美国国家公共电台 NPR--Evangelical voters grapple with Herschel Walker's controversial image

Evangelical voters grapple with Herschel Walker's controversial image

Transcript¹

NPR's Rachel Martin speaks with Timothy Head, the executive director for the Faith & Freedom Coalition², about why Georgia evangelicals are supporting Senate candidate Herschel Walker.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Tomorrow is the final day of voting in Georgia's runoff election for the U.S. Senate. In this state, where the evangelical vote is key, Christianity has been at the center of the race. But the Republican candidate, Herschel Walker, has been plagued by scandals over domestic violence and abortion⁴. So how do evangelical voters reckon with the contradictions between a right-wing candidate's personal conduct and their political positions? We're joined by Timothy Head. He's the executive director of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, a conservative political advocacy group. He joins us from just outside Atlanta. Thank you so much for being with us this morning.

TIMOTHY HEAD: Good morning. Thank you for having me.

MARTIN: A majority of Georgia voters who identify as evangelical Christians⁵ are supporting Herschel Walker in this race, even though his rival, Senator Raphael Warnock, is himself a minister. Why is the former football player their pick?

HEAD: Well, you know, (inaudible) - we've kind of worked our way through this election cycle. We've seen the policy contrasts become more and more stark⁶. And at this point, you know, certainly economic issues are prevailing⁷ issues for all kinds of voters across the country. But social issues, especially (inaudible) - a policy issue, like the life question after the Dobbs decision has become front of mind and a clear contrast in the policy (inaudible) - by Raphael Warnock (inaudible) - a pro-choice minister versus⁸ Herschel Walker, who (inaudible) - identifies as a pro-life advocate.

MARTIN: We're having a hard time with your line. I'll just say that out loud. But I hear you saying economic issues are important, but centrally, it's about what evangelical Christians view as the life question, abortion. Multiple women have come forward and claimed that Herschel Walker paid for their abortions⁹ in the past. If you are voting for Walker because of his public anti-abortion position, how do you reconcile that?

HEAD: Well, you know, the questions that are (inaudible) - kind of being discussed around Walker's past (inaudible) - whereas, you know, he and his wife - his current wife have actually had about, you know, a 11- or 12-year history of being strong pro-life advocates. And so I think that demonstrated history here in the recent years has certainly assuaged¹⁰ most evangelical voters who are pro-life that Walker...

MARTIN: Although - I'm sorry to interrupt, but that...

HEAD: ...Would indeed be a strong pro-life advocate if he were to be in the Senate.

MARTIN: I'm sorry to interrupt you. But you, as a Christian³, no doubt understand the difference between someone's public position on something and their personal behavior, and personal behavior reflects - is supposed to reflect Christian values.

HEAD: Yes, absolutely. And I think that, you know, (inaudible) - the history there is (inaudible) - certainly a challenging one. But a demonstrated history change, I think, has been pretty convincing (inaudible) - for most pro-life voters.

MARTIN: The Supreme¹¹ Court overturned a constitutional right to an abortion. Do you think this issue should still have equal weight in determining how evangelical Christians vote?

HEAD: Well, I think it certainly changed the venue¹² (ph) from being more of a federal issue to being more of a state issue. But first (inaudible) - the issue is very much still one in question from a public policy standpoint. And secondly¹³, there certainly are efforts - have been discussed efforts at least for (inaudible) - laws in Washington, D.C. So I don't think that the Dobbs decision is going to erase¹⁴ the discussion (inaudible) - continue to be an issue for (inaudible) - to come.

MARTIN: Herschel Walker received roughly 200,000 fewer votes during this fall's primary election than Republican Governor Brian Kemp. What do you believe has kept some conservative voters from supporting him, Walker?

HEAD: Well, I think it's (inaudible) - that those almost 200,000 voters, mostly in suburban¹⁵ Atlanta - (inaudible) certainly had some kind of (inaudible) - around Herschel Walker's, you know, purported¹⁶ back - kind of backstory, if you will. And (inaudible) - I think that this - that's going to be (inaudible) - challenge here is trying to (inaudible) - one last time in these last probably two days here.

MARTIN: I want to apologize to listeners again for the roughness of this audio line. We'll try to get Timothy Head back for another conversation. Timothy Head, the executive director of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, a conservative political advocacy group in Georgia. Thank you so much for your time this morning.

HEAD: Of course. Thank you.

1 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。

2 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

3 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

4 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。

5 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

6 stark   

adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
• He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。

7 prevailing   

adj.盛行的；占优势的；主要的

参考例句：

• She wears a fashionable hair style prevailing in the city.她的发型是这个城市流行的款式。
• This reflects attitudes and values prevailing in society.这反映了社会上盛行的态度和价值观。

8 versus   

prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下

参考例句：

• The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
• The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。

9 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

10 assuaged   

v.减轻( assuage的过去式和过去分词 )；缓和；平息；使安静

参考例句：

• Although my trepidation was not completely assuaged, I was excited. 虽然我的种种担心并没有完全缓和，我还是很激动。 来自互联网
• Rejection (which cannot be assuaged) is another powerful motivator of bullying. （不能缓和的）拒绝是另一个欺负行为的有力动因。 来自互联网

11 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

12 venue   

n.犯罪地点，审判地，管辖地，发生地点，集合地点

参考例句：

• The hall provided a venue for weddings and other functions.大厅给婚礼和其他社会活动提供了场所。
• The chosen venue caused great controversy among the people.人们就审判地点的问题产生了极大的争议。

13 secondly   

adv.第二，其次

参考例句：

• Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二，动脑筋提出自己的见解。
• Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次，需要确定所作用的载荷。

14 erase   

v.擦掉；消除某事物的痕迹

参考例句：

• He tried to erase the idea from his mind.他试图从头脑中抹掉这个想法。
• Please erase my name from the list.请把我的名字从名单上擦去。

15 suburban   

adj.城郊的，在郊区的

参考例句：

• Suburban shopping centers were springing up all over America. 效区的商业中心在美国如雨后春笋般地兴起。
• There's a lot of good things about suburban living.郊区生活是有许多优点。

16 purported   

adj.传说的，谣传的v.声称是…，（装得）像是…的样子( purport的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• the scene of the purported crime 传闻中的罪案发生地点
• The film purported to represent the lives of ordinary people. 这部影片声称旨在表现普通人的生活。 来自《简明英汉词典》