When you get to be my age certain things become clearer than ever. I know the American story.

Again and again I've seen the contest between competing forces and the battle for the soul

of our nation.

Between those who want to pull America back to the past

and those who want to move American to the future.

My lifetime has taught me to embrace freedom and democracy, a future based on core values that

defined America, honesty, decency, dignity, equality, to respect everyone, to give everyone a fair job, to give hate no safe

harbor.

No other people my age see it differently.

The American story of resentment, revenge and retribution.

That's not me.

In my career, I've been told I was too young. By the way, they didn't let me on a Senate elevator for votes sometimes.

Not a joke.

And I've been told I'm too old.

Whether young or old, I've always been known.

I've always known what endures.

I've known our North Star. The very idea of America is that

were all created equal and deserves to be treated equally throughout our lives.

We've never fully lived up to that idea, but we've never walked away from it either.

And I won't walk away from it now.

I'm optimistic.

I really am. I'm optimistic Nancy.

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