VOA标准英语2009年-Coleman Concedes Defeat in Minnesota, Givi

Former U.S. Senator Norm Coleman, a Republican conceded defeat Tuesday to Democrat¹ Al Franken in the disputed Senate race in the Midwestern state of Minnesota. The move followed a decision by the Minnesota Supreme² Court that affirmed Franken's narrow win.
　
Norm Coleman concedes to Al Franken in St. Paul, Minnesota, 30 Jun 2009

More than seven months after the election, Norm Coleman came before reporters at his home in St. Paul, Minnesota to concede defeat.

"I join all Minnesotans in congratulating our newest U.S. Senator, Al Franken," said Norm Coleman.

The announcement came after the state Supreme Court declared, in a unanimous decision, that Franken had won the race by a margin³ of 312 votes. The court rejected an appeal by Coleman to include some 4,000 absentee ballots⁴ that had been rejected for various reasons.

Two of the court's seven justices did not take part in the decision. They recused themselves because they had served on a canvassing⁵ board that performed a recount earlier this year.
　
A 13 Apr 2009 file photo of Al Franken talking with reporters outside his Minneapolis home

The court ruled that Franken is "entitled" to the senate seat, but stopped short of ordering the governor to officially certify⁶ him. The state's Republican governor, Tim Pawlenty, widely seen as a potential presidential candidate, refused to certify Franken after the recount, saying that he would wait until the state Supreme Court had ruled. The court's decision and Coleman's concession⁷ presumably removes any obstacle for Franken's certification.

Al Franken spoke⁸ to reporters on Tuesday, saying that Norm Coleman had telephoned him to congratulate him on the victory. He described the call as "gracious".

Franken conceded that he will have some catching⁹ up to do, coming in six months after the Senate session began. But he said he is ready.

"I cannot tell you exactly when I will be seated, but I think it will be early next week," said Al Franken. "Coming in mid-session will be more difficult than having started January 6th, I am sure. But I have been trying to keep abreast¹⁰ of what is going on and I will do the best I can."

The 58-year-old Franken is a former comedian¹¹ and actor who also served as a liberal radio talk show host before deciding to run for office. Coleman, who is 59, was mayor of St. Paul before entering the U.S. Senate in 2003.

The addition of Franken will provide the Democrats¹² with 60 votes in the U.S. Senate, giving President Barack Obama and party leaders a better chance of passing controversial legislation such as health care reform and a cap-and-trade bill aimed at curbing¹³ greenhouse gas emissions¹⁴ linked to global warming. The 60-vote advantage is also important because it will make it far more difficult for Republicans to block passage of bills through a filibuster¹⁵, in which senators tie up the floor in long speeches to prevent a vote. It takes 60 votes to end such a maneuver¹⁶.

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 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

3 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

4 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 canvassing   

v.（在政治方面）游说( canvass的现在分词 )；调查（如选举前选民的）意见；为讨论而提出（意见等）；详细检查

参考例句：

• He spent the whole month canvassing for votes. 他花了整整一个月四处游说拉选票。
• I'm canvassing for the Conservative Party. 我在为保守党拉选票。 来自辞典例句

6 certify   

vt.证明，证实；发证书(或执照)给

参考例句：

• I can certify to his good character.我可以证明他品德好。
• This swimming certificate is to certify that I can swim one hundred meters.这张游泳证是用以证明我可以游100米远。

7 concession   

n.让步，妥协；特许(权)

参考例句：

• We can not make heavy concession to the matter.我们在这个问题上不能过于让步。
• That is a great concession.这是很大的让步。

8 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

9 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

10 abreast   

adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地

参考例句：

• She kept abreast with the flood of communications that had poured in.她及时回复如雪片般飞来的大批信件。
• We can't keep abreast of the developing situation unless we study harder.我们如果不加强学习，就会跟不上形势。

11 comedian   

n.喜剧演员；滑稽演员

参考例句：

• The comedian tickled the crowd with his jokes.喜剧演员的笑话把人们逗乐了。
• The comedian enjoyed great popularity during the 30's.那位喜剧演员在三十年代非常走红。

12 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》

13 curbing   

n.边石，边石的材料v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Progress has been made in curbing inflation. 在控制通货膨胀方面已取得了进展。
• A range of policies have been introduced aimed at curbing inflation. 为了抑制通货膨胀实施了一系列的政策。

14 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

15 filibuster   

n.妨碍议事，阻挠；v.阻挠

参考例句：

• A senator dragged the subject in as a filibuster.一个参议员硬把这个题目拉扯进来，作为一种阻碍议事的手法。
• The democrats organized a filibuster in the senate.民主党党员在参议院上组织了阻挠议事。

16 maneuver   

n.策略[pl.]演习；v.(巧妙)控制；用策略

参考例句：

• All the fighters landed safely on the airport after the military maneuver.在军事演习后，所有战斗机都安全降落在机场上。
• I did get her attention with this maneuver.我用这个策略确实引起了她的注意。