编者按:1月20日是小布什出任白宫主人的大日子。在夹缠不清、恼人万分的美国总统大选中的胜出者,我们当然应该予以祝贺;但不要忘了,这里还有一位虽败犹荣的民主党人——戈尔。他实在是有着虽败犹荣的理由:1、普选票比小布什多出30万张,只是沿用200年的选举制度令他失去进白宫的机会;2、在一篇高风亮节的讲话中,戈尔儒雅地认了输。美国主要传媒对戈尔这篇讲话给予了罕见的一致好评,认为它“几近完美”,是美国历史上最重要的一篇文章。
　　这篇用词铿锵、掷地有声的演说辞,是3个人的心血结晶。其中,有记者出身的戈尔本人,有戈尔的策略顾问罗伯特·索伦,但人们都把目光放在戈尔的首席演说撰稿人艾里·阿提(Elli Attie身上。阿提是哈佛大学毕业生,长期以来是克林顿、民主党众议院领袖格普哈特等重量级政治人物的一级“写手”。及后选战起风云,戈尔将他拉到麾下,声势立时不同凡响。本刊在此独家刊登戈尔这篇将千古不朽的“认输讲话”(原载于港报),读者可从这中英文对照的精彩文章中细细领略英文写作的典范笔法,包括其整个运筹帷幄的立意、精妙的造词用句等。
　　向失败者致敬!
　　
　　戈尔认输演说中译文
　　
　　晚上好。
　　我刚跟乔治·W·布什谈过话,祝贺他成为合众国第43位总统;我向他保证,这回绝不会再打电话给他追回原话了。
　　我提议尽快和他会面,尽快消除过去的竞选运动和官司所带来的分歧。
　　差不多一个半世纪前,参议员道格拉斯对总统选举击败自己的林肯说:“党派的门户之见必须让路给爱国主义。我支持你,总统先生,愿主保佑你。”
　　那么,在这样的精神下,我对候任总统布什说,我们一定要将党派之争结下的仇恨抛诸脑后,愿主保佑他好好管治这个国家。
　　“这条路是那么崎岖漫长”
　　他和我谁都料想不到这条路是那么崎岖漫长。当然,我们谁也不希望这些事会发生。不过,事情到底来了,现在结束了,而且果然通过我们民主政体的机制解决了。
　　我国一所法律学院的图书馆上镌刻着这样的一句格言:“听命于法与主,而非听命于人”。这是美国自由的核心原则,也是民主自由之滥觞。在投票日之后的五个星期里,我以此为鉴,这也是美国独立以来所有复杂事件的引鉴。
　　现在,美国最高法院终于做出了决定。让我说得清楚一点,在我极为不同意的同时,我接受了最高法院的决定。我接受了最终的结果,下星期一,这个结果会在选举人团会议上得到确认。今天晚上,为了国人的团结和美国民主,我认输了。
　　我也负起责任,无条件支持新的候任总统,尽我所能帮助他团结美国人民,实现我国《独立宣言》中所标举的广袤视野,实现宪法中允诺和保障的一切。
　　让我向那些支持我和支持我们所捍卫的理念的人衷心致谢。蒂佩尔和我对利伯曼夫妇铭感五中,他们为我俩的伙伴关系带来恳切的热诚和崇高的心志,不仅为竞选活动开辟了新径,也为我国开辟了新径。
　　这次大选的确是非比寻常的一次大选。不过,在天意难料的崎岖路途上,几经蹉跎,竟然把我们带到一个崭新的境地。正是由于选举结果如此接近,反而提醒了我们原来大家同是一个族群,有着一样的历史、一样的命运。
　　
　　“我们把国家放在政党之上”
　　
　　是的,那段历史给了我们许多成败浮沉的前车之鉴,在面对公众意愿的两难之下展开激烈的辩论、无情的抗争。
　　有些争论在缠讼几个星期后才得以解决。每一次,胜方和被征服的一方都心平气和地接受结局,带着重归于好精神接受结果。
　　因此,就让这种精神永远和我们一起吧。
　　我知道很多支持我的人都很失望。我也失望。但失望必须让给我们对国家的热爱。我也对世界各国说,不要把这次争论看成是美国趋弱的症状。通过克服这一连串困难,毕竟彰显了美国民主的力量。
　　也有人担心,这次选举凸显的反常状况,势必影响新一任总统的施政举措。我不相信那是势所必然。
　　候任总统布什要管治的美国,是一个国民都愿意在他肩负的重任上帮一把的国家。我个人随时候命,也呼吁所有美国人,尤其是那些曾经站在我这一边的人,团结在新总统的领导下。这就是美国。愈是危急关头,我们的斗志愈高昂;输赢一定,我们捐弃嫌隙,携手合作。
　　要辩论我们之间的歧异,那是来日方长了。现在要认清的是团结我们的力量比拆散我们的力量更大。
　　我们对本党的信念虽然不离不弃,眼前到底还有比党务更高远的责任要负起。这就是美国,我们把国家放在政党之上。我们会团结支持新总统。
　　我接着会做什么,我还不知道。像你们一样,我希望和家人及老朋友度假。我也会在家乡田纳西州修补一下篱笆——真实和象征的篱笆。
　　
　　失利跟胜利一样
　　
　　有人问我曾否遗憾,是的,我有一桩憾事:我没有机会在未来4年为国人打拼,尤其是亟欲抛开负担、排除困难的一群;尤其是感到没有人听到他们的声音的一群。我听到了你们的呼声,我永不会忘记。
　　我看到了大选中的美国,我很喜欢看到的那一切。那是值得一拼的,我不会罢休。
　　至于今晚偃旗息鼓的一役,我坚信父亲说过的一句话:不论败得多惨,失利跟胜利一样,涤荡心灵,光耀千秋。
　　因此,对我而言,大选的结束和开始时一样:照样拥有妻子家人的爱;拥有对主的信念;拥有对这个我为它出征越南一直到做副总统的国家;拥有努力奔走的竞选义工和工作人员,包括36天来在佛罗里达州奋力工作的人们。
　　如今,政治上的斗争已成过去,我们转过头去为了美国人民的幸福而奋斗不懈,为全世界追求自由而对我们有所企望的人们而奋斗不懈。
　　在我们的赞歌《亚美利加,亚美利加》里说的:“让我们以兄弟之爱为称的善行加冕,从大海到闪亮的波涛。”
　　好了,朋友们,用我以前讲过的话,“这是我该走的时候了。”谢谢你们,晚安,主佑美国。
　　
　　戈尔认输演说全文
　　
　　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 divisons 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 as a 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 destiny.
　　indeed  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 being 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 on 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 go.
　　thank you and good nightand god bless america .