Address by President Bill Clinton at the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois on August 29, 1996
"Mr. Chairman, Mr. Vice President, my fellow Democrats, and my fellow Americans: Thank you for your nomination. I don't know if I can find a fancy way to say this, but I accept. (Applause.)
So many -- so many have contributed to the record we have made for the American people, but one above all -- my partner, my friend, and the best Vice President in our history, Al Gore. (Applause.)
Tonight, I thank the city of Chicago, its great Mayor and its wonderful people for this magnificent convention. (Applause.) I love Chicago for many reasons -- for your powerful spirit, your sports teams, your lively politics, but most of all, for the love and light of my life, Chicago's daughter, Hillary. (Applause.)
My fellow Americans, 68 nights from tonight the American people will face once again a critical moment of decision. We're going to choose the last President of the 20th century and the first President of the 21st century. (Applause.) But the real choice is not that. The real choice is whether we will build a bridge to the future or a bridge to the past; about whether we believe our best days are still out there or our best days are behind us; about whether we want a country of people all working together or one where you're on your own.
Let us commit ourselves this night to rise up and build the bridge we know we ought to build all the way to the 21st century. (Applause.) Let us have faith -- and let us have faith -- faith -- American faith that we are not leaving our greatness behind. We're going to carry it right on with us into that new century -- a century of new challenge and unlimited promise.
Let us, in short, do the work that is before us, so that when our time here is over, we will all watch the sun go down -- as we all must -- and say truly, we have prepared our children for the dawn.
My fellow Americans, after these four good, hard years, I still believe in a place called Hope, a place called America.
Thank you, God bless you, and good night." (Applause.)
