The 2004 Democratic National Convention by Obama

Keynote Address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention

| July 27, 2004

On behalf of the great state of Illinois, crossroads of a nation, land of Lincoln, let me express my deep gratitude for the privilege of addressing this convention. Tonight is a particular honor for me because, let's face it, my presence on this stage is pretty unlikely. My father was a foreign student, born and raised in a small village in Kenya. He grew up herding goats, went to school in a tin-roof shack. His father, my grandfather, was a cook, a domestic servant.

But my grandfather had larger dreams for his son. Through hard work and perseverance my father got a scholarship to study in a magical place: America, which stood as a beacon of freedom and opportunity to so many who had come before. While studying here, my father met my mother. She was born in a town on the other side of the world, in Kansas. Her father worked on oil rigs and farms through most of the Depression. The day after Pearl Harbor he signed up for duty, joined Patton's army and marched across Europe. Back home, my grandmother raised their baby and went to work on a bomber assembly line. After the war, they studied on the GI Bill, bought a house through FHA, and moved west in search of opportunity.

And they, too, had big dreams for their daughter, a common dream, born of two continents. My parents shared not only an improbable love; they shared an abiding faith in the possibilities of this nation. They would give me an African name, Barack, or "blessed," believing that in a tolerant America your name is no barrier to success. They imagined me going to the best schools in the land, even though they weren't rich, because in a generous America you don't have to be rich to achieve your potential. They are both passed away now. Yet, I know that, on this night, they look down on me with pride.

I stand here today, grateful for the diversity of my heritage, aware that my parents' dreams live on in my precious daughters. I stand here knowing that my story is part of the larger American story, that I owe a debt to all of those who came before me, and that, in no other country on earth, is my story even possible. Tonight, we gather to affirm the greatness of our nation, not because of the height of our skyscrapers, or the power of our military, or the size of our economy. Our pride is based on a very simple premise, summed up in a declaration made over two hundred years ago, "We hold these truths to he self-evident, that all men are created equal. That they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights. That among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

That is the true genius of America, a faith in the simple dreams of its people, the insistence on small miracles. That we can tuck in our children at night and know they are fed and clothed and safe from harm. That we can say what we think, write what we think, without hearing a sudden knock on the door. That we can have an idea and start our own business without paying a bribe or hiring somebody's son. That we can participate in the political process without fear of retribution, and that our votes will he counted - or at least, most of the time.

This year, in this election, we are called to reaffirm our values and commitments, to hold them against a hard reality and see how we are measuring up, to the legacy of our forbearers, and the promise of future generations. And fellow Americans - Democrats, Republicans, Independents - I say to you tonight: we have more work to do. More to do for the workers I met in Galesburg, Illinois, who are losing their union jobs at the Maytag plant that's moving to Mexico, and now are having to compete with their own children for jobs that pay seven bucks an hour. More to do for the father I met who was losing his job and choking back tears, wondering how he would pay $4,500 a month for the drugs his son needs without the health benefits he counted on. More to do for the young woman in East St. Louis, and thousands more like her, who has the grades, has the drive, has the will, but doesn't have the money to go to college.

Don't get me wrong. The people I meet in small towns and big cities, in diners and office parks, they don't expect government to solve all their problems. They know they have to work hard to get ahead and they want to. Go into the collar counties around Chicago, and people will tell you they don't want their tax money wasted by a welfare agency or the Pentagon. Go into any inner city neighborhood, and folks will tell you that government alone can't teach kids to learn. They know that parents have to parent, that children can't achieve unless we raise their expectations and turn off the television sets and eradicate the slander that says a black youth with a book is acting white. No, people don't expect government to solve all their problems. But they sense, deep in their bones, that with just a change in priorities, we can make sure that every child in America has a decent shot at life, and that the doors of opportunity remain open to all. They know we can do better. And they want that choice.

In this election, we offer that choice. Our party has chosen a man to lead us who embodies the best this country has to offer. That man is John Kerry. John Kerry understands the ideals of community, faith, and sacrifice, because they've defined his life. From his heroic service in Vietnam to his years as prosecutor and lieutenant governor, through two decades in the United States Senate, he has devoted himself to this country. Again and again, we've seen him make tough choices when easier ones were available. His values and his record affirm what is best in us.

John Kerry believes in an America where hard work is rewarded. So instead of offering tax breaks to companies shipping jobs overseas, he'll offer them to companies creating jobs here at home. John Kerry believes in an America where all Americans can afford the same health coverage our politicians in Washington have for themselves. John Kerry believes in energy independence, so we aren't held hostage to the profits of oil companies or the sabotage of foreign oil fields. John Kerry believes in the constitutional freedoms that have made our country the envy of the world, and he will never sacrifice our basic liberties nor use faith as a wedge to divide us. And John Kerry believes that in a dangerous world, war must be an option, but it should never he the first option.

A while back, I met a young man named Shamus at the VFW Hall in East Moline, Illinois. He was a good-looking kid, six-two or six-three, clear-eyed, with an easy smile. He told me he'd joined the Marines and was heading to Iraq the following week. As I listened to him explain why he'd enlisted, his absolute faith in our country and its leaders, his devotion to duty and service, I thought this young man was all any of us might hope for in a child. But then I asked myself: Are we serving Shamus as well as he was serving us? I thought of more than 900 service men and women, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, friends and neighbors, who will not be returning to their hometowns. I thought of families I had met who were struggling to get by without a loved one's full income, or whose loved ones had returned with a limb missing or with nerves shattered, but who still lacked long-term health benefits because they were reservists. When we send our young men and women into harm's way, we have a solemn obligation not to fudge the numbers or shade the truth about why they're going, to care for their families while they're gone, to tend to the soldiers upon their return, and to never ever go to war without enough troops to win the war, secure the peace, and earn the respect of the world.

Now let me be clear. We have real enemies in the world. These enemies must be found. They must be pursued and they must be defeated. John Kerry knows this. And just as Lieutenant Kerry did not hesitate to risk his life to protect the men who served with him in Vietnam, President Kerry will not hesitate one moment to use our military might to keep America safe and secure. John Kerry believes in America. And he knows it's not enough for just some of us to prosper. For alongside our famous individualism, there's another ingredient in the American saga.

A belief that we are connected as one people. If there's a child on the south side of Chicago who can't read, that matters to me, even if it's not my child. If there's a senior citizen somewhere who can't pay for her prescription and has to choose between medicine and the rent, that makes my life poorer, even if it's not my grandmother. If there's an Arab American family being rounded up without benefit of an attorney or due process, that threatens my civil liberties. It's that fundamental belief - I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper - that makes this country work. It's what allows us to pursue our individual dreams, yet still come together as a single American family. "E pluribus unum." Out of many, one.

Yet even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us, the spin masters and negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of anything goes. Well, I say to them tonight, there's not a liberal America and a conservative America - there's the United States of America. There's not a black America and white America and Latino America and Asian America; there's the United States of America. The pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into Red States and Blue States; Red States for Republicans, Blue States for Democrats. But I've got news for them, too. We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don't like federal agents poking around our libraries in the Red States. We coach Little League in the Blue States and have gay friends in the Red States. There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq and patriots who supported it. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.

In the end, that's what this election is about. Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or a politics of hope? John Kerry calls on us to hope. John Edwards calls on us to hope. I'm not talking about blind optimism here - the almost willful ignorance that thinks unemployment will go away if we just don't talk about it, or the health care crisis will solve itself if we just ignore it. No, I'm talking about something more substantial. It's the hope of slaves sitting around a fire singing freedom songs; the hope of immigrants setting out for distant shores; the hope of a young naval lieutenant bravely patrolling the Mekong Delta; the hope of a millworker's son who dares to defy the odds; the hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too. The audacity of hope!

In the end, that is God's greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation; the belief in things not seen; the belief that there are better days ahead. I believe we can give our middle class relief and provide working families with a road to opportunity. I believe we can provide jobs to the jobless, homes to the homeless, and reclaim young people in cities across America from violence and despair. I believe that as we stand on the crossroads of history, we can make the right choices, and meet the challenges that face us. America!

Tonight, if you feel the same energy I do, the same urgency I do, the same passion I do, the same hopefulness I do - if we do what we must do, then I have no doubt that all across the country, from Florida to Oregon, from Washington to Maine, the people will rise up in November, and John Kerry will be sworn in as president, and John Edwards will be sworn in as vice president, and this country will reclaim its promise, and out of this long political darkness a brighter day will come. Thank you and God bless you.
四年前讓奧巴馬邁向白宮的演講(ZT)
Barack Obama Speech at 2004 DNC Convention

作為偉大的伊利諾斯州——全國的交通樞紐，林肯的故鄉——的代表，我為有向此次大會致辭的機會而深感榮幸。今晚於我而言是一份特殊的榮耀。我們得承認，我出現在這個講壇上是件不可思議的事。我的父親是個外國留學生，在肯尼亞的一個小村莊出生並長大，他幼時牧羊，在鐵皮頂做成的簡陋小屋裏上學。他的父親，我的祖父，是個廚師，一個傭人。

但我祖父對他的兒子有更大的夢想。艱辛的努力和頑強的毅力使父親拿到了到美國留學的獎學金。美國是一片神奇的國土，它對於許多未曾來過的人而言是自由和機會的象征。在留學期間，父親遇到了母親。她出生在世界另一端的堪薩斯的一個小鎮上。她父親在大蕭條時期為了養家糊口，不是在石油鑽塔下打工，就是在農場務農。珍珠港事件後他自願入伍，進入巴頓的部隊，曾在整個歐洲大陸輾轉作戰。在後方家中，外祖母養育著他們的孩子，並在一條轟炸機流水線上工作。戰後，他們研究了士兵福利法案，通過聯邦住宅管理局買了一套房子，並移居到西部尋找機會。

他們對他們的女兒也很大的夢想。一個共通的夢想，在兩個不同的大陸生發。我的父母不僅共享不可思議的愛戀，他們還共同堅守這個國家有巨大潛力的不渝信念。他們賜予我一個非洲名字，巴拉克，意為“受神福佑的”。他們相信在寬容大度的美國，一個人的名字不是通向成功的障礙。盡管生活並不富裕，但他們想讓我去這片土地最好的學校就讀，因為在富足的美國，你即使不富裕也能發掘你的潛力。現在他們都過世了。不過我知道，在這個夜晚，他們滿懷驕傲自天堂注視我。

今天我站在這裏，為我獨特的血統滿懷感激，並知道我父母的願望正在我的兩個寶貝女兒身上延續。我站在這裏，知道我的故事是更宏偉的美國故事的一部分，也知道我們不能忘卻那些在我之前來到這裏的人，更知道我的故事這個世界的任何其他地方都不可能發生。今晚，我們歡聚一堂重申我們民族的榮耀，這個榮耀並不在於我們的摩天大樓有多高，也不在於我們的軍備實力有多強，更不在於我們經濟的規模有多大。我們的自豪感建築在一個相當簡單的前提上，兩百多年前它就在一個宣言中被這樣概括：”我們堅持以下真理不言而喻：眾生平等。造物主賦予他們某些不可被剝奪的權利，它們包括：生命權、自由權和追求幸福的權利。”

這是美國真正的天才：堅信她的人民簡單而純樸的夢想，堅信小小的奇跡會發生。我們能在深夜給孩子掖好被子時確信他們衣食無憂且遠離傷害。我們能想到什麽就說什麽，想到什麽就寫什麽，而毋庸擔心突然被政府找上門來。我們能生發一個想法後就去開創自己的生意，而無須行賄或雇傭某人的子女。我們能參與政治過程而不必擔心被懲罰，並且，至少多數時候，我們的選票是有用的。

今年，在這次選舉中，我們要重申我們的價值觀和責任，秉持它們去對抗艱難時局；並留心我們怎樣才能繼承先輩的遺產，實現對子孫的承諾。美國公民們，——民主黨人、共和黨人、無黨派人士——，今晚我想對你們說：我們還有更多的工作要做。要為我在伊利諾斯州蓋爾斯堡市（Galesburg）遇到工人們做更多的努力，他們丟失了在即將搬遷到墨西哥的Maytag洗衣機工廠車間的工作，現今被迫同他們的子女爭搶每小時7美金的工作機會。要為我遇到的一個失了業、克製住不流淚的父親做更多的努力，他在擔心沒有他可以依賴的醫療保險他如何負擔兒子每個月所需的4500美金的醫藥費。要為東聖路易斯市的一個年輕女孩和千千萬萬和她一樣的人做更多的努力，——她有成績、有動力和意願，卻沒有錢去讀大學。

請不要誤解我。我在大城和小鎮、在餐廳和辦公樓停車場遇到的人並未期待政府去解決他們所有的困難。他們清楚他們自己必須勤勞工作去克服難關，他們也真的想這樣做。走進芝加哥周邊的工薪城鎮，人們會告訴你他們不願讓自己的納稅花在五角大樓或福利機構。走進市中心的任何街區，人們會告訴你僅僅靠政府是不可能讓孩子好好讀書的。他們知道父母需要教育孩子，需要提高孩子的期待，需要關掉電視機並杜絕這樣的謠言：一個捧著書本的黑人小孩簡直像個白人孩子，而隻有這樣孩子才能進步。真的是這樣，人們並不指望政府解決他們麵臨的所有困難。但他們真誠地認為，隻要政府理順執政的輕重緩急，它就能確保美國的每個孩子的生活有個像樣的目標，讓機遇向所有人敞開大門。他們知道我們能做得更好。而他們想要那樣的選擇。

在這次選舉中，我們能提供那樣的選擇。我們的黨已經挑選出一個最能代表這個國家的美德的人。他就是約翰·克裏。約翰·克裏懂得共同體、信念和獻身的理想，因為這些理想是他的生活準則。他在越南英勇服役，出任過檢察官和副州長，並在美國參議院供職二十多年，他為這個國家獻出了自己的一切。我們再三見證他舍棄相對容易的選擇而做出艱難的決定。他的價值理念和經曆是我們最好品德的寫照。

約翰·克裏堅信美國該是多勞多得的國度。因此，他不會給那些把工作輸送到海外的公司減稅，他隻會給那些在本土創造就業機會的公司減免賦稅。約翰·克裏堅信美國應該是老百姓的醫療保險跟華盛頓的政治家們的醫療保險沒有差別的國度。約翰·克裏堅信能源自主，因此我們不再因石油公司對利潤的追求或外國油田的被破壞而受到威脅。約翰·克裏堅信那些使我們的國家成為世界羨慕對象的、由憲法條款所保證的自由，他不會犧牲我們的基本自由或將信仰用作分裂我們的工具。約翰· 克裏還堅信戰爭在一個充滿危險的世界是不可避免的抉擇，但它永不會是首選。

前不久，我在伊利諾斯州東莫林市的外戰老兵俱樂部裏遇到一個叫沙莫斯的年輕人。他長得帥氣高大，有兩米左右的個頭，眼睛清澈，笑容可掬。他告訴我他參加了海軍陸戰隊，下周將要開赴伊拉克。當我聽他娓娓述說他入伍的原因，他對於我們的國家和領導人的完全信賴，他對於責任和服役的忠誠，我感覺這個年輕人的言行正是我們每個人對自己的孩子的所有期待。然而，我又捫心自問，我們為他提供的服務有他給我們提供的服務好嗎？我想起有900多個服役的男男女女將不會再重返家園，他們是兒子和女兒、丈夫和妻子、朋友和鄰居。我想起我遇到的那些家庭，他們正努力克服缺少了愛人全職收入的困窘，或盡量擺脫愛人歸來而身體殘疾或精神崩潰卻因為是預備役軍人而無法享受長期健康補貼的困境。當我們派遣我們的年輕人踏上犧牲的路途，我們必須責無旁貸地搞清和核實讓他們出征的一切數字和一切理由，必須責無旁貸地在他們離去後照看他們的家庭，在他們返回後關照他們的生活，必須責無旁貸地確保在沒有足夠的部隊時不進入戰爭、保衛和平和贏得世界的尊重。

請允許我闡明這一點：在這個世界上我們有真正的敵人，我們必須找到這些敵人，必須追擊並打敗他們。約翰·克裏懂得這一點。就像克裏上尉在越南戰場上毫不猶豫地冒險保護他的下屬一樣，克裏總統會毫不猶豫地運用我們的軍力保護美國的安全。約翰·克裏相信美國。他也知道僅僅一部分公民的富足遠遠不夠，與我們聞名於世的個人主義如影隨形的，是美國激蕩的曆史中的另一種元素。

這個元素是我們作為一個民族榮辱與共的信仰。假如芝加哥南部的一個孩子不能讀寫，即使那不是我的孩子，我也會因此受到困擾。如果一個年事已高的市民付不起她的診療費而被迫在醫療費和租房之間做選擇，即使她不是我的祖母，也會使我的生活更加拮據。如果一個阿拉伯裔的美國家庭未經律師辯解或訴訟程序就遭到驅趕，那也會威脅我的人身自由。正是這個基本的信仰使這個國家運轉：我是我的兄弟的守護人，我是我的姐妹的守護人。它保證了我們追尋個體的夢想，卻仍舊聚合為一個美利堅家庭。“E plubribus Unum”，獨立來自團結，單一來自集體。

當我們在這裏聚會的時候，也有人正準備分裂我們，那些操縱輿論的人和製作負麵廣告的人，他們投身沒有原則和不擇手段的政治。那麽，今晚我將告訴他們，這裏不存在一個自由主義的美國和一個保守主義的美國，而隻有一個美利堅合眾國。這裏不存在黑人的美國和白人的美國、拉丁族裔的美國和亞洲人的美國，而隻有美利堅合眾國。很多所謂的專家喜歡將我們的國家分割為紅色的州和藍色的州：紅色的州由共和黨人控製，藍色的州是民主黨人的天下。但我要跟他們說：我們藍州的人信仰莊嚴的上帝，我們紅州的人不喜歡聯邦政府的官員在圖書館打探我們的閱讀興趣。我們在藍州也給小棒球隊做教練，我們在紅州也有同性戀朋友。有些愛國者反對伊拉克戰爭，有些愛國者支持它。我們是一個民族，所有人都宣誓效忠星條旗，所有人都保衛美利堅合眾國。

說到底，這才是這次選舉的意義：我們投入憤世嫉俗的政治還是參與滿懷希望的政治？約翰·克裏號召我們去希望，約翰·愛德華茲號召我們去希望。我不是在談盲目的樂觀主義。以為如果我們不討論失業它便會自動消失，相信隻要我們無視醫療危機它就會自行解除，那是一廂情願的無知。不，我在談更根本的問題。我在談奴隸們圍坐在篝火旁唱頌自由的歌謠時的希望；我在談移民背井離鄉駛向遙遠海岸時的希望；我在談年輕的海軍上尉勇敢地在湄公河三角洲巡邏時的希望；我在談一個紡織工的兒子敢創敢拚時的希望；我在談一個有著滑稽名字的、幹瘦的小孩也相信美國也會有一片屬於他的天地時的希望。希望就是勇氣，希望就是力量！

其實，希望是上帝賜予我們的最好禮物，是這個民族的基石，是堅信不曾見到的前景，是堅信明天會更好。我相信我們能為中產階級提供幫助，為工薪階層製造更多的機會；我相信我們能為失業者提供工作，讓無家可歸者有家，從暴力和絕望中挽救美國都市裏的年輕人。我相信當我們站在曆史的十字路口時，我們能作出正確的抉擇，並迎接我們麵臨的挑戰。美利堅！

今晚，如果你們跟我感同身受，有同樣的力量、同樣的急迫感、同樣的衝動和同樣的希望；如果我們去做我們必須做的事，那麽我相信，從佛羅裏達州到俄勒岡州，從華盛頓州到緬因州，全國人民將會在11月奮起行動，使約翰·克裏宣誓就任總統，約翰·愛德華茲宣誓就任副總統，而這個國家也將會重新恢複她的承諾。政治黑暗已經到了盡頭，更為光明的一天就要來到。謝謝大家，願上帝保佑你們。