VOA标准英语2008年-Clinton Links McCain to Bush

Former U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is continuing her party's push to link Republican candidate John McCain with an unpopular President George Bush. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports, President Bush says campaigning for November elections should not block action on offshore¹ oil drilling or new free trade agreements.
　
President George W. Bush (file photo)

Mr. Bush wants Congress to finish-up work on free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea. He says campaigning for presidential and legislative² elections should not block action on expanding U.S. oil production.

"In the coming months, it will be tempting³ for some in Congress to try to score political points instead of getting work done for the American people. Our citizens deserve better," said President Bush. "We still have time to accomplish important goals for our country. My administration remains⁴ hopeful that we can work with Democratic leaders in Congress on bipartisan measures to help Americans cope with this period of economic uncertainty⁵."

In his weekly radio address, the president again called on opposition⁶ lawmakers to lift a ban on more off-shore oil drilling and make permanent his record tax cuts.

Public opinion polls show less than one-third of Americans approve of the way the president is doing his job. Democrats⁷ hope to link the unpopular president with his party's nominee⁸, especially as Mr. Bush is the featured speaker at Monday's opening of the Republican convention.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino says the president's remarks are not about the Bush administration but rather focus on McCain's qualifications for meeting the economic and security challenges ahead.

"Do not expect this speech to define the president's legacy," she said. "This is not an opportunity to recap accomplishments⁹ of the past seven-and-a-half years. It will not serve as a farewell to the American people and it certainly will not attack Barack Obama."
　
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton addresses Democratic National Convention in Denver, 26 Aug 2008

In the Democratic radio address, New York Senator Hillary Clinton said the Republican convention in the Midwest state of Minnesota will continue Bush administration efforts to privatize federal retirement¹⁰ benefits and cut corporate¹¹ taxes.

"It makes perfect sense that George Bush and John McCain will be together next week in the Twin Cities for the Republican convention because these days they are awfully¹² hard to tell apart," she said. "The choice in this election is as clear as the stakes are high."

Clinton narrowly lost her party's nomination¹³ to Obama, who did not choose her as his running mate. Clinton, and her husband the former president, are urging their supporters to back Obama.

McCain is hoping to win over many Clinton supporters, especially older women. He has chosen the Republican Party's first female vice¹⁴ presidential candidate - Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

 

1 offshore   

adj.海面的，吹向海面的；adv.向海面

参考例句：

• A big program of oil exploration has begun offshore.一个大规模的石油勘探计划正在近海展开。
• A gentle current carried them slowly offshore.和缓的潮流慢慢地把他们带离了海岸。

2 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

3 tempting   

a.诱人的, 吸引人的

参考例句：

• It is tempting to idealize the past. 人都爱把过去的日子说得那么美好。
• It was a tempting offer. 这是个诱人的提议。

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

5 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

6 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

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 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。

9 accomplishments   

n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就

参考例句：

• It was one of the President's greatest accomplishments. 那是总统最伟大的成就之一。
• Among her accomplishments were sewing,cooking,playing the piano and dancing. 她的才能包括缝纫、烹调、弹钢琴和跳舞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

10 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

11 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。

12 awfully   

adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地

参考例句：

• Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
• I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。

13 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。

14 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。