The Honorable Harold Ford, Jr.'s Speech Before the Democratic National Convention Wednesday, July 28, 2004 BOSTON, July 28 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is a transcript of the Honorable Harold Ford, Jr.'s Speech before the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday, July 28, 2004: Thank you. It is an honor to be here. This week we're going to nominate two men who embody the values that make America great -- values that say if you work hard and play by the rules very little is beyond your reach. John Kerry and John Edwards came to that belief by different paths. John Kerry had some amazing opportunities. At an early age, he understood that along with those opportunities, came responsibility. John Kerry could have excelled at just about anything he wanted. He chose a life of duty and service. John Edwards is a son of the South, and the son of a mill worker. He was the first in his family to go to college and to law school. He is an example of what every American can accomplish if given a chance to realize his dream. As I've reached out to people back home, I am sometimes asked why I'm a Democrat, and why I am standing with John Kerry and John Edwards. I am a Democrat because our party has always said to the American people: You may be the guy driving the truck, but if you work hard enough, you can own that company one day. I am a Democrat because I believe we can't settle for the status quo. For the past four years, we've been offered the wrong set of answers to a daunting new set of challenges. We've been offered hard-headed stubbornness when boldness and imagination was needed. We could spend hours detailing these failures -- but Americans who have seen their wages decline, as families grow, and prices rise -- they know it's time for a change. Our alliances are frayed, our troops overextended and our diplomatic and intelligence services are stretched thin. John Kerry and John Edwards offer new hope and a new set of solutions for a world that changed after September 11th. My fellow Democrats, we are at a global crossroads. Will the America that built a coalition to defeat communism bring the world together to defeat terrorism in the 21st century? Will the America that paved the way in science and technology make the investments necessary to reduce our alliance on foreign oil? Will the America that has continually expanded opportunity to those left out and left behind continue this mission until each and every person has a fair shot at achieving her dreams? John Kerry and John Edwards will rely on you to carry their message of strength, hope, and change across this country. John Kerry and John Edwards arrived at this pivotal moment by different paths -- but they are committed to charting a new course for all of us. A course where dreams can become reality, where work is rewarded, and where every child in America goes to bed at night knowing that its government is doing all it can to protect them and make them safer. Fellow Democrats, we are unified as never before. Now it is up to us to help John Kerry win in November so we can once again unify this nation. Source: Democratic National Convention Committee CONTACT: Peggy Wilhide of the Democratic National Convention Committee, +1-617-366-3100 Web site: http://www.dems2004.org/