VOA标准英语2008年-US Candidates Appeal to Voters' Wallets Ahead o

By Jeffrey Young
Washington
01 May 2008
 

With primary elections coming up on 6 May in the Midwestern state of Indiana and the southern east coast state of North Carolina, Democratic Party presidential contenders Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are telling voters they have plans to create jobs and cut fuel prices. The presumptive Republican nominee¹ Senator John McCain is also hitting economic issues. Meanwhile, Senator Obama is trying to put as much distance as possible between his campaign and his controversial Chicago minister.  VOA's Jeffrey Young has this week's wrap of U.S. political events.

Economic issues are dominating the political discussion in the primary election battleground states of Indiana and North Carolina. Both Democratic presidential candidates are saturating² those states with television ads designed to tap into voter's anxieties.

Senator Clinton's ads zero in on Indiana's shrinking industrial sector³. "I think this election, particularly here in Indiana, is about jobs, jobs, jobs," says one ad. 

Senator Obama aims his pitch in the same direction.

"All across Indiana, and my home state next door [in Illinois], folks know we desperately⁴ need change," says Obama. "Gas near four dollars. Jobs leaving. Health care we cannot afford."

Clinton and Obama have put the spotlight⁵ directly on the fuel pump. 

These days, it costs $50 (U.S.) to fill up the [car fuel] tank," says Clinton's ad. "How can Indiana families afford that? Hillary Clinton knows it is time to act."

In his ad, Barack Obama promises to reign⁶ in the big oil companies. "They [oil companies] will pay a penalty on windfall profits. We will invest in alternative energy, create jobs, and free ourselves from foreign oil," says Obama.

In his appearances, Senator McCain has focused on another worry, health care. 

"We want a system of health care in which everyone can afford and acquire the treatment and preventative care they need," McCain says.

Meanwhile, recent statements by Senator Obama's pastor⁷, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, have caused more trouble for the Democratic senator. Reverend Wright said terror attacks on the U.S., even the September 11th attacks, were a response to U.S. government policies.  

Senator Obama is trying to stop the controversy⁸ surrounding his longtime association with the reverend. Obama says he has had enough of Reverend Wright.

"They [Wright's claims] offend me," said Obama. "They rightly offend all Americans, and they should be denounced. And, that is what I am doing very clearly and unequivocally here today."

Political pundits⁹ say Reverend Wright's remarks could negatively affect voters essential to Obama if he is to gain the Democratic nomination¹⁰ and take on Republican John McCain in the November election.

1 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

2 saturating   

浸湿，浸透( saturate的现在分词 )； 使…大量吸收或充满某物

参考例句：

• In the last days before the vote, both sides are saturating the airwaves. 选举前最后几天，竞选双方占用了所有的广播电台和电视台。
• A saturating rain was expected to end the drought. 只盼下场透雨，解除旱情。

3 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

4 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

5 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

6 reign   

n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势

参考例句：

• The reign of Queen Elizabeth lapped over into the seventeenth century.伊丽莎白王朝延至17世纪。
• The reign of Zhu Yuanzhang lasted about 31 years.朱元璋统治了大约三十一年。

7 pastor   

n.牧师，牧人

参考例句：

• He was the son of a poor pastor.他是一个穷牧师的儿子。
• We have no pastor at present:the church is run by five deacons.我们目前没有牧师：教会的事是由五位执事管理的。

8 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

9 pundits   

n.某一学科的权威，专家( pundit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The pundits disagree on the best way of dealing with the problem. 如何妥善处理这一问题，专家众说纷纭。 来自辞典例句
• That did not stop Chinese pundits from making a fuss over it. 这并没有阻止中国的博学之士对此大惊小怪。 来自互联网

10 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。