Text of Brian Sandoval's speechThank you. It is an honor to be with you tonight.
Not long ago, my wife and I were blessed with the birth of our third child. And so I come before you not only as an attorney general, but as a father. A father intent on preserving the American dream for my children, and the children of countless others. At home and at work, I have accepted the same obligation embraced by President Bush: keeping America's most vulnerable citizens - our children - safe from harm. President Bush made fighting crimes against children a top priority, swiftly signing into law the PROTECT Act, the most important child protection legislation in 20 years. Prosecutors finally have the tools they need to go after criminals who prey upon kids, including serious penalties to keep them in prison where they belong. Our laws have been updated to deal with people who lurk in the shadows of the Internet to lure children for sexual abuse. And we have tough new laws on the books to fight child pornography. Thanks to the leadership of our President, America is safer for our children. It's safer for the rest of us too. While working diligently to prevent terrorism, our Commander in Chief has remained equally dedicated to the important fight against domestic crime, and his strategy is succeeding. From Project Safe Neighborhoods to the President's fight against identity theft, from his anti-drug strategy to his plan to eradicate gun crime in America, this President has demonstrated an ability to lead. And deliver results. Violent crime -- at a thirty-year low. Teen drug abuse is declining across a wide front. Federal gun prosecutions have hit record highs. For America to fulfill its promise as the land of opportunity, each of us must be safe from crime. President Bush has made great strides in making America safer. With him in the White House, we can focus on pursuing our dreams without fear. Our strength as a nation lies in the fact that America's promise is passed safely and equitably from generation to generation. Its fulfillment requires courage and conviction - qualities this President has demonstrated time and time again. Our charge, our duty, is to ensure the American experience for our children -- to ensure that we never awaken from the American Dream.
God bless you and good night. |
