NEW YORK SENATE RACE SPEECH

 

     You know, you know, we started this great effort on a sunny July morning in Pinders Corner on Pat and Liz Moynihan's beautiful farm and 62 2)counties, 16 months, 3 debates, 2 opponents, and 6 black 3)pantsuits later, because of you, here we are.

   You came out and said that issues and ideals matter. Jobs matter, downstate and upstate. Health care matters, education matters, the environment matters, Social Security matters, a woman's right to choose matters. It all matters and I just want to say from the bottom of my heart, thank you, New York!

    Thank you for opening up your minds and your hearts, for seeing the possibility of what we could do together for our children and for our future here in this state and in our nation. I am profoundly grateful to all of you for giving me the chance to serve you.

     I will - I will do everything I can to be worthy¹ of your faith and trust and to honor the powerful example of Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. I would like all of you and the countless² New Yorkers and Americans watching to join me in honoring him for his 4)incredible half century of service to New York and our nation.  Senator Moynihan, on behalf of New York and America, thank you.

     I promise you tonight that I will reach across party lines to bring progress for all of New York's families. Today we voted as Democrats³ and Republicans. Tomorrow we begin again as New Yorkers.

    And how fortunate we are indeed to live in the most 5)diverse, 6)dynamic and beautiful state in the entire union.You know, from the 7)South Bronx to the Southern Tier, from Brooklyn to Buffalo⁴, from Montauk to Massena, from the 8)world's tallest skyscrapers⁵ to breathtaking mountain ranges, I've met people whose faces and stories I will never forget. Thousands of New Yorkers from all 62 counties welcomed me into your schools, your local 9)diners, your factory floors, your living rooms and front 10)porches. You taught me, you tested me and you shared with me your challenges and concerns - about overcrowded or crumbling⁶ schools, about thestruggle to care for growing children and aging parents, about the continuing challenge of providing equal opportunity for all and about children moving away from their home towns because good jobs are so hard to find in upstate New York. Now I've worked on issues like these for a long time, some of them for 30 years, and I am determined⁷ to make a difference for all of you.

    You see, I believe our nation 11)owes every responsible citizen and every responsible family the tools that they need to make the most of their own lives. That's the basic bargain. I'll do my best to honor in the United States Senate.

    And to those of you who did not support me, I want you to know that I will work in the Senate for you and for all New Yorkers. And to those of you who worked so hard and never lost faith even in the toughest times, I offer you my 12)undying gratitude⁸.

 

                                            竞选纽约参议员的演讲

 希拉里.克林顿

 

     大家知道，我们是在七月的一个阳光灿烂的早上，从帕特和丽兹·莫伊尼汉的美丽农场的频德角开始迈出了这艰难的一步，然后辗转六十二个县，历经过十六个月、三场辩论，打败了两个竞争对手，穿破六套黑色便服。终于在你们的支持下，我们站在了这里。

     你们说，这些事情和观念非常重要--全州的就业问题是重要的，保健是重要的，教育是重要的，环境是重要的，社会保险是重要的，还有妇女选择权是重要的。这些全都重要，而我只想衷心道一声：谢谢你，纽约！

     感谢你们敞开心扉，感谢你们看到了这可能性--我们将一起为后代、为我们纽约以至全国的将来而共同努力。我对你们每个人都深怀谢意，感谢你们给了我一个为大家服务的机会。

      我将以参议员丹尼尔·帕特里克·莫伊尼汉为榜样，尽自己最大的努力不负众望。我希望你们每个人、诸位纽约市民和美国观众，和我一起共同感谢他这50年来为纽约和美国做出了巨大贡献。莫伊尼汉议员：我代表纽约和美国，感谢你。

      今晚我发誓，我将跨越两党的界限为全纽约的家庭创造繁荣进步。今天，我们是作为民主党人和共和党人来投票选举；明天，我们将作为纽约人重新开始。

      能生活在我国最丰富多彩、最生气勃勃的一个州，我们是多么的幸运。大家知道，从布朗克斯以南到纽约最南端，从布鲁克林到布法罗，从蒙特哥到麦锡纳，从世界最高的摩天大楼到令人叹为观止的山脉，我遇见了一些人，他们的容貌和故事，我永远也不会忘记。六十二个县的成千上万的纽约人把我迎进了你们的学校、你们的风味小餐馆、你们的工厂、你们的起居室和前廊。你们教导着我，你们测试着我，你们把面临的难题和关心的问题告诉我--学校的拥挤和喧闹，养育孩子和赡养年迈双亲的艰辛，寻求人人同等待遇的挑战，还有在纽约州北部地区因为就业机会难寻，孩子们都离开故乡、移往他处的问题。长期以来，我一直在为这些问题而奔忙，有些问题甚至已经忙了有30年，我决心让这些问题得到改观。

      大家知道，我们国家有义务让每个负责任的公民和家庭的生活更上一层楼。这是最起码的，作为一名参议员，我将尽自己最大的努力来实现它。

对于那些在过去没有支持我的人们，我想告诉你们，我将在参议院为你们、为全体纽约人而工作。对于那些勤奋工作、甚至在最艰难的时期也不放弃信念的人们，我永远感谢你们。

1) 纽约州在美国东北部，纽约市是美国第一大城市和最大的海港，也是美国人口最多的城市。美国首都华盛顿所在地华盛顿特区（Washington D.C）也在纽约州。美国的立法机构--美国国会（United States Congress）包括众议院（House of Representatives）和参议院（Senate）。美国议员选举实行直接选举制，参议员由各州选民直接选举，每个州可选出两名国会参议员，每个参议员任期为六年。

2) county n. 县（请注意，美国的“县”是比“市”更大一级的行政区划单位）

3) pantsuit  n. 女便服注释：

4) incredible  a. 惊人的，不可思议的；难以置信的

5) diverse  a. 各种各样的，相异的     6) dynamic  a. 有生气的，精力充沛

7) Bronx, Brooklyn, Buffalo, Montauk, Massena都是纽约州的地名。这里希拉里很巧妙地运用了押头韵（alliteration）的修辞手法，如South Bronx和Southern Tier，Brooklyn和Buffalo，Montock和Macina，开头字母的发音都是/s/，/b/或/m/，这为演讲带来一种节奏感和韵律美。

8) “the world's tallest skyscrapers”是指位于纽约的两座世界最高建筑∶世界贸易中心（World Trade Center）和帝国大厦（Empire State Building），“breath taking mountain ranges”是指阿巴拉契亚山脉（Appalachian Mountains）。

9) diner  n.（路边）小饭店，小餐馆        10) porch n. 走廊，游廊；门廊，入口处

11) owe  vt. 应给予，对……有义务      12) undying  a. 不朽的，永恒的

1 worthy   

adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。

2 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

3 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 buffalo   

n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛

参考例句：

• Asian buffalo isn't as wild as that of America's. 亚洲水牛比美洲水牛温顺些。
• The boots are made of buffalo hide. 这双靴子是由水牛皮制成的。

5 skyscrapers   

n.摩天大楼

参考例句：

• A lot of skyscrapers in Manhattan are rising up to the skies. 曼哈顿有许多摩天大楼耸入云霄。
• On all sides, skyscrapers rose like jagged teeth. 四周耸起的摩天大楼参差不齐。

6 crumbling   

adj.摇摇欲坠的

参考例句：

• an old house with crumbling plaster and a leaking roof 一所灰泥剥落、屋顶漏水的老房子
• The boat was tied up alongside a crumbling limestone jetty. 这条船停泊在一个摇摇欲坠的石灰岩码头边。

7 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

8 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。