美国国家公共电台 NPR--Why the U.S. Senate race in Arizona is imperative for Democrats

Why the U.S. Senate race in Arizona is imperative¹ for Democrats³

Transcript⁴

Incumbent⁵ Democrat² Mark Kelly is defending his U.S. Senate seat in Arizona in an expensive race that could determine the future of the Biden administration's agenda, and the Senate majority.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

Control of the U.S. Senate may come down to Arizona, where incumbent Democrat Mark Kelly faces off against Republican Blake Masters. Masters is one of a slate⁶ of election-denying candidates in Arizona that former President Donald Trump⁷ successfully endorsed⁸ in the primaries. But it's Kelly who holds the advantage in the race, both in recent polls and with his sizable campaign war chest. Ben Giles of member station KJZZ in Phoenix⁹ has been following this campaign. Ben, Kelly and Masters faced off in their lone¹⁰ debate of the general election last night. What is your biggest takeaway from it?

BEN GILES, BYLINE¹¹: Well, so Arizona elections are always won in the middle. Independents are a significant portion, about a third of the state's voting population. So from the get-go, both Masters and Kelly, they tried to describe themselves as the true independent in the race and cast the other as a radical¹². Masters right away sought to link Kelly to President Biden and congressional Democrats.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

BLAKE MASTERS: In Washington, Mark Kelly backs Joe Biden every single time without thinking twice, without thinking of Arizona. And, you know, it's not what he said he'd do. Two years ago, Mark Kelly stood right there and he promised to be independent, but he broke that promise.

GILES: Kelly, meanwhile, cast himself as someone willing to stand up to his own party when it comes to issues like inflation.

MARTINEZ: And inflation and the economy are two of the biggest issues on the minds of voters in Arizona and actually nationally, too. And Democrats are in control right now. So what did Kelly have to say about his record on inflation?

GILES: So Kelly has been out campaigning on two key Democratic victories - the bipartisan infrastructure¹³ bill and then also the Inflation Reduction Act passed earlier this year. Kelly says he knows how tough it is right now for Arizona families.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

MARK KELLY: I know it's hard. That's why I've worked to cut costs. Hey, when the president, when the Biden administration refused to increase oil and gas production, I told him he was wrong.

GILES: And there, even in a conversation about inflation, Kelly, again, is bringing the conversation back to his independence. But Masters said it's Kelly's votes with the Biden agenda, votes for bills like the Inflation Reduction Act, that are actually worsening the country's economy.

MARTINEZ: And recently, a local judge in Arizona reinstated a ban from the 1860s on virtually all abortions¹⁵ in Arizona. So people in Arizona are thinking about abortion¹⁴ right now. How have the candidates responded?

GILES: Kelly said Thursday that he would support codifying¹⁶ Roe¹⁷ v. Wade¹⁸, and he believes abortion law is needed at the federal level to protect women's rights. He also attacked Masters for past statements he's made calling abortion demonic and a religious sacrifice.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

KELLY: These are his words. He has supported state and national abortion bans that will deny the right for a woman to make this decision by themselves.

GILES: Masters, during the debate, dodged¹⁹ questions about some previous tough-on-abortion positions that he scrubbed from his campaign website, at least since winning the primary in August. Thursday night, he repeated a softer stance on abortion rights.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

MASTERS: I'm pro-life, and that means I believe in limits. Now, I support exceptions because I don't believe in being extreme on this issue. Senator Mark Kelly is the abortion radical.

GILES: Masters said that he believes abortion laws are best left to the states. But then he also said he supports a federal 15-week abortion ban introduced by Senator Lindsey Graham to prevent states like California, he says, from enacting²⁰ more liberal policies.

MARTINEZ: That's Ben Giles at member station KJZZ. Ben, thanks a lot.

GILES: Thank you.

1 imperative   

n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的

参考例句：

• He always speaks in an imperative tone of voice.他老是用命令的口吻讲话。
• The events of the past few days make it imperative for her to act.过去这几天发生的事迫使她不得不立即行动。

2 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

3 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

5 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

6 slate   

n.板岩，石板，石片，石板色，候选人名单；adj.暗蓝灰色的，含板岩的；vt.用石板覆盖，痛打，提名，预订

参考例句：

• The nominating committee laid its slate before the board.提名委员会把候选人名单提交全体委员会讨论。
• What kind of job uses stained wood and slate? 什么工作会接触木头污浊和石板呢？

7 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

8 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 phoenix   

n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生

参考例句：

• The airline rose like a phoenix from the ashes.这家航空公司又起死回生了。
• The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration.中国凤崇拜是灵物崇拜而非图腾崇拜。

10 lone   

adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的

参考例句：

• A lone sea gull flew across the sky.一只孤独的海鸥在空中飞过。
• She could see a lone figure on the deserted beach.她在空旷的海滩上能看到一个孤独的身影。

11 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

12 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

13 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

14 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

15 abortions   

n.小产( abortion的名词复数 )；小产胎儿；（计划）等中止或夭折；败育

参考例句：

• The Venerable Master: By not having abortions, by not killing living beings. 上人：不堕胎、不杀生。 来自互联网
• Conclusion Chromosome abnormality is one of the causes of spontaneous abortions. 结论：染色体异常是导致反复自然流产的原因之一。 来自互联网

16 codifying   

v.把（法律）编成法典( codify的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• For this reason, the disputations of codifying administrative procedures in domain are becoming more and more. 因此，有关行政程序法典化的各种争论在理论界也愈来愈多。 来自互联网

17 roe   

n.鱼卵；獐鹿

参考例句：

• We will serve smoked cod's roe at the dinner.宴会上我们将上一道熏鳕鱼子。
• I'll scramble some eggs with roe?我用鱼籽炒几个鸡蛋好吗？

18 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

19 dodged   

v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 )；回避

参考例句：

• He dodged cleverly when she threw her sabot at him. 她用木底鞋砸向他时，他机敏地闪开了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He dodged the book that I threw at him. 他躲开了我扔向他的书。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 enacting   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Generally these statutes apply only to wastes from reactors outside the enacting state. 总之，这些法令只适宜用在对付那些来自外州的核废料。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• In addition, the complexion of enacting standards for live working is described. 另外，介绍了带电作业标准的制订情况。