Remarks of Bill Bradley -- Green Bay, Wisconsin

For 15 months, I walked through neighborhoods, down country roads, sat on front porches and met tens of thousands of Americans talking about the vital issues of the day and I asked: Where can I help America? And in almost every case Americans have said either, "Help us raise our living standards and meet the needs of our families . . ." or, "Help us end racial tensions . . ." or "Help us get closer to our dreams."

It seems to me, what folks are pleading with us to do is help them build a bridge between needing and achieving.

Too often Republicans present us with either/or choices: Either we have economic prosperity or social justice - we can't have both. Either we have freedom or equality - we can't have both. But these dichotomies are false. Under Democratic leadership, I believe we can wisely pursue both prosperity and justice, both freedom and equality.

The Democratic party is a place of many different voices, but we all share the same values. It's why we're Democrats.

Democrats know that ultimately government can and must sometimes do the big things that individuals cannot do, the non-profit sector doesn't have the resources to do and the private sector will not do. Helping people help themselves through government support is a healthy prescription for creating a stronger society.

Throughout my campaign, I talked about the enormous opportunity we have to do big things again - an enormous opportunity made possible by the economic growth we've enjoyed for nearly a decade, and by the Democratic leadership of Bill Clinton, Al Gore and Congressional Democrats that helped make it possible.

But, the Democratic Party has always been the party that was never satisfied with the status quo. We've always challenged ourselves, and the American people to be better, to accomplish more, to care more.

Our problems are well known: 44 million people without health coverage, 13 million children living in poverty, continuing racial discord, a public education system that needs universal quality, working families still struggling against the forces of technological change and globalization, and a political process dangerously awash in money. At this time of unparalleled prosperity, there is no excuse for not acting now.

For fifteen months I ran for President of the United States. I'm honored and grateful to those people across America who supported me. I had a remarkable experience. Though someone once told me, when one uses the term "experience" in this context . . ."experience" is what you get when you don't get what you really wanted. Indeed the Democratic voters spoke and selected the Vice President as our party's nominee.

I'm here in Green Bay today because I believe what Vince Lombardi once said is true: "Winning is a team sport!" Our party is strongest when we're unified, when we speak with one voice, when we work to guarantee a Democratic Congress and a Democratic President. I will work to accomplish both because I believe that Democrats have a better chance of guiding America to a brighter future than do Republicans. And it's not even a close call.

Today, I want to make it clear that I endorse Al Gore for President of the United States. I believe that under his leadership we will come closer to solving the problems I mentioned earlier than under the leadership of Governor George W. Bush. And it's not even a close call.

And there is another reason that I endorse Vice President Gore. I've seen it throughout his public life. More and more of our future will depend on forces and scientific breakthroughs that many Americans don't fully understand. It takes leadership to see the future as it could be and then to set a direction, and move our country toward it. Vice President Gore has a deep understanding of those technological forces changing America. I know he will strive to keep America ahead of those forces so that they maximize our future for the greatest number of Americans.

Our world will look very different eight years from now. The opportunities and difficulties of our new age require new thoughts, new ideas and new actions. The Vice President will provide of that kind of innovation. The nation as a whole will benefit from his leadership. That is why I think they will rally to our cause. That's why I believe we will win in November.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Vice President of the United States, and the next President of the United States, Al Gore.

Source: http://www.BillBradley.com, ©2000 The Office of Bill Bradley