Riley began his speech by noting and expressing appreciation for the support he has enjoyed in Lee County throughout his political career:

    Anytime I can ever come back to Lee County, anytime you ever ask me for help, I’ll try to be there. There’s never been a county, including my own, that has been more supportive of me than Lee County.

He also noted the work of Alabama Republican Party chairman and House Minority Leader Mike Hubbard:

    I’ve been around a lot of leaders, at the national level and the state level, and I say this without any fear of contradiction: Mike Hubbard is probably as dedicated to the Republican Party and the hardest working public servant I have ever known. I hope you understand how hard he works for you. I told him he’s got to take some time off. I get so tired of hearing my BlackBerry going off at 2:30 in the morning. (laughter) He is truly leading the party in ways it had never been led before, and he is doing things I didn’t think were possible. He has made a commitment not only to our party, but also to our state ...

    But there’s always two people you never worry about: Mike and (Rep.) DuWayne (Bridges). They offer a type of leadership in Alabama that is unique, not only in this state, but in this nation. They are people you know will never compromise their principles and will always do what is right for this state.

Riley’s speech, in a nutshell, was a thumbnail sketch of what he called the fundamental differences between the Republican and Democratic parties in philosophy and ideals. Those differences, he said, “can change this country.“

Riley recalled his first campaign for governor, when he ran on a platform of improving economic development and education. As a result, he said, “CEOs of Fortune 500 companies who came to Montgomery with no vested interest other than making Alabama a success” were “eminently successful” in their pursuits. In addition, Riley noted comments the U.S. Secretary of Education made that “Alabama has more improvement going on than any state in the Union.“ 

“All we did was give people who wanted to make a difference for all the right reasons a chance to come to this state,“ Riley said.

On the 2008 presidential election:

    We have an election coming up that we need to take seriously. I want you to understand the difference between our party and their party. We have got to get ourselves motivated. This is a race we cannot lose. You hear people say, “This is a watershed moment,“ a “defining moment;“ politicians say it all the time. One example of this: Today was the National Day of Prayer. I know where the president today stands on faith and moral convictions, I would love to have a debate on where this country is on those issues. It was so great to be able to stand up in front of people and declare that this is a state of faith, and it’s not something we do—prayer is not something we do—because we are bitter. (Applause)

    Faith is defining. It has been defining since the inception of this country, since we first started. It wasn’t an accident. Because we had a moral foundation we believed in, we support and still do. You look at what Republicans are going to offer, whether on tax increases or tax cuts, whether it’s allowing the greatest medical community in the world to continue to operate in the private sector or whether we’re going to have government-run health care. This is crucial to our children’s future. This is going to be an extremely close election, and we have to see our passion and intensity match the other side. There is a difference between standing up for what we know is right, the foundations and morals we want to pass on to the next generations ... God bless this country, because I believe it is based on moral principles.

Riley encouraged attendees to get involved in this year’s races, including Congressman Mike Rogers’ re-election bid and then referenced the battle over legislation to overturn the double-dipping ban that had taken place earlier in the day:

    If you believe people should have an unlimited ability to draw a check and never show up for work—our party fought as hard as they possibly could; they lost by one vote. There is a sentiment that has been here for 30 years: “You don’t have to show up to work, just promise you will always be there to vote.“ With everything that has gone on with the two-year system in the last years, the idea that we want to give control and take it away from state school board, we want to give control back to Legislature, there are people who believe that is so farfetched that it could never happen ... Bradley Byrne is doing everything he can to turn that two-year system around, and he has done a magnificent job so far. He has probably made more reforms than have been made in last 40 years. They (Democrats) want to take us back to where we were. Ladies and gentlemen, we can’t let that happen. That’s the difference. (applause)

Riley also described the parties’ differences in tax policy:

    Revenue went up last year because of entrepreneurs in this state. It’s time for us to help them, not penalize them. Government exists for no other reason than to help that next generation and this generation succeed. There’s nothing complex about that thought process. If 80 percent of all new jobs will be created by small business in state of Alabama, explain to me why we shouldn’t be as supportive of small business as we are of the large international companies that we give millions to. If 80 percent of jobs are going to be created by the risktakers—they live here, they are going to help in their communities. And we can’t get the Legislature to buy into the concept that we should help them ...

    There’s a difference in principle, in philosophy, that says that the way you grow is to help businesses, large and small, succeed. If a business is profitable, it will expand and hire more people. But you would think it is the most radical concept ever to come down the pike. Ideas are the most powerful things in the world, and we have the right ideas. We have to fight for them with the passion and intensity that will make us successful. I could go on talking about our differences in policy, but I’d rather talk to you about building a new Alabama. When I drove into tonight—you think you were surprised to see “Riley for Governor signs.“ (laughter) I will never run for another office, but one thing I will do is I will speak to every Republican club, do everything I can to raise money, do everything I can to make sure candidates for state and local races are successful. We need about five Senate seats to change the whole thought process in Montgomery, to change the leadership. What we’ve done has been done in spite of, not because of cooperation among, parties.

Riley lamented the way the Macon County gambling bill has lingered throughout the session and how bingo and other gambling issues never really go away.

“Whether you support gambling or not, we ought to bring it up, discuss it, vote on it, then go ahead and do what people sent us there to do,“ Riley said, pointing out that after the Senate was knotted up for six weeks on the bingo bill, legislators spent one day debating the education budget.

    Our priorities are skewed, and it’s up to Republicans to take it back. We need eight votes in the House, five in the Senate, then a governor that literally does understand how important business is. You do that, and you’re going to see an Alabama – we got a foundation today that really does set us apart from the rest of the nation. I’m not exaggerating ... Alabama is on the cusp of magnificence. That is not an exaggeration. Alabama today leads the nation and has for two years in economic development, in per capita income growth. This state is being transformed, not only in its economy but also in education ... We’ve got all the ingredients, but what we need now is a majority that knows how to fundamentally restructure the way government operates and functions for next generation. I’m going to do everything I can do for next two years, because we want to make sure we get members elected and help the party. This money isn’t going to be spent on governor’s race, not on any other constitutional race; this money is dedicated to those people who are going to serve in the House and Senate. We’re going to recruit the best candidates—there are some of you here tonight who should consider running. Look at it as sacrifice and service, not as building a political career. You have to understand it’s going to be a sacrifice. You can redefine government and what public service is; what you do can change this state. People who are successful and understand what hard work is, who want nothing personal out of being elected. Think about it. If you can’t do it, you know someone who can. At some point, you’ve got to make that decision whether you want to give back to the greatest country the world has ever known and to the state that has as much potential and opportunity as any other going forward.

    Thank you for what you’re doing, what you’ve done and what I know you’ll do in the future.