Culver @ Demo State Convention

Music:  I won’t back down.

CC at the microphone:  Isn’t it a great day to be an Iowa Democrat?  I want to welcome all of you and tell you how much I am honored to be here with you.  Gov, you’ve a tough act to follow.  Great speech.  I think that Nussle Hustle thing is going to stick.  I think we might be talkin about Harry Trumnan — something about givin’ ’em heck.  It’s going to be a great race.  Thanks Patty.  Thanks kids, Mari Culver.  She is going to be a great first lady, just like CV.  Standing O.  I want to congrat Ed, Blouin, Sal.  Thanks to them for runninbg great races.  There is no doubt in my mind that we are a stronger party and a better ticket for having this spirited primary.  I’ve said all along that primaries are great for our deocracy.  As the commissioner of elections, I’m also glad that we had a record turn-out — nearly twice as many as Reublicans had. This party is focused and motivated for the fall camaign and I have news for you.  We plan to win November 7.  However, Iowa is at a crossroads. For the last eight years we have made real progress getting Iowa moving…Gov, Lt. Gov, legislators deserve thanks.  Challenges do remain in areas of ed, health care, job creation, energy.  There is work to be done.  As Iowans evaluate two candidates, there are some choices to make.  Do we want to continue on path with progress with D gov?  Or turn clock over to loyal foot solider?  Do we want to build on resp tax relief or drain state budget and give tax breaks to wealthy?  Do you want to provide more Iowans with health care coverage or take sides of big pharmaceutical companies who even voted against patients bill of rights.  Will we declare Iowa’s energy independence or will we support someone who sold out Iowa’s ethanol industry when they needed him the most?  Will we restore ed or pay lip service — JN voted 55 times in 15 years to cut ed funding.  (Crowd responds) You’re right and I agree with you.  The answer is clear.  This is no time to slow down stop or retreat.  It’s time for a new governor with energy and vision.  A D gov with the courage to stand up for party values.  You know what, I will be that governor.  As a proud fifth generation Iowan, I want to lead the state I love to the greatness we all know is possible.  Build on stregths in ed, ag and manufacturing.  In this campiagn, I’m not just promiseing a vision, I’m detailing it in Culver plan.  Make creation of renewable energies the primary focus of our economic dev efforts.  $100 million Iowa Power Fund.  I am convinced that we will create the Silicon Valley of the MW. (clapping)  We need to expand the market for E85 and biodisel.  Additional incentives to convert pumps and offer tax credit for flex fuel vehicles.  This focus will ensure that our econ growth comes not just from service jobs in our cities…will allow Iowa to become first state in nation to declare our independence from price-gouging oil companies.  We are going to do it.  As Iowans go to the polls on Nov7 I want them to know JN and I have very diff records.  For more than a year I have been traveling this state.  Litterdale to Dubuque.  College campuses to corn fields..I have had a chance to hear Iowans in hundreds of gatherings.  I’ve traveled to all 99 counties and we have a record of getting the job done.  My opponent, on the other hand, has spent his time in WDC for 16 long years he has lived and worked there.  He wants you to know he’s here from the fed govt and he wants to help ya.  Cong Nussle started in Congress in 1990  Gas prices just short up…we had troops in the ME and a Bush in the WH.  Nussle said he was going there to make some changes.  How do you think he’s done?  Records matter.  My opponent has made some changed in WDC, but not in a good way.  Budget surplus $230 billion which somehow he managed to turn into a deficit of over $400 billion, an all-time record.  If you add up all the money borrowed from Pres Washington to Clinton, you would find Nussle and Bush have borrowed more than in last 210 years combined.  He has even voted to raise the debt ceiling four times and now we have a 9 trillion dollar federal debt.  That’s not the only thing he’s changed.  I believe in the principle that you cannot spend more than you take in.  He was co-sponsor of public debt clock in national capitl.  He had a sign in his office that read: It’s the debt stupid.  You don’t think my opponent has gone Washington on us, do you?  It’s the record not the rhetoric that really matters to Iowans.  He’s had an election year conversion, an extreme mark-over if you will.  He’s come back to Iowa.  I want to welcome JN back.  Now I want to take time to outline some differences I have with JN.  JN should have fair warning that things in IA are diff than in DC.  We don’t heed JN’s DC vaues.  I belive it’s time to raise the iminimum wage and give 100,000 Iowans the raise they haven’t had for 15 years.  JN has voted repeatedly against raising min wage in DC.  But he somehow managed to give himself a $36000 raiwse over last 15 years.  Never been any doubt about my commmittment to protect a woman’s right to choose.  We know that JN doesn’t share that committment and I will veto any attempt to infringe on that right and JN can’t tell us what he’d do.  I will fight to repeal Iowa’s resitrcitive ban on stem cell research.  Tyler, we’re going to do it my friend.  We’re going to find a way to give hope to suffering people.  I will honor Iowa’s longstanding bipartisan tradition of balancing state budgets.  I’ve done it for 8 years as Sec of State.  I have a record of fiscal responsibility.  JN does not have that same record.  We’re saving the best for last.  I will be the only gov who’s been in the classroom in last 20 years.  I was so honored to receive endorsement of ISEA — 32,000 strong.  We’re going to do this.  We’re going to win together.  Let’s just say JN doesn’t share that type of committment.  We’re going to expand Pre-K, increase teacher pay, give teachers resources and make college more affordable.  Education will be our top prioritiy  So as I’ve said, it should be about ideas, bold initiaties, the future.  It’s important for candidates to have a plan on how you want to get there. I stand before you today as a proud progressive D who really believes as Harold Hughes did that our future is unlimited.  I have an even greater faith in Iowa’s promise, in you — the people of Iowa.  I’ve been inspired thorughout this campaign by the words of Eleanor Roosevelt – the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams  By working hard and standing together we’re going to win on Nov 7 and together lead Iowa forward.  Let’s work hard the next 145 days.