Statement by Senator Bob Graham, D-Florida

Tonight I am announcing the end of my campaign for President of the United States.

Five months ago, I began this campaign with two goals.

The first was to be the next President of our nation. I felt the best prepared and most able Democratic candidate to be elected President. I have concluded that is not to be. A combination of factors has convinced me, reluctantly, that my dreams for the Presidency are not attainable.

My second goal was to lead this great nation to an even greater place. I am an optimist - a better America is just over the horizon. But we will not achieve that better America under President Bush. We must change the direction that this President is taking us.

So while I end my personal Presidential quest, I don't end the fight that led me to run for the Presidency in the first place. I will continue that fight with all my energy.

In Florida and across this great nation, I will continue to fight for a more secure America -- an America more secure than we have been since September 11th, 2001. We must have greater homeland security, greater economic security and greater health care security.

Homeland security for all Americans is only achievable if:

• Our nation stays focused on the war on terror until it is won. We must reject distractions from that victory. The quagmire in Iraq is a distraction that the Bush administration, and the Bush administration alone, has created.
  
  
• We protect ourselves with real homeland security. The President's rhetoric is not a substitute for a genuine financial commitment to America's police, firefighters, EMS and others on the front lines of the battle to protect our homeland. I will continue to be a voice for those who dedicate themselves every day to protecting this great nation from the plague of terrorism...

...We believe America's best days are ahead. We believe the best chance of realizing our enormous national potential is through the election of a Democrat as the next President of the United States of America. We will continue to fight for that victory.

The harsh reality about political campaigns is that not everyone can win. Winning takes money, and Graham wasn't attracting enough of it.

Senator Graham is a class act, and I look forward to his participation in the rest of the 2004 process in whatever form it will take.

I hope they keep up the blog, myself.

He hasn't chosen to endorse anyone else at this time, nor did he announce anything definitive about his Senate seat.

More coverage on the Bob Graham blog.

CNN's article on his announcement (made on Larry King, of all places...strange choice).