US Presidency
2005

She said, hearing those explosions, it occurred to me, the insurgents are weak, they are afraid of democracy, they are losing... So I got my husband, and I got my parents, and we all came out and voted together. Americans recognize that spirit of liberty, because we share it. In any nation, casting your vote is an act of civic responsibility; for millions of Iraqis, it was also an act of personal courage, and they have earned the respect of us all. One of Iraq's leading democracy and human rights advocates is Safia Taleb al-Suhail. She says of her country, we were occupied for 35 years by Saddam Hussein. That was the real occupation... Thank you to the American people who paid the cost.. but most of all to the soldiers. Eleven years ago, Safia's father was assassinated by Saddam's intelligence service. Three days ago in Baghdad, Safia was finally able to vote for the leaders of her country, and we are honored that she is with us tonight.