Hello are you ready to elect a new president . I want to thank each and every one of you for being here, it is a pleasure to be with you here tonight in the heart of new york city. I want to thank you for coming tonight and participating in our democracy and making your voice heard. Cheers and applause] now veragets just now just really quickly, i know all of us have our phones and follow whats going on in the news, i wanted to just begin by saying that tonight were thinking about our men and women in uniform, especial especially those who are stationed in iraq. [applause] and were praying for their safety. Were also our hearts go out to the people of the island of puerto rico today. [applause] who already have endured so much loss after Hurricane Maria and suffered an earthquake. Were thinking about them and urging the administration to act o serve them as we should. Those are two very powerful and poignant reminders of why all of us have a role to play. Engaging in our democracy. Voting. And ushering in new leadership in 2020 with a new president. And that president should be Elizabeth Warren. [applause] now, as yall know, i also ran for president. [applause] and im proud of the campaign we ran. I ran for president because i have a vision for an america where everyone counts. Where every voice is heard. I ran for president because i felt tremendously blessed with the opportunity that ive had in life and i wanted to make sure that everybody, no matter who you are, could have that same kind of opportunity. Some of yall know i have a twin brother, joaquin. My brother is here tonight. [applause] dont clap too loud or ill get yes louse. Dont clap too loud. You know, joaquin and i grew up on the west side of san antonio with my mother and my grandmother. My grandmother had come over to the United States in 1922 from northern mexico because her parents had passed away she never finished Elementary School she worked as a maid, a cook, and a babysitter. She raised our mother as a single parent. And my mom raised my brother and me as a single parent too. We grew up and were proud products of a Public School of texas. [applause] we had the opportunity to go to college and go to law school. We went together because i cant get rid of my brother. And then to go back home and be the first in our family to be professionals, as attorneys, and then go into Public Service. My brother went into the state legislature. I went into city council, became mayor of our hometown of san antonio, texas. And just to think, only two generations after our grandmother got here, like i bet a lot of your family members did, wherever they came from, got here with almost nothing, that two generations later, one of her grandson she only had two grandkids, one of her grandsons is representing the neighborhood she grew up in as the congressman for the 20th Congressional District of texas. And chairing the congressional hispanic caucus. [applause] and the other one had the opportunity to serve as president obamas in president obamas cabinet and run for president of the United States of america. That is america. That is the possibility of our country. That is the story of so many people in our country. And now im here because i believe in a person who is going to make sure that those same kinds of opportunity that my brother and i were blessed with and so many people here as well have been fortunate to have of a good education, of the chance to get a good job, to get Decent Health care, to be able to reach for your dreams, that we make that possible for every Single Person in this country in the years to come. [applause] and i had the opportunity to see all the candidates, at one time we had 25 candidates running in this cycle. 25. I had the opportunity to see all of the candidates. To get to know many of the candidates. To understand them. This is what i understand about Elizabeth Warren. She is a fighter for Everyday Americans. Shes a fighter because she has also struggled and lived that american dream. Elizabeth warren grew up the daughter of a janitor. She grew up to become a Public Schoolteacher. [applause] and a law professor. And a United States senator. [applause] and a champion for consumers verywhere in this country. She knows she knows what sacrifice is like after her is like. After her father had a heart attack, her mom had to take a minimum a minimum wage job at sears to make ends meet. She understands because shes listened to people for many years throughout this country. Shes heard their calls for change. Shes heard about their dreams and aspirations for themselves, their families, their communities and for our country. Shes a fighter because she knows that too often today the deck is stacked against people who just want to who just want a shot at reaching their dreams. She knows that too often today in washington, the power goes to special interests who can afford big lobbyists and lawyers to write in special provisions in legislation. She knows that we need to get big money out of politics. [applause] she knows we need to give people the power, not the powerful the biggest voice. [applause] and let me tell you something. I dont have to guess what kind of president shes going to be because i have seen firsthand what kind of senator she is. [applause] i had the opportunity to serve as secretary of housing and urban development for president obama. As part of that, i worked with senator warren. O sits on the Senate Banking and finance committee that has jurisdiction over h. U. D. I remember one day going to lunch and we were going to lunch in the Senate Dining room. I was, you know, looking forward to the lunch and i thought wed have a nice, low pressurely lunch and, you know, get to know each other and have some small talk. Boy, was i in for a rude awakening. She wasnt there for small talk. She was there to know what i was going to do to make sure that more people could stay in their homes. [applause] she was there to know what we were going to do to make sure that we saw to it that Homeless People got a place to live. She was there to know what we were going to do to invest in communities that were hurting. She is a fighter for people who need a voice. Shes a fighter for Everyday Americans that simply want a shot. So i know that thats the kind of president that shes going to be. Heres the thing. Were meeting at a very special moment in this entire campaign cycle. Were less than a month away from when the voting starts in iowa. February 3 is the iowa caucus. Thats right. Somebody is counting. 27 days. And look, i have tremendous respect for everybody who is running in this race. This is perhaps the most talented field of people, an theres an embarrassment of rich of riches, people who have great vision, great integrity, a great track record, experience. Its been said many times in many Different Campaign seasons but you know what, i think this is more true this year than ever before. Any one of the folks running would make a better president than the president we have sitting in the oval office today. [applause] but heres the thing that i saw. So many times when we would get out there and id be having a conversation with somebody and theyd be nodding their head in des moines or in davenport or somewhere in iowa, or many manchester, new hampshire, i thought i had them sold on my candidacy, and they said, you know, i really, really like you, i love what youre talking about, but my first choice is Elizabeth Warren. Youre in my top three but my first choice is Elizabeth Warren. More than any other candidate in this race. More than any other candidate that will be on that debate stage in a few day, Elizabeth Warren is a candidate who can unite the entire democratic party. [applause] she can bring people together. She can appeal to all sides. People believe in her vision. All the candidates are all the candidates are great, but you start looking that the edata, i did as a candidate, you see interesting things. The polling says well, perhaps, go one older voters way. Right . And Younger Voters go another way. You have a preponderance of Younger Voters that support elizabeth. And older voters that also support elizabeth. You have people in small towns and people in big cities that support elizabeth. That are dreamingt are about a country that we can have that represents the best of who we are. [applause] and think about what its going to take to defeat donald trump in november of 2020. Consistently when you talk to people on the ground, you find that they like Elizabeth Warren. You find that theyre willing to support her. U find that she has the best damn organization in these early states in iowa and new hampshire, in nevada, all throughout our country. The level of enthusiasm is tremendous. So i wanted to come here tonight to tell you that i am proud to support senator Elizabeth Warren for president of the United States of america. [applause] yall sound good. Im proud to support her. I want to thank you for supporting her. Im proud to support her on behalf of all the people that we were fighting for in our campaign. Im proud to support her on behalf of every kid who is out there dreaming about being an astronaut or being a teacher or being a firefighter. Im proud to support her on behalf of every Single Person who is sleeping on the street tonight and needs a safe, decent, affordable place to live. Im proud to support her on people like miss swain that i met in waukee, iowa, who had lived in a trailer park for 40 years until she got a letter from a private equity group telling her they just bought out her trailer park and were raising her rent more than 60 . Im proud to support senator warren on behalf of so many people who are going broke because they got sick. Proud to support her on behalf of parents of children with disabilities who simply want to see their child be able to get the to get the kind of education they deserve. Im proud to support her on who too often have been the victims of police brutality. And just want to be treated the same like everybody else. And im proud to support her on behalf of each and every one of those migrants out there that is simply dreaming of a better life in the United States of america. So we can say in the years to come no more kids in cages, no more separating family, no more playing games with people seeking asylum. We can do things in a better, more effective, more humane way, and the person who is going to lead us to a better america for everyone is senator Elizabeth Warren. Help me welcome the next president of the United States of america, Elizabeth Warren cheers and applause] working 9 00 to 5 00 what a way to make a hiing barely getting by all taking and no giving they say use your they just use your mind they never give you credit its enough to drive it cray to drive you crazy if you let it 9 00 to 5 00 for service and donation you would think that i deserve a fair promotion want to move ahead but the boss wont seem to let me i swear sometimes that man is out to get me [cheers and applause] cheers and applause] senator warren hello brooklyn [cheers and applause] i am so happy to be here with you tonight. But we have to we have to start on a very sober note. I love you too. For any of you who havent been able to follow it, within the last hour, the iranian government has announced that it has sent missiles to attack our military bases in iraq. My three brothers all served in the military. At this moment, my heart and prayers are with our military and with their families. In iraq and all around the world. [applause] but this is a reminder. Why we need to deescalate tensions in the middle east. [applause] the American People do not want a war with iran. [applause] and on another sober note, our brothers and sisters in puerto rico need our help. We will fight to make sure this government is there for them this time. Is so terrific to be here with my dear friend, julian castro. [applause] julian and i have been friends for a long time. For me, it all comes down to one thing. Ulian is a good man. Hes a good man who went into Public Service not for himself, not for his own glory, but went into Public Service to make a real difference in the lives of millions of people across this country and that is what he has done. [applause] he has been in the fight for safe and affordable and secure housing for millions of americans and we all owe him a big debt of gratitude for this work. He was one of the First National figures to truly lift up the fight for true equality for people in the disability community. Thank you, julian. And while other candidates for president were nibbling around the edges, oh, yeah, we need to do something for our families, it was julian who put out a plan for serious childcare for every kid in this country. [applause] julian is a man of commitment and his commitment is about making sure that the people who have been ignored and the people who have been deliberately left out forever get a voice in our democracy and get a voice in our country. [applause] and it is a great honor to be in this fight alongside julian astro. Were going to have some fun tonight. Im sorry about the delay. I like to start things on time. You would expect that out of a oman with plans. But the good news is, and the bad news, a lot of people cant make it in. So julian and i wanted to go outside and say hello to everybody. So heres what were going to do tonight. Im going to talk a little bit. For any of you who dont know me, tell you a little bit about myself. Im going to tell you a little bit about why im in this fight. And then were going to do something historic, right at the center of democracy. Julian and i, for the first time in history, were going to stand here and do double selfies and everybody is welcome. [applause] yeah i love that. My gosh. So i want you to know a little about me. I was born and raised in oklahoma. [applause] really . That many okies in the room . A few . Ok, i believe you, i believe you. I am what used to be called a late in life baby. My mother always just called me the surprise. I have three older brothers. Theyre all back in oklahoma now. Theyre all retired. And they are to this day referred to collectively as the boys. Thats to distinguish them from the surprise. Now, when my three brothers and i were growing up, our daddy had a lot of different jobs. He sold paint, he sold carpet. He sold fencing. He sold housewares. Ultimately he ended up as a janitor. My mom worked minimum wage job at sears. All three of my brothers as i mentioned earlier went off to the military. It was their chance to serve. And a path to americas middle class. Now me, i have had the same dream for what i wanted to be since second grade. You may laugh in the back, you didnt decide until like, what, fourth grade . Fifth grade up in the balcony . I can tell. I can tell. Ive known what i wanted to be since second grade and never varied from this. I wanted to be a Public Schoolteacher. Can we hear it for our Public School teachers . [cheers and applause] yes yes and i want you to know, i invested early. I used to line my dollies up and teach school. I had a reputation for being tough but fair. [laughter] but all during my growing up, any time anything came up, i want to be a teacher. I want to be a teacher. By the time i graduated from high school, my family did not have the money for college. Much less to send me off to four years at university. So like a lot of americans, i dont have a Straight Path story. I got a story thats got a lot of twists and turns. Heres how my twists and turns go. I was a high school debater and i got a scholarship to college. [applause] yeah. Lets hear it for the nerds. [applause] yeah. You bet. You bet. So scholarship to college. At 19, i fell in love, got married, and dropped out. Woohoo. Now look, a good life. Its one i chose. But i thought it meant i couldnt have the dream. That i was never going to have the chance to be a Public Schoolteacher. And so were living outside houston. Then i found it. A commuter college, 45 minutes way, that cost 50 a semester. [applause] and for a price i could pay for on a parttime waitressing job, i finished my fouryear diploma, i became a special education teacher, i lived my dream job. Cheers and applause] so have we got any Public School teachers in here . [cheers and applause] oh yes any more Public School teachers . Oh, yes whoa cheers and applause] so im going to need you to back me up on this. I need you to back me up on this. It is not a job, it is a calling. [applause] i had 4 to 6yearolds in special ed and i loved my babies. I loved the work. I still remember things we worked on together. You know, i probably would still be doing that work today, but like i said, my story has some twists and turns. Heres the next one. By the end of the first year, i was visibly pregnant. And the principal did what principals did in those days. Wished me luck and hired someone else for the job. Great. So here i am, now were up in new jersey. [applause] yeah. I got a baby. Cant get a job. And i just got to tell you, i got to do something. I got to do something. I know, i will go to law school. [applause] yeah. Found a state law school, cost 450 a semester. Baby on hip, i went off, did three years in law school, graduated, visibly pregnant. You will discover a pattern to these stories. Took the bar, passed the bar, and practiced law for 45 min