One of the sharp parallels is that neither Vietnam nor Iraq was the slightest threat to America's national security.

It doesn t require any particular bravery to stand on the floor of the Senate and urge our boys in Vietnam to fight harder and if this war mushrooms into a major conflict and a hundred thousand young Americans are killed it won t be U.S. Senators who die. It will be American soldiers who are too young to qualify for the Senate.

I seek the presidency because I believe deeply in the American promise and can no longer accept the diminishing of that promise.

I did frequently refer to my war record in World War II, but not in any flamboyant way.

My heart does sometimes bleed for those who are hurting in my own country and abroad.

We are at a crossroads over how the federal government in Washington and state legislatures and city councils across the land allocate their financial resources. Which fork we take will say a lot about Americans and our values.

Pay attention to the hungry, both in this country and around the world. Pay attention to the poor. Pay attention to our responsibilities for world peace. We are our brother's keeper.