Inthelastfewyears, Americahasfaceenormouschallenges, fromaneconomyintransitiontoacclimateonthebrinkto a president, sowingchaosanddiscordacrosstheverycountryheisresponsibleforUnitedandformanyAmericans, thesechallengeshaveamountedto a calltoaction.
Andso, likesomanyothers, I thoughtdeeplyaboutwhat I coulddotomake a differencewhat I coulddotomakemyselfuseful.
Itwasinthatspiritwithyourhelp, that a yearagowelaunchedourcampaignfortheAmericanpresident.
Webeganthisunlikelyjourneywith a staffoffourin a crampedofficerighthereinSouthBend, Indiana, rightdownWashingtonstreet.
Andthen, as I saidthatrollercoasterFebruarynight a fewweeksagoinIowashockedthenationalongthatwayonimprobablehopebecameanundeniablerealityin a fieldinwhichmorethantwodozenDemocraticcandidatesranforpresident, senatorsandgovernors, billionaires a formervicepresident.
Weachieved a topfourfinishineachofthe 1st 4 statestoldnominatingcontest, andwemadehistorywinningthoseIowacaucus.
Allofthatitcameabout, thankstoyoursupport.
Thankstothepowerofthiscampaign's visioninyourhands, itprovedthatAmericansreallyarehungryfor a newkindofpoliticsrootedinthevaluesthatweshareincitiesandsuburbsandruralcommunitiesincrowdshavespilledoutofvenues.
FromSaltLakeCitytoRaleightoArlington, wesawAmericansreadytomeet a neweraofchallengewith a newgenerationofleadership.
WefoundcountlessAmericansreadytosupport a middleclassmillennialmayorfromtheindustrialMidwest, notinspiteofthatexperience, butbecauseofit.
EagertogetWashingtontostartworkinglikeourin a dividednation, wesawfellowDemocratsjoinedwithindependence, andyes, someofthosefutureformerRepublicantochoose a differentpolicy.
Andwesent a messagetoeverykidouttherewonderingifwhatevermarksthemoutisdifferentmeanstheyaresomehowdestinedtobelessthantoseethatsomeonewhooncefeltthatexactsamewaycouldbecome a leadingAmericanpresidentialcandidatewithhishusband.
Wegotintothisracefor a reason.
Wegotintothisraceinordertodefeatthecurrentpresidentandinordertousherin a newkindofpolitics.
After a yearofgoingeverywhere, meetingeveryone, defyingeveryexpectation, seekingeveryvote.
Thetruthisthatthepathhasnarrowedto a closeforourcandidacy, ifnotforourcosts, andanotherofthosevaluesisresponsibility, andwehave a responsibilitytoconsidertheeffectofremaininginthisraceanyfurther.
Thatisthepoliticsthatwehaveattemptedtomodelthroughthiscampaignthat I believeisthewayforwardforoureventualnominee.
So I urgeeveryonewhosupportedmetocontinueinthecauseofensuringthatwebringchangetotheWhiteHouseandworkingtowintheabsolutelycriticaldownballotracesplayingoutacrossthecountrythisyear, thereissimplytoomuchatstaketoretreattothesidelinesat a timelikethis.
Politicsisaboutpeople, andthatisespeciallytrueofthepeoplewhotouchedthiscampaigntomycompetitorsin a historicallydiversefield, thosewhohavesteppedasideandthosestillcompeting.
Buthewasverymuchhereandpartofthiseffortandtotheguywhotook a chanceon a firstdatewithsomebodyallthewayinSouthBend, Indiana, andneverlookedback.
I knowthatifthiscampaignends, therecomesdisappointmentthatwewon't continue.
But I hopethateveryonewhohasbeenpartofthisinanywayknowsthatthecampaignthatyouhavebuiltandthecommunitythatyouhavecreatedisonLeethebeginningofthechangethatwe'regoingtomaketogether.
WewereinSelma, marchingincommemorationofthecivilrightsmovementontheEdmundPettusBridge, where I washumbled, tow, walkinthesymbolicandtheliteralshadowsofheroeswho 55 yearsagomadeAmericamoreof a democracythanithadeverbeenbytheirbloodandbytheircourage.
Whatifwecouldbetheonetodeliverthedaywhenourteachersarehonored a littlemorelikesoldiersandpaid a littlemorelikeDrWhatifweweretheoneswhoralliedthisnationtoseetoitthatclimatewouldbenobarriertoourChildren's opportunitiesinthechancetodothatisinourhands.
Thatisthehopeinourhearts.
Thatisthefireinourbellies.
Thatfuture, webelieveit.
A countrythatreallydoesn't powereveryAmericantodriveand a futurewhereeveryonebelongs.