VOA标准英语10月-McCain Targets Biden Comments About Obama

With less than two weeks to go until Election Day, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama continued to focus on the domestic economy Tuesday, which public opinion polls show is the top issue in the campaign. But Obama's Republican opponent, John McCain, tried to shift the focus to foreign policy and national security issues. VOA National Correspondent Jim Malone reports from Washington.

With the latest national polls showing Obama leading McCain by an average of about seven points, Senator McCain is trying to shift the focus of the campaign debate away from the economy.

During a swing through Pennsylvania, McCain noted¹ some recent comments from Senator Obama's vice² presidential running mate, Senator Joe Biden of Delaware.

Biden told Democratic fundraisers that Obama would probably face an international crisis during his first six months in office.

"They are going to want to test him," he said. "And they are going to find out this guy has got steel in his spine³."

McCain used Biden's remarks to raise questions about Barack Obama's experience and his readiness to handle foreign policy challenges president.
　

Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain speaks at a 'Road to Victory Rally' in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 21 Oct. 2008

"We don't want a president who invites testing from the world at a time when our economy is in crisis and Americans are already fighting in two wars," he said. "What is even more troubling than that is that Senator Biden told campaign donors⁴ that when that crisis hits, they would have to stand with him because it wouldn't be apparent that Senator Obama would have the right response. Forget apparent. We know Senator Obama won't have the right response!"

Public opinion polls show voters are most concerned about the state of the U.S. economy, and that has put the McCain campaign on the defensive⁵ for the past several weeks.

During an interview with CBS television, McCain dismissed the notion that the state of the economy was a losing issue for his campaign.

"That is simply not true. That is simply not true," he said. "We have been focusing on the economy. Listen to me. I'm the candidate. And this campaign is about the economy."

For his part, Senator Obama remained focused on the economy and its impact on average Americans.
　

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama participates in an economic summit in Lake Worth, Florida, 21 Oct. 2008

Obama convened⁶ what he described as a "jobs summit" in Florida that included the Democratic governors of Michigan, New Mexico and Ohio.

"We have had an eight-year experiment and we've seen where it leads," he said. "This economic crisis is the final verdict on that failed leadership. It is time to try something new."

Passions are running high in both political camps in the final days of this extraordinarily⁷ long presidential campaign.

At one point, Obama tried to calm the crowd after it erupted in boos at the mention of Senator McCain.

"Senator McCain back in January insisted that the fundamentals of the economy were strong. [Boos from audience] No, no. We don't need that," he said. "We just need you to vote."

Most analysts⁸ say the economy has become the driving force in the campaign and is responsible for Obama's lead in public opinion polls.

McCain has tried to change the subject at various times to Obama's tax proposals, his relative lack of experience in government and his past association with 1960s radical⁹ William Ayers.

But University of Virginia expert Larry Sabato says McCain is finding it difficult to shift the focus away from the economy.

"The economic crisis has become the black hole of the 2008 campaign," he said. "McCain is trying to change the subject and he is using all the materials at his disposal. But probably this is not going to work."

Obama will take a break from the campaign trail later this week to visit his ailing¹⁰ grandmother in Hawaii. His 85-year-old grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, helped raise Obama and has long been a central figure in his life.

1 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。

2 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。

3 spine   

n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊

参考例句：

• He broke his spine in a fall from a horse.他从马上跌下摔断了脊梁骨。
• His spine developed a slight curve.他的脊柱有点弯曲。

4 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

6 convened   

召开( convene的过去式 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合

参考例句：

• The chairman convened the committee to put the issue to a vote. 主席召集委员们开会对这个问题进行表决。
• The governor convened his troops to put down the revolt. 总督召集他的部队去镇压叛乱。

7 extraordinarily   

adv.格外地；极端地

参考例句：

• She is an extraordinarily beautiful girl.她是个美丽非凡的姑娘。
• The sea was extraordinarily calm that morning.那天清晨，大海出奇地宁静。

8 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。

9 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

10 ailing   

v.生病

参考例句：

• They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
• She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。