Remarks of Senator John F. Kennedy, Wantagh and Sunrise Avenues, Nassau County, NY

Senator KENNEDY. Ladies and gentlemen, Jim Fazio, Jack English, I first of all want to express my regret to all of you for being so late. I have not been playing golf. We have been covering this county and Queens and Manhattan, and in the last 2 1/2 days we have traveled in nine States, all the way, from California here to Nassau County. [Applause.] But I must say I don't know any place in the United States where Democrats would turn out in the rain on a Saturday afternoon, and I want to thank you. [Applause.]

I don't want all of you to be home in bed Tuesday, sick, so I will be quite brief. I understand the sun is shining on Mr. Nixon in California but on Tuesday [response from the audience], on Tuesday, the sun is coming up for us. [Applause.]

There are many opportunities and many responsibilities which will be before the people of the United States in the 1960's. One of those that I think is especially important to the whole question of preparing ourselves to be the best educated country in the world [applause]. I do not want to have 35 percent of our brightest boys and girls fail to get into college after graduating from high school, 7,000 - officers, they will be all right, I think - 7,000 students in this area of New York, in this county, did not get into college last year, and by 1970 we are going to have twice as many students try to get to college as now. We are going to have to do something about it, and the Republicans never will. [Applause.] I see somebody has a Nixon sign which they have taken down. I don't blame them. [Laughter and applause.] If you can name me one single problem, one single opportunity that has been before this country that the Republicans or Mr. Nixon have ever done anything about, I will be glad to have you put the sign up again. [Applause.]

Ladies and gentlemen, in 48 hours this campaign will be over. Then you have to decide. I come here to Nassau and ask your help, I ask your support. I ask your support in moving this country forward. Let's go. [Applause.] Let's have the word come out Tuesday night all the way to California that Nassau County has gone Democratic. [Applause.] So anyway, thanks for coming today, thanks for your help on Tuesday, and on Wednesday this country will begin to move forward again. Thank you.