奥巴马经典演讲稿
【篇一】：竞选
This is a defining moment in our history. We face the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression -- 760,000 workers have lost their jobs this year. Businesses and families cant get credit. Home values are falling, and pensions are disappearing. Wages are lower than theyve been in a decade, at a time when the costs of health care and college have never been higher.
At a moment like this, we cant afford four more years of spending increases, poorly designed tax cuts, or the complete lack of regulatory oversight that even former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan now believes was a mistake. America needs a new direction. Thats why Im running for president of the United States. Tomorrow, you can give this country the change we need.
My opponent, Senator McCain, has served his country honorably. He can even point to a few moments in the past where he has broken from his party. But over the past eight years, hes voted with President Bush 90% of the time. And when it comes to the economy, he still cant tell the American people one major thing hed do differently from George Bush.
Its not change to come up with a tax plan that doesnt give a penny of relief to more than 100 million middle-class Americans -- a plan that even the National Review and other conservative organizations complain does far too little to benefit the middle class. Its not change to add more than $5 trillion to the deficits weve run up in recent years. Its not change to come up with a plan to address our housing crisis that puts another $300 billion of taxpayer money at risk -- a plan that the editorial board of this newspaper said raises more questions than it answers.
If theres one thing weve learned from this economic crisis, its that we are all in this together. From CEOs to shareholders, from financiers to factory workers, we all have a stake in each others success because the more Americans prosper, the more America prospers.
Thats why weve had titans of industry whove made it their mission to pay well enough that their employees could afford the products they made -- businessmen like Warren Buffett, whose support Im proud to have. Thats why our economy hasnt just been the worlds greatest wealth creator -- its been the worlds greatest job generator. Its been the tide that has lifted the boats of the largest middle class in history. To rebuild that middle class, Ill give a tax break to 95% of workers and their families. If you work, pay taxes, and make less than $200,000, youll get a tax cut. If you make more than $250,000, youll still pay taxes at a lower rate than in the 1990s -- and capital gains and dividend taxes one-third lower than they were under President Reagan.
Well create two million new jobs by rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure and laying broadband lines that reach every corner of the country. Ill invest $15 billion a year over the next decade in renewable energy, creating five million new, green jobs that pay well, cant be outsourced, and can help end our dependence on Middle East oil. When it comes to health care, we dont have to choose between a government-run system and the unaffordable one we have now. My opponents plan would make you pay taxes on your health-care benefits for the first time in history. My plan will make health care affordable and accessible for every American. If you already have health insurance, the only change youll see under my plan is lower premiums. If you dont, youll be able to get the same kind of plan that members of Congress get for themselves.
To give every child a world-class education so they can compete in this global economy for the jobs of the 21st century, Ill invest in early childhood education and recruit an army of new teachers. But Ill also demand higher standards and more accountability. And well make a deal with every young American: If you commit to serving your community or your country, we will make sure you can afford your tuition.
And when it comes to keeping this country safe, Ill end the Iraq war responsibly so we stop spending $10 billion a month in Iraq while it sits on a huge surplus. For the sake of our economy, our military and the long-term stability of Iraq, its time for the Iraqis to step up. Ill finally finish the fight against bin Laden and the al Qaeda terrorists who attacked us on 9/11, build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century, and restore our moral standing so that America remains the last, best hope of Earth.
None of this will be easy. It wont happen overnight. But I believe we can do this because I believe in America. This is the country that allowed our parents and grandparents to believe that even if they couldnt go to college, they could save a little bit each week so their child could; that even if they couldnt have their own business, they could work hard enough so their child could open one of their own. And at every moment in our history, weve risen to meet our challenges because weve never forgotten the fundamental truth that in America, our destiny is not written for us, but by us. So tomorrow, I ask you to write our nations next great chapter. I ask you to believe -- not just in my ability to bring about change, but in yours. Tomorrow, you can choose policies that invest in our middle class, create new jobs, and grow this economy so that everyone has a chance to succeed. You can choose hope over fear, unity over division, the promise of change over the power of the status quo. If you give me your vote, we wont just win this election -- together, we will change this country and change the world.
译文：
现在是美国历史的关键时刻。我们面临着大萧条以来最为严重的一场经济危机：今年以来已经有76万人失业；企业和家庭无法获得信贷；房价不断下滑，养老金日益缩水；工资降到了十年来的最低水平，同时医疗和教育成本却涨到了有史以来的最高点。
在眼下这样的危急时刻，我们承受不起又一个四年的支出增长、千疮百孔的减税措施、或是监管全无──即使是美国联邦储备委员会（Fed）前主席格林斯潘（Alan Greenspan）现在也承认那是个错误。美国需要一个新的方向。这也正是我竞选美国总统的原因所在。
明天，也就是周二，你们将有能力赋予这个国家我们所需要的变革。
Corbis我的竞选对手麦凯恩参议员为美国作出的贡献令人尊敬。他甚至可以指出他过去曾有几次与自己的党派分道扬镳。然而，在过去八年中，他十之八九都赞同布什总统的主张。而在经济问题上，他仍然无法向美国民众说明，他与布什的做法会有什么太大区别。
如果提出的税收计划没有让1亿多美国中产阶级获得一分钱的税项减免，这不是变革──即使是《国家评论》（National Review）杂志和其他保守派组织也抱怨说，这个计划对造福中产阶级贡献寥寥。在近年来不断累积的财政赤字上再添5万亿美元，这不是变革。如果解决房市危机的计划又将另外3,000亿美元纳税人的钱置于风险之中，这不是变革──《华尔街日报》编辑委员会称这一计划“产生的问题比解决的问题多”。
如果说我们从此次经济危机中学到了什么的话，那就是我们要患难与共。从首席执行长到公司股东，从金融家到工厂工人，我们每个人都休戚相关，因为美国的民众越富足，美国才会越繁荣。
这就是为什么我们有些企业巨头把提高员工薪酬作为自己的一项使命，让员工能买得起自己生产的产品，比如巴菲特（Warren Buffett）这样的商界人士。我对能有他的支持感到自豪。这就是为什么美国经济不仅是世界上最伟大的财富创造者，也是世界上最伟大的就业机会制造者。它一直托举着有史以来规模最大的中产阶级之舟。
为了重塑美国中产阶级，我将给予95%的工人及其家庭税收减免待遇。如果你工作，就交税；如果年收入不足20万美元，你会获得减税；即使你的年收入超过了25万美元，你所负担的税率也比上世纪九十年代要低──资本利得税和股息税要比里根总统时期低三分之一。
通过重建日益破败的基础设施、在美国的各个角落接通宽带，我们将创造200万个就业岗位。未来的十年中，我将每年在可再生能源领域投资150亿美元，进而新增500万个岗位；这些工作环保、薪酬丰厚、不能外包，而且能帮助我们摆脱对中东石油的依赖。
在医疗问题上，我们不必在政府运营的体系和目前这种我们难以负担的体系之间进行选择。我的竞选对手提出的方案会令美国人有史以来首次为自己获得的医疗福利纳税。我的计划则会让医疗保健成为每个美国人都负担得起、享受得到的服务。根据我的计划，如果你已经有了医疗保险，你将看到的唯一一个变化是保费降低；如果你还没有医疗保险，你将能与国会议员们享受到同样的医疗福利。
为了让每个孩子享受到世界级的教育，让他们能在全球经济中竞争21世纪的工作岗位，我将投资早期教育，并且增加师资力量。不过，我同时也会要求更高的标准和更多的责任。我们向每个美国年轻人作出承诺：如果你致力于服务你的社区或是你的国家，我们将确保你能负担得起自己的学费。
在国防安全问题上，我将负责任地结束伊拉克战争，这样我们就不必在这个国家享有巨额财政盈余的情况下每月却要在那里花费100亿美元。为了美国的经济、美国的军队和伊拉克的长期稳定，现在是伊拉克人站出来的时候了。我将最终完成对本·拉登（Bin Laden）和基地组织恐怖分子的打击，正是这些人制造了9/11恐怖袭击，同时我还会建立新的合作关系、击退21世纪出现的威胁，恢复我们的道德威望，让美国仍然是地球上最后也是最好的希望。
这些事情没有一件是轻而易举能办到的，也不是一朝一夕能完成的。但是，我坚信我们能成功，因为我对美国深信不疑。是美国使我们的父辈相信，即使他们自己无法上大学，也可以每周积攒下一些钱来，让他们的孩子接受好的教育；即使他们不能拥有自己的企业，也可以通过努力工作让自己的孩子创办企业。在美国历史的每个时刻，我们都勇敢地站起来面对挑战，因为我们从来没有忘记过这样一个基本真理：在美国，我们的命运并非天定，而是掌握在我们自己的手中。 所以，明天，我恳请你们书写美国下一个伟大的篇章。我恳请你们不只相信我带来变革的能力，还有你们自己的能力。明天，你们可以选择这样一种政策──向美国中产阶级进行投入、创造新的就业岗位、实现经济增长让人人都有成功的机会。你们可以选择希望而非恐惧、选择团结而非分裂、选择变革的希望而非墨守成规。如果你们投我的票，我们将不仅赢得此次竞选，还将一起改变这个国家、改变这个世界。
【篇二】：胜选
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.
Its 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.
Its 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.
Its 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.
Its 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 hes 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 nations 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 nations next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy thats coming with us to the White House. And while shes 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 youve 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 didnt 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 generations 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 didnt do this just to win an election and I know you didnt 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 theyll make the mortgage, or pay their doctors 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 wont agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government cant 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 its 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, its 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 Americas 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 thats on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. Shes 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 couldnt vote for two reasons - because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.
And tonight, I think about all that shes seen throughout her century in America - the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we cant, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.
At a time when womens 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 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 doubt, and those who tell us that we cant, 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.
译文：
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子弟兵醒来，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－－这只是我们实现改变的机会。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，避免重新回到长期荼毒美国政治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。愿上帝保佑你们，保佑美利坚合众国。
【篇三】：就职
My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors.
I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition. Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidentialoath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often, the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebearers, and true to our founding documents.So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land -- a nagging fear that Americas decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America: They will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the fainthearted -- for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things -- some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor -- who have carried us up the long, rugged path toward prosperity and freedom.For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.Time and again, these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life.They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions -- that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act -- not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technologys wonders to raise health cares quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions -- who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them -- that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works -- whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the publics dollars will be held to account -- to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day -- because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control -- and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart -- not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expediences sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: Know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort -- even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their societys ills on the West: Know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the worlds resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment -- a moment that will define a generation -- it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighters courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parents willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends -- hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.This is the source of our confidence -- the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed -- why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of Americas birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive... that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet ［it］."America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our childrens children that when we were tested, we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back, nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and Gods grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
译文：
我的同胞们：
我今天站在这里，以谦卑的心情面对着在我面前的使命，对于你们赋予我的信任心存感激，也不敢遗忘开国先贤们所作的牺牲。我感谢布什总统为我们国家所作的服务、以及在政权交接过程中他所展示的大度及合作。
到现在已经有44位美国人进行了总统就职宣誓。这些言辞在繁荣兴旺时以及和平时期作出。但是，也有一些时期，这些誓言是在阴云密布和暴风雨来袭时作出。在这些时期里，美国继续向前行，不单单是身为总统者的睿智和远见，也是因为我们身为人民者仍然忠于开国先贤们的理想、以及忠实执行开国时的文件宣言。
所以，世代一直是如此的。所以我们这一代的美国人也必须如此。
我们现在非常了解我们正处于危机之中。我们的国家正在作战状态，对抗一个暴力和仇恨的广大网络。我们的经济大大受到削弱，这不仅是一些人贪婪和不负责任的后果，也是我们在做出艰难抉择，为国家进入新时代进行准备方面的共同失误所使然。房屋失去了；工作机会流失了；商业陷入凋敝的困境。我们的医疗费用过于昂贵；我们有太多的学校令人失望；每天都有更多的证据显示，我们使用能源的方式只能令我们的对手变强，同时威胁到我们的星球。
这些就是危机的信号，数据和统计结果都显示出来。数字不容易显示出来的、但是却不容忽视的是，我们全国各地有些信心正在消蚀，担心的是美国的衰落不可避免，担心我们的下一代不得不降低对未来的期许。
今天我要对你们说的是，我们面临的挑战是真实的。这些挑战不仅严峻，而且复杂。应对这些挑战绝非易事，更非一朝一夕之功。但是，美国，请明白这一点：这些挑战将会面对。
我们今天聚集在一起，因为我们选择了希望而不是恐惧，选择了众志成城而不是纷争不和。我们今天共同来宣布，让心胸狭窄的怨言和虚妄的诺言成为过去，结束相互指责和攻击以及令人厌倦的教条，这些已经窒息压制我们的政治太过长久。
我们仍然还是一个年青的国家，不过用圣经的话来说，抛弃幼稚东西的时间已经到了。现在，我们要彰显美国的持久精神，创造新的历史，继承和发扬代代传承的珍贵才智和崇高的理想：那就是上帝赋予我们的，人人平等，人人自由，人人都有机会寻求最大幸福。
重申我们国家伟大的同时，我们深深懂得，伟大从来不是与生具来的。它必须努力赢得；我们的道路从来没有捷径，也没有妥协。我们的道路从来不是懦夫们所走的，也不是给那些喜欢轻松，或者喜欢追逐财富和名誉的人走的。而是给那些不畏风险的人、脚踏实地的实践者、那些发明创造者。带领我们走向繁荣和自由的漫长崎岖之路的前进者之中，有些有名声的人，但是更多的是工作中默默无闻的男女大众。为了我们，他们背起简单的行囊，飘洋过海，寻求新的生活。
为了我们，他们在血汗车间和作坊中辛勤劳作，并且在美国的西部扎下根，他们忍受皮鞭的抽打，在坚硬的土地上辛勤耕作。
为了我们， 他们在康科德和盖底斯堡，在诺曼底和溪山出生入死地战斗。
为了我们能够过上好日子，我们的这些男女大众，前仆后继，英勇奋斗，不懈牺牲，直到他们的双手粗糙地磨出老茧；他们看到的美国是一个理想高于个人雄心壮志的国家，他们把美国的理想看得高于个人的生死，高于财富和派别。
这就是我们今天要继续进行的旅程。我们依然是世界上最繁荣、最强大的国家；我们劳工的创造力并没有比这场危机开始的时候低；我们的思想也没有缺乏创造性；对我们产品和服务的需求，也没有比上个星期或者上个月或者上一年减少；我们的能力依然没有减弱；但是，我们那种一成不变，保护狭隘利益，推出不受欢迎决策的时代注定已经成为过去。从今天开始， 我们将重新鼓舞，揩干净身上的灰尘，重新开始重新创造美国的任务。
放眼四周，到处是需要从事的工作，目前的经济状况需要我们迅速采取果敢的行动，我们将行动起来，不仅要创造就业机会，而且还要为今后的发展奠定基础。我们将修路架桥，架设电力网线，修建通往商务和连接民众的数据通道。我们将恢复科学应有的正确位置。利用科技奇迹提高医疗保健的质量，同时降低成本。为了能为我们的车辆和工厂提供能源，我们要进一步利用阳光，风力和土壤。我们要改造学校和大学，满足新时代的要求；我们有能力完成上述任务，我们一定能够完成上述任务。
现在，有些人对我们的雄心壮志表示怀疑，他们说，我们的体制不可能让我们实现这么多的宏伟计划。这些人的记忆实在太糟了。
因为他们忘记了这个国家过去已经取得的成就，忘记了当自由的男男女女的想象力为了共同目标而激励、而聚集在一起的时候，能够达成些什么。
这些冷嘲热讽的人不可能理解的是，他们脚下的这片土地已经发生了变化，长期以来耗尽我们精力的无聊的政治辩论已经不复存在。我们今天要问的，不是我们的政府是否太大或者太小，而是我们的政府是否起到作用，是否帮助美国家庭找到一份像样收入的工作，能够支付起医疗保险，一个有尊严的退休生活。
如果回答是肯定的，我们就应该继续执行。如果回答是否定的，那么计划将会停止，那些负责管理公共资金的人应该负起责任。我们的支出必须睿智，必须改变坏习气，运作必须光明正大。只有这样，才能恢复美国人民和政府之间至关重要的信任。
市场到底是好的还是坏的力量，这也不是我们面临的问题。市场给人们带来的财富和扩大自由的力量是无可比拟的。但是目前的金融危机提醒我们，如果缺乏监督，市场可能会失去控制。如果一个国家只追求繁荣，繁荣是不可能长久的。美国经济之所以成功并不总是因为我们国内生产总值的规模，而是因为经济繁荣已经渗透到各个领域和层次，是因为我们有能力向一切愿意接受帮助的人提供机会。我们帮助其他国家不是出于慈善，而是因为这是达到我们共同利益最可靠的途径。
至于我们的共同防御，我们认为在我们的安全和理想之间做出选择是错误的。我们的建国先贤们在面对难以想象的危险的时候，他们起草了一份确保法制和人权的宪章，一份后来用几代人的鲜血发展的宪章。他们的理念如今依然照亮着全世界，我们不应该为了权宜之计而放弃。今天，观看这场就职典礼的世界各地的所有人民和政府，无论是在大都市，还是我父亲出生的小村庄，都知道，美国是所有追求和平与尊严的国家和人民的朋友，美国已做好准备，将再次成为世界领导人。
回想前辈们通过牢固的盟友和坚定的信念，而不是导弹和坦克，来面对法西斯主义和共产主义。他们明白，仅靠我们单独的力量是不能保卫我们自己的，而且我们也无权随心所欲要做我们想做的事情。他们知道只有通过明智的使用力量，力量才会增强，只有通过我们正义的信念、自身的榜样，以及具有人道主义和自我克制的温和素质，才会有国家的安全。
我们是这些美国传统的保持人，在这些原则再一次的指引下，通过各国之间更好的合作、理解和更多的努力，我们能够面对那些新的威胁。我们将开始负责任地撤离伊拉克，把伊拉克交给她的人民，并且巩固得来不易的阿富汗和平。我们将跟老朋友和从前的对手在一起，不辞辛劳地来减少核威胁，减少全球温室效应。我们不会为我们的生活方式而道歉，也不会放弃保卫这种生活方式。那些通过恐怖主义和屠杀无辜的方式来达到目的的人，我们现在要对你们说，我们的信念比以前更加强壮，是坚不可摧的，你们不会比我们更长久，我们一定会打败你们。
因为我们知道，多元化的传统是我们强点，而不是弱点。我们是一个由基督教和穆斯林、犹太教和印度教以及无信仰者组成的国家，我们是由来自地球每个角落的各种语言和文化组成的；因为我们承受过内战和种族隔离的痛苦洗礼，走出黑暗的历程，我们更加坚强，更加团结。我们不得不相信，以前的仇恨总有一天会过去，派别分歧迟早会消失。随着世界在变小，我们共有的人道主义精神一定会展示出来，美国一定要率先走进新的和平纪元。
针对穆斯林世界，我们要在相互有利和相互尊重的基础上，寻找新的推动方式；针对那些企图制造冲突，或者把自己的社会问题推卸给西方的各国领导人，要知道，你们的人民会用你的建设成就，而不是摧毁能力来评判你；针对那些通过腐败、欺骗和镇压异议人士来维持权力的人，要知道你们是在错误的历史一边；不过只要你们愿意放开拳头，我们愿意向你们伸出手。
针对那些贫穷国家，我们保证和你们一起工作，让你们的土地肥沃，让清水长流；我们会滋养饥饿的身躯，灌输饥渴的头脑。针对那些和我们一样相对富足的国家，我们要说，对我们境外的痛苦，我们再不能无动于衷了，在消耗世界资源的同时，我们不能不考虑后果。因为世界已经改变了，我们也一定要随之改变。
当我们思考未来的道路，我们要带着谦卑的感恩之心，牢牢记住那些勇敢的美国人，他们现在正在遥远的沙漠和山脉执行巡逻任务。他们今天有话要告诉我们，就像安葬在阿灵顿那些逝去的英雄一直对我们低语一样。我们向他们致敬，不只是因为他们捍卫我们的自由，他们更落实了服务的精神，他们愿意寻找比自己意义更重大的事情。在这个时刻，这个将定义整个时代的时刻，正是这样的精神，必须长存在我们心中。
不论政府能够或者需要做什么，这个国家最终仰赖的还是美国人民的信仰和决心。在堤坝决堤的时候，接纳一个陌生人所展现的仁慈；因为不愿意看到朋友失业，而宁愿减少自己的工时所展现的无私，这些美德帮助我们度过最黑暗的时间。消防队员冲进满是浓烟的楼梯间所展现的勇气；父母教养孩子展现的自发性，这些最终决定了我们的命运。
我们的挑战或许是全新的。我们解决的方式也可能是全新的。但是我们的成功所仰赖的价值观却是恒古不变的，这些价值观是辛勤工作、诚实、勇气、公平、宽容和好奇。这些是真实的。在历史上，这些是推动我们前进的宁静力量。现在需要的是回归这些真理。我们现在需要的一个新的责任世纪。每一个美国人都要认清，我们对我们自己、我们的国家、世界都有义务。我们不是勉强的接受这些义务，而是欢欣的接纳。我们坚定的知道，没有什么比为艰难的任务全力付出更能满足我们的精神，更能定义我们的特质。这是公民权的代价和承诺。
这是我们自信的泉源。我们知道神召唤我们为了要塑造这个充满变动的未来。
这是我们的自由和信仰的意义，这说明了为什么不同种族和信仰的男女和幼童相聚在这个宏伟的广场上；这说明了为什么一个当他的父亲在不到60年前或许还不能在餐厅里接受服务的人，今天能够在你们面前，许下这个最神圣的誓言。
让我们以这样的态度纪念这一天：我们记得自己是谁，我们前进了多远。在美国诞生的年代，在最寒冷的月份，一小群爱国者在冰冻的河岸上，蜷缩在将熄的营火旁。那时，首都被遗弃了。敌人正在向前推进。白雪上沾染了鲜血。当时，我们革命的结果遭受最大的怀疑，但我们的建国之父命令要对人民宣读这些文字：
"让未来的世界知道，在寒冷的冬天，这个只有希望和美德能够生存的时候，受到一个共同危机挑战的城市和国家，曾经勇敢的面对他。"
美国。面对我们共同的危机，在这个艰苦的严冬，让我们记得这些永恒的字句。带着希望和美德，我们再次勇敢的面对冰冷的激流，承受未来可能降临的风暴。让我们的下一代传颂，当我们受到考验的时候，我们拒绝结束这场旅程。我们没有回头，也没有步履蹒跚。我们的眼光定在地平线上，神的恩典顾及我们，我们带着一份伟大的礼物，也就是自由，向前进，然后将这份礼物安全的交给未来的世世代代。
谢谢大家!上帝保佑你们!上帝保佑美国!
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