After losing the Democratic nomination to Barack Obama in 2008, Hillary Clinton said, "Although we were not able to shatter that highest and hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you it has 18 million cracks in it."
2008年在民主党提名中败给奥巴马之后，希拉里·克林顿（Hillary Clinton）表示，“虽然这一次我们没有能够打破最高、最硬的那块玻璃天花板，但感谢你们，天花板上已经有了1800万道裂缝（51VOA注：裂痕指当时获得的1800万张选票，天花板指女性职业道路的艰难）。”
Eight years later, Clinton received the Democratic Party's nomination at their convention in Philadelphia. The former first lady, senator and secretary of state is now looking to shatter the ultimate glass ceiling to become president of the United States.
8年后，克林顿在费城民主党大会上赢得了党内提名。这位前第一夫人、参议员和国务卿现在期望打破最后一块玻璃天花板成为美国总统。
Her main opposition is businessman Donald Trump, a first-time candidate for political office. Trump won over 16 other candidates to win the Republican nomination.
她的主要对手是商人唐纳德·川普（Donald Trump），川普是第一次当选公职候选人。川普击败其他16位候选人赢得了共和党提名。
The general election will be held on November 8 this year.
这次大选将于今年11月8日举行。
Unexpected challenge on the way to the nomination
提名之路上意想不到的挑战
Hillary Rodham Clinton was expected to win the Democratic nomination easily when she announced her candidacy on April 12, 2015. Many well-known Democrats, including Vice President Joe Biden, chose not to run against Clinton.
当克林顿去年4月12日宣布参选时，曾被认为会轻松赢得民主党提名。包括副总统乔·拜登（Joe Biden）在内的许多知名民主党人都选择避其锋芒。
Clinton, however, faced an unexpectedly strong challenge. The senator from Vermont, Bernie Sanders, attracted many supporters during the Democratic primaries. Tens of thousands turned out to hear Sanders' messages of income inequality, making college tuition free and regulating big businesses.
然而克林顿面临了意想不到的强劲挑战。来自佛蒙特州的参议员伯尼·桑德斯（Bernie Sanders）在民主党初选期间吸引了众多支持者。数万人到场来听桑德斯的关于收入不平等、使大学学费免费和规范大企业的演讲。
At the same time, Clinton had to answer questions from Congress about her role as secretary of state during the attack in Benghazi. Four Americans, including a U.S. ambassador, were killed in the 2012 attack in Libya.
与此同时，克林顿还必须就她在班加西袭击期间作为国务卿所扮演的角色接受国会的质询。在这场2012年发生在利比亚的袭击中有4名美国人，包括1名美国大使丧生。
The committee who examined the case said the U.S. government did not provide enough security to protect the diplomatic post. But it did not hold Clinton responsible for the failure.
调查这一案件的委员会表示，美国政府未能提供足够安保来保证该外交使馆的安全。但是该委员会并未让克林顿对此负责。
However, during the hearing about Benghazi, it was found that Clinton had used a private email server to conduct official business as secretary of state. Clinton, like many other government officials, was required to use a government server for work communication.
然而，在关于班加西袭击的听证会上，人们发现克林顿在担任国务卿期间曾经使用私人邮件服务器来处理公务。像其他许多政府官员一样，克林顿被要求使用政府服务器用于工作沟通。
Faced with a series of investigations, including one from the FBI, Clinton said using the private server was a mistake.
面对包括联邦调查局在内的一系列调查，克林顿表示，使用私人服务器是一个错误。
The FBI found no evidence that Clinton intentionally used the private server to send or receive classified documents. But the FBI director criticized Clinton for being "extremely careless" in handling the information.
美国联邦调查局没有发现克林顿有意使用私人服务器发送或接收机密文件的证据。但是联邦调查局局长批评克林顿在处理信息时“极其粗心大意”。
Clinton's background
克林顿的背景
Clinton was born on October 26, 1947 in Chicago. Her father, Hugh Rodham, was a successful owner of a small business selling drapes. Her mother, Dorothy, was abandoned as a child and sent to live with relatives. Clinton frequently says her mother's experience as a child inspired her to "fight for the needs of children everywhere."
克林顿1947年10月26日出生于芝加哥。她的父亲休·罗德姆（Hugh Rodham）是一家销售窗帘的小企业的成功老板。她的母亲多萝西小时候被遗弃，并被送到亲戚家生活。克林顿经常说，她母亲小时候的经历激发她“为世界各地的儿童所需而战斗。”
After high school, Clinton attended Wellesley College, an all-women's school in Massachusetts. Then she went to Yale Law School in Connecticut, where she met her future husband, Bill.
高中毕业后，克林顿进入了韦尔斯利学院，这是马塞诸塞州的一所女校。然后她进入康涅狄格州耶鲁法学院。在那里，她遇到了她未来的丈夫比尔·克林顿。
The two classmates moved to the southern state of Arkansas and got married in 1975. Their child, a daughter named Chelsea, was born in 1980.
1975年，这两位同窗搬到了阿肯色州南部并且结婚。他们的女儿切尔西于1980年降生。
Bill Clinton was elected attorney general and eventually became governor of Arkansas. As the state's first lady, Hillary Clinton served on several committees on education, children and families. She also worked as a partner for the private Rose Law Firm.
比尔·克林顿曾经当选为总检察长并最终成为了阿肯色州州长。作为该州的第一夫人，希拉里·克林顿到几家关于教育、儿童和家庭的委员会就职。她还担任过私营的罗斯律师事务所的合伙人。
During Bill Clinton's campaign for president in 1992, critics questioned his wife's decision to continue working while serving as the first lady of Arkansas.
在1992年比尔·克林顿竞选总统期间，批评者质疑希拉里在作为阿肯色州第一夫人时还决定继续工作。
Hillary Clinton replied, "I suppose I could have stayed home and baked cookies and had teas, but what I decided to do was to fulfill my profession, which I entered before my husband was in public life."
希拉里·克林顿回应称，“我想我可以留在家里烤烤饼干喝喝茶，但是我决定履行我的职业，在我丈夫出任公职前我就做这行。”
As first lady of the United States, Clinton remained active in politics. She is well known for leading a failed effort to establish universal health care. A similar program was later established under President Obama.
作为美国第一夫人，克林顿仍然活跃于政坛。她因为领导了一项建立全民医保的努力并且失败而为人熟知。随后在奥巴马的领导下类似计划被建立起来。
In 1998, Bill Clinton faced impeachment for charges related to a sex scandal with a White House intern. But the U.S. Senate did not convict him. Bill Clinton remained in office.
1998年，比尔·克林顿因为同白宫实习生性丑闻相关的诉讼而面临弹劾。但是美国参议院并未将他定罪。比尔·克林顿继续留任。
Hillary Clinton wrote in her autobiography, Living History, that she was "heartbroken" over her husband's actions and considered leaving the marriage. She added, "The most difficult decisions I have made in my life were to stay married to Bill and to run for the Senate from New York...."
希拉里·克林顿在她的自传《亲历历史》中写道，她为丈夫的行为心碎并考虑离婚。她补充说，“我一生中做过的最艰难的决定就是和比尔继续过日子以及从纽约州竞选参议员。”
In 2000, Clinton became the first woman to be elected to the U.S. Senate from the state of New York.
2000年，克林顿成为首位来自纽约州的美国参议员。
Six years later, Clinton launched her own campaign for the presidency. That time she lost the Democratic nomination to Barack Obama, a junior senator. Clinton then joined the Obama administration as his secretary of state.
6年后，克林顿开始竞选总统。那次她在民主党提名上败给了资历浅薄的参议员奥巴马。克林顿随后加入奥巴马政府担任国务卿。
In her career, Clinton has addressed many issues, including rebuilding New York after the September 11 terrorist attacks, negotiating with Iran, and providing better health care benefits to people who serve the public. But she is best known for improving the lives of children and women.
在她的职业生涯中，克林顿已经解决了很多问题，包括911恐怖袭击后重建纽约，与伊朗谈判，以及为公职人员提供更好的医保福利。但是她最出名的是改善儿童和妇女的生活。
In 1995, she declared at a U.N. World Conference of women, "human rights are women's rights."
1995年，她在联合国世界妇女大会上宣布，“妇女权利就是人权。”
Earlier this year, after clinching the Democratic nomination in her second run for the presidency, Clinton reflected on her mother, Dorothy Rodham, during a victory speech in Brooklyn.
今年早些时候，在她第二次竞选总统中敲定民主党提名后，克林顿在布鲁克林的一场胜选演讲中提到了她的母亲多萝西·罗德姆（Dorothy Rodham）。
"I wish she could see what a wonderful mother Chelsea has become and could meet our beautiful granddaughter, Charlotte, and, of course, I wish she could see her daughter become the Democratic Party's nominee."
“我希望她能看到切尔西成为了一名多么伟大的母亲，能够见见我们美丽的孙女夏洛特。当然，我还希望她能看到她的女儿成为了民主党总统候选人。”(51VOA.COM对本文翻译保留全部权利，未经授权请勿转载，违者必究！)