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Democratic presidential rivals Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are making a final push for support in Ohio and Texas in advance of crucial primaries on 4 March. The two Democrats¹ took part in a contentious² debate Tuesday, 26 February, that most experts rated a draw.

美国民主党总统选举竞争对手巴拉克.奥巴马和希拉里.克林顿在下星期二的重要初选前，在俄亥俄州和德克萨斯州进行最后一搏，争取获得更多选民的支持。两人星期二参加了一场激烈的辩论，专家认为，两人在辩论中的表现不分高下。

In their latest debate, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton argued over health care, the costs and benefits of trade agreements and the war in Iraq.

在奥巴马和克林顿最新一场辩论中，两位参选人在医疗、贸易协定的代价和好处以及伊拉克战争问题上展开辩论。

Clinton was aggressive in criticizing Obama for some of his campaign tactics and in questioning some of his views on foreign policy.

克林顿主动发起攻势，批评奥巴马的某些选举策略，并且质疑他在外交政策方面的某些观点。

Obama countered that Clinton has used some questionable³ campaign tactics of her own.

奥巴马进行了还击，他说，克林顿议员自己所采用的一些竞选策略也是有问题的。

He also reminded the audience in Cleveland, Ohio, that Clinton initially⁴ supported President Bush's request to Congress in 2002 for the use of force against Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

奥巴马还提醒俄亥俄州克利夫兰的观众说，克林顿参议员最初支持布什总统在2002年向国会提出的对伊拉克领导人萨达姆.侯赛因使用武力的要求。

"This was a big strategic blunder," said Obama. "Once we had 'driven the bus into the ditch,' there were only so many ways we could get out. The question is, who is making the decision initially to drive the bus into the ditch?"

他说：“这是战略上的重大错误。当我们把车开进沟里面之后，我们就仅有几种办法可以出来。问题是，当初是谁决定把车开进沟里的？”

Clinton said she would not vote the same way on Iraq now.

希拉里.克林顿说，她现在不会再投票赞成发动伊拉克战争。

Obama opposed the war during his successful campaign for a U.S. Senate seat in Illinois in 2004. But during Tuesday's debate, Clinton said Obama has not been consistent in his opposition⁵ to the war since he has been in the Senate.

奥巴马在2004年竞选成功，当选为伊利诺依州联邦参议员，在他的竞选过程中，他表示反对发动伊拉克战争。但是，克林顿参议员在星期二的辩论中说，在奥巴马成为参议员之后，他并没有一直对伊拉克战争保持反对态度。

"Many people gave speeches against the war then, and the fair comparison is that he did not have responsibility, he did not have to vote. By 2004, he was saying that he basically agreed with the way George Bush was conducting the war," said Clinton.

她说：“当时有许多人发表演讲，反对伊拉克战争。如果将我们俩进行比较，那么，公正的说法应当是，奥巴马在当时并不负有表态的责任，他并不需要投票。在2004年，他说，他基本上同意布什总统指挥战争的方法。”

Clinton has lost 11 straight nomination⁶ contests to Obama since 5 February, and Clinton supporters were hoping for a knock out blow in the debate that would reverse his momentum⁷.

自从2月5号以来，克林顿参议员已经在和奥巴马的党内候选人提名的初选中连续在11个州落败，克林顿的支持者希望她能在辩论中有出色的表现，挫挫奥巴马的锐气。

But most political experts rated the debate essentially⁸ a tie, with neither candidate gaining a clear advantage.

但是，大部分政治专家认为，这场辩论基本上以平局收场，二人都没有获得明显的优势。

Earl Black is a political science professor at Rice University in Texas. "I thought the debate was pretty much of a draw," said Black. "This is one where Hillary Clinton needed a much more decisive victory than I think she was able to gain."

厄尔.布莱克是德克萨斯莱斯大学的政治学教授。他说：“我认为，这场辩论基本上是平局。希拉里.克林顿在这场辩论中需要取得更具决定性的胜利，但是我认为她没能做到这一点。”

Clinton is counting on victories in Texas and Ohio on 4 March to cut into Obama's lead in the delegate total. The Associated Press estimates Obama has won nearly 1,400 delegates, while Clinton has won about 1,300. The Democratic nomination requires 2,025 total.

克林顿指望3月4号在德克萨斯州和俄亥俄州的初选中获胜，以打破奥巴马在总的党代表票数上的优势。美联社估计，奥巴马已经赢得近1400张党代表票，而克林顿获得了大约1300张。要想成为民主党总统提名人，竞选人需要获得2025张党代表票。

Republican contender John McCain has also been campaigning in Ohio and Texas in advance of Tuesday's primaries. McCain is hoping that convincing victories on 4 March will force his main remaining challenger, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, to quit the race.

共和党参选人麦凯恩也在星期二的两场初选前在俄亥俄州和德克萨斯州展开竞选活动。麦凯恩希望在3月4号取得有力的胜利，以迫使依然留在选举中的他的主要挑战者、前阿肯色州州长哈克比退出竞选。

But McCain was on the defensive⁹ after one of his supporters made some controversial remarks at a campaign rally Cincinnati, Ohio.

但是，麦凯恩的支持者、保守的电台脱口秀节目主持人坎宁安在俄亥俄州辛辛纳提的一次竞选集会上说了一些引发争议的话。

Conservative radio talk show host Bill Cunningham repeatedly used Barack Obama's middle name as he criticized the news media for being soft on Obama compared to its treatment of President Bush and the Republicans.

坎宁安多次利用巴拉克.奥巴马的中间名批评新闻媒体，说媒体对奥巴马态度软弱，而对布什总统和共和党人则没有这么好。

"The media, at some point, is going to peel the bark off of Barack Hussein Obama," said Cunningham. "The media will quit taking sides in this thing and maybe start covering Barack Hussein Obama the same way they covered Bush."

他说：“媒体有一天将会剥下巴拉克.侯赛因.奥巴马的伪装。媒体将不再偏向任何一方，可能将开始以报道布什总统那样的方式来报道巴拉克.侯赛因.奥巴马。”

Obama's middle name comes from his father, who was from Kenya. The Obama campaign frequently points out that he was raised as a Christian¹⁰ to refute persistent¹¹ rumors¹² that he has a Muslim background.

奥巴马的中间名侯塞因来自于他的肯尼亚父亲。奥巴马的竞选班子多次指出，奥巴马是在一个基督教家庭中长大的，以驳斥一再出现的关于奥巴马有穆斯林背景的谣言。

McCain arrived at the rally after the comments were made and later apologized for the remarks made by Cunningham.

麦凯恩在坎宁安作出这些关于奥巴马的评论之后才来到那次集会的现场的，后来他为坎宁安的言论表示道歉。

"I have repeatedly stated my respect for Senator Obama and Senator Clinton, and that I will treat them with respect," he said. "I regret any comments that may be made about these two individuals who are honorable Americans."

他说：“我已经多次表达我对奥巴马参议员和克林顿参议员的尊敬，我也将以敬重的方式对待他们。这两位参议员都是可敬的美国人，我对那些可能针对这两位议员所作的评论感到遗憾。”

Cunningham said later he was angry at McCain for turning on him, and added that he would now support Hillary Clinton for president.

坎宁安后来表示，麦凯恩对自己的攻击令他感到愤怒，并说从现在开始他将支持希拉里.克林顿竞选总统。