Economy Takes Center Stage in

 

By Jim Malone

Democratic presidential contender John Kerry launched a three-day campaign bus trip through the Midwest Friday, a key battleground area in the November election. Meanwhile, President Bush hailed improving numbers on job creation as evidence that the U.S. economy is getting stronger.
Senator Kerry opened a three-state tour in Minnesota to highlight his plan to strengthen the small towns and farm communities of rural America.
The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee¹ also plans to make stops in Wisconsin and Iowa over the Independence Day holiday, with all three states looming² as important battlegrounds in the Bush-Kerry showdown in November.
"We are not just celebrating a day, we are celebrating the sound and the spirit of America," he said. "It is the promise of the American dream and it is the reason that we have gathered here on a beautiful day because on November 2 of this year, four months from now, that sound, that spirit, that promise from the heartland will renew our country again."
Senator Kerry could announce his vice³ presidential running mate as early as next week. Most of the speculation⁴ so far has focused on three potential candidates, North Carolina Senator John Edwards, Missouri Congressman⁵ Richard Gephardt and Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack.
At the White House Friday, President Bush hailed the latest employment news that showed the economy added about 112,000 new jobs last month. That total was significantly less than what economists⁶ had expected, but Mr. Bush told a group of entrepreneurs that it is the latest sign that the U.S. economy is headed in the right direction.
"This economy of ours is steady and strong, it is steady and strong," the president said. "It is steady and strong, which means people are going back to work. 1.5 million jobs [added] since last August. That is steady growth."
Also in Washington Friday, independent candidate Ralph Nader told a news conference that he is the only real alternative to the two major party candidates because he refuses to accept campaign contributions from corporations and other special interest groups.
"Basically, the reason is that the two parties are proxies⁷ for the corporate⁸ government here in Washington," he said. "They are the ones who are running the show and the two parties are competing with corporate cash to see who is going to win and come to Washington to take orders from their corporate paymasters."
But the Nader campaign had a setback⁹ in Arizona, where Democrats¹⁰ organized a successful effort to keep his name off the presidential ballot¹¹, something they are expected to try in other states as well. Democrats fear Mr. Nader could siphon away enough votes from Mr. Kerry in certain key states to swing the election to President Bush.
Jim Malone, VOA news, Washington.

注释：
contender 竞争者
Minnesota 明尼苏达州
rural 乡下的
presumptive 推定的
nominee 被提名的人
Wisconsin 威斯康星州
Iowa 爱荷华州
showdown 最后一决胜负
heartland 中心地区
speculation 推测
proxy 代理人
corporate cash 公共基金
Arizona 亚利桑那州
ballot 投票

1 nominee   

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 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

3 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

4 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

5 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

6 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 proxies   

n.代表权( proxy的名词复数 )；（测算用的）代替物；（对代理人的）委托书；（英国国教教区献给主教等的）巡游费

参考例句：

• SOCKS and proxies are unavailable. Try connecting to XX again? socks和代理不可用。尝试重新连接到XX吗？ 来自互联网
• All proxies are still down. Continue with direct connections? 所有的代理仍然有故障。继续直接连接吗？ 来自互联网

8 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

9 setback   

n.退步，挫折，挫败

参考例句：

• Since that time there has never been any setback in his career.从那时起他在事业上一直没有遇到周折。
• She views every minor setback as a disaster.她把每个较小的挫折都看成重大灾难。

10 democrats   

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》

11 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。