2007年VOA标准英语-US Presidential Campaign Intensifies

By Jim Malone
Washington
04 September 2007

U.S. presidential contenders have embarked¹ on a rigorous schedule of campaign events that will lead up to the beginning of the 2008 election process in January.  VOA national correspondent Jim Malone reports from Washington.

The Labor² Day holiday marks the traditional end of summer in the United States.  But this year it also marks the beginning of an intense period in the 2008 presidential election process.

Several contenders from both major political parties fanned out across the early contest states of Iowa and New Hampshire, including the frontrunner for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination³, Senator Hillary Clinton of New York.

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Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks to Alliance for Retired Americans 2007 Legislative Conference in Washington, 04 Sept 2007

"Are you ready to end the war in Iraq and bring our young men and women home?" said Mrs. Clinton.

Clinton faces a strong challenge from Illinois Senator Barack Obama and former North Carolina Senator John Edwards, who picked up endorsements⁶ from labor unions representing steelworkers and coal miners.

Obama took his campaign to New Hampshire, which is expected to hold the nation's first presidential primary in January.

"I might not have the experience Washington likes, but I believe I have the experience America needs right now." he said.

Several Republican presidential hopefuls were busy on the campaign trail as well, including former Massachusetts Governor Mitt⁷ Romney.

Romney leads in the early contest states of Iowa and New Hampshire, but trails in national polls behind former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson.

The Romney campaign is airing a new television ad that shows the candidate jogging, an apparent attempt to highlight the fact that Romney is younger that most of the other major Republican contenders.

Mitt Romney at a Labor Day parade in Milford, New Hampshire, 03 Sept 2007

"You know, running for president is a marathon and the add just shows that I am planning on going the entire distance," he said.

Thompson is scheduled to officially enter the race for the Republican presidential nomination on Thursday.

Political analysts⁸ expect Iraq will be the top issue in next year's presidential campaign.

"Iraq is the big issue," said John Fortier, an expert at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington. "It is one that is weighing down the president and really putting Republicans in a difficult position because most Republicans are somewhat supportive of the war whereas certainly most Democrats⁹, but also most independents, are really, really worried about the war and really have turned against the president and his strategy."

The actual nomination process for both parties is expected to get underway in January.  But several states are attempting to move up the date of their primaries, forcing traditional early contest states like Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina to consider holding their caucuses¹⁰ and primaries earlier than ever.

1 embarked   

乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事

参考例句：

• We stood on the pier and watched as they embarked. 我们站在突码头上目送他们登船。
• She embarked on a discourse about the town's origins. 她开始讲本市的起源。

2 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

3 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

4 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

5 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

6 endorsements   

n.背书( endorsement的名词复数 )；（驾驶执照上的）违章记录；（公开的）赞同；（通常为名人在广告中对某一产品的）宣传

参考例句：

• He must make much money on those tennis shoe endorsements he does. 他替那些网球鞋珍重广告，就赚了不少钱。 来自互联网
• But celebrity endorsements remain an important promotional tool for marketers. 尽管如此，邀明星助阵仍是营销人员重要的推广手段之一。 来自互联网

7 mitt   

n.棒球手套，拳击手套，无指手套；vt.铐住，握手

参考例句：

• I gave him a baseball mitt for his birthday.为祝贺他的生日，我送给他一只棒球手套。
• Tom squeezed a mitt and a glove into the bag.汤姆把棒球手套和手套都塞进袋子里。

8 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。

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 caucuses   

n.（政党决定政策或推举竞选人的）核心成员( caucus的名词复数 )；决策干部；决策委员会；秘密会议

参考例句：

• Republican caucuses will happen in about 410 towns across Maine. 共和党团会议选举将在缅因州的约410个城镇进行。 来自互联网