美国共和党的萨拉·佩林和民主党的乔·拜登定于星期四晚间在密苏里州圣路易斯举行人们十分期待的副总统候选人辩论。选民可能会非常注视阿拉斯加州州长佩林的表现。佩林是初登国家政治舞台的新人，她曾使得共和党内很多人很兴奋，不过在最近几次接受采访时，她也表现出难以应答的时刻。

　　An interview that aired this week with CBS television news anchor Katie Couric has attracted a lot of attention because of a couple of questions Governor Palin seemed unable to answer. Palin replied to a question from Couric on which newspapers and magazines she liked to read to stay informed.

　　这个星期播出的哥伦比亚广播公司新闻主播凯蒂·库里克对佩林的采访节目引起了人们的注意，因为佩林州长似乎对库里克提的几个问题回答不上来。库里克问佩林，她为了获得信息喜欢阅读哪些报刊杂志。下面是佩林的回答：

　　"I've read most of them, again with a great appreciation for the press, for the media," Palin told Couric.

　　佩林说：“我阅读了大多数，我要再次感谢报纸和媒体。”

　　"But like, what ones specifically, " Couric asked.

　　库里克问：“具体说是哪些报刊，我很好奇......"

　　"All of them, any of them," Palin responded.

　　佩林回答说：“所有报刊，任何一种。”

　　A new ABC News/Washington Post poll released Wednesday shows that six in 10 Americans now doubt Palin's qualifications to serve as president in the event McCain wins the election and something happened to him. The poll reflects a steep decline in Palin's popularity, after she initially gave a big boost to Republican nominee John McCain.

　　美国广播公司和华盛顿邮报星期三公布的一项新民调显示，在十个受访者当中，有六人现在怀疑，一旦麦凯恩在赢得总统选举后遇到不测，佩林是否有资格行使总统责任。这次民调反应出选民对佩林的喜爱程度大幅度下降，而她曾一度使共和党总统候选人麦凯恩威信大涨。

　　McCain strongly defended Palin in a meeting with the Des Moines Register newspaper earlier this week. He was asked why voters should have confidence in Palin's ability to succeed him as president if it should become necessary.

　　麦凯恩这个星期早些时候在接受《得梅因纪事报》采访时极力为佩林辩护。记者问，为什么选民应该对佩林有信心，认为她有足够能力在必要时接替他？

　　"With due respect, I strongly disagree with your premise that she does not have experience and knowledge and background," McCain said. "I fundamentally disagree and I am proud of her record. And it is not an accident that she is the most popular governor in America."

　　麦凯恩说：“对不起，我坚决不同意你的前提，即她没有经验，没有知识，没有背景。我从根本上不同意这个前提，我为她的履历自豪。佩林成为美国最受爱戴的州长并不是偶然的。”

　　Some analysts say this will be Palin's chance to show she is ready for the national stage, and that this debate, the only vice presidential debate in this election, could be a defining moment for her political career.

　　一些分析人士认为，这次辩论是佩林显示她有能力登上国家舞台的一个机会。这场辩论是11月大选前唯一的一场副总统候选人辩论，这可能成为佩林政治生涯的关键时刻。

　　"Having been thrown into national politics with almost no preparation, now there is this enormous spotlight on her and she has got to live up to a pretty high standard, what people expect of someone playing in that league," said Bruce Miroff, a political expert at the State University of New York at Albany.

　　布鲁斯·米罗夫是奥尔巴尼纽约州立大学的政治问题专家。他说：“在几乎毫无准备的情况下被一下子推进国家政治事务中，她现在的确成为万众瞩目的焦点，她必须要达到很高的标准，要达到人们对那些在国家政治圈子里活动的人的期望。”

　　Democratic Senator Joe Biden of Delaware faces different challenges in the debate. He has had years of foreign policy experience on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. But he is famous for his verbal gaffes and for talking too much. University of Virginia analyst Larry Sabato compares and contrasts the two vice presidential candidates.

　　德拉瓦州民主党议员乔·拜登在辩论中遇到的挑战有所不同。他在参议院外交关系委员会有多年外交政策经验。不过，他在讲话中经常失言和喋喋不休也尽人皆知。维吉尼亚大学分析人士拉里·萨巴托对两位副总统候选人进行了对比。

　　"Biden knows a great deal after 36 years in the Senate, but most people can take him only in small doses," Sabato noted. "Sarah Palin is a very pleasant and likable individual, and she knows very little, especially about foreign policy."

　　萨巴托说：“拜登任参议员36年经验非常丰富，可是大多数人对他不太了解。佩林这个人非常活泼可爱，不过她的知识不多，特别在外交政策方面更加贫乏。”

　　Speaking to reporters on the campaign trail, Biden said he was preparing for this debate just like any other.

　　拜登在竞选途中对记者说，他正在为这次辩论做准备，跟对待其它辩论一样。

　　"I go into every debate assuming that in fact, the person I am debating is as smart as I am, and is as tough as I am, and knows as much as I do," Biden said.

　　拜登说：“在进行每一场辩论之前，我都假定我的辩论对手跟我一样机智，跟我一样难以对付，一样知识丰富。”

　　Several Democratic lawmakers and strategists have cautioned that Palin was indeed a tough and formidable debater in her successful 2006 campaign to become Alaska's governor. Some analysts, like Larry Sabato, also point out that vice presidential debates rarely change voters' minds, and that, in the end, the focus will shift back to Democratic nominee Barack Obama and Republican nominee John McCain. Several polls released this week show Obama opening up a significant lead over McCain.

　　几位民主党议员和战略家提醒说，佩林在2006年的竞选活动中成功当选阿拉斯加州州长，说明她的确是一个难以对付、有实力的辩论者。萨巴托等分析人士还指出，副总统辩论难以改变选民的主意，最终，人们的注意力还是要回到民主党总统候选人奥巴马和共和党总统候选人麦凯恩身上。这个星期公布的几项民意调查显示，奥巴马的民众支持率明显领先于麦凯恩。