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2007年VOA标准英语-States Look to Take Larger Role in US Election

时间:2007-05-28 05:47:17

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By Jim Malone
Washington
19 March 2007


The presidential nominees2 from both major U.S. political parties could be chosen earlier than ever next year, in large part because California and several other states are moving up the dates of their presidential primaries. VOA National Correspondent Jim Malone has more on the accelerating presidential calendar from Washington.

California, the state with the largest population, traditionally held its presidential primary in June.

But with many states holding primaries earlier than ever, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently signed legislation to shift California's primary from June to February 5 of next year.

 
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger 
"Holding our presidential primaries in June used to mean that nominees were locked (effectively chosen) before we ever had the chance to vote," he said. "(Now) We are participating in deciding who the candidates will be."

Several other large states are poised3 to follow California's lead and move their presidential primaries to February 5 as well, including New York, Texas, Florida, Illinois and New Jersey4.

In all, it is possible that two dozen states will hold primaries on February 5 next year. If that happens, more than half of the delegates at stake for the party nominating conventions will be chosen on that date.

With so many states moving their primaries earlier than ever in the election season calendar, February 5 is shaping up as a kind of national primary day for the 20 or so Democratic and Republican presidential contenders.

John Fortier is a political expert at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington and a recent guest on VOA's Encounter program.

"Many states are rushing to that February 5 date, and so you see a very, very large percentage of the delegates, more than a majority, likely to be selected on that February 5 date, which has become a very, very significant date that we have not seen in the past," he said.

Fortier says the accelerated primary calendar next year makes it even more important than in the past for candidates to do well in the pre-primary campaign period, which is already underway with an unexpected intensity5.

Several candidates from both parties have made numerous campaign trips to the early contest states of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina, which will initiate6 the presidential nominee1 selection process next January.

Expert John Fortier says there is a lot of early pressure on the presidential contenders this year to raise lots of money, improve their visibility with the public and score well in public opinion polls before any meaningful votes are taken.

"If candidates like John McCain and Hillary Clinton do better than expected, they will get a boost," Fortier said. "If they do not do as well, there may be some other candidates who are able to make their case because of an opening and perceived strength. So, it really is a money (fundraising) and perception primary that is going on with pollsters, the media and the money raisers in the next nine months before we actually start this process of voting in primaries in January of 2008."


 
Tom Vilsack with his wife and sons at his side, speaks at a press conference in Des Moines, Iowa, 23 Feb 2007 
Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack was the first candidate to withdraw from the Democratic nomination7 contest last month after having difficulties in raising money for his campaign.

American University scholar Lewis Wolfson expects more contenders to drop out this year as they struggle to gain visibility and raise the millions of dollars necessary to mount a serious presidential campaign in 2008.

"There is a sense that, boy, with all those candidates, it is probably wide open," Wolfson said. "But there is a feeling, I think, inside of politics, that this is going to narrow even before the primaries, especially since we have the media doing polling every two or three weeks."

The holding of a so-called super primary next February 5 could benefit high-profile candidates who are already near the top of public-opinion polls and who have raised a lot of money for the 2008 campaign.

That would include Republicans like former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Arizona Senator John McCain and Democrats8 like Illinois Senator Barack Obama and New York Senator Hillary Clinton.

 
Hillary Clinton 
"If we steel ourselves to all of the criticism and the counterattacks and the stereotypes9 and everything that they will put out, then we will be victorious," Clinton said. "I have a little experience in staying the course and in sticking with people who stick with me."

Forcing candidates to compete in several large states at once could hurt less well-known candidates struggling to gain political momentum10.

Former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore remains11 confident of his chances, despite his low poll ratings among Republican presidential hopefuls.

Gilmore recently spoke12 to a firefighters union convention in Washington.

 
James Gilmore
"These are the credentials13 that I bring before this hall here today and why, at the end of the day, that I am going to defeat these people that the media people have considered to be the leading candidates, and that means that I will win this nomination over McCain, Romney and Mayor Giuliani," the governor said. "I can assure you of that."

Many experts believe serious presidential candidates will have to raise $100 million by early next year to compete in the compressed schedule of primaries and caucuses14.

Experts also believe it is likely that the presidential nominees from both parties will be known by February or March of next year, setting up a general election campaign that will last until Election Day, November 4, 2008.


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1 nominee FHLxv     
n.被提名者;被任命者;被推荐者
参考例句:
  • His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
  • Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。
2 nominees 3e8d8b25ccc8228c71eef17be7bb2d5f     
n.被提名者,被任命者( nominee的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • She's one of the nominees. 她是被提名者之一。 来自超越目标英语 第2册
  • A startling number of his nominees for senior positions have imploded. 他所提名的高级官员被否决的数目令人震惊。 来自互联网
3 poised SlhzBU     
a.摆好姿势不动的
参考例句:
  • The hawk poised in mid-air ready to swoop. 老鹰在半空中盘旋,准备俯冲。
  • Tina was tense, her hand poised over the telephone. 蒂娜心情紧张,手悬在电话机上。
4 jersey Lp5zzo     
n.运动衫
参考例句:
  • He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
  • They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致,都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。
5 intensity 45Ixd     
n.强烈,剧烈;强度;烈度
参考例句:
  • I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
  • The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。
6 initiate z6hxz     
vt.开始,创始,发动;启蒙,使入门;引入
参考例句:
  • A language teacher should initiate pupils into the elements of grammar.语言老师应该把基本语法教给学生。
  • They wanted to initiate a discussion on economics.他们想启动一次经济学讨论。
7 nomination BHMxw     
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。
8 democrats 655beefefdcaf76097d489a3ff245f76     
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》
9 stereotypes 1ff39410e7d7a101c62ac42c17e0df24     
n.老套,模式化的见解,有老一套固定想法的人( stereotype的名词复数 )v.把…模式化,使成陈规( stereotype的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • Such jokes tend to reinforce racial stereotypes. 这样的笑话容易渲染种族偏见。
  • It makes me sick to read over such stereotypes devoid of content. 这种空洞无物的八股调,我看了就讨厌。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
10 momentum DjZy8     
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。
11 remains 1kMzTy     
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹
参考例句:
  • He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
  • The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。
12 spoke XryyC     
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。
13 credentials 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。
14 caucuses d49ca95184fa2aef8e2ee3b613a6f7dd     
n.(政党决定政策或推举竞选人的)核心成员( caucus的名词复数 );决策干部;决策委员会;秘密会议
参考例句:
  • Republican caucuses will happen in about 410 towns across Maine. 共和党团会议选举将在缅因州的约410个城镇进行。 来自互联网

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