Americans want change, not more of the same permanent commitment to a failed strategy in Iraq.

It's a gross misrepresentation to say gays were omitted from the grassroots report. African Americans were not mentioned in the report. It is a brief account of some of the things Dean did in his first year. It was not intended to list all of our outreach efforts.

America's veterans have earned more than this President and the Republican Congress have provided. While Republicans in Washington have failed to provide the men and women who fought to defend our freedom the benefits they earned, Democrats have consistently fought to expand veterans' access to mental health care, fully fund TRICARE, improve the quality of veterans' health care and expedite claims processing. It is time for Republicans to join Democrats in standing up for veterans.

For five years, Republicans in Washington have consistently failed to help working families confront skyrocketing health-care costs, out-of-control home heating prices and soaring college tuition costs.

On issue after issue, the Bush Administration has put the interests of its corporate cronies ahead of protecting the safety and security of America's working families. The Republican culture of corruption continues to have real costs for America's working families. Instead of protecting their corporate cronies, Republicans in Washington should join Democrats in fighting to put the safety of the American people first by restoring honest leadership and open government, enforcing workplace safety rules, and ending the outsourcing of our national security.

It should come as no surprise that a President who let the oil and gas industry write the country's energy policy would walk away from his promise to reduce America's dependence on foreign oil. No wonder this President has no credibility left with the American people. Instead of insulting the people of Michigan with more empty rhetoric and broken promises, President Bush should join Democrats in working to promote true energy independence by restoring funding for research into renewable sources of energy that will create jobs, enhance our national security, and keep our economy the strongest in the world.