VOA常速英语2007年-US Democratic Presidential Candidates Face Off

By Mike O'Sullivan
Los Angeles
16 November 2007

Democratic Party presidential candidates faced off in Las Vegas Thursday, as Senator Hillary Clinton accused her rivals of distorting her record. VOA's Mike O'Sullivan reports from Los Angeles, the race is heating up in the weeks before the start of party caucuses¹ and primary elections.

Senator Clinton leads the Democrats² in national opinion polls, and has been the target of intense attacks from Illinois senator Barak Obama and former South Carolina senator John Edwards. Her rivals kept the pressure on in Las Vegas, accusing Clinton of switching positions on issues including Iraq, Iran, U.S. Social Security pensions, and the controversial domestic question of granting drivers' licenses³ to illegal immigrants. Obama called Clinton a capable politician who has run a good campaign, but says she is constantly switching positions.

"What the American people are looking for right now is straight answers to tough questions, and that is not what we have seen out of Senator Clinton on a host of issues," Obama said.

Senator Edwards, who was the Democratic Party's vice⁴ presidential candidate in 2004, has refused to take contributions from corporate⁵ lobbyists in this presidential campaign. He accused Clinton of defending a political system that he says is corrupt⁶ and broken, but he says he will bring change to Washington.

"Senator Clinton defends the system, takes money from lobbyists, does all those things, and my point is simply that people have - no, wait a minute - voters have those choices. Voters have those choices," said Edwards. "And they deserve to know that they have those choices, and that there are in fact differences between us. But I think every one of us should be held to the same standard."

Clinton accused her rivals of throwing mud and using tactics on their fellow Democrats that she said were taken from the Republican playbook.

Clinton also responded to critics who say she has used her gender⁷ to her advantage. She recently told students at her all-female alma mater, Wellesley College, that her education prepared her for what she called the "boys club" of politics. In the debate, she deflected⁸ the criticism.

"I'm not playing, as some people say, the gender card here in Las Vegas. I'm just trying to play the winning card. And I understand very well that people are not attacking me because I'm a woman," said Clinton. "They're attacking me because I'm ahead."

While Clinton leads in national polls, she faces a tough battle in the Iowa caucuses January 3. Clinton, Obama and Edwards are in a dead heat in state opinion polls.

The New Hampshire primary will follow a few days later. The Western state of Nevada, where Thursday's debate was held, will hold its party caucuses January 19.

1 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

2 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》

3 licenses   

n.执照( license的名词复数 )v.批准，许可，颁发执照( license的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Drivers have ten days' grace to renew their licenses. 驾驶员更换执照有10天的宽限期。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Jewish firms couldn't get import or export licenses or raw materials. 犹太人的企业得不到进出口许可证或原料。 来自辞典例句

4 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

5 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

6 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

7 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。

8 deflected   

偏离的

参考例句：

• The ball deflected off Reid's body into the goal. 球打在里德身上反弹进球门。
• Most of its particles are deflected. 此物质的料子大多是偏斜的。