Speech for campaign rally at Memphis, TN, October 3, 1984.  Includes handwritten notes.https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/vice_presidential_campaign_speeches_1984/1066/thumbnail.jp

Ferraro, Geraldine

English

bepress Legal Repository

Memphis Rally Speech

Fordham University School of Law

Fordham Law SchoolFLASH: The Fordham Law Archive of Scholarship and HistorySpeeches 1984 Vice-Presidential Campaign10-3-1984Memphis Rally SpeechGeraldine FerraroFollow this and additional works at: https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/vice_presidential_campaign_speeches_1984Part of the Law CommonsThis Book is brought to you for free and open access by the 1984 Vice-Presidential Campaign at FLASH: The Fordham Law Archive of Scholarship andHistory. It has been accepted for inclusion in Speeches by an authorized administrator of FLASH: The Fordham Law Archive of Scholarship andHistory. For more information, please contact tmelnick@law.fordham.edu.Recommended CitationFerraro, Geraldine, "Memphis Rally Speech" (1984). Speeches. 67.https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/vice_presidential_campaign_speeches_1984/67... :___ l)c. tfbW' ~~-VL r 1#-=. ~ ~~1 S1~ u~v . ~ ~-f'tdd- ~ MEMPHIS. TENNESSEE OCTOBER 3. 1984 !T'S GREAT TO BE HERE IN MEMPHIS, I KNOW RONALD REAGAN WAS RECENTLY IN TENNESSEE. OF COURSE, HE WENT TO THE GRAND OLD 0PRY TO LISTEN TO THE MUSIC, WELL, I SAY HE SHOULD HAVE COME TO MEMPHIS TO .EACE. THE MUSIC, THE POLLSTERS AND THE PUNPITS SAY WE CAN'T WIN, THEY'VE ALREADY DECIDED THE ELECTION, BUT I WANT TO TAKE MY ~ SCIENTIFIC, OBJECTIVE SURVEY RIGHT HERE, ARE WE GOING TO WIN IN NOVEMBER? ARE WE GOING TO SEND WALTER MONDALE TO THE WHITE HOUSE AND RONALD REAGAN BACK TO THE RANCH? You BET WE ARE. AND IF THERE'S ANYONE WHO C N MAKE SURE RONALD REAGAN IS OUT WEST COLLECTING SOCIAL SECURITY. INSTEAD~~~~.I~WASHINGTON ---- --- - ~ TRYING TO~ SOCIAL SECURITY IT'SftJESSE JACKSON. --MEMPHIS PAGE 2 THIS HAS BEEN A YEAR OF FIRSTS FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. WALTER MoNOALE MADE HISTQRY BY PICKING ME TO BE THE FIRST FEMALE --VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE IN HISTORY. -Jo..~ 8UT BEFORE l WAS NOMINATED, JESSE~ RUN FOR THE PRESIDENCY . HAO ALREADY OPENED NEW DOORS AND BROKEN DOWN -OLD BARRIERS. EVERY NOW AND THEN A CANDIDATE STRIKES A SPARK THAT EXCITES PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN REACHED BEFORE. ~ --EVERY NOW AND THEiA PERSON REMINDS US OF THE HUMAN BOND THAT UNITES ~L AMERICANS.~ -EVERY NCNV AND THEN A PERSON COMES ALONG WHO MAKES US BETTER/ NOT BY WINNING, BUT BY TRYING~NOT BY INCUMBENCY, ~ .!!...Y DECENCY; AND NOT BY PROMISING, BUT BY INSPIRING. // JESSE JACKSON TOLD THIS COUNTRY, THE TALENTED WILL NOT BE STOPPED AND THE WEAK WILL N~ BE FORGOTTEN/THE RICH WILL-BE TAXED ANO. THE HUNGRY WILL BE FEo./AND WITH HIS HELP WALTER MONDALE WILL BE PRESIDEN~ND RONALD REAGAN WILL BE RETIRED. ABOVE ALL, JESSE JACKSON SHOWED THAT ONE PERSON WITH VISION~ COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR EVERYONE WITH---;-DREA~ MEMPHIS PAGE 3 >~~ / /-JESSE AND I SHARE A DREAM,,/ WE HOPE -- WE BEL~EVE - THAT AFTER OUR CANDIDACIES, ~~~!CAN WILL EVER AGAIN BE DISCOURAGE~ -- AND NO PERSON WILL EVER AGAIN BE DISQUALIFIED -- FROM ANY -OFFICE IN THIS LAND, BECAUSE OF RACE, RELIGION OR SEX, - -IF THERE'S ONE THING MY CANDIDACY STANDS FOR ABOVE ALL ELSE IT IS THE IDEA THAT IF wt; CAN DO THIS, WE CAN DO ANYTHING, BUT THIS CAMPAIGN IS MORE THAN A SYMBOL, TODAY, WE ARE FIGHTING OVER THE HEART AND SOUL OF AMERICA, AND WE NEED YOUR HELP, _ ! SAY THIS COUNTRY NEEDS N~ ~RECTI~E~ HQ~ND IN JANUARY 1985, WE NEED A NEW LEADER/ LEADERSHIP IS NOT JUST TELLING PEOPLE WHAT YOU THINK THEY WANT TO HEAR, IT'S TELLING THEM WHAT THEY NEED TO KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST PROMISING PEOPLE MORE MONEY, IT'S ASKING THEM TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS COUNTRY, IT MAY BE THAT A MADISON AVENUE CAMPAIGN -- WITH COMMERCIALS OF SWELLING MUSIC AND PHONY GOOD CHEER -- IS SMART POLITICS, BUT WE ~N'T RUN THAT KIND OF CAMPAIGN/ WALTER MoNDALE AND I ARE IN -;:IS ELECT~N TO-;-IGHT FOR WHAT "'.:.THINK IS~RIGJ:}~ND TO STAND FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE IN,/ __. =-- I MEMPHIS PAGE 4 UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S NOT THE KIND OF CAMPAIGN RONALD REAGAN IS RUNNING, f 'VE SEEN SOME OF HIS COMMERCIALS AND HEARD ABOUT SOME OF HIS PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES, AND THE MORE I THINK ABOUT THEM, THE MORE ANGRY I GET. Two WEEKS AGO REAGAN WENT TO WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, AND RECALLED, WITH SEEMING AFFECTION AND REVEREN~THE NIGHT JOHN F, KENNEDY HAD BEEN THERE 24 YEARS BEFORE~ I MUST SAY, I RESENT IT WHEN RONALD REAGAN LAYS CLAIM TO THE MEMORY OF PRESIDENT KENNED~ND PRETENDS THAT HE HAS ANYTHING IN COMMON WI TH THAT GOOD MAN (j THE PEOPLE OF RECORiNOT ON TENNESSEE WANT A PRESIDENT WHO STANDS ON HIS ANOTHER MAN'S DEEDS ./; JOHN f, KENNEDY FOUGHT DISCRIMINATION WITH ALL THE MIGHT OF HIS PRESIDENCY. BUT RONALD REAGAN HAS DRAGGED HIS FEET ON EVERY PIECE OF CIVIL RIGHTS LEGISLATION THAT COMES BEFORE HIM. I WANT I CIVIL OT GREGA TED ,• ACADEMIES. TODAY, THE HOPE-OF MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR MILLIONS OF 1111!li'®Krl!XI%1Xi: AMERICANS IS POSTP~NED~BECAUSE LAST NIGHT ~IMINISTRATIO'-DERAILED Tl!E CIVIL RIGHTS :c; OF-;;;~ FOR WOMEN, BLACKS, THE DISABLED,X AND THE ELDERLY, THE REPUBLICAN VOTE WAS A DISASTER. FOR THIS COUNTRY IT IS A SHAME./ --AND IF YOU ELECT WALTER MONDALE, I PROMISE YOU -- TOGETHER -- WE'LL PASS THAT BILL. -- ...- ---MEMPHIS PAGE 5 JOHN F. KENNEDY PLACED THE HIGHEST VALUE ON THE CULTIVATED MIND. BUT RONALD REAGAN'S IDEA OF HELPING EDUCATION IS TO LAUNCH -A TEACHER INTO SPACE. I SAY, LET'S HELP BOTH TEACHERS AND STUDENTS HERE ON EARTH, JOHN F. KENNEDY BELIEVED IN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL. BUT RONALD REAGAN LIKES THE GOLD STANDARD FOR CURRENCY, AND THE DOUBLE STANDARD FOR WOMEN. WHEN ! TAKE MY OATH OF OFFICE FOR MY SECOND TERM AS VICE PRESIDENT, - ! WANT TO SWEAR TO UPHOLD A CONSTITUTION THAT INCLUD_ES THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT. I SAY TO RONALD REAGAN: DON'T TELL US YOU'RE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT; DON'T TELL US YOU'VE EXPANDED OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T; DON'T TELL US YOU SUPPORT EDUCATION, BECAUSE YOU DON'T, DON'T TELL US YOU SUPPORTED JOHN KENNEDY, BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T, AND DON'T TELL US, MR. PRESIDENT, THAT YOUR POLICIES ARE FAIR -- BECAUSE THEY AREN'T, RONALD REAGAN IS HE CANNOT HIDE MONDALE IS NOT A AT THE RECORD. MEMPHIS PAGE 6 WHI~ RONALD REAGAN WAS MAKING MOVIES, FRITZ MONDALE WAS MAKING HIS~Y AS A CHAMPION OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. WHILE Ro~ D REAGAN WAS HOSTING DEATH VALLEY DAYS, FRITZ MONDALE WAS MEDICARE PASSED FOR OUR SENIOR CITIZENS. WHILE RONALD REAGA WAS SERVING AS THE SPOKESMAN FOR GENERfL ELECTRIC CORPORATION, FRI Z MONDALE WAS A SPOKESMAN FOR WORKINd MEN AND WOMEN ACROSS AMERIC I I TODAY, WHILE RONALD REAGAN ' CIVIL RIGHTS LEGISLATION, WALTER HIS FEET ON RENEW THE BATTLE FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY SINCE FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT. ALL DEMOCRATIC PRESID THIS COUNTRY IS GOING TO CLEAN HOUSE I THE REPUBLICANS AREN'T DOING THEIR JOB. UBLICANS SAY THEY'RE FOR A BALANCED BUDGET, BUT THEY'VE GIVEN US THE LARGEST DEFICITS IN HISTORY -- OVER $200 BILLION, THEY'RE MOTTO IS: WE EARN MONEY THE OLD FASHIONED WAY -- WE PRINT IT. l SAY RONALD REAGAN SHOULD STOP PUTTING OUR MONEY WHERE HIS MOUTH IS, LET'S BRING DOWN THE DEFICITS AND LET'S DO IT FAIRLY, MEMPHIS PAGE 7 LOOK AT THE BUDGET DECISIONS HE'S ALREADY MADE. --ACCORDING TO THIS ADMINISTRATION, IF YOU'RE A DEFENSE CONTRACTOR, $2,000 FOR A THIRTEEN-CENT NUT IS NOT TOO HIGH A PRICE, BUT IF YOU'RE AN ELDERLY \-K)MAN LIVING ON SOCIAL SECURITY, THE MINIMUM BENEFIT OF $122 A MONTH I$ EXTRAVAGANT AND MUST BE ---CUT, IF YOU'RE A PENTAGON SUPPLIER, $7,000 FOR A COFFEE MACHINE IS MARKET VALUE, Now, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE MR, COFFEE TO KNOW • THAT'S TOO MUCH, BUT IF YOU'RE A YOUNG MOTHER TRYING TO FEED YOUR BABY, THIS ADMINISTRATION SAYS $35 A MONTH WILL BUST THE BUDGET. IF YOU'RE HOMELESS, THEY SAY YOU LIKE IT THAT WAY, IF YOU'RE WITHOUT A JOB, THEY SAY VOTE WITH YOUR FEET. AND IF YOU'RE HUNGRY, THEY SAY EAT CHEESE. IF- THAT'S HIS IDEA OF LEAbE:P.SHIP1 I SAY LET'S VOTE WITH OUR HEARTS, TAKE AWAY HIS JOB, AND SEND .l:::llM BACK HOME IN NOVEMBER, MEMPHIS PAGE 8 IF YOU'RE ONE OF THOUSANDS OF DISABLED CUT OFF BY THIS ADMINISTRATION'S CRUEL DISABILITY POLICY, THEY SAY "SUE us." AND THEN THEY CUT THE LEGAL SERVICES PROGRAMS THAT LET YOU DO THAT, 8UT IF YOU'RE A BIG BANK FAILING BECAUSE OF MISMANAGEMENT, THEY SAY: TELL US HOW MUCH YOU NEED AND WE'LL SEND IT, ! AND IF YOU'RE A VETERAN, THIS PRESIDENT SAID YOU DON'T NEED JOB TRAININ¥ I WANT AN ADMINISTRATION THAT RELIES ON ITS ..-z:.,. SOLDIERS WHEN THEY GO TO WAR, BUT ALSO SUPPORTS THEM WHEN THE FIGHTING ENDS, IF YOU'RE A BIG OIL COMPANY, THIS ADMINISTRATION WANTS -TO -' CUT YOUR WINDFALL PROFITS TAX, 8UT IF YOU'RE ELDERLY THEY WANT TO CUT YOUR EMERGENCY FUEL ASSISTANCE, IF YOU'RE MAKING OVER $100,000 A YEAR, THIS ADMINISTRATION I GAVE YOU ENOUGH TAX CUTS TO BUY A NEW CAR/ BUT IF YOU'RE A TEACHER IN MEMPHI~THEY DIDN'T EVEN GIVE YOU ENOUGH TO BUY A HUBCAP. THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS A CALCULATOR WHERE ITS HEART SHOULD BE~UT IT'S TIME FOR A TRANSPLANT~ AND I SAY IT'S TIME TO PUT WALTER MONDALE IN THE WHITE HOUSE, MEMPHIS -PAGE 9 ABOVE ALL THIS ELECTION IS ABOUT THE FUTURE.hALTER MONDALE WILL BUILD A MORE SECURE FU~R§. BY FREEZING THE ARMS RACE TODA::~ WE NEED A PRESIDENT WHO WILL STAND~ TO THE SOVIETS/BUT W~ HAS ---- / THE WISDOM TO SIT DOWN WITH THEM AND NEGOTIATE AN END TO THE ARMS -- --RACE. WALTER MONDALE WILL BUILD A MORE TOLERAN_J FUTURE BY """ _____. ~ APPOINTING A ~UPREME Cou~T THAT WILL GUARD_EUR..L..RiqHTS, ~OT . I I~ ( <.J~ '\ ~()tJ..'ILf1~/~ $/~~ IV\ l\.\!::>1,fc_ b~U~Ici;,__ oo~-~!.t~-Ftll!Zdc~}J~ FA6•~1..1..~ =:_TMI; ~EX"F ~JUSTICES~!;;~ COURT. aw1._ ~ ) c~ ~~> ~ ~ s~~~· WA~TER MONDALE WILL BUILD A MORE JUST FUT~RE.hY STANDING UP G..Jt-\1 ~ - -' FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ACROSS THE GLOBE. HE KNOWS THAT WE MUST PRESS I FOR HUMAN RIGHTS NOT ONLY IN POLAND AND THE SOVIET UNION, BUT ALSO IN EL SALVADOR AND SOUTH AFRICA. WE MUST PRESSURE SOUTH ~FRICA TO END THE TERRIBLE SYSTEM OF APART:rD./ FINALLY, WALTER MONDALE WILL BUILD A MORE PEACEFUL FUTURE BY BRINGING PEACE TO CENTRAL AMERICA~; NEEr:;;-P~E~T ,,:;-WILL DO MORE THAN JUST C~--F~~ TALK§/WE NEED A PRESIDENT WHO WILL END THE COVERT WAR IN NICARAGUA. -WHAT THIS ADM! THAT FIGHTING PRI ACY MEMPHIS PAGE 10 THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN SOMEONE FINDS JOBS FOR THE EIGHT AND A HALF MILLION AMERICANS WITHOUT WORK -- THAT WILL BE A PATRIOTIC ACT, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN WE EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN, TO BUILD OUR COUNTRY'S FUTURE -- THAT WILL BE A PATRIOTIC ACT, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN WE PASS THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT -- THAT WILL BE A PATRIOTIC ACT. AND THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN WE FINALLY STOP THE ARMS RACE, WE WILL INCREASE OUR SAFETY -- AND THAT WILL BE A PATRIOTIC ACT. ,. ' MEMPHIS PAGE 11 THE TIME TO BEGIN THAT WORK IS NOT LATER, IT'S NOW. THE TIME TO REGISTER NEW VOTERS IS NOT LATER. IT'S NOW, IT'S NOW, AND THE TIME FOR FRITZ MONDALE TO BECOME PRESIDENT, AND GERRY FERRARO TO BECOME VICE PRESIUENT IS NOT LATER. IT'S NOW. - END -

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Memphis Rally Speech

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