纪录片《美国商业大亨传奇》 掌控全局(41)

As Governor of New York, Roosevelt passes laws clamping down on big business.

作为纽约州长 罗斯福通过了取缔大企业的法律

His biggest targets are the nation's most powerful monopolies and the men behind them.

他最大的目标是全国最大的垄断企业及其幕后人士

But Rockefeller and Morgan know they can't buy Roosevelt so they set out to make him as weak as possible.

但洛克菲勒和摩根知道他们收买不了罗斯福 于是下决心尽可能弱化他

One way to figure out how to keep Roosevelt from becoming a major figure at the national level is to make him Vice¹ President.

一种避免让他成为国家层面的重要人物的方法就是让他当上副总统

Because the Vice President doesn't really have much to do.

因为副总统真的没有多少实权

Heading into a new election year it's a rematch of 1896.

又是一个选举年 是1896年的二次选举

McKinley versus² William Jennings Bryan.

依然是麦金莱对威廉·詹宁斯·布赖恩

Through a series of backroom deals, some of the nation's richest and most powerful men convince McKinley to put Roosevelt on the ticket.

一系列的幕后交易之后 全国最富有和最强大的一些人说服麦金莱让罗斯福参选副总统

The vice presidency³, in those days, was a place where people went to disappear.

那个时候的副总统是一个让人养老的职位

They became vice president, were never heard from again.

当了副总统之后也就没了音信

It was almost like a modern witness protection program.

就像现在的证人保护计划里的证人一样

McKinley is re-elected by a comfortable margin⁴ and Roosevelt is sworn in as Vice President.

麦金莱比较轻松地重新当选 罗斯福也宣誓就职成为副总统

With their man still in the White House and their nemesis⁵ in a powerless position, Rockefeller and Morgan think they have protected their empires.

既然白宫还是他们的人 而其克星又在一个没有实权的位置 洛克菲勒和摩根认为 这下他们的帝国是保住了

But their clever ploy⁶ may backfire.

但他们的如意算盘效果可能会适得其反

1 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。

2 versus   

prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下

参考例句：

• The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
• The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。

3 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。

4 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。

5 nemesis   

n.给以报应者，复仇者，难以对付的敌手

参考例句：

• Uncritical trust is my nemesis.盲目的相信一切害了我自己。
• Inward suffering is the worst of Nemesis.内心的痛苦是最厉害的惩罚。

6 ploy   

n.花招，手段

参考例句：

• I think this is just a government ploy to deceive the public.我认为这只是政府欺骗公众的手段。
• Christmas should be a time of excitement and wonder,not a cynical marketing ploy.圣诞节应该是兴奋和美妙的时刻，而不该是一种肆无忌惮的营销策略。