VOA常速英语2007-Iowa Republican Presidential Campaign in Full Sw

By Jeff Swicord
Des Moines, Iowa
31 October 2007
 
Iowa Reublicans have moved their caucus¹ date up to January 3rd, 2008 so that the state can keep Iowa's status as the first in the nation to vote on the presidential contenders. With the caucus date just over two months away, campaign season in Iowa is in full swing. Jeff Swicord reports from Des Moines.

Announcer: "And I introduce to you the next president, Mitt² Romney."

It's the primary season in Iowa and candidates, like former Massachussetts Governor Mitt Romney, are traveling the state courting Republican voters.

Iowa is unique in American politics, as the first state to choose among presidential candidates in each party. Thirteen of the last 14 major-party nominees³ started with a win in Iowa.

Iowans take that role very seriously. Mitt Romney, who is leading polls of likely Republican caucus goers, was greeted by a crowded room at 7:30 on a chilly⁴ weekday morning.

He said to the crowd, "Now if someone asked you, 'What does the Republican Party stand for?' One word -- you might say freedom. You might say values. Strength is the word I might use."

Iowans often say you need to see a candidate at least four times before you decide if you are going to vote for them. They approach a presidential candidate as if they are buying a new car. They like to kick the tires, get behind the wheel, and see how it drives.

Iowans are used to being courted but don't give their votes easily. Mitt Romney is the fourth candidate Larry and Georgia Speed have seen this year. They have not made any firm commitments, but say, "We can't decide that. We have a year yet! We're  looking at other candidates -- Republicans."

Iowa is an agricultural state with many small towns, like Waukee outside of Des Moines. All over the state, county party committees are beginning to plan for their caucuses⁵.

Iowans do not vote like the rest of the country. On caucus night, they gather in town halls, school gymnasiums and homes. Backers of each candidate cluster into separate groups, to tabulate⁶ the support in each local caucus. Here, the Dallas County Republican Party is gathering⁷ to discuss plans for caucus night.

When we asked County Chairman Mitch Hambleton what was important to the Dallas County Republicans in this election, he said, "I think the Republican Party is focusing too much on some of the social issues. Certainly we are not all going to agree on everything. We need to look at getting back to the basic precepts⁸ of being Republican -- fiscal⁹ responsibility, keeping taxes down, providing opportunities for people in the country."

Iowa Republicans will caucus on the evening of January 3rd, 2008. The state's Democrats¹⁰ recently agreed to the same night. After Wyoming set its primary election on January fifth, Iowans advanced their event 11 days from the original schedule -- so that they could preserve their role as the first to choose among presidential candidates.

1 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。

2 mitt   

n.棒球手套，拳击手套，无指手套；vt.铐住，握手

参考例句：

• I gave him a baseball mitt for his birthday.为祝贺他的生日，我送给他一只棒球手套。
• Tom squeezed a mitt and a glove into the bag.汤姆把棒球手套和手套都塞进袋子里。

3 nominees   

n.被提名者，被任命者( nominee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She's one of the nominees. 她是被提名者之一。 来自超越目标英语 第2册
• A startling number of his nominees for senior positions have imploded. 他所提名的高级官员被否决的数目令人震惊。 来自互联网

4 chilly   

adj.凉快的，寒冷的

参考例句：

• I feel chilly without a coat.我由于没有穿大衣而感到凉飕飕的。
• I grew chilly when the fire went out.炉火熄灭后，寒气逼人。

5 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

6 tabulate   

v.列表，排成表格式

参考例句：

• It took me ten hours to tabulate the results.我花了十个小时把结果制成表格。
• Let me tabulate the results as follows.让我将结果列表如下。

7 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

8 precepts   

n.规诫，戒律，箴言( precept的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They accept the Prophet's precepts but reject some of his strictures. 他们接受先知的教训，但拒绝他的种种约束。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The legal philosopher's concern is to ascertain the true nature of all the precepts and norms. 法哲学家的兴趣在于探寻所有规范和准则的性质。 来自辞典例句

9 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

10 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》