Official announcement as candidate in 2020 Presidential election (2019)

Oakland, California (27 January 2019)

• We are here knowing that we are at an inflection point in the history of our world. We are at an inflection point in in the history of our nation. We are here because the American Dream and our American democracy are under attack and on the line like never before.
  We are here at this moment in time because we must answer a fundamental question: Who are we? Who are we as Americans?
  So, let’s answer that question. To the world. And each other. Right here. And, right now.
  America, we are better than this.
  When we have leaders who lie and bully and attack a free press and undermine our democratic institutions that’s not our America. When white supremacists march and murder in Charlottesville or massacre innocent worshipers at a Pittsburgh synagogue that’s not our America. When we have children in cages crying for their mothers and fathers, don't you dare call it border security, that’s a human rights abuse and that’s not our America. When we have leaders who attack public schools and vilify public school teachers that’s not our America. When bankers who crashed our economy get bonuses but workers who brought our country back can't even get a raise that’s not our America.
  And when American families are barely living paycheck to paycheck, what is this administration’s response? Their response is to try to take away health care from millions of families. Their response is to give away a trillion dollars to the biggest corporations in this country. And their response is to blame immigrants as the source of all our problems.
  And guys lets understand what is happening here: People in power are trying to convince us that the villain in our American story is each other. But that is not our story. That is not who we are. That’s not our America.
  Our United States of America is not about us versus them. It’s about We the people!
  And in this moment, we must all speak truth about what’s happening.
  Seek truth, speak truth and fight for the truth.

• I’ll fight for an America where we keep our word and where we honor our promises. Because that’s our America. That’s the America I believe in.
  That’s the America I know we believe in. And as we embark on this campaign, I will tell you this: I am not perfect. Lord knows, I am not perfect. But I will always speak with decency and moral clarity and treat all people with dignity and respect. I will lead with integrity. And I will speak the truth.
  And of course, we know this is not going to be easy guys. It’s not going to be easy.

• As Robert Kennedy many years ago said, "Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly."
  He also said, "I do not lightly dismiss the dangers and the difficulties of challenging an incumbent President, but these are not ordinary times and this is not an ordinary election." He said, "At stake is not simply the leadership of our party and even our country. It is our right to moral leadership of this planet."
  So today I say to you my friends, these are not ordinary times. And this will not be an ordinary election. But this is our America.
  And here’s the thing. It’s up to us.
  It’s up to us. Each and every one of us. So let's remember in this fight we have the power of the people. We can achieve the dreams of our parents and grandparents. We can heal our nation. We can give our children the future they deserve. We can reclaim the American Dream for every single person in our country. We can restore America’s moral leadership on this planet.
  So let’s do this.
  And let’s do it together.
  And let's start now.
  Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.