奥巴马演讲The American Promise 美国的承诺.docx

奥巴马演讲The American Promise 美国的承诺.docx

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奥巴马演讲TheAmericanPromise美国的承诺

BarackObamaAcceptanceSpeechattheDemocraticNationalConvention

August28,2008

Thankyousomuch.Thankyouverymuch.Thankyou,everybody.

ToChairmanDeanandmygreatfriendDickDurbin;andtoallmyfellowcitizensofthisgreatnation;

Withprofoundgratitudeandgreathumility,IacceptyournominationforthepresidencyoftheUnitedStates.

Letmeexpressmythankstothehistoricslateofcandidateswhoaccompaniedmeonthisjourney,andespeciallytheonewhotraveledthefarthest-achampionforworkingAmericansandaninspirationtomydaughtersandtoyours--HillaryRodhamClinton.ToPresidentClinton,wholastnightmadethecaseforchangeasonlyhecanmakeit;toTedKennedy,whoembodiesthespiritofservice;andtothenextVicePresidentoftheUnitedStates,JoeBiden,Ithankyou.Iamgratefultofinishthisjourneywithoneofthefineststatesmenofourtime,amanateasewitheveryonefromworldleaderstotheconductorsontheAmtraktrainhestilltakeshomeeverynight.

Totheloveofmylife,ournextFirstLady,MichelleObama,andtoSashaandMalia-Iloveyousomuch,andI'msoproudofallofyou.

Fouryearsago,Istoodbeforeyouandtoldyoumystory-ofthebriefunionbetweenayoungmanfromKenyaandayoungwomanfromKansaswhoweren'twell-offorwell-known,butsharedabeliefthatinAmerica,theirsoncouldachievewhateverheputhismindto.

Itisthatpromisethathasalwayssetthiscountryapart-thatthroughhardworkandsacrifice,eachofuscanpursueourindividualdreamsbutstillcometogetherasoneAmericanfamily,toensurethatthenextgenerationcanpursuetheirdreamsaswell.

That'swhyIstandheretonight.Becausefortwohundredandthirtytwoyears,ateachmomentwhenthatpromisewasinjeopardy,ordinarymenandwomen-studentsandsoldiers,farmersandteachers,nursesandjanitors--foundthecouragetokeepitalive.

Wemeetatoneofthosedefiningmoments-amomentwhenournationisatwar,oureconomyisinturmoil,andtheAmericanpromisehasbeenthreatenedoncemore.

Tonight,moreAmericansareoutofworkandmoreareworkingharderforless.Moreofyouhavelostyourhomesandevenmorearewatchingyourhomevaluesplummet.Moreofyouhavecarsyoucan'taffordtodrive,creditcardbillsyoucan'taffordtopay,andtuitionthat'sbeyondyourreach.

Thesechallengesarenotallofgovernment'smaking.ButthefailuretorespondisadirectresultofabrokenpoliticsinWashingtonandthefailedpoliciesofGeorgeW.Bush.

America,wearebetterthantheselasteightyears.Weareabettercountrythanthis.

ThiscountryismoredecentthanonewhereawomaninOhio,onthebrinkofretirement,findsherselfoneillnessawayfromdisasterafteralifetimeofhardwork.

ThiscountryismoregenerousthanonewhereamaninIndianahastopackuptheequipmenthe'sworkedonfortwentyyearsandwatchitshippedofftoChina,andthenchokesupasheexplainshowhefeltlikeafailurewhenhewenthometotellhisfamilythenews.

Wearemorecompassionatethanagovernmentthatletsveteranssleeponourstreetsandfamiliesslideintopoverty;thatsitsonitshandswhileamajorAmericancitydrownsbeforeoureyes.

Tonight,IsaytotheAmericanpeople,toDemocratsandRepublicansandIndependentsacrossthisgreatland-enough!

Thismoment-thiselection-isourchancetokeep,inthe21stcentury,theAmericanpromisealive.Becausenextweek,inMinnesota,thesamepartythatbroughtyoutwotermsofGeorgeBushandDickCheneywillaskthiscountryforathird.Andweareherebecausewelovethiscountrytoomuchtoletthenextfouryearslooklikethelasteight.OnNovember4th,wemuststandupandsay:

"Eightisenough."

Nowlettherebenodoubt.TheRepublicannominee,JohnMcCain,hasworntheuniformofourcountrywithbraveryanddistinction,andforthatweowehimourgratitudeandrespect.Andnextweek,we'llalsohearaboutthoseoccasionswhenhe'sbrokenwithhispartyasevidencethathecandeliverthechangethatweneed.

Buttherecord'sclear:

JohnMcCainhasvotedwithGeorgeBushninetypercentofthetime.SenatorMcCainlikestotalkaboutjudgment,butreally,whatdoesitsayaboutyourjudgmentwhenyouthinkGeorgeBushhasbeenrightmorethanninetypercentofthetime?

Idon'tknowaboutyou,butI'mnotreadytotakeatenpercentchanceonchange.

Thetruthis,onissueafterissuethatwouldmakeadifferenceinyourlives-onhealthcareandeducationandtheeconomy-SenatorMcCainhasbeenanythingbutindependent.Hesaidthatoureconomyhasmade"greatprogress"underthisPresident.Hesaidthatthefundamentalsoftheeconomyarestrong.Andwhenoneofhischiefadvisors-themanwhowrotehiseconomicplan-wastalkingabouttheanxietyAmericansarefeeling,hesaidthatwewerejustsufferingfroma"mentalrecession,"andthatwe'vebecome,andIquote,"anationofwhiners."

Anationofwhiners?

TellthattotheproudautoworkersataMichiganplantwho,aftertheyfoundoutitwasclosing,keptshowingupeverydayandworkingashardasever,becausetheyknewtherewerepeoplewhocountedonthebrakesthattheymade.Tellthattothemilitaryfamilieswhoshouldertheirburdenssilentlyastheywatchtheirlovedonesleavefortheirthirdorfourthorfifthtourofduty.Thesearenotwhiners.Theyworkhardandgivebackandkeepgoingwithoutcomplaint.ThesearetheAmericansthatIknow.

Now,Idon'tbelievethatSenatorMcCaindoesn'tcarewhat'sgoingoninthelivesofAmericans.Ijustthinkhedoesn'tknow.Whyelsewouldhedefinemiddle-classassomeonemakingunderfivemilliondollarsayear?

HowelsecouldheproposehundredsofbillionsintaxbreaksforbigcorporationsandoilcompaniesbutnotonepennyoftaxrelieftomorethanonehundredmillionAmericans?

Howelsecouldheofferahealthcareplanthatwouldactuallytaxpeople'sbenefits,oraneducationplanthatwoulddonothingtohelpfamiliespayforcollege,oraplanthatwouldprivatizeSocialSecurityandgambleyourretirement?

It'snotbecauseJohnMcCaindoesn'tcare.It'sbecauseJohnMcCaindoesn'tgetit.

Forovertwodecades,he'ssubscribedtothatold,discreditedRepublicanphilosophy-givemoreandmoretothosewiththemostandhopethatprosperitytricklesdowntoeveryoneelse.InWashington,theycallthistheOwnershipSociety,butwhatitreallymeansis-you'reonyourown.Outofwork?

Toughluck.Nohealthcare?

Themarketwillfixit.Bornintopoverty?

Pullyourselfupbyyourownbootstraps-evenifyoudon'thaveboots.You'reonyourown.

Wellit'stimeforthemtoowntheirfailure.It'stimeforustochangeAmerica.

Yousee,weDemocratshaveaverydifferentmeasureofwhatconstitutesprogressinthiscountry.

Wemeasureprogressbyhowmanypeoplecanfindajobthatpaysthemortgage;whetheryoucanputalittleextramoneyawayattheendofeachmonthsoyoucansomedaywatchyourchildreceivehercollegediploma.Wemeasureprogressinthe23millionnewjobsthatwerecreatedwhenBillClintonwasPresident-whentheaverageAmericanfamilysawitsincomegoup$7,500insteadofdown$2,000likeithasunderGeorgeBush.

WemeasurethestrengthofoureconomynotbythenumberofbillionaireswehaveortheprofitsoftheFortune500,butbywhethersomeonewithagoodideacantakeariskandstartanewbusiness,orwhetherthewaitresswholivesontipscantakeadayofftolookafterasickkidwithoutlosingherjob-aneconomythathonorsthedignityofwork.

Thefundamentalsweusetomeasureeconomicstrengtharewhetherwearelivinguptothatfundamentalpromisethathasmadethiscountrygreat-apromisethatistheonlyreasonIamstandingheretonight.

BecauseinthefacesofthoseyoungveteranswhocomebackfromIraqandAfghanistan,Iseemygrandfather,whosignedupafterPearlHarbor,marchedinPatton'sArmy,andwasrewardedbyagratefulnationwiththechancetogotocollegeontheGIBill.

Inthefaceofthatyoungstudentwhosleepsjustthreehoursbeforeworkingthenightshift,Ithinkaboutmymom,whoraisedmysisterandmeonherownwhilesheworkedandearnedherdegree;whoonceturnedtofoodstampsbutwasstillabletosendustothebestschoolsinthecountrywiththehelpofstudentloansandscholarships.

WhenIlistentoanotherworkertellmethathisfactoryhasshutdown,IrememberallthosemenandwomenontheSouthSideofChicagowhoIstoodbyandfoughtfortwodecadesagoafterthelocalsteelplantclosed.

AndwhenIhearawomantalkaboutthedifficultiesofstartingherownbusiness,Ithinkaboutmygrandmother,whoworkedherwayupfromthesecretarialpooltomiddle-management,despiteyearsofbeingpassedoverforpromotionsbecauseshewasawoman.She'stheonewhotaughtmeabouthardwork.She'stheonewhoputoffbuyinganewcaroranewdressforherselfsothatIcouldhaveabetterlife.Shepouredeverythingshehadintome.Andalthoughshecannolongertravel,Iknowthatshe'swatchingtonight,andthattonightishernightaswell.

Idon'tknowwhatkindoflivesJohnMcCainthinksthatcelebritieslead,butthishasbeenmine.Thesearemyheroes.Theirsarethestoriesthatshapedme.AnditisontheirbehalfthatIintendtowinthiselectionandkeepourpromisealiveasPresidentoftheUnitedStates.

Whatisthatpromise?

It'sapromisethatsayseachofushasthefreedomtomakeofourownliveswhatwewill,butthatwealsohavetheobligationtotreateachotherwithdignityandrespect.

It'sapromisethatsaysthemarketshouldrewarddriveandinnovationandgenerategrowth,butthatbusinessesshouldliveuptotheirresponsibilit