现在不能再与之失之交臂了，我们走得太远，付出太多了。
然而，前方的路并非坦途。有人说，那太难了，不是我们力量所能及的，我们不可能胜任。但自打美国诞生起，我们就有一个美国式的对“不可能”说不的方式——通过辛苦工作，坚定的信念和开拓精神，不遗余力地跨域任何可能的疆域。
这种信念，这份乐观，激励了我和奥巴马；这种信念，这份乐观，激励了数以百万的你们，让支持的声音响彻太空。
所以今天，我和参议员奥巴马并肩站立，高喊：“我们能”。
……
我们将全力以赴，重掌财政责任和一个强势的中产阶级。一旦到了那天，美国出现中产阶级再次繁荣成长，不管他们或者他们的祖先来自何方，都能得到一个体面的收入，我们就生活在一个更加强大的美国里了。那就是为何我们必须帮助奥巴马成为总统的原因。
我们将全力以赴，扶持能源独立型创新技术，让我们的孩子远离全球变暖的威胁。一旦到了美国使用了可再生能源的那天，我们就是生活在一个更加强大的美国里。那就是为什么我们必须帮助奥巴马成为总统的原因。
导读
2008年6月7日，美国民主党总统竞选人希拉里在华盛顿正式宣布停止竞选，转而支持竞争对手奥巴马。希拉里的退选演说内容可圈可点，赢得阵阵掌声。一般来说，这种承认自己失败的演说，很难讲好，既不能流露出对对手的怨恨，又不能让自己显得灰溜溜，所以演说的难度可想而知。虽然选举失败，但离开得仍然如同一个胜利者。
单词注解
veteran [5vetErEn] n.老兵；老手；富有经验的人
unyielding [Qn5ji：ldiN] adj.不屈服的；不让步的；顽固的
invisible [in5vizEbl] adj.看不见的；无形的
foster [5fCstE] v.养育，领养
fuel [fjuEl] v.对……供给燃料；给……加油；激起
诵读名句
You have inspired and touched me with the stories of the joys and sorrows that make up the fabric of our lives，and you have humbled me with your commitment to our country.
We cannot let this moment slip away. We have come too far and accomplished too much.
We’ll have to work hard to foster the innovation that makes us energy—independent and lift the threat of global warming from our children’s future.
第一章 President Hu’s Speech at Yale University
胡锦涛在耶鲁大学的演讲
Hu Jintao/胡锦涛
Let me begin by thanking you，Mr. Levin，for your kind invitation and the opportunity to come to Yale to meet young friends and teachers of this world-renowned university.
Coming to the Yale campus，with its distinctive academic flavor，and looking at the eager young faces in the audience，I cannot but recall my great experience studying at Tsinghua University in Beijing 40 years ago. Indeed，what happens during one’s school year will influence his whole life. I still benefit greatly from the instruction and my interaction with other students.
Yale is renowned for its long history，unique way of teaching and excellence in academic pursuit. If time could go back several decades，I would really like to be a student of Yale just like you.
Yale’s motto“Light and Truth，”which is a calling for human progress，represents the aspiration of every motivated young men and women. Over the past three centuries，Yale has produced a galaxy of outstanding figures，including 20 Nobel laureates and five American presidents. The words of Nathan Hale，an American hero and Yale alumnus，“I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country，”have also inspired me and many other Chinese. I sincerely hope that Yale will produce more talent and contribute further to the social and economic development of the United States and the cause of human progress.
Ladies and gentlemen，dear friends，
The Chinese and Americans have always had an intense interest in and cared deeply about each other. The Chinese admire the pioneering and enterprising spirit of the Americans and their proud achievement in national development. As China develops rapidly and steady headway is made in China-US cooperation，more and more Americans are following with great interest China’s progress and development.
Understanding leads to trust. Today，I would like to speak to you about China’s development strategy and its future against the backdrop of the evolution of the Chinese civilization and China’s current development endeavor. I hope this will help you gain a better understanding of China.
