Transcript: Corzine's Victory Speech

Nov. 7, 2000 -- JON CORZINE, DEMOCRATIC SENATOR-ELECT: Good evening, New Jersey.

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Good evening, everyone. I love you. I love you. You guys areterrific.

I can only say that it is absolutely one of the greatest thrillsof my life to be here, to be the next United States senator from thestate of New Jersey.

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From the bottom of my heart, I love you and I look forward tobeing your senator every day for the next six years.

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For everyone in the room tonight, I want to say I thank you forjoining me in this special moment, joining my family and me and all ofmy friends here who have made this possible. I want to make thisspecial moment possible for everyone in the state of New Jersey.

I appreciate your warmth and your support. I also want you toknow I will dedicate my service in the United States Senate to makingsure everybody has the same opportunity at the American promise thatI’ve had.

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About a half an hour ago, Congressman Franks gave me a call, andhe was very generous and gracious in his remarks. And I want toreturn the favor of saying how important I think this election hasbeen, but I want to congratulate him on a very, very competitive race,and actually his graciousness in how we have handled this wholeprocess.

I want to say, everyone give him a hand. I respect his serviceto the state of New Jersey and our nation.

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He was a worthy competitor. And I know, if we can work together,join hands together in our spiritual life, I know we can in oursecular life, Bob Franks is a good man.

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Now let me say that I am honored by the small “d” democraticprocess that made its judgment and made its choice today. I respectthe people of New Jersey for the choice they made and I hope very muchto be a great senator, in the footsteps of Frank Lautenberg and BobTorricelli.

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And as Joanie (ph) said, as my wife said, I trust the judgment ofthe people of New Jersey. I could not be more humbled by thatconfidence that they have expressed, and I look forward, as I said,working the next six years to do those things that we’ve talked aboutover and over in this election. Making sure that we invest in ahealth care system for everyone in America.

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Making sure we deliver a prescription drug benefit for all of ourseniors.

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That we invest in our educational system, from earlychildhood education to our higher education, where everyone has hopeto go to college.

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I want to make sure we have universal registration and licensingof guns.

And, most importantly, I want to make sure everyone has access —open access to the American dream. That means we have to have —embrace a positive view of affirmative action, equal pay for equalwork for women, and an outlawing of racial profiling.

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Now political campaigns are tough. Sometimes, I think maybethey’re too tough. They thicken a candidate’s skin, that’s for sure. And they challenge the spirit. But if a candidate remembers he or sheisn’t alone, if a candidate remembers that there’s a larger purpose, if a candidate stays in touch with his or her roots, then a campaigncan be a joyful journey. And this has been a joyful journey for me,for my family. And let me assure you, I know my roots. They’restanding right here. They are my family.

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They’ve made all this possible with their sacrifice and support.And I hope they can enjoy this moment and this process as much as Iam.

This campaign, this effort, has been a joyous journey, because itis clear to me from the Jersey shore to the highlands, across NewJersey our people want a better world. They want a brighter future, ajust and safe community. Make no mistake, the spirit of community isalive and well in New Jersey.

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Another thing — and this is important. This campaign has alwaysbeen about a purpose, a purpose greater than personal recognition,power or special interests.

This effort has been about the joy of making sure thatwe serve our children; to make sure that they have an education thatlifts them up in life; that they have quality health care. I willfight for those things in the United States Senate.

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This effort has been a joyous journey because its purpose is toserve our seniors, our veterans, our greatest generation, who hasgiven us the opportunity of this great prosperity in America.

And this journey has been joyous because its purpose is to demandof America inclusion for everyone; an America where every person hasaccess at the American promise, just like my family and I have had.We need to fight for that.

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On this score, we need to develop a more perfect union.

Finally, this campaign has been a joyous journey because in myheart, this is only the beginning. We are just entering the fray.This is the beginning, not the end. People and purpose will be thehallmarks of my service in the United States Senate, the focus ofevery day of my six-year term. To each New Jersey citizen I say,“Hold me accountable to that pledge.”

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Now understanding the hour is late. We’ve had a little to-ingand fro-ing going on tonight, I want to say a few thanks. Therereally are too many people to thank. And I will not be able to getall of it out.

I want you to all know, from the bottom of my heart, I appreciateeverything everyone has done. I know that no one does anything inlife by themselves. They do it because they join hands. They lifteach other up together. That’s what this election has been about.That’s what this process is about. And I want your help to make thathappen in the next six years.

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First of all, let me thank the voters of New Jersey. Again, Iappreciate your confidence. I will not betray that confidence.

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Next, I want you to know that the elected officials, many of themwho are on the stage tonight, have made a terrific difference.Actually from the United —f rom President Clinton all the way down tothe mayors of our towns and the council people, have reached out andmade a difference.

I would be remiss, though, if I didn’t single out twoparticular ones. First of all, Frank Lautenberg, who has been agreat, great senator.

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No one has worked harder, no one has given more, or no one hasput New Jersey first more than Frank Lautenberg. And I look forwardto working with him in the years ahead to fulfill the legacy that hehas put in place.

Let me also thank Senator Torricelli, who is working down inWashington to make a great difference.

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I look forward to being his partner. I look forward to being hisfriend and I know together we will deliver for the state of NewJersey.

To our congressional candidates — or delegation, Frank Pallone,Bob Menendez, Donald Payne, Rob Andrews, Bill Pascrell, Steve Rothmanand Rush Holt, you all have been terrific.

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I appreciate your help. You are a great fighter team for NewJersey.

To this man, Tom Giblet (ph), who has led this Democratic Party.Let’s hear a rousing round of applause.

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To the county chairs that have organized this effort and to thecounty committee folks who made it happen, I say thank you. No onewins without your help.

You know, by the way, Joanie (ph) and I were new to politics anda couple of years ago somebody said, GOTV. We thought that was atelevision station. It’s what Tom Giblet (ph) has taught me how todeliver.

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Let me give a special word of thanks also to some special NewJersey Democrats, two people who have a very bright future. One isBill Bradley who helped campaign for me. He’s not here tonight butlet’s hear it for Bill Bradley.

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And the second is something that we’re all going to go to work ontomorrow morning and that’s to make sure we have a next governor ofNew Jersey, Jim McGravy (ph).

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Tomorrow morning I expect you to be working, Jim.

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(UNKNOWN): (OFF-MIKE)

CORZINE: What’s new?

Let me say now something that is truly special and I know made adifference in this race, and that is labor.

The AFL-CIO, Charlie Nelson (ph) and Kimmie Cannigliero(ph), Laura Brennan (ph), a whole series of everyone got out and madethe difference. I’ve said over and over today, I’ve walked withlabor, I’ll work with labor and I won with labor. And I thank you.

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Let me also say to the people in the leadership of minority andethnic communities, the environmental movement, women’s groups acrossthe state, I say a special thank you, because I know you made adifference. Your challenges are my challenges.

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And of all those I’ve thanked, let me say to the African-Americanclergy, I want to make clear that I know that you know and the publicshould know you are truly unbought and unbossed.

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To my campaign chairs, Assemblywoman Loretta Weinberg (ph) …

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She is a winner.

To Mayor Sharpe James (ph) and Assemblyman Rudy Garcia (ph),thank you for your incredible help. From the start to finish, youprovided the counsel, the warmth, the support that’s made a differenceto make this successful effort.

And, Sharpe (ph), you know you were right when you said to awhole bunch of crowds all over this state, “You can’t wish him in.You can’t pray him in. You’ve got to vote him in.” You have voted mein.

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They did, and I know it, and I thank you.

To Debra Lynch (ph), Nancy Dunlap (ph), Warren Kramer (ph), andhundreds of friends and neighbors, I could not be more appreciative ofyour help. Personal friends who work to make their friend’s dreamscome true are truly special people. You all are special people.

To Chuck Rush (ph), I thank you for your care and counsel andprayers, for both Bob and myself.

And to my campaign staff, to all who have endured the trial byfire of two tough elections over 19 months, for managing a haltingneophyte, an occasional grouch, and a leading to tonight’s magnificentvictory, I say, thank you.

You should be proud. I am proud of you.

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Particularly I am proud of the young lady over on my right,Christie Davis (ph), one of the strongest, most remarkable youngladies in politics.

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And to Steve DeMico (ph), for your judgment and your solid pairof hands. When we needed stability, Steve DeMico (ph) delivered, andI thank him.

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To Steven Goldstein (ph), who is not here, who helped us in theprimary. Tom Shay (ph), Patti McGuire (ph), Regina Thomas (ph) andJoe Tyrell (ph), your leadership has been outstanding. You’vedelivered on this night.

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And I have to say special thanks, for there is a guy that hasdriven around in a Ford Explorer for about a year, named Scott Kish(ph), who is a wonderful human being. I don’t know where Scott is.And Tanya Crawvich (ph) who works in my office. They’re terrific indealing and facing with everyone.

And to all of the many other staffs, let me tell you I love youand I thank you. I am grateful for all your help.

And finally, let me say to my family, Joanie, Jenny — Where areyou? — there you are. Josh, and Jeff, Aunt Carrie (ph), my mother,Nancy, my brother Alan (ph), to all of you, I want to say thank you.You are the foundation that has made this possible in my life. Youare those roots and we thank you very, very much.

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Finally, I could not love these folks more and they could nothave given more to me. But Joanie, you are first among equals.You’ve seen it all; you’ve shared it all. For about 32 years you’ve been putting up with this act. And most importantly, you, like me, we believe in the American promise. We’ve shared it together, we’ve lived it together and now we want to fight to make sure every one in New Jersey has that same access of the American promise. We will worktirelessly, relentlessly to make that happen.

I want to say thank you to all of you tonight. Let’s go on andhave some fun and I am glad this is over.

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Thank you.