'We Will Lead Boldly And Manage Wisely'

These are excerpts from Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's speech in Williamsburg.

As we stand here now, our hearts should be filled with the magnitude of the debt we owe to the generations of leaders -- the celebrated and the unknown -- who fought and worked to create our commonwealth. . . .

Today's ceremony honors and renews that experiment and continues the promise that Virginia -- which has so often led our nation through the past four centuries -- will continue to lead our nation in the 21st century. . . .

First, we reaffirm the necessity of courage. This is the defining trait of those who came to Virginia aboard the Discovery, Godspeed and Susan Constant, landing just a few miles from this place at Jamestown Island in 1607. . . .

Second, we acknowledge that individual opportunity is the most powerful engine of progress. The first English settlers came as part of a commercial venture, the Virginia Company, seeking economic riches in the New World. Others came seeking the opportunity to worship as they pleased or to trade away an aristocracy of birth for an aristocracy of merit. When individuals have the opportunity to set their own purpose and determine the bar for their own achievements, they are able to harness their God-given talents and ensure our economic and social success.

And third, we recognize that our destiny is a shared destiny and that our commitment to community is a condition of our advancement. . . .

To the people of Virginia: I pledge an administration that will keep the promise of Virginia strong. An administration guided by the Virginia values of courage, opportunity and community. We will lead boldly and manage wisely; we will protect the liberties endowed by our Creator; we will affirm that family and faith is our bedrock, hard work our way and education our path to progress. . . .

To the parents of Virginia: I pledge that our top priority will be raising the focus of our public education system from competence to excellence. . . .

To the taxpayers of Virginia: I pledge that we will remember that what government spends is not its money. It's your money. . . .

To those who commute and travel in Virginia: I pledge that my administration will begin immediately and work urgently to address the transportation dilemma that complicates our lives and threatens our prosperity. Together, together, let us find answers through a dialogue that is shaped not simply in terms of dollars and cents but also by new solutions and common sense. . . .

To the working families of Virginia and those that employ them: I pledge an administration focused on fostering opportunity and encouraging the entrepreneurial spirit, an administration focused on ensuring that every hard-working Virginian -- no matter where they live -- has access to a good-paying job to provide for their family. . . .

To those who love Virginia's natural beauty: I pledge an administration that will be a good steward of Virginia's blessings. . . .

And finally to the children of Virginia: I pledge an administration that will do its all to leave you with a commonwealth greater than the one we found; filled with opportunities, greater than those of our dreams; a commonwealth where the promise of Virginia rings true for every son and daughter.