Congressman William “Lacy” Clay speaking to the assembled delegates at the convention in Columbia
Congressman William “Lacy” Clay addressed the delegates at the Missouri State Democratic Convention in Columbia on Saturday, May 10th.
Congressman Clay’s remarks:
….All across this nation the American people are just fed up and they’re tired, tired of a president who is out of touch. And there’s no way that the voters are going to elect a person that wants to serve a third term for George Bush. [applause, shouts]
John McCain represents that one thing. And he knows it, we know it. He wants to be the third term for President Bush and we’re not going to let that happen. [applause] You know [applause]…the voters are ready to elect, elect a new governor in this state and a new legislative majority that fights for working families instead of punishing them. You know, Jay Nixon will be a great governor [voices: “Yeah.”] and I want to commend him for standing up to defend the voting rights of over 240,000 Missourians across this state who are in danger of being disenfranchised by Republicans. That is shameful what they’re doing. And in this new push to pass a photo ID bill to suppress turnout – in a statement issued yesterday by Attorney General Nixon, the next governor of this state [laugher], here’s what he said, “The right to vote is the cornerstone of our Democracy. Over the years millions of Americans have made the ultimate sacrifice to earn and defend voting rights. As elected leaders we should work to increase voting and participation in the Democratic process, not create new unnecessary roadblocks.” Well, let me commend Mr. Nixon for standing up for the voting rights of over 240,000 Missourians. Jay is absolutely right. And I stand shoulder to shoulder with him in this fight. And I hope that every Democratic member of the Missouri Senate will stand up next week and stop this assault on our voting rights. [shouts, applause]
And I know this state. You know, I, I’ve been in elected office for twenty five years now, spent seventeen years in Jefferson City. I’ve been to almost every county in the state. And our voters are too smart and have way too much common sense to be distracted by the trivial nonsense that the Republicans are going to try on us this fall. You know, we’re, we are not going to get distracted by nonsensical trivial issues like lapel pins [voices: “Yeah.”], and former preachers, and race and gender, or whether someone has an unusual name. No, not this time. Because, the stakes are too high. This election is a once in a generation transformational moment. For the first time we are having an honest national discussion about facing the realities of race in America and our great Democratic victory in 2008 will knock down the walls of division that prevent us from becoming one united American family. And that is what this election is really about. That’s what we’re fighting for in oh eight.
And you know it’s no accident that this election comes on the fortieth anniversary of 1968. And it has deep roots, when you think about it. I think it’s especially appropriate that we’re gathering for our state convention today at the half way point between, at one of the saddest moments in our country’s history. We are standing between two of the saddest anniversaries in our history. And that is, forty years ago, we just lost two great voices for justice. One of them was Dr. King on April the 4th and on June 5th we lost Bobby Kennedy. And they were the great moral voices of a generation. They were the prophets that helped define the values of our party.
And when Dr. King spoke out against the twin evils of racism and another unjust and needless war, he said this, “I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war, that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.”
And when a reporter asked Senator Kennedy to define what Democrats needed to do win, Bobby Kennedy said this, “The Democratic Party has never been invested with power on the basis of a program which promises to keep things as they were. We have won when we pledge to meet the new challenges of each succeeding year. We have triumphed, not in spite of controversy, but because of it. Not because we avoid problems, but because we face them. We have won, not because we bent and diluted our principles, but we still adhere to the ideals which represent the most noble and generous portion of the American spirit.”
You know, imagine that. A national campaign that challenges the American people to do the hard thing. The campaign that tells them the truth. A campaign that calls on their strength, their courage, their decency, and their faith. A campaign that is true to what is best in the American Spirit.
Democrats, are you ready to a part of history? [shouts, applause] Are you ready to break every voter registration and turnout record in this state? Are you ready? [shouts, applause] Are you ready to turn Missouri blue? [shouts, applause] Let’s go to work. We are the party of Jefferson and Jackson, of Roosevelt and Kennedy, and most especially we Missouri Democrats are the party of Harry Truman. [shouts, applause]
During the 1948 campaign Harry Truman was asked why the Republicans were so out of touch and he said this, “They stand four square for the American home, but not for housing. They are strong for labor, but they are stronger for restricting labor’s rights. They favor minimum wage, the smaller the minimum, the better. [laughter] They think modern medical care hospitals are fine, but only for the people that can afford them.”
So today, the echoes of those great Democratic leaders are with us and we still stand on their shoulders. And we are ready to fight to make this country work again for everyone. [voice: “The buck stops here!”] That’s right. [laughter]…
…When this primary process is over the entire congressional Democrats, congressional delegation will be together…
…We all stand together for winning the White House and winning this state back turning it blue. [applause]…