The Democratic Party is seeking to rally support behind Barack Obama during its nominating convention, which opens Monday in Denver, Colorado. His wife Michelle, in an opening night speech, is expected to spotlight Senator Obama's unusual life story. She is the first of many speakers scheduled to build up Obama ahead of his formal nomination Thursday as the party's candidate for president.
美国民主党全国大会星期一在科罗拉多州的丹佛市开幕，巴拉克.奥巴马将在会上正式获得提名。民主党寻求通过这次大会为奥巴马赢得更多的支持。预计奥巴马的妻子米歇尔在大会开幕之夜的讲话中将向公众讲述奥巴马不平凡的人生故事。在米歇尔演讲之后，还将有许多人将纷纷发言称赞奥巴马。最后，奥巴马将在星期四接受正式提名，代表民主党参加总统竞选。
Michelle Obama takes the stage during prime television time Monday night to tell millions of Americans why she believes her husband would be, as she says, an "extraordinary president." Friends of Michelle Obama, 44, an attorney, say she has always kept Barack Obama's feet firmly on the ground, and that the two are best friends and equal partners.
米歇尔.奥巴马星期一晚上将在电视台黄金时间走上舞台，告诉成千上万的美国人，为什么她相信她的丈夫将会能成为一位“出色的总统”。米歇尔今年44岁，是一位律师。她的朋友们说，她一直使奥巴马能够脚踏实地，这夫妻俩是彼此最好的朋友，也是平等的伴侣。
In recent weeks, Michelle Obama, has appeared to soften her image somewhat, after coming under attack from some Republicans for a remark she made during the primary race saying her husband's campaign made her proud of her country for the first time in her adult life.
最近几个星期里，米歇尔.奥巴马似乎有点软化自己的形像。此前她曾在初选中说，她丈夫的参选使她在长大后第一次为美国而感到骄傲。她因此遭到一些民主党人的抨击。
Monday's convention events will feature Barack Obama's life story - the story of the son of a black Kenyan father and a white American mother from Kansas - who was born in multicultural Hawaii, and spent part of his youth in Indonesia, graduated from top universities and went to work as a community organizer helping the poor in Chicago. But as the Democratic candidate told supporters at a barbecue in Wisconsin before the convention, he will also seek to reassure American voters that he is like them.
星期一的大会活动将讲述巴拉克.奥巴马的人生故事。奥巴马的父亲是肯尼亚黑人，母亲是来自美国堪萨斯州的白人。他出生在拥有多元文化的夏威夷，少年时期曾在印度尼西亚生活过一段时间。他从顶尖大学毕业，然后当了一名社区组织者，工作是帮助芝加哥的穷人。不过，就像奥巴马大会前在威斯康辛州的一次烧烤中对支持者们说的那样，他还将向美国选民们保证，自己是和他们一样的普通人。
"And I think what you will conclude is, 'Gee, he is sort of like us. He comes from a middle class background. He went to school on scholarships,'" Obama said.
他说：“我认为你们会得出结论，那就是‘哇，他其实和我们差不多。他来自中产阶级家庭，上学靠的是奖学金。’”
Doris Kearns Goodwin, a presidential historian and author, says that the partnership between a potential first lady and her husband can be very important to voters. And she told NBC's Today Show Monday that Barack Obama's acceptance speech at an outdoor rally on Thurday will be crucial to shaping his image in the minds of the American people.
总统政治历史学家兼作家古德温说，对选民来说，未来的总统和第一夫人之间的伴侣关系是非常重要的。她星期一在美国全国广播公司的“今日秀”节目中说，奥巴马星期四在露天集会中接受提名的演讲对于塑造他在美国人脑海中的形像至关重要。
"He is still not that well known in parts of the country," she explained. "And because he has been caricatured by the other [Republican] side, his speech is probably more important than most acceptance speeches are."
她说：“在美国的一些地方，奥巴马还不是那么有名。而且，由于共和党曾经讽刺攻击过他，所以他接受提名的演讲可能会比一般的这种演讲更具重要性。”
Also speaking to the Todayshow, political analyst Rachel Maddow said, with recent polls showing a virtual tie between Obama and his Republican rival John McCain, Obama needs to re-sell himself to American voters this week.
政治分析人士马多奥也在“今日秀”上说，由于最近的民意调查结果显示，奥巴马和他的共和党对手麦凯恩几乎不分上下，所以奥巴马这个星期需要向美国人民重新推销自己。
"What Obama is hoping for out of this week is a redefinition of himself and his campaign that is lasting and that is appealing to the American people," she explained.
她说：“奥巴马希望通过这一个礼拜的竞选活动对他自己和他的选举班子重新定位，希望这种定位是持久的，是对美国人有吸引力的。”
Other prominent speakers Monday night will include the first female Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi. There will also be a video tribute to veteran Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy, who is suffering from brain cancer. Ted Kennedy and his family will be in a special section at the convention center, but it is not yet clear whether he will be able to speak.
出席星期一晚上大会活动的其他知名人士包括美国首位众议院女议长南希.佩洛西。会上还将播放一段向患脑癌的资深民主党参议员肯尼迪致意的录像。肯尼迪和他的家人将就座于会议中心的一个特别区域，不过目前还不清楚他是否将在大会上发言。 |