阿什利说，她9岁那年，母亲得了癌症，有几天没有上班，为此遭到解雇，也失去了医疗保险。她们不得不申请破产。在这种情况下，为了帮助母亲，阿什利决定必须做些什么。
她知道，食品是她们生活开支最大的项目之一。阿什利设法让母亲相信，她实在最喜欢和最想吃的是芥末调味三明治。因为，这是最省钱的吃法。
她这样维持了一年，直到她母亲情况好转；她向参加圆桌讨论会的人说，她参加我们竞选工作，原因是能够为美国其他数百万也愿意并且也需要帮助自己父母的儿童提供一些帮助。
现在的阿什利或许也可能做出不同的选择。在这个过程中，说不定有人曾对她说，她母亲遇到这些问题，其根源是依靠福利生活但懒惰不愿工作的黑人，或者是非法进入美国的拉美裔。然而，她没有另做选择。她寻找志同道合的人，共同反对不公正现象。
总之，阿什利说完自己的往事后，逐个问在座的人，他们为什么支持这次竞选。大家的经历和理由都不尽相同。许多人都谈到具体问题。最后，轮到一位老年黑人，老人一直静静地坐在那里。阿什利问他为什么来参加讨论会。他没有提出任何具体问题。他没有谈医疗保健或经济问题。他没有提教育，也没有提伊拉克战争。他没有说他来到这里是因为巴拉克？奥巴马。他只向在座的人说：“我因阿什利而来。”
“我因阿什利而来”。就此话本身而言，这名白人女孩与这位老年黑人一瞬间的相互认同并不足以说明问题，不足以为病者提供医疗照顾，不足以为失业者提供工作，也不足以为我们的孩子提供教育机会。
但这是我们的起点。我们的联邦国家可以从此日益强盛。自一批爱国者在费城签署这份文件以来，无数世代的人们在这221年中已经认识到这一点。这是走向完美的起点。
英文原文
Remarks of Senator Barack Obama： 'A More Perfect Union'
Philadelphia； PA ｜ March 18； 2008
更完善的联邦（6）
〃We the people； in order to form a more perfect union。〃
Two hundred and twenty one years ago； in a hall that still stands across the street； a group of men gathered and； with these simple words； launched America's improbable experiment in democracy。 Farmers and scholars； statesmen and patriots who had traveled across an ocean to escape tyranny and persecution finally made real their declaration of independence at a Philadelphia convention that lasted through the spring of 1787。
The document they produced was eventually signed but ultimately unfinished。 It was stained by this nation's original sin of slavery； a question that divided the colonies and brought the convention to a stalemate until the founders chose to allow the slave trade to continue for at least twenty more years； and to leave any final resolution to future generations。
Of course； the answer to the slavery question was already embedded within our Constitution … a Constitution that had at is very core the ideal of equal citizenship under the law； a Constitution that promised its people liberty； and justice； and a union that could be and should be perfected over time。
And yet words on a parchment would not be enough to deliver slaves from bondage； or provide men and women of every color and creed their full rights and obligations as citizens of the United States。 What would be needed were Americans in successive generations who were willing to do their part … through protests and struggle； on the streets and in the courts； through a civil war and civil disobedience and always at great risk … to narrow that gap between the promise of our ideals and the reality of their time。
This was one of the tasks we set forth at the beginning of this campaign … to continue the long march of those who came before us； a march for a more just； more equal； more free； more caring and more prosperous America。 I chose to run for the presidency at this moment in history because I believe deeply that we cannot solve the challenges of our time unless we solve them together … unless we perfect our union by understanding that we may have different stories； but we hold mon hopes； that we may not look the same and we may not have e from the same place； but we all want to move in the same direction … towards a better future for our children and our grandchildren。
This belief es from my unyielding faith in the decency and generosity of the American people。 But it also es from my own American story。
I am the son of a black man from Kenya and a white woman from Kansas。 I was raised with the help of a white grandfather who survived a Depression to serve in Patton's Army during World War II and a white grandmother who worked on a bomber assembly line at Fort Leavenworth while he was overseas。 I've gone to some of the best schools in America and lived in one of the world's poorest nations。 I am married to a black American who carries within her the blood of slaves and slaveowners … an inheritance we pass on to our two precious daughters。 I have brothers； sisters； nieces； nephews； uncles and cousins； of every race and every hue； scattered across three continents； and for as long as I live； I will never forget that in no other country on Earth is my story even possible。
It's a story that hasn't made me the most conventional candidate。 But it is a story that has seared into my genetic makeup the idea that this nation is more than the sum of its parts … that out of many； we are truly one。 。。
更完善的联邦（7）
Throughout the first year of this campaign； against all predictions to the contrary； we saw how hungry the American people were for this message of unity。 Despite the temptation to view my candidacy through a purely racial lens； we won manding victories in states with some of the whitest populations in the country。 In South Carolina； where the Confederate Flag still flies； we built a powerful coalition of African Americans and white Americans。
This is not to say that race has not been an issue in the campaign。 At various stages in the campaign； some mentators have deemed me either 〃too black〃 or 〃not black enough。〃 We saw racial tensions bubble to the surface during the week before the South Carolina primary。 The press has scoured every exit poll for the latest evidence of racial polarization； not just in terms of white and black； but black and brown as well。
And yet； it has only been in the last couple of weeks that the discussion of race in this campaign has taken a particularly divisive turn。
On one end of the spectrum； we've heard the implication that my candidacy is somehow an exercise in affirmative action； that it's based solely on the desire of wide…eyed liberals to purchase racial reconciliation on the cheap。 On the other end； we've heard my former pastor； Reverend Jeremiah Wright； use incendiary language to express views that have the potential not only to widen the racial divide； but views that denigrate both the greatness and the goodness of our nation； that rightly offend white and black alike。
I have already condemned； in unequivocal terms； the statements of Reverend Wright that have caused such controversy。 For some； nagging questions remain。 Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy？ Of course。 Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church？ Yes。 Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views？ Absolutely … just as I'm sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors； priests； or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed。
But the remarks that have caused this recent firestorm weren't simply controversial。 They