【正文】
ffirm a new mitment to live out our nation39。s promise through civility, courage, passion and character. america, at its best, matches a mitment to principle with a concern for civility. a civil society demands from each of us good will and respect, fair dealing and forgiveness. some seem to believe that our politics can afford to be petty because, in a time of peace, the stakes of our debates appear small. but the stakes for america are never small. if our country does not lead the cause of freedom, it will not be led. if we do not turn the hearts of children toward knowledge and character, we will lose their gifts and undermine their idealism. if we permit our economy to drift and decline, the vulnerable will suffer most