Remarks By John
McCain On New
Hampshire Primary
Victory
January 8, 2008
ARLINGTON, VA --
U.S. Senator John
McCain tonight
delivered the
following remarks in
Nashua, New
Hampshire, on his
victory in the New
Hampshire Primary:
Thank you.
My friends, I am
past the age when I
can claim the noun,
"kid," no matter
what adjective
precedes it. But
tonight we sure
showed them what a
comeback looks like.
When the pundits
declared us
finished, I told
them, "I'm going to
New Hampshire, where
the voters don't let
you make their
decision for them."
And when they asked,
"how are you going
to do it? You're
down in the polls.
You don't have the
money." I answered,
"I'm going to New
Hampshire, and I'm
going to tell people
the truth."
We came back here to
this wonderful state
we've come to trust
and love. And we had
just one strategy:
to tell you what I
believe. I didn't
just tell you what
the polls said you
wanted to hear. I
didn't tell you what
I knew to be false.
I didn't try to spin
you. I just talked
to the people of New
Hampshire. I talked
about the country we
love; the many
challenges we face
together; and the
great promise that
is ours to achieve;
the work that awaits
us in this hour, on
our watch: to defend
our country from its
enemies; to advance
the ideals that are
our greatest
strength; to
increase the
prosperity and
opportunities of all
Americans and to
make in our time, as
each preceding
American generation
has, another, better
world than the one
we inherited.
I talked to the
people of New
Hampshire. I
reasoned with you. I
listened to you. I
answered you.
Sometimes, I argued
with you. But I
always told you the
truth, as best as I
can see the truth.
And you did me the
great honor of
listening. Thank
you, New Hampshire,
from the bottom my
heart. I am grateful
and humbled and more
certain than ever
that before I can
win your vote, I
must win your
respect. And I must
do that by being
honest with you, and
then put my trust in
your fairness and
good judgment.
Tonight, we have
taken a step, but
only the first step
toward repairing the
broken politics of
the past and
restoring the trust
of the American
people in their
government. The
people of New
Hampshire have told
us again that they
do not send us to
Washington to serve
our self-interest,
but to serve theirs.
They don't send us
to fight each other
for our own
political ambitions;
but to fight
together our real
enemies. They don't
send us to
Washington to stroke
our egos; but to
help them keep this
beautiful,
bountiful, blessed
country safe,
prosperous and
proud. They don't
send us to
Washington to take
more of their money,
and waste it on
things that add not
an ounce to
America's strength
and prosperity; that
don't help a single
family realize the
dreams we all dream
for our children;
that don't help a
single displaced
worker find a new
job, and the
security and dignity
it assures them;
that won't keep the
promise we make to
young workers that
the retirement they
have begun to invest
in, will be there
for them when they
need it. They don't
send us to
Washington to do
their job, but to do
ours.
My friends, I didn't
go to Washington to
go along, to get
along or to play it
safe to serve my own
interests. I went
there to serve my
country. And that,
my friends, is just
what I intend to do
if I am so
privileged to be
elected your
President.
I seek the
nomination of a
party that believes
in the strength,
industry, and
goodness of the
American people. We
don't believe that
government has all
the answers, but
that it should
respect the rights,
property and
opportunities of the
people to whom we
are accountable. We
don't believe in
growing the size of
government to make
it easier to serve
our own ambitions.
But what government
is expected to do,
it must do with
competence, resolve
and wisdom. In
recent years, we
have lost the trust
of the people, who
share our
principles, but
doubt our own
allegiance to them.
I seek the
nomination of our
party to restore
that trust; to
return our party to
the principles that
have never failed
Americans: The party
of fiscal
discipline, low
taxes; enduring
values; a strong and
capable defense;
that encourages the
enterprise and
ingenuity of
individuals,
businesses and
families, who know
best how to advance
America's economy,
and secure the
dreams that have
made us the greatest
nation in history.
The work that we
face in our time is
great, but our
opportunities
greater still. In a
time of war, and the
terrible sacrifices
it entails, the
promise of a better
future is not always
clear. But I promise
you, my friends, we
face no enemy, no
matter how cruel;
and no challenge, no
matter how daunting,
greater than the
courage, patriotism
and determination of
Americans. We are
the makers of
history, not its
victims. And as we
confront this enemy,
the people
privileged to serve
in public office
should not evade our
mutual
responsibility to
defeat them because
we are more
concerned with
personal or partisan
ambition. Whatever
the differences
between us, so much
more should unite
us. And nothing
should unite us more
closely than the
imperative of
defeating an enemy
who despises us, our
values and modernity
itself. We must all
pull together in
this critical hour
and proclaim that
the history of the
world will not be
determined by this
unpardonable foe,
but by the
aspirations, ideals,
faith and courage of
free people. In this
great, historic
task, we will never
surrender. They
will.
The results of the
other party's
primary is uncertain
at this time, but I
want to congratulate
all the campaigns in
both parties. I
salute the
supporters of all
the candidates who
worked so hard to
achieve a success
tonight and who
believe so
passionately in the
promise of their
candidate. And I
want to assure them
that though I did
not have their
support, and though
we may disagree from
time to time on how
best to advance
America's interests
and ideals, they
have my genuine
respect. For they
have worked for a
cause they believe
is good for the
country we all love,
a cause greater than
their self-interest.
I learned long ago
that serving only
oneself is a petty
and unsatisfying
ambition. But serve
a cause greater than
self-interest and
you will know a
happiness far more
sublime than the
fleeting pleasure of
fame and fortune.
For me that greater
cause has always
been my country,
which I have served
imperfectly for many
years, but have
loved without any
reservation every
day of my life. And
however this
campaign turns out
-- and I am more
confident tonight
that it will turn
out much better than
once expected -- I
am grateful beyond
expression for the
prospect that I
might serve her a
little while longer.
That gratitude
imposes on me the
responsibility to do
nothing in this
campaign that would
make our country's
problems harder to
solve or that would
cause Americans to
despair that a
candidate for the
highest office in
the land would think
so little of the
honor that he would
put his own
interests before
theirs. I take that
responsibility as my
most solemn trust.
So, my friends, we
celebrate one
victory tonight and
leave for Michigan
tomorrow to win
another. But let us
remember that our
purpose is not ours
alone; our success
is not an end in
itself. America is
our cause --
yesterday, today,
and tomorrow. Her
greatness is our
hope; her strength
is our protection;
her ideals our
greatest treasure;
her prosperity the
promise we keep to
our children; her
goodness the hope of
mankind. That is the
cause of our
campaign and the
platform of my
party, and I will
stay true to it so
help me God.
Thank you, New
Hampshire. Thank
you, my friends, and
God bless you as you
have blessed me.
Enjoy this. You have
earned it more than
me. Tomorrow, we
begin again.
Source: John
McCain 2008 |