Senator Barack Obama just finished his speech to the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in Miami. Here is some of what he said:

"Change comes from the bottom up. As a community organizer, we were focused on the place that could do the most and the fastest to make a change in our community. It was the mayor's office... You may get more than your fair share of blame sometimes, but it's City Hall we lean on. It's City Hall we call on first."

"You need a partner in the White House... You shouldn't be succeeding despite Washington. You should be succeeding with a hand from Washington. Neglect is not a policy for America's metro areas. You need someone in the White House you can count on, just like your citizens count on you."

"New pressures are opening up new opportunities. The old model of a decaying inner ring and prosperous suburbs that are fleeing the city doesn't work any more."

"Strong cities are the backbone of regional growth."

Obama said Washington remains stuck in old thinking, confusing anti-poverty programs with urban policy. As a former community organizer, Obama said he is absolutely committed to tackling poverty. However, he clearly sees the urban agenda as much broader.

Obama promised to create a White House Director for Urban Policy who will "coordinate our agencies to make sure we have a strong partner for you."

Best line of the speech: "Cities are not the problem. Cities are the solution."

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