2006年VOA标准英语-Bush Defends Policies at Town Hall Meeting

By Paula Wolfson
Washington
11 January 2006

President Bush is defending his foreign and domestic policies as he seeks support for members of his Republican party running for re-election to Congress later this year. Mr. Bush found a receptive audience in Louisville, Kentucky.

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It was an event reminiscent of the president's own re-election bid.

 

 
George Bush
  

In Louisville, he appeared at a community meeting where he took questions from local residents on topics ranging from the war on terrorism, to care for the elderly. As he did during the 2004 presidential campaign, Mr. Bush opened the session with a strong defense¹ of his record, both at home and abroad.

He was then asked if Americans can expect the war on terrorism to end with the kind of dramatic surrender seen by previous generations at the conclusion of World Wars I and II. The president said this conflict is very different, and victory will come gradually.

"The long term victory will come by defeating the hopelessness and despair these killers² exploit with a system that is open and hopeful. And the only such system is a free system," he said.

There was also a question about his controversial decision to allow government agents to monitor telephone calls and e-mails between people in the United States and al-Qaida connections abroad without court authorization³. For the first time, the president said he would go along with a congressional inquiry⁴.

"There will be a lot of hearings to talk about that, but that's good for democracy. Just so long as the hearings, as they explore whether or not I have the prerogative⁵ to make the decision I make, doesn't tell the enemy what we're doing. See, that's the danger," he said.

President Bush has made numerous appearances over the last six weeks or so to boost public support for his policies. But the stop in Louisville was the first to incorporate this casual campaign-style format⁶.

It is a community where voter concerns about Iraq loom⁷ large and the local congressional race is being dominated to a great extent by foreign policy concerns.

Congresswoman Anne Northrop - a rising star in the Republican ranks - is facing an unexpectedly strong challenge this year. Her Democratic Party opponent, Andrew Horne, is an Iraq war veteran who has said the Iraqi invasion was a big mistake.

1 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

2 killers   

凶手( killer的名词复数 )； 消灭…者； 致命物； 极难的事

参考例句：

• He remained steadfast in his determination to bring the killers to justice. 他要将杀人凶手绳之以法的决心一直没有动摇。
• They were professional killers who did in John. 杀死约翰的这些人是职业杀手。

3 authorization   

n.授权，委任状

参考例句：

• Anglers are required to obtain prior authorization from the park keeper.垂钓者必须事先得到公园管理者的许可。
• You cannot take a day off without authorization.未经批准你不得休假。

4 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

5 prerogative   

n.特权

参考例句：

• It is within his prerogative to do so.他是有权这样做的。
• Making such decisions is not the sole prerogative of managers.作这类决定并不是管理者的专有特权。

6 format   

n.设计，版式；[计算机]格式，DOS命令:格式化(磁盘)，用于空盘或使用过的磁盘建立新空盘来存储数据；v.使格式化，设计，安排

参考例句：

• Please format this floppy disc.请将这张软盘格式化。
• The format of the figure is very tasteful.该图表的格式很雅致。

7 loom   

n.织布机，织机；v.隐现，(危险、忧虑等)迫近

参考例句：

• The old woman was weaving on her loom.那位老太太正在织布机上织布。
• The shuttle flies back and forth on the loom.织布机上梭子来回飞动。