Remarks By John McCain On New Hampshire Primary Victory

U.S. Senator John McCain, on January 8, delivered the following
remarks in Nashua, New Hampshire, on his victory in the New Hampshire
Primary:

Thank you.

My friends, I am past the age when I can claim the noun, "kid," no
matter what adjective precedes it. But tonight we sure showed them
what a comeback looks like. When the pundits declared us finished, I
told them, "I'm going to New Hampshire, where the voters don't let you
make their decision for them."

And when they asked, "how are you going to do it? You're down in the
polls. You don't have the money." I answered, "I'm going to New
Hampshire, and I'm going to tell people the truth."

We came back here to this wonderful state we've come to trust and
love. And we had just one strategy: to tell you what I believe. I
didn't just tell you what the polls said you wanted to hear. I didn't
tell you what I knew to be false.

I didn't try to spin you. I just talked to the people of New
Hampshire. I talked about the country we love; the many challenges we
face together; and the great promise that is ours to achieve; the work
that awaits us in this hour, on our watch: to defend our country from
its enemies; to advance the ideals that are our greatest strength; to
increase the prosperity and opportunities of all Americans and to make
in our time, as each preceding American generation has, another,
better world than the one we inherited.

I talked to the people of New Hampshire. I reasoned with you. I
listened to you. I answered you. Sometimes, I argued with you. But
I always told you the truth, as best as I can see the truth. And you
did me the great honor of listening. Thank you, New Hampshire, from
the bottom my heart.

I am grateful and humbled and more certain than ever that before I can
win your vote, I must win your respect. And I must do that by being
honest with you, and then put my trust in your fairness and good
judgment.

Tonight, we have taken a step, but only the first step toward
repairing the broken politics of the past and restoring the trust of
the American people in their government. The people of New Hampshire
have told us again that they do not send us to Washington to serve our
self-interest, but to serve theirs.

They don't send us to fight each other for our own political
ambitions; but to fight together our real enemies. They don't send us
to Washington to stroke our egos; but to help them keep this
beautiful, bountiful, blessed country safe, prosperous and proud.

They don't send us to Washington to take more of their money, and
waste it on things that add not an ounce to America's strength and
prosperity; that don't help a single family realize the dreams we all
dream for our children; that don't help a single displaced worker find
a new job, and the security and dignity it assures them; that won't
keep the promise we make to young workers that the retirement they
have begun to invest in, will be there for them when they need it.
They don't send us to Washington to do their job, but to do ours.

My friends, I didn't go to Washington to go along, to get along or to
play it safe to serve my own interests. I went there to serve my
country. And that, my friends, is just what I intend to do if I am so
privileged to be elected your President.

I seek the nomination of a party that believes in the strength,
industry, and goodness of the American people. We don't believe that
government has all the answers, but that it should respect the rights,
property and opportunities of the people to whom we are accountable.

We don't believe in growing the size of government to make it easier
to serve our own ambitions. But what government is expected to do, it
must do with competence, resolve and wisdom. In recent years, we have
lost the trust of the people, who share our principles, but doubt our
own allegiance to them.

I seek the nomination of our party to restore that trust; to return
our party to the principles that have never failed Americans: The
party of fiscal discipline, low taxes; enduring values; a strong and
capable defense; that encourages the enterprise and ingenuity of
individuals, businesses and families, who know best how to advance
America's economy, and secure the dreams that have made us the
greatest nation in history.

The work that we face in our time is great, but our opportunities
greater still. In a time of war, and the terrible sacrifices it
entails, the promise of a better future is not always clear. But I
promise you, my friends, we face no enemy, no matter how cruel; and no
challenge, no matter how daunting, greater than the courage,
patriotism and determination of Americans.

We are the makers of history, not its victims. And as we confront
this enemy, the people privileged to serve in public office should not
evade our mutual responsibility to defeat them because we are more
concerned with personal or partisan ambition. Whatever the
differences between us, so much more should unite us. And nothing
should unite us more closely than the imperative of defeating an enemy
who despises us, our values and modernity itself.

We must all pull together in this critical hour and proclaim that the
history of the world will not be determined by this unpardonable foe,
but by the aspirations, ideals, faith and courage of free people. In
this great, historic task, we will never surrender. They will.

The results of the other party's primary is uncertain at this time,
but I want to congratulate all the campaigns in both parties. I
salute the supporters of all the candidates who worked so hard to
achieve a success tonight and who believe so passionately in the
promise of their candidate.

And I want to assure them that though I did not have their support,
and though we may disagree from time to time on how best to advance
America's interests and ideals, they have my genuine respect. For
they have worked for a cause they believe is good for the country we
all love, a cause greater than their self-interest.

I learned long ago that serving only oneself is a petty and
unsatisfying ambition. But serve a cause greater than self-interest
and you will know a happiness far more sublime than the fleeting
pleasure of fame and fortune.

For me that greater cause has always been my country, which I have
served imperfectly for many years, but have loved without any
reservation every day of my life. And however this campaign turns out
-- and I am more confident tonight that it will turn out much better
than once expected -- I am grateful beyond expression for the prospect
that I might serve her a little while longer.

That gratitude imposes on me the responsibility to do nothing in this
campaign that would make our country's problems harder to solve or
that would cause Americans to despair that a candidate for the highest
office in the land would think so little of the honor that he would
put his own interests before theirs. I take that responsibility as my
most solemn trust.

So, my friends, we celebrate one victory tonight and leave for
Michigan tomorrow to win another. But let us remember that our
purpose is not ours alone; our success is not an end in itself.
America is our cause -- yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Her greatness is our hope; her strength is our protection; her ideals
our greatest treasure; her prosperity the promise we keep to our
children; her goodness the hope of mankind. That is the cause of our
campaign and the platform of my party, and I will stay true to it so
help me God.

Thank you, New Hampshire. Thank you, my friends, and God bless you as
you have blessed me. Enjoy this. You have earned it more than me.
Tomorrow, we begin again.



.