奥巴马演讲-Election Night 胜选之夜

第一篇：奥巴马演讲-Election Night 胜选之夜

Election Night 胜选之夜

…… 2008年11月4日，伊利诺伊州芝加哥市

ELECTION NIGHT

November 4, 2008 | Chicago, Illinois

Hello Chicago.If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible;who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time;who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen;by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different;that their voices could be that difference.It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay , straight, disabled and not disabled— Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.It’s the answer that led those who’ve been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Senator McCain.Senator McCain fought long and hard in this campaign, and he’s fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves.He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine.We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader.I congratulate him.I congratulate Governor Palin for all that they’ve achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation’s promise in the months ahead.I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on the train home to Delaware , the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation’s next First Lady , Michelle Obama.Sasha and Malia, I love you both more than you can imagine, and you have earned the new puppy that’s coming with us to the new White House.And while she’s no longer with us, I know my grandmother’s watching, along with the family that made me who I am.I miss them tonight.I know that my debt to them is beyond measure.To my sister Maya, my sister Alma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you’ve given me.I am grateful to them.And to my campaign manager , David Plouffe, the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the best—the best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America.To my chief strategist , David Axelrod, who’s been a partner with me every step of the way.To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics.You made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you’ve sacrificed to get it done.But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to—it belongs to you.It belongs to you.I was never the likeliest candidate for this office.We didn’t start with much money or many endorsements.Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington—it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to the cause.It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation’s apathy;who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.It drew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on doors of perfect strangers;and from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people, and for the people has not perished from this Earth.This is your victory.And I know you didn’t do this just to win an election, and I know you didn’t do it for me.You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead.For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime—two wars, a planet in peril , the worst financial crisis in a century.Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after the children fall asleep and wonder how they’ll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor’s bills, or save enough for their child’s college education.There’s new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to meet, alliances to repair.The road ahead will be long.Our climb will be steep.We may not get there in one year or even in one term , but America— I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.I promise you—we as a people will get there.There will be setbacks and false starts.There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can’t solve every problem.But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face.I will listen to you, especially when we disagree.And above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it’s been done in America for 221 years—block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night.This victory alone is not the change we seek—it is only the chance for us to make that change.And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were.It can’t happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism , of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other.Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it’s that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers —in this country, we rise or fall as one nation;as one people.Let’s resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.Let’s remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House—a party founded on the values of self-reliance , and individual liberty, and national unity.Those are values that we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, “We are not enemies, but friends...though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection.” And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn—I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world— our stories are singular , but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.To those—to those who would tear this world down—we will defeat you.To those who seek peace and security—we support you.And to all those who have wondered if America’s beacon still burns as bright—tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.That’s the true genius of America—that America can change.Our union can be perfected.What we’ve already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations.But one that’s on my mind tonight’s about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta.She’s a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing—Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.She was born just a generation past slavery;a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky;when someone like her couldn’t vote for two reasons—because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.And tonight, I think about all that she’s seen throughout her century in America—the heartache and the hope;the struggle and the progress;the times we were told that we can’t, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.At a time when women’s voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot.Yes we can.When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal , new jobs, a new sense of common purpose.Yes we can.When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved.Yes we can.She was there for the buses in Montgomery , the hoses in Birmingham , a bridge in Selma , and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that “We Shall Overcome.” Yes we can.A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination.And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.Yes we can.America, we have come so far.We have seen so much.But there is so much more to do.So tonight, let us ask ourselves— if our children should live to see the next century;if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call.This is our moment.This is our time—to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids;to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace;to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth—that out of many, we are one;that while we breathe, we hope;and where we are met with cynicism, and doubts, and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes we can.Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

第二篇：2012奥巴马胜选演讲全文

奥巴马2012年胜选演讲---最美好的一切属于未来

Thank you.Thank you.Thank you so much.Tonight, more than 200 years after a former colony won the right to determine its own destiny to perfect our union moves forward.(Applause)

非常感谢你们。今夜，在当年的殖民地赢得了决定自己命运的权利200多年以后，让美利坚合众国更加完美的任务又向前推进了一步。

It moves forward because of you.It moves forward because you reaffirmed the spirit that triumphs over war a depression.The spirit that has lifted this country from the depths of despair to the great heights of hope.The belief that while each of us will pursue our own individual dreams we are an American family and we will rise and fall together as one nation, and as one people.这一进程是因为你们而向前推进的，因为你们再次确认了那种使美国胜利克服了战争和萧条的精神，那种使美国摆脱绝望的深渊并走向希望的最高点的精神，以及那种虽然我们每个人都在追求自己的个人梦想、但我们同属一个美国大家庭、并作为一个国家和民族共同进退的信仰。

Tonight in this election you the American people reminded us that while our road has been hard, while our journey has been long we have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back and we know in our hearts that for the United States of America the best is yet to come.(Applause)今夜，在此次选举中，你们这些美国人民提醒我们，虽然我们的道路一直艰难，虽然我们的旅程一直漫长，但我们已经让自己振作起来，我们已经发起反击，我们在自己内心深处知道，对美利坚合众国来说，最美好一切属于未来。

I want to thank every American who participated in this election.Whether you voted for the very first time or waited in line for a very long time;by the way we have to fix that.(Applause)Whether you pounded the pavement or picked up the phone.Whether you held an Obama sign or a Romney sign, you made your voice heard and you made a difference.我想感谢所有参加此次选举的美国人，无论你是首次参加选举还是为投票曾长时间排队等候。顺便说一句，我们需要解决这些问题。无论你是到投票站投票还是发传真投票，无论你选的是奥巴马还是罗姆尼，你都让别人听到了自己的声音，你都让美国因你而不同。

I just spoke Governor Romney and I congratulated him and Congressman Ryan on a hard fought campaign.We may have battled fiercely, but it is only because we love this country deeply and we care so much about its future.From George and Lenore, to their son Mitt – the Romney family has chosen to give back to America through their public service and that is a legacy that we honor and applaud tonight.我要对罗姆尼州长说几句话，我对他和保罗•莱恩在这次竞争激烈的选举中的表现表示祝贺。我们可能争夺得很激烈，但这仅仅是因为我们深爱着这个国家以及我们如 此强烈地关心着它的未来。从乔治到勒诺到他们的儿子米特，罗姆尼家族选择了通过公共服务来回报美国，那是一种我们今夜表示敬重和赞许的遗产。

In the weeks ahead I also look forward to sitting down with Gov.Romney to talk about where we can work together to move this country forward.I want to thank my friend and partner of the last four years, Americas “happy warrior” the best Vice President anybody could ever hope for;Joe Biden.(Applause)我期待着今后 几周能与罗姆尼州长坐下来讨论一下我们可以从何处着手一起努力将美国推向前进。我想对

我在过去四年中的朋友和伙伴表示感谢。他就是美国的快乐战士、无出其右的最佳副总统乔•拜登。

And I wouldn't be the man today without the woman who agreed to marry me 20 years ago;let me say this publicly Michelle I have never loved you more.I have never been prouder to watch the rest of America fall in love with you too as our nation's first lady.Sasha and Malia, before our very eyes you're growing up to become two smart, beautiful young women just like your mom.(Applause)And I am so proud of you guys;but I will say for now one dog is probably enough.如 果不是那位20年前同意嫁给我的女性，我不会成为今天的我。请让我公开说出下面这段话：米切尔，我对你的爱无以复加，我无比骄傲地看到其他美国人也爱上了 你这位我们国家的第一夫人。萨沙和玛利亚，在我们所有人的见证下你们正成长为两个坚强、聪明和美丽的年轻女性，就像你们的妈妈一样。我十分以你们为荣。不过我要说的是，眼下家里养一条狗或许已经够了。

To the best campaign team and volunteers in the history of politics.The best.The best ever.Some of you were new this time around and some of you have been at my side since the very beginning, but all of you are family, no matter what you do or where you go from here, you will carry the memory of the history we made together and you will have the lifelong appreciation of a grateful president.Thank you for believing all the way, through every hill, through every valley, you lifted me up the whole way and I will always be grateful for everything that you have done and all the incredible work that you've put in.在这个有史以来的最佳竞选团队和有史以来的最佳志愿者队伍中，你们有些人是这次新加入进来 的，有些人则是一开始就在我身边。但你们所有人都属于一个大家庭。无论你的工作是什么，无论你从哪里来，你们都将获得我们共同创造的历史记忆，你们都将被 一位充满感激之情的总统终生感激。感谢你们始终充满信心，无论是在高峰还是在低谷。你们鼓舞着我走完整个选举过程，我对你们所做的每件事、你们所做的每项 不可思议的工作将一直充满感激。

I know that political campaigns can sometimes seem small, even silly, and that provides plenty of fodder for the cynics who tell us that politics are nothing more than a contest of egos, or the domain of special interests, but if you ever get the chance to talk to folks who turned out at our rallies and crowded along the rope line at a high school gym, or saw folks working late at a campaign office at some tiny county far away from home, you'll discover something else.我知道政治角力有时会显得小家子气甚至愚蠢。它为愤世嫉俗者提供了足够的口实，他们告诉我们政治不过是自 负者之间的竞争，是特殊利益集团的地盘。但如果你曾经有机会与参加我们集会的那些人以及高中体育馆内挤在隔离绳外的那些人攀谈，或者看到那些在远离家乡的 偏远小县的竞选办公室内加班工作的人，你会发现一些别的东西。

You'll hear the determination in the voice of a young field organizer who's working his way through college and wants to make sure that every child has that same opportunity.You'll hear the pride in the voice of a volunteer who is going door to door because her brother was finally hired when the local auto plant added another shift.You'll hear the deep patriotism in the voice of a military spouse who's working the phones late at night to make sure that no one who fights for this country ever has to fight for a job, or a roof over their head when they come home.你将从一位年轻的活动现场组织者的声音里听到他的决心，他边在大学里学习边 从事助选工作，他希望确

保每个孩子都能拥有同样的机会。你将从一位志愿者的声音里听到她的骄傲，她挨门动员选民是因为她哥哥终因当地一家汽车制造厂增加了 一个班次而有了工作。你将从一对军人夫妇的声音里听到深深的爱国情怀。他们深夜时还在接听选举电话，以确保那些曾经为这个国家作战的人不会返回家园时还要 为得到一份工作或栖身之所而苦苦争斗。

That's why we do this, that's what politics can be, that's why elections matter.It's not small, it's big, it's important.Democracy in a nation of 300 million can be noisy and messy and complicated.We have our own opinions, each of us has deeply held beliefs and when we go through tough times, when we make big decisions as a country, it necessarily stirs passions, it stirs up controversy.That won't change after tonight and it shouldn't.These arguments we have are a mark of our liberty and we can never forget that as we speak people in distant nations are risking their lives right now just for a chance to argue about the issues that matter, the chance to cast their ballots like we did today.正因为如此，我们要进行选举。这是政治所能够实现的。正因为如此，选举很重要。这不是小事，而是大事，是至关重要的事。在一个有三亿人口的国家实行民主制 度可能嘈杂不堪、一团混乱、情况复杂。我们有自己的观点。我们每个人都有自己深信的信仰。当我们经历艰难时期，当我们作为一个国家做出重大决定时，这必然 会激发热情，也必然会引发争议.今晚过后，这都不会改变，也不应该改变。我们进行的这些争论恰恰体现了我们的自由。我们永远不应忘记，就在我们讲话之际，遥远国度的人们现在正冒着生命危险，仅仅是为了获得一个能够对重要问题进行争论、像我们今天这样投票的机会。

But despite all our differences, most of us share certain hopes for America's future;we want our kids to grow up in a country where they access to the best schools and the best teachers.(Applause)A country that lives up to its legacy as the global leader in technology and discovery and innovation.With all the new jobs and new businesses that follow.不过，尽管我们存在这样那样的分歧，我们大多数人都对美国的未来有着某些共同的希望。我们希望我们的孩子成长的国家能够让他们上最好的学校、接受最好老师的教导。一个无愧于全球技术、探索和创新领袖光辉历史的国家，倘能如此，各种好工作和新企业将随之而来。

We want our children to live in America that isn't burdened by debt, that isn't weakened by inequality.That isn't weakened by the destructive power of a warming planet.(Applause)We want to pass on a country that is safe, and respected, and admired around the world.A nation that is defended by the strongest military on earth and the best troops this world has ever known.But also a country that moves with confidence beyond this time of war that will shape a peace that is built on freedom and dignity for every human being.我 们希望我们的孩子能够生活在一个没有债务之累、没有不公之苦、没有全球变暖带来的破坏之虞的美国。我们希望留给后代一个安全、受到全球尊重和赞赏的国家，一个由全球有史以来最强大的军事力量和最好的部队保卫的国家，一个满怀信心走过战争、在人人享有自由和尊严的承诺之上构建和平的国家。

We believe in a generous America.In a compassionate America.In a tolerant America, open to the dreams of an immigrant’s daughter who studies in our schools and pledges to our flag.To the young boy from the South Side of Chicago who sees a life beyond the street corner.TO the furniture workers child in North Carolina who wants to become a doctor or a scientist, and engineer or an entrepreneur, a diplomat or even a president.That's the future we hope for, that’s the vision we share.That’s where we need to go.Forward.That's where we

need to go.我 们坚信一个慷慨的美国、一个富有同情心的美国、一个宽容的美国。美国向一位移民的女儿的梦想打开了大门，让她有机会在我们的学校学习、对着我们的国旗宣 誓；美国向芝加哥南部地区的一个小男孩打开了大门，让有机会他看到一个最近街角以外的远大人生；美国向北卡罗来纳州的一位家具工人的孩子打开了大门，让他 有机会实现自己当医生或科学家、工程师或企业家、外交官甚至是总统的梦想，这是我们希望的未来。这是我们共同的愿景。这是我们奔赴的方向，向前的方向。这 是我们需要实现的目标。

Now we will disagree, sometimes fiercely about how to get there – as it has for more than two centuries progress will come in fits and starts it's not always a straight line, it's not always a smooth path.By itself the recognition we have common hopes and dreams won't end all the gridlock, or solve all our problems or substitute for all the painstaking work for building our consensus or making the difficult compromises needed to move this country forward.But that common bond is where we must begin.Our economy is recovering.A decade of war is ending.A long campaign is now over.And whether I earned your vote or not I have listened to you, I have learned from you and you've made me a better president and with your stories and your struggles I return to the White House more determined and more inspired about the work there is to do and the future that lies ahead.(Applause)

现在，我们对如何实现这一目标存在分歧，有时分歧还很严重。正如两个多世纪以来一样，进展的取得将是断断续续，并非总是一条直线，并非总是一帆风顺。承认我们拥有共同的希望和梦想，仅凭这一点不会结束所有的僵局，或解决我们所有的问题，或代替推动这个国家向前所需的达成共识和做出艰难让步的辛苦努力。不过，这一共同的纽带是我们必须开始的地方。我们的经济正在好转。长达10年的战争即将结束。一场漫长的竞选现已落幕。无论我是否赢得了你们的选票，我一直在倾听你们的故事，向你们学习，是你们使我成 为一位更好的总统。听过你们的故事和困难经历，我在重返白宫时对今后需要做的工作和未来将怀着比以往更坚定的决心和更大的热情。

Tonight you voted for action, not politics as usual.You elected us to focus on your jobs, not ours.And in the coming weeks and months I am looking forward to reaching out and working with leaders of both parties to meet the challenges we can only solve together;reducing our deficit, reforming our tax code, fixing our immigration system, freeing ourselves from foreign oil.We've got more work to do!今晚你们 把票投给了行动，而不是像以往投给了政治。你们选举我们来专注于你们的工作，而不是我们的工作。在未来的几周和几个月内，我将期待与两党领袖接触并合作，以便面对我们团结一致才能解决的问题。减少赤字，改革税法，修改移民制度，摆脱对外国石油的依赖。我们还很更多工作要做。

But that doesn't mean your work is done.The role of citizen in our democracy does not end with your vote.America has never been about what can be done for us it's about what can be done by us together through the hard and frustrating but necessary work of self government.That is the principle we were founded on.但这并不意味着你们的工作就此结束。民主国家公民的角色并不随着投票完结而结束。美国看重的从来都不是能够为我们个人做些什么，而是我们团结一致通过自治这一艰难、令人倍感挫折但必要的工作能够实现什么。这正是我们的立国之本。

This country has more wealth than any nation, but that's not what makes us rich.We have the most powerful military in history but that's not what makes us strong.Our university, our culture, are all the envy of the world but that's what

keeps the world coming to our shores.What makes America exceptional are the bonds that hold together the most diverse nation on earth, the belief that our destiny is shared, that this country only works when we except certain obligations to one another and the future generations so that the freedom which so many Americans have fought for and died for comes with responsibilities as well as rights and among those are love, and charity, and duty, and patriotism.That's what makes America great.*cheers* 美国的财富多于世界上任何其他国家，但真正让我们富有的并非金钱；我们拥有有史以来最强大的军力，但真正让我们充满力量的并非军队；我们的大学和文化为全世界所艳羡，但美国真正吸引各国人踏上这片土地的魅力也不在于此。真 正让美国与众不同的，是将这个地球上最多元化的国家的人民团结到一起的那些纽带。是我们共命运的信念，是只有当我们肩负某些对彼此以及对后代的责任美国才 能走下去的信念，是无数的美国人前赴后继为之奋斗的自由──它既赋予了我们权利，也给我们带来了责任；是爱、慈善、义务和爱国。正是这些让美国变得伟大。

I am hopeful tonight because I've seen the spirit at work in America.I have seen it in the family business whose owners would rather cut their own pay than lay off their neighbors, and in the workers who would rather cut back their hours than see a friend lose a job.I've seen it in the soldiers who reenlist after losing a limb and in those SEALS that charged up the stairs into darkness and danger because they knew there was a buddy behind them watching their back.今 晚，我满怀希望，因为我已经看到美国精神正在得以发扬。我看到有些家族企业，所有者宁可减少自己的薪酬也不愿让邻居丢掉工作；我看到有些工人宁愿缩减自己 的工时也不愿看到朋友没有活干；我看到有些士兵在失去一条腿或胳膊之后又选择再次入伍；我看到海豹突击队员不避危险冲上楼梯、冲入黑暗，因为他们知道有一个兄弟在做他的后盾。

I've seen it on the shores of New Jersey and New York where leaders from every party and level of government have swept aside their differences to help a community rebuild from the wreckage of a terrible storm.(Cheers, applause.)And I saw it just the other day in Mentor, Ohio, where a father told the story of his 8-year-old daughter whose long battle with leukemia nearly cost their family everything had it not been for health care reform passing just a few months before the insurance company was about to stop paying for her care.(Cheers, applause.)I had an opportunity to not just talk to the father but meet this incredible daughter of his.And when he spoke to the crowd, listening to that father's story, every parent in that room had tears in their eyes because we knew that little girl could be our own.And I know that every American wants her future to be just as bright.That's who we are.That's the country I'm so proud to lead as your president.(Cheers, applause.)在新泽西和纽约的海岸，我也看到了美国精神。每一个政党和各级政府的领导者都捐弃分歧，为在骇人风暴过后的废墟上重 建社区各尽己力。就在不久前的一天，在俄亥俄的门托，我看到一位父亲在讲述他8岁女儿的故事。这个女孩与白血病进行了长期的斗争，如果不是因为几个月前通 过的医改法案，保险公司就会停止支付医疗费用，他们的家庭就将失去一切。我曾有机会与这位父亲攀谈，不仅如此，我还见到了他的女儿，这个 非常了不起的小姑娘。当这位父亲向倾听他的故事的人讲述时，每一位在场的父母的眼里都含着泪水，因为我们知道，我们自己的孩子也有可能遇到这种状况。而且 我知道，每一位美国人都希望这位小女孩的未来能像所有人的未来一样光明。这就是美国人，这就是美国，我为自己能够成为这个国家的总统、带领这个国家前行感 到无比光荣。

And tonight, despite all the hardship we've been through, despite all the frustrations of Washington, I've never been more hopeful about our future.(Cheers, applause.)I have never been more hopeful about America.And I ask you to sustain that hope.I'm not talking about blind optimism, the kind of hope that just ignores the enormity of the tasks ahead or the road blocks that stand in our path.I'm not talking about the wishful idealism that allows us to just sit on the sidelines or shirk from a fight.今晚，尽管我们遭遇了很多困难，尽管华盛顿有诸多不尽人意之处，我仍从未像现在这样对未来充满希望。我从未像现在这样对美国 充满希望。我请大家也保持这样的希望。我所说的并非盲目的乐观主义，不是那种看不到眼前的任务有多么艰巨、看不到前行的路上有什么样的障碍的希望；我所说 的并非作壁上观或是临战退缩的一厢情愿的理想主义。

I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting.我一直相信，所谓希望就是我们内心倔强地坚持的力量，相信不管有多少相反的证据，都要相信有更好的东西在等着我们，只要我们有勇气不断前行、不懈工作、不停战斗。

America, I believe we can build on the progress we've made and continue to fight for new jobs and new opportunities and new security for the middle class.I believe we can keep the promise of our founding, the idea that if you're willing to work hard, it doesn't matter who you are or where you come from or what you look like or where you love(ph).It doesn't matter whether you're black or white or Hispanic or Asian or Native American or young or old or rich or poor, abled, disabled, gay or straight.(Cheers, applause.)You can make it here in America if you're willing to try.国民们，我相信我们有能力在已经取得的进步的基础上再进一步，继续为了给中产阶级创造新的工作、新的机遇、新的保障而战斗。我相信我们有能力信守开国者们许 下的诺言，信守这样一种理念，那就是不管你是谁，不管你来自哪里，不管你长相如何，不管你爱着哪个地方，你所需要做的就是努力工作。不管你的肤色是黑是 白，不管你是拉美裔、亚裔还是美国原住民，不管你年轻还是年老，富有还是贫穷，身体健全或是残障，同性恋还是异性恋，只要你愿意努力，就能够在美国大有作为。

I believe we can seize this future together because we are not as divided as our politics suggest.We are not as cynical as the pendants believe.We are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions and we remain more than a collection of red states and blue states, we are and forever will be the United States of America and together with your help and Gods grace we will continue to journey forward and remind the world what it is to live in the greatest nation on earth.我相信我们有能力共同握住这样的未来，因为美国人民并不像政界那么严重分歧。美国人民不像某些饱学之士所认为的那样愤世嫉俗。美国的抱负并不是每一个美国人的抱负的简单加总，美国也不是红州和蓝州的简单联合。我们是美利坚合众国，我们将永远是美利坚合众国。有你们的帮助，有上帝的仁慈，我们将继续携手前行，让全世界知道我们生活在全球最伟大的国度的原因到底是什么。

Thank you America.God bless us.God bless these United States.(Applause)谢谢你，国民们，上帝保佑你们，上帝保佑美国。

第三篇：奥巴马胜选演讲全文

奥巴马胜选演讲全文(中英文对照)

中国网 china.com.cn

时间： 2008-11-06

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The text of Barack Obama's victory speech in full

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible;who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time;who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen;by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different;that their voice could be that difference.It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled – Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.It’s the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain.He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he’s fought even longer and harder for the country he loves.He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader.I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation’s promise in the months ahead.I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation’s next First Lady, Michelle Obama.Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that’s coming with us to the White House.And while she’s no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am.I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics – you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you’ve sacrificed to get it done.But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to – it belongs to you.I was never the likeliest candidate for this office.We didn’t start with much money or many endorsements.Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington – it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause.It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation’s apathy;who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep;from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers;from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth.This is your victory.I know you didn’t do this just to win an election and I know you didn’t do it for me.You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead.For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime – two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they’ll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor’s bills, or save enough for college.There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created;new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.（中文）

美国是否暗藏一切皆有可能的巨大潜力？美国是否已经实现开国者锻造的美国梦？民主信仰是否具有强大力量？如果还有人对此报以怀疑，那么今晚这里发生的一切就是答案。

学校旁、教堂边，无数人都在排队投票，这一情景我们已经多年未见；3个小时、4个小时，他们为此而等候良久，这是很多同胞有生以来的第一次。因为他们相信，这一次，将不同以往；这一次，因为他们的呼声而有所不同。

无论老少贫富，无论共和党抑或民主党，不管是黑皮肤、白种人、拉丁后裔、亚裔子孙还是本土美国人；无论性向如何，不管健康抑或残疾，所有的美国人民都向全世界传递出这样一条信息：我们从来都不是红蓝阵营的政治堆砌，我们是，而且永远是，美利坚合众国。长期以来，很多人缺乏信心，对自己所能取得的成就畏首畏尾、疑心重重。如今，我们走在历史的长河里，挺起胸膛，勾勒出美好明天的光辉画卷。

此情此景，等待尤长。然而，就在今晚，在这个大选的日子，在这个具有历史性意义的时刻，由于你们的付出，美国终于迎来了变革。

刚刚，我接到了麦凯恩参议员礼貌得体的祝贺电话。为了此次竞选，他奋战良久、竭尽所能；为了他所深爱的美国，他曾作出了更长久、更努力的奉献。麦凯恩参议员为美国所作出的牺牲是大部分人难以想象的，他这种英勇无私的奉献改善了我们的生活。对于麦凯恩参议员和佩林州长所取得的成就，我对他们致以祝贺。在接下来的几个月里，以重振美国为目标，我期待着与他们的合作。

在此，我想感谢一路陪伴我的竞选搭档，他就是我们即将上任的副总统，乔·拜登。为了让美国广大的工人阶层发出自己的声音，他毫无私心地全身心投入竞选，因为他和那些宾夕法尼亚州斯克兰顿城街头的人们一样，出生平凡，一切白手起家。

如果没有米歇尔·奥巴马，这一准美国第一夫人的坚定支持，今晚，我就不会站在这儿了。我们相伴走过了16个春秋，她是我们整个家庭的顶梁柱，我一生的挚爱。还有，萨沙和玛利亚，我爱你们，你们姊妹俩终于可以带着你们的新宠物狗入主白宫了。我知道，就像我的其他已故亲属一样，外祖母一定也在某处注视着我，虽然她已经不在人世。是他们造就了今天的我。今晚我很想念他们，我对他们的亏欠无以计量。

我想对我的竞选经理大卫·普劳夫、首席战略师大卫·阿克塞尔罗德以及我们这个史上最佳的竞选团队说，是你们让这一切成为了现实，对于你们为此所做的牺牲和付出我永远感怀在心。

然而，有一点是最重要的，那就是我永远都不会忘记，真正拥有这个胜利的是你们，你们所有人！对于入主白宫，我从来都不是最热候选人。竞选伊始，我们的资金并不充裕，获得的支持也不多。我们的竞选班子并非始于华府，而是一路从艾奥瓦州的得梅因酒店后院、辗转北卡罗莱纳州的康克酒店客房，后来会首在西弗吉尼亚州查尔斯顿酒店的主厅……

我们的胜利来自于广大工薪阶级，正是他们从仅有的微薄存款里掏出5美元、10美元或者20美元来支持我们的竞选。我们的力量来自于摘下冷漠面罩的年轻一代，来自于夜以继日奋力工作以维持生计的下层百姓，来自于冒着严寒酷暑、户户敲门宣传的团队中流砥柱，更来自于成千上万的大选志愿者。他们用出色的奉献精神和组织能力证明了一个民有、民治、民享的政府在两百年后仍然保持着生命力。这就是你们的胜利！

我明白，你们所做的这些，并不仅仅是为了赢得这次竞选，也不单单只是为了我本人。你们之所以这么做，是因为你们懂得前方任务的艰巨。即使我们今晚沉浸于庆祝的喜悦之中，我们也深知明天将会面临的将是我们这辈子最为艰巨的挑战：两场战争、濒临危险的地球和百年一遇的金融危机；即使今晚我们安然站在此处，我们也深知那些深陷伊拉克沙漠和阿富汗山区的英勇美国战士，是为了我们而冒着生命危险。还有那些孩子早已熟睡、自己却辗转反侧的人父人母，他们夜不能寐，想着如何还清房贷、如何支付医药费以及给孩子存下大学经费。我们要掌握新能源，创造就业岗位，建造新校舍，正视存在的威胁，并修复与盟友的关系。

第四篇：奥巴马2012胜选演讲英文全文

“Thank you.Thank you.Thank you so much.Tonight more than 200 years after a former colony won the right to determine its own destiny, the task of perfecting our union moves forward.It moves forward because of you.It moves forward because you reaffirmed the spirit that has triumphed over war and depression, the spirit that has lifted this country from the depths of despair to the heights of hope.The belief that while each of us will pursue our own individual dreams, we are an American family and we rise or fall together as one nation and as one people.Tonight in this election, you, the American people, remind us while our road has been hard, while our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back, and we know in our hearts that the united states of America – the best is yet to come.[cheering] I want to thank every American who participated in this election [CHEERING] Whether you voted for the very first time or waiting in line for a very long time.By the way, we need to fix that.Whether you pounded the pavement or picked up the phone.Whether you held an Obama sign or a Romney sign, you mad your voice heard.And you made a difference.I just got off the phone with Governor Romney and I congratulated him and Paul Ryan on a hard-fought campaign.[CHEERING] We may have fought fiercely, but it’s only because we love this country deeply.And we care so stronly about its future.From George to Lenore to their son Mitt, the Romney family has chosen to give back to Americans through public service.And that is a legacy that we honor and applaud tonight.[CHEERING] In the weeks ahead, I also look forward to sitting down with Governor Romney to talk about where we can work together to move this country forward.[CHEERING] I want to thank my friend and partner for the last four years, America’s happy warrior, the best vice president anybody could ever hope for: Joe Biden.I want to thank my friend and partner of the last 4 years, America’s happy warrior, the best Vice President anyone could ever hope for: Joe Biden.And I wouldn’t be the man I am today without the woman who agreed to marry me twenty years ago.Let say this publicly, Michelle I have never loved you more.I have never been prouder to watch the rest of America fall in love with you too as our nation’s first lady.Sasha and Malia before our very eyes you are growing up to become two strong smart beautiful young women, just like your mom.And im so proud of you guys.But I will say that for now one dog is probably enough.To the best campaign team and volunteers in the history of politics.The best.The best ever.Some of you were this time around.Some of you were new this time around and some of you have been at my side since the very beginning but all of you are family.No matter what you do or where you go from here, you will carry the memory of the history we made together and you will have the life long appreciation of a grateful president.Thank you for believing all the way, through every hill, through every valley.[applause] You lifted me up the whole way and I will always be grateful for everything that you’ve done and all the incredible work that you’ve put in.[applause] I know that political campaigns can sometime seem small, even silly, and that provides plenty of fodder for the synics who tell us that politics is nothing more than a contest of egos or the domain of special interests.But if you ever get the chance to talk to folks who turn out at rallies and crowded out along a ropline in a high school gym or saw folks working late at a campaign office in some tiny county far away from home, you’ll discover something else;you’ll hear the determination in the voice of a young field organizer who is working his way through college and wants to make sure every child has that same opportunity.[applause] You’ll hear the pride in the voice of a volunteer who is going door to door because her brother was finally hired when the local auto plant added another shift.[applause] You’ll hear the deep patriotism in the voice of a military spouse who is working the phones late at night to make sure that no one who fights for this country every has to fight for a job or a roof over their head when they come home.[applause] That’s why we do this.That’s what politics can be.That’s why elections matter.It’s not small, it’s big.It’s important.Democracy in a nation of 300-million can be noisy and messy and complicated.We have our own opinions, each of us has deeply held beliefs.And when we go through tough times, when we make big decisions as a country;it necisarily stirs passions, stirs up controversy.That won’t change after tonight and it shouldn’t.These arguments we have are a mark of our liberty.We can never forget that as we speak, people in distant nations are risking their lives right now just for a chance to argue about the issues that matter [applause] The chance to cast their ballots like we did today.But despite all our differences, most of us share certain hopes for America’s future.We want our kids to grow up in a country where they have access to the best schools and the best teachers.[applause] A country that lives up to its legacy as the global leader in technology and discovery and innovation;with all the good jobs and new businesses that follow.A country that lives up to its legacy as a global leader in technology, discovery and innovation.With all the good jobs and businesses that follow, to live in America that isn’t burdened by debt, that isn’t weakened by inequality.That isn’t threatened by the destructive power of a warming planet.We want to pass on a country that is saved and respected and admired around the world.A nation that is defended by the strongest military on earth and the best troops this world has ever known.But also a country that moves with confidence beyond this time of war to shape a peace.That is built on the promise of dignity of every human being.We believe in a generous America, in a compassionate America, in a tolerant America, open to the dreams of an immigrants daughter that studies in our schools and pledges to our flag.To the young boy on the south side of Chicago, who sees a light beyond the nearest street corner.To the furniture workers child in North Carolina who wants to become a engineer or a scientist.And engineer or an entrepreneur.A diplomat or even a president, that’s the future we hope for.That’s the vision we share, that’s where we need to go.Forward.That’s where we need to go.Now we will disagree sometimes fiercely on how to get there, as it has for more then two centuries, progress will come in fits and starts, it’s not always a straight line or a smooth path.By itself a recognition of our common hopes and dreams won’t end the gridlock.Or solve all our problems or substitute for the hard work of building consensus.And making the difficult compromises needed to move the country forward but that common bond is where we must begin.Our economy is recovering, our decade of war is ending.A long campaign is now over.[applause] And whether I earned your vote or not, I have listened to you.I have learned from you and you have made me a better President.With your stories and your struggles, I returned to the White House more determined and more inspired than ever about the work there is to do and the future that lies ahead [applause] Tonight, you voted for action, not politics as usual.You elected us to focus on your jobs, not ours.And in the coming weeks and months, I am looking forward to reaching out and working with leaders of both parties to meet the challenges we can only solve together: reducing our deficit, reforming our tax code, fixing our immigration system, freeing ourselves from foreign oil, we’ve got more work to do.But that doesn’t mean your work is done.The role of citizen in our democracy does not end with your vote.America’s never been about what could be done for us, it’s about what can be done by us, together, through the hard and frustrating but necessary work of self-government.That’s the principle we were founded on.This country has more wealth than any nation, but that’s not what makes us rich.We have the most powerful military in history but that’s not what makes us strong.Our university, our culture, are all the envy of the world but that’s not what keeps the world coming to our shores.What makes America exceptional are the bonds that hold together the most diverse nation on Earth, the belief that our destiny is shared, that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another and the future generations so that the freedom so many Americans have fought for and died for comes with responsibilities as well as rights, and among those are love, and charity, and duty and patriotism.That’s what makes America great.I am hopeful tonight because I have seen that spirit at work in America.I’ve seen it in the family business whose owners would rather cut their own pay than lay off their neighbors, and in the workers who would rather cut back their hours than see a friend lose a job.I’ve seen it in the soldiers who re-enlist after losing a limb, and in those SEALS who charged up the stairs into darkness and danger because they knew their was a buddy behind them watching their back.I’ve seen it on the shores of New Jersey and New York where leaders from every party and level of government have swept aside their differences to help a community rebuild from the wreckage of a terrible storm.And I saw it just the other day, in Mentor, Ohio wehre a father told the story of his eight-year-old daughter who’s long battle with leukemia nearly cost their family everything had it not been for healthc are reform passing just a few months before.The insurance company was about to stop paying for her care I had an opportunity to not just talk to the father but meet this incredible daughter of his, and when he spoke to the crowd listening to that father’ story, every parent in that room had tears in their eyes because we knew that little girl could be our own.And I know that every American wants her future to be just as bright.That’s who we are.That’s the country I’m so proud to lead as your president.And tonight, despite all the hardship we’ve been through, despite al lthe frustrations of Washington, I’ve never been more hopeful about our future I’ve never been more hopeful about America.And I ask you to sustain that hope.I’m not talking about blind optimism.The kind of hope that just ignores the enormity of the tasks ahead or the road blocks that stand in our path.I’m not talking about the wishful idealism that allows us to just sit on the sidelines or shirk from a fight.I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside of us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching to keep working, to keep fighting.America, I believe we can build on the progress we made and continue to fight for new jobs and new opportunity and new security for the middle class I believe we can keep the promise of our founder.The idea that if you’re willing to work hard, it doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from or what you look like or where you love, it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white or Hispanic or asian, or native American, or young or old, or rich or poor, able, disabled, gay or straight, you can make it.I believe we can sieze this future together.Because we are not as divided as our politics suggest.We’re not as cynical as the pundents believe.We are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions.And we remain more than a collection of red states and blue states.We are and forever will be the United States of America.With your help and God’s grace, we will continue our journey forward.And remind the world just why it is that we live in the greatest nation on Earth.Thank you, America.God bless you.God bless these United States.” [CHEERING]

第五篇：奥巴马20121107胜选演讲全文

Thank you so much.Tonight, more than 200 years after a former colony won the right to determine its own destiny, the task of perfecting our union moves forward.It moves forward because of you.It moves forward because you reaffirmed the spirit that has triumphed over war and depression, the spirit that has lifted this country from the depths of despair to the great heights of hope, the belief that while each of us will pursue our own individual dreams, we are an American family and we rise or fall together as one nation and as one people.Tonight, in this election, you, the American people, reminded us that while our road has been hard, while our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back, and we know in our hearts that for the United States of America the best is yet to come.I want to thank every American who participated in this election, whether you voted for the very first time or waited in line for a very long time.By the way, we have to fix that.Whether you pounded the pavement or picked up the phone, whether you held an Obama sign or a Romney sign, you made your voice heard and you made a difference.I just spoke with Gov.Romney and I congratulated him and Paul Ryan on a hard-fought campaign.We may have battled fiercely, but it’s only because we love this country deeply and we care so strongly about its future.From George to Lenore to their son Mitt, the Romney family has chosen to give back to America through public service and that is the legacy that we honor and applaud tonight.In the weeks ahead, I also look forward to sitting down with Gov.Romney to talk about where we can work together to move this country forward.I want to thank my friend and partner of the last four years, America’s happy warrior, the best vice president anybody could ever hope for, Joe Biden.And I wouldn’t be the man I am today without the woman who agreed to marry me 20 years ago.Let me say this publicly: Michelle, I have never loved you more.I have never been prouder to watch the rest of America fall in love with you, too, as our nation’s first lady.Sasha and Malia, before our very eyes you’re growing up to become two strong, smart beautiful young women, just like your mom.And I’m so proud of you guys.But I will say that for now one dog’s probably enough.To the best campaign team and volunteers in the history of politics.The best.The best ever.Some of you were new this time around, and some of you have been at my side since the very beginning.But all of you are family.No matter what you do or where you go from here, you will carry the memory of the history we made together and you will have the lifelong appreciation of a grateful president.Thank you for believing all the way, through every hill, through every valley.You lifted me up the whole way and I will always be grateful for everything that you’ve done and all the incredible work that you put in.I know that political campaigns can sometimes seem small, even silly.And that provides plenty of fodder for the cynics that tell us that politics is nothing more than a contest of egos or the domain of special interests.But if you ever get the chance to talk to folks who turned out at our rallies and crowded along a rope line in a high school gym, or saw folks working late in a campaign office in some tiny county far away from home, you’ll discover something else.You’ll hear the determination in the voice of a young field organizer who’s working his way through college and wants to make sure every child has that same opportunity.You’ll hear the pride in the voice of a volunteer who’s going door to door because her brother was finally hired when the local auto plant added another shift.You’ll hear the deep patriotism in the voice of a military spouse who’s working the phones late at night to make sure that no one who fights for this country ever has to fight for a job or a roof over their head when they come home.That’s why we do this.That’s what politics can be.That’s why elections matter.It’s not small, it’s big.It’s important.Democracy in a nation of 300 million can be noisy and messy and complicated.We have our own opinions.Each of us has deeply held beliefs.And when we go through tough times, when we make big decisions as a country, it necessarily stirs passions, stirs up controversy.That won’t change after tonight, and it shouldn’t.These arguments we have are a mark of our liberty.We can never forget that as we speak people in distant nations are risking their lives right now just for a chance to argue about the issues that matter, the chance to cast their ballots like we did today.But despite all our differences, most of us share certain hopes for America’s future.We want our kids to grow up in a country where they have access to the best schools and the best teachers.A country that lives up to its legacy as the global leader in technology and discovery and innovation, with all the good jobs and new businesses that follow.We want our children to live in an America that isn’t burdened by debt, that isn’t weakened by inequality, that isn’t threatened by the destructive power of a warming planet.We want to pass on a country that’s safe and respected and admired around the world, a nation that is defended by the strongest military on earth and the best troops this – this world has ever known.But also a country that moves with confidence beyond this time of war, to shape a peace that is built on the promise of freedom and dignity for every human being.We believe in a generous America, in a compassionate America, in a tolerant America, open to the dreams of an immigrant’s daughter who studies in our schools and pledges to our flag.To the young boy on the south side of Chicago who sees a life beyond the nearest street corner.To the furniture worker’s child in North Carolina who wants to become a doctor or a scientist, an engineer or an entrepreneur, a diplomat or even a president – that’s the future we hope for.That’s the vision we share.That’s where we need to go – forward.That’s where we need to go.Now, we will disagree, sometimes fiercely, about how to get there.As it has for more than two centuries, progress will come in fits and starts.It’s not always a straight line.It’s not always a smooth path.By itself, the recognition that we have common hopes and dreams won’t end all the gridlock or solve all our problems or substitute for the painstaking work of building consensus and making the difficult compromises needed to move this country forward.But that common bond is where we must begin.Our economy is recovering.A decade of war is ending.A long campaign is now over.And whether I earned your vote or not, I have listened to you, I have learned from you, and you’ve made me a better president.And with your stories and your struggles, I return to the White House more determined and more inspired than ever about the work there is to do and the future that lies ahead.Tonight you voted for action, not politics as usual.You elected us to focus on your jobs, not ours.And in the coming weeks and months, I am looking forward to reaching out and working with leaders of both parties to meet the challenges we can only solve together.Reducing our deficit.Reforming our tax code.Fixing our immigration system.Freeing ourselves from foreign oil.We’ve got more work to do.But that doesn’t mean your work is done.The role of citizen in our democracy does not end with your vote.America’s never been about what can be done for us.It’s about what can be done by us together through the hard and frustrating, but necessary work of self-government.That’s the principle we were founded on.This country has more wealth than any nation, but that’s not what makes us rich.We have the most powerful military in history, but that’s not what makes us strong.Our university, our culture are all the envy of the world, but that’s not what keeps the world coming to our shores.What makes America exceptional are the bonds that hold together the most diverse nation on earth.The belief that our destiny is shared;that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another and to future generations.The freedom which so many Americans have fought for and died for come with responsibilities as well as rights.And among those are love and charity and duty and patriotism.That’s what makes America great.I am hopeful tonight because I’ve seen the spirit at work in America.I’ve seen it in the family business whose owners would rather cut their own pay than lay off their neighbors, and in the workers who would rather cut back their hours than see a friend lose a job.I’ve seen it in the soldiers who reenlist after losing a limb and in those SEALs who charged up the stairs into darkness and danger because they knew there was a buddy behind them watching their back.I’ve seen it on the shores of New Jersey and New York, where leaders from every party and level of government have swept aside their differences to help a community rebuild from the wreckage of a terrible storm.And I saw just the other day, in Mentor, Ohio, where a father told the story of his 8-year-old daughter, whose long battle with leukemia nearly cost their family everything had it not been for health care reform passing just a few months before the insurance company was about to stop paying for her care.I had an opportunity to not just talk to the father, but meet this incredible daughter of his.And when he spoke to the crowd listening to that father’s story, every parent in that room had tears in their eyes, because we knew that little girl could be our own.And I know that every American wants her future to be just as bright.That’s who we are.That’s the country I’m so proud to lead as your president.And tonight, despite all the hardship we’ve been through, despite all the frustrations of Washington, I’ve never been more hopeful about our future.I have never been more hopeful about America.And I ask you to sustain that hope.I’m not talking about blind optimism, the kind of hope that just ignores the enormity of the tasks ahead or the roadblocks that stand in our path.I’m not talking about the wishful idealism that allows us to just sit on the sidelines or shirk from a fight.I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting.America, I believe we can build on the progress we’ve made and continue to fight for new jobs and new opportunity and new security for the middle class.I believe we can keep the promise of our founders, the idea that if you’re willing to work hard, it doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from or what you look like or where you love.It doesn’t matter whether you’re black or white or Hispanic or Asian or Native American or young or old or rich or poor, able, disabled, gay or straight, you can make it here in America if you’re willing to try.I believe we can seize this future together because we are not as divided as our politics suggests.We’re not as cynical as the pundits believe.We are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions, and we remain more than a collection of red states and blue states.We are and forever will be the United States of America.And together with your help and God’s grace we will continue our journey forward and remind the world just why it is that we live in the greatest nation on Earth.Thank you, America.God bless you.God bless these United States.