John Fitzgerald Kennedy

I come here today to Queens and ask your help in moving this country forward in building our strength, in building our influence abroad, in identifying our selves once again as the great defender of freedom at a time when freedom is under…

I want to try to set as my standard the day Abraham Lincoln called his wartime Cabinet together to read to them his draft of the Emancipation Proclamation.

I want to be a President who acts as well as reacts - who originates programs as well as study groups - who masters complex problems as well as one-page memorandums.

I want to be a President who has the confidence of the people - and who takes the people into his confidence.

I want to be a President who believes in working full time when millions of men and women are forced to work part time.

But I am grateful to you for being able to stand and say 'Hello.'

I hope to set before the people our unfinished agenda - to indicate their obligations - and not simply follow their every whim and pleasure.

I want to be a President who recognizes every citizen's rights as well as his obligations.

I want to be President of all the people.

I want above all else to be a President known - at the end of 4 years - as one who not only prevented war but won the peace.

I am not promising action in the first 100 days alone - I am promising you 1,000 days of exacting Presidential leadership.

And if I am successful on Tuesday, it is my intention to be, in the fullest measure of the word and office, the next President of the United States.

For the last 3 months, in outlining the programs I believe this country needs, I have in effect answered the question why I want to be President.

We are choosing a President of the United States.

I think you are here for the same reason that I am, because this is an important election, because we are Democrats, because we believe in progress, and because we are going to win.

I want to be a President who cares, not only about the Nation's loss of gold, but about 4 million men losing their jobs and income.

I ask your help in finishing the work of this campaign.

I ask you to join us.

We are the only sentinel at the gate.

We can't waste that talent.

One of the things we have to do is make our children the best educated children in the world.

Mr. Nixon is the intellectual heir to McKinley, Dewey, Landon, Coolidge, Harding, Taft, and the rest.

One of the reasons why I am glad to come to Michigan is because I am running with distinguished, vigorous, progressive Democrats.

We have many opportunities before us in the 1960's and many responsibilities.

But I am a Democrat every day of the year, and I run as a Democrat, and I run in the succession of Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman.