controversial because al has kept the organization, through many great leaders like bill clinton, like harold ford -- is harold still here? if harold were speaking he would have stayed, i guarantee you. tell him i said so, will you, please? or just yell at the television when you see him come on. but al from kept the faith an kept the focus. and he made an extraordinary difference in terms of responsibility and community, in terms of opportunity, in terms of education, in terms of commitment to at that time security. the values that americans knew were important to build our current and were necessary to maintain our current and make it even greater. so, i'm here tonight with all of you to honor someone who has made such a difference in our count country. a sit who took had he -- a citizen who took his responsibility extraordinarily important to him. a person who preached perform responsibility but, more importantly, took personal responsibility. personal responsibility to make a difference. al, you have made a difference. you have made difference corporately with it organization. you have made a

the new dlc chairman harold ford, jr. continues to speak out as one of the nation's up and coming senators. rahm emanuel leads democrats back into the majority on capitol hill after penning with bruce reed a plan in 2006. in continuing with the tradition of helping young leaders emerge and the stars, the dlc founds a new program with an eye towards the future. a quarter-century later, barack obama and joe biden's historic victory in 2008 proves that the party is ready. the new administration and congress have the chance to build a long lasting change and reform, and the opportunity to carry out a new democratic agenda. education reform, national service, health reform, energy, fiscal responsibility, and long- term growth. on the democratic leadership council, the organization that al built from the ground up is taking on a new challenge. under bruce's leadership, house legacy lives on. the power of a good idea can still inspire our party and to transform our nation. >> 25 years ago, he had the courage to see it was time f

controversial because al has kept the organization through many great leaders like bill clinton, like harold ford -- is herald still here? if harold were speaking, you would have stayed, i guarantee you. [laughter] tell him i said so, will you please? are just yell at the television when you see him come on. but al from cap that faith and the focus and made an extraordinary difference in terms of responsibility, community, opportunity, education, and commitment to national security. the values that americans know were important to build our country and are necessary to manor country -- maintain our country and make even better. so i am here tonight to honor someone who has made such a difference in our country. a citizen who took his responsibility extraordinarily important to him. son who preached personal responsibility but more importantly took personal responsibility. personal responsibility to make a difference. al, you have made a difference. you have made a difference corporately with this organization, you've made a difference in my life. you've made a difference in the lives of all with

[applause] thank you, harold ford jr., for friendship and your fidelity to the dlc, and what you said tonight. thank you, bruce reed, for all of your wonderful service in the white house, and your friend should to me and for leading the dlc and for what you said tonight. thank you, will marshall. thank you, ginger and sarah and jenny and mark. and thank you, elizabeth. this is really all for you, after all. i would like to thank those who, like me, had the benefit of serving as chair of the dlc. they're all here, and have all been introduced. it is a club by want to be a part of. we were really breasts -- blessed in those early years. there is a really magnificent person who is going to speak after me that proves the dlc program. rachel, i am so proud of you. i'm glad you're representing the state and local officials. that was a really good movie. it had the virtue of being at least except for the stuff about me, true. i think secretary sebelius may be here. we were together at a previous event, and i'll have more to say about that in a minute. i loved getting involved with the dlc. f

chairman harold ford jr. continues to speak out as one of the foremost. rahm emanuel leads democrats back that a majority after penning with bruce reed "the plan" in 2006. and continuing the tradition of helping leaders emerge into stars the d.l.c. found a new fellows program with an eye for the future. the quarter century after the d.l.c. took up the challenge of bring being back the forgotten middle class barack obama's and joe biden's victory proves that the party has been reborn. the new administration and congress have a chance to build a broad lasting majority for change and reform and the opportunity to carry out a new agenda for a new era. education reform, national service, health reform, energy, fiscal responsibility and long-term growth. in the democratic leader council the organization that al from built from the ground up is taking on that new challenge. under bruce reed's leadership al's legacy lives on proofrpg once again how -- proving once again how the power of a good idea with build the party. >> 25 years ago al had the courage to see i

[applause] >> thank you, harold ford jr., for your friendship and fidelity to the d.l.c. and for what you said about al tonight. thank you, bruce reed, for all of your wonderful service in the white house and your friendship to me and for leading the d.l.c. and for what you said tonight. thank you, will marshall, thank you gyinger and sarah and jenny. and mark. and thank you, elizabeth. this is really all for you, after all. i would like to thank those who, like me, had the benefit of serving as chair of the d.l.c. they are all here and they have all been introduced. but it was a club i wanted to be part of. and world championship really blessed in those early years by chuck robb and sam nunn and dick gephardt, later joe lieberman, ev evan bayh. by senator carper, and there is a really, i think, magnificent person that will speak after me that proves the d.l.c. fellows program, rachel storch i'm glad you are hear representing the state and local representatives affiliated with the d.l.c. that was a really good movie. it had the virtue of being at least except for the stuf