"Let me begin by making some very clear. I love my dad. I love my brother. I am very proud of their accomplishments and their actions and decisions in life - both in private and at home - but I am not my dad, I am not my brother. I am not George - I am Jeb. And I am running for President of the United States!
I'm running for President for one simple reason. I love this country. I love everything about this country, from the Statue of Liberty to the Golden Gate Bridge, from the glaciers of Alaska to the deserts of Texas. I love what this nation stands for: Opportunity, success, and advancement. In America, there is the dream that any child can grow up to become President of the United States. I am running for President to make that dream a reality.
As Governor of Florida, I made my state a land of opportunity unseen anywhere else in the nation. I turned around the education to ensure that every child had access to high quality schooling. That is because I believe that education is key to a successful and prosperous adulthood. As President, I will take those same commonsense education policies that I put in place in Tallahassee and bring them to Washington because we cannot afford play politics with the future of our children.
My wife, Columba, has been my rock since the day we met in 1970. She didn't speak any English and my Spanish left a lot to be desired. But we knew - from that day - that we were in love. We were married in Austin in 1974 and we've been together ever since. Columba has taught me more than any book, experience, or mentor. She taught me that, with love, anything is possible. With Columba by my side, I cannot lose.
Sin Columba, yo no estaría postulando para presidente hoy.
Columba is an immigrant and it is because of our relationship that I have the strong immigration policy I have. It is illegal to cross our border without the proper papers and without following the appropriate means. But families that come into our nation do it out of need - they cannot prosper and grow where they are, they cannot live a good, healthy life in their current station. We should welcome all people into our borders. Now, I am not advocating for amnesty here. I know that's what some of you are thinking. I am advocating for a compassion for families in need. I am advocating for an expedited process to make the American Dream more accessible to those families already here - those who have already started their lives, who have already established themselves, who have become Americans in all but legality.
Friends, we're at the beginning of a journey here. We're at the start of something. We're at the crossroads of America.
Amigos, vamos a tomar el camino hacia una más brillante, más éxito, mañana más próspero! Gracias! Thank you! God Bless you!"
