Below are Barack Obama's remarks as prepared for delivery tonight in Chicago:

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It's 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 very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.

It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It's the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of 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.

It's 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.

I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he's fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.

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.

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 and the love of my life, our nation's next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House. And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to it belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

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 this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; 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.

I know you didn't do this just to win an election and I know you didn't 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 they'll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor's bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even 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.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can't 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 join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must 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.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.

Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, 'We are not enemies, but friends…though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection.' And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.

For that is the true genius of America that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that 'We Shall Overcome.' Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

以下是奧巴馬(Barack Obama)為今晚在芝加哥演講準(zhǔn)備的講稿：

如果還有人對(duì)美國(guó)是否凡事都有可能存疑，還有人懷疑美國(guó)奠基者的夢(mèng)想在我們所處的時(shí)代是否依然鮮活，還有人質(zhì)疑我們的民主制度的力量，那么今晚，這些問(wèn)題都有了答案。

這是設(shè)在學(xué)校和教堂的投票站前排起的前所未見(jiàn)的長(zhǎng)隊(duì)給出的答案；是等了三四個(gè)小時(shí)的選民所給出的答案，其中許多人都是有生以來(lái)第一次投票，因?yàn)樗麄冋J(rèn)定這一次肯定會(huì)不一樣，認(rèn)為自己的聲音會(huì)是這次大選有別于以往之所在。

這是所有美國(guó)人民共同給出的答案－－無(wú)論老少貧富，無(wú)論是民主黨還是共和黨，無(wú)論是黑人、白人、拉美裔、亞裔、原住民，是同性戀者還是異性戀者、殘疾人還是健全人－－我們從來(lái)不是“紅州”和“藍(lán)州”的對(duì)立陣營(yíng)，我們是美利堅(jiān)合眾國(guó)這個(gè)整體，永遠(yuǎn)都是。

長(zhǎng)久以來(lái)，很多人一再受到告誡，要對(duì)我們所能取得的成績(jī)極盡諷刺、擔(dān)憂和懷疑之能事，但這個(gè)答案讓這些人伸出手來(lái)把握歷史，再次讓它朝向美好明天的希望延伸。

已經(jīng)過(guò)去了這么長(zhǎng)時(shí)間，但今晚，由于我們?cè)诮裉臁⒃谶@場(chǎng)大選中、在這個(gè)具有決定性的時(shí)刻所做的，美國(guó)已經(jīng)迎來(lái)了變革。

我剛剛接到了麥凱恩參議員極具風(fēng)度的致電。他在這場(chǎng)大選中經(jīng)過(guò)了長(zhǎng)時(shí)間的努力奮斗，而他為自己所深愛(ài)的這個(gè)國(guó)家?jiàn)^斗的時(shí)間更長(zhǎng)、過(guò)程更艱辛。他為美國(guó)做出了我們大多數(shù)人難以想像的犧牲，我們的生活也因這位勇敢無(wú)私的領(lǐng)袖所做出的貢獻(xiàn)而變得更美好。我向他和佩林州長(zhǎng)所取得的成績(jī)表示祝賀，我也期待著與他們一起在未來(lái)的歲月中為復(fù)興這個(gè)國(guó)家的希望而共同努力。

我要感謝我在這次旅程中的伙伴－－已當(dāng)選美國(guó)副總統(tǒng)的拜登。他全心參與競(jìng)選活動(dòng)，為普通民眾代言，他們是他在斯克蘭頓從小到大的伙伴，也是在他回特拉華的火車上遇到的男男女女。

如果沒(méi)有一個(gè)人的堅(jiān)決支持，我今晚就不會(huì)站在這里，她是我過(guò)去16年來(lái)最好的朋友、是我們一家人的中堅(jiān)和我一生的摯愛(ài)，更是我們國(guó)家的下一位第一夫人：米歇爾•奧巴馬(Michelle Obama)。薩莎(Sasha)和瑪麗亞(Malia)，我太愛(ài)你們兩個(gè)了，你們已經(jīng)得到了一條新的小狗，它將與我們一起入駐白宮。雖然我的外祖母已經(jīng)不在了，但我知道她與我的親人肯定都在看著我，因?yàn)樗麄儯�我才能擁有今天的成就。今晚，我想念他們，我知道自己欠他們的無(wú)可計(jì)量。

我的競(jìng)選經(jīng)理大衛(wèi)•普勞夫(David Plouffe)、首席策略師大衛(wèi)•艾克斯羅德(David Axelrod)以及政治史上最好的競(jìng)選團(tuán)隊(duì)－－是你們成就了今天，我永遠(yuǎn)感激你們?yōu)閷?shí)現(xiàn)今天的成就所做出的犧牲。

但最重要的是，我永遠(yuǎn)不會(huì)忘記這場(chǎng)勝利真正的歸屬－－它屬于你們。

我從來(lái)不是最有希望的候選人。一開(kāi)始，我們沒(méi)有太多資金，也沒(méi)有得到太多人的支持。我們的競(jìng)選活動(dòng)并非誕生于華盛頓的高門華第之內(nèi)，而是始于得梅因、康科德、查爾斯頓這些地方的普通民眾家中。

我們的競(jìng)選活動(dòng)能有今天的規(guī)模，是因?yàn)樾燎诠ぷ鞯娜藗儚淖约旱奈⒈》e蓄中拿出錢來(lái)，捐出一筆又一筆5美元、10美元、20美元。而競(jìng)選活動(dòng)的聲勢(shì)越來(lái)越大則是源自那些年輕人，他們拒絕接受認(rèn)為他們這代人冷漠的荒誕說(shuō)法；他們離開(kāi)家、離開(kāi)親人，從事報(bào)酬微薄、極其辛苦的工作；同時(shí)也源自那些已經(jīng)不算年輕的人們，他們冒著嚴(yán)寒酷暑，敲開(kāi)陌生人的家門進(jìn)行競(jìng)選宣傳；更源自數(shù)百萬(wàn)的美國(guó)民眾，他們自動(dòng)自發(fā)地組織起來(lái)，證明了在兩百多年以后，民有、民治、民享的政府并未從地球上消失。這是你們的勝利。

我知道你們的所做所為并不只是為了贏得大選，我也知道你們做這一切并不是為了我。你們這樣做是因?yàn)槟銈兠靼讛[在面前的任務(wù)有多艱巨。因?yàn)榧幢阄覀兘裢須g呼慶祝，我們也知道明天將面臨我們一生之中最為艱巨的挑戰(zhàn)－－兩場(chǎng)戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)、一個(gè)面臨危險(xiǎn)的星球，還有百年來(lái)最嚴(yán)重的金融危機(jī)。今晚站在此地，我們知道伊拉克的沙漠里和阿富汗的群山中還有勇敢的美國(guó)士兵醒來(lái)，甘冒生命危險(xiǎn)保護(hù)著我們。會(huì)有在孩子熟睡后仍難以入眠的父母，擔(dān)心如何償還按揭月供、付醫(yī)藥費(fèi)或是存夠錢送孩子上大學(xué)。我們亟待開(kāi)發(fā)新能源、創(chuàng)造新的工作機(jī)會(huì)；我們需要修建新學(xué)校，還要應(yīng)對(duì)眾多威脅、修復(fù)與許多國(guó)家的關(guān)系。

前方的道路會(huì)十分漫長(zhǎng)艱辛。我們可能無(wú)法在一年甚至一屆任期之內(nèi)實(shí)現(xiàn)上述目標(biāo)，但我從未像今晚這樣滿懷希望，相信我們會(huì)實(shí)現(xiàn)。我向你們承諾－－我們作為一個(gè)整體將會(huì)達(dá)成目標(biāo)。

我們會(huì)遭遇挫折和不成功的開(kāi)端。對(duì)于我作為總統(tǒng)所做的每項(xiàng)決定和政策，會(huì)有許多人持有異議，我們也知道政府并不能解決所有問(wèn)題。但我會(huì)向你們坦陳我們所面臨的挑戰(zhàn)。我會(huì)聆聽(tīng)你們的意見(jiàn)，尤其是在我們意見(jiàn)相左之時(shí)。最重要的是，我會(huì)請(qǐng)求你們參與重建這個(gè)國(guó)家，以美國(guó)221年來(lái)從未改變的唯一方式－－一磚一瓦、胼手胝足。

21個(gè)月前那個(gè)寒冬所開(kāi)始的一切不應(yīng)該在今天這個(gè)秋夜結(jié)束。今天的選舉勝利并不是我們所尋求的改變－－這只是我們進(jìn)行改變的機(jī)會(huì)。而且如果我們?nèi)匀话凑张f有方式行事，我們所尋求的改變不可能出現(xiàn)。沒(méi)有你們，也不可能有這種改變。

因此，讓我們發(fā)揚(yáng)新的愛(ài)國(guó)精神，樹(shù)立新的服務(wù)意識(shí)和責(zé)任感，讓我們每個(gè)人下定決心全情投入、更加努力地工作，并彼此關(guān)愛(ài)。讓我們銘記這場(chǎng)金融危機(jī)帶來(lái)的教訓(xùn)：我們不可能在金融以外的領(lǐng)域備受煎熬的同時(shí)擁有繁榮興旺的華爾街－－在這個(gè)國(guó)家，我們患難與共。

讓我們抵制重走老路的誘惑，避免重新回到令美國(guó)政治長(zhǎng)期深受毒害的黨派紛爭(zhēng)和由此引發(fā)的遺憾和不成熟表現(xiàn)。讓我們牢記，正是伊利諾伊州的一名男子首次將共和黨的大旗扛到了白宮。共和黨是建立在自強(qiáng)自立、個(gè)人自由以及全民團(tuán)結(jié)的價(jià)值觀上，這也是我們所有人都珍視的價(jià)值。雖然民主黨今天晚上贏得了巨大的勝利，但我們是以謙卑的態(tài)度和彌合阻礙我們進(jìn)步的分歧的決心贏得這場(chǎng)勝利的。林肯在向遠(yuǎn)比我們眼下分歧更大的國(guó)家發(fā)表講話時(shí)說(shuō)，我們不是敵人，而是朋友……雖然激情可能褪去，但是這不會(huì)割斷我們感情上的聯(lián)系。對(duì)于那些現(xiàn)在并不支持我的美國(guó)人，我想說(shuō)，或許我沒(méi)有贏得你們的選票，但是我聽(tīng)到了你們的聲音，我需要你們的幫助，而且我也將是你們的總統(tǒng)。

那些徹夜關(guān)注美國(guó)大選的海外人士，從國(guó)會(huì)到皇宮，以及在這個(gè)世界被遺忘的角落里擠在收音機(jī)旁的人們，我們的經(jīng)歷雖然各有不同，但是我們的命運(yùn)是相通的，新的美國(guó)領(lǐng)袖誕生了。那些想要顛覆這個(gè)世界的人們，我們必將擊敗你們。那些追求和平和安全的人們，我們支持你們。那些所有懷疑美國(guó)能否繼續(xù)照亮世界發(fā)展前景的人們，今天晚上我們?cè)俅巫C明，我們國(guó)家真正的力量并非來(lái)自我們武器的威力或財(cái)富的規(guī)模，而是來(lái)自我們理想的持久力量：民主、自由、機(jī)會(huì)和不屈的希望。

這才是美國(guó)真正的精華－－美國(guó)能夠改變。我們的聯(lián)邦會(huì)日臻完善。我們?nèi)〉玫某删蜑槲覀儗��?lái)能夠取得的以及必須取得的成就增添了希望。

這次大選創(chuàng)造了多項(xiàng)“第一”，也誕生了很多將世代流傳的故事。但是今天晚上令我難忘的卻是在亞特蘭大投票的一名婦女：安•尼克松•庫(kù)波爾(Ann Nixon Cooper)。她和其他數(shù)百萬(wàn)排隊(duì)等待投票的選民沒(méi)有什么差別，除了一點(diǎn)：她已是106歲的高齡。

她出生的那個(gè)時(shí)代奴隸制度剛剛結(jié)束；那時(shí)路上沒(méi)有汽車，天上也沒(méi)有飛機(jī)；當(dāng)時(shí)像她這樣的人由于兩個(gè)原因不能投票－－一是她是女性，另一個(gè)原因是她的膚色。

今天晚上，我想到了她在美國(guó)過(guò)去一百年間所經(jīng)歷的種種：心痛和希望；掙扎和進(jìn)步；那些我們被告知我們辦不到的世代，以及那些堅(jiān)信美國(guó)信條──是的，我們能做到──的人們。

曾幾何時(shí)，婦女沒(méi)有發(fā)言權(quán)，她們的希望化作泡影，但是安•尼克松•庫(kù)波爾活了下來(lái)，看到婦女們站了起來(lái)，看到她們大聲發(fā)表自己的見(jiàn)解，看到她們?nèi)�參加大選投票。是的，我們能做到。

當(dāng)30年代的沙塵暴和大蕭條引發(fā)人們的絕望之情時(shí)，她看到一個(gè)國(guó)家用羅斯福新政、新就業(yè)機(jī)會(huì)以及對(duì)新目標(biāo)的共同追求戰(zhàn)勝恐慌。是的，我們能做到。

當(dāng)炸彈襲擊了我們的海港、獨(dú)裁專制威脅到全世界，她見(jiàn)證了美國(guó)一代人的偉大崛起，見(jiàn)證了一個(gè)民主國(guó)家被拯救。是的，我們能做到。

她看到蒙哥馬利通了公共汽車、伯明翰接上了水管、塞爾馬建了橋，一位來(lái)自亞特蘭大的傳教士告訴人們：我們能成功。是的，我們能做到。

人類登上月球、柏林墻倒下，世界因我們的科學(xué)和想像被連接在一起。今年，就在這次選舉中，她用手指觸碰屏幕投下自己的選票，因?yàn)樵诿绹?guó)生活了106年之后，經(jīng)歷了最好的時(shí)光和最黑暗的時(shí)刻之后，她知道美國(guó)如何能夠發(fā)生變革。是的，我們能做到。

美國(guó)，我們已經(jīng)走過(guò)漫漫長(zhǎng)路。我們已經(jīng)歷了很多。但是我們?nèi)杂泻芏嗍虑橐�做。因此今夜，讓我們自�?wèn)－－如果我們的孩子能夠活到下個(gè)世紀(jì)；如果我們的女兒有幸活得和安一樣長(zhǎng)，他們將會(huì)看到怎樣的改變？我們將會(huì)取得怎樣的進(jìn)步？

現(xiàn)在是我們回答這個(gè)問(wèn)題的機(jī)會(huì)。這是我們的時(shí)刻。這是我們的時(shí)代－－讓我們的人民重新就業(yè)，為我們的后代敞開(kāi)機(jī)會(huì)的大門；恢復(fù)繁榮發(fā)展，推進(jìn)和平事業(yè)；讓“美國(guó)夢(mèng)”重新煥發(fā)光芒，再次證明這樣一個(gè)基本的真理：我們是一家人；一息尚存，我們就有希望；當(dāng)我們遇到嘲諷和懷疑，當(dāng)有人說(shuō)我們辦不到的時(shí)候，我們要以這個(gè)永恒的信條來(lái)回應(yīng)他們：

是的，我們能做到。感謝你們。上帝保佑你們。愿上帝保佑美利堅(jiān)合眾國(guó)。