VOA标准英语2008年-Republicans Seek To Attract Young Voters

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has drawn² wide support from college students and other youthful voters, many of whom have volunteered for his campaign. But Republicans, now holding their convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, are also trying to attract young voters. VOA's Greg Flakus went to a Republican youth rally in the neighboring city of Minneapolis and filed this report.
　
From left: Mike Huckabee, Mitt³ Romney and John McCain in O'Fallon, Missouri, 31 Aug 2008

At a rally with members of the Young Republicans from around the country at the Minneapolis Hard Rock Cafe, former presidential candidate and Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee addressed the importance of attracting young voters to the Republican presidential ticket this year. He called candidate John McCain a man of character and a model for all Americans, and he hailed his chosen running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, as a champion of reform and an opponent of abortion⁴.

Huckabee referred to Hurricane Gustav battering⁵ the Gulf⁶ Coast, in emphasizing the importance of human life.
　
Governor Mike Huckabbe in St. Paul, 01 Sep 2008

"Whether it is a life in the womb or whether it is a life on the Gulf coast that is being threatened by a natural disaster, we as a society and as a civilization separate ourselves from the rest of the world in our commitment to human life," said Mike Huckabee.

Huckabee told reporters that his party will work to attract youthful voters because they represent the future of the party and the country.

"Obviously, the youth vote is the critical vote, because they are the ones most affected⁷ by how this thing turns out, far more so than people my age," he said. "I think a lot of them understand that , they get it, and they need somebody who is not so much young, but who understands the future of this country and that is why John McCain is the best pick."
　
Young Republican Luke Orlando in St. Paul, 01 Sep 2008

Among the youthful members of the audience at the Hard Rock Cafe gathering⁸ was Luke Orlando from Manville, Texas. He cannot vote since he is only 14-years-old, but he plans to work for the party as a volunteer. Although his state is a pretty safe bet for John McCain, he says there are other races that are also important.

"We have to remember that Republicans are not just competing in the presidential election, we have statewide elections, which are very important, especially for our senator, Senator John Cornyn, and I will be supporting his efforts," said Luke Orlando.

Political analysts⁹ say Republicans are not likely to match the appeal to youth that Barack Obama has generated. The Democrat¹ is expected to win around 60 percent of the vote in the 18-30-year-old age category. But he is not the only candidate who has excited interest among young voters. There is also Dr. Ron Paul, a physician and congressman¹⁰ from a South Texas district, who failed to even come close to winning the Republican nomination¹¹ this year, but still holds sway over millions of supporters, many of them younger than 30.

Paul is holding a rally at the Target Center auditorium¹² in Minneapolis Tuesday, and 17-year-old Kevin Duewel from Sacramento, California plans to be there.
　
Ron Paul supporter Kevin Duewel in St. Paul, 01 Sep 2008

"Doctor Paul cured my apathy," said Kevin Duewel. "I was feeling disenfranchised not only by the Democratic Party, but more specifically by the Republican Party. When I found Dr Paul, I suddenly realized he was different from the other bunch of politicians."

Duewel says Ron Paul represents libertarian ideals of small government and non-intervention in foreign affairs that appeal to many young people. But, he says, the people who rally behind Paul support his ideals, not necessarily his failed candidacy.

"It is not him, it's the movement, and that is the use of him holding a rally tomorrow, the Campaign for Liberty, that is what it is for," he said. "It is not to put Ron Paul in the presidency¹³, we are quite aware that he is not going to get the nomination."

Duewel says he hopes the limited government movement will gain force in the years ahead and take hold among both Democrats¹⁴ and Republicans.

 

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 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

3 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。

4 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

5 battering   

n.用坏，损坏v.连续猛击( batter的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The film took a battering from critics in the US. 该影片在美国遭遇到批评家的猛烈抨击。
• He kept battering away at the door. 他接连不断地砸门。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

7 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

8 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

9 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。

10 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。

11 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。

12 auditorium   

n.观众席，听众席；会堂，礼堂

参考例句：

• The teacher gathered all the pupils in the auditorium.老师把全体同学集合在礼堂内。
• The stage is thrust forward into the auditorium.舞台向前突出，伸入观众席。

13 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。

14 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》