f 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 es 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 mon 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。
今晚，此刻，我们相信（4）
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。
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更完善的联邦（1）
——巴拉克？奥巴马3月18日在费城就种族问题发表的演讲 ，
我们美利坚合众国的人民，为了组织一个更完善的联邦……
221年前，在至今仍在对面街头屹立的建筑物大厅内，一群人聚集一堂，以这寥寥数语，开始了美国疑难重重的民主实验。在持续至1787年春天的费城制宪会议上，农夫和学者、远涉重洋前来躲避暴政和迫害的政治家和爱国者发出的独立宣言终于成为现实。
他们制定的文件虽最终签署完毕，但仍属未竟之业。这个文件被美国奴隶制的原罪所玷污，但因各殖民地对此意见不一，制宪会议陷入僵局。最后开国元勋们决定允许奴隶买卖至少再继续20多年，留待后人拿出最终解决方案。
当然，对奴隶制问题的回答已经被纳入这部宪法——宪法以法律面前人人平等的理想为核心；宪法要求保障人民的自由、正义，以及一个可以而且应该随时间的推移不断完善的联邦国家。
然而，纸上的文字不足以打碎奴隶的枷锁，也不足以使各种肤色和信仰的美国男女公民充分享有权利和履行义务。为缩小我们的理想境界与各时代现实之间存在的差距，需要一代又一代的美国人继续抗议，继续奋斗，在街头和在法庭，通过内战和公民抗争行动，且往往需要冒极大的危险，自觉自愿尽自己的一份力量。
这就是我们在这次竞选活动开始之初确定的任务之一——继续我们先辈走过的漫漫征途，走向更公正、更平等、更自由、更有关爱之心和更繁荣的美国。我选择在历史上的这一时刻竞选总统，因为我坚信，除共思解厄之策之外，我们无法迎接我们的时代面临的挑战——除非我们使我们的国家日臻完善，懂得我们或许各有各种不同的经历，但我们怀有共同的希望；我们或许外貌不同，可能来自不同的地方，但我们都希望朝同一个方向前进——为我们的子孙后代创造更美好的未来。
这一信念来自于我对美国人民的浩然正气和慷慨大度的笃信不疑。这一信念也来自于我本人作为一个美国人的经历。
我是肯尼亚（Kenya）一黑人男子和堪萨斯（Kansas）一白人女子的儿子。我在白人外祖父和外祖母的抚养下长大成人。外祖父度过了大萧条时期，二战期间在巴顿（Patton）的部队服役；外祖父赴海外服役期间，外祖母在莱文沃斯堡（Fort Leavenworth）一个轰炸机装配线上工作。我曾在美国一些最好的学校就读，也曾在全世界最贫穷的国家生活过。我与一美国黑人结婚，她身上流着奴隶和奴隶主的血，我们又将这一血统传给了我们的两个宝贝女儿。我有各种族和各种肤色的兄弟姐妹、甥舅叔侄和堂兄表妹散居三大洲。我一辈子也不会忘记，在全世界任何别的国家都不可能有我这样的经历。
这种经历并没有使我成为最符合标准的候选人，但在我的基因里烙上了这样一种观念：这个国家超越了其各组成部分的总和——纵有万千之众，我等实为一体。
与预期的情况相反，在这次竞选活动的第一年，我们发现美国人民多么希望聆听呼唤团结的声音。尽管有人总会纯粹通过种族的过滤镜看待我的候选人地位，我们还是在一些白人比例最高的州赢得了引人注目的胜利。在至今依然飘扬着邦联旗帜的南卡罗来纳州（South Carolina），我们建立了美国非洲裔和美国白人的强大联盟。
这并不是说种族问题没有成为竞选的一个议题。在竞选的各个阶段，有些评论员或认为我“太黑”，或认为我“还不够黑”。在南卡罗来纳州举行初选前的一星期，我们看到种族紧张关系激起的涟漪。新闻媒体从投票后民调结果中竭力搜寻种族分化的最新证据，不仅涉及白人和黑人，而且涉及黑人和棕色人种。
然而，近两个星期，竞选中有关种族问题的讨论出现了特别重大的分歧。
根据其中一种有代表性的意见，我们听到有人以暗示的方式说，我参加竞选在某种意义