Rep. John James (R-MI) delivered remarks supporting former President Donald Trump during the Republican National Convention on Monday.
Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:
https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript
Stay Connected
Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes
More From Forbes: http://forbes.com
Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:
https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript
Stay Connected
Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes
More From Forbes: http://forbes.com
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Please welcome U.S. Army veteran Representative John James from Michigan's 10th Congressional District.
00:07Applause
00:16Good evening, Wisconsin.
00:18Warmest regards, warmest regards from Detroit, home of the NFC North champion Detroit Lions.
00:26Applause
00:31In seriousness, in seriousness, didn't Wesley do a great job?
00:35Applause
00:39One of my West Point classmates, class of 2004, and there's another Midwestern boy who did a great job.
00:45Our vice presidential nominee, J.D. Vance.
00:47Applause
00:51Another Midwestern boy, you know, he's going to need some help when he comes up to Michigan.
00:56I'll do everything I can, but he might be the first Buckeye to win in Michigan since last time Trump was in office.
01:01Applause
01:03But those are two great American dream stories from the Hunt family and from the Vance family,
01:07but I have another American dream story to tell you about.
01:11It's about a little boy from Starkville, Mississippi, who lived directly across the street from Mississippi State University,
01:18but he couldn't go there because he was black.
01:21Despite growing up in the Jim Crow South, he refused to let vulnerability become victimhood.
01:27He paid his way through college, served honorably in Vietnam,
01:30and started a trucking company with one truck, one trailer, and no excuses,
01:35hauling beer back and forth between Detroit and Milwaukee.
01:39Applause
01:43I grew up in awe of that story because it's my dad's story.
01:48It's part of my story.
01:50He and my mother raised me never telling me that this is a racist country.
01:55Never. Never.
01:57Applause
02:02Even though we have marked blemishes in our past, even though we have much farther to go,
02:07even though they endured racism that did not define the nation they loved,
02:11they taught me I could do anything I set my mind to.
02:14They taught me to put the Lord first always.
02:17They taught me to use my blessings to be a blessing to others.
02:20Applause
02:22And that's what we're doing here today.
02:24That's why I went to West Point.
02:26I became a Ranger Qualified Apache Pilot and flew 750 hours operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
02:32Applause
02:35You know, you know, there's something else me and President Trump have in common.
02:45The bad guys shot at us both, but they missed.
02:49And we'll keep on fighting for America until the good Lord takes us home.
02:56By the grace of God, I was able to come home after my deployment and help run the company business.
03:03Now I have the honor of representing Michigan's 10th Congressional District,
03:07the number one manufacturing district in the best state in the entire unit.
03:12Applause
03:14My family's story is the American Dream story.
03:17But my biggest concern right now, my biggest fear,
03:20is will children today be able to look back and share that same story?
03:24Look, I firmly believe Americans have not given up on the American Dream.
03:29Joe Biden and the Democrats have given up on the American Dream.
03:32Applause
03:35Joe Biden and the Democrats think they know how to spend your money better than you do.
03:39They want to take your dollars, they want to take your voice,
03:42they want to take your control and give it back to D.C. bureaucrats
03:46to execute their woke and green New Deal agenda.
03:49Well, that plan doesn't work because hope is not a plan.
03:52Black people were sold on hope.
03:54Now our streets are rife with crime, our kids can't read,
03:58and illegals are getting better help from Democrats in four days than we've gotten in 400 years.
04:02Applause
04:07Look, our daughters were sold on hope,
04:11and now they're being forced onto playing fields and changing rooms with biological males.
04:15America was sold on hope, and now the world's on fire.
04:19Our borders are wide open, and Americans are going into debt to pay for their groceries.
04:23But look, we don't even have to imagine a brighter day.
04:27We just have to remember, under President Donald J. Trump, we had a secure border.
04:32Under President Donald J. Trump, we had peace in Europe.
04:36And under President Donald J. Trump, we had an economy so good.
04:40Applause
04:42We had an economy so good, Democrats are trying to give Obama the credit for it.
04:46Applause
04:52And I heard a little bit earlier today, if you don't vote for Donald Trump, you ain't black.
04:57Applause
05:03But see, here's the thing.
05:06By the grace of God and the proven leadership of Donald Trump,
05:10for every American, regardless of race, color, and creed,
05:13we can once again have a land where a child's outcome isn't determined by their zip code.
05:18We can once again have a land where hard work truly does get you ahead.
05:21We can once again have a land where you can go from poverty to prosperity in a single generation.
05:26I believe that land is still America.
05:29America is the greatest idea that's ever been.
05:32Applause
05:42America, I believe deeply in my heart, America is the greatest idea that's ever been.
05:48It's worth fighting for. It's worth sacrificing for.
05:50And it's worth getting out to vote for.
05:52Because I truly believe in the deepest heart of hearts
05:55that with Donald J. Trump back in the White House, the best is yet to come.
06:00God bless you. Thank you.
06:02God bless America.
06:04Applause