美国国家公共电台 NPR--Biden's speech walks a fine line in its attack on MAGA Republicans

Biden's speech walks a fine line in its attack on MAGA Republicans

Transcript¹

Democrats² have picked up some momentum³ this election cycle with wins in multiple special elections, following the Supreme⁴ Court's overturning of Roe⁵ v. Wade⁶.

And the FBI search of former President Trump⁷'s Florida home has thrust Trump back into the spotlight⁸, front and center. Lots of his candidates have won contentious⁹ primaries; he's consolidated¹⁰ his base; and his renewed presence has threatened to make the November elections a choice rather than a referendum on President Biden.

Biden and the White House leaned into that Thursday night with an unusual prime-time address that broke no news or made any big announcements. Instead, Biden took the opportunity to elevate Trump and make it a choice between what Biden and Democrats stand for and MAGA Republican extremism, as he sees it, and its rising influence in positions of power throughout the country.

"I believe America is at an inflection point," the president said in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, the same city where he launched his 2020 presidential campaign, "one of those moments that determine the shape of everything that's to come after. And now America must choose to move forward or to move backwards¹¹."

On the eve of Labor¹² Day weekend, the traditional pivot¹³ to the final sprint¹⁴ of general elections across the country, here are three takeaways from Biden's speech:

1. Biden tried to reinforce the idea that this election is a choice, not a referendum... on him

Elections, especially midterm elections, are traditionally a check on the president. Inflation is high, Biden is unpopular and people are pessimistic about the direction of the country. That usually would mean a wipeout in a president's first midterm.

So this gave Biden an opportunity to deflect¹⁵ from that — and lay out a choice.

"MAGA forces are determined¹⁶ to take this country backwards," Biden said, "backwards to an America where there is no right to choose, no right to privacy, no right to contraception, no right to marry who you love."

He highlighted threats to democracy as being urgent and instigated¹⁷ by Trump. Biden doesn't often use Trump's name, but he name-checked him three times in this speech. And when you do that, it's going to look and sound political. And that was obviously intentional¹⁸.

With Trump back in the news, it offered Biden a way to elevate him, hold him up as the standard-bearer of the GOP, what it stands for, and draw a line in the sand.

"It's pretty clear they want to amplify¹⁹ the MAGA message," said Democratic strategist Joel Payne. "Almost feels like a pre-argument against what a Republican House might be pushing for the next two years, setting up a broader narrative²⁰ about how he is fighting to stop Republicans from anti-democratic moves."

2. This may have been a political speech, but that doesn't mean there aren't real threats

You'd be forgiven if you confused Biden's address for a convention speech, because that's where you draw contrasts with your opponent and lay out a vision for the country.

But that's not to say there aren't real or urgent threats. Election deniers are closer to controlling elections in key places, and as we've said many times watching the Jan. 6 hearings, the institutions of democracy may have held in 2020, but only because of the people who were running them.

Now many of those structures are run by people who support Trump and his election lies all the way.

We've seen political violence, the FBI is facing threats, as are poll workers and local election officials. There is no doubt that conspiratorial²¹ elements of Trumpism are more potentially operational now than they were before the 2020 presidential election.

"Democracy cannot survive when one side believes there are only two outcomes to an election — either they win or they were cheated," Biden said.

And with the election two months away, the White House would argue highlighting that threat is key.

3. There is a degree of risk in Biden's strategy

Democrats' recent momentum in multiple special elections has largely been due to abortion²² rights, not necessarily about threats to democracy.

Yes, a recent NBC poll showed threats to democracy rising to the No. 1 issue, and that is significant, as it overtook cost of living, which was second. But it was only with 21% of respondents. Economic-related items when combined — cost of living and jobs and the economy — were 30%, higher than threats to democracy.

What's more, when you break down those who said threats to democracy were their top issue, 53% were Democrats, while 32% of Republicans and 11% of independents did. And Democrats and Republicans certainly view the "threats to democracy" very differently. Democrats obviously see Trump and "MAGA extremism" as the threat, while many Republicans, who have believed Trump's election lies, believe Democrats and (not) rigged elections are the problems.

So the White House might be overreading polls here.

Republicans, many of whom are now aligned²³ with Trump, are incensed²⁴.

House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy gave a speech before Biden spoke²⁵ and said the president needed to apologize for what he saw as insulting the millions of Americans who voted for Trump.

It certainly shows the 180-degree shift McCarthy has made since after Jan. 6 in his quest to become House speaker. But it also highlights the high bar Biden has in trying to make clear he is talking about Republican elected officials and not voters.

"Not even a majority of Republicans are MAGA Republicans," Biden said. "Not every Republican embraces their extreme ideology²⁶. I know because I've been able to work with these mainstream²⁷ Republicans. But there's no question that the Republican Party today is dominated, driven, intimidated²⁸ by Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans. And that is a threat to this country."

That is a very fine line for a president, who isn't always artful with his words, to walk and stick to. The GOP will obviously use this to fire up their base against Democrats and Biden in these midterms, but the White House is gambling²⁹ that conservatives who dislike him are already fired up — and Democrats need to keep their base engaged.

"There is a risk of overreaching on this," Payne said, "especially at a point when Republicans are on their heels trying to protect some anticipated gains in the '22 midterms."

But, he added, "I think it also helps juice the base [with] moral clarity on saving the democracy."

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 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》

3 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

4 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。

5 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？

6 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。

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 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

9 contentious   

adj.好辩的，善争吵的

参考例句：

• She was really not of the contentious fighting sort.她委实不是好吵好闹的人。
• Since then they have tended to steer clear of contentious issues.从那时起，他们总想方设法避开有争议的问题。

10 consolidated   

a.联合的

参考例句：

• With this new movie he has consolidated his position as the country's leading director. 他新执导的影片巩固了他作为全国最佳导演的地位。
• Those two banks have consolidated and formed a single large bank. 那两家银行已合并成一家大银行。

11 backwards   

adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地

参考例句：

• He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。
• All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。

12 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

13 pivot   

v.在枢轴上转动；装枢轴，枢轴；adj.枢轴的

参考例句：

• She is the central pivot of creation and represents the feminine aspect in all things.她是创造的中心枢轴，表现出万物的女性面貌。
• If a spring is present,the hand wheel will pivot on the spring.如果有弹簧，手轮的枢轴会装在弹簧上。

14 sprint   

n.短距离赛跑；vi. 奋力而跑，冲刺；vt.全速跑过

参考例句：

• He put on a sprint to catch the bus.他全速奔跑以赶上公共汽车。
• The runner seemed to be rallied for a final sprint.这名赛跑者似乎在振作精神作最后的冲刺。

15 deflect   

v.(使)偏斜，(使)偏离，(使)转向

参考例句：

• Never let a little problem deflect you.决不要因一点小问题就半途而废。
• They decided to deflect from the original plan.他们决定改变原计划。

16 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

17 instigated   

v.使（某事物）开始或发生，鼓动( instigate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The government has instigated a programme of economic reform. 政府已实施了经济改革方案。
• He instigated the revolt. 他策动了这次叛乱。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

18 intentional   

adj.故意的，有意（识）的

参考例句：

• Let me assure you that it was not intentional.我向你保证那不是故意的。
• His insult was intentional.他的侮辱是有意的。

19 amplify   

vt.放大，增强；详述，详加解说

参考例句：

• The new manager wants to amplify the company.新经理想要扩大公司。
• Please amplify your remarks by giving us some examples.请举例详述你的话。

20 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

21 conspiratorial   

adj.阴谋的，阴谋者的

参考例句：

• She handed the note to me with a conspiratorial air. 她鬼鬼祟祟地把字条交给了我。 来自辞典例句
• It was enough to win a gap-toothed, conspiratorial grin. 这赢得对方咧嘴一笑。 来自互联网

22 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。

23 aligned   

adj.对齐的，均衡的

参考例句：

• Make sure the shelf is aligned with the top of the cupboard.务必使搁架与橱柜顶端对齐。

24 incensed   

盛怒的

参考例句：

• The decision incensed the workforce. 这个决定激怒了劳工大众。
• They were incensed at the decision. 他们被这个决定激怒了。

25 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

26 ideology   

n.意识形态，(政治或社会的)思想意识

参考例句：

• The ideology has great influence in the world.这种思想体系在世界上有很大的影响。
• The ideal is to strike a medium between ideology and inspiration.我的理想是在意识思想和灵感鼓动之间找到一个折衷。

27 mainstream   

n.（思想或行为的）主流；adj.主流的

参考例句：

• Their views lie outside the mainstream of current medical opinion.他们的观点不属于当今医学界观点的主流。
• Polls are still largely reflects the mainstream sentiment.民调还在很大程度上反映了社会主流情绪。

28 intimidated   

v.恐吓；威胁adj.害怕的；受到威胁的

参考例句：

• We try to make sure children don't feel intimidated on their first day at school. 我们努力确保孩子们在上学的第一天不胆怯。
• The thief intimidated the boy into not telling the police. 这个贼恫吓那男孩使他不敢向警察报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

29 gambling   

n.赌博；投机

参考例句：

• They have won a lot of money through gambling.他们赌博赢了很多钱。
• The men have been gambling away all night.那些人赌了整整一夜。