第9部分(第4/6 頁)

　was　the　moment　when　the　improbable　beat　what　Washington　always　said　was　inevitable。

This　was　the　moment　when　we　tore　down　barriers　that　have　divided　us　for　too　long　…　when　we　rallied　people　of　all　parties　and　ages　to　a　mon　cause；　when　we　finally　gave　Americans　who'd　never　participated　in　politics　a　reason　to　stand　up　and　to　do　so。

This　was　the　moment　when　we　finally　beat　back　the　politics　of　fear；　and　doubt；　and　cynicism；　the　politics　where　we　tear　each　other　down　instead　of　lifting　this　country　up。　This　was　the　moment。

Years　from　now；　you'll　look　back　and　you'll　say　that　this　was　the　moment　…　this　was　the　place　…　where　America　remembered　what　it　means　to　hope。

For　many　months；　we've　been　teased；　even　derided　for　talking　about　hope。

But　we　always　knew　that　hope　is　not　blind　optimism。　It's　not　ignoring　the　enormity　of　the　task　ahead　or　the　roadblocks　that　stand　in　our　path。　It's　not　sitting　on　the　sidelines　or　shirking　from　a　fight。　Hope　is　that　thing　inside　us　that　insists；　despite　all　evidence　to　the　contrary；　that　something　better　awaits　us　if　we　have　the　courage　to　reach　for　it；　and　to　work　for　it；　and　to　fight　for　it。

Hope　is　what　I　saw　in　the　eyes　of　the　young　woman　in　Cedar　Rapids　who　works　the　night　shift　after　a　full　day　of　college　and　still　can't　afford　health　care　for　a　sister　who's　ill；　a　young　woman　who　still　believes　that　this　country　will　give　her　the　chance　to　live　out　her　dreams。

Hope　is　what　I　heard　in　the　voice　of　the　New　Hampshire　woman　who　told　me　that　she　hasn't　been　able　to　breathe　since　her　nephew　left　for　Iraq；　who　still　goes　to　bed　each　night　praying　for　his　safe　return。

Hope　is　what　led　a　band　of　colonists　to　rise　up　against　an　empire；　what　led　the　greatest　of　generations　to　free　a　contin