROUND THE EDGES OF OUR COUNTRY’S PROBLEMS?

ARE WE FINALLY READY TO STAND UP AS A PEOPLE?

ARE WE READY TO REJECT FEAR AND EMBRACE FAITH?

ARE WE FINALLY READY TO THROW OFF THE LAST REMAINING SHACKLES OF OUR FORMER BONDAGE AND FOCUS THE AWESOME POWER OF OUR CITIZENSHIP?

THE ANSWERS ARE OBVIOUS TO ALL WHO CHOOSE TO SEE THE TRUTH.
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BY ANY HONEST MEASURE, WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE GRAVITY OF THE ISSUES THAT WE FACE AS A COMMUNITY,

AS A STATE,

AND AS A NATION,

MY FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE BARACK OBAMA HAS THE MORAL CLARITY,

THE POSITIVE VISION,

AND THE BOLD AUDACITY OF HOPE TO HEAL OUR COUNTRY AND ELEVATE THE UNITED STATES TO A NEW PATH.
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THE PROBLEMS THAT AMERICA FACES,

AND THE DIVISIONS THAT PLAGUE US,

ARE MUCH TOO DEEP TO BE SOLVED BY THE OLD POLITICS AND THE TIRED REMNANTS WHO ADHERE TO THAT SCHOOL OF THOUGHT.

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JUST LAST SUNDAY,
BARACK OBAMA STOOD IN THE PULPIT OF EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH IN ATLANTA,
TO HONOR THE MEMORY OF THAT CONGREGATION’S LATE REVERED PASTOR,
AND OUR BLESSED TEACHER: DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

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BARACK LIKENED HIS HISTORIC MISSION TO THE STORY OF JOSHUA AND THE BATTLE OF JERICHO.

HE REMINDED THE CONGREGATION THAT THE SCRIPTURE SAYS,
THAT WHEN JOSHUA AND THE ISRAELITES ARRIVED AT THE GATES OF JERICHO,
THEY COULD NOT ENTER BECAUSE THE WALLS WERE TOO TALL TO CLIMB.
BUT GOD HAD A PLAN FOR HIS PEOPLE.

HE TOLD THEM TO STAND FAST, HAVE FAITH, AND WHEN THE TRUMPET SOUNDED,
SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE.

THEY DID JUST AS THE LORD COMMANDED,
AND AS WE ALL KNOW, THE WALLS CAME TUMBLING DOWN.
SUCH IS THE POWER OF UNITY.
SUCH IS THE POWER OF FAITH.
AND BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
WE HAVE A CHANCE TO BRING DOWN ANOTHER WALL,
RIGHT HERE IN MISSOURI,
WHEN THE TRUMPET SOUNDS FOR US ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH.

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AS SENATOR OBAMA SAID,
“UNITY IS THE GREAT NEED OF THE HOUR ,
AND THE GREAT NEED OF THIS HOUR.
NOT BECAUSE IT SOUNDS PLEASANT OR BECAUSE IT MAKES US FEEL GOOD,
BUT BECAUSE IT IS THE ONLY WAY WE CAN OVERCOME THE ESSENTIAL DEFICIT THAT EXISTS IN THIS COUNTRY.”
BARACK WASN’T TALKING ABOUT A BUDGET DEFICIT, OR A TRADE DEFICIT, OR A RECESSION.
HE WAS TALKING ABOUT A MORAL DEFICIT THAT HAS AFFLICTED THIS NATION WITH A KIND OF BLINDNESS THAT PREVENTS US FROM CONFRONTING THE RACISM, INEQUITIES AND INJUSTICES THAT REMAIN RAMPANT.
IT IS NO ACCIDENT THAT BARACK DELIVERED THAT MESSAGE FROM DR. KING’S FORMER PULPIT,
BECAUSE HE IS THE NATURAL DESCENDENT OF HIS LEGACY.

AND I AM CERTAIN THAT BARACK’S CAMPAIGN IS ADVANCING THE MOVEMENT THAT DR. KING LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR.
BARACK IS STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF DR. KING,
MALCOLM X,
MEDGAR EVERS,
BOBBY KENNEDY,
AND THE MANY THOUSANDS OF BRAVE SOULS WHO MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR OUR FREEDOM AND FULL CITIZENSHIP.
SO ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH, THE TRUMPET WILL SOUND FOR US.

I CAN’T TELL YOU WHO TO VOTE FOR,

BUT I CAN ASK YOU TO LISTEN TO YOUR HEART.

AND IF ENOUGH OF US STAND TOGETHER,

PRAY TOGETHER,

WORK TOGETHER,

BELIEVE IN OUR OWN POTENTIAL,

AND VOTE TOGETHER,

WE CAN MAKE THE GREATEST CHANGE THIS COUNTRY HAS SEEN SINCE EMANCIPATION.

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BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

IF YOU BELIEVE IN THE STRUGGLE FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE,
PLEASE VOTE!

IF YOU BELIEVE IN THE STRUGGLE FOR OPPORTUNITY AND EQUALITY,

PLEASE VOTE!

IF YOU BELIEVE IN THE STRUGGLE TO HEAL THIS NATION AND REPAIR THIS WORLD,

TAKE SOMEONE WITH YOU TO VOTE!

PLEASE JOIN ME AS WE MARCH TO THE POLLS ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH TO CHANGE THE WORLD,

TRANSFORM OUR COUNTRY,

CHANGE HOW AMERICA SEES US,

AND ULTIMATELY,

CHANGE HOW WE SEE OURSELVES.

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BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

THIS IS NOT A TIME TO BE TIMID,

THIS IS NOT A TIME TO STAY ON THE SIDELINES,

THIS IS A TIME TO STAND UP FOR CHANGE,

AND TO RECALL JUST AS DR. KING TAUGHT US:

“THE FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW COMPELS US TO ACT, NOT LATER…BUT TODAY.”

WE CAN’T WAIT ANYMORE!

THE WAVE OF CHANGE IS UPON US,

THE TIDE OF HISTORY IS ROLLING ACROSS THIS COUNTRY,

THE TIME IS NOW,

HELP US MAKE HISTORY!

THANK YOU.

MAY GOD BLESS YOU. AND MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS THE UNITED STATES.