2007年VOA标准英语-US Democratic Presidential Contenders Take Part

By Jim Malone
Washington
24 July 2007

The eight Democratic contenders for president in 2008 faced off in a debate Monday evening that featured an unusual format².  The candidates faced questions from average citizens put to them on video through the video-sharing Web site known as YouTube.  The event was televised on the Cable News Network.  VOA national correspondent Jim Malone has more from Washington.

Democratic presidential hopefuls former Senator John Edwards (left), Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (center), Senator Barack Obama (right), stand together before the start of a debate on CNN, 23 July 2007

The debate took place in the early primary state of South Carolina and featured a spirited exchange among the candidates on a range of foreign policy issues including Iraq, Darfur and how to deal with U.S. adversaries³ abroad.

On Iraq, Illinois Senator Barack Obama reminded viewers that he opposed the U.S. led invasion from the beginning, unlike Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton who initially⁴ supported the use of force against Saddam Hussein.

"The time for us to ask how we were going to get out of Iraq was before we went in, and that is something that too many of us failed to do," he said.

Clinton currently leads the Democratic field in public opinion polls, followed by Obama and former Senator John Edwards.

In response to another question, Obama said he would be willing to meet individually with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea in the first year of his presidency⁵.

In contrast, Senator Clinton took a much more cautious approach to dealing⁶ with countries hostile to the United States.

"Because I think it is not that you promise a meeting at that high a level before you know what the intentions are," she said.  "I do not want to be used for propaganda purposes."

Much of the debate featured citizens asking the candidates questions on video, including this woman whose son is about to return to duty as a soldier in Iraq.

"How many more soldiers must die while these political games continue in our government?" asked a woman.

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson said he will pull all U.S. troops out of Iraq within six months.  But several of the other contenders said it would take much longer to get the bulk of U.S. forces out of Iraq.

This is an exchange between a questioner and Senator Joe Biden of Delaware.

"Would you leave a newborn baby to take care of himself?  How do we pull out now," asked one man.

"You know we cannot just pull out now.  Let us get something straight.  It is time to start telling the truth," Biden replied.

The candidates also differed on the question of whether U.S. troops should be sent into the Darfur region of Sudan to help quell⁷ the violence there.  Senator Biden said yes while Senator Clinton said no.

The debate delved⁸ into domestic issues as well, including global warming, taxes and health care.

At one point, a lesbian couple appeared on screen with a question for all eight candidates.

"If you were elected president of the United States, would you allow us to be married," one of the women asked.

Most of the contenders said they would support allowing homosexual couples to enter into civil unions, a step short of gay marriage.

The debate was held amid the backdrop of recent public opinion polls that suggest Democrats⁹ have cause for optimism next year.  A recent New York Times/CBS News survey found that voters preferred a Democrat¹ to win the White House next year over a Republican by a margin¹⁰ of 47 to 32 percent.

But political analyst¹¹ Stuart Rothenberg says the gap between the two parties closes rapidly once the names of specific candidates are mentioned.
 
"And it certainly is the case that a generic¹² Democrat has a huge lead over a generic Republican," he noted¹³.  "But when you put Senator Clinton in the race against a particular Republican, or even when you put Senator Obama in the race against a particular Republican, it often tightens¹⁴ up.  So, Democrats are optimistic and upbeat, but they know they cannot take anything for granted yet."

In all, 39 videos through YouTube were used in the debate to ask questions of the Democratic contenders.

A similar interactive¹⁵ debate is scheduled for September for the nine Republicans seeking their party's presidential nomination¹⁶.

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 format   

n.设计，版式；[计算机]格式，DOS命令:格式化(磁盘)，用于空盘或使用过的磁盘建立新空盘来存储数据；v.使格式化，设计，安排

参考例句：

• Please format this floppy disc.请将这张软盘格式化。
• The format of the figure is very tasteful.该图表的格式很雅致。

3 adversaries   

n.对手，敌手( adversary的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• That would cause potential adversaries to recoil from a challenge. 这会迫使潜在的敌人在挑战面前退缩。 来自辞典例句
• Every adversaries are more comfortable with a predictable, coherent America. 就连敌人也会因有可以预料的，始终一致的美国而感到舒服得多。 来自辞典例句

4 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

5 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

6 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

7 quell   

v.压制，平息，减轻

参考例句：

• Soldiers were sent in to quell the riots.士兵们被派去平息骚乱。
• The armed force had to be called out to quell violence.不得不出动军队来镇压暴力行动。

8 delved   

v.深入探究，钻研( delve的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She delved in her handbag for a pen. 她在手提包里翻找钢笔。
• He delved into the family archives looking for the facts. 他深入查考这个家族的家谱以寻找事实根据。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 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》

10 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

11 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

12 generic   

adj.一般的，普通的，共有的

参考例句：

• I usually buy generic clothes instead of name brands.我通常买普通的衣服，不买名牌。
• The generic woman appears to have an extraordinary faculty for swallowing the individual.一般妇女在婚后似乎有特别突出的抑制个性的能力。

13 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

14 tightens   

收紧( tighten的第三人称单数 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧

参考例句：

• One set of provisions tightens emission standards. 一套使排放标准更加严格的规定。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• Requires no special tools or fittings; hand tightens to relief valve outlet. 不需要专用工具或管件；用手将其紧固到安全阀上即可。

15 interactive   

adj.相互作用的，互相影响的，（电脑）交互的

参考例句：

• The psychotherapy is carried out in small interactive groups.这种心理治疗是在互动的小组之间进行的。
• This will make videogames more interactive than ever.这将使电子游戏的互动性更胜以往。

16 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。