Hillary Clinton photo

Remarks at North Carolina State University in Raleigh

November 07, 2016

Thank you all! Whoa! Thank you! Thank you. Well, I got to tell you, this is sure worth staying up for. It is so great to be here in Raleigh, here at North Carolina State University. And I cannot imagine a better way of ending this campaign than having the opportunity to see all of you and to watch and listen to Lady Gaga. One of the most inventive, creative and passionate performers, whose range goes from A to Z and beyond. And I was watching on the screen not only her perform, but all of you jumping and singing and waving. It was great!

Because, you know what? That's what I want for America and the young people of America: the joy, the passion, the intensity! And our longtime friend, Jon Bon Jovi, was with us. He was with us up in Philadelphia, where he and Bruce Springsteen sang. And Jon said, 'Well, hey, I want to go down to Raleigh,' and so here he is! And between now and the time the poll closes tomorrow, we are going to be living on a prayer.

I was really impressed when everybody's hand went up saying you'd already voted. Well, go find somebody else who hasn't voted, okay? Bring out your friends, your roommates, strangers on the street. Just stop and talk to them about what's at stake in this election. Because North Carolina is key, and it's not only important for our election. Are you ready to elect Roy Cooper as your next governor? Well, I sure hope so. I sure hope so, and I hope you're ready to elect Linda Coleman your lieutenant governor. And how about Dan Blue, III, for state treasurer? And I really, really hope you will send Deborah Ross to Washington!

Now, we are all fired up. When we were with the President and Michelle in Philadelphia. You know, the President was talking about how absolutely consequential this election is, and of course it is. I really believe it's the most important election of our lifetimes because we've never had a clearer choice. Never. It is a choice between division or unity; between strong, steady leadership or a loose cannon who could risk everything. It's a choice between an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top. And it is a choice that really goes to the heart of who we are as Americans.

What I saw before I came in and what I see now is a sense of potential, of joy. There is no reason, my friends, why America's best days are not ahead of us if we reach for them together. We don't have to accept a dark and divisive vision for America. Tomorrow you can vote for a hopeful, inclusive, big-hearted America.

Our core values – our core values are being tested in this election, but my faith in our future has never been stronger. I love our country and I believe in the American people. And I know if we bring everyone together, we can set goals and we can move toward them and we can feel that sense of accomplishment that comes with being part of something bigger than ourselves.

You know, one of the great privileges of crisscrossing the country, as I have in this campaign, is meeting remarkable people – people who stand up against the odds; people who, like my late mother, people who understand that everybody gets knocked down. What matters is whether you get back up, whether you believe you can keep going.

Last night, in Manchester, New Hampshire, I had the honor of being introduced by an extraordinary man, Khizr Khan, whose son, Captain Khan, was killed serving our country in Iraq. You may remember Mr. Khan's speech at the Democratic Convention. And again last night, he reminded us of the responsibility we all share to protect and defend our Constitution. The story of Captain Khan is one of courage in the face of danger. He was with his unit when he saw a suspicious vehicle. He told his men to stay back. He moved toward the vehicle to check it out. And the bomb went off. He lost his life, but everyone else in his unit survived. He was awarded the Bronze Star. And this intensely personal tragedy that the Khan family experienced, becoming a Gold Star family, was one that they thought about, grieved over in the privacy of their home, until they heard my opponent start talking about who was acceptable in America and who wasn't. The categories of people, starting with immigrants, including African Americans and Latinos and POWs and Muslims. The list went on and on. And it created in Mr. Khan a sense of despair because he asked himself, would his son have a place in Donald Trump's America? Someone who paid the ultimate price in serving our country.

Well, we can answer that question tomorrow resoundingly: Yes. Absolutely.

Think about – think about how generations of Americans throughout our history have come together to meet the tests of their time. Our parents, our grandparents, our great-grandparents defended democracy. They built the great American middle class. They marched for civil rights and voting rights, for workers' rights, and women's rights, for LGBT rights, and the rights of people with disabilities. And tomorrow we face the test of our time.

So, remember, it's not just my name or Donald Trump's name on the ballot. It's the kind of country we want. It's every issue anyone cares about. So if you believe America thrives when the middle class thrives, then you have to vote tomorrow. If you believe we should make the biggest investment in new jobs since World War II in infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, clean energy, small business, then you have to vote. If you believe we need more fairness in our economy to raise the minimum wage because no one who works full-time should still be in poverty, then you have to vote. If you believe we need to do more to support working families with affordable childcare, paid leave, and equal pay for women, then you have to vote. And, remember, when my opponent says every time I talk about these issues that I'm playing the woman's card, well, you know what I say. Deal me in. And if you believe, if you believe, all kids deserve good schools with good teachers, no matter what house they live in, you have to vote. And if you believe college should be more affordable, you have to vote. Bernie Sanders and I worked on a plan to make public colleges and universities tuition-free if you earn less than $125,000 and debt-free for everybody else. And for the millions of Americans struggling with student debt, we are going to help you pay that down and pay that off. If you believe in science and that we've got to address climate change, you have to vote. If you believe we need to reform our criminal justice system so everyone is treated fairly, then you have to vote. And if you believe – if you believe we should never write discrimination into our laws, well, then you know, you know, North Carolina. You've got to vote to get rid of HB2!

Now, this is so energizing, we could keep going with a long list. But here's what – here's what else I want you to know. A good thing this election didn't land during exams, that's all I can say. Look. Tomorrow – tomorrow night, this election will end. But I want you to understand, our work together will be just beginning. We have to bridge the divides in this country. As the Bible says, we have to repair the breaches. We've got to be willing to start listening to each other again, respecting each other again. And I want to thank Gaga because she has always stood for that fundamental principle of respecting everybody.

So I want you to know and I want you to spread the word. I do want to be President for all Americans, not just some, not just the people who support me and vote for me. I want to be President for everyone because we all have a role to play in building that better future for our country and for each of you.

So if you haven't voted yesterday, go to iwillvote.com. You can get all the info you need. And you can still sign up to volunteer. Right? Go to hillaryclinton.com or text 'join,' j-o-i-n, to 47246, or stop by one of our offices. We would welcome you to help make sure everybody gets out to vote tomorrow because none of us want to wake up Wednesday morning and wish we had done more. Right?

And years from today, when your kids and grandkids ask what you did in 2016 when everything was on the line, you'll be able to say you voted for a stronger, fairer, better America, an America where we build bridges, not walls, and where we prove conclusively that yes, love trumps hate! Thank you! Let's go vote, North Carolina! God bless you! Thank you all very much!

NOTE: Remarks as delivered.

Secretary Clinton was introduced by her daughter, Chelsea Clinton, and her husband and former US President, Bill Clinton.

Hillary Clinton, Remarks at North Carolina State University in Raleigh Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/319835

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