Thanksgiving Day

오늘은 11월 넷째 주 목요일, 미국에서는 추수감사절라고 하는데 오바마 자원봉사 활동을 짧게 일본어로 할까하고 해요.今日は感謝祭だそうで前日のオバマの慈善活動を短く日本語にしようかと……。Photo・Slideshow&Video

ABC News Video

Political Punch

On Thanksgiving Eve, Obama Family Hands Out Food to the Needy
November 26, 2008 3:41 PM

ABC News' Matt Jaffe reports:

On Thanksgiving Eve, President-elect Barack Obama, his wife Michelle, and his daughters Malia and Sasha, all bundled up in winter coats and hats, dished out chickens to the needy at a Chicago church, leaving some overcome with emotion. 感謝祭の前日、オバマと妻と娘二人、皆コートと帽子に身を包んで困窮者に分ける鶏肉を持ってシカゴの教会へ。

"The number of people who are getting food this year is up 33 percent," Obama said of the crowds who gathered at the Windy City's St. Columbanus Church. "And I think it gives a sense -- times are tough. And I think that on Thanksgiving, it's important for us to remember people in need, but it's important not just during Thanksgiving." オバマが教会に集まる人々に言う。今年は配給に頼る人が33％増、厳しい時代になった。感謝祭に限らず生活に困っている人を思うことは大事。

"These folks were already often times having a tough time and it gets tougher now," he added. "So we want to make sure that people that can give, that are able to contribute to the food depository, volunteer, participate. This is part of what Thanksgiving should be all about." 既に厳しかった人が更に厳しくなる今、食料の保管やボランティアに貢献出来るということを確かめたい。

Obama, who noted this was his third year at his hometown food bank, was asked why he had brought his two daughters with him. 町のフードバンクに三年目と言うオバマに、何故娘二人を連れて来たのか聞く。

"I want them to learn the importance of how fortunate they are and make sure they are giving back," he responded. 彼女らに自分たちが恵まれている一大事とその恩返しを知って欲しい。

Some people at the food bank, where lines can start forming as early as 5 am, were so excited to see the President-elect that they forgot to take their chickens with them.朝の五時から行列が出来るフードバンクの人々、次期大統領を見るのに夢中で自分たちの鶏肉を取るのを忘れる。

"Don't forget your chicken," he reminded them, passing along the Thanksgiving grub provided by the Greater Chicago Food Depository and packed in white grocery bags. 鶏肉忘れずに、と注意しながら、シカゴ食料銀行提供の白いレジ袋に入れられる感謝祭の食事の列を通過する。

"Very special," said one　 emotional man, crying as he described what it meant to meet Obama. 泣いている男性が、とんでもなく特別だ、とオバマに会った感激を語る。

The family later entered the auditorium of the church's school, where they were greeted by a screaming crowd of students in Pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade. And the shrieking only skyrocketed when Obama started rattling off Thanksgiving food staples. 後に家族は教会の学校に行き、大騒ぎする子供たちに迎えられた。オバマが感謝祭の食料の名前を読み始めると子供たちから金切り声が飛び出す。

"How about mac & cheese," he asked as the kids roared.
"How about green beans?" he continued. "How about sweet potato fries?"
Then Obama turned to more school-related questions, encouraging the students to work hard and pay attention in class.
"How many people like to read?" he asked. "Everybody likes math?"
If they studied hard, Obama told the kids, "You guys might even end up being the president someday." オバマは子供たちに言う。一生懸命勉強すれば、いつか君も大統領になれるかも。

One sixth-grader asked Obama what it's like to be president. 大統領になるってどんな感じ？と小学六年生。

"I'm not president yet. I've onl　y been elected president. I'm gonna be sworn in as president on January 20th," Obama replied, as the crowd erupted in applause onc　e again. "Onc　e I'm president, I'll let you know what it's like." 1月20日に成るけど私はまだ大統領じゃなくて選ばれただけ。大統領になったらどんなものか教えてあげるね、と、再び拍手で沸き返る観衆に答える。

One part of the presidency that Obama already knows about -- and knows he won't like -- is the lack of privacy, due to constant Secret Service protection. 大統領の一部、オバマも既に知っていて好かないだろうことは、プライバシーの欠如とシークレットサービスによる防備の義務だ。

"Secret Service, wave your hands!" Michelle asked the onlooking officers, drawing loud laughter from the crowd. “シークレットサービス、手を振って！”傍観している職員にミッシェルが言うと、観衆から大きな笑い声が起きる。

"Sometimes it's kind of strange where you kinda just want to go to Walgreens and pick something up," noted the President-elect. 次期大統領は、ただちょっと物を買いにお店に行きたいだけで時々何か異常なんだよと言う。

"I want everybody to have a great Thanksgiving," Obama said, wrapping up his two-question Q & A with the kids.オバマは、子供たちの二つの質問を曖昧にしながら、「皆さん素晴らしい感謝祭を過ごして下さい。」

"I just want you to know that what I'm thankful for is my family and my friends and my community," he concluded. "That's the most important things." 私が感謝しているのは家族と友達、地域の皆さんだって事をただ知って欲しいだけです。それが一番大事、とオバマは締めくくった。As he departed, the kids serenaded him with chants of "O-ba-ma! O-ba-ma!" 彼の出発に、子供たちは「オバマ！オバマ！」の大合唱でセレナーデ。

Their hour-long visit over, Obama and his family returned to their Hyde Park home just past noon local time, where they will spend the rest of the day and tomorrow's holiday. 長い訪問の時間が過ぎて、オバマと家族は丁度正午過ぎにハイドパークの自宅へ帰り、その日の残りと翌日の休みを過ごす。-- Matt Jaffe