June 6th, 2008

By John Kerry

One of the great privileges of growing up in Massachusetts politics has been the education I've received from legends - whether Rep. Joe Moakley, Sen. Paul Tsongas, or my partner these past twenty four years, Sen. Ted Kennedy.

But of all the political lessons seared into me, the one taught by the legendary Tip O'Neill was pure brilliance - and I wish I'd known it when I first came to the Senate. Tip spoke about the conversation he had with one of his neighbors the day after a close election. Tip remarked "at least I know you voted for me." To which the neighbor replied "Actually, Tip, I didn't. You never asked me to vote for you." Tip's first rule of politics: no matter how long you've been there or what the polls say, you have to ask people for their votes.

I take nothing for granted -- today, I am asking for you to vote for me at the Massachusetts Democratic Convention.

I have proudly served Massachusetts for 24 years in the U.S. Senate and I am determined to return to stay there because we've got unfinished business.

I want to continue fighting for you, your family and your community.

Since I am asking for your support in Lowell, I want to let you know why I think I am worthy of it.

* I was the first Senator to author and force a vote on legislation demanding the Bush Administration set a deadline to bring our troops home from Iraq. It wasn't easy, and it wasn't popular. When my legislation was first introduced in the Senate in early 2006, just 13 other Senators supported my plan. Today, my plan to withdraw our troops from Iraq has the support of more than 50 of my colleagues and with some Democratic gains in November, this Democratic plan will lead to what is long overdue-- the return of our troops to their families.

* I am proudly committed to ending this Administration's disastrous war in Iraq, but I am also glad that one of the lessons America learned after Vietnam has been applied - and that is to never confuse the war with the warriors. The Bush Administration-- which so easily sent thousands of brave men and women to fight and die in Iraq -- has neglected our veterans and denied them the care, support and services they earned. I have fought for my fellow veterans and I am proud to have secured $20 million for additional veterans centers, including one in Hyannis, the first new veterans center in the state since 1984. I also secured funding for service members suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury (a sadly common aftermath of IED attacks), authored and passed legislation to protect veterans from home foreclosure and went toe-to-toe with President Bush and helped win the pay raise for our troops that this Administration opposed.

* As Chairman of the Senate Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee, I have led the fight to address the skyrocketing energy costs impacting Massachusetts' small businesses. I have also successfully increased funding to organizations which support women- and minority-owned businesses and authored legislation ensuring small business owners called to active military duty don't lose their business in order to serve their country.

*I represented the U.S. Senate at the recent global climate change hearings in Bali and am one of the Senate's most outspoken critics of the Bush Administration's destructive energy and environmental policies. I have sponsored and cosponsored numerous pieces of legislation to demand more from America's automakers, end our addiction to foreign oil and make clean and renewable energy an affordable option for all consumers.

* With our economy struggling, I have taken the lead in addressing the needs of Massachusetts' working families. Senator Kennedy and I fought the President over his refusal to tap emergency fuel reserves to help homeowners to heat their homes-- and we won that fight and also secured an additional $82 million in LIHEAP funding for the state. With thousands of homeowners facing foreclosure, I authored legislation to allow housing agencies to tap into a $10 billion bond program which would provide $211 million to Massachusetts homeowners in immediate threat of foreclosure. I want to return to the Senate this November to continue those fights and continue fighting for the people of Massachusetts. There is no other job I want, no other job I can imagine doing.

It has been my highest honor to serve you and I am asking for your support so I may continue to serve you for the next six years. Thank you.