卡特在美国民主党全国代表大会上的讲话

President Jimmy Carter's address at 2004 Democratic National Convention

        7月26日傍晚，美国民主党全国代表大会在波士顿正式开幕,第一个上台演讲的1977-1981年担任美国总统吉米·卡特,卡特已经81岁了，他在演说中一句“我们的领导人如果领导错误，我们就不能领导世界”的精辟话语，博得了全场代表的热烈掌声，也反映出相当一部分美国人民对布什政府奉行单边主义以及在“先发制人”原则指导下发动伊拉克战争的愤怒。 
 
President Jimmy Carter:

My name is Jimmy Carter, and I'm not running for president. But here's what I will be doing: everything I can to put John Kerry in the White House with John Edwards right there beside him.

Twenty-eight years ago I was running for president, and I said then, "I want a government as good and as honest and as decent and as competent and as compassionate 2 as are the American people." I say this again tonight, and that is exactly what we will have next January with John Kerry as president of the United States.

As many of you know, my first chosen career was in the United States Navy, where I served as a submarine officer. At that time, my shipmates and I were ready for combat and prepared to give our lives to defend our nation and its principles.

At the same time, we always prayed that our readiness would preserve the peace. I served under two presidents, Harry 3 Truman and Dwight Eisenhower, men who represented different political parties. Both of whom had faced their active military responsibilities with honor.

They knew the horrors of war, and later, as commanders-in-chief, they exercised restraint and judgment 4 and had a clear sense of mission. We had confidence that our leaders, military and civilian 5, would not put our soldiers and sailors in harm's way by initiating 6 "wars of choice" unless America's vital interests were endangered.

We also were sure that these presidents would not mislead us when it came to issues involving our nation's security. Today, our Democratic party is led by another former naval 7 officer—one who volunteered for military service. He showed up when assigned to duty, and he served with honor and distinction.

He also knows the horrors of war and the responsibilities of leadership, and I am confident that next January he will restore the judgment and maturity 8 to our government that is sorely lacking today. I am proud to call Lieutenant 9 John Kerry my shipmate, and I am ready to follow him to victory in November.

As you know, our country faces many challenges at home involving energy, taxation 10, the environment, education, and health. To meet these challenges, we need new leaders in Washington whose policies are shaped by working American families instead of the super-rich and their armies of lobbyists. But the biggest reason to make John Kerry president is even more important. It is to safeguard the security of our nation.

Today, our dominant 11 international challenge is to restore the greatness of America—based on telling the truth, a commitment to peace, and respect for civil liberties at home and basic human rights around the world. Truth is the foundation of our global leadership, but our credibility has been shattered and we are left increasingly isolated 12 and vulnerable in a hostile world. Without truth—without trust—America cannot flourish. Trust is at the very heart of our democracy, the sacred covenant 13 between the president and the people.

When that trust is violated, the bonds that hold our republic together begin to weaken. After 9/11, America stood proud, wounded but determined 14 and united. A cowardly attack on innocent civilians 15 brought us an unprecedented 16 level of cooperation and understanding around the world. But in just 34 months, we have watched with deep concern as all this goodwill 17 has been squandered 18 by a virtually unbroken series of mistakes and miscalculations. Unilateral acts and demands have isolated the United States from the very nations we need to join us in combating terrorism.

Let us not forget that the Soviets 19 lost the Cold War because the American people combined the exercise of power with adherence 20 to basic principles, based on sustained bipartisan support. We understood the positive link between the defense 22 of our own freedom and the promotion 23 of human rights. Recent policies have cost our nation its reputation as the world's most admired champion of freedom and justice. What a difference these few months of extremism have made!

The United States has alienated 24 its allies, dismayed its friends, and inadvertently gratified its enemies by proclaiming a confused and disturbing strategy of "preemptive" war. With our allies disunited, the world resenting us, and the Middle East ablaze 25, we need John Kerry to restore life to the global war against terrorism.

In the meantime, the Middle East peace process has come to a screeching 26 halt for the first time since Israel became a nation. All former presidents, Democratic and Republican, have attempted to secure a comprehensive peace for Israel with hope and justice for the Palestinians. The achievements of Camp David a quarter century ago and the more recent progress made by President Bill Clinton are now in peril 27.

Instead, violence has gripped the Holy Land, with the region increasingly swept by anti-American passions. Elsewhere, North Korea's nuclear menace—a threat far more real and immediate 28 than any posed by Saddam Hussein—has been allowed to advance unheeded, with potentially ominous 29 consequences for peace and stability in Northeast Asia. These are some of the prices of our government's radical 30 departure from the basic American principles and values espoused 31 by John Kerry!

In repudiating 32 extremism we need to recommit ourselves to a few common-sense principles that should transcend 33 partisan 21 differences. First, we cannot enhance our own security if we place in jeopardy 34 what is most precious to us, namely, the centrality of human rights in our daily lives and in global affairs. Second, we cannot maintain our historic self-confidence as a people if we generate public panic. Third, we cannot do our duty as citizens and patriots 35 if we pursue an agenda that polarizes and divides our country. Next, we cannot be true to ourselves if we mistreat others. And finally, in the world at large we cannot lead if our leaders mislead.

You can't be a war president one day and claim to be a peace president the next, depending on the latest political polls. When our national security requires military action, John Kerry has already proven in Vietnam that he will not hesitate to act. And as a proven defender 36 of our national security, John Kerry will strengthen the global alliance against terrorism while avoiding unnecessary wars.

Ultimately, the issue is whether America will provide global leadership that springs from the unity 37 and integrity of the American people or whether extremist doctrines 38 and the manipulation of truth will define America's role in the world.

At stake is nothing less than our nation's soul. In a few months, I will, God willing, enter my 81st year of my life, and in many ways the last few months have been some of the most disturbing of all. But I am not discouraged. I do not despair for our country. I believe tonight, as I always have, that the essential decency 39, compassion 1 and common sense of the American people will prevail.

And so I say to you and to others around the world, whether they wish us well or ill: do not underestimate us Americans. We lack neither strength nor wisdom. There is a road that leads to a bright and hopeful future. What America needs is leadership. Our job, my fellow Americans, is to ensure that the leaders of this great country will be John Kerry and John Edwards. Thank you and God bless America!