Remarks in Fulton, Kentucky

The President. Good morning!

Audience members. Good morning!

The President. Thank you for coming out. Thank you for waiting. I want to thank the mayors of both these communities. I'm glad to be in Kentucky and Tennessee, and I want to thank all of you who worked hard on this event. I see a lot of work has been done on the buildings. I see a lot of work has been done to make us feel welcome in these two proud communities and I thank you. I am glad to be here, and I am glad to see you.

We are fighting for your future. Will you help us build that bridge to the 21st century?

Audience members. Yes!

The President. Will you help us send Steve Beshear and Houston Gordon to the United States Senate and Steve Null to the Congress to help us build that bridge to the 21st century?

Audience members. Yes!

The President. Will you help us make 2 years of college education as universal as a high school education is now in the next 4 years?

Audience members. Yes!

The President. Will you help us close twothirds of the toxic waste dumps so our kids live near parks and not poison in the next 4 years?

Audience members. Yes!

The President. Will you help us balance the budget without doing what our friends in the opposition want to do, without hurting Medicare, Medicaid, our commitment to education, and the environment? Will you help us do that?

Audience members. Yes!

The President. Folks, this country is in better shape than it was 4 years ago. We are on the right track to the 21st century. But we still have work to do. On Thursday night in Chicago, I outlined the direction that the Vice President and I and our administration will take, and I want you to help us. This is an election about whether we're going to build a bridge to the future or a bridge to the past, about whether we believe we're all in this together and everybody has a role to play and a place, or whether we ought to say you're on your own.

I believe that my job is to give you the tools you need and the conditions you need to make the most of your own lives, your family's lives, your community's lives. I think that's our responsibility. That's what we've been doing for 4 years. That's why we're on the right track. But we have got more to do.

We need to build a big, strong bridge that's wide enough for everybody to walk across so every child in this audience will have a good, good life in the 21st century. Will you help us?

Audience members. Yes!

The President. For 68 days will you help us?

Audience members. Yes!

The President. Thank you, and God bless you. We're glad to see you. Thank you.