2006年VOA标准英语-Democrats, Republicans Maneuver for US Congress

By Dan Robinson
Washington
08 November 2006

After the U.S. mid-term elections, maneuvering¹ has already begun among Democrats³ for majority leadership positions, as Republicans prepare to become the opposition⁴ in the House of Representatives.

Democrats are scheduled to meet next week to determine who will serve in key leadership positions.

 
Nancy Pelosi, Nov. 8, 2006 
That includes Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, who must be formally elected House Speaker by Democratic colleagues, which will make her the first woman to occupy that position.

But maneuvering for other posts is under way, with the most attention focused on the number two slot, Majority Leader, and the number three position, Majority Whip.

 
Steny Hoyer
Congressman⁵ Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat², formally says he is confident the Democratic caucus⁶ will make him Majority Leader under a future Speaker Pelosi. But he faces a possible challenge from Pennsylvania Congressman John Murtha, noted⁷ for his proposal to "re-deploy" U.S. troops from Iraq.

The question of who would occupy the number three Democratic position hinges on the outcome of some internal party politics.

Congressman Rahm Emmanuel, who led Democratic campaign operations, is considered the leading candidate and may make a decision soon. "I want to talk to my colleagues. I also have to evaluate, as I always do, [my] professional responsibilities as well as [my] family responsibilities," he said.

But with Pelosi seeking to emphasize ethnic⁸ diversity, she may also give consideration to South Carolina Democrat Jim Clyburn, who has chaired the Democratic caucus, and is supported by African-American lawmakers.

Other African-Americans are in line for key chairmanships, of the Judiciary and the Ways and Means committees, and a female Hispanic may also get a committee position.

 
Charles Rangel (file photo)
Congressman Charles Rangel was a prime target of Republicans in the latest campaign. Their ads portrayed⁹ him as someone who would roll back President Bush's tax cuts for Americans.

In a telephone news conference, Rangel said he does not expect to have any difficulties negotiating with Republicans or the Bush administration on key issues.

"I'm hopeful that they [Republicans] really don't want to be lame¹⁰ duck and Democrats don't want to appear to be in gridlock so I think it is in the interest of Congress and the country that we do work together [on] the serious problems, of course, that we face," he said.

Meanwhile, Republicans will be competing for minority leadership posts as they prepare to go into the opposition in the 110th Congress.

"We will start the 110th Congress [with] what appears to be 13 seats short of a majority, so the first thing is we will have to make the adjustments of [having] the status of the minority party," said Congressman Tom Reynolds, a New York Republican who held on to his House seat in Tuesday's election.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, who has served longer in that position than any other lawmaker, has announced he will not return in that role.

That sets up what could be fierce competition for Speaker, Minority Leader and Minority Whip, with Joe Barton and John Shadegg, Republicans from Texas and Arizona, already announcing they will vie for leadership positions.

1 maneuvering   

v.移动，用策略( maneuver的现在分词 )；操纵

参考例句：

• This Manstein did, with some brilliant maneuvering under the worse winter conditions. 曼施坦因在最恶劣的严冬条件下，出色地施展了灵活机动的战术，终于完成了任务。 来自辞典例句
• In short, large goals required farsighted policies, not tactical maneuvering. 一句话，大的目标需要有高瞻远瞩的政策，玩弄策略是不行的。 来自辞典例句

2 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

3 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》

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 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 caucus   

n.秘密会议；干部会议；v.（参加）干部开会议

参考例句：

• This multi-staged caucus takes several months.这个多级会议常常历时好几个月。
• It kept the Democratic caucus from fragmenting.它也使得民主党的核心小组避免了土崩瓦解的危险。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

9 portrayed   

v.画像( portray的过去式和过去分词 )；描述；描绘；描画

参考例句：

• Throughout the trial, he portrayed himself as the victim. 在审讯过程中，他始终把自己说成是受害者。
• The author portrayed his father as a vicious drunkard. 作者把他父亲描绘成一个可恶的酒鬼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 lame   

adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的

参考例句：

• The lame man needs a stick when he walks.那跛脚男子走路时需借助拐棍。
• I don't believe his story.It'sounds a bit lame.我不信他讲的那一套。他的话听起来有些靠不住。