Jim Webb's Historic Speech During Obama Rally!

Unofficial transcript of Jim Webb's speech:

Thank you,

What a great way to end up a week where in 27 hours I've had to stand next to George Allen twice for an hour at a time.

To be among friends, to be in the presence of Senator Obama and all our elected officials people who have done so much to help make this a better country.

I am really grateful to all of you for coming today and to Senator Obama particularly for having made time in his schedule to come and stand next to us and say good things about what we are trying to do here.

One of Senator Obama's comments was about the fact that I write books. I was really surprised to find that was actually something that my opponent's campaign was criticizing...you see the ads, "fiction writer James Webb?"

I couldn't not say it when I was in the debate..

I had to say it to Senator Allen

What is this fact vs. fiction thing you keep talking about?

I started working when I was twelve years old, I worked through high school. I got scholarships to college, I went to Vietnam. I've covered two wars, what is this fiction in my life you keep talking about Senator?

You know, I think you listen to someone like senator Obama, and you feel the power of words. I have spent a great deal of my career as a writer and I have tremendous respect and I'm a believer in words.

Hearing Senator Obama speak about his affirmative vision of where our country needs to be, when you stop and think about it, puts in stark relief the leadership weGÇÖve had for the last six years, doesn't it?

Because words can too often be misused in our political process, words can tear apart rather than inspire. Quite frankly the other side likes to deal in high sounding rhetoric that seldom delivers results. They give us fear mongering that keeps good people distracted from finding solid answers. They give us harsh accusations that divide people based on artificial differences rather than calling for our citizens to unite on matters of shared concern. These are the tools the people who stand in the way of fairness, equity, and a truly united America.

And senator Obama it's nice to feel inspired again.

As powerful as words can be, this picture of seeing you all here is worth a thousand speeches. I have spent a great deal of time as been reported in the press having to raise funds so that we can continue to pursue our campaign. And when I got into this campaign, I didn't really think that's the way I was going to be spending most of my time.

I thought I'd be out, talking with people like you..

Everyday. maybe not necessarily in such a big crowd (like today) but certainly one at a time and you know people tend to get caught up in the money side of politics the newspapers tend to judge candidacy by how much money theyGÇÖve raised the pundits on TV talk about FEC filings and ad buys and how many hours were spent in a call room and George AllenGÇÖs campaign manger, who now acknowledges this is a real race by the way (draws loud cheers) has actually said, that this candidate (Allen) is going to win because he has more money, not saying he's going to win because he's got better ideas.

Just more money.

To state the obvious folks: a political campaign should not be an auction

George Allen can buy t-shirts, and bumper stickers, and signs, he can run commercials attacking my character, and run them everyday... as he probably will.

He can buy fancy phone banks. And pay phone bankers 8 dollars an hour to spew his party line.

BUT HE CANGÇÖT BUY THIS!

He can't buy what I am seeing in peopleGÇÖs faces every time I go around the Commonwealth of Virginia and start talking about what we need to do in order to bring our country back.

We started this campaign, from the bottom up.

Based on volunteers, and there are people out here I can see now who have been with us for 8 hard months now. Out on the street doing what needs to be done.

These people, ALL of you out here. YouGÇÖve given your energy to us in exchange for the bottom line of a basic concept

And that concept is this in Washington where 3,100 lobbyists now circle around 535 elected representatives we need to put our government back into the hands of leaders whose principal loyalty would be to the people who have no voice in the corridors of power.

Back in another century, people like Marx and Engels talked about man being cut away from his land, his agricultural roots. And all the angst that followed that.

Today, we risk being cut away from our government, from our democracy. The slash and burn politics of the Karl Rove era have too often obscured the real issues for America

Even if they deliberately driven wedges between all of us.

And it has also driven even more and good American citizens away from politics.

We know why they do that, we know why they wallow in the muck. Why the run ads and send mailings that are untrue, and they know are untrue.

Defaming veterans, intentionally distorting peoples views

We know why.

Because in a Democracy, we are the boss.

And George Allen and George Bush work for us.

And the more people they can scare away, or turn away from politics the fewer bosses they're havin'.

They donGÇÖt want participation. They just want to move along with the status quo, lining the pockets of their corporate friends, protecting their own, while your job goes overseas, and your kid goes to Iraq.

Here's what we do know.

First we know that our countryGÇÖs foreign policy is in disarray
And the first step in fixing that policy is to end the war in Iraq.

All we hear from this administration, and from George Allen, is that we need to "stay the course."

And as General Colin Powell said today, so clearly, every course has a finish line.

Where is theirs?

We need a plan, and if the administration can't come up with one, we need to come up with one.

Second, we know that we need to reinstitute fairness in our economic system. This country has been breaking into three pieces as a result of globalization on the one hand and immigration on the other; our middle class has never been so at risk.

There's something wrong.

When corporate profits; are the highest percent of our national wealth in history, at the same time that wages and salaries are at the lowest level in recorded history, there's something's wrong with that.

There's somethingGÇÖs wrong when the average CEO, of a fortune 500 company has seen his compensation increase by more than 50 percent during this administration, to more than 8 million dollars a year, while workers salaries have actually decreased. Medical costs have gone up by 73% and gas prices, except for just before this election... have gone up above three dollars.

We need people who are going to find out what's wrong and who are going to fix it.

And third, we know this administration has run roughshod over the Congress since 9/11, grabbing more and more power in the name of national security because there have not been enough leaders to stand up, fight back, and protect the integrity of our constitution.

Strong, loyal leaders like General Tony Zinni, Senators Obama, Feingold, and Hagel have indeed stood up to these policies and those abuses of power.

Others, such as General Colin Powell, are also beginning to openly oppose certain administration polices. These are not partisan zealots. These are not people looking to settle a score.  And neither am I.

When I look at this country, and the void of leadership at the top, and I think about my daughters and my son, and my grandchildren, I believe that it is my responsibly to protect their future, the constitution under which we live, and AmericaGÇÖs place in the world.

We are unique as Americans, were a multicultural society in a state of continuous abrasion. And that has made us the most creative nation on earth.

As a democracy, we also are more fragile than we might imagine, if people cease to participate in political affairs and instead turn the keys over to those who would abuse our system for personal benefit or for partisan gain.

This is an election; it is also a fight for the integrity of our future. And all of you must join me in that fight.

We'll never have the money George Allen has, but if youGÇÖll harness whatever it is that brought you to this rally, if you spend the next 47 days spreading this message, and putting up lawn signs, and telling your friends about the issues in this campaign. If you spend the next 47 days being Americans, on the night of November 7th, were gonna have a party.

And we are going to celebrate the next 6 years, and everyone out there that knows me knows that there will be beer!

Thank you!

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