戈尔经典演讲

SPEAKER: ALBERT GORE JR.,

VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DEMOCRATIC PARTY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE －－－－－－－－－－－－

Good evening.

Just moments ago, I spoke with George W. Bush and congratulated him on becoming the 43rd

president of the United States, and I promised him that I wouldn't call him back this time.

I offered to meet with him as soon as possible so that we can start to heal the divisions

of the campaign and the contest through which we just passed.

Almost a century and a half ago, Senator Stephen Douglas told Abraham Lincoln, who had

just defeated him for the presidency, Partisan feeling must yield to patriotism. I'm with you, Mr. President, and God bless you.

Well, in that same spirit, I say to President-elect Bush that what remains of partisan rancor must now be put aside, and may God bless his stewardship of this country.

Neither he nor I anticipated this long and difficult road. Certainly neither of us wanted it to happen. Yet it came, and now it has ended, resolved, as it must be resolved, through the

honored institutions of our democracy.

Over the library of one of our great law schools is inscribed the motto, Not under man but under God and law. That's the ruling principle of American freedom, the source of our

democratic liberties. I've tried to make it my guide throughout this contest as it has guided

America's deliberations of all the complex issues of the past five weeks.

Now the U.S. Supreme Court has spoken. Let there be no doubt, while I strongly disagree

with the court's decision, I accept it. I accept the finality of this outcome which will be ratified next Monday in the Electoral College. And tonight, for the sake of our unity of the

people and the strength of our democracy, I offer my concession.

I also accept my responsibility, which I will discharge unconditionally, to honor the new

president elect and do everything possible to help him bring Americans together in fulfillment

of the great vision that our Declaration of Independence defines and that our Constitution

affirms and defends.

Let me say how grateful I am to all those who supported me and supported the cause for

which we have fought. Tipper and I feel a deep gratitude to Joe and Hadassah Lieberman who

brought passion and high purpose to our partnership and opened new doors, not just for our

campaign but for our country.

This has been an extraordinary election. But in one of God's unforeseen paths, this belatedly broken impasse can point us all to a new common ground, for its very closeness can

serve to remind us that we are one people with a shared history and a shared ed, that history gives us many examples of contests as hotly debated, as fiercely fought, with their own challenges to the popular will.

Other disputes have dragged on for weeks before reaching resolution. And each time, both the victor and the vanquished have accepted the result peacefully and in the spirit of reconciliation.

So let it be with us.

I know that many of my supporters are disappointed. I am too. But our disappointment

must be overcome by our love of country.

And I say to our fellow members of the world community, let no one see this contest as a sign of American weakness. The strength of American democracy is shown most clearly

through the difficulties it can overcome.

Some have expressed concern that the unusual nature of this election might hamper the

next president in the conduct of his office. I do not believe it need be so.

President-elect Bush inherits a nation whose citizens will be ready to assist him in the conduct of his large responsibilities.

I personally will be at his disposal, and I call on all Americans -- I particularly

urge all who stood with us to unite behind our next president. This is America. Just as we fight hard when the stakes are high, we close ranks and come together when the contest

is done.

And while there will be time enough to debate our continuing differences, now is the time to recognize that that which unites us is greater than that which divides us.

While we yet hold and do not yield our opposing beliefs, there is a higher duty than the one we owe to political party. This is America and we put country before party. We will stand together behind our new president.

As for what I'll do next, I don't know the answer to that one yet. Like many of you, I'm looking forward to spending the holidays with family and old friends. I know I'll spend time in Tennessee and mend some fences, literally and figuratively.

Some have asked whether I have any regrets and I do have one regret: that I didn't get the chance to stay and fight for the American people over the next four years,

especially for those who need burdens lifted and barriers removed, especially for those who feel their voices have not been heard. I heard you and I will not forget.

I've seen America in this campaign and I like what I see. It's worth fighting for and that's a fight I'll never stop.

As for the battle that ends tonight, I do believe as my father once said, that no matter how hard the loss, defeat might serve as well as victory to shape the soul and let the glory out.

So for me this campaign ends as it began: with the love of Tipper and our family;

with faith in God and in the country I have been so proud to serve, from Vietnam to the vice presidency; and with gratitude to our truly tireless campaign staff and volunteers, including all those who worked so hard in Florida for the last 36 days.

Now the political struggle is over and we turn again to the unending struggle for the common good of all Americans and for those multitudes around the world who look to us for

leadership in the cause of freedom.

In the words of our great hymn, “America, America”: “Let us crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.”

And now, my friends, in a phrase I once addressed to others, it's time for me to k you and good night, and God bless America.

戈尔讲话全文］（美国东部时间2000年12月13日晚21时）

晚上好！

几分钟之前，我刚跟乔治-布什通过话，祝贺他成为美利坚合众国第43届总统。我承诺此次我不会再收回我的祝贺。

我主动提出将尽快和他会面，以便能够弥补竞选活动以及我们刚刚经历的对抗所带来的分歧。

在一个半世纪以前，参议员斯蒂芬-道格拉斯对刚刚在总统竞选中击败他的林肯说：“党派感情必须让位于爱国热情。总统先生，我将永远和你站在一起，愿上帝保佑您。”

因此，出于同样的感情，我对当选总统布什说：党派分歧的残余必须丢在一边，愿上帝保佑他，为这个国家掌好舵。

不论是他还是我都没有预料到会经历一条这么长而且艰难的竞选之路。当然，我们俩中的任何一个都不希望发生这件事，可是它发生了。而现在又通过我们崇尚的民主政治机构把问题解决了，就像所有必须化解的矛盾一样化解了。

在我们一所非常知名的法学院图书馆前，铭刻着这样一句座右铭：“不是出于人治，而要崇尚上帝和法律。”这正是指引我们美国民主的原则，也是我们民主自由的源泉。在这次竞选的`全程中，我一直把它作为我的指南，而且，它确实指引了过去五周在所有艰难问题上的辩论。

现在，联邦最高法院已做出了最后裁决。虽然我并不服这个决定，但我会坦然接受它，这一点是毫无疑问的。我会接受下星期一竞选委会做出的竞选最后结果。今天晚上，为了民族的团结和民主的力量，我承认竞选失败。

同时，我也将无条件地承担自己的责任：尊敬下届新总统，并尽力协助他共建《独立宣言》和《宪法》所描绘的祖国蓝图。

对于那些一直支持我和我们的竞选的人们，我表示由衷的感谢。尤其要感谢我的

夫人和利伯曼，感谢他们为我们的竞选不断注入活力和希望，不仅仅为了竞选，更是为了我们整个国家。

这是一次特殊的“非常选举”。选举结果是如此接近，这使我们时刻牢记：我们都属于一个民族，有着共同的历史和共同的命运。

事实上，历史上有很多类似的激烈的竞争，它们也都在经历了一段时间的争论后得到最后的解决，而且每一次不管是胜方还是败方，都平静地接受最后的结果。让和解精神永远和我们在一起。

我知道，我的很多支持者会感到很失望，我本人也很失望，但是我们热爱祖国的感情必定会克服这种失望。

同样，我也要向国际社会上我们的伙伴们说，不要把这场竞争看做是美国脆弱的象征。美国民主的力量已经在它克服困难的过程中极为清楚的显现出来了。

有些人或许会担心这次竞选极不寻常的性质将会妨碍狭义的总统履行职责，我认为这种担心是没有必要的。

本届当选总统布什，接手了这样一个国家：在他履行重大责任时，这个国家的公民将愿意给予协助。

我个人将听从他的指令。我号召所有的美国人，特别是要力劝那些站在我方阵营的人们，联合起来，站在当选的下届总统身后。这就是美国，正像当两方势均力敌达到顶点的时候，我们猛烈地交战，而当竞赛结束以后，我们又靠近双方的阵营走到一起来一样。

我们将有充足的时间争论我们持续存在的不足，然而，在现在这个时刻，我们应该承认，把我们联合到一起的共同之处要比那些将我们分开的东西强大得多。虽然我们仍将紧握而不会放弃我们对立的信仰，但除了对政党的忠诚之外，我们还有更大的责任。这就是美国，国家将被我们置于政党之前来考虑。我们将一起站在我们的新总统身后。