Senator Obama’s Rally at Rodney Square
Now I know what a rock star feels like. On Sunday afternoon John Carney and I introduced Barack Obama to a crowd of 20,000 people in – and around — Rodney Square. Senator Obama’s vision and hope for our country’s future drew a never-seen-before number of people for a Delaware political rally. His supporters are so enthusiastic and so fired up for our primary, and I am looking forward to celebrating with them Tuesday night. Read the rest of my post and my speech after the jump.
The mammoth crowd he drew on the afternoon before the Super Bowl is a testament to his inspiring and moving message. Our country is ready for a change, and I was the first Delaware official to endorse senator Obama because I believe he has the ability, strength and vision to fix Washington.
In my remarks, which I guess you could say was the opening act for Senator Obama, I chose a quote from the Book of Hebrews that I believe captures the essence of the Obama campaign : “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Restoring the hope that so many Americans have lost will not be easy, but I know Senator Obama is up for the challenge, and with the voters behind him, we can achieve the kind of progress and change our country is ready for.
Here is the full text of my remarks:
How’s everybody doing?
Are you ready to meet Barack Obama?
…So am I
My name is Jack Markell. And today with my friend, John Carney, I
have the honor of introducing the next president of the United States.
“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
So says the Book of Hebrews and so it is our faith that brings us here today.
If Caesar Rodney were here today — in the square named after him –
he would be trembling with excitement.
For Caesar Rodney gave everything he had to create our country.
Gravely ill, he rode through the night in the pouring rain to cast the
deciding vote for the Declaration of Independence.
Caesar Rodney started us on a long, roughshod, difficult road toward freedom –
Which, despite the promise of our country and the efforts of Delaware
heroes like Louis Redding, Littleton Mitchell and James Gilliam, Sr.
has not yet been fully realized.
But today is a new day. Today, the spirit that Declaration – that all
people are created equal is in our presence. Today, the promise of
our country’s ideal that any person can rise up and lead us as
president – is in our power.
And after eight long years Bush Administration, the people of
Delaware are ready again to cast a historic and decisive vote, much
like Caeser Rodney did so long ago.
The bible tells us that without vision the people will perish.
Well 10,000 people have turned out at Rodney Square today to support
Barack Obama, a man of vision, a man who inspires hope, a man who is
bringing a new generation not just into politics but into a movement
of national change.
In two days, we Delawareans have the chance not just to hope for
change in the world, but to lead that change.
And Barack Obama is our vehicle.
He asks us not just to believe in him. He asks us to believe in ourselves.
Well, do we? Can we take this country back?
Join me — Yes we can! Yes we can! Yes we can!
Who do we support? Obama! Obama! Obama!
1 comment
WE’RE IN THE LIBRARY AT DEL RAY AND EVERYONE HAS SEEN YOURPICTURE- AND HEARD YOUR SPEECH- IT WAS GREAT- WE WERE PROUD BEFORE AND WE ARE PROUD NOW
LOVE MOM AND DAD
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