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Voters in the Midwestern state of Wisconsin are at the polls in that state's primary. The main contest is on the Democratic Party side, where New York Senator Hillary Clinton has worked hard for a much-needed victory to slow the momentum¹ of Illinois Senator Barack Obama.

美国中西部州威斯康辛的选民正在参加这个州的党内初选。竞争主要在民主党方面展开，纽约州参议员希拉里.克林顿竭力拉票，希望取得她急需的胜利，以减轻伊利诺伊州参议员奥巴马连连取胜的锐气。

As the race went down to the wire in Wisconsin, Hillary Clinton's campaign was accusing Barack Obama of plagiarism² for his use of phrases similar to those used previously³ in a speech by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick.

就在威斯康辛州的竞争陷入胶着状态时，希拉里.克林顿的竞选班子指控奥巴马剽窃，说他使用的词句同麻萨诸塞州州长帕特里克以前在演讲中说的话类似。

Obama responded by saying that he and Patrick are friends and that they often share ideas and rhetorical flourishes. Although most independent pundits⁵ viewed the charge of plagiarism as exaggerated, they did see possible damage to Obama's image in the eyes of the voters, because his soaring oratory⁶ has been his strongest asset.

对此，奥巴马回应说，他和帕特里克是朋友，他们经常分享观点和言辞。虽然大多数独立学者觉得，说奥巴马剽窃有些言过其实，但是，他们也认为，希拉里阵营的这项指责的确可能伤害奥巴马在选民眼中的形像，因为激情澎湃的演讲一直是他最吸引人的本钱。

In her campaign speeches, Hillary Clinton has been stressing the word "solutions." Clinton has said, in effect, that Obama speaks well, but that she offers real solutions to the problems that afflict⁷ the nation.

希拉里.克林顿在她的竞选演说中一直强调“解决”这个词。事实上，希拉里说，虽然奥巴马口才出众，但是，在面对困扰美国的问题时，希拉里才能为选民提供真正的解决办法。

In her campaign appearances across the state, Clinton has focused on the economy and her plans to promote job growth.

希拉里在全国的竞选活动中把焦点集中在经济问题和她促进就业市场发展的计划上。

"What we really need here in Wisconsin and across America is an economy that is producing good jobs with rising wages for everybody who is willing to work hard and I have been focused on the economy throughout this campaign," she said.

她说：“威斯康辛和全美国真正需要的，是一个能为所有愿意努力工作的人提供良好就业机会和增加工资的经济，而我的整个竞选过程一直把经济问题作为焦点。”

Obama brushes aside the notion that his rhetoric⁴ is insubstantial. He says he would inspire people to come together to solve problems.

虽然希拉里方面指责奥巴马的言辞没有实际意义，但是奥巴马并不理会这种说法。他说，他将鼓舞人们走到一起去解决问题。

"The most important thing we can do right now is re-engage the American people in the process of governance, to get them excited and interested again in what works and what can work in our government," he said.

奥巴马说：“我们现在能做的最重要的事情，就是让美国人民重新加入到管理国家的过程中来，让他们再次对我们政府工作的质量感到兴奋和有兴趣。”

On the Republican side, Arizona Senator John McCain has a clear lead nationwide and no one expects his chief rival, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, to win the nomination⁸, no matter how well he does in Wisconsin. But Huckabee has refused to quit, arguing that voters have a right to make a choice based on their own beliefs and principles, not on what party leaders say.

在共和党方面，亚利桑那州参议员麦凯恩在全国范围内处于明显的领先地位。外界普遍认为，无论麦凯恩的主要对手、前阿肯色州州长哈克比在威斯康辛州有如何出色的表现，他也不会赢得党内提名的竞争。但是，哈克比拒绝退出选举，他说，选民有权根据他们自己的信念和原则作出选择，而不是要听命于党派领袖。

"What we need to do is make sure that the people of Wisconsin recognize that they are going out and voting their own conscience, not doing what maybe someone in Washington tells them to do and not doing what the establishment tells them," he said. "This vote is about the future of the Republican Party."

哈克比说：“我们需要做的是确保威斯康辛人民认识到，他们可以出去，根据自己的良心来投票，而不是依照华盛顿的某些人的指示办事，并且不是听命于共和党权力机构而行事。这场选举关系到共和党的未来。”

Huckabee says he represents conservatives who care about such issues as abortion⁹, illegal immigration, and reduced taxes.

哈克比说，他代表那些关心人工流产、非法移民和减税等议题的保守派人士。

McCain has broad appeal, which could prove important in November's general election in a state such as Wisconsin, which has been a battleground in past elections. But many conservatives in his party object to more liberal positions he has taken on such issues as taxes and immigration.

在过去的总统竞选中，像威斯康辛州这样的州一直是竞争激烈的战场。在类似这样的地方，麦凯恩广泛的号召力在11月举行的全国大选中可能会十分重要。但是，许多共和党的保守派成员反对麦凯恩在税收和移民等问题上所持的较自由的观点。

Also in the Republican race is Texas Congressman¹⁰ Ron Paul, who has had to reduce his presidential campaigning in recent days in order to concentrate on defending his congressional seat back home. He now has a strong rival for the Republican congressional nomination and has cut back his national campaign schedule.