Remarks at an AFL-CIO Fundraising Reception for Dale Sprik in Grand Rapids, Michigan

I was just holding Tricia in my arms. Tricia, right? Tricia and I want to work for, contribute to, and vote for Dale Sprik. Okay? [Cheers]

I'm not going to hold up your party very long, but I would like to say just a few things.

I've come here just to talk to a group that I know are already for Dale. You've come here to have a good time, but also to express your commitment to the Democratic Party, to the principles that have made our Nation great, and also to give your support to a very heroic and hardworking campaigner who ought to be in Congress and I believe will be there next January.

When Tricia grows up, I want to be sure that she has a good life. I want to be sure that we have someone in Congress from this district who cares about the family structure, who cares about average people, who believes in the finest things in life for all of us, no matter how rich we might be, who wants Tricia to have a better life perhaps even than her parents, who wants to have a good environment, who's concerned about consumers, who are all of us, who want to protect the integrity of the social security system, who want to have good wages for people that are employed, who want to have good housing programs, who'd like to have a protection for Medicare and would like to have a national health insurance program put into effect with an emphasis on prevention of disease and outpatient care and a cheaper and more inexpensive hospital care and some attention being given to pregnant mothers and their little babies when they're born.

I'd like to have somebody in the Congress who believes in a strong nation, but also someone who believes in the maintenance of peace. Our country is strong and at peace.

I know what it is to run a campaign. I ran for State senate, almost had it stolen from me; ran for State senate for reelection; ran for Governor, got beat, 1966. In 1970 I ran again for Governor, and I was elected. And I began to run for President in 1975, and I ran for 2 solid years. I know what it means to have friends.

Well, tonight you've come here as a friend for Dale Sprik, but you haven't done enough. Coming here is not enough. There's not a single person here this next 8 or 10 days that couldn't contact at least 500 people on the telephone. I have done my duties and also made more than 100 calls a day long distance. And all of you've got telephones, and you've got phone books.

And there's no one here that can't raise a few hundred dollars for him. Some of you have access to organized money, to the tax system. Some of you have influence in unions and other sources of money. And some of you may not be able to give but $5, but you could call 20 more people and say, "Can't you give a good, future Congressman $5?"

I'd just like to ask you to kind of start a crusade tonight so that my visit here, which is enjoyable for me, will have a beneficial impact for him and his campaign. I'd like for him to join me next January in Washington.

And there's one other candidate that I'd like to ask you to support. I'm not going to mention myself tonight. But we' have an outstanding man running for election in this country, one of the finest people I have ever known, almost like a brother to me, an absolutely close partner, and that's Fritz Mondale. And I want you to support him for Vice President. [Laughter] Okay? [Applause]

Thank you very much. I love you all. Work hard, and we'll win together and give Tricia a better life in the future.