美国国家公共电台 NPR--What the GOP's next steps should be after Herschel Walker's loss

What the GOP's next steps should be after Herschel Walker's loss

Transcript¹

NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with GOP fundraiser Steven Law about Herschel Walker's loss in the Georgia Senate runoff and how he believes the party should recalculate to move forward.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

When Herschel Walker ran for U.S. Senate in Georgia, he faced criticism for many things he said. But when he lost this week, he gave a gracious concession² speech.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

HERSCHEL WALKER: I don't want any of you to stop dreaming. I don't want any of you to stop believing in America.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: Herschel.

WALKER: I want you to believe in America and continue to believe in the Constitution and believe in our elected officials most of all.

INSKEEP: Unlike some, Walker did not claim his defeat was unfair. The loss concluded a disappointing midterm for Republicans, who failed to recapture the Senate. So we called a Republican who knows a lot about Senate elections. Steven Law runs a political action committee that spent tens of millions of dollars on Republican candidates.

What went wrong with Herschel Walker's campaign?

STEVEN LAW: I think there were several things. First of all, Herschel Walker obviously was a tremendously famous sports figure in the state, beloved - 100% name ID - but he also had a lot of problems in his past life, many of which he was quite straightforward⁴ about. But when that - when those kinds of things end up in the political environment, it did him some harm.

And then, in addition to that, Raphael Warnock is an unusually strong candidate. It's not any surprise the Democrats⁶ are already looking at him as a potential future presidential candidate. He raised over $100 million, and he used that very effectively to negatively define Walker. Now, Walker raised a lot of money himself. He raised more money than any other Republican challenger in the country, but it just proved to be a bridge too far.

INSKEEP: When you talk about Warnock's image, some analysts⁷ have pointed⁸ out that Warnock worked very hard over the past couple of years to appear bipartisan. You might agree or disagree as to whether he really was, but he worked with Ted³ Cruz on things that were important to his state. He had a particular stance on immigration that was different than the rest of his party. He was taking his own stances on things.

LAW: Yeah, I think that's exactly right. I mean, one can argue whether it was more artifice⁹ than reality, but he was certainly smart enough to invest in efforts to appear bipartisan. And it was a huge part of his messaging, which indicates, you know, something that's going on in the electorate¹⁰ - that voters want to see more cooperation in Washington. They want to see people working together. They're tired of the hardcore partisanship¹¹ and the crisis, the scandal, the grievance¹² politics. They want to see people solving problems. And Warnock clearly marketed himself that way. And we - whether or not it was accurate or not, it seemed to stick with voters.

INSKEEP: Did the Georgia result symbolize¹³ the whole problem for the Republican Party in the midterm elections?

LAW: I think Georgia had a lot of unique complicating¹⁴ factors. I mean, it was the one race where we had a true celebrity¹⁵ on the ballot¹⁶, and we were also running against a Democrat⁵ who was popular. But the cycle didn't go well for Republicans for any number of reasons. Among them, the red wave that a lot of people were expecting - we were not, but a lot of people were - it just never materialized. Democrats were very energized¹⁷.

And then the second thing that hurt Republicans was candidate quality overall. We just had a number of candidates - and I'm not just talking at the Senate level - gubernatorial level, House races, up and down the ballot - candidates who were flawed, candidates who simply couldn't communicate to the middle part of the electorate, which ended up having a decisive role in these election outcomes this year.

INSKEEP: I want to ask about another factor that I think you've commented upon in social media. Fox News personalities¹⁸ in the last few days have been saying, wow, it was a really bad idea for Republicans to avoid early voting and to pretend there was tons of fraud in the system.

LAW: Well, exactly right. You go back to the days when Karl Rove and Ken¹⁹ Mehlman ran the RNC - the Republican Party bested the Democrats on getting out the vote in every single election. Democrats were simply not good at it. And over the last couple of decades, they've really invested in doing well at that while Republicans started to treat early voting is a bad habit that needed to be avoided. And we got the results that you would expect from that. I do think it's important that the party step up on it. I'm glad to hear that people are recognizing that this was a major tactical failure on the Republican Party side.

INSKEEP: Paul Ryan, the former House speaker, said something the other day that I think you said before - kind of a formula. He said, with Trump²⁰, we lose. Without Trump, we win. Is he correct?

LAW: Well, I think Trump himself will have a decision to make about how he wants to come across and what he wants to talk about. At the end of the day, what voters are in the mood for is constructive²¹, competent leadership. They want leaders to get the job done and to leave us alone. And you look at what's worked. You look at the kinds of politicians who have been succeeding in the last couple of elections. It's been people like Governor Brian Kemp, Governor Glenn Youngkin, Governor Ron DeSantis.

INSKEEP: Now, you began that answer - I asked if Republicans lose with Trump, and you said, well, it depends on how he decides to present himself. Are you saying you think it is still conceivable that this particular former president could rebrand himself as a competent centrist?

LAW: I really don't know. I mean, I'm nowhere near that inner circle or - and I'd be the last person who could predict his thinking or how he'd approach things. But I - the one thing I do know is what we are seeing that voters are now drawn²² to. They're drawn to politicians who are not mired²³ in grievance politics. They're not mired in some particular ideological²⁴ bent²⁵. They want to solve problems. They want to make people's lives better. And a leader who comes forward with that kind of approach is more likely to be successful than one who's not.

INSKEEP: Stephen Law, it's always a pleasure talking with you. Thank you so much.

LAW: Thank you. I really appreciate it.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 concession   

n.让步，妥协；特许(权)

参考例句：

• We can not make heavy concession to the matter.我们在这个问题上不能过于让步。
• That is a great concession.这是很大的让步。

3 ted   

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

• The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
• She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

4 straightforward   

adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的

参考例句：

• A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
• I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。

5 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

6 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》

7 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。

8 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

9 artifice   

n.妙计，高明的手段；狡诈，诡计

参考例句：

• The use of mirrors in a room is an artifice to make the room look larger.利用镜子装饰房间是使房间显得大一点的巧妙办法。
• He displayed a great deal of artifice in decorating his new house.他在布置新房子中表现出富有的技巧。

10 electorate   

n.全体选民；选区

参考例句：

• The government was responsible to the electorate.政府对全体选民负责。
• He has the backing of almost a quarter of the electorate.他得到了几乎1/4选民的支持。

11 Partisanship   

n. 党派性, 党派偏见

参考例句：

• Her violent partisanship was fighting Soames's battle. 她的激烈偏袒等于替索米斯卖气力。
• There was a link of understanding between them, more important than affection or partisanship. ' 比起人间的感情，比起相同的政见，这一点都来得格外重要。 来自英汉文学

12 grievance   

n.怨愤，气恼，委屈

参考例句：

• He will not easily forget his grievance.他不会轻易忘掉他的委屈。
• He had been nursing a grievance against his boss for months.几个月来他对老板一直心怀不满。

13 symbolize   

vt.作为...的象征，用符号代表

参考例句：

• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。
• Dolphins symbolize the breath of life.海豚象征着生命的气息。

14 complicating   

使复杂化( complicate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• High spiking fever with chills is suggestive of a complicating pylephlebitis. 伴有寒战的高热，暗示合并门静脉炎。
• In America these actions become executive puberty rites, complicating relationships that are already complicated enough. 在美国，这些行动成了行政青春期的惯例，使本来已经够复杂的关系变得更复杂了。

15 celebrity   

n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望

参考例句：

• Tom found himself something of a celebrity. 汤姆意识到自己已小有名气了。
• He haunted famous men, hoping to get celebrity for himself. 他常和名人在一起, 希望借此使自己获得名气。

16 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

17 energized   

v.给予…精力，能量( energize的过去式和过去分词 )；使通电

参考例句：

• We are energized by love if we put our energy into loving. 如果我们付出能量去表现爱意，爱就会使我们充满活力。 来自辞典例句
• I am completely energized and feeling terrific. 我充满了活力，感觉非常好。 来自辞典例句

18 personalities   

n. 诽谤，（对某人容貌、性格等所进行的）人身攻击； 人身攻击；人格, 个性, 名人( personality的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There seemed to be a degree of personalities in her remarks.她话里有些人身攻击的成分。
• Personalities are not in good taste in general conversation.在一般的谈话中诽谤他人是不高尚的。

19 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.

20 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

21 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

22 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

23 mired   

abbr.microreciprocal degree 迈尔德（色温单位）v.深陷( mire的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The country was mired in recession. 这个国家陷入了经济衰退的困境。
• The most brilliant leadership can be mired in detail. 最有才干的领导也会陷于拘泥琐事的困境中。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

24 ideological   

a.意识形态的

参考例句：

• He always tries to link his study with his ideological problems. 他总是把学习和自己的思想问题联系起来。
• He helped me enormously with advice on how to do ideological work. 他告诉我怎样做思想工作，对我有很大帮助。

25 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。