VOA标准英语2008年-McCain Accepts Republican Nomination, Pledges t

Republican Senator John McCain said Thursday that, as president, he would bring an era of reform to Washington, bolster¹ the economy and pursue alternate energy strategies, with the help of his vice² presidential running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. In his address to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, the former combat pilot and Vietnam prisoner of war told Americans he is more qualified³ than his Democratic rival, Barack Obama, for the presidency⁴. VOA's Dan Robinson reports from St. Paul.
　
Senator John McCain at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, 04 Sep 2008

John McCain, who survived more than five years in a Vietnamese prison, and has run for the Republican nomination⁵ once before and lost to current President George Bush, achieved his long-sought goal Thursday, when he accepted his party's nomination.

With his reputation as a political independent threatened over the past year by his strong support for the Iraq war and other policies of President Bush, McCain told delegates he is a reformer in Washington, who does not work for a party, but for the people of the United States, a country, he loves.

"I fell in love with my country when I was a prisoner in someone else's," said John McCain. "I loved it, not just for the many comforts of life here, I loved it for its decency⁶, for its faith in the wisdom, justice and goodness of its people. I loved it because it was not just a place, but an idea, a cause worth fighting for. I was never the same again. I wasn't my own man anymore. I was my country's."

McCain also praised his choice for vice president, first-term Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, who was a relative unknown just a week ago. Earlier Thursday, delegates nominated her by acclamation, the first woman Republicans have ever nominated for that job. The night before, she electrified⁷ the crowd with a speech in which she pledged to stand by McCain as he seeks to bring change to Washington politics.

"I'm very proud to have introduced our next vice president to the country," said McCain. "But I can't wait until I introduce her to Washington. And let me offer an advance warning to the old, big-spending, do-nothing, me-first, country-second Washington crowd: change is coming."

McCain said he would help create jobs by keeping taxes low and to produce more energy at home.

Earlier in the program, delegates viewed a video showing the September 11, 2001, al-Qaida attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center towers in New York. And McCain re-stated his position that the United States can win the battle in Iraq and prevail in the war against terrorism with vigilance.

"We have dealt a serious blow to al-Qaeda in recent years," he said. "But they are not defeated, and they'll strike us again if they can."

McCain also reached out to supporters of his Democratic opponent, Barack Obama, saying, despite the campaign fight ahead, "more unites us than divides us."

Earlier, Senator Lindsey Graham, said McCain's support of President Bush's decision to send additional troops to Iraq was "the right thing to do," even though it was unpopular, and he criticized McCain's Democratic opponent, Barack Obama, for opposing the "surge" of troops.

"If Barack Obama cannot appreciate that our troops are winning in Iraq, he should not be their commander-in-chief," said Lindsey Graham.

Several speakers over the past few days repeatedly attacked Obama, questioning his experience and leadership credentials⁸.

Campaigning in Pennsylvania Thursday, Senator Obama responded to reporters' questions about the numerous political attacks on him by Republicans.

"This is what they do," said Barack Obama. "They do not have an agenda to run on. They have not offered a single concrete idea so far in two nights about how they would make the lives of middle class Americans better."

When McCain completed his address, he was joined by Governor Palin, both waving to delegates amid thunderous applause.

Outside the convention site, protesters confronted police, who made several arrests. Since the convention began Monday, several hundred people have been arrested during daily protests.

With the two parties' nominating conventions concluded, the final stretch of the election campaign begins. Over the next eight weeks leading up to the November 4 election, the two presidential candidates will hold three debates, and Governor Palin will debate Obama's running-mate, Senator Joe Biden.

If elected, Senator McCain would become America's oldest first-term president, 72, when sworn in next January. First-term Senator Obama, 47, if elected would become America's first African-American president.

 

1 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

2 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。

3 qualified   

adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的

参考例句：

• He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
• We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。

4 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。

5 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。

6 decency   

n.体面，得体，合宜，正派，庄重

参考例句：

• His sense of decency and fair play made him refuse the offer.他的正直感和公平竞争意识使他拒绝了这一提议。
• Your behaviour is an affront to public decency.你的行为有伤风化。

7 electrified   

v.使电气化( electrify的过去式和过去分词 )；使兴奋

参考例句：

• The railway line was electrified in the 1950s. 这条铁路线在20世纪50年代就实现了电气化。
• The national railway system has nearly all been electrified. 全国的铁路系统几乎全部实现了电气化。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 credentials   

n.证明，资格，证明书，证件

参考例句：

• He has long credentials of diplomatic service.他的外交工作资历很深。
• Both candidates for the job have excellent credentials.此项工作的两个求职者都非常符合资格。