奧巴馬開婦女節招待會 夫人打趣笑翻全場
President Barack Obama warned on Monday that women in America still faced unfairness and hardship, as he vowed to fight for gender equality at a White House reception on International Women's Day.
"I didn't run for president so that the dreams of our daughters could be deferred or denied," Obama said.
"I didn't run for president to see inequality and injustice persist in our time."
Obama was joined by his wife First Lady Michelle Obama, the first female secretary of state Madeleine Albright, and his rival-turned-ally and current top US diplomat Hillary Clinton at an event in the East Room of the White House.
"Even as we reflect on the hope of our history, we must also face squarely the reality of the present -- a reality marked by unfairness, marked by hardship for too many women in America," Obama said.
"I ran for president to put the same rights, the same opportunities, the same dreams within the reach for our daughters and our sons alike."
The president also praised Clinton and US ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice for making the alleviation of suffering of women a priority in US foreign policy, including lifting restrictions on access to family planning.
Michelle Obama introduced her husband with a joke: "I get to speak first while he stands and watches. I love this," she said to laughter.
"Look at me adoringly," she told her husband.
"I can do that," the president quipped.
"With sincerity," she said, sparking loud laughs.
美國總統貝拉克•奧巴馬於本週一出席在白宮召開的國際婦女節招待會時表示，目前美國女性仍面臨着不公正待遇和困境，並承諾要爲實現性別平等而努力。
奧巴馬說：“我競選總統不是要看到女兒們的夢想無法實現。”
“我競選總統不是要看到性別不平等和不公正還存留於我們的社會。”
當天的招待會在白宮東廳舉行。其他與會人員包括第一夫人米歇爾•奧巴馬，美國首位女國務卿瑪德林•奧爾布賴特以及奧巴馬前競選對手、現爲其盟友的美國現任國務卿希拉里•克林頓。
奧巴馬說：“甚至當我們反思歷史的希望時，我們也必須直面現實，那就是如今美國有太多的女性仍面臨着不公正待遇和諸多困境。”
“我競選總統是爲了讓我們下一代的女性和男性享有同等的權利、機會和夢想。”
奧巴馬總統還讚揚克林頓和美國駐聯合國大使蘇珊•賴斯將改善女性境遇置於美國外交政策的首位，其中包括取消對採取計生措施的限制。
米歇爾•奧巴馬在介紹丈夫時開玩笑說：“我先發言，他站在一旁看着，我喜歡這樣。”臺下的人聽聞後大笑。
她對奧巴馬說：“要用崇拜的目光看着我。”
總統打趣道：“當然可以。”
她接着又說：“要真誠”，引得下面的人鬨堂大笑。
Vocabulary:
squarely：directly; without evasion; in a straight or straightforward manner（直截了當地；毫不含糊地）
quip：to make a quick and clever remark（講俏皮話，打趣）
