VOA标准英语2009年-Republicans Try to Adjust to Opposition Ro

As President Barack Obama makes his way through his first 100 days in office, Republicans are still trying to find their voice as the loyal opposition¹ as they adjust to a new Democratic president and Democratic control of Congress.
　
Barack Obama is sworn in as U.S. president by Supreme² Court Chief Justice John Roberts; Michelle Obama (R) holds Lincoln Bible, 20 Jan 2009

Americans wanted change last November and elected Barack Obama president.

After several years of calling the shots in Washington, Republicans now find themselves in the uncomfortable position of being the minority party.

Georgetown University expert Stephen Wayne says the Republicans are in for a time of soul-searching and internal debate.

"It is going to be pretty ugly," he said. "It is going to be very disjointed and it won't be until we have the next presidential election cycle that a leader will emerge to articulate this policy. So, the Republicans are in the wilderness³ right now and it is no fun to be in the wilderness."

For the time being, the Republicans find themselves opposing a popular new president during a time of economic crisis.

Republican Ken⁴ Duberstein served as President Ronald Reagan's chief of staff in the late 1980's, but he broke with the party last year and endorsed⁵ Barack Obama for president.

"President Obama right now is usually popular with the American people," he said. "And like Ronald Reagan, they are rooting for him, they are rooting for him to succeed because then America succeeds."

Duberstein told VOA's Press Conference USA program that Mr. Obama is proving to be an effective communicator, much like the man Duberstein once worked for, Ronald Reagan.

But Duberstein also says the president needs to get some good news on the economy soon before the public begins to lose patience.

"The problem is that you have to translate popularity into credibility, and the American people are looking for results," he said. "That will take time."

Duberstein says he first began to follow then-candidate Obama's presidential campaign early in 2007. An Obama pollster told Duberstein that the Obama campaign had closely studied the Reagan presidential campaign and his style of governing, which focused on hope and an optimistic message.

It's a style that Mr. Obama has continued as president as he repeatedly urges the country to be patient while his economic policies take effect.

"So let's look towards the future with a renewed sense of common purpose, a renewed determination and most importantly, a renewed confidence that a better day will come," said the president.

Republicans were not able to block the president's economic stimulus⁶ plan, but they do see a political opening in the congressional debate over the president's massive $3.55 trillion budget.

Younger, less well known Republicans are taking the lead on the budget debate, like Congressman⁷ Jeb Hensarling of Texas. "It is a budget that spends too much, taxes too much, borrows too much, and yet the worst is to come," he said.

George Mason University scholar Jeremy Mayer says it will take some time for the Republican Party to find a consistent message, and the leaders to deliver that message.

"If the Republicans can find a leader by this summer, can find a message by this summer, things will go much worse for Obama," he said.

Republicans have developed their own budget plan to counter the president, mindful that they were criticized for merely opposing the stimulus plan without offering a detailed⁸ alternative of their own.

Ken Duberstein says the party has some work to do to adjust to their new role as the loyal opposition.

"The Republican Party cannot just be the party of 'no'. They need to be seen as helping⁹ govern as well. I think it is incumbent¹⁰ on the Republican Party not to sacrifice its principles, but to meet the president halfway¹¹. That is what the American people are looking for," he said.

Republicans will be trying out messages and auditioning¹² future party leaders in the months ahead with an eye toward the 2010 congressional elections. Historically, the party that holds the White House often loses seats in congressional mid-term elections.

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

3 wilderness   

n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

4 ken   

n.视野，知识领域

参考例句：

• Such things are beyond my ken.我可不懂这些事。
• Abstract words are beyond the ken of children.抽象的言辞超出小孩所理解的范围.

5 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

7 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

8 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

9 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

10 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

11 halfway   

adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途

参考例句：

• We had got only halfway when it began to get dark.走到半路，天就黑了。
• In study the worst danger is give up halfway.在学习上，最忌讳的是有始无终。

12 auditioning   

vi.试听（audition的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• She was auditioning for the role of Lady Macbeth. 她试演了麦克佩斯夫人的角色。
• Which part are you auditioning for? 你试音什么角色？ 来自《简明英汉词典》