U.S. President-elect Barack Obama is moving his White House transition forward, as political turmoil builds over the selection of his successor in the United States Senate. The governor of the state of Illinois stands accused of trying to sell the Senate seat to the highest bidder. There are efforts to convince Governor Rod Blagojevich to resign.
美国当选总统巴拉克.奥巴马继续进行接手白宫的交接工作，同时，围绕选择他在美国参议院继任者而引发的政治动荡进一步发展。伊利诺伊州州长布拉戈耶维奇面临指控，罪名是他试图把这个参议员席位卖给出价最高的人。目前有关各方正在敦促布拉戈耶维奇辞职。
President-elect Obama has called on the governor to step down, as have other prominent people in the state. Governor Blagojevich has resisted. But the top lawyer in Illinois, State Attorney General Lisa Madigan, says the governor may be rethinking his position.
当选总统巴拉克.奥巴马要求伊利诺伊州州长布拉戈耶维奇辞职，这个州其他重要人士也呼吁他辞职，但布拉戈耶维奇拒绝下台。不过，这个州首席律师、州总检察长莉萨.马迪根说，州长或许在重新考虑他的立场。
"I don't know if that means he will resign or take another option that is provided under the Illinois Constitution where he can voluntarily recognize that there is a serious impediment to his ability to carry out his duties and therefore temporarily remove himself," said Lisa Madigan.
马迪根说：“我不知道这是否意味着他将辞职，还是接受伊利诺伊州宪法规定的另外选择，根据宪法的这项规定，他可以主动承认他的个人能力在履行州长职责方面存在严重障碍，因此可以暂时解除他自己的职务。”
Blagojevich has not been formally indicted. But Madigan told NBC's Meet the Press program that the allegations of corruption put forward by government investigators are severely damaging.
布拉戈耶维奇还没有被正式起诉。不过，马迪根在美国全国广播公司“会见新闻界”节目中说，政府调查人员提出的腐败指称对他极为不利。
"There is also the serious concern that everything he does from here on out is going to be tainted, is going to be illegitimate," she said. "So, we think it is absolutely obvious that he is incapable of governing and the best thing to do is move aside."
马迪根说：“人们现在还非常担心，从现在起他做的每一件事都会被玷污，都会是非法的。因此，我们认为他不能胜任州长工作，这已经毫无疑问。所以现在最好是解除他的职务。”
Appearing on the same broadcast, Illinois Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn described Blagojevich as a man who became increasingly isolated during his time in office.
伊利诺伊州副州长帕特.奎因也参加了“会见新闻界”这档节目。奎因认为，布拉戈耶维奇这个人在当州长时越来越把自己孤立起来。
"The last time I spoke to him was in August of 2007," said Pat Quinn. "I think one of the problems is the governor did sort of seal himself off from all the statewide officials - [including] Attorney General Madigan and myself and many others - and that is no way to govern."
奎因说：“我最后一次跟他交谈是2007年8月。我认为，问题之一是这位州长的确有点把自己跟州里其他官员阻隔开，包括总检察长马迪根和我自己等许多人，这就无法履行州长的职责。”
The scandal surrounding the governor and the vacant Senate seat could be a major distraction for Mr. Obama, as he prepares to assume power in Washington.
就在奥巴马准备接手总统工作之际，围绕布拉戈耶维奇以及空缺的参议员席位的丑闻可能会牵扯奥巴马很大的精力。
The president-elect has remained in Illinois throughout most of the transition period, sharing headlines in recent days with news stories about the governor.
这位当选总统在过渡时期的绝大部分时间都待在伊利诺伊州，他和布拉戈耶维奇这几天来都是新闻报导中的主角。
Mr. Obama has been trying to keep the focus on his Cabinet nominees and his plans for the future. He has found what some would call an unlikely supporter in his former rival for the presidency, Senator John McCain.
奥巴马一直努力集中精力任命内阁成员，以及筹划美国的未来发展。他得到了竞选总统时的对手、参议员约翰.麦凯恩的支持，这在有些人看来有些不太可能。
The Arizona Republican says Barack Obama is putting together a very strong Cabinet to tackle the tough issues facing the country.
这位来自亚利桑那州的共和党参议员说，巴拉克.奥巴马正在组成一个强有力的内阁，处理美国面临的棘手问题。
"It tells me that the president-elect is going to address national security issues with people the American people can trust, and that he can place trust and confidence in," said Senator McCain.
麦凯恩说：“在我看来，当选总统将跟美国人民能够信任的人一道解决国家的安全问题，他对他的内阁成员也充满信任和信心。”
McCain appeared on ABC's This Week.
麦凯恩是在美国广播公司“本星期”节目上说这番话的。 |