Bush, Obama Remember Troops at Christmas
布什奥巴马号召过节不忘驻外美军
Both U.S. President George Bush and President-elect Barack Obama are spending a quiet Christmas out of the media spotlight with family and friends. They are urging Americans to remember U.S. troops abroad as they celebrate this holiday season.
美国总统布什和当选美国总统奥巴马都在新闻媒体的视线外与亲友一起静悄悄地欢度圣诞节。他们敦促美国人在庆祝节日佳期时别忘了在国外的美国军人。
President Bush is at Camp David - the U.S. presidential retreat in the mountains of western Maryland. President-elect Obama is in Hawaii, where he was born and raised.
布什总统目前在马里兰州西部山区的美国总统度假地戴维营。当选总统奥巴马则在夏威夷，他生长的地方。
They are one in spirit on this Christmas - uniting in calling on all Americans to remember and honor U.S. troops who are far from home for the holidays.
他俩在圣诞节期间一致呼吁全体美国人在节日期间要记得并尊重远离家乡的美国军人。
Mr. Bush called nine members of the armed forces on Christmas Eve to thank them for their service. All are deployed abroad, primarily in Iraq and Afghanistan.
布什总统在圣诞节前夕打电话给九位军人，感谢他们为国服务。这九位军人全都部署在海外，主要是在伊拉克和阿富汗。
In his weekly radio address - released early to coincide with the holiday - Mr. Bush reflected on their love of country.
布什总统因为节日而提前发表每周广播讲话。他在讲话中谈到了军人们的爱国精神。
"Every one of them has sacrificed to serve our nation. And with their sacrifices, they preserve the peace and freedom that we celebrate during the season," he said.
他说：“他们每一个人都由于为国服务而作出了牺牲。他们以自己的牺牲让我们在庆祝节日时享有和平与自由。”
President-elect Obama echoed those thoughts in the official Democratic Party response.
当选总统奥巴马在民主党的正式回应中表达了跟布什总统相同的想法。
"Our troops and military families have won the respect and gratitude of their broader American family," he said. "Michelle and I have them in our prayers this Christmas, and we must all continue to offer them are full support in the weeks and months to come."
他说：“我们的部队和军人家属赢得了美国大家庭的尊重和感激。我和米歇尔在今年圣诞节的祷告中也会为他们祈祷，我们都必须在今后一段时间内继续向他们提供全力支持。”
But Mr. Obama went on to stress these are also tough times for Americans hit hard by the nation's economic ills. He said there are many who need a job, struggle to pay bills, and worry that they could lose their homes.
奥巴马接着强调指出，还有一些美国人因为受美国经济弊病的沉重打击而处境困难。他说，有许多人没有工作，挣扎着支付账单，并且还担心可能会失去自己的住房。
"That is why this season of giving should also be a time to renew a sense of common purpose and shared citizenship. Now, more than ever, we must rededicate ourselves to the notion that we share a common destiny as Americas - that I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper," he added.
奥巴马说：“那就是为什么在这个施予他人礼物的节期，我们也应当再次感受到我们作为美国公民的共同目标。如今我们要比以往任何时候都更加意识到，作为美国公民，我们要有同舟共济的理念，我们要互相帮助。”
The Obama family is expected to remain in Hawaii to ring in 2009 on January 1. President Bush will travel from Camp David to his Texas ranch on Friday and will remain there until New Year's Day.
奥巴马一家预计将在夏威夷迎来2009年的元旦。布什总统将在星期五从戴维营前往德克萨斯州的农场，并将在那里庆祝元旦。
