In the extended entry …

The Honorable Governor Edward Rendell’s Speech Before the Democratic National Convention Wednesday, July 28, 2004

My fellow Americans, my Democrats, my fellow Pennsylvanians — thank you for that warm welcome. The greatness of the American people is that we are at our best in times of crisis.

In 1945, America faced a Europe with a shattered infrastructure, a decimated economy, and threatened by an encroaching Soviet Union. To meet that challenge, we launched the Marshall Plan, formed NATO, and changed the course of history.

Today, the crisis is on our shores. The challenge before us is here at home. The price of gas at the pump is at record levels. The cost of energy to run our factories is wreaking havoc on our industrial competitiveness. And families are finding it harder and harder to afford to heat their homes.

Instead of responding with big ideas that put Americans to work, we are exporting jobs, exporting dollars, and we are exporting opportunity — the opportunity to strengthen our economy by becoming the world’s leader in new environmental technologies: the clean cars, efficient appliances, and alternative fuels that are the wave of the future.

And more than that: because we lack a sound energy policy, we are forced to deal with tyrants who fund terrorists in order to keep the lights on in our homes and fuel in our cars.

Our foreign policy is skewed. Our values are compromised. And we are paying a price. John Kerry said it best, “No young American solider should fight and die because of our dependence on foreign oil.”

My friends, we are losing jobs. Our economy is hurting. And middle-class families are feeling the squeeze all because America is dependent on foreign oil, oil that flows at the whim of world events … and too often from the wells of dictators.

John Kerry knows that to build a stronger America, we must do better. We can no longer rely on foreign oil fields to power our economy. We can no longer compromise the interests of our security just to make sure that the pipelines from faraway kingdoms flow freely.

That is why, tonight - here in the birthplace of the American revolution - - we must declare our independence - our energy independence. We must elect a President to lead us toward a safer, stronger America free from the tyranny of foreign oil. We must elect John Kerry.

John Kerry has a plan to move America away from its dependence on Mideast oil. First, to bring down our fuel costs, he will do what it takes to deliver clean natural gas to our factory doors in abundant supply — and at a reasonable price.

And John Kerry will roll up his sleeves to work with coal companies to scrub their plants and create new technologies to generate clean coal energy to heat our homes.

In Pennsylvania, we are already using waste coal to generate electricity and coal mine gas is being converted into energy. And when John Kerry is President, we will become a world leader in the clean coal economy.

Second, John Kerry knows that moving toward energy independence means creating more jobs. There are thousands of people who are choosing to drive new hybrid cars that get great gas mileage. Yet, the waiting lists stretch for six months — with spots on those list being auctioned on e-bay for $500 or more. Yet where are these cars being made? In Korea and Japan.

To make sure those jobs are created here, John Kerry will invest $10 billion in tax incentives for American car manufacturers to convert factories to build these cars of the future right here in the United States and tax credits for consumers to purchase those vehicles.

Third, John Kerry will put America ahead of the rest of the world by boosting demand for alternative sources of energy to 20 percent — and to meet that demand and to put more Americans to work, he intends to make America the world’s largest producer of alternative fuels.

Now, I don’t have a PhD in energy policy. But I do know this: if I use less energy in my house, my electric bill goes down. It’s commonsense - commonsense for me, commonsense for America.

That’s why John Kerry will cut the federal energy bill by $14 billion — freeing up resources for us to invest in education and the economy. And he will help every American family and business to do the same, driving down their energy bills too.

Two hundred and twenty eight years ago — in my hometown of Philadelphia - - a native son of Boston — John Hancock — signed his name to the Declaration of Independence knowing full well the risk of taking this action.

There is only one candidate for president who will courageously offer his signature to American’s new declaration of energy independence because he knows full well the risk of not doing so — that person is the next President of the United States of America, John Kerry.

Thank you, and good night.

Source: Democratic National Convention Committee