U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback

John McCain is a friend of mine, a colleague and an inspiration.

He comes from the Teddy Roosevelt wing of the Republican Party.

Bold and aggressive.

Given to action more than words. That's the way John lives.

From the halls of the Naval Academy, to the hole of the Hanoi Hilton -- from confronting cancer to making history with his Vice Presidential selection -- John McCain lives for something bigger than himself.

It's not about him... it's about us and taking that difficult path that has always been required for this nation to be what it was meant to be.

This is the most powerful nation in the history of mankind.

We have liberated more nations, invested more in research and development, cured more diseases, fed more people, produced more technology, explored more, and saved more lives than any other nation in history.

These accomplishments are all the product of our greatness.

The source of our greatness has always been the American People, who have lived for something bigger than they are.

In this historic nation, John McCain is a history maker, and with selecting Sarah Palin, a history breaker. But that's not what I like most about John McCain.

What I like is that he does what he tells you he'll do... even if it hurts him.

He's always working to make the team around him better and give the glory to them. Last week in Denver, the other party was encouraging us to "believe." They told America over and over, "Yes we can." But when you look at the past two years with Democrats controlling the House and Senate, all we've seen is, "NO we can't."

They said we can't reach energy independence by finding new sources of oil and gas in our own country.

We can't cut spending.

We can't have a health care system run by doctors and patients instead of a federal bureaucracy.

They say we can't win the war in Iraq.

While the other side may say "yes we can" and then votes "no you won't" -- John McCain says "yes we will."

Are we going to achieve energy independence with conservation, renewables, biofuels, and new domestic production of oil and gas?

Yes we will.

Are we going to develop more nuclear energy, clean coal technology, and the wind energy we need to generate the power to keep our nation running?

Yes we will.

Are we going to have a health care system that works for patients and doctors and not for a bureaucracy?

Yes we will.

Are we going to cut taxes and reform the tax code to improve this economy?

Yes we will.

Are we going to give love and respect to the unborn child, regardless of whether that child has Down syndrome or is born into poverty?

Yes we will.

Are we going to keep nuclear weapons out of the hands of Iran?

Yes we will.

Are we going to win in Iraq?

Yes we will.

Are we going to keep America a shining city on a hill full of hope and optimism?

Yes we will.

Ladies and gentlemen, I believe in American exceptionalism.

That this is a special land and that to whom much is given much is required.

We are blessed to be a blessing.

But for America to fulfill its God-given destiny, we need leaders to help take us there.

Leaders who deny themselves the pleasures of the moment to pursue the joy of serving others.

John McCain is one of those leaders.

You know, John McCain is easy to understand.

He loves America and feels a duty to his very core to serve this nation he so loves.

So when John McCain stands up on the west side of the Capitol to take the oath of office as the 44th President of the United States ...

He will put his left hand on the bible and raise his right hand about this high.

He can't raise it any higher because of the broken bones he suffered in Vietnam serving his country and standing up for his men.

I don't know about you, but where I come from that's called true grit.

He'll give that same level of commitment, courage and true grit to being President of the United States of America!

May God so bless us; and may God continue to bless the United States of America!!