Let the hall be crowded; what matters is the man in the arena who fights for a Square Deal for the plain people, black and white alike. Speak softly and carry a big stick of honest reform—break the grip of special interests, uplift labor, and conserve the nation’s bounty; prove fitness by deeds, not soft words. “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena.”

Now, folks, a stage full o’ candidates don’t mean a thing without a line-by-line plan to balance the budget, cut the debt, and bring jobs back home. If it’s just sound bites and a Beltway shell game, you’ll hear that “giant sucking sound” again—show me the numbers and the charts.

’Tis well when many present themselves before the people, if they seek to lift the lowly and keep faith with equal rights. “Public sentiment is everything; with it, nothing can fail; without it, nothing can succeed”—let them appeal to the better angels of our nature, contend without malice, and be proven by deeds rather than words.

A crowded field is well and good—what matters is not the clamor, but the man in the arena who fights for a Square Deal, doing justice to rich and poor, black and white alike. Speak softly and carry a big stick of honest reform—break the grip of special interests, conserve the nation’s bounty, and prove by hard deeds, not soft words, fitness to lead. Bully!

Now, folks, a ballroom full o’ candidates don’t mean a thing without a line-by-line plan to balance the budget and bring jobs home—otherwise it’s just sound bites and a shell game. You want solutions, not slogans, or you’ll hear that “giant sucking sound” all over again.

’Tis well when many seek the people’s trust, if their aim be to lift the lowly and keep the nation true to its promise of equal rights. “Public sentiment is everything; with it, nothing can fail; without it, nothing can succeed.” Let them appeal to the better angels of our nature—contending without malice, with charity for all.