奥巴马开妇女节招待会 夫人打趣笑翻全场

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.

美国总统贝拉克．奥巴马于本周一出席在白宫召开的国际妇女节招待会时表示，目前美国女性仍面临着不公正待遇和困境，并承诺要为实现性别平等而努力。

奥巴马说：“我竞选总统不是要看到女儿们的梦想无法实现。”

“我竞选总统不是要看到性别不平等和不公正还存留于我们的社会。”

当天的招待会在白宫东厅举行。其他与会人员包括第一夫人米歇尔．奥巴马，美国首位女国务卿玛德林．奥尔布赖特以及奥巴马前竞选对手、现为其盟友的美国现任国务卿希拉里．克林顿。

奥巴马说：“甚至当我们反思历史的希望时，我们也必须直面现实，那就是如今美国有太多的女性仍面临着不公正待遇和诸多困境。”

“我竞选总统是为了让我们下一代的女性和男性享有同等的权利、机会和梦想。”

奥巴马总统还赞扬克林顿和美国驻联合国大使苏珊．赖斯将改善女性境遇置于美国外交政策的首位，其中包括取消对采取计生措施的限制。

米歇尔．奥巴马在介绍丈夫时开玩笑说：“我先发言，他站在一旁看着，我喜欢这样。”台下的人听闻后大笑。

她对奥巴马说：“要用崇拜的目光看着我。”

总统打趣道：“当然可以。”

她接着又说：“要真诚”，引得下面的人哄堂大笑。

Vocabulary:

squarely：directly; without evasion; in a straight or straightforward manner（直截了当地；毫不含糊地）

quip：to make a quick and clever remark（讲俏皮话，打趣）