Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama are taking a rare break from the campaign trail to join President Bush and congressional leaders at the White House for a meeting on the U.S. financial crisis. McCain and Obama are scheduled for their first debate Friday, but that event is now in doubt.
美国总统候选人参议员麦凯恩和奥巴马罕见地暂停竞选活动，和美国总统布什以及国会领导人一起参加在白宫举行的会议，讨论美国的财政危机。麦凯恩和奥巴马原定于星期五举行他们的首场辩论，但这次辩论是否能够如期举行目前尚存疑问。
Before returning to Washington to deal with the financial crisis, both candidates spoke to former President Bill Clinton's annual meeting of his Global Initiative Project in New York.
在返回华盛顿处理金融危机之前，两位候选人都在美国前总统比尔.克林顿在纽约举行的全球倡议项目上发表了谈话。
Senator McCain said he is confident Congress and the Bush administration can agree on a financial bailout plan within the next few days.
参议员麦凯恩说，他相信美国国会和布什政府能够在未来几天内达成一项救市计划。
But McCain stood by his decision to suspend his presidential campaign and a call to delay Friday's first presidential debate at the University of Mississippi.
不过麦凯恩坚持自己暂停总统竞选活动的决定，并呼吁推迟周五在密西西比大学举行的第一次总统辩论。
"A great deal is being asked of the American people, and great care must be taken to ensure their protection," he said. "As most of you know, I am an old Navy pilot and I know when a crisis calls for all hands on deck. That is the situation in Washington at this very hour when the whole future of the American economy is in danger. I cannot carry on a campaign as though this dangerous situation had not occurred or as though a solution were at hand, which it clearly is not."
麦凯恩说：“我们向美国人民提出了很多要求，因此我们务必要小心谨慎，以确保民众得到保护。众所周知，我是一个老海军飞行员，我知道当危机来临的时候，所有的人务必同舟共济。目前的华盛顿正处于这一非常时期。整个美国经济的未来正处于危险之中。我不能继续从事竞选活动而只当这种危险的局势好像没发生，或者好像手头已有解决方案那样。实际情况显然并非如此。”
McCain's Democratic Party opponent, Senator Barack Obama, also addressed the Clinton conference by satellite from Florida, where he is preparing for Friday's debate.
麦凯恩的民主党对手、参议员奥巴马通过卫星从佛罗里达州参加了克林顿总统的会议。奥巴马正在那里准备星期五的辩论。
Obama echoed McCain's call for swift congressional action on a bailout plan that includes safeguards for taxpayers and homeowners.
奥巴马响应麦凯恩要国会就一项包括保障纳税人和房主利益的救援计划迅速采取行动的呼吁。
"It is outrageous that we find ourselves in a situation where taxpayers must bear the burden and the risk for greed and irresponsibility on Wall Street and Washington," he said. "But we also know that failure to act would have grave consequences for jobs, for savings and retirement for the American people."
奥巴马说：“这是令人不能容忍的，我们发现自己处于这样的境地，即纳税人必须承担华尔街和华盛顿的贪婪和不负责任所导致的风险。但我们也知道，不采取行动将对美国人民的就业机会、储蓄和退休造成严重的后果。”
Obama and McCain also want to prevent Wall Street executives responsible for the financial crisis from benefiting from the bailout plan.
奥巴马和麦凯恩还表示，要防止那些造成这次金融危机的华尔街高层主管从救助计划中获益。
But Obama also made it clear that he intends to attend Friday's scheduled presidential debate in Mississippi.
奥巴马也明确表示，他打算参加星期五在密西西比州的总统辩论。
"Our election is in 40 days, our economy is in crisis and our nation is fighting two wars abroad," he said. "The American people, I believe, deserve to hear directly from myself and Senator McCain about how we intend to lead our country. The times are too serious to put our campaigns on hold or to ignore the full range of issues that the next president will face."
奥巴马说，“我们在40天内要举行选举，我国的经济正处于危机之中，我们的国家正在国外打两场战争。我相信，美国人民应该直接听取我和麦凯恩谈论我们如何带领国家的计划。目前正处于关键的时刻，我们不能停止竞选活动，也不能无视下一任总统将面临的各方各面的问题。”
McCain's surprise call to delay the first of three presidential debates appeared to catch the Obama campaign off guard and has added a new element of uncertainty to the presidential race.
麦凯恩令人惊讶地要求推迟三次辩论中的第一场辩论，似乎让奥巴马的竞选班子有些措手不及，并为这次总统大选增加了新的不确定的因素。
Many Republicans have praised McCain for suspending his campaign, saying it shows he is willing to put the country's needs above politics.
许多共和党人都支持麦凯恩暂停竞选，并说这表明他愿意把国家的需要置于政治之上。
But many Democrats have criticized McCain for what they say is a political stunt that will do little to bring about a compromise bailout plan in Congress.
但是，许多民主党人批评麦凯恩说这只是一种政治表演，并无助于在国会达成妥协并产生救助计划。 |