2006年VOA标准英语-Political Moderates Could Be Vulnerable in Cong

By Jim Malone
Washington
15 August 2006

Early indications are that moderates from both major political parties could be vulnerable in this year's U.S. congressional midterm elections. 

		Incumbent1 party-endorsed Democratic US Senator Joseph Lieberman acknowledges the crowd with his wife after he was defeated in a primary by Ned Lamont " src="/upimg/allimg/070416/1419400.jpg" width="210" border="0" /> Incumbent party-endorsed Democratic US Senator Joseph  Lieberman acknowledges the crowd with his wife after he was defeated in a primary by Ned Lamont

A fierce battle for control of Congress is expected this November and moderate candidates are already paying a price in the highly charged partisan³ environment.

In one primary race, Senator Joseph Lieberman, a leading Democratic moderate, lost to fellow Democrat² Ned Lamont, in large part because of Democratic anger over Lieberman's support for President Bush on the Iraq war.

In Michigan, moderate Republican Congressman⁴ Joe Schwarz lost a primary battle to a more conservative candidate.

Political expert Norman Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute says the focus of this year's elections is motivating the core supporters in both major political parties.

He spoke⁵ on C-SPAN television.

"The bases of the parties are mobilizing, more and more, and they are forcing people who come closer to the middle out of this process," he said.  "There has really been a collapse⁶ of the [political] center in Congress.  The Democrats⁷ have become more homogeneous and moved left.  The Republicans have become more homogeneous and moved right."

The political stakes are high because many Democrats believe 2006 is their best chance to win back control of one or both houses of Congress since Republicans took over in 1994.

Democratic political strategists want to make the Iraq war the central issue in the campaign, hoping to take advantage of public unhappiness over the war that is reflected in opinion polls.

Harry⁸ Reid of Nevada is the Senate Democratic leader.

"We all agree there should be a change in the course of the war," said Mr. Reid.  "We all agree that there should be a redeployment starting sooner rather than later."

Republicans are also gearing up for a tough fight in November, well aware that dissatisfaction over Iraq, high gas prices and President Bush could all work to the Democrats' advantage.

The president's top political adviser⁹, Karl Rove, says Republicans will look to emphasize the administration's record in the war on terror.

"We are going to be just fine in the fall elections and we are going to be fine, because we stand for things that are important," said Mr. Rove.  "We stand for strong national defense¹⁰ abroad and victory, complete victory, in the war on terrorism, which involves victory in Iraq."

Some moderates worry that the emphasis on sharpening differences between the parties will disappoint centrist and independent voters who reject the extreme wings of both parties.

Hamilton Jordan served as President Jimmy Carter's White House chief of staff.

He is now involved in a centrist effort called Unity¹¹ '08 that seeks to offer a bipartisan presidential ticket in the next presidential election.

"We are people that are not satisfied with the current political system, not satisfied with the status quo and are working to offer the American voters an alternative in 2008," said Mr. Jordan.

Some political analysts¹² warn that centrists or self-described moderates may find themselves shunted aside this year in the closely contested battle for control of the Senate and House of Representatives.

Thomas Mann is an expert with the Brookings Institution in Washington.

He says so-called tidal wave elections, when one party scores huge gains at the expense of the other, often have negative consequences for political moderates.

Mann says it last happened with the 1994 congressional elections that gave Republicans majorities in both the House and Senate.

"When Republicans swept into power, the most vulnerable Democrats were the conservative and moderate Democrats representing Republican [leaning] districts," said Mr. Mann.  "And so when you have these tidal wave elections, you end up sweeping¹³ out those who have operated more toward the political center."

Some of the most closely watched races this year involve Democratic challenges to Republican moderates in Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

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 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 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

4 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。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

7 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》

8 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

9 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

10 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。

11 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

12 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。

13 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？