U.S. Senator Barack Obama is spending his first full day as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee giving a major foreign policy speech, addressing a powerful American labor union, attending a high-powered fundraising event, and doing interviews for American television networks. His rival, Senator Hillary Clinton, has remained visible, but tightlipped as to when she will concede and throw her support behind Obama.
美国参议员巴拉克.奥巴马成为预料中的民主党总统候选人提名后，他在第二天就在一个很有影响力的美国工会发表重要的外交政策演讲。他还参加了一个热情高涨的募款活动，并接受了美国几家电视台的采访。他的对手，克林顿参议员虽然也出现在公共场合，但是，她对自己什么时候准备承认败选，然后全力支持奥巴马的问题守口如瓶。
Congratulations and further endorsements poured in for Barack Obama Wednesday, including acknowledgments from some Republican quarters. The White House says President Bush congratulates Obama for his "historic achievement" that "reflects the fact that the country has come a long way."
星期三，对奥巴马的祝贺和支持纷纷而来，他获得了更多的支持，包括一些共和党人的赞许。白宫说，布什总统赞扬奥巴马取得了“历史性成就”。他说，这反映了美国走过了很长的历程。
Hours after becoming the first person of color to clinch the presidential nomination of a major U.S. political party, Obama addressed a Washington gathering of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). There, he pledged an unyielding commitment to Israel's security, spoke of the need for peace in the Middle East, and clarified previous comments about his willingness, as president, to one day meet face-to-face with the leaders of Iran.
奥巴马成为第一个有色人种人士获得美国重要政党的总统候选人提名。几个小时后，他在美国-以色列公众事务委员会举行的大会上发表演讲。奥巴马坚决表示自己将毫不动摇地致力于以色列的安全。他谈到了中东和平的必要性，并且对自己先前发表的有关当选总统后与伊朗领导人进行面对面会谈的说法进行了澄清。
He also paid tribute to fellow-Democratic contender Hillary Clinton, who vied to become America's first woman president.
奥巴马还赞扬了他的竞争对手希拉里.克林顿。克林顿一直在争取成为美国第一任女总统。
"I want to publicly acknowledge Hillary Clinton for the outstanding race that she has run," he said. "She is a true friend of Israel. She is a great Senator from New York. She is an extraordinary leader of the Democratic Party, and she has made history alongside me over the last 16 months. So I am very proud to have competed against her."
奥巴马说: “我要公开承认克林顿进行了一场出色的竞选。她是以色列的朋友。她是来自纽约的杰出参议员。她也是民主党的杰出领导人。在过去的16个月里，我和她在一起共同创造历史。我非常骄傲能和她一起竞选。”
Clinton has yet to officially drop out of the presidential race, although she has told supporters that she would be open to serving as Obama's vice presidential running mate. Short of a formal concession, however, Clinton has signaled that she is aware of Obama's status as presumptive presidential nominee. The senator also spoke at AIPAC, moments after Obama left the stage.
克林顿还没有正式退出总统竞选，尽管她已经告诉支持者，她有意成为奥巴马的副总统竞选夥伴。虽然还没有正式承认失败，不过，克林顿已经表示，她知道奥巴马已经是预料中的总统提名人。在奥巴马结束在美国-以色列公共事务委员会的讲话后不久，克林顿也在那次大会上发表了讲话。克林顿说:
"The Democratic Party's strong commitment to the state of Israel is one of our party's most-cherished values," she noted. "And it will continue under the next Democratic president. I know [that] Senator Obama understands what is at stake here. It has been an honor to contest these primaries with him. And let me be very clear: I know that Senator Obama will be a good friend to Israel."
“民主党坚定地支持以色列国是我们党最珍视的价值观之一。下一任民主党总统也会一如既往地执行这样的政策。我知道奥巴马参议员明白这里的利害关系。我一直感到很荣幸和他一起经历了这些初选。现在我可以很清楚的告诉大家：我知道奥巴马参议员将会是以色列的好朋友。”
In a telephone call early Wednesday, Obama and Clinton agreed to meet face-to-face, but discussed no specifics. Just how and when Clinton exits the race - and what, if any, concessions she may want from Obama in doing so - will be closely watched as Democratic officials work to rebuild party unity after an often-bruising primary campaign season.
奥巴马和克林顿在星期三早上通了电话，同意进行面对面的会谈，但是不对具体问题进行讨论。不过，克林顿将如何以及何时退出竞选，以及她可能要求奥巴马作出何种让步等问题都会被密切关注。与此同时，在经历了伤痕累累的竞选季节后，民主党官员也在共同努力，让民主党重新团结起来。
On the Republican side, Arizona Senator John McCain continued to question Obama's message of bringing change to Washington. Speaking in Louisiana, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee called for an expanded debate schedule between him and Obama that would include weekly joint town hall meetings across the country leading up to the November election.
在共和党方面，亚利桑那州参议员约翰.麦凯恩对奥巴马发出的要为华盛顿政治带来新的变革的讯息继续提出质疑。这位预料会获得共和党总统提名的候选人在路易斯安那呼吁增加他和奥巴马参议员的辩论场次，包括两人在11月竞选前每周共同出席一次全国各地的市政厅会议。
"Joint town halls would show we both understand that this election could not be more important to the future security and prosperity of American families," he said. "It is, indeed, a 'change' election. No matter who wins this election, the direction of the country is going to change dramatically. But the choice before the American people is between the right change and the wrong change."
麦凯恩说: “共同参加市政厅会议将显示，我们两人都清楚这次选举对美国家庭未来的安全和繁荣是最重要的。这确实是一次“变革”的选举。不管谁最后赢得胜利，这个国家未来的发展方向将发生急剧的变化。但是，美国人要作出的选择是，要好的变化还是坏的变化。”
An Obama spokesman calls the joint town hall proposal "appealing."
奥巴马的一名发言人说，两人共同出席市政厅会议的提议“很吸引人”。
Barack Obama, 46, is vying to become one of America's youngest presidents. His age contrasts sharply with that of John McCain, 71, would become one of the oldest to enter the Oval Office.
现年46岁的奥巴马将竞选成为美国最年轻的总统。他的年龄与麦凯恩形成鲜明的对比。麦凯恩今年71岁，一旦当选，他将成为入主白宫最年老的人之一。 |