第一篇:奥巴马获胜演说英文版
奥巴马获胜演说英文版----美国的变革 2008年11月06日 星期四 08 37 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 Watch Obama's speech in its entirety 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 Sen McCain Sen 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 Gov 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 16 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 $5 and $10 and $20 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 the 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 doctors' 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 the 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 21 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 the 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 the 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:奥巴马获胜演说 英文+翻译
Barack Obama’s Victory Speech:Change Has Come To America Obama: 奥巴马:
Hello, Chicago.您好,芝加哥。
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.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。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.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。
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.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。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.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。
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.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。
A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Sen.McCain.Sen.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 Gov.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.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。
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.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。
And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 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.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。
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.我的妹妹玛雅,我的妹妹阿尔玛,我的所有其他的兄弟姐妹们,感谢你们给了我这么多的一切支持,我感谢他们。
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.和我的竞选顾问大卫-Plouffe,此次竞选的无名英雄,我认为,是他打造了美利坚合众国历史上最好的-最好的政治运动。
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.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。
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.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…… It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 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 the Earth.This is your victory.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!
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 doctors' 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.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。
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.前方的道路很漫长,我们将步履维艰。我们也许无法在一年内,甚至是(我的)一个任期内,达成我们的目标。但是,今晚,我比任何时候都对此更有信心。我承诺,我们所有人将作为一个整体顺利的到达目的地。
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 the 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.我们将不可避免地遭遇许多挫折,也许开头并不会一帆风顺。我们需要弄明白一点,那就是政府无法解决所有的问题,也许有很多人不会同意我上台执政后制定的政策。不过,我将坦诚地接受各方的批评,直面我们的挑战。我将倾听你们的意见,尤其是不同的政见。总之,我邀请各位一同投入到国家的建设中来,用我们勤劳的双手堆砌建设这个国家所需的砖瓦。正是这一方式,使美国在221年的建国道路上不断前行。
What began 21 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.我在21个月前的深冬开始为竞选做出的努力并不会在今晚画上句号。我们所追求的并不是这场选举的胜利,这仅仅是为我们提供了一个做出变革的机会。如果回到过去的老路,我们将无法做出任何改变。当然,如果没有你们,一切都无法发生。
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.所以,让我们一同唤醒自己的爱国心,唤醒为国效力的责任感,我们将一道披星戴月,披荆斩棘向前行进,我们需要照顾的不再只有我们自己,而是每一个人。这次的金融危机让我们认识到一个事实,如果大众受苦受难,华尔街就不可能繁华似锦。我们必须携手与共、共同经历这个国家的荣辱兴衰。
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.长期以来,两党隔阂以及不成熟的狭隘主义造成了我们现在的失败政策,所以让我们一同抵制住这种倾向,避免回到那条老路。请记住,这个国家有一个民主党人将手扛民主和共和两党旗帜迈向白宫。充满自信,崇尚个人自由,维护国家团结将是我们共同追求的价值观。尽管民主党在今晚取得了压倒性的胜利,但是我们将继续带着谦卑前行,愈合这个国家因分裂受到的创伤。社会的分裂曾经阻碍我们国家前行的脚步。正如林肯总统在1861年的反国家分裂的演说中说到,“我们不是敌人,而是朋友。我们决不能成为敌人。尽管目前的情绪有些紧张,但决不能容许它使我们之间的亲密情感纽带破裂。”我要告诉那些没有将选票投给我的朋友,也许我没有赢得你们的选票,但我将聆听你们的声音,我需要你们的帮助,因为我同样将成为你们的总统。
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 the 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 the 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.我要告诉那些在美国大陆以外关注今晚选举的人们,也许你们在一个被世界遗忘的角落通过收音机了解今晚的选举,尽管我们的国情不一样,但是我们的命运是紧紧联系在一起的。一个全新的美国领导层即将呼之欲出。我要告诉那些试图破坏这个世界的人们,我们将打败你们!我要告诉那些追求和平和安全的人们,我们将全力支持你们!我要告诉那些对美国的未来持怀疑态度的人们,今晚,我们再次证明了一个事实,那就是这个国家拥有强大的力量,这并不是因为我们拥有众多的武器和财富。民主、自由、机遇、坚定不屈的希望才是这个国家保持强大的持久力量!
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.美国强大的真谛在于它能够做出改变,我们的国家可以变得更加完美。我们过去所达到的成就让我们看到了前进的希望。
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.本届选举创造了多项历史之最,有许多故事将代代相传。但此时此刻,我脑海中想起的是一名来自亚特兰大的选民,这位名叫安妮-尼克松-库珀的女性和千千万万的选民一样,静静地站在投票队伍之中,投出自己的选票,表达自己的声音。不过,与众不同的是,她已经106岁高龄了。在她出生的年代,公路上没有汽车,天空中没有飞机。像她一样的人仅仅因为肤色和性别就被挡在参与投票的大门之外。
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.今晚,我由此联想到了她一个世纪以来,在美国见证的一切:困苦与希望,奋斗与进步,那是一个让人无能为力的年代,但人们必须不断告诉自己美国的伟大信条:“是的,我们可以!”曾经,女性无法表达自己的意见,她们的希望成为幻影。如今,她终于见证了这一幕,和她一样有着悲惨遭遇的人们成功地投出了自己的选票。是的,我们可以!
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.当整个美国大陆都笼罩在经济大萧条的绝望之中时,她见证了一个国家战胜自身恐惧,重新崛起,罗斯福总统推行的“新政”不仅给美国带来了新的就业机会,更给美国人民带来了共同的价值观。是的,我们可以!
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.当日本的炸弹投向我们的港口,当世界被暴政所威胁,她见证了一个崛起的民族,民主重获新生。是的,我们可以!
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.她目睹了发生在蒙哥马利巴士上、伯明翰的高压水龙头下、塞尔玛大桥上的种族歧视……而后,来自亚特兰大民权先驱告诉人们,“我们可以战胜这一切”。是的,我们可以!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.而后,人类登月,柏林墙倒塌,世界重新集结在科学和想象力的号角下。现在,在这场选举中,她终于用自己的指尖触碰到投票屏幕,郑重地投下选票。饱经106年的沧桑变化,穿越岁月的风云变迁,她知道美国能做出怎样的改变。是的,我们可以!
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? 美国,我们风雨兼程,一路走来。我们经历了太多,但前方仍有许多梦想等待着我们去实现。今晚,让我们大声地问自己,我们的孩子是否还能看到下一个世纪;我可爱的女儿是否能和安妮-尼克松-库珀一样幸运,享受漫长的人生。他们将看到怎样的变革?我们将取得怎样的进步?
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.这是我们给出答案的机会。这是属于我们的时刻。这是我们的时代:让人们有事可做;为我们的孩子打开机遇之门;推动世界和平与繁荣;再次锻造美国梦,重申这一不可动摇的事实——虽然我们每个人不尽相同,但我们是一个整体,只要我们呼吸尚存,希望就永不磨灭。我们将用那历经时间考验的不朽信条掷地有声地直面质疑:“是的,我们可以!” Thank you.God bless you.And may God bless the United States of America.谢谢!上帝保佑你们,保佑美利坚合众国!
第三篇:奥巴马选举获胜后演说全文
奥巴马选举获胜后演说全文-中英对照版
《Change Has Come To America》 《美国的变革时代已经到来》
Hello, Chicago.芝加哥的市民们,你们好!
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.如果还有人对在美国是否凡事皆有可能这一点存疑,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。
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.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。
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.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。
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.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。
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.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。
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.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。
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.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。
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.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。
But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to – it belongs to you.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。
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.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。
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.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。
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.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、修复与许多盟国的关系。
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.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。
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.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 瓦而成、胼手胝足相续。
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.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。
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.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。
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.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。
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.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。
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.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。
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.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。
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.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。
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.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。
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.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。
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.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。
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.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。
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.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。
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.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。
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? 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?
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.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。
Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.感谢你们。上帝保佑你们。愿上帝保佑美利坚合众国。
第四篇:奥巴马的获胜演说
奥巴马的获胜演说
Barack Obama’s Victory Speech
(2008年11月4日,美国人选出伊利诺州参议员贝拉克·奥巴马为第44任总统。漫长的大选日结束当天,奥巴马在芝加哥一座公园向支持者致词)你好,芝加哥!
如果还有人怀疑美国是个一切皆有可能的地方,还有人怀疑美国缔造者的梦想在我们所处的时代是否依然燃烧,还有人质疑我们民主的力量,那么今晚就是答案。这个答案来自青年人和老年人,富人和穷人,民主党人和共和党人,黑人和白人,拉美裔、亚裔和美国原住民,同性恋和异性恋,残障人士和健全人士。美国人向世界宣告,我们不仅仅是一群个体或一群红州和蓝州。我们是美利坚合众国,永远都是。虽然来路漫漫,但今晚,由于我们在这个日子、在这次选举、在这个决定性时刻所作的选择,美国迎来了变革。
这是你们的胜利。
我知道,你们这样做不只是为了赢得一场选举。我也知道,你们这样做不是为了我。你们这样做是因为你们明白摆在面前的任务有多么艰巨。就在我们今晚庆祝的同时,我们知道明天将带来我们一生之中最为艰巨的挑战——两场战争,一个处境危险的星球,百年来最严重的金融危机。
就在我们今晚站在这里的同时,我们知道,还有勇敢的美国人在伊拉克的沙漠和阿富汗的群山中醒来,为了我们甘冒生命危险。
还有父母在孩子睡着后难以入眠,担心他们如何偿还抵押贷款、支付医药费或是存够钱送孩子上大学。
还有新能源要利用,还有新就业机会要创造,还有新学校要修建,还有新威胁要应对,还有联盟要修复。
前方的道路将是漫长的。我们的征途将是险峻的。我们也许无法在一年甚至一届任期之内实现目标。但是,美国,我从未像今晚这样,对我们终将实现的目标充满希望。我向你们保证,我们全体国民终将实现目标。
会有挫折和失败的开端。会有很多人并不赞同我作为总统所作的所有决定或决策。我们也知道,政府无法解决所有问题。
但我会始终向你们坦陈我们所面临的挑战。我会听取你们的意见,尤其是在我们意见相左之时。最重要的是,我会请你们参与重建这个国家,以美国221年来一直采取的唯一方式——一砖一瓦,胼手胝足。
因此,让我们发扬新的爱国精神和责任感,让我们每个人都下定决心全情投入,更加努力地工作,不只关心自己而且互相照顾。
让我们记住,如果说这场金融危机教会了我们什么的话,那就是我们不可能在普通
民众水深火热的同时拥有繁荣兴旺的华尔街。
在这个国度,我们整个国家、全体国民是荣辱与共的。让我们抵制住诱惑,不要回到长期毒害美国政治的老一套党派偏见、小题大做、幼稚无知中。
让我们记住,正是本州的一名男子首次将共和党的大旗扛到了白宫。共和党建立在自力更生、个人自由和国家统一的价值观之上。
这也是我们所有人共同的价值观。虽然民主党今晚取得了巨大的胜利,但我们在赢得胜利的过程中秉承着谦逊的态度,决心消弭一直阻碍我们进步的分歧。
正如林肯对一个远比我们现在分歧更大的国家所说,我们不是敌人,而是朋友。虽然关系可能紧张,但这不会割断我们的情感纽带。
对于我尚未赢得支持的美国人,我今晚也许没能得到你们的选票,但我听见了你们的声音。我需要你们的帮助。我也将成为你们的总统。
对于所有今晚关注我们的海外人士,从议会和皇宫到在这个世界上被遗忘的角落里挤在收音机旁的人,我们的经历虽然各有不同,但我们的命运是相通的,美国发挥领导作用的新曙光就在眼前。
对于想要毁灭这个世界的人,我们必将击败你们。对于追求和平与安全的人,我们支持你们。所有那些怀疑美国这座灯塔能否依然那样明亮的人,今晚我们再次证明,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,而是来自我们所怀理想的持久力量:民主、自由、机遇永不放弃的希望。
这是真正的美国精神:美国能够改变。我们的联邦能够日臻完善。我们已经取得的成就让我们对明天能够而且必须取得的成就充满希望。
这次选举有许多第一次和许多将会世代流传的故事。但是今晚萦绕在我脑海中的,是一名在亚特兰大投票的女士。她和这次选举中无数排队等待发出自己声音的选民没什么区别,除了一点:安·尼克松·库波尔已经106岁了。
她出生时奴隶才刚刚废止了一代人时间;那时路上没有汽车,天上也没有飞机;当时像她这样的人不能投票,原因有两个——一是因为她是女性,二是因为她的肤色。
今晚,我想到了她一百年来在美国所目睹的一切──心痛与希望;斗争与进步;那些我们被告知我们办不到的时代,以及那些坚守美国信条即是:是的,我们能做到。
在妇女的声音被压制、愿望被忽视的时代,她亲眼目睹妇女们站起来,大声发表意见,去参加投票。是的,我们能做到。
当席卷全国的沙尘暴和大萧条令人绝望之时,她目睹一个国家依靠自己,用罗斯福新政、新就业机会和对共同目标的新认识战胜了恐惧。是的我们能做到。
当炸弹落在我们港口、专制暴政威胁世界时,她亲眼见证了一代人成长为伟大的一代,见证了一个民主国家被挽救。是的,我们能做到。
第五篇:奥巴马获胜演说
奥巴马获胜演说
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.