2007年VOA标准英语-Bill Richardson Enters 2008 US Presidential Rac

By Jim Malone
Washington
21 May 2007

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson became the latest Democrat¹ to officially enter the crowded 2008 presidential race Monday. VOA National correspondent Jim Malone has the latest on the campaign from Washington.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson before he officially launched his presidential campaign at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, 21 May 2007

Richardson has been running for months but officially announced his candidacy in Los Angeles where he said he hoped to repair what he called the ravages² of the Bush administration.

"This presidential election is unlike any others that we have ever seen," he said. "From day one, we have to repair the damage done here at home and our reputation abroad. And that all starts with restoring diplomacy³ as the primary instrument of our foreign policy and basic fairness as the primary means for solving problems here at home."

Richardson has wide experience in government. He previously⁴ served as a congressman⁵, ambassador to the United Nations and energy secretary under President Clinton.

Richardson favors a withdrawal⁶ of U.S. troops from Iraq and is one of eight Democrats⁷ now in the race.

Richardson has had trouble breaking into the top tier of Democratic candidates that so far includes Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and former Senator John Edwards.

Craig Crawford of Congressional Quarterly magazine says at the moment, the Democratic race appears to favor Hillary Clinton.

"As the landscape currently stands, I think she has beaten back the Barack Obama challenge, and a lot of it is because the hierarchy⁸ of the party is with her," he said. "She is collecting these endorsements⁹ around the country from governors and mayors with big networks that get out the vote in Democratic primaries."

But Crawford and other analysts¹⁰ caution that the election is a long ways off and that voters will not even begin the selection process until next January with the Iowa caucuses¹¹.

Richardson hopes his Hispanic heritage will appeal to voters in California with its large Hispanic population. California is among several states that have moved up their presidential primaries to next February 5 in hopes of having a greater impact on the presidential selection process.

Florida Governor Charlie Christ signed a bill Monday that shifts the Florida primary from February 5 to January 29 in hopes of luring¹² candidates in to campaign even earlier in the primary season.

University of Virginia expert Larry Sabato says the competition among states to have a voice in the presidential selection process has never been so fierce.

"The tremendous frontloading that will occur on February 5th nearly guarantees that the first four or five states to vote will be the ones to pick the nominees," he said.

A new poll in the early contest state of Iowa shows former North Carolina Senator John Edwards narrowly leading the Democratic field over Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Bill Richardson was in fourth place.

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt¹³ Romney leads the Republican field in Iowa, followed by Arizona Senator John McCain and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

1 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。

2 ravages   

劫掠后的残迹，破坏的结果，毁坏后的残迹

参考例句：

• the ravages of war 战争造成的灾难
• It is hard for anyone to escape from the ravages of time. 任何人都很难逃避时间的摧残。

3 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

4 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

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 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

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 hierarchy   

n.等级制度；统治集团，领导层

参考例句：

• There is a rigid hierarchy of power in that country.那个国家有一套严密的权力等级制度。
• She's high up in the management hierarchy.她在管理阶层中地位很高。

9 endorsements   

n.背书( endorsement的名词复数 )；（驾驶执照上的）违章记录；（公开的）赞同；（通常为名人在广告中对某一产品的）宣传

参考例句：

• He must make much money on those tennis shoe endorsements he does. 他替那些网球鞋珍重广告，就赚了不少钱。 来自互联网
• But celebrity endorsements remain an important promotional tool for marketers. 尽管如此，邀明星助阵仍是营销人员重要的推广手段之一。 来自互联网

10 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。

11 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

12 luring   

吸引，引诱（lure的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• Cheese is very good for luring a mouse into a trap. 奶酪是引诱老鼠上钩的极好的东西。
• Her training warned her of peril and of the wrong, subtle, mysterious, luring. 她的教养警告她：有危险，要出错儿，这是微妙、神秘而又诱人的。

13 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。