○  who then will speak for the common good?  ○

barbara jordan: "who then will speak for the common good?"

thank you ladies and gentlemen for a very warm reception.

it was one hundred and forty-four years ago that members of the democratic party first met in convention to select a presidential candidate. since that time, democrats have continued to convene once every four years and draft a party platform and nominate a presidential candidate. and our meeting this week is a continuation of that tradition. but there is something different about tonight. there is something special about tonight. what is different? what is special?

i, barbara jordan, am a keynote speaker.

a lot of years passed since 1832, and during that time it would have been most unusual for any national political party to ask that a barbara jordan to deliver a keynote address. but tonight here i am. and i feel that notwithstanding the past that my presence here is one additional bit of evidence that the american dream need not forever be deferred.

now that i have this grand distinction what in the world am i supposed to say? i could easily spend this time praising the accomplishments of this party and attacking the republicans -- but i don't choose to do that. i could list the many problems which americans have. i could list the problems which cause people to feel cynical, angry, frustrated: problems which include lack of integrity in government; the feeling that the individual no longer counts; the reality of material and spiritual poverty; the feeling that the grand american experiment is failing or has failed. i could recite these problems, and then i could sit down and offer no solutions. but i don't choose to do that either. the citizens of america e

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