第一篇:米歇尔.奥巴马2012年9月演讲中英文对照版
When it comes to giving our kids the educaiton they deserve, 孩子们应受到很好的教育,说到这个问题
Barack knows that like me and like so many of you Barack懂得,就像我们中很多人一样
he never could've attended college without finacial aid 没有助学贷款他也不可能上大学
And believe it or not, when we were first married 你们相信吗,在我和他新婚之时
our combined monthly student loan bills were actually higher than our mortgage 我们的助学贷款的压力甚至远大于房贷 We were so young, so in love, and so in debt 当时我们那么年轻,那么相爱,还负债累累
And that's why Barack has fought so hard to increase student aid and keep interest rates down, 因此Barack竭尽全力提高助学金额度,同时压低利息 because he wants every young person to fulfill their promises 他希望让每一个年轻人都能大展宏图
and be able to attend college without a mountain of debt 不必为了求学而债台高筑
So in the end, for Barack, these issues aren't political-they're personal 归根究底,这些对他来说根本无关政治,推己及人而已 Because Barack knows what it means when a family struggles 他深深知道困难家庭的处境
He knows what it means to want something more for your kids and grandkids 他懂得希望子孙过上好日子是怎样一种感受
Barack knows the American Dream because he's lived it 他知道什么是美国梦,因为他曾亲身经历
and he wants everyone in this country to have that same opportunity 他希望全国的每一个人都能有同样的机会
no matter who we are ,or where we're form, or what we look like, or who we love 无论身份、家乡、种族、信仰和情感
And he believes that when you've worked hard, and done well 他相信当一个人努力奋斗,出人头地
and walked through that doorway of opportunity 在通过机遇的大门之后
you do not slam it shut behind you, you reach back 不会自私地关上门,而会转身伸出援手
and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.给予人们共同的机会一起成功
So when people ask me whether being in the White House has changed my husband 如果你要问我白宫这四年是否改变了我的丈夫
I can hoestly say that when it comes to his character, and his convictions, and his heart 我可以坦诚相告,不论是看他的品格,信仰还是内心
Barack Obama is still the same man I fell in love with all those years ago 此时此刻的他仍是彼时彼地我爱上的那个人 He's the same man who started his career by turing down high paying jobs 如今的他还会像当时一样,拒绝掉高薪工作
and instead working in struggling neighorbhoods where a steel plant had shut down 而深入社区基层,去帮助濒临倒闭的钢厂的职工和家属
fighting to rebuild those communications and get folks back to work 去重建那样的社区,帮助人们再度就业
because for Barack, success isn't about how much money you make, 因为对他来说,成功的标准并不是收入
it's about the difference you make in people's lives 而是你对他人生活的积极影响
He's the same man who, when our girls were first born, 他还是那个,当女儿刚降生时,would anxiously check their cribs every few minutes to ensure they were still breathing, 会分分钟就跑到婴儿床边去查看女儿是否还在呼吸的那个父亲 proudly showing them off to everynone we knew 会抱着女儿去找所有的熟人显摆
That's the man who sits down with me and our girls for dinner nearly every night 他至今仍每晚和我跟女儿一起吃晚餐
patiently answering their questions about issues in the news 耐心地回答她们关于新闻和时事的问题
and strategizing about middle school friendships 为她们在学校交朋友的事儿出谋划算
That's the man I see in those quiet moments late at night, hunched over his desk 每天深夜我都见他在办公桌旁边沉默着 poring over the letters people have sent him 翻看着一封封寄给他的信
The letter from the father stuggling to pay his bills 有的信来自艰难谋生维持家用的父亲
from the woman dying of cancer whose insurance company won't cover her care 有的信来自被保险公司弃之不管的癌入膏肓的女性
from the young people with so much promise but so few opputunities 有的信来自徒有大志却怀才不遇的年轻人
I see the concern in his eyes, and I hear the determination in his voice as he tells me 我看到他为此忧心不已,他无比坚定地对我说
you won't believe what there folks are going through, Michelle, it's not right 你无法想象他们过着什么样的日子,米歇尔,这是不对的
We've got to keep working to fix this, we've got so much more to do 我们必须再接再厉去改变这些,我们做的还远远不够
I see how those stories-our collection of struggles and hopes and dreams 我看到那些故事,那些艰难困苦和那些梦想希望
I see how that's what drives Barack Obama every single day 正是那一切让奥巴马每日为之努力
And I didn't think that it was possible, but let me tell you, today, I love my husband even more than I did four years ago 从前的我绝想不到今天我反而比四年前更爱我的丈夫了 even more than I did 23 years ago, when we first met 甚至远胜于23年前我们相爱之时
Let me tell you why.I love that he's never forgotten how he started 我来告诉你为什么。我爱他因为他不忘本
I love that we can trust Barack to do what he says he's going to do, even when it's hard especially when it's hard 我爱他,因为他会去履行承诺,困难当头他只会越挫越勇 I love that for Barack, there is no such thing as 'us' and 'them' 我爱他,因为他对人们一视同仁
he doesn't care whether you're a Democrat, a Republican, or none of the above, 从不管你是哪个党派或者有无党派
he knows that we all love our country, and he's always ready to listen to good ideas 他知道我们都深爱这个国家,他愿意倾听,从善如流 he's always looking for the very best in everyone he meets.他愿意去挖掘每个人身上的闪光点
And I love that even in the toughest moments, when we're all sweating it 我爱他,因为在艰难无比,揪心不已的时刻
when we're worried that the bill won't pass, and it seems like all is lost 在法案可能无法通过,一切都可能会重头再来的时候
Barack never lets himself get distracted by te chatter and the noise 他从不会被四面的楚歌所动摇
Just like his grandmother, he just keeps getting up and moving forward 就像他的祖母一样,他会重新振作,再度前进 with patience and wisdom, and courage and grace 用他的耐心、智慧、勇气和气度
And he reminds me that we were playing a long game here 他总会提醒我我们任重道远
And that change is hard, and change is slow, and it never happens all at once 变革往往艰难而缓慢,根本无法一蹴而就 But eventually we get there, we always do 但总有一天我们会成功,就如既往的那些胜利
we get there because of folks like my Dad, folks like Barack's grandmather 我们会最终到达彼岸,因为像我的父亲,他的祖母 men and women who said to themselves 还有所有像他们一样的人都对自己承诺
I may not have a chance to fulfill my dreams, but maybe my children will 我没能实现自己的梦想,但或许我的孩子们可以 maybe my grandchildren will 或许我们的孙辈们可以
So many of us stand here tonight because of their sacrifice, and longing ,and steadfast love 我们今天能站在这里,就归功于他们的奉献,渴望和从不动摇的爱
Because time and again, they swallowed their fears and doubts and did what was hard 归功于他们一次又一次地压住自己的恐惧和疑惑,艰苦奋斗 So today, when the challenges we face start to seem overwhelming or even impossible 所以当如今我们面对的挑战似乎艰巨得难以克服
let us never forget that doing impossilble is the history of this nation 请别忘记开创不可能的奇迹正是我们国家的历史
it is who we are as American, it's how this country was built 美国人就是这样,我们的国家就是这么建立起来的
And if our parents and grandparents could toil and strggle for us 如果我们的父母先辈可以为了我们而艰苦奋斗
if they could raise beams of steeal to the sky, send a man to the moon 如果他们可以建起摩天大厦,把人类送上月球 and connect the world with the touch of a button 如果他们可以点击一下按钮来联通世界
then surely we keep on sacrificing and building for our own kids and grandkids,right? 那么当然,我们也可以为我们的后代而牺牲自我,努力建设,对吧 And if so many brave men and women could wear our country's uniform 如果那么多英勇的军人可以穿起戎装上阵
and sacrifice their lives for our most fundamental rights 为捍卫我们的根本利益牺牲生命
then surely we can do our part as citizens of their great democracy to exercise those rights 那么当然,作为这个民主之国的一份子我们也可以发挥自己的作用 surely, we can get to the polls on Election Day and make our voices heard 当然,我们也可以通过投票,让我们的呼声响彻大选之日
If farmers and blacksmiths could win independence from an empire 如果农民和铁匠都可以从一个帝国中谋求独立
If immigrants could leave behind everything they knew for a better life on our shores 如果移民们可以放下从前的一切来这里寻求美好的生活 If women could be dragged to jail for seeking the vote 如果妇女冒着牢狱之灾也要投票
If a generation could defeat a depression, and define greatness for all time 如果一代人可以打败大萧条,成就一番伟业
If a young preacher could lift us to the mountaintop with his righteous dream 如果一位年轻的牧师可以用他的正义理想把我们送上平等之巅
and if proud Americans can be who they are and boldly stand at the alter with who they love 如果美国人民为他们的身份而自豪,为他们所爱的人而勇敢地站在讲坛之上
then surely, surely we can give everyone in this country a fair chance at that great American Dream 那么当然,当然,我们可以给人们平等的机会,去实现自己的美国梦 Because in the end, more than anything else 因为当尘埃落定,胜过一切的是
that is the story of this country-the story of unwavering hope grounded in unyielding struggle 这个国家的故事,一个希望不灭,斗志永存的励志传说 That is what has make my story, and Barack's story 我的故事,Barack的故事
and so many other American stories possible 和千千万万美国人的故事,也因此成真
And let my tell you something that I asy all of this tonight not just as First Lady, and not just as a wife 今天我不仅是第一夫人,也不仅是代表一个妻子
You see, at the end of the day, my most important title is still “mom-in-chief” 每当一天的工作结束,我的身份就只是一个操心的妈
My daughters are still the heart of my heart and the center of my world 我的女儿们仍是我的心头肉,我世界的中心
But let me tell you today, I have none of those worries from four years ago 但今天,我不再像四年前般顾虑重重
not about whether Barack and I were doing what's best for our girls 不再担心我和他怎么做才是对孩子们最好的
Because today, I know from experience that if I truly want to leave a better world for my daughters 亲身经历告诉我,如果想给我们的女儿更好的世界 and for all our sons and daughters 给全天下的孩子创造一个美好的世界
if we want to give all our children a foundation for their dreams and opportunities worthy of their promise 如果我们想给他们一个实现梦想的基础和一展抱负的机遇 if we want to give them that sense of limitless possibility 如果我们想让他们相信一切皆有可能
that belief that here in America,there is always something better our there if you're willing to work for it
让他们相信在美国,只要努力就一定能有回报 then we must work like never before 那么我们比任何时候任何人都更加努力 and we must once again come together 我们必须再度团结一致
and stand together for the man we can trust to keep moving this great country forward 去一直支持肩负着你我信任,去领导美国前进的那个男人 my husband, our President, President Barack Obama 我的丈夫,我们的总统,贝克拉奥巴马
第二篇:米歇尔奥巴马演讲
This is my first trip, my first foreign trip as a first lady.Can you believe that? And while this is not my first visit to the U.K., I have to say that I am glad that this is my first official visit.Please remember that.If you want to know the reason why I'm standing here, it's because of education.I never cut class.Sorry, I don't know if anybody is cutting class.I never did it.I loved getting As.I liked being smart.I liked being on time.I liked getting my work done.I thought being smart was cooler than anything in the world.And you too, with these same values, can control your own destiny.You too can pave the way.You too can realize your dreams, and then your job is to reach back and to help someone just like you do the same thing.History proves that it doesn't matter whether you come from a council estate or a country estate.Your success will be determined by your own fortitude, your own confidence, your own individual hard work.That is true.That is the reality of the world that we live in.You now have control over your own destiny.And it won't be easy--that's for sure.But you have everything you need.Everything you need to succeed, you already have, right here.My husband works in this big office.They call it the Oval Office.In the White House, there's the desk that he sits at--it's called the Resolute desk.It was built by the timber of Her Majesty's Ship Resolute and given by Queen Victoria.It's an enduring symbol of the friendship between our two nations.And its name, Resolute, is a reminder of the strength of character that's required not only to lead a country, but to live a life of purpose, as well.And I hope in pursuing your dreams, you all remain resolute, that you go forward without limits, and that you use your talents--because there are many;we've seen them;it's there--that you use them to create the world as it should be.Because we are counting on you.We are counting on every single one of you to be the very best that you can be.Because the world is big.And it's full of challenges.And we need strong, smart, confident young women to stand up and take the reins.We know you can do it.We love you.Thank you so much.MRS.OBAMA:(Applause.)Thank you.Well, ni-hao.(Laughter.)It is such a pleasure and an honor to be here with all of you at this great university, so thank you so much for having me.谢谢。你好。很高兴也很荣幸来到这里,在这所伟大的大学和你们共聚一堂。非常感谢你们邀请我。Now, before I get started today, on behalf of myself and my husband, I just want to say a few very brief words about Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.As my husband has said, the United States is offering as many resources as possible to assist in the search.And please know that we are keeping all of the families and loved ones of those on this flight in our thoughts and prayers at this very difficult time.在我今天开始之前,代表我自己和我的丈夫,我想就马来西亚航空公司的MH370航班简短说两句。如我丈夫所说,美国正提供尽可能多的资源协助搜寻工作。请相信,在这个非常艰难的时刻,我们的心和航班上人员的家属和亲人在一起,我们为他们祈祷。Now with that, I want to start by recognizing our new Ambassador to China, Ambassador Baucus.President Wang;Chairman Zhu;Vice President Li;Director Cueller;Professor Oi, and the Stanford Center;President Sexton from New York University, which is an excellent study abroad program in Shanghai;and John Thornton, Director of the Global Leadership Program at Tsinghua University.Thank you all for joining us.现在,我们首先来认识一下美国新任驻华大使——博卡斯大使。王校长、朱主席、李副校长、Cuelluer主任、Jean Oi教授和斯坦福中心,纽约大学的塞克顿斯校长(该校在上海开设了一个优秀的海外留学项目),以及清华大学全球领袖项目主任约翰·桑顿,由衷地感谢大家的到来。But most of all, I want to thank all of the students who are here today.And I particularly want to thank Eric Schaefer and Zhu Xuanhao for that extraordinary English and Chinese introduction.That was a powerful symbol of everything that I want to talk with you about today.最重要的是,我要感谢今天所有到场的学生们......我要特别感谢埃里克·谢弗和朱宣皓的精彩英文和中文介绍。这绝佳地诠释了我今天要和大家聊的全部话题。
See, by learning each other’s languages, and by showing such curiosity and respect for each other’s cultures, Mr.Schafer and Ms.Zhu and all of you are building bridges of understanding that will lead to so much more.And I’m here today because I know that our future depends on connections like these among young people like you across the globe.你们看,通过学习彼此的语言,通过展现对彼此文化的好奇心和尊重,谢弗先生、朱女士以及你们大家正在搭建理解的桥梁,这些桥梁带来更多的丰硕成果。我今天来到你们这里是因为我知道,我们的未来取决于全球像你们这样年轻人间的这样的联系。That’s why when my husband and I travel abroad, we don’t just visit palaces and parliaments and meet with heads of state.We also come to schools like this one to meet with students like you, because we believe that relationships between nations aren’t just about relationships between governments or
leaders--they’re about relationships between people, particularly young people.So we view study abroad programs not just as an educational opportunity for students, but also as a vital part of America’s foreign policy.这也是为什么我们夫妇在国外访问时,不只参观宫殿、议会和会晤国家元首。我们也来到学校,与像你们一样的学生见面。因为我们相信,国与国之间的关系不只是政府或领导人之间的关系,它们是人民间―特别是年轻人之间的关系。因此,我们认为海外留学项目不只是为学生提供的教育机会,还是美国外交政策至关重要的组成部分。Through the wonders of modern technology, our world is more connected than ever before.Ideas can cross oceans with the click of a button.Companies can do business and compete with companies across the globe.And we can text, email, Skype with people on every continent.通过现代技术奇迹,我们的世界比以往任何时候都更多地联系在一起。思想可以通过点击按钮跨越海洋。全球各地的公司可以进行业务往来和相互竟争。我们可以与各大洲的人们通过短信、电子邮件和Skype进行沟通。So studying abroad isn’t just a fun way to spend a semester;it is quickly becoming the key to success in our global economy.Because getting ahead in today’s workplaces isn’t just about getting good grades or test scores in school, which are important.It’s also about having real experience with the world
beyond your borders –-experience with languages, cultures and societies very different from your own.Or, as the Chinese saying goes: ―It is better to travel ten thousand miles than to read ten thousand books.‖
因此,出国留学不只是以开心的方式度过一个学期——它正迅速成为全球化经济中取得成功的关键。因为要走在当今职场的前沿,只在学校里取得好成绩是不够的,还应拥有国境外的真实体验:体验完全不同的语言、文化和社会。正如中国的一句古话所说:―读万卷书,不如行万里路。‖ But let’s be clear, studying abroad is about so much more than improving your own future.It’s also about shaping the future of your countries and of the world we all share.Because when it comes to the defining challenges of our time-– whether it’s climate change or economic opportunity or the spread of nuclear
weapons--these are shared challenges.And no one country can confront them alone.The only way forward is together.我想要说的是,出国留学绝不仅是改善你们自己的未来,它也关乎塑造你们的国家、关乎我们共有的世界的未来。因为我们这个时代的决定性挑战一一无论是气侯变化、经济机遇,还是核武器扩散一一这些都是我们共同的挑战。没有任何一个国家能够单独应对它们……唯一的出路就是共同携手。
That’s why it is so important for young people like you to live and study in each other’s countries, because that’s how you develop that habit of cooperation.You do it by immersing yourself in one another’s culture, by learning each other’s stories, by getting past the stereotypes and misconceptions that too often divide us.这就是为什么年轻人到彼此国家学习和生活是如此重要。因为这是你们培养合作习惯的途径一一你们通过融入不同的文化,通过了解彼此的故事,通过跨越常常隔膜我们的成见和误解,来做到这一点。That’s how you come to understand how much we all share.That’s how you realize that we all have a stake in each other’s success--that cures discovered here in Beijing could save lives in America, that clean energy technologies from Silicon Valley in California could improve the environment here in China, that the architecture of an ancient temple in Xi’an could inspire the design of new buildings in Dallas or Detroit.这是你们了解到我们共享多少东西的途径。这是你们认识到我们的成功惠及彼此的途径。在北京发现的治序方法可以挽救在美国的生命,来自加州硅谷的清洁能源技术可以改善中国的环境,西安一座古老寺庙的架构可激发达拉斯或者底特律新建筑设计的灵感。
第三篇:奥巴马演讲中英文对照学习
Hi, everybody.大家好!
Restoring the idea of opportunity for all requires a year of action from all of us.Wherever I can acton my own, I will – and whenever I can ask more Americans to help, I’ll do that too.为所有人恢复机会的想法,需要我们大家在今年做出不懈努力,在我能独自采取行动的地方,我会毫不犹豫地这样去做——在我可以请求美国人民帮助的时候,我也会毫不迟疑地发出声音。
In my State of the Union Address, for example, I asked more business leaders to take action toraise their employees’ wages.Because even though our economy is growing, and our businesseshave created about eight and a half million new jobs over the past four years, average wages havebarely budged.例如,在国情咨文中,我请求更多的企业领袖采取行动,提高员工工资。因为,尽管我们的经济正在增长,过去四年中,我们的企业已创造了八百五十万个新工作,可我们的平均工资却几乎没有增加。
So it’s good news that, earlier this week, one of America’s largest retailers, The Gap, decided to raisewages for its employees beginning this year.Their decision will benefit about 65,000 workers in theU.S.That means more families will be able to raise their kids, finish their studies, or keep up on theirbills with a little less financial stress and strain.所以,本周早些时候,美国最大零售商之一盖普公司决定,今年开始为员工提高工资,这是个好消息。他们的决定将惠及约65,000名美国工人。这意味着更多的家庭,将能以更小的财政压力和负担,抚养孩子、完成学业或支付账单。Gap’s CEO explained their decision simply – he said, ―[It’s] right for our brands, good for ourpeople, and beneficial to our customers.‖ And he’s right – raising Americans’ wages isn’t just agood deed;it’s good business and good for our economy.It helps reduce turnover, it boostsproductivity, and it gives folks some more money to spend at local businesses.盖普的首席执行官简单解释了他们的决定——他表示:―[这一决定]对我们的品牌是合适的,对我们的员工是有帮助的,对我们的客户也是有益的。‖他是正确的——提高美国人民的工资,不只是件善事;它是件好事,有益于我们的经济。它帮助减少人员流动率、它提高生产力,它给人们更多的钱可以花到当地企业身上。
And as a chief executive myself, that’s why I took action last week to lift more workers’ wages byrequiring federal contractors to pay their employees a fair wage of at least $10.10 an hour.正是出于这一理由,作为美国总统,我上周采取行动,要求联邦承包商支付员工每小时至少10.10美元的合理工资,以此提高更多工人的工资。
In the year since I first asked Congress to raise the minimum wage, six states have passed laws toraise theirs, and more states are working on it as we speak.But only Congress can finish the joband lift Americans’ wages across the country.自我首先请求国会提高最低工资以来的一年中,六个州已通过提高最低工资的立法,就在我们谈话过程中,更多的州正在完成立法程序。但是,只有国会可以完成这一工作,在全国范围提高美国人民的工资。
Right now, there’s a bill before Congress that would boost America’s minimum wage to $10.10 anhour.That’s easy to remember –
―ten-ten.‖ That bill would lift wages for more than 16 millionAmericans without requiring a single dollar in new taxes or spending.But even though a majorityof Democrats, Independents, and Republicans across the country support raising the minimumwage, Republicans in Congress don’t want to give it a vote.此刻,就有一份把美国最低工资提高到每小时10.10美元的法案已送达国会。这很容易记住——―两个10‖。不需要增加一美元的税收或财政支出,这份法案将为1600万美国人提高工资。不过,尽管全国绝大多数民主党人、无党派人士和共和党人都支持提高最低工资,国会共和党人却不想就该法案进行表决。
Hardworking Americans deserve better than ―no.‖ Let’s tell Congress to say ―yes.‖ Pass that bill.Give America a raise.Because here in America, no one who works hard should have to live inpoverty – and everyone who works hard should have a chance to get ahead.勤奋工作的美国人民应该得到比―不‖更好的答案。让我们告诉国会说―同意‖吧。通过这一法案!给美国加薪吧!努力工作的人,不应该生活在贫困之中——每位努力工作的人,都应该拥有获得成功的机会!Thanks, and have a great weekend.谢谢!祝周末愉快!
In the Garden:Getting the Most Out of Mums
This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.People have grown chrysanthemums for more than two thousand years.Chinese and other Asian cultures make tea with the flowers.But mums also make bright and colorful gardens.One basic kind of mum is the hardy or garden mum.The other basic kind is the florist mum.The garden mum is better able to handle different growing conditions than the florist mum.There are many varieties of mums.The decorative mum is often seen in gardens.Another popular type, the quill mum, has long, straight petals like a tube or needle.Chrysanthemum blooms can be white, yellow, gold, red or other colors.The plants often grow to one meter in height.The soil should be kept moist but well drained so it does not get too wet.Newly planted mums should be watered two or three times a week, depending on conditions.Plants established in the ground may do well just with normal rainfall.In dry conditions they will need more water.Mums grow best in full sunshine.They produce colorful blooms when days get shorter and nights get longer.The life cycle of the plant depends on the amount of daylight.This is why experts advise against placing mums near nightlights or streetlights.The light may interfere with their normal growth cycle.The plants may develop buds too soon.In climates where temperatures fall below freezing, plant mums at least six weeks before the first frost is expected.That way, the plants will be well established for cold weather.Placing mulch around the plants can protect them from the cold.Doug Akers from the cooperative extension service at Purdue University in Indiana suggests straw or shredded leaves for the mulch.The material will also add nutrients to the soil.Some gardeners say the most beautiful presentation comes from planting mums close together.But they also advise leaving enough space between the plants so air can flow.If not, the chance of disease may increase.To get more blooms, gardeners pinch back the branches when new growth has extended to fifteen centimeters.Squeeze about five to seven centimeters off each branch.Pinch again when a branch grows another twelve to fifteen
centimeters.Stop pinching about one hundred days before you want the plants to bloom.And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Jerilyn Watson.You can find all of our reports with transcripts and MP3s at /20100629/22404.html
第四篇:2012奥巴马获胜演讲中英文对照
2012奥巴马获胜演讲中英文对照
Transcript of President Obama’s Victory Speech
November 7, 2012
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Thank you.Thank you.Thank you so much.(Sustained cheers, applause.)
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.(Cheers, applause.)
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.(Cheers, applause.)
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.(Cheers, applause.)
I want to thank every American who participated in this election.(Cheers, applause.)Whether you voted for the very first time —(cheers)— or waited in line for a very long time —(cheers)— by the way, we have to fix that.(Cheers, applause.)Whether you pounded the pavement or picked up the phone —(cheers, applause)— whether you held an Obama sign or a Romney sign, you made your voice heard and you made a difference.(Cheers, applause.)
I just spoke with Governor Romney and I congratulated him and Paul Ryan on a hard-fought campaign.(Cheers, applause.)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 a legacy that we honor and applaud tonight.(Cheers, applause.)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.(Cheers, applause.)
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.(Cheers, applause.)
And I wouldn’t be the man I am today without the woman who agreed to marry me 20 years ago.(Cheers, applause.)Let me say this publicly.Michelle, I have never loved you more.(Cheers, applause.)I have never been prouder to watch the rest of America fall in love with you too as our nation’s first lady.(Cheers, applause.)Sasha and Malia —(cheers, applause)— before our very eyes, you’re growing up to become two strong, smart, beautiful young women, just like your mom.(Cheers, applause.)And I am so proud of you guys.But I will say that for now, one dog’s probably enough.(Laughter.)
To the best campaign team and volunteers in the history of politics —(cheers, applause)— the best — the best ever —(cheers, applause)— some of you were new this time around, and some of you have been at my side since the very beginning.(Cheers, applause.)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.(Cheers, applause.)And you will have the lifelong appreciation of a grateful president.Thank you for believing all the way —(cheers, applause)— to every hill, to every valley.(Cheers, applause.)You lifted me up the whole day, and I will always be grateful for everything that you’ve done and all the incredible work that you’ve put in.(Cheers, applause.)
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 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 — 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’s working his way through college and wants to make sure every child has that same opportunity.(Cheers, applause.)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.(Cheers, applause.)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.(Cheers, 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 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, 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 —(cheers, 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 —(cheers, applause)— a country that lives up to its legacy as the global leader in technology and discovery and innovation —(scattered cheers, applause)— with all of 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 up by inequality, that isn’t threatened by the destructive power of a warming planet.(Cheers, applause.)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 —(cheers, applause)— 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 —(cheers, applause)— to the young boy on the south side of Chicago who sees a life beyond the nearest street corner —(cheers, applause)— 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 —(cheers, applause)— that’s the future we hope for.(Cheers, applause.)That’s the vision we share.That’s where we need to go — forward.(Cheers, applause.)That’s where we need to go.(Cheers, applause.)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, resolve 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.(Cheers, applause.)A long campaign is now over.(Cheers, applause.)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.(Cheers, applause.)Tonight you voted for action, not politics as usual.(Cheers, applause.)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 out tax code, fixing our immigration system, freeing ourselves from foreign oil.We’ve got more work to do.(Cheers, applause.)
But that doesn’t mean your work is done.The role of citizens 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.(Cheers, applause.)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 —(cheers, applause)— that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another and to future generations, so that 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.(Cheers, applause.)
I am hopeful tonight because I have seen this 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 there was a buddy behind them watching their back.(Cheers, applause.)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.)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.AUDIENCE MEMBER: We got your back, Mr.President!
PRESIDENT OBAMA: 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 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.(Cheers, applause.)
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.(Cheers, applause.)
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.(Cheers, applause.)
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.(Cheers, applause.)Thank you, America.(Cheers, applause.)God bless you.God bless these United States.(Cheers, applause.)
谢谢,谢谢,非常感谢。
两百多年前,人民在这块曾经的殖民地上赢得了自己的命运;今夜,我们向实现完美联邦的目标又迈近了一步。
这一步,是因为你们;这一步,是因为你们证明了克服战争和萧条的那种精神仍在,那份把我们国家从绝望的深渊带向希望之巅的精神。我们每个人都可以追逐自己的梦想。美国同胞血浓于水,作为一个国家和民族,我们共起落、同荣辱。
今晚,在这次选举中,你们,美国人民们,提醒了我们:尽管路程艰辛,历程漫长,我们仍能振作精神,奋起反击。我们心中坚信,美利坚的每天更加美好。我想感谢每一位亲身参与大选的美国人。无论这是你的第一次投票,又或是在队伍中等待了很久。顺便说一句,排队这个问题真是亟待解决。无论你是步行前往,还是拿起电话;无论你举的牌子上,写的是奥巴马还是罗姆尼… 你的声音都会被听到,你也一样带来了改变。我刚刚和罗姆尼州长通了话,向他和保罗·瑞安,就这场艰难的战役,表示了我的祝贺。双方的选战之所以惨烈,正是因为我们都如此深爱这个国家,如此关心它的未来。从乔治到兰诺夫妇,再到他们的儿子米特,罗姆尼一家选择通过献身公务来报效国家。今晚,我们向这一份宝贵的政治遗产致以我们的敬意和掌声。在未来的几个星期,我还希望能和罗姆尼州长坐下来,讨论在哪些方面,我们可以共同努力,推动这个国家向前。我想谢谢我的朋友,我过去四年的搭档,美国的快乐战士—乔·拜登。能有他做副总统。夫复何求。
另外,假如没有那位20年前同意嫁给我的女人,我今天也不可能站在这里。让我告诉所有人吧:米歇尔,我对你的爱,是如此深切。
我目睹着我之外的美国人都爱上了你,作为第一夫人的你,我对你的骄傲,也是如此深切。萨莎和玛利亚(奥巴马的两个女儿),就在我们的注视下,你们已经成长为两位坚强、智慧、美丽的年轻女士,就像你们的妈妈一样。我真得为你们骄傲。不过我还是要说,一条狗应该已经够了。
至政治史上最好的竞选团队和志愿者们:你们是最好的,最最好的。你们中有些人是新鲜加入,有些人从一开始就与我们共同进退,但你们都是我的家人。无论你在做什么,以后要做什么,你们都能带上这段我们共同创造的历史,以及这位感恩的总统对你们一生的感激。谢谢你们的一路坚信,陪我翻过每座丘岭,穿越每座山谷。一路走来,多亏你们的辅佑。我会永远为你们所付出的一切和所有卓越之至的工作而心怀感激。
我知道有时候政治竞选看起来渺小,甚至愚蠢,这为愤世嫉俗者们提供了很多素材。他们告诉我们,政治不过是为特殊利益集团服务的猴戏。但如果你曾经同参加过我们的集会的普通人,或是在高中体育馆围线外排队的人们交谈过;或是看到在远离家乡的小郡县竞选办公室里工作到很晚的人们,你一定会有新的认识。
你会在一位半工半读的年轻活动现场组织者声音中,听到无比的坚定。他想让每个孩子都能有均等的机会;
你会在一名志愿者声音中,听到他的自豪。她挨家挨户的告诉每一个人,她的哥哥终于有了工作,因为当地的汽车公司增加了一个轮班; 你会在一位军嫂声音中听到她的爱国主义情怀。她深夜也不放下电话是为了要让每一位保家卫国的战士,都不用在回家后,却为一份工作、一片屋檐,苦苦求而不得。
这就是我们做这些的原因。政治也可以说这样的。这就是为什么,选举是重要的。它并不渺小,它是件大事,很重要的大事。
在有三亿人口的国家中,民主会显得喧哗、混乱、复杂。我们有自己的观点,每个人都有自己坚定的信仰。当面对困难的时期,当我们的国家需要作出重大的决定时,它必然会激发热情,也掀起争议。这些在今晚之后都不会改变,也不应该被改变。这些争论是我们自由的印记。
我们永远不能忘记,就在此时此刻,在一些遥远的国家,人民正在冒着生命的危险,只为了能有讨论那些重要话题的机会,为了能有像我们今天这样投出自己一票的机会。
尽管我们有不同,我们中的大多数,对美国的未来怀有一样的希望。我们希望自己的孩子成长在这样一个国家:他们能去到最好的学校,有最好的老师;它不会辜负前人留下的遗产,继续成为全球科技、探索、创新的领导者,有好的工作、新的产业随之而来;我们希望自己孩子成长的美国,不会被债务负累,不会因不平等而有所削弱,也不会被地球变暖而带来的危害所威胁。
我们想要传承的,是一个安全并受全球尊敬与爱戴的国家。
我们想要传承的,是一个由世界最强军事力量保卫,拥有最好的军队的国家。同时,也是一个自信前行的国家——走出战争的阴霾,塑造和平景象,保障每个人的自由与尊严。
我们相信美国是一个慷慨大度的国家,一个悲天悯人的国家,更是一个海纳百川的国家。我们要接纳在我国学校学习并对我们的国旗宣誓,满怀梦想的移民;要接纳身处芝加哥南部市井之中却能志存高远的男孩;还要接纳北卡州家具工人的孩子,他们梦想着成为医生、科学家、工程师、企业家、外交官,甚至是总统。那正是我们所期望的未来,是我们共有的愿景,是我们需要“前进”的方向,那是我们的目标。对于如何实现这一目标,我们可能会意见相左,有时分歧甚大,两个多世纪以来,一直如此。我们总会断断续续地取得进步,前行的路线总有曲折,不会一直是平坦通途。认识到我们拥有共同的希望与梦想,单靠这一点无法终结所有的政治僵局,或解决我们所有问题。建立共识,作出推动这个国家向前所必要的艰难妥协,这些艰辛的工作也无法得以替代。但我们必须以这一共同纽带为起点。
我们的经济正在复苏,为期十年的战争已近尾声,一场漫长的竞选现已结束。
无论我是否赢得了你的选票,我都倾听了你的呼声,从你身上得到了教益,你使我成长为更优秀的总统。
带着你们的故事与挣扎,我回到白宫时,对面临的任务与未来,更为坚定,更有激情。今晚,你们投票换来的将会是积极的行动,而不是以往那样的政治游戏。你们选择了我们,是让我们关注你们的就业,而非我们自己的官位。
在接下来的数周、数月中,我期待着与两党领袖进行接触与合作,共同应对我们必须携手攻克的难关,降低赤字、改革税法、完善移民体系、摆脱对进口石油的依赖…我们还有更多的工作要完成,但这并不意味着你们的任务已经结束。公民在我们的民主体系中所扮演的角色,并不止于投票。
美利坚的意义,并不在于别人能为我们做什么,而是在于我们能一起做什么,而这依靠的就是公民自治。这虽然困难而又往往令人灰心,却是不可或缺的。这是我们的建国理念。我们国家的财富多于其他任何国家,可我们的富有并不源于此。我们有史上最强的军事力量,可这并不是我们力量的源头。
我们的大学,我们的文化,为全世界所钦羡,可这并非吸引各国人民前来我国的根源。美国的卓尔不群之根源在于,将全球最为多元化的国家团结起来的纽带,在于信奉我们的命运紧密相连。信奉只有当我们对彼此,对下几代人负起一定责任,我们国家才有希望。美国的卓尔不群之根源,在于无数美国人为之奋斗与献身的自由,这自由背后,既有义务又有权利,其中就包括仁爱、慈善、责任和爱国。美国的伟大,就是靠这些精神铸就而成的。我今晚充满希望,因为我目睹了美国上下洋溢着的精神: 在宁愿扣自己薪水,也不愿裁掉邻里员工的家族企业中; 在宁愿自己少干些,也不愿让朋友失业的工人们身上; 在手脚伤残,却仍延长服役年限的士兵身上;
在海军陆战队员身上,他们无畏地冲上楼梯,冲进黑暗与危险,只因心知有人会照顾他们。在新泽西与纽约的海岸上也可以见到,各党领袖、各级政府撇开分歧,共同帮助一个社区重建被可怕的风暴摧毁的家园。
前些天,我在俄亥俄州的曼图尔市见到了一位父亲,他跟我讲了他8岁女儿的故事。女儿与白血病的斗争差点使他们倾家荡产,幸好医保改革在保险公司停止支付,其医疗费用前数月得以通过。我不仅与这位父亲进行了交谈,也遇到了他坚强的女儿。当她向听众发言时,在场的每一位父母都眼含热泪。因为我们知道,这个小女孩的遭遇也可能发生在我们的孩子身上。
我知道每一位美国同胞,都希望她有同样光明的未来。这就是我们,这就是我非常自豪地以总统身份领导的国家。
今晚,纵有我们所经历的磨难,纵有华盛顿诸般挫折,我从未对我们的未来如此充满希望,我从未对美利坚如此充满希望。
我请求你们,保持这份希望。我不是指盲目乐观,无视眼前艰巨任务与障碍的那种希望,我也不是指让我们袖手旁观或逃避斗争的那种一厢情愿的理想主义。我一直认为,希望是我们心中顽强不屈的那样东西。
虽有各种不利证据,却仍坚持有更好的未来等待着我们。只要我们有勇气去不断争取、不断努力、不断奋斗。
美利坚,我相信,我们能百尺竿头更进一步,继续奋斗,为中产阶级创造就业、创造机会、创造保障。
我相信,我们能继续履行国父们的承诺——只要你踏实肯干,你是谁,从哪儿来,什么种族,爱哪里,都不重要。无论你是黑人、白人、西班牙裔、亚裔,还是印第安居民,无论你年轻与否、富有与否、健全与否、性向如何,你都能在美国有所成就,只要你愿意努力。我相信,我们可以共同把握这一未来。因为有别于政坛所表现的,我们其实并没有那么分裂,我们并不像评论员们所认为的那样愤世嫉俗。
我们的伟大,胜于我们个人野心的总和,我们不仅仅是红蓝州的集合。我们现在是,也将永远是,美利坚合众国。在你们的帮助下和上帝的眷顾下,我们将继续前进,向全世界昭示,我们为何居于地球上最伟大的国家。感谢你们,美利坚的人民们!上帝保佑你们!上帝保佑美国!
第五篇:奥巴马获胜演讲全文(中英文对照)
奥巴马获胜演讲全文
President-elect Barack Obama smiles as he gives his acceptance speech at Grant Park in Chicago Tuesday night, Nov.4, 2008.以下是奥巴马(Barack Obama)竞选总统成功后在芝加哥演讲准备的讲稿: 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.The road ahead will be long.Our climb will be steep.We may not get there in one year or even 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 join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years – block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not 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 cannot happen without you.So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism;of service and 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 us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.Let us 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, individual liberty, and national unity.Those are values 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, 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 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 our 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.For that is the true genius of America – that America can change.Our union can be perfected.And what we have 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 is 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 colour 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 and a new sense of common purpose.Yes we can.When the bombs fell on our harbour 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 doubt, 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.如果还有人对美国是否凡事都有可能存疑,还有人怀疑美国奠基者的梦想在我们所处的时代是否依然鲜活,还有人质疑我们的民主制度的力量,那么今晚,这些问题都有了答案。
这是设在学校和教堂的投票站前排起的前所未见的长队给出的答案;是等了三四个小时的选民所给出的答案,其中许多人都是有生以来第一次投票,因为他们认定这一次肯定会不一样,认为自己的声音会是这次大选有别于以往之所在。
这是所有美国人民共同给出的答案--无论老少贫富,无论是民主党还是共和党,无论是黑人、白人、拉美裔、亚裔、原住民,是同性恋者还是异性恋者、残疾人还是健全人--我们从来不是“红州”和“蓝州”的对立阵营,我们是美利坚合众国这个整体,永远都是。
长久以来,很多人一再受到告诫,要对我们所能取得的成绩极尽讽刺、担忧和怀疑之能事,但这个答案让这些人伸出手来把握历史,再次让它朝向美好明天的希望延伸。
已经过去了这么长时间,但今晚,由于我们在今天、在这场大选中、在这个具有决定性的时刻所做的,美国已经迎来了变革。
我刚刚接到了麦凯恩参议员极具风度的致电。他在这场大选中经过了长时间的努力奋斗,而他为自己所深爱的这个国家奋斗的时间更长、过程更艰辛。他为美国做出了我们大多数人难以想像的牺牲,我们的生活也因这位勇敢无私的领袖所做出的贡献而变得更美好。我向他和佩林州长所取得的成绩表示祝贺,我也期待着与他们一起在未来的岁月中为复兴这个国家的希望而共同努力。
我要感谢我在这次旅程中的伙伴--已当选美国副总统的拜登。他全心参与竞选活动,为普通民众代言,他们是他在斯克兰顿从小到大的伙伴,也是在他回特拉华的火车上遇到的男男女女。
如果没有一个人的坚决支持,我今晚就不会站在这里,她是我过去16年来最好的朋友、是我们一家人的中坚和我一生的挚爱,更是我们国家的下一位第一夫人:米歇尔?奥巴马(Michelle Obama)。萨莎(Sasha)和玛丽亚(Malia),我太爱你们两个了,你们已经得到了一条新的小狗,它将与我们一起入驻白宫。虽然我的外祖母已经不在了,但我知道她与我的亲人肯定都在看着我,因为他们,我才能拥有今天的成就。今晚,我想念他们,我知道自己欠他们的无可计量。
我的竞选经理大卫?普劳夫(David Plouffe)、首席策略师大卫?艾克斯罗德(David Axelrod)以及政治史上最好的竞选团队--是你们成就了今天,我永远感激你们为实现今天的成就所做出的牺牲。
但最重要的是,我永远不会忘记这场胜利真正的归属--它属于你们。
我从来不是最有希望的候选人。一开始,我们没有太多资金,也没有得到太多人的支持。我们的竞选活动并非诞生于华盛顿的高门华第之内,而是始于得梅因、康科德、查尔斯顿这些地方的普通民众家中。
我们的竞选活动能有今天的规模,是因为辛勤工作的人们从自己的微薄积蓄中拿出钱来,捐出一笔又一笔5美元、10美元、20美元。而竞选活动的声势越来越大则是源自那些年轻人,他们拒绝接受认为他们这代人冷漠的荒诞说法;他们离开家、离开亲人,从事报酬微薄、极其辛苦的工作;同时也源自那些已经不算年轻的人们,他们冒着严寒酷暑,敲开陌生人的家门进行竞选宣传;更源自数百万的美国民众,他们自动自发地组织起来,证明了在两百多年以后,民有、民治、民享的政府并未从地球上消失。这是你们的胜利。
我知道你们的所做所为并不只是为了赢得大选,我也知道你们做这一切并不是为了我。你们这样做是因为你们明白摆在面前的任务有多艰巨。因为即便我们今晚欢呼庆祝,我们也知道明天将面临我们一生之中最为艰巨的挑战--两场战争、一个面临危险的星球,还有百年来最严重的金融危机。今晚站在此地,我们知道伊拉克的沙漠里和阿富汗的群山中还有勇敢的美国士兵醒来,甘冒生命危险保护着我们。会有在孩子熟睡后仍难以入眠的父母,担心如何偿还按揭月供、付医药费或是存够钱送孩子上大学。我们亟待开发新能源、创造新的工作机会;我们需要修建新学校,还要应对众多威胁、修复与许多国家的关系。
前方的道路会十分漫长艰辛。我们可能无法在一年甚至一届任期之内实现上述目标,但我从未像今晚这样满怀希望,相信我们会实现。我向你们承诺--我们作为一个整体将会达成目标。
我们会遭遇挫折和不成功的开端。对于我作为总统所做的每项决定和政策,会有许多人持有异议,我们也知道政府并不能解决所有问题。但我会向你们坦陈我们所面临的挑战。我会聆听你们的意见,尤其是在我们意见相左之时。最重要的是,我会请求你们参与重建这个国家,以美国221年来从未改变的唯一方式--一砖一瓦、胼手胝足。
21个月前那个寒冬所开始的一切不应该在今天这个秋夜结束。今天的选举胜利并不是我们所寻求的改变--这只是我们进行改变的机会。而且如果我们仍然按照旧有方式行事,我们所寻求的改变不可能出现。没有你们,也不可能有这种改变。
因此,让我们发扬新的爱国精神,树立新的服务意识和责任感,让我们每个人下定决心全情投入、更加努力地工作,并彼此关爱。让我们铭记这场金融危机带来的教训:我们不可能在金融以外的领域备受煎熬的同时拥有繁荣兴旺的华尔街--在这个国家,我们患难与共。
让我们抵制重走老路的诱惑,避免重新回到令美国政治长期深受毒害的党派纷争和由此引发的遗憾和不成熟表现。让我们牢记,正是伊利诺伊州的一名男子首次将共和党的大旗扛到了白宫。共和党是建立在自强自立、个人自由以及全民团结的价值观上,这也是我们所有人都珍视的价值。虽然民主党今天晚上赢得了巨大的胜利,但我们是以谦卑的态度和弥合阻碍我们进步的分歧的决心赢得这场胜利的。林肯在向远比我们眼下分歧更大的国家发表讲话时说,我们不是敌人,而是朋友„„虽然激情可能褪去,但是这不会割断我们感情上的联系。对于那些现在并不支持我的美国人,我想说,或许我没有赢得你们的选票,但是我听到了你们的声音,我需要你们的帮助,而且我也将是你们的总统。
那些彻夜关注美国大选的海外人士,从国会到皇宫,以及在这个世界被遗忘的角落里挤在收音机旁的人们,我们的经历虽然各有不同,但是我们的命运是相通的,新的美国领袖诞生了。那些想要颠覆这个世界的人们,我们必将击败你们。那些追求和平和安全的人们,我们支持你们。那些所有怀疑美国能否继续照亮世界发展前景的人们,今天晚上我们再次证明,我们国家真正的力量并非来自我们武器的威力或财富的规模,而是来自我们理想的持久力量:民主、自由、机会和不屈的希望。
这才是美国真正的精华--美国能够改变。我们的联邦会日臻完善。我们取得的成就为我们将来能够取得的以及必须取得的成就增添了希望。
这次大选创造了多项“第一”,也诞生了很多将世代流传的故事。但是今天晚上令我难忘的却是在亚特兰大投票的一名妇女:安?尼克松?库波尔(Ann Nixon Cooper)。她和其他数百万排队等待投票的选民没有什么差别,除了一点:她已是106岁的高龄。
她出生的那个时代奴隶制度刚刚结束;那时路上没有汽车,天上也没有飞机;当时像她这样的人由于两个原因不能投票--一是她是女性,另一个原因是她的肤色。
今天晚上,我想到了她在美国过去一百年间所经历的种种:心痛和希望;挣扎和进步;那些我们被告知我们办不到的世代,以及那些坚信美国信条──是的,我们能做到──的人们。
曾几何时,妇女没有发言权,她们的希望化作泡影,但是安?尼克松?库波尔活了下来,看到妇女们站了起来,看到她们大声发表自己的见解,看到她们去参加大选投票。是的,我们能做到。
当30年代的沙尘暴和大萧条引发人们的绝望之情时,她看到一个国家用罗斯福新政、新就业机会以及对新目标的共同追求战胜恐慌。是的,我们能做到。
当炸弹袭击了我们的海港、独裁专制威胁到全世界,她见证了美国一代人的伟大崛起,见证了一个民主国家被拯救。是的,我们能做到。
她看到蒙哥马利通了公共汽车、伯明翰接上了水管、塞尔马建了桥,一位来自亚特兰大的传教士告诉人们:我们能成功。是的,我们能做到。
人类登上月球、柏林墙倒下,世界因我们的科学和想像被连接在一起。今年,就在这次选举中,她用手指触碰屏幕投下自己的选票,因为在美国生活了106年之后,经历了最好的时光和最黑暗的时刻之后,她知道美国如何能够发生变革。是的,我们能做到。
美国,我们已经走过漫漫长路。我们已经历了很多。但是我们仍有很多事情要做。因此今夜,让我们自问--如果我们的孩子能够活到下个世纪;如果我们的女儿有幸活得和安一样长,他们将会看到怎样的改变?我们将会取得怎样的进步?
现在是我们回答这个问题的机会。这是我们的时刻。这是我们的时代--让我们的人民重新就业,为我们的后代敞开机会的大门;恢复繁荣发展,推进和平事业;让“美国梦”重新焕发光芒,再次证明这样一个基本的真理:我们是一家人;一息尚存,我们就有希望;当我们遇到嘲讽和怀疑,当有人说我们办不到的时候,我们要以这个永恒的信条来回应他们:
是的,我们能做到。感谢你们。上帝保佑你们。愿上帝保佑美利坚合众国。