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Hello,Chicago.IfthereisanyoneouttherewhostilldoubtsthatAmericaisaplacewhereallthingsarepossible,whostillwondersifthedreamofourfoundersisaliveinourtime,whostillquestionsthepowerofourdemocracy,tonightisyouranswer.It'stheanswertoldbylinesthatstretchedaroundschoolsandchurchesinnumbersthisnationhasneverseen,bypeoplewhowaitedthreehoursandfourhours,manyforthefirsttimeintheirlives,becausetheybelievedthatthistimemustbedifferent,thattheirvoicescouldbethatdifference.It'stheanswerspokenbyyoungandold,richandpoor,DemocratandRepublican,black,white,Hispanic,Asian,NativeAmerican,gay,straight,disabledandnotdisabled.Americanswhosentamessagetotheworldthatwehaveneverbeenjustacollectionofindividualsoracollectionofredstatesandbluestates.Weare,andalwayswillbe,theUnitedStatesofAmerica.It'stheanswerthatledthosewho'vebeentoldforsolongbysomanytobecynicalandfearfulanddoubtfulaboutwhatwecanachievetoputtheirhandsonthearcofhistoryandbenditoncemoretowardthehopeofabetterday.It'sbeenalongtimecoming,buttonight,becauseofwhatwedidonthisdateinthiselectionatthisdefiningmomentchangehascometoAmerica.Alittlebitearlierthisevening,IreceivedanextraordinarilygraciouscallfromSen.McCain.Sen.McCainfoughtlongandhardinthiscampaign.Andhe'sfoughtevenlongerandharderforthecountrythatheloves.HehasenduredsacrificesforAmericathatmostofuscannotbegintoimagine.Wearebetterofffortheservicerenderedbythisbraveandselflessleader.Icongratulatehim;IcongratulateGov.Palinforallthatthey'veachieved.AndIlookforwardtoworkingwiththemtorenewthisnation'spromiseinthemonthsahead.Iwanttothankmypartnerinthisjourney,amanwhocampaignedfromhisheart,andspokeforthemenandwomenhegrewupwithonthestreetsofScrantonandrodewithonthetrainhometoDelaware,thevicepresident-electoftheUnitedStates,JoeBiden.AndIwouldnotbestandingheretonightwithouttheunyieldingsupportofmybestfriendforthelast16yearstherockofourfamily,theloveofmylife,thenation'snextfirstladyMichelleObama.SashaandMaliaIloveyoubothmorethanyoucanimagine.Andyouhaveearnedthenewpuppythat'scomingwithustothenewWhiteHouse.Andwhileshe'snolongerwithus,Iknowmygrandmother'swatching,alongwiththefamilythatmademewhoIam.Imissthemtonight.Iknowthatmydebttothemisbeyondmeasure.TomysisterMaya,mysisterAlma,allmyotherbrothersandsisters,thankyousomuchforallthesupportthatyou'vegivenme.Iamgratefultothem.Andtomycampaignmanager,DavidPlouffe,theunsungheroofthiscampaign,whobuiltthebest--thebestpoliticalcampaign,Ithink,inthehistoryoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica.TomychiefstrategistDavidAxelrodwho'sbeenapartnerwithmeeverystepoftheway.Tothebestcampaignteameverassembledinthehistoryofpoliticsyoumadethishappen,andIamforevergratefulforwhatyou'vesacrificedtogetitdone.Butaboveall,Iwillneverforgetwhothisvictorytrulybelongsto.Itbelongstoyou.Itbelongstoyou.Iwasneverthelikeliestcandidateforthisoffice.Wedidn'tstartwithmuchmoneyormanyendorsements.OurcampaignwasnothatchedinthehallsofWashington.ItbeganinthebackyardsofDesMoinesandthelivingroomsofConcordandthefrontporchesofCharleston.Itwasbuiltbyworkingmenandwomenwhodugintowhatlittlesavingstheyhadtogive$5and$10and$20tothecause.Itgrewstrengthfromtheyoungpeoplewhorejectedthemythoftheirgeneration'sapathywholefttheirhomesandtheirfamiliesforjobsthatofferedlittlepayandlesssleep.Itdrewstrengthfromthenot-so-youngpeoplewhobravedthebittercoldandscorchingheattoknockondoorsofperfectstrangers,andfromthemillionsofAmericanswhovolunteeredandorganizedandprovedthatmorethantwocenturieslateragovernmentofthepeople,bythepeople,andforthepeoplehasnotperishedfromtheEarth.Thisisyourvictory.AndIknowyoudidn'tdothisjusttowinanelection.AndIknowyoudidn'tdoitforme.Youdiditbecauseyouunderstandtheenormityofthetaskthatliesahead.Forevenaswecelebratetonight,weknowthechallengesthattomorrowwillbringarethegreatestofourlifetime--twowars,aplanetinperil,theworstfinancialcrisisinacentury.Evenaswestandheretonight,weknowtherearebraveAmericanswakingupinthedesertsofIraqandthemountainsofAfghanistantorisktheirlivesforus.Therearemothersandfatherswhowilllieawakeafterthechildrenfallasleepandwonderhowthey'llmakethemortgageorpaytheirdoctors'billsorsaveenoughfortheirchild'scollegeeducation.There'snewenergytoharness,newjobstobecreated,newschoolstobuild,andthreatstomeet,alliancestorepair.Theroadaheadwillbelong.Ourclimbwillbesteep.Wemaynotgetthereinoneyearoreveninoneterm.But,America,IhaveneverbeenmorehopefulthanIamtonightthatwewillgetthere.Ipromiseyou,weasapeoplewillgetthere.Therewillbesetbacksandfalsestarts.Therearemanywhowon'tagreewitheverydecisionorpolicyImakeaspresident.Andweknowthegovernmentcan'tsolveeveryproblem.ButIwillalwaysbehonestwithyouaboutthechallengesweface.Iwilllistentoyou,especiallywhenwedisagree.And,aboveall,Iwillaskyoutojoinintheworkofremakingthisnation,theonlywayit'sbeendoneinAmericafor221years--blockbyblock,brickbybrick,callousedhandbycallousedhand.Whatbegan21monthsagointhedepthsofwintercannotendonthisautumnnight.Thisvictoryaloneisnotthechangeweseek.Itisonlythechanceforustomakethatchange.Andthatcannothappenifwegobacktothewaythingswere.Itcan'thappenwithoutyou,withoutanewspiritofservice,ane