I want to build an America that respects and embraces the potential of every last one of us.
I ran as a daughter who benefited from opportunities my mother never dreamed of. I ran as a mother who worries about my daughter's future and a mother who wants to lead all children to brighter tomorrows. To build that future I see, we must make sure that women and men alike understand the struggles of their grandmothers and mothers, and that women enjoy equal opportunities, equal pay, and equal respect. Let us resolve and work toward achieving some very simple propositions: There are no acceptable limits and there are no acceptable prejudices in the twenty-first century.
You can be so proud that, from now on, it will be unremarkable for a woman to win primary state victories, unremarkable to have a woman in a close race to be our nominee, unremarkable to think that a woman can be the President of the United States. And that is truly remarkable.
As we gather here today in this historic magnificent building, the 50th woman to leave this Earth is orbiting overhead. If we can blast 50 women into space, we will someday launch a woman into the White House.
Although we weren't able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it's got about 18 million cracks in it. And the light is shining through like never before, filling us all with the hope and the sure knowledge that the path will be a little easier next time. That has always been the history of progress in America.
Think of the suffragists who gathered at Seneca Falls in 1848 and those who kept fighting until women could cast their votes. Think of the abolitionists who struggled and died to see the end of slavery. Think of the civil rights heroes and foot-soldiers who marched, protested and risked their lives to bring about the end to segregation and Jim Crow.
Because of them, I grew up taking for granted that women could vote. Because of them, my daughter grew up taking for granted that children of all colors could go to school together. Because of them, Barack Obama and I could wage a hard fought campaign for the Democratic nomination. Because of them, and because of you, children today will grow up taking for granted that an African American or a woman can yes, become President of the United States.
When that day arrives and a woman takes the oath of office as our President, we will all stand taller, proud of the values of our nation, proud that every little girl can dream and that her dreams can come true in America. And all of you will know that because of your passion and hard work you helped pave the way for that day.
So I want to say to my supporters, when you hear people saying - or think to yourself - "if only" or "what if," I say, "please don't go there." Every moment wasted looking back keeps us from moving forward.
Life is too short, time is too precious, and the stakes are too high to dwell on what might have been. We have to work together for what still can be. And that is why I will work my heart out to make sure that Senator Obama is our next President and I hope and pray that all of you will join me in that effort.
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All of you were there for me every step of the way. Being human, we are imperfect. That's why we need each other. To catch each other when we falter. To encourage each other when we lose heart. Some may lead; others may follow; but none of us can go it alone. The changes we're working for are changes that we can only accomplish together. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are rights that belong to each of us as individuals. But our lives, our freedom, our happiness, are best enjoyed, best protected, and best advanced when we do work together.
That is what we will do now as we join forces with Senator Obama and his campaign. We will make history together as we write the next chapter in America's story. We will stand united for the values we hold dear, for the vision of progress we share, and for the country we love. There is nothing more American than that.
And looking out at you today, I have never felt so blessed. The challenges that I have faced in this campaign are nothing compared to those that millions of Americans face every day in their own lives. So today, I'm going to count my blessings and keep on going. I'm going to keep doing what I was doing long before the cameras ever showed up and what I'll be doing long after they're gone: Working to give every American the same opportunities I had, and working to ensure that every child has the chance to grow up and achieve his or her God-given potential.
I will do it with a heart filled with gratitude, with a deep and abiding love for our country- and with nothing but optimism and confidence for the days ahead. This is now our time to do all that we can to make sure that in this election we add another Democratic president to that very small list of the last 40 years and that we take back our country and once again move with progress and commitment to the future.
译文:
希拉里.克林顿退出竞选演说（节选）
我想要建立一个尊重个人并且重视每个人的潜力的美国。
作为一个女儿，我受惠于我的母亲从未敢想的机遇；作为一个母亲，我担心自己女儿的将来并且想让每个孩子都能拥有璀璨的未来。为了建造我眼中的那些未来，我们必须确保女性和男性一样理解他们祖母和母亲的挣扎，必须明白女性和男性一样享有平等的机遇，薪水和尊重。让我们下定决心，努力去解决一些十分简单的问题：在21世纪没有可以被公认的限制，也没有公认的偏见。
从今天起，你会感到自豪，对于女性而言，在普选时赢得一个州的全胜不足为奇，在总统提名候选人中与别的候选人相差无几不足为奇，想像美国的未来总统是一名女性也没不足为奇。但这一切本身却是了不起的。
当我们今天聚集在这个具有历史意义的宏伟建筑前，第50位女性正被送往地球之外的空间。如果我们能够将50位女性送往太空，那么终有一天我们也会让一位女性入住白宫。
虽然我们今天没有能够冲破那最高，最硬的玻璃天花板（指一种不可见的障碍，这种障碍会使得妇女或有障碍者无法升上管理高层的阶段），但是谢谢你们，让我看到了1800万的碎片（希拉里共获得大约1800万选民的支持）。阳光正前所未有得洒向我们，赋予我们所有人希望，让我们坚信今后的道路将不那么艰辛。这也正是美国所书写的进步史。
想想那些在1848年聚集于塞内卡瀑布（美国田纳西州的一个村庄）的女权主义者，和那些为妇女争取到投票权的人们，那些不断斗争，为了结束奴隶制而献身的废奴主义者，还有那些不断行进，抗议，冒着生命危险要求废除种族隔离的民权运动英雄和步兵们。
因为有了他们，我从小就认为女性理所当然地可以投票。因为有了他们，我女儿从小就认为各种肤色的孩子理应一起上学。也因为有了他们，巴拉克.奥巴马与我可以为在这里激烈地角逐民主党候选人。因为他们和你们，今天成长起来的儿童们会认为一个非裔美国人或一位女性，是的，也理应可以成为美国总统。
当那一天来临时，当一位女性宣誓就职成为我们的总统时，我们将会站得更高，为我们民族的价值观感到自豪，为每一个生长于美国的小女孩都有机会做梦并且她们的梦想会成真而感到自豪。那时你们所有人都会知道因为你们的热情和努力为那一天的到来铺平了道路。
所以我想告诉我的支持者们，当你听见人们说，或是自己这么想的时候：“要是……该多好”或者“如果...将会怎么样”，我要说“请不要那样去说，那样去想。”浪费于回首过去的每一秒钟都会阻碍我们前行。
生命实则短暂，而时间又实则宝贵，总是陷入那些不会发生的事情之中，于我们而言代价太大。我们应为可能发生的事情而共同努力，这就是缘何我依旧全力以赴去支持奥巴马参议员，希望他能成为下届总统的原因，在此也希望你们能与我共同努力。
一路走来的每一步都有你们的陪伴。人无完人，因此，我们需要彼此帮助。跌倒时有人扶持，灰心时有人鼓励。有些人领导他人，有些人跟随他人，但没有人可以独自前行。我们希冀的改变只有倚靠共同的力量才能企及。生命，自由和追求幸福都是属于每个个体的权利。但是只有在我们为之共同奋斗时，我们才能最好的享有，保护和延续我们的生命，自由和幸福。
这就是我们现在将要做的，共同加入奥巴马参议院的竞选团队。当我们书写美国历史的下一篇章时，我们将共同创造历史。我们一起维护我们珍视的价值观，我们共享的进步观，以及我们深爱的国家。这就是身为美国人所应做的全部。
今天你们站在我面前，我感到前所未有的幸福。我在这场竞选中所面临的挑战与千百万美国民众每天所面对的挑战相比，不足挂齿。因此，今天，我会一边感恩，一边继续前行。我会继续去做这场竞选前一直在做的事情，即使在竞选结束后也一样继续。那就是让每个美国人都拥有和我一样的机遇，并且确保每一个孩子都能够达到那上帝赐予的天赋。
我将携着一刻感恩之心，怀着对我们国家深切持久的爱，以及对未来的乐观态度和满满的信心去做这些事情。这将是我们为之努力的时候，让过去40年中那不长的名单上再添上一位民主党总统的名字，让我们再一次执政，再一次肩负着对你们的承诺，向未来迈进。