Martin O'Malley on President Obama's Powerful State of the Union Address



BALTIMORE, MD - Governor Martin O'Malley released the following statement on President Obama's State of the Union Address tonight:



"Thanks to President Obama’s remarkable leadership, our country has come a long way since the Wall Street crash of 2008, when millions of families lost their jobs and their homes. Tonight, the President offered an important message about the urgent work that lies ahead and the need to elect a successor who will build on his impressive legacy.



"That's why I am running for President. I have introduced bold, comprehensive goals to create more good-paying jobs, get wages going up again, rein in Wall Street, bring New American families out of the shadows, reform our criminal justice system, treat our growing addiction crisis, and power our economy with 100 percent clean, renewable energy. It's also why I have pledged to cut gun violence in half, because--as the President and First Lady have powerfully reminded us--there are far too many empty seats at tables across our nation due to this sickness that plagues our nation.



"Soon Americans will face a choice about who is best to candidate to defeat Republicans like Ted Cruz and Donald Trump, and to keep our country moving forward. We could return to old names and re-litigate the Washington battles of the past. Or we can embrace a new, forward-looking leader who has a record of delivering progressive results. Eight years ago we voted for change. As President Obama made clear tonight, now is not the time to turn back the clock. There is nothing so divided about our nation's politics that cannot be healed with new leadership and faith in one another."