2006年VOA标准英语-Iraq War at Heart of Connecticut Senate Race

By Kane Farabaugh
Hartford, Connecticut
13 October 2006
 
watch Lieberman Lamont report

The war in Iraq is the main issue in a key Senate race in the northeastern state of Connecticut.  Incumbent¹ Democratic Senator Joseph Lieberman is now running as an independent after losing his party's primary in August to anti-war businessman Ned Lamont.  As VOA's Kane Farabaugh reports from Hartford, Connecticut, the election is important for both sides of the political aisle².

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It was just six years ago that he stood alongside Al Gore³ as the Democrats⁴' pick for Vice⁵ President in the 2000 election.
 

Senator Joseph Lieberman  
  
But the war in Iran is now fueling the battle of Senator Joseph Lieberman's political life. "Too many people in the debate about Iraq have sought to demonize the other side.  We've got to understand as Americans that reasonable people can disagree on this difficult subject."

It is such a difficult subject that Lieberman's support of the war cost him the support of his party.  He lost the August 8 Democratic primary election to anti-war businessman and political newcomer Ned Lamont. "At the end of the day, the security of the United States is our number one priority and the question was 'is the war in Iraq making America any more secure?'"

 
Ned Lamont
  
Connecticut's Democratic voters answered that question by picking Lamont as their candidate for the Senate seat.  "So it was a referendum on change - do you want to stay the course, or do you want to change the course, and I think that's how a lot of people read it."

Lieberman responded by announcing he would continue his campaign as an independent candidate.

There are now five names on the ballot⁶ in Connecticut's Senate race November 7, but it is essentially⁷ a two-way race between Lamont and Leiberman.  The Republican candidate - Alan Schlesinger - is not considered a factor in the race.

Lieberman took an early lead in the polls, but political analysts⁸ watching the campaign say it is a close race.

That's why Lieberman is courting Iraq war veterans like Daniel Henderson to his campaign. "The issue of Iraq and the war in Iraq is absolutely the number one issue that will determine who I vote for in November."

Registered Democrats like Sharon Palmer say they haven't seen an issue galvanize Connecticut voters since the 1960 presidential election.  "The only time I have seen such passion in politics is with John F. Kennedy."

It is a passion Democratic Senator Edward Kennedy hopes to bring to the current campaign. "The focus of not just Connecticut, but the country, and the world is going to be on Connecticut on election night, and this is a chance to change a national policy."

The Massachusetts Senator knows the stakes in November.  The Democrats hope to gain control of the House of Representatives and Senate, which is why Kennedy is supporting Ned Lamont despite his friendship with Joe Lieberman.

Kennedy says the issues are too important. "These issues are too important to put friendship in there.  They're too important.  They're overarching - people are living and dying on these issues of Iraq and living and dying on health care and we're supposed to speak to those issues."

Despite the national and international attention, it is ultimately up to Connecticut voters to choose their Senator.  Voters are heading to the polls with more on their minds than just the war in Iraq.

Palmer says what is at stake is more than the war. "I think Joe's record is costing him his job.  Does that include the war?  Absolutely.  But is it the war alone?  Absolutely not."

Jobs and health care are two of the big issues Lamont is using to help round out his political agenda in the weeks leading up to November 7.

But it is Iraq that will continue to dominate the campaign.  And despite losing the support of the Democratic Party, Joseph Lieberman stands by his decision to support the war. "I supported the use of force in Iraq to remove Saddam Hussein from power because I believed that he was a grave threat to our country, his people, the region, and the world.  And I continue to believe that decision was right."

It is a stand that resonates with his supporters.

Support Daniel Henderson, who is an Iraq war veteran adds, "Any tough decision that you face in life, whether it's a war in Iraq or whether it's your local politics, you understand that there is a right thing to do and a wrong thing to do.  And the right thing to do is not always necessarily the easiest thing to do."

Connecticut voters will decide on November 7 whether they believe Senator Lieberman made the right decision, and deserves a fourth term.

1 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

2 aisle   

n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道

参考例句：

• The aisle was crammed with people.过道上挤满了人。
• The girl ushered me along the aisle to my seat.引座小姐带领我沿着通道到我的座位上去。

3 gore   

n.凝血，血污；v.（动物）用角撞伤，用牙刺破；缝以补裆；顶

参考例句：

• The fox lay dying in a pool of gore.狐狸倒在血泊中奄奄一息。
• Carruthers had been gored by a rhinoceros.卡拉瑟斯被犀牛顶伤了。

4 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》

5 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。

6 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。

7 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

8 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。