奥巴马演讲全文

奥巴马演讲全文 芝加哥，你好啊！If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if thedream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.假如还有些人怀疑美国是不是一切皆有可能的地方，假如还有些人迷惑于我们的建国先辈们所持有的梦想，在今天还是不是鲜活，假如有些人仍在质疑我们民主的力量到底强不强大，今晚就是给你们给她们的回复。Its the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voices could be that difference.这个回复，是由那些连续三四小时在学校，在教堂，排着长长的队伍的大家给出的，这情形美国历史上历来没有发生过。其中有大家是平生第一次去投票，因为她们相信，这次一定和以往不一样，她们相信，自己的声音肯定会使一切和过去不一样。Its the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled - Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.这个回复，是由下面的人给出的：年轻人和老人，有钱人和没钱人，民主党的和共和党的，黑人，白人，西班牙裔人，亚裔人，美国本土人，同性恋，异性恋，残疾的和不残疾的。全部这些美国人，全部在向世界发出一个信息，那就是，我们历来不但仅是无数个人的累加，不但仅是红州和蓝州的混合体；我们是，也将永远是，美洲上团结起来的州。Its the answer that that led those whove been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day. Its been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.对于那些长久以来被灌输不信，恐惧和怀疑我们到底能做出什么的大家来说，今晚也是一个回复。我们能够掌控历史前行的弧线，并把这一弧线弯曲，令它重新朝着更加好的未来延伸。已经等了很久，但今晚，因为我们今天在这选举时刻，在这重新定义一切的时分所做出的一切，变革已经莅临美国。A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Senator McCain. Senator McCain fought long and hard in this campaign, and hes fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him, I congratulate Governor Palin for all theyve achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nations promise in the months ahead.今晚稍早些时候，我接到麦坎恩参议员打来的电话，麦坎恩参议员十分有君子风度。她为此次竞选，做出了艰辛而长久的付出。不过，她对自己热爱的这个国家，则付出了更多艰辛和岁月。她为美国做出了多少牺牲，我们多数人甚至难以想象。而现在，我们则因为这位勇敢而无私的领袖所做的奉献，正过着幸福的日子。我向她和佩林州长所赢得的一切表示祝贺。而且，我期待在未来数月后，和她们一道，为重新振兴国家而工作。I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.我要感谢这次竞选行程中我的搭档，她为竞选尽心尽力，为那些和她一起在斯克兰顿街头上长大的男人女大家发声，为跟她一起搭乘火车，回特拉华老家的男男女女们发声。她就是，美国当选副总统，乔拜登。And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family, the love of my life, our nations next First Lady, Michelle Obama.今晚，我能站在这里，是因为我拥有着过去16年来我最好的好友，我们家的基石，我生命中的挚爱，我们国家的下一位第一夫人，米雪奥巴马的一直不渝的支持。Sasha and Malia, I love you both more than you can imagine, and you have earned the new puppy thats coming with us to the White House.莎莎，还有玛丽亚，我爱着你们两个,爱得超出了你们的想象。你们已经赢得了一个新的宠物，它要随我们一起搬进白宫啦。And while shes no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, I know that my debt to them is beyond measure.还有一位，她已经不再和我们在一起了，我知道，姥姥在高天上正望着我，她跟全部培养我成为今天这么的亲大家一起，在望着我。今晚，我想念她们，我内心知道，我对她们永远感激不尽。To my sister Maya, my sister Auma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that youve given me. I am grateful to them.我还要感谢我的妹妹玛亚，另个妹妹奥玛，和我全部其它的弟兄姐妹们。感谢你们给我的全部支持。我对她们怀着感念之情。To my campaign manager David Plouffe, the unsung hero of this campaign who built the best the best political campaign I think in the history of the United States of America；to my chief strategist David Axelrod, who has been a partner with me every step of the way, to the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what youve sacrificed to get it done.我要感谢我的竞选经理D普劳夫，她是这次竞选活动中的无名英雄，但正是她完成了最好的，我想，是完成了美国历史上最好的政治选举活动。我还要感谢首席策略教授D艾克斯罗德，她在我一路竞选活动中，一直不弃不离陪同着我。我还要感谢我这个最好的竞选团体。这个团体是政治历史上最好的团体了。是你们使得这一切成为事实，我对你们为赢得这一切所付出的牺牲，永远心存感激。But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to - It belongs to you. It belongs to you.但除了上述这些，我永远不会忘记的是，这场胜利真正该属于谁，这胜利属于你们，这胜利属于你们。I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didnt start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington - itbegan in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.我一直不是最有期望进入白宫的候选人。开始时，我们没有太多的资金，或，也没有很多主要人物支持我们。我们的竞选活动，并不是在华盛顿的豪华大厅里策划出来的，而是始于小城市得梅因的后院里，始于康科德和查尔斯顿这些小地方的起居室里，前门走廊上。 It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to the cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generations apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; it grew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.这竞选的胜利，是由那些劳作的大家，从自己极少的积蓄中，掏出五块十块二十块赞助后赢得的。是从年轻人那里赢得的，她们拒绝认可自己对政治不感爱好，她们离开家，离开亲人，干收入极少的助选的活儿，睡极少的觉。是从那些并不太年轻的人那里赢得的，她们在严冬酷暑里，勇于敲开一点也不认识的陌生人的家门。是从数百万自愿组织起来的美国民众那里赢得的。而且它也证实，两百多年后的今天，一个民有，民治，民享的政府，并没有从这个地球消失。这是你们的胜利。I know you didnt do this just to win an election and I know you didnt do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime - two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how theyll make the mortgage, or pay their doctors bills, or save enough for their childs college education. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair. 我知道，你们这么做，并不是只为了赢得一次选举，我也知道你们这么做，并不是为我。你们之因此要这么做，是因为你们知道，摆在眼前的任务太过艰巨了。因为即便我们今晚这么庆贺胜利，但我们全部明白，明天带来的挑战，是我们一辈子里最大的挑战了_两场战争，危机四伏的地球，百年里最糟糕的金融危机。因为即便我们今晚站在这里，但我们全部明白，在伊拉克的沙漠里，在阿富汗的群山中，还有我们勇敢的美国人，她们一觉醒来，就面临着为保护我们而牺牲性命的危险。还有没有数母亲们和父亲们，孩子已经熟睡了，自己却不能入眠，她们要盘算着怎样才能偿付房贷，怎样支付医疗费用，怎样才能攒够孩子上大学的钱数。还有，新能源要开发，新的就业机会要发明，新校舍要搭建，无数威胁要面对，友邦关系要修补。The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term, but America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you - we as a people will get there. 前面的路，还很长，我们要攀爬的坡，还很陡。可能，我们在一年内，甚至一届总统任期内，全部不一定会抵达那里。但美国人民哪，我历来没有像今晚这么，充满着憧憬，这憧憬就是，我们一定会抵达那里。我向你们承诺：我们美国全体人民一定会抵达那里！There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who wont agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government cant solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation the only way its been done in America for 221 years - block by block, brick by brick, calloused hands by calloused hands. 以后一定会有很多挫折，也会有很多个出师不利。还会有很多人，对总统的我所作出的每个决议或政策，全部不认可。但我们全部明白，政府不可能处理得了每个问题。不过，我一定竭尽可能，和你们坦诚面对，直陈我们面临的多种挑战。我一定会倾听你们的声音。尤其当我们意见不一样时，我更会倾听。总而言之，我还要请你们加入到重建这个国家行列里来，重建的方法，是美国221年来，一直使用的唯一方法，那就是，用一双双长满老茧的手，一块砖一块砖地建，一片瓦一片瓦地盖。What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter can not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek - it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you, without anew spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice. So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, ofresponsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other.两百多年前，人民在这块曾经的殖民地上赢得了自己的命运；今夜，我们向实现完美联邦的目标又迈近了一步。这一步，是因为你们；这一步，是因为你们证实了克服战争和萧条的那种精神仍在，那份把我们国家从绝望的深渊带向期望之巅的精神。我们每个人全部能够追逐自己的梦想。 美国同胞血浓于水，作为一个国家和民族，我们共起落、同荣辱。今晚，在这次选举中，你们，美国人民们，提醒了我们：尽管旅程艰辛，历程漫长，我们仍能振作精神，奋起反击。我们心中坚信，美利坚的天天愈加美好。我想感谢每一位亲身参加大选的美国人。不论这是你的第一次投票，又或是在队伍中等候了很久。顺便说一句，排队这个问题真是亟待处理。不论你是步行前往，还是拿起电话；不论你举的牌子上，写的是奥巴马还是罗姆尼你的声音全部会被听到，你也一样带来了改变。我刚刚和罗姆尼州长通了话，向她和保罗瑞安，就这场艰苦的战役，表示了我的祝贺。双方的选战之因此惨烈，正是因为我们全部如此深爱这个国家，如此关心它的未来。从乔治到兰诺夫妇，再到她们的儿子米特，罗姆尼一家选择经过献身公务来报效国家。今晚，我们向这一份宝贵的政治遗产致以我们的敬意和掌声。在未来的多个星期，我还期望能和罗姆尼州长坐下来，讨论在哪些方面，我们能够共同努力，推进这个国家向前。我想谢谢我的好友，我过去四年的搭档，美国的愉快战士乔拜登。能有她做副总统。夫复何求。另外，假如没有那位 20 年前同意嫁给我的女人，我今天也不可能站在这里。让我告诉全部人吧：米歇尔，我对你的爱，是如此深切。我目睹着我之外的美国人全部爱上了你，作为第一夫人的你，我对你的骄傲，也是如此深切。萨莎和玛利亚，就在我们的注视下，你们已经成长为两位坚强、智慧、漂亮的年轻女士，就像你们的母亲一样。我真得为你们骄傲。但我想说就现在而言，给你们养一条宠物狗就够了。至政治史上最好的竞选团体和志愿者们：你们是最好的，最最好的。你们中有些人是新鲜加入，有些人从一开始就和我们共同进退，但你们全部是我的家人。不论你在做什么，以后要做什么，你们全部能带上这段我们共同发明的历史，和这位感恩的总统对你们一生的感激。 谢谢你们的一路坚信，陪我翻过每座丘岭，穿越每座山谷。一路走来，多亏你们的辅佑。 我会永远为你们所付出的一切和全部卓越之至的工作而心怀感激。我知道有时候政治竞选看起来渺小，甚至愚蠢，这为愤世嫉俗者们提供了很多素材。她们告诉我们，政治不过是为特殊利益集团服务的猴戏。但假如你曾经同参与过我们的集会的一般人，或是在高中体育馆围线外排队的大家交谈过；或是看到在远离故乡的小郡县竞选办公室里工作到很晚的大家，你一定会有新的认识。你会在一位半工半读的年轻活动现场组织者声音中，听到无比的坚定。她想让每个孩子全部能有均等的机会；你会在一名志愿者声音中，听到她的自豪。她挨家挨户的告诉每一个人，她的哥哥最终有了工作，因为当地的汽车企业增加了一个轮班；你会在一位军嫂声音中听到她的爱国主义情怀。她深夜也不放下电话是为了要让每一位保家卫国的战士，全部不用在回家后，却为一份工作、一片屋檐，苦苦求而不得。这就是我们做这些的原因。政治也能够说这么的。这就是为何，选举是主要的。它并不渺小，它是件大事，很主要的大事。在有三亿人口的国家中，民主会显得喧哗、混乱、复杂。我们有自己的看法，每个人全部有自己坚定的信仰。当面对困难的时期，当我们的国家需要作出重大的决定时，它必定会激发烧情，也掀起争议。这些在今晚以后全部不会改变，也不应该被改变。这些争论是我们自由的印记。我们永远不能忘记，就在此时此刻，在部分遥远的国家，人民正在冒着生命的危险，只为了能有讨论那些主要话题的机会，为了能有像我们今天这么投出自己一票的机会。尽管我们有不一样，我们中的大多数，对美国的未来怀有一样的期望。我们期望自己的孩子成长在这么一个国家：她们能去到最好的学校，有最好的老师；它不会辜负前人留下的遗产，继续成为全球科技、探索、创新的领导者，有好的工作、新的产业随之而来；我们期望自己孩子成长的美国，不会被债务负累，不会因不平等而有所减弱，也不会被地球变暖而带来的危害所威胁。我们想要传承的，是一个安全并受全球尊敬和爱戴的国家。我们想要传承的，是一个由世界最强军事力量保卫，拥有最好的军队的国家。同时，也是一个自信前行的国家走出战争的阴霾，塑造和平景象，保障每个人的自由和尊严。我们相信美国是一个慷慨大度的国家，一个悲天悯人的国家，更是一个海纳百川的国家。 我们要接纳在中国学校学习并对我们的国旗宣誓，满怀梦想的移民；要接纳身处芝加哥南部 市井之中却能志存高远的男孩；还要接纳北卡州家俱工人的孩子，她们梦想着成为医生、科 学家、工程师、企业家、外交官，甚至是总统。那正是我们所期望的未来，是我们共有的愿景，是我们需要前进的方向，那是我们的目标。对于怎样实现这一目标，我们可能会意见相左，有时分歧甚大，两个多世纪以来，一直如此。我们总会断断续续地取得进步，前行的路线总有曲折，不会一直是平坦通途。认识到我们拥有共同的期望和梦想，单靠这一点无法终止全部的政治僵局，或处理我们全部问题。建立共识，作出推进这个国家向前所必须的艰苦妥协，这些艰辛的工作也无法得以替换。但我们必需以这一共同纽带为起点。我们的经济正在复苏，为期十年的战争已近尾声，一场漫长的竞选现已结束。不论我是否赢得了你的选票，我全部倾听了你的呼声，从你身上得到了教益，你使我成长为更 优异的总统。带着你们的小说和挣扎，我回到白宫时，对面临的任务和未来，更为坚定，更有激情。 公民在我们的民主体系中所饰演的角色，并不止于投票。美利坚的意义，并不在于他人能为我们做什么，而是在于我们能一起做什么，而这依靠的就是公民自治。这即使困难而又往往令人气馁，却是不可或缺的。这是我们的建国理念。我们国家的财富多于其它任何国家，可我们的富有并不源于此。 我们有史上最强的军事力量，可这并不是我们力量的源头。我们的大学，我们的文化，为全世界所钦羡，可这并非吸引各国人民前来中国的根源。美国的卓尔不群之根源在于，将全球最为多元化的国家团结起来的纽带，在于信仰我们的命运紧密相连。信仰只有当我们对相互，对下几代人负起一定责任，我们国家才有期望。美国的卓尔不群之根源，在于无数美国人为之奋斗和献身的自由，这自由背后，现有义务又有权利，其中就包含仁爱、慈善、责任和爱国。美国的伟大，就是靠这些精神铸就而成的。我今晚充满期望，因为我目睹了美国上下洋溢着的精神：在宁愿扣自己薪水，也不愿裁掉邻里职员的家族企业中；在宁愿自己少干些，也不愿让好友失业的工大家身上；在手脚伤残，却仍延长服役年限的士兵身上；在海军陆战队员身上，她们无畏地冲上楼梯，冲进黑暗和危险，只因心知有些人会照料她们。在新泽西和纽约的海岸上也能够见到，各党领袖、各级政府撇开分歧，共同帮助一个小区重建被可怕的风暴摧毁的家园。前些天，我在俄亥俄州的曼图尔市见到了一位父亲，她跟我讲了她 8 岁女儿的小说。女儿和白血病的斗争差点使她们倾家荡产，幸好医保改革在保险企业停止支付，其医疗费用前数月得以经过。我不但和这位父亲进行了交谈，也碰到了她坚强的女儿。当她向听众讲话时，在场的每一位父母全部眼含热泪。因为我们知道，这个小女孩的遭遇也可能发生在我们的孩子身上。我知道每一位美国同胞，全部期望她有一样光明的未来。这就是我们，这就是我很自豪地以总统身份领导的国家。今晚，纵有我们所经历的磨难，纵有华盛顿诸般挫折，我从未对我们的未来如此充满期望，我从未对美利坚如此充满期望。我请求你们，保持这份期望。我不是指盲目乐观，无视眼前艰巨任务和障碍的那种期望，我也不是指让我们袖手旁观或逃避斗争的那种一厢情愿的理想主义。我一直认为，期望是我们心中顽强不屈的那样东西。虽有多种不利证据，却仍坚持有更加好的未来等候着我们。只要我们有勇气去不停争取、不停努力、不停奋斗。美利坚，我相信，我们能百尺竿头更深入，继续奋斗，为中产阶级发明就业、发明机会、发明保障。我相信，我们能继续推行国父们的承诺只要你扎实肯干，你是谁，从哪儿来，什么种族，爱哪里，全部不主要。不论你是黑人、白人、西班牙裔、亚裔，还是印第安居民，不论你年轻是否、富有是否、健全是否、性向怎样，你全部能在美国有所成就，只要你愿意努力。我相信，我们能够共同把握这一未来。因为有别于政坛所表现的，我们其实并没有那么分裂，我们并不像评论员们所认为的那样愤世嫉俗。我们的伟大，胜于我们个人野心的总和，我们不但仅是红蓝州的集合。我们现在是，也将永远是，美利坚合众国。在你们的帮助下和上帝的眷顾下，我们将继续前进，向全世界昭示，我们为何居于地球上最伟大的国家。感谢你们，美利坚的人民们！上帝保佑你们！上帝保佑美国！奥巴马开学演讲原文：REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENTREMARKS BY THE PRESIDENTIN A NATIONAL ADDRESS TO AMERICAS SCHOOLCHILDRENWakefield High SchoolArlington, Virginia12:06EDTTHE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, everybody. All right, everybody go ahead and have a seat. How is everybody doing today?How about Tim Spicer?I am here with students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. And weve got students tuning in from all across America, from kindergarten through 12th grade. And I am just so glad that all could join us today. And I want to thank Wakefield for being such an outstanding host. Give yourselves a big round of applause.I know that for many of you, today is the first day of school. And for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, its your first day in a new school, so its understandable if youre a little nervous. I imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now - with just one more year to go. And no matter what grade youre in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer and you couldve stayed in bed just a little bit longer this morning.I know that feeling. When I was young, my family lived overseas. I lived in Indonesia for a few years. And my mother, she didnt have the money to send me where all the American kids went to school, but she thought it was important for me to keep up with an American education. So she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, Monday through Friday. But because she had to go to work, the only time she could do it was at 4:30 in the morning.Now, as you might imagine, I wasnt too happy about getting up that early. And a lot of times, Id fall asleep right there at the kitchen table. But whenever Id complain, my mother would just give me one of those looks and shed say, This is no picnic for me either, buster.So I know that some of you are still adjusting to being back at school. But Im here today because I have something important to discuss with you. Im here because I want to talk with you about your education and whats expected of all of you in this new school year. Now, Ive given a lot of speeches about education. And Ive talked about responsibility a lot.Ive talked about teachers responsibility for inspiring students and pushing you to learn.Ive talked about your parents responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and you get your homework done, and dont spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with the Xbox.Ive talked a lot about your governments responsibility for setting high standards, and supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that arent working, where students arent getting the opportunities that they deserve.But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, the best schools in the world - and none of it will make a difference, none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities, unless you show up to those schools, unless you pay attention to those teachers, unless you listen to your parents and grandparents and other adults and put in the hard work it takes to succeed. Thats what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education.I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself. Every single one of you has something that youre good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. Thats the opportunity an education can provide.Maybe you could be a great writer - maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper - but you might not know it until you write that English paper - that English class paper thats assigned to you. Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor - maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or the new medicine or vaccine - but you might not know it until you do your project for your science class. Maybe you could be a mayor or a senator or a Supreme Court justice - but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team.And no matter what you want to do with your life, I guarantee that youll need an education to do it. You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? Youre going to need a good educationfor every single one of those careers. You cannot drop out of school and just drop into a good job. Youve got to train for it and work for it and learn for it.And this isnt just important for your own life and your own future. What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country. The future of America depends on you. What youre learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.Youll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment. Youll need the insights and critical-thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free. Youll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.We need every single one of you to develop your talents and your skills and your intellect so you can help us old folks solve our most difficult problems. If you dont do that - if you quit on school - youre not just quitting on yourself, youre quitting on your country.Now, I know its not always easy to do well in school. I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.I get it. I know what its like. My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mom who had to work and who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasnt always able to give us the things that other kids had. There were times when I missed having a father in my life. There were times when I was lonely and I felt like I didnt fit in.So I wasnt always as focused as I should have been on school, and I did some things Im not proud of, and I got in more trouble than I should have. And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.But I was - I was lucky. I got a lot of second chances, and I had the opportunity to go to college and law school and follow my dreams. My wife, our First Lady Michelle Obama, she has a similar story. Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didnt have a lot of money. But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.Some of you might not have those advantages. Maybe you dont have adults in your life who give you the support that you need. Maybe someone in your family has lost their job and theres not enough money to go around. Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you dont feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know arent right.But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life - what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what youve got going on at home - none of that is an excuse