2012 Democratic National Convention: Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by Governor of North Carolina, The Honorable Bev Perdue

CHARLOTTE, Sept. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a transcript of a speech, as prepared for delivery, by Governor of North Carolina, The Honorable Bev Perdue at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday, September 4, 2012:

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Welcome to Charlotte, the Queen City, in the great state of North Carolina. It is always an honor to welcome a distinguished group of national leaders to North Carolina, but it's particularly important today, because of why we're here: to make sure that Barack Obama is re-elected president of the United States.

We must re-elect the president because he's standing up for middle-class families and growing an economy that's built to last. And he's doing it right here in North Carolina. It starts with education. The president has made schools a top priority. He knows that all parents want their children to have even better opportunities than they had. The president's education initiatives are helping North Carolina's schools soar. These investments are spurring education reform and innovation, and strengthening our nationally recognized early-childhood education programs. This president gets it on education. He knows that a good education is the difference-maker for every child and is the pathway to success in the global economy.

From education to broadband, from building roads and bridges to supporting the military, Barack Obama is delivering for North Carolina. And he is delivering for America. A growing middle class is the foundation for a strong America.

President Obama is also standing up for women in North Carolina and across our country. He has helped women fight for equal pay for equal work; he has fought to guarantee that women have access to quality, affordable health care, including making sure that insurance plans cover birth control with no out-of-pocket cost. And unlike Mitt Romney, President Obama is standing up for Planned Parenthood.

This election is a choice. We can go back to the same old failed economic plans that brought about the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. We can go back to economic plans that are only designed to benefit the wealthiest among us, like Mitt Romney. Or we can keep moving forward with President Obama's vision for a growing economy that works for middle-class families in North Carolina and all across the country. For me, for North Carolina and for America, it's an easy choice.

Join with me. We will win in North Carolina. We will return Barack Obama to the White House, and we will keep America moving forward.

SOURCE 2012 Democratic National Convention Committee