VOA标准英语2009年-Obama's Skills Put to Test in Economic Stimulus

The U.S. Congress is poised¹ to give final approval to President Barack Obama's economic stimulus² plan, handing the new president a major political victory in his first few weeks in office. Mr. Obama waged a two-front campaign on behalf of the bill.
　
President Barack Obama gestures during town hall meeting to discuss economy, at Harborside Event Center in Fort Myers, Florida, 10 Feb. 2009

In addition to persuading members of Congress, the president went back into campaign mode to win passage of the stimulus bill, reaching out for grassroots support.

During a town meeting in Florida, Mr. Obama took a question from a woman who turned out to be homeless.

"We need something more than a vehicle and parks to go to. We need our own kitchen and our own bathroom. Please help," said Henrietta Hughes.

"Okay, Miss Hughes, well, we are going to do everything we can to help you, but there are a lot of people like you," the president said.
　
President Barack Obama during his White House press conference, 09 Feb 2009

In addition to campaign-style events to build public support, Mr. Obama also went on the offensive during his first presidential news conference.

"With the private sector³ so weakened by this recession, the federal government is the only entity⁴ left with the resources to jolt⁵ our economy back to life," he said.

Some criticized the president for giving long answers, but University of Virginia political expert Larry Sabato says Mr. Obama continues to demonstrate political powers of persuasion⁶.

"The answers were long, but Obama is still benefiting from the contrast with George W. Bush," said Sabato. "Presidents have a honeymoon⁷ not just with the public, but also with the press. The press' questions were respectful and gentle. That will not last. The press is a fair-weather friend. When the weather turns stormy, they will too."

President Obama has been able to unify⁸ congressional Democrats⁹, but is having less success winning Republican support, including the Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
　
Senator Mitch McConnell talks to reporters about economic stimulus legislation on Capitol Hill, 05 Feb 2009

"This bill misses the mark," he said. "It is full of waste. We have no assurance it will create jobs or revive the economy."

From the beginning, Mr. Obama made it clear that passage of his stimulus plan was his top priority.

Experts say the new president used all the political tools at his disposal to make his case.

"It is really important, particularly for someone like Obama who is relatively¹⁰ new to Washington," said Stephen Farnsworth, presidential expert at George Mason University in Virginia. "He was only in the Senate for four years before becoming president. It is really important for Obama to have a clear line of what he needs to do and where he is going to go."

Public opinion appears to be siding with the president, though the polls show more support for him personally than for his stimulus plan.

But Professor Farnsworth believes Mr. Obama had little time to waste in pushing his plan through Congress.

"People are not going to be all that patient," he said. "Unemployment rates are increasing, jobless claims are increasing, foreclosure rates are increasing. There are a lot of things that are not working all that well in America right now, and as a result people, even if they have jobs and even if they are paying their mortgages, they are worried a lot about the future."

Political analysts¹¹ say the real measure of success for Mr. Obama will not be how quickly he got his plan approved by Congress, but whether the plan actually works to stimulate¹² the economy. And that verdict, they say, will not be rendered for some time.

1 poised   

a.摆好姿势不动的

参考例句：

• The hawk poised in mid-air ready to swoop. 老鹰在半空中盘旋，准备俯冲。
• Tina was tense, her hand poised over the telephone. 蒂娜心情紧张，手悬在电话机上。

2 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

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 entity   

n.实体，独立存在体，实际存在物

参考例句：

• The country is no longer one political entity.这个国家不再是一个统一的政治实体了。
• As a separate legal entity,the corporation must pay taxes.作为一个独立的法律实体，公司必须纳税。

5 jolt   

v.（使）摇动，（使）震动，（使）颠簸

参考例句：

• We were worried that one tiny jolt could worsen her injuries.我们担心稍微颠簸一下就可能会使她的伤势恶化。
• They were working frantically in the fear that an aftershock would jolt the house again.他们拼命地干着，担心余震可能会使房子再次受到震动。

6 persuasion   

n.劝说；说服；持有某种信仰的宗派

参考例句：

• He decided to leave only after much persuasion.经过多方劝说，他才决定离开。
• After a lot of persuasion,she agreed to go.经过多次劝说后，她同意去了。

7 honeymoon   

n.蜜月（假期）；vi.度蜜月

参考例句：

• While on honeymoon in Bali,she learned to scuba dive.她在巴厘岛度蜜月时学会了带水肺潜水。
• The happy pair are leaving for their honeymoon.这幸福的一对就要去度蜜月了。

8 unify   

vt.使联合，统一；使相同，使一致

参考例句：

• How can we unify such scattered islands into a nation?我们怎么才能把如此分散的岛屿统一成一个国家呢？
• It is difficult to imagine how the North and South could ever agree on a formula to unify the divided peninsula.很难想象南北双方在统一半岛的方案上究竟怎样才能达成一致。

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 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

11 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。

12 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。