2007年VOA标准英语-US Presidential Election Campaign Under Way Ear

By Jim Fry
Washington, DC
31 January 2007
 
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The 2008 campaign for the White House is off to an unusually early start, with a host of presidential hopefuls seeking the nominations² of the United States' two major political parties.  Among the Democrats³, two leading contenders could make U.S. political history.  The first woman to lead the presidential pack is off and running.  And the first African-American who is given a real chance to win also has sparked excitement.  VOA's Jim Fry reports.

 
Senator Hillary Clinton announces opening a presidential exploratory committee on her website
Hillary Clinton, the New York senator and former first lady, campaigned Saturday in Iowa, about a year before the state's caucuses⁴. "I'm running for president, and I'm in it to win it," she said.

Thirteen days earlier there was an online announcement of Illinois Senator Barak Obama's candidacy. "I certainly didn't expect to find myself in this position a year ago."

Two Democrats, two frontrunners ... sometimes taking similar stands:

 
Barack Obama during a surprise visit to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 10 Dec. 2006
Sen. Barack Obama’s position on health care. "The time has come for universal health care in America."

Sen. Hillary Clinton’s position on health care. "I believe we still need to make a commitment to universal health care."

The two Democrats vying⁵ to be their party's choice for president are the first woman and the first African-American with a strong chance of winning the nomination¹.

Race and gender⁶ will not decide the contest, says political scholar Stephen Hess of George Washington University. "He has the charm of newness, in which everybody can read into it what they think he believes, because it's what they believe.  She, we know where she's coming from.  It's just an absolutely fascinating duo."

Recently the wife of former President Bill Clinton, now beginning her second six-year term in the Senate, was talking to the nation's mayors.  Addressing their concerns about affordable⁷ housing, poverty and universal health care, she speaks... at a Washington hotel. 

Travel two blocks down "K" Street -- one of the capital city's main streets -- go around the block, up Connecticut Avenue to the historic Mayflower Hotel and inside you'll find ... Obama. 

The freshman⁸ senator's speech on universal care is applauded.  Community health activist⁹ Anton Gunn hopes Obama is the nominee¹⁰.

"The bottom line, you know, it's not really about experience -- in my opinion.  It's about good judgment¹¹.  And I'd rather have someone with great judgment and no experience than someone with a lot of experience and poor judgment."  Gunn recalls Hillary Clinton's failure as first lady to win enough support for President Bill Clinton's national health-care plan.

Many Democrats fear that Hillary's image as a cautious, calculating political figure could hurt her chances.

But mayors, like Donald Plusquellic of Akron, Ohio, saw something different: "In person, she's a lot warmer and friendlier, and the image, I think, is unfortunate and mostly wrong about her.  She's very bright.  She understands the issues of today."

One other Democratic hopeful could make history if he wins the party nomination and becomes the first Hispanic candidate for president: New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson.  The former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. trails in the early opinion polls, though.

Enthusiastic speculation¹² surrounded Obama long before he announced his presidential hopes.  The Illinois senator's sharp words about the administration's oil policies won applause in New Hampshire:  "Why would we want to fund both sides of the war on terrorism?"

Clinton brought out large crowds last weekend on her first trip to Iowa as a candidate, where she had stark¹³ criticism of President Bush's failure to get America out of Iraq. "I think it's the height of irresponsibility, and I really resent it."

There is much time before the snows fall again next year on Iowa's farm fields, when residents, like pig farmer Craig Hill, will test the candidates face to face in the state's political caucuses. "And you're going to have to sit in a gymnasium and answer difficult questions, and you won't be able to escape," said Hill.

Much can still happen here and elsewhere that could change what looks now like a historic choice for U.S. Democrats.

1 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

2 nominations   

n.提名，任命( nomination的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Nominations are invited for the post of party chairman. 为党主席职位征集候选人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Much coverage surrounded his abortive bids for the 1960,1964, and 1968 Republican Presidential nominations. 许多消息报道都围绕着1960年、1964年和1968年他为争取提名为共和党总统候选人所做努力的失败。 来自辞典例句

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 caucuses   

n.（政党决定政策或推举竞选人的）核心成员( caucus的名词复数 )；决策干部；决策委员会；秘密会议

参考例句：

• Republican caucuses will happen in about 410 towns across Maine. 共和党团会议选举将在缅因州的约410个城镇进行。 来自互联网

5 vying   

adj.竞争的；比赛的

参考例句：

• California is vying with other states to capture a piece of the growing communications market.为了在日渐扩大的通讯市场分得一杯羹，加利福尼亚正在和其他州展开竞争。
• Four rescue plans are vying to save the zoo.4个拯救动物园的方案正争得不可开交。

6 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。

7 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

8 freshman   

n.大学一年级学生(可兼指男女)

参考例句：

• Jack decided to live in during his freshman year at college.杰克决定大一时住校。
• He is a freshman in the show business.他在演艺界是一名新手。

9 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

10 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

11 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

12 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

13 stark   

adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
• He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。