奧巴馬于2008年在艾奧瓦州德斯莫內(nèi)斯的競選演講

背景介紹

奧巴馬的演講集傳道士的雄辯和推銷員的機(jī)敏于一身，既激情四射、振奮人心，又言簡意賅、主題突出。這樣的演講技巧，再經(jīng)過媒體的放大，便能產(chǎn)生明星效應(yīng)。奧巴馬成功當(dāng)選美國第四十四任總統(tǒng)，也是美國歷史上第一位黑人總統(tǒng)。美國新一場變革即將來臨。

奧巴馬面臨的金融和經(jīng)濟(jì)危機(jī)從程度上雖不能與羅斯福時期相比，但卻是羅斯福之后歷任總統(tǒng)所面臨的危機(jī)中最為嚴(yán)重的一次。次貸危機(jī)引發(fā)的金融危機(jī)摧毀了很多美國家庭在過去十多年積累起來的財(cái)富，能否盡快穩(wěn)定市場和穩(wěn)定投資者的信心，決定了奧巴馬是成為像羅斯福那樣的民族英雄，還是曇花一現(xiàn)的黑人總統(tǒng)。

2008年11月5日正午，美國作出了一個偉大的決定，歷史上第一次，一個黑皮膚的人登上了世界的權(quán)力之巔。而僅僅十二年前，他還只是一介平民;是什么令他如此平步青云?

貝拉克·奧巴馬于2007年1月16日宣布，他有意參加2008年的總統(tǒng)競選，已于當(dāng)天向美國聯(lián)邦選舉機(jī)構(gòu)提交了有關(guān)文件，將成立一個委員會，以評估他參加總統(tǒng)競選的可行性。

奧巴馬16日在其網(wǎng)站上發(fā)表聲明說，數(shù)月來他一直在考慮是否參加2008年的總統(tǒng)選舉，但參加與否不會取決于媒體宣傳和個人抱負(fù)。過去六年中，聯(lián)邦政府所作的決定以及所忽視的問題使美國處于一種非常不安全的境地，美國陷入了一場本不應(yīng)該發(fā)動的“不幸的、代價高昂的”戰(zhàn)爭，而身在華盛頓的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人卻不能以一種實(shí)際的方式進(jìn)行合作。

而在1月20號，前總統(tǒng)克林頓的妻子希拉里在其個人網(wǎng)站上宣布參加2008年美國總統(tǒng)大選。她的競選標(biāo)語是：“我來了，為勝利而來。”

由于雙方在黨內(nèi)支持者眾多，一場激烈的搶票大戰(zhàn)必不可免，絕不遜色于之后的總統(tǒng)選舉。

奧巴馬主攻年輕選民，特別是通過網(wǎng)絡(luò)。2007年3月，奧巴馬在“Yahoo! Answers”(雅虎知識堂的美國版)發(fā)表題為《How can we engage more people in the democratic process?》(如何吸引更多人參與民主進(jìn)程?)的問題，回復(fù)量超越一萬七千個。之后他還在社交網(wǎng)站Facebook開了一個賬戶，版面很受歡迎。

而希拉里最大的優(yōu)勢是丈夫克林頓和其本身身為女性，容易吸引女性選民的目光。當(dāng)一位民意測驗(yàn)專家馬克·邁爾曼讓十位黑人婦女選出她們心中的政治英雄時，有八個人選了希拉里。

6月7日，希拉里正式宣布停止競選，呼吁她的選民轉(zhuǎn)而支持黨內(nèi)初選勝出者奧巴馬。

2008年美國總統(tǒng)選舉將于當(dāng)?shù)貢r間1月3日晚打響第一槍，屆時民主共和兩黨黨內(nèi)初選將在艾奧瓦州率先拉開大幕。艾奧瓦州民主黨初選在當(dāng)?shù)貢r間1月3日晚上6時30分(北京時間1月4日上午7時30分)開始。半個小時后，共和黨初選開始，結(jié)果最快在一至兩個小時后得出。

蓋洛普最新民調(diào)顯示，美國選民認(rèn)為，艾奧瓦州黨團(tuán)會議初選的結(jié)果，就民主黨參選人而言，對奧巴馬的影響較大，對希拉里·克林頓及愛德華茲的影響較小。蓋洛普1月2日公布的民調(diào)顯示，如果奧巴馬在即將于1月3日舉行的艾奧瓦黨團(tuán)會議初選中獲勝，67%的全國選民認(rèn)為其將在未來的提名戰(zhàn)中對希拉里形成“嚴(yán)重挑戰(zhàn)”，只有31%認(rèn)為是“暫時勝利”。

而如果希拉里在艾奧瓦黨團(tuán)會議初選中落敗，則有高達(dá)70%的全國選民認(rèn)為只是“暫時挫敗”;只有28%認(rèn)為這將對她提名之路帶來麻煩。如果艾奧瓦黨團(tuán)會議的勝利者是愛德華茲，只有40%的全國選民認(rèn)為這將對希拉里造成“嚴(yán)重挑戰(zhàn)”;58%認(rèn)為這只是“暫時勝利”。

經(jīng)過一系列的拉票，美國當(dāng)?shù)貢r間2008年6月3日，美民主黨總統(tǒng)競選人奧巴馬宣布他在該黨初選中勝出，獲得民主黨總統(tǒng)候選人提名。

據(jù)悉，希拉里、奧巴馬和愛德華茲均在媒體上買下廣告時段或版面，為大選第一仗作最后沖刺。希拉里與奧巴馬目前在不同民調(diào)中分別領(lǐng)先，愛德華茲則名列第三。

奧巴馬在兩分鐘的電視廣告中說：“這個國家需要一個可以把我們都團(tuán)結(jié)起來的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人，那樣我們才算真正地贏得了這場選舉，也只有這樣我們才能解決醫(yī)療、教育、能源以及戰(zhàn)爭等問題。”

希拉里也在廣告中再次發(fā)動了她的煽情攻勢，她說：“如果你們支持我一個晚上(指1月3日晚)，我作為總統(tǒng)將支持你們每一天。我將嘔心瀝血，把我們熱愛的國家?guī)胍粋€新起點(diǎn)，我將從第一天開始就進(jìn)入狀態(tài)。”

愛德華茲則請了一位名叫多格·比謝普的下崗工人做“代言人”。比謝普說：“我心目中的候選人要能坐下來，看著一個七歲孩子的眼睛告訴他：‘我會為你爸爸的工作而戰(zhàn)。’而愛德華茲就是我的選擇。”

每個選舉年，艾奧瓦州都會成為全美矚目的中心，也是每屆美國選戰(zhàn)最為激烈的戰(zhàn)場。一項(xiàng)研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，艾奧瓦州初選獲得的媒體關(guān)注是其他州的143倍。

在初選階段，一個州的面積大小和人口多寡與該州對選舉的影響力并不成正比，最重要的是它的初選日期——往往日期越早影響越大。在初選中最早獲勝的候選人會得到更多的關(guān)注，在接下來的競選過程中也會擁有更大的優(yōu)勢。正因如此，艾奧瓦州盡管以人口和面積而論都是小州，卻在整個初選階段具有“風(fēng)向標(biāo)”的作用，因此也受到各位競選人和各路媒體的高度關(guān)注。

其次是艾奧瓦州特殊的初選制度，選民決定自己支持誰可能需要多達(dá)五小時。艾奧瓦州的初選稱為Caucus，意為集會，與絕大多數(shù)州不同。在艾奧瓦州，初選其實(shí)并沒有“投票”這個環(huán)節(jié)，而是選民到達(dá)投票所后，依據(jù)其支持的對象分類，一群一群地集中。然后好戲登場，參選人邊喝茶吃點(diǎn)心邊拉票，游走穿梭于各群間。既要設(shè)法把別的“群”里的選民拉到自己這個“群”里，還要防止自己“群”里的選民被別的參選人“群”拉走。這樣來來往往，所以需要花費(fèi)五小時才能最后確定每位候選人的得票數(shù)。

奧巴馬于2008年在艾奧瓦州德斯莫內(nèi)斯的競選演講

Thank you, Iowa.

You know, they said this day would never come. They said our sights were set too high. They said this country was too divided; too disillusioned to ever come together around a common purpose.

But on this January night—at this defining moment in history—you have done what the cynics said we couldn’t do. You have done what the state of New Hampshire can do in five days. You have done what America can do in this New Year, 2008. In lines that stretched around schools and churches; in small towns and big cities; you came together as Democrats, Republicans and Independents to stand up and say that we are one nation; we are one people; and our time for change has come.

You said the time has come to move beyond the bitterness and pettiness and anger that’s consumed Washington; to end the political strategy that’s been all about division and instead make it about addition—to build a coalition for change that stretches through Red States and Blue States. Because that’s how we’ll win in November, and that’s how we’ll finally meet the challenges that we face as a nation.

We are choosing hope over fear. We’re choosing unity over division, and sending a powerful message that change is coming to America.

You said the time has come to tell the lobbyists who think their money and their influence speak louder than our voices that they don’t own this government, we do; and we are here to take it back.

The time has come for a President who will be honest about the choices and the challenges we face; who will listen to you and learn from you even when we disagree; who won’t just tell you what you want to hear, but what you need to know. And in New Hampshire, if you give me the same chance that Iowa did tonight, I will be that president for America.

Thank you.

I’ll be a President who finally makes health care affordable and available to every single American the same way I expanded health care in Illinois—by bringing Democrats and Republicans together to get the job done. I’ll be a President who ends the tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas and put a middle-class tax cut into the pockets of the working Americans who deserve it. I’ll be a President who harnesses the ingenuity of farmers and scientists and entrepreneurs to free this nation from the tyranny of oil once and for all.

And I’ll be a President who ends this war in Iraq and finally brings our troops home; who restores our moral standing; who understands that 9/11 is not a way to scare up votes, but a challenge that should unite America and the world against the common threats of the twenty-first century; common threats of terrorism and nuclear weapons; climate change and poverty; genocide and disease.

Tonight, we are one step closer to that vision of America because of what you did here in Iowa.

And so I’d especially like to thank the organizers and the precinct captains; the volunteers and the staff who made this all possible. And while I’m at it, on "thank yous," I think it makes sense for me to thank the love of my life, the rock of the Obama family, the closer on the campaign trail; give it up for Michelle Obama.

I know you didn’t do this for me. You did this—you did this because you believed so deeply in the most American of ideas—that in the face of impossible odds, people who love this country can change it. I know this—I know this because while I may be standing here tonight, I’ll never forget that my journey began on the streets of Chicago doing what so many of you have done for this campaign and all the campaigns here in Iowa—organizing, and working, and fighting to make people’s lives just a little bit better. I know how hard it is. It comes with little sleep, little pay, and a lot of sacrifice.

There are days of disappointment, but sometimes, just sometimes, there are nights like this—a night—a night that, years from now, when we’ve made the changes we believe in; when more families can afford to see a doctor; when our children—when Malia and Sasha and your children-inherit a planet that’s a little cleaner and safer; when the world sees America differently, and America sees itself as a nation less divided and more united; you’ll be able to look back with pride and say that this was the moment when it all began.

This was the moment when the improbable beat what Washington always said was inevitable. This was the moment when we tore down barriers that have divided us for too long—when we rallied people of all parties and ages to a common cause; when we finally gave Americans who’d never participated in politics a reason to stand up and to do so. This was the moment when we finally beat back the politics of fear, and doubt, and cynicism; the politics where we tear each other down instead of lifting this country up. This was the moment. Years from now, you’ll look back and you’ll say that this was the moment—this was the place—where America remembered what it means to hope.

For many months, we’ve been teased, even derided for talking about hope. But we always knew that hope is not blind optimism. It’s not ignoring the enormity of the task ahead or the roadblocks that stand in our path. It’s not sitting on the sidelines or shirking from a fight. Hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it, and to work for it, and to fight for it.

Hope is what I saw in the eyes of the young woman in Cedar Rapids who works the night shift after a full day of college and still can’t afford health care for a sister who’s ill; a young woman who still believes that this country will give her the chance to live out her dreams. Hope is what I heard in the voice of the New Hampshire woman who told me that she hasn’t been able to breathe since her nephew left for Iraq; who still goes to bed each night praying for his safe return.

Hope is what led a band of colonists to rise up against an empire; what led the greatest of generations to free a continent and heal a nation; what led young women and young men to sit at lunch counters and brave fire hoses and march through Selma and Montgomery for freedom’s cause. Hope—hope—is what led me here today—with a father from Kenya; a mother from Kansas; and a story that could only happen in the United States of America. Hope is the bedrock of this nation; the belief that our destiny will not be written for us, but by us; by all those men and women who are not content to settle for the world as it is; who have the courage to remake the world as it should be.

That is what we started here in Iowa, and that is the message we can now carry to New Hampshire and beyond; the same message we had when we were up and when we were down; the one that can change this country brick by brick, block by block, calloused hand by calloused hand—that together, ordinary people can do extraordinary things; because we are not a collection of Red States and Blue States, we are the United States of America; and at this moment, in this election, we are ready to believe again. Thank you, Iowa.

謝謝你，艾奧瓦。

有人說這一天永遠(yuǎn)不會到來。有人說我們好高騖遠(yuǎn)。有人說這是一個分裂的國家，很難再為同一個目標(biāo)風(fēng)雨同舟、甘苦與共。

在這個新年的夜晚，你們讓所有質(zhì)疑的人閉嘴。這是個足以載入史冊的時刻，五天之后新罕布什爾也會迎來同樣的時刻，2008年整個美國都將迎來這樣一個歡欣鼓舞的時刻!學(xué)校和教堂旁、鄉(xiāng)村和城市中，民主黨人、共和黨人抑或無黨派人士，你們懷揣著不同的政治主張而來，你們發(fā)出同一個聲音：我們是一個國家，我們是一個民族，我們變革的時代已經(jīng)到來!

長久以來，華盛頓被斤斤計(jì)較的政治風(fēng)氣所籠罩，早已難堪重負(fù)。國家的未來要求我們攜起手去結(jié)束這種政治的爾虞我詐，重返聯(lián)邦“合眾為一”的偉大理想;要求我們拋棄黨派隔閡、求同存異共謀改變!只有這樣，我們才能在十一月相擁而笑，共同擔(dān)當(dāng)起這個國家的命運(yùn)。

我們用希望對抗恐懼，用聯(lián)合對抗分裂，我們用有力的聲音向所有人宣布，美利堅(jiān)革舊維新之日已至!

你們用強(qiáng)有力的聲音告訴那些自以為能用金錢和權(quán)勢壓制人民意愿的說客：“你們不配做我們的政府，我們才是國家的主人!我們來，為我們自己的政府而來!”

人們需要的是一個能夠直面選擇與挑戰(zhàn)的總統(tǒng)，一個虛己以聽、從諫如流的總統(tǒng)，一個直言不諱、真誠坦率的總統(tǒng)。謝謝你，艾奧瓦，你們的選擇讓新罕布什爾州的選民信心百倍，你們將使這樣的總統(tǒng)從可能成為現(xiàn)實(shí)!

謝謝你們。

我會讓每一個美國人都能獲得醫(yī)療服務(wù)。伊利諾伊州議會的成功經(jīng)驗(yàn)告訴我，若能摒棄黨派分歧通力合作，這一目標(biāo)并非遙不可及。我會讓每個將工作機(jī)會轉(zhuǎn)移到國外的公司付出代價，為長久以來承擔(dān)了巨大社會責(zé)任的美國中產(chǎn)階級減稅。我會努力讓農(nóng)場主、科學(xué)家和企業(yè)家們坐在一起，發(fā)揮創(chuàng)造力，根本性地解決美國對石油的依賴。

我會結(jié)束伊拉克戰(zhàn)爭，讓士兵們重回家園;我要讓美國重拾自己的道德準(zhǔn)則;我要讓所有人知道“9·11”不應(yīng)成為誆取選票的幌子，而應(yīng)是讓美國與國際社會廣泛開展合作，應(yīng)對諸如恐怖主義與核擴(kuò)散，全球變暖與貧困，種族屠殺與疾病等二十一世紀(jì)人類共同威脅的機(jī)遇。

今夜，艾奧瓦的選擇讓我們距離這樣一個美國又近了一步。

在此我特別要感謝選舉的組織者和選區(qū)負(fù)責(zé)人、志愿者和我的競選團(tuán)隊(duì)，沒有你們就沒有這一切。同時，我要感謝我的妻子米歇爾·奧巴馬，她是全家的堅(jiān)實(shí)后盾，競選旅途她陪我一路走來。

你們這樣做并非因?yàn)槲?，我知道。我們胸中都有一個堅(jiān)定的信念，改變的道路雖然崎嶇艱險，但深愛著這個國家的人民必將為它殫精竭慮。此時此刻，我之所以能站在這里，是因?yàn)橹ゼ痈绲拇蠼中∠镩W動著你們的身影，是因?yàn)榘瑠W瓦州的每一寸土地都滲透著你們的辛勤付出。為了人們的生活能有一絲改變，你們不吝百倍努力。即便通宵達(dá)旦、薪酬微薄，你們?nèi)耘f全身心地付出。

雖然也曾有過失望，但那僅僅只是暫時，雨過天晴之后是這樣美好的夜晚。當(dāng)我們多年以后最終實(shí)現(xiàn)改變，當(dāng)每個家庭不再因?yàn)榻】禌]有保障而犯愁，當(dāng)我們的孩子在一個更美好的環(huán)境中盡情嬉戲，當(dāng)整個世界對團(tuán)結(jié)一心的美國刮目相看時，請回望這個夜晚。你們將會為自己曾經(jīng)做出的選擇感到驕傲，你們將自豪地說，夢想始于今晚!

今晚，無畏的希望越過華盛頓的高墻。今晚，不同年齡、不同黨派的人們聚集在一起，長久以來的隔閡最終煙消云散。那些對政治失望已久的人們第一次走向投票站，為這個國家承擔(dān)自己作為公民的責(zé)任。今晚，曾讓我們四分五裂的恐懼、疑慮和犬儒主義政治終于被擊敗。期待已久的一刻終于來到。數(shù)年以后回望今晚，回憶此時此景，我們會更了解它對希望的意義。

幾個月以來，我們飽受挖苦和嘲諷，因?yàn)槲覀冋務(wù)撓Ｍ?。希望不是盲目的樂觀主義，不是對未來的困難輕描淡寫，不是對可能出現(xiàn)的艱難險阻視若無睹，更不是袖手旁觀、畏首畏尾。盡管常常事與愿違，但希望永遠(yuǎn)是我們心中的信仰，只要我們敢于尋找，希望就總在不遠(yuǎn)的前方。

我在一個來自錫達(dá)拉匹茲市的年輕女士眼中看到了希望：她白天在學(xué)校讀書，晚上加班掙錢，雖然仍然不能負(fù)擔(dān)妹妹的醫(yī)療費(fèi)，但她沒有對這個國家失去信心，她仍相信自己的夢想終將實(shí)現(xiàn)。我從一個來自新罕布什爾州婦女的話語中聽到了希望：她說自從侄兒被派往伊拉克戰(zhàn)場之后她就一直惴惴不安，于是夜夜祈禱，希望他能平安歸來。

希望曾帶領(lǐng)殖民地人民奮起反抗帝國暴行;希望曾帶領(lǐng)我們的偉大先輩解放了一個大陸，救活了一個國家;希望讓青年男女為了自由的事業(yè)手挽手勇敢面對高壓水柱，穿越塞爾瑪直至蒙哥馬利。希望讓我今天站在這里——他的父親來自肯尼亞、母親來自堪薩斯，這樣的故事只可能發(fā)生在美利堅(jiān)的土地上。希望是這個國家的基石和信仰，我們的命運(yùn)不受別人掌握，而是在我們腳下，在那些不甘受這個世界擺布的人手中，在那些立志改變世界的人心中!

從艾奧瓦我們?nèi)计鹣Ｍ?，希望將從這里傳向新罕布什爾，傳向更遠(yuǎn)的地方。經(jīng)歷等于浮沉，我們手中緊握希望;一磚一瓦、一石一壘，我們用粗糙的雙手一起搭建希望，所謂平凡者亦不平凡。這個國家不應(yīng)有黨派隔閡，不應(yīng)有紅藍(lán)之分，因?yàn)槲覀兪敲览麍?jiān)合眾國。“縱有萬千之眾，我等實(shí)為一體”，此情此境之下，我們愿意再次相信這句話。謝謝你，艾奧瓦!

精彩語錄

We are choosing hope over fear. We’re choosing unity over division, and sending a powerful message that change is coming to America.

我們用希望對抗恐懼，用聯(lián)合對抗分裂，我們用有力的聲音向所有人宣布，美利堅(jiān)革舊維新之日已至!

You said the time has come to tell the lobbyists who think their money and their influence speak louder than our voices that they don’t own this government, we do; and we are here to take it back.

你們用強(qiáng)有力的聲音告訴那些自以為能用金錢和權(quán)勢壓制人民意愿的說客：“你們不配做我們的政府，我們才是國家的主人!我們來，為我們自己的政府而來!”

You did this—you did this because you believed so deeply in the most American of ideas—that in the face of impossible odds, people who love this country can change it.

我們胸中都有一個堅(jiān)定的信念，改變的道路雖然崎嶇艱險，但深愛著這個國家的人民必將為它殫精竭慮。

When we’ve made the changes we believe in; when more families can afford to see a doctor; when our children—when Malia and Sasha and your children-inherit a planet that’s a little cleaner and safer; when the world sees America differently, and America sees itself as a nation less divided and more united; you’ll be able to look back with pride and say that this was the moment when it all began.

當(dāng)我們多年以后最終實(shí)現(xiàn)改變，當(dāng)每個家庭不再因?yàn)榻】禌]有保障而犯愁，當(dāng)我們的孩子在一個更美好的環(huán)境中盡情嬉戲，當(dāng)整個世界對團(tuán)結(jié)一心的美國刮目相看時，請回望這個夜晚。你們將會為自己曾經(jīng)做出的選擇感到驕傲，你們將自豪地說，夢想始于今晚!

Hope is not blind optimism. It’s not ignoring the enormity of the task ahead or the roadblocks that stand in our path. It’s not sitting on the sidelines or shirking from a fight. Hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it, and to work for it, and to fight for it.

希望不是盲目的樂觀主義，不是對未來的困難輕描淡寫，不是對可能出現(xiàn)的艱難險阻視若無睹，更不是袖手旁觀、畏首畏尾。盡管常常事與愿違，但希望永遠(yuǎn)是我們心中的信仰，只要我們敢于尋找，希望就總在不遠(yuǎn)的前方。

Hope is the bedrock of this nation; the belief that our destiny will not be written for us, but by us; by all those men and women who are not content to settle for the world as it is; who have the courage to remake the world as it should be.

希望是這個國家的基石和信仰，我們的命運(yùn)不受別人掌握，而是在我們腳下，在那些不甘受這個世界擺布的人手中，在那些立志改變世界的人心中!

When we were up and when we were down; the one that can change this country brick by brick, block by block, calloused hand by calloused hand—that together, ordinary people can do extraordinary things; because we are not a collection of Red States and Blue States, we are the United States of America; and at this moment, in this election, we are ready to believe again.

經(jīng)歷風(fēng)雨沉浮，我們手中緊握希望。一磚一瓦、一石一壘，我們用粗糙的雙手一起搭建希望，所謂平凡者亦不平凡。這個國家不應(yīng)有黨派隔閡，不應(yīng)有紅藍(lán)之分，因?yàn)槲覀兪敲览麍?jiān)合眾國。“縱有萬千之眾，我等實(shí)為一體”，此情此境之下，我們愿意再次相信這句話。