2006年VOA标准英语-Bush Holds Post-Election News Conference, Annou

By Paula Wolfson
White House
08 November 2006

President Bush says Democratic Party gains in the U.S. Congress are in part the result of voter disillusionment with the war in Iraq. Mr. Bush says it is time for a big change at the Pentagon.

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From left: Donald Rumsfeld, George Bush and Robert Gates    
  
A new political reality is taking hold in Washington.

Democrats¹ are preparing to take control in the House of Representatives, and Donald Rumsfeld is on his way out at the Department of Defense².

"Now, after a series of thoughtful conversations, Secretary Rumsfeld and I agreed that the timing³ is right for new leadership at the Pentagon," said President Bush.

At a post-election news conference, President Bush praised Rumsfeld, one of the longest-serving defense secretaries in U.S. history. But Mr. Bush added he believes a fresh perspective is needed at the Defense Department.

The president said he wants the top job to go to Robert Gates, who was chief of the Central Intelligence Agency in the early 1990s. In making the announcement, he acknowledged the election was, in part, a referendum on Iraq, saying he agrees his policy has not moved fast enough or produced enough progress.

Opposition⁴ to the war is credited by many with fueling Democratic victories across the country. But President Bush stressed that does not mean America will pull its troops out now, saying the enemy should not find joy in the fact Democrats are about to take control of the House of Representatives.

"No leader in Washington is going to walk away from protecting the country," he said. "We have different views on how to do that, but their spirit is such that they want to protect America. That is what I believe."

President Bush said he was disappointed with the election results, saying as the nation's leading Republican he bears part of the blame.

But he signaled a willingness to move beyond the bitter rhetoric⁵ of the campaign. Mr. Bush said he will begin consultations⁶ with Democratic Party leaders on Thursday, and he emphasized he wants to seek common ground.

"By putting this election and partisanship⁷ behind us, we can launch a new era of cooperation and make these next two years productive ones for the American people," he said.
 

Nancy Pelosi  
  
The congresswoman who is expected to become the next Speaker of the House of Representatives welcomed the overture⁸. Nancy Pelosi said her goal is not partisanship, but partnership⁹.

"Democrats are not about getting even," she said. "Democrats are about helping¹⁰ the American people get ahead and that is what our agenda is about."

Pelosi had been calling for Donald Rumsfeld's resignation, and she responded quickly to word that he was leaving the Pentagon. She said his departure marks a fresh start to efforts to resolve the situation in Iraq.

1 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》

2 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。

3 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

4 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

5 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

6 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 Partisanship   

n. 党派性, 党派偏见

参考例句：

• Her violent partisanship was fighting Soames's battle. 她的激烈偏袒等于替索米斯卖气力。
• There was a link of understanding between them, more important than affection or partisanship. ' 比起人间的感情，比起相同的政见，这一点都来得格外重要。 来自英汉文学

8 overture   

n.前奏曲、序曲，提议，提案，初步交涉

参考例句：

• The opera was preceded by a short overture.这部歌剧开始前有一段简短的序曲。
• His overture led to nothing.他的提议没有得到什么结果。

9 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

10 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。