British Vision Issue 53 希拉里：迈出2008第一步

Taking her first step towards running for the White House next year, Hilary Clinton was confident to victory. "I am in to win." she wrote on her website. The former First Lady and New York senator today set up an exploratory committee, allowing her to raise money and hire staff for a full presidential bid. But while she is the front runner for the democratic nomination², she faces strong competition, as Keme Nzerem reports from Washington.

"I announce today that I am forming a presidential exploratory committee. I'm not just starting a campaign though. I'm beginning a conversation with you, with America."

And with that, the Clinton Dynasty moves a step closer. But Hilary's conversation with America has never been much of a cozy³ chitchat. Standing⁴ by her husband through the dark days of his impeachment⁵, "This is this vast right-wing conspiracy⁶ that has been conspiring⁷ against my husband since..."

Such honesty costing her dear, not trusted by mid-America, eventually led into glad hand voters with the best of them, but failing to shed her image as aloof⁸ and calculating. Still shrewd enough to get herself on the senate Arms services committee, no better place for a female commander-in-chief to establish her credentials⁹.

"You are presiding over a failed policy. Given your track record, secretary Rumsfeld, why should we believe your assurances now?"

Political heft that took her to Iraq last week, seeking a solution to what will be the signature issue of this campaign, how to bring America's troops home without it looking like defeat.

"So let's talk; let's chat. Let's start a dialogue about your ideas and mine. Because the conversation in Washington has been just a little one-sided lately, don't you think? And we can all see how well that works."

Hilary's campaign kick-started after Barack Obama confirmed his own presidential ambitions earlier this week. The new darling of the left, appealing, too, to America's center ground, a fresh start and consensus¹⁰ politics.

Senator Obama today says he welcomes Hilary's decision not as a competitor but as an ally in the work of getting America back on track. Interesting is this already talk of friction¹¹ between Hilary and another democrat¹ contender, former senator John Edwards. "If she is gonna make it to the White House in 2008, her conversations have a long way yet to run." Keme Nzerem, channel 4 news, Washington.

And in the last hour, the republican Kansas Senator Sam Brownback has announced that he too will stand for the presidency¹². A fierce opponent of abortion¹³ and gay marriage; he joins a race that's likely to include the former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and the Arizona Senator John McCain.

1 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。

2 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

3 cozy   

adj.亲如手足的，密切的，暖和舒服的

参考例句：

• I like blankets because they are cozy.我喜欢毛毯，因为他们是舒适的。
• We spent a cozy evening chatting by the fire.我们在炉火旁聊天度过了一个舒适的晚上。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

5 impeachment   

n.弹劾；控告；怀疑

参考例句：

• Impeachment is considered a drastic measure in the United States.在美国，弹劾被视为一种非常激烈的措施。
• The verdict resulting from his impeachment destroyed his political career.他遭弹劾后得到的判决毁了他的政治生涯。

6 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

7 conspiring   

密谋( conspire的现在分词 )； 搞阴谋； （事件等）巧合； 共同导致

参考例句：

• They were accused of conspiring against the king. 他们被指控阴谋反对国王。
• John Brown and his associates were tried for conspiring to overthrow the slave states. 约翰·布朗和他的合伙者们由于密谋推翻实行奴隶制度的美国各州而被审讯。

8 aloof   

adj.远离的；冷淡的，漠不关心的

参考例句：

• Never stand aloof from the masses.千万不可脱离群众。
• On the evening the girl kept herself timidly aloof from the crowd.这小女孩在晚会上一直胆怯地远离人群。

9 credentials   

n.证明，资格，证明书，证件

参考例句：

• He has long credentials of diplomatic service.他的外交工作资历很深。
• Both candidates for the job have excellent credentials.此项工作的两个求职者都非常符合资格。

10 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

11 friction   

n.摩擦，摩擦力

参考例句：

• When Joan returned to work,the friction between them increased.琼回来工作后，他们之间的摩擦加剧了。
• Friction acts on moving bodies and brings them to a stop.摩擦力作用于运动着的物体，并使其停止。

12 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

13 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。