'It's Time for Us to Show . . . How Americans Lead'

[Two protesters chant "End the war in Iraq" and "Get out of Iraq" and are quickly shouted down by the crowd.]

Please, please, please. My friends, my dear friends, please. Please don't be diverted by the ground noise and the static.

You know, I'm going to talk about it some more. But Americans want us to stop yelling at each other, okay?

These are tough times for many of you. You're worried about keeping your job or finding a new one, and you're struggling to put food on the table and stay in your home.

All you've ever asked of your government is to stand on your side and not in your way. And that's what I intend to do: stand on your side and fight for your future.

And I've found just the right partner to help me shake up Washington, Governor Sarah Palin of the great state of Alaska.

And I want to thank everyone here and all over America for the tremendous, wonderful, warm reception you gave her last night. Thank you so much. She deserves it. What a great beginning.

You know, she has an executive experience and a real record of accomplishment. She's tackled tough problems, like energy independence and corruption. She's balanced a budget, cut taxes, and she's taken on the special interests.

She's reached across the aisle and asked Republicans, Democrats and independents to serve in her administration. She's the wonderful mother of five children.

She's helped run a small business. She's worked with her hands and knows what it's like to worry about mortgage payments, and health care, and the cost of gasoline and groceries.

She knows where she comes from, and she knows who she works for. She stands up for what's right, and she doesn't let anyone tell her to sit down.

I'm very proud to have introduced our next vice president to the country, but I can't wait until I introduce her to Washington.