导读：希拉里·克林顿（1947— ），1947年10月26日生于伊利诺伊州芝加哥的一个富商家庭，从小对各种各样领导职位表现出极大兴趣，是学校和社团中的活跃分子。1965年，希拉里进入马萨诸塞州韦尔斯利学院主修政治学，是第一个在韦尔斯利学院毕业典礼上发表演讲的学生，而她富有争议的演讲也引起了全国的注意。1969年，她又就读于耶鲁大学法学院，1973年获法学博士学位，求学期间，她结识了后来成为美国总统的比尔·克林顿。2000年2月，尚未离开白宫的希拉里宣布竞选纽约州参议员，成为美国历史上第一位谋求公职的“第一夫人”。同年11月7日，她当选为国会参议员。后成为美利坚合众国第67任国务卿。本篇为希拉里竞选纽约参议员的演说。
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 counties, 16 months, 3 debates , 2 opponents , and 6 black 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 worthy of your faith and trust and to honor the powerful example of Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. I would like all of you and the countless New Yorkers and Americans watching to join me in honoring him for his 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 Democrats and Republicans. Tomorrow we begin again as New Yorkers.
And how fortunate we are indeed to live in the most diverse , dynamic and beautiful state in the entire union. You know, from the South Bronx to the Southern Tier, from Brooklyn to Buffalo, from Montauk to Massena, from the world's tallest skyscrapers 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 diners, your factory floors, your living rooms and front porches. You taught me, you tested me and you shared with me your challenges and concerns — about overcrowded or crumbling schools, about the struggle 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 determined to make a difference for all of you.
You see, I believe our nation 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 undying gratitude.
参考译文
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·莫伊尼汉夫妇位于宾德角的美丽农场迈出了这艰难的一步，然后辗转六十二个县，历经十六个月、三场辩论，打败了两个竞争对手，穿破六套黑色便服。如今，在你们的支持下，我们终于胜利了。
你们说，各项议题和观念非常重要——全州的就业问题是重要的，医疗保健是重要的，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！
感谢你们开放思想，不存成见，感谢你们相信我们携手为子孙后代，为我州，以至全国的未来而共同努力的美好前景。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。我恳请你们所有人、诸位正在收看直播的纽约市民和美国人民，同我一起向他致敬，感谢他这半个世纪以来为纽约和美国做出的巨大贡献。莫伊尼汉议员：我代表纽约和美国人民，感谢你。
今晚我发誓，我将跨越两党的界线为全纽约州的所有家庭创造繁荣与进步。今天，我们以民主党人和共和党人的身份投票；明天，我们将作为纽约人重新开始。
能生活在我国多元文化最丰富多彩、最生气勃勃、最美丽的一个州，我们是多么的幸运。大家知道，从南布朗克斯到纽约最南端，从布鲁克林到布法罗，从蒙特哥到马塞纳，从世界上最高的摩天大楼到令人叹为观止的绵延山脉，我认识了不少人，我也永远不会忘记他们的容貌和故事。纽约六十二个县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、你们的车间、你们的起居室和前廊。你们教导着我，你们考验着我，你们把面临的难题和关心的问题告诉我——拥挤的校园和破旧的校舍，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奔波，有些问题我甚至已经为之奋斗了30年之久，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有责任感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。
