The speech was the latest in a series sponsored by the Maryland Business Council. Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich spoke to the organization in May.
On Wednesday afternoon, O'Malley formally tossed his hat into the ring at a rally in Patterson Park. Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan is expected to challenge O'Malley in the Democratic primary next fall.
In his prepared remarks, delivered in the Minnegan Room of the Johnny Unitas Stadium Field House on Tuesday morning, O'Malley highlighted his record in Baltimore City. When he became mayor in 1999, Baltimore was the most addicted and violent city in America, O'Malley said. "Guess what our customers did?" he said. "Our customers voted with their feet, and we suffered the largest population loss of the top 20 cities in America in the 90s."
But he quickly turned positive and repeated a message about progress.
An O'Malley campaign would be based on the belief that the state is capable of more: "Whether we can make more progress, whether we can make quicker progress. Whether our state should be a partner in that process, or whether our state should get a free pass, and leave us to fend for ourselves."
"I believe that Maryland can do better," he concluded.
During the question and answer portion of the event, O'Malley was asked what the priorities of his first 100 days as governor would be.
He said he would outline a statewide transportation vision, emphasize workforce development, and bring more openness and transparency to public safety.
Prior to O'Malley's speech, President Robert Caret greeted guests.
"We're partnering with Baltimore City in ways we never have before," Caret told attendees.
Possibly the most prominent outreach involves the College of Education's efforts to improve educational outcomes in the Cherry Hill neighborhood in southwestern Baltimore.
In an interview later, Caret said he has met O'Malley on several occasions.
"He is aware of what we do with the city school system and our plans with the Cherry Hill Neighborhood," Caret said.
"He is very supportive of both and appreciates our desire to help to continue to strengthen the 'urban core.'"
In his address, O'Malley did not make any specific comments about Towson University, but he did express a desire to make college education "more accessible to more people so there's more opportunities in the workforce."
The Maryland Business Council meets occasionally on Towson's campus.
The group "ties us to a large number of businesses, many of which are small in size, and again links us to communities we need to be part of and partner with," Caret said.
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