Thanks for joining me today to talk about the importance of American exceptionalism of how unique this country is and how much good we can do for each other and for others in the world. You know, in America we started with the premise that we, we hold these truths to be self-evident that men are created equal. They're endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That's our Declaration of Independence. That's where we start. That's what we stand for in the world, but we haven't acted that way.

Beginning with the time this administration took office, when they shut down the negotiations between South Korea and North Korea and ignored the warnings of the Clinton administration that Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda were the greatest threats, when they cut a deal with Russia to end the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and took their eye off the ball of the real challenges facing us from abroad, from that starting point this administration has made a mess of America's reputation in the world.

If America's really the greatest power in the world, for example, then why do we have to defer to China to solve the North Korea problem? If America is really the most powerful country in the world, then why can't we deal effectively with Iran and their nuclear challenge? If America's really the greatest power in the world, why is it that we have to be afraid of a half-dozen people in Beirut talking about, talking about, attacking the New York subway system?

The point is we don't have to be afraid. What we have to have is a competent government that looks to the future with resolve, with purpose, with a understanding that it's not about rhetoric. It's about pragmatic problem-solving, and that's why I believe the 2006 mid-term elections are critical. It's our chance to vote and prove that America believes enough is enough. My focus over the next four months is to make sure we elect good Democrats to take office and to help take back the Congress.

But to do this, we have to understand what the Republican ploy is and then how to beat it.

You see, already it's clear to me that what the Republicans are doing is making the case that the country is in danger and that only Republicans can understand the threat and deal with it. It's a familiar argument. They've played it in one way or another in election after election after election.

They used it in 2002 with the drum beat to go into Iraq. And in that election, the Democrats in office, many of them believed that the best thing to do was to sort of go along with the President and just then try to sort out the domestic issues and draw a difference with the President on domestic issues, ceding the national security debate to the Republican Party and the President. It didn't work, and the Republicans took back control of the Senate and strengthened control in the house.

In 2004 in the elections, once again they beat the drum of national security, attacking John Kerry's war record, which was a real threat, and also running through a series of elevated alert warnings to remind the nation that Osama Bin Laden was still a threat and America was still in danger, with the argument that you can't, of course, change leaders in the middle of a war, and it's even unpatriotic to question the government during a war.

Well, now the President's popularity's way down, and Republicans are worried about can they run effectively as members of the President's Party. And so, what are they doing? Under Karl Rove's leadership, they're ratchetting up the risk that America faces. You can see it in their rhetoric, and you can see it in their approach to the, to the news cycle and how they're dealing with the issues in the country. You can even see it in the actions of the government.

So, let's just take stock in just the last few days, what have we had? We've had the issue with the Miami bombers, who were going to blow things up in Chicago, even though they had no plan and no explosives. And a lot of people wondered whether that was real or not, but it sure made headlines and reminded us all that there's a terrorist threat out there.

And then the problem of North Korea and the North Korean missile launches, yes, North Korea's a problem that's why I've been saying, along with other Democrats for five years that we should be talking to North Korea. This administration's totally mishandled the North Korean issue, attacking the North Korean leader personally. President Bush called Kin Jong Il loathsome. This administration cut off the discussions and dialog between North and South Korea, and instead branded Korea as a member of the Axis of Evil. This administration, instead of having dialog with North Korea and trying to advance toward a solution to the challenge of North Korean problems, this administration stalled, putting off the North Korea problem so it could deal with the war it wanted to fight in Iraq, and then hiding behind the six-party talks and China rather than directly confront a regime which it doesn't want to deal with. Now the rhetoric's up on North Korea.

Democrats have to deal with this language of threat.

So, how do we do it? First of all, we got to know what we stand for as Democrats. We believe that you must talk to potential adversaries, that it's not about finger-pointing, it's not about labeling, it's about dialog. That dialog, number two, has got to be backed up by real strength and resolve, the strength of the American economy, the strength of the American Armed Forces and the strength of the American people, with leadership that charts a steady, consistent course. And number three, that the military may be an option, but it is always, always, always the last choice.

Those are the three principles, and we've got to beat that drum again and again and again. That's what Democrats have to stand for. We have to acknowledge, yes, it's a dangerous world, and yes, we must deal with it. But the way to deal with it is not with empty rhetoric and threats. It's not bumper-stickers that make our country safe. It's strong, competent leadership. Nobody can do it better than Democrats, and every one of our candidates and all of us who support them in 2006 has to articulate that. We're not afraid of a challenging and threatening world. Why? Because we know how to deal with it. We've got the right principles. We've got a track record of success. This administration is using these incidents to arouse fear in the American people, and honestly, with this administration in charge, there's a lot to be worried about.

So let's get out there and have a message of confidence and strength. We're Democrats. We know how to take this country forward. Put us in office. Give us a chance. We'll show you.