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Democratic presidential contenders Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are headed for a crucial primary showdown in Pennsylvania on Tuesday. Clinton desperately¹ needs a win to stay in the race, while Obama hopes a good showing will solidify² his status as the frontrunner for the Democratic Party nomination³.

竞争民主党总统候选人提名的奥巴马参议员和克林顿参议员星期二将在关键的宾夕法尼亚州初选中进行异常激烈的竞争。克林顿迫切需要赢得这场初选从而可以继续竞选。而奥巴马则希望表现出色，从而可以巩固他的地位，并且继续在民主党提名的竞争中领先对手。

In the hours before the vote, both Democrats⁴ made final pleas to supporters to get out to the polls on Tuesday.

宾夕法尼亚州的选民们还有十几个小时就要在初选中投票。两位民主党竞选人都利用这个机会向支持者做最后的呼吁，希望他们星期二出来投票。

Senator Hillary Clinton spoke⁵ about the Iraq war and the domestic economy at a campaign rally in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

克林顿参议员在宾夕法尼亚州斯克兰登镇举行的一场竞选集会上，谈到了伊拉克战争和国内经济。

"We have got to bring our troops home and take care of our veterans," she said. "We have got to get out economy turned around and make it start producing good jobs for hard working people, like people right here."

她说：“我们必须让我们驻伊美军返回家园。我们要照顾好退伍军人，我们必须扭转经济下滑的道路，并为勤劳的人民，像在这里的人那样，创造更好的就业机会。”

Senator Barack Obama also campaigned around the state and told Pittsburgh radio station KDKA that he expects a close race on Tuesday.

奥巴马参议员的竞选也围绕着这个州。他在匹兹堡KDKA电台上表示，他期待着星期二的一场势均力敌的争斗。

"We have run a tough race here in Pennsylvania," he said. "Senator Clinton obviously was heavily favored. She was up by 20 points and we have just been trying to chip away and had a great time campaigning. I am not predicting a win. I am predicting it is going to be close and that we are going to do a lot better than people expect."

奥巴马说：“我们在宾夕法尼亚州进行的竞选活动是艰难的。克林顿参议员显然在这个州广受欢迎。她一度领先20个点，我们刚刚开始缩小她领先的幅度。我们的竞选非常成功。我不预言我能够获胜。我的预测是竞争将会非常激烈，我们将会比人们所预料的做得更好。”

The latest polls give Clinton a lead of between five and 10 percentage points in Pennsylvania. Clinton at one time led by 20 points.

根据最新民调，希拉里.克林顿目前在宾夕法尼亚州领先5至10个百分点，她一度领先20个百分点。

But Obama has been on the defensive⁶ in recent weeks over ties with his controversial former pastor⁷ and his recent comment that small-town voters in Pennsylvania are bitter and cling to guns and religion.

不过，奥巴马最近几周一直处于守势，主要是关于他和有争议的前牧师的关系方面，以及他最近对宾夕法尼亚州小城镇选民发表的评论，说他们生活在困苦之中，所以要依靠枪支和宗教。

Political experts say Clinton has more at stake in Tuesday's primary.

政治专家说，星期二的初选对克林顿来说更加利益攸关。

Analyst⁸ Stuart Rothenberg says Clinton is looking for a substantial victory over Obama that will convince influential⁹ Democrats that she should remain in the race through the end of the caucus¹⁰ and primary season in early June.

分析人士罗森伯格说，克林顿在寻求对奥巴马获得一个实质性的胜利，从而说服有影响力的民主党人，她应该继续留下来竞选，直到6月初民主党的预选和初选结束。

"The reality is that she trails in delegates, and there are fewer and fewer delegates available now," he said. "Superdelegates are declaring, and we are toward the end of the primary season, so she needs to change the psychology¹¹ of the Democratic race, change the dynamic and start to raise questions about Senator Obama's electability down the road."

罗森伯格说：“现实情况是，她在党代表票总数方面落后，而现在的代表票已经越来越少了。超级代表已经宣布了。我们的初选即将走向尾声。所以，她需要改变参加民主党竞选的心态，调整动作，并在余下的竞选道路中开始质疑奥巴马参议员的当选能力。”

Obama leads in committed delegates, popular vote won and in the number of state contests won so far. But Clinton has won all of the larger states except Obama's home state of Illinois.

奥巴马到目前为止在已经承诺的党代表票数方面领先，在普选票中领先，在全国(获胜)州数目的竞争中领先。但是，克林顿在除了奥巴马的家乡伊利诺伊州以外，赢得了所有美国大州的胜利。

Neither candidate appears capable of winning enough delegates outright¹² to claim the nomination without the help of the so-called superdelegates, uncommitted party activists¹³ and officeholders who vote at the national nominating convention in Denver in late August.

没有所谓超级代表的支持以及尚未作出承诺的党内积极分子的支持，以及那些在今年8月底在丹佛召开的民主党总统候选人提名大会上有投票权的党内任职官员的支持，两位参议员都无法宣布已经获得足够的代表票数并取得胜利。

With most of the election focus on the Democratic race, the presumed Republican nominee¹⁴, Senator John McCain, is trying to broaden his appeal as he looks ahead to the general election campaign.

由于竞选的注意力基本上是在民主党方面，可以稳获共和党提名的参议员麦凯恩正试图扩大他的影响，并且前瞻未来举行的总统大选。

McCain began a week-long tour of poor communities around the country that generally get little attention from presidential candidates.

麦凯恩开始了长达一周的全国贫困社区巡回活动，这些地区通常不受其他总统竞选人的重视。

McCain promised to be a candidate of change in Selma, Alabama.

麦凯恩在阿拉巴马州的塞尔马承诺，要成为一个带来变化的候选人。

"It is time for change, the right kind of change, change that trusts in the strength of free people and free markets," he said. "Change that does not return to policies that empower government to make our choices for us, but that works to ensure that we have choices to make for ourselves."

他说：“是变化的时候了，适当的变化，将改变人们对自由人民和自由市场力量的信任。变化不是回到那些使政府更加强大，并且让政府替我们做决定的政策中去，而是努力做到我们确保可以为自己作出决定。”

McCain spoke near a bridge that was the scene of a famous civil rights march in 1965 when police attacked demonstrators with clubs and tear gas.

麦凯恩在一座桥梁附近发表讲话。在1965年的民权进军运动中，警察在这座桥梁周围用棍棒和催泪瓦斯袭击了示威者。

Later in the week, McCain will visit economically depressed¹⁵ areas in Ohio and Kentucky.

在本周晚些时候，麦凯恩将访问俄亥俄州和肯塔基州一些经济不景气的地区。