On behalf of the Obama family—Michelle, Malia, Sasha and Bo—I want to wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving.

For us, like so many of you, this is a day full of family and friends; food and football.

It's a day to fight the overwhelming urge to take a nap—at least until after dinner.

But most of all, it's a time to give thanks for each other, and for the incredible bounty we enjoy.

That's especially important this year.

As a nation, we've just emerged from a campaign season that was passionate, noisy, and vital to our democracy.

But it also required us to make choices—and sometimes those choices led us to focus on what sets us apart instead of what ties us together; on what candidate we support instead of what country we belong to.

Thanksgiving is a chance to put it all in perspective—to remember that, despite our differences, we are, and always will be, Americans first and foremost.

Today we give thanks for blessings that are all too rare in this world.

The ability to spend time with the ones we love; to say what we want; to know that there are brave men and women defending our freedom around the globe; and to look our children in the eye and tell them that, here in America, no dream is too big if they're willing to work for it.

We're also grateful that this country has always been home to Americans who see these blessings not simply as gifts to enjoy, but as opportunities to give back.

Americans who believe we have a responsibility to look out for those less fortunate—to pull each other up and move forward together.

Right now, as we prepare to gather around our dinner tables, there are families in the northeast who don't have that luxury.

Many of them have lost everything to Hurricane Sandy—homes, possessions, even loved ones.

And it will be a long time before life goes back to normal.

But in the midst of so much tragedy, there are also glimmers of hope.

Over the last few weeks, we've seen FEMA personnel, National Guard and first responders working around the clock in hard-hit communities.

We've seen hospital workers using their lunch breaks to distribute supplies.

Families offering up extra bedrooms.

The fire department advertising free hot showers.

Buses full of volunteers coming from hundreds of miles away.

Neighbors sharing whatever they have—food, water, electricity—and saying again and again how lucky they are to have a roof over their heads.

It would have been easy for these folks to do nothing—to worry about themselves and leave the rest to someone else.

But that's not who we are.

That's not what we do.

As Americans, we are a bold, generous, big-hearted people.

When our brothers and sisters are in need, we roll up our sleeves and get to work—not for the recognition or the reward, but because it's the right thing to do.

Because there but for the grace of God go I.

And because here inAmerica, we rise or fall together, as one nation and one people.

That's something to be grateful for—today and every day.

So to all the Americans doing your part to make our world a better place– it is my privilege to serve as your President.

To all our service members—it is my honor to be your Commander in Chief.

And from our family to yours, happy Thanksgiving.

第二篇：奥巴马20xx年感恩节讲话

Good morning,

Nearly 150 years ago, in one of the darkest years of our nation's history, President Abraham Lincoln set aside the last Thursday in November as a day of Thanksgiving. America was split by Civil War. But Lincoln said in his first Thanksgiving decree that difficult times made it even more appropriate for our blessings to be (and I quote), "gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people."

This week, the American people came together with families and friends to carry on this distinctly American tradition. We gave thanks for loved ones and for our lasting pride in our communities and our country. We took comfort in good memories while looking forward to the promise of change.

But this Thanksgiving also takes place at a time of great trial for our people. Across the country, there were empty seats at the table, as brave Americans continue to serve in harm’s way from the mountains of Afghanistan to the deserts of Iraq. We honor and give thanks for their sacrifice, and stand by the families who endure their absence with such dignity and resolve.

At home, we face an economic crisis of historic proportions. More and more Americans are worried about losing a job or making their mortgage payment. Workers are wondering if next month's paycheck will pay next month's bills. Retirees are watching their savings disappear, and students are struggling with the cost of tuition.

It's going to take bold and immediate action to confront this crisis. That's why I'm committed to forging a new beginning from the moment I take office as President of the United States. Earlier this week, I announced my economic team. This talented and dedicated group is already hard at work crafting an Economic Recovery Plan that will create or save 2.5 million new jobs, while making the investments we need to fuel long-term economic growth and stability.

But this Thanksgiving, we're reminded that the renewal of our economy won't come from policies and plans alone. It will take the hard work, innovation, service, and strength of the American people. I've seen this strength firsthand over many months -- in workers who are ready to power new industries, and farmers and scientists who can tap new sources of energy; in teachers who stay late after school, and parents who put in that extra hour reading to their kids; in young Americans enlisting in a time of war, seniors who volunteer their time, and service programs that bring hope to the hopeless.

It's a testament to our national character that so many Americans took time out this Thanksgiving to help feed the hungry and care for the needy. On Wednesday, I visited a food bank at Saint Columbanus Parish in Chicago. And there, as in so many communities across America, folks pitched in time and resources to give a lift to their neighbors in need. It is this spirit that binds us together as one American family -- the belief that we rise and fall as one people; that we want that American Dream not just for ourselves, but for each other.

That's the spirit we must summon as we make a new beginning for our nation. Times are tough. There are difficult months ahead. But we can renew our nation the same way that we have in the many years since Lincoln's first Thanksgiving: by coming together to overcome adversity; by reaching for -- and working for -- new horizons of opportunity for all Americans.

So this weekend, with one heart and one voice, the American people can give thanks that a new and brighter day is yet to come.