美国国家公共电台 NPR In Key 2019 Races, Activists Gear Up For Big Fight Over Abortion

In Key 2019 Races, Activists¹ Gear Up For Big Fight Over Abortion²

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

So if the U.S. Supreme³ Court were to overturn Roe⁴ v. Wade⁵, states would have even more power to prohibit abortion. And that means governors and state lawmakers could have the final say. Activists on both sides of the issue are making that point to voters ahead of some key elections tomorrow. As NPR's Sarah McCammon reports, those races might offer a preview of how abortion will play in the 2020 elections.

SARAH MCCAMMON, BYLINE⁶: On a recent cloudy fall afternoon, Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin stood on the steps of the governor's mansion⁷ in Frankfort flanked by a couple dozen activists wearing blue T-shirts and holding matching signs that read, I vote pro-life.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

MATT BEVIN: It took me a while to figure out why I keep seeing these blue T-shirts. I wasn't sure who you were. But I'm just grateful to you.

MCCAMMON: Bevin, a Republican, was surrounded by activists who've been door-knocking across Kentucky on his behalf with a goal of reaching 200,000 voters by Election Day tomorrow. They've been organized by a major national anti-abortion rights group, the Susan B. Anthony List. The organization has worked to elect conservative U.S. senators and helped push through the confirmation⁸ of President Trump's Supreme Court nominees⁹, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser said she was there to endorse¹⁰ Bevin and other Republicans running for statewide office.

MARJORIE DANNENFELSER: Who we know will lead Kentucky into this next chapter of the pro-life movement, which is the most important chapter of the pro-life movement since Roe v. Wade.

MCCAMMON: For the first time in decades, the Supreme Court may be on the verge¹¹ of substantially rolling back the guarantee of a right to an abortion. And now activists like Dannenfelser are looking to state officials like Bevin to support new abortion restrictions¹². Bevin has been a consistent and vocal¹³ opponent of abortion rights in Kentucky, signing a law this year that bans the procedure as soon as cardiac activity can be detected. That law is currently tied up in litigation, but Bevin told supporters he'd like to go further.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

BEVIN: Here's the thing, it wouldn't bother me one lick if there wasn't an abortion provider in the state - it wouldn't.

MCCAMMON: Bevin may need the support from anti-abortion rights activists as he runs for reelection. He's one of the least popular governors in the country, known for an abrasive¹⁴ style and for clashing with teachers' unions over their pensions. Bevin is facing a formidable challenge from Democratic state Attorney General Andy Beshear. Beshear has been endorsed¹⁶ by some prominent Republicans in Kentucky. Against that backdrop, activists are trying to help Bevin stay in office.

PATRICK HALL: Hey, how you doing?

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: Can I help you?

HALL: My name is Patrick Hall. I'm with the Susan B. Anthony List. We're a pro-life organization.

MCCAMMON: The SBA List is spending three quarters of a million dollars to support Bevin and other Kentucky Republicans through digital ads and mailers and teams of door-to-door canvassers. On a recent Saturday, one door they knock on belongs to Mark Randle, a pastor¹⁷ of a church in Lexington. Randall says he thinks Bevin has made, quote, "a million mistakes," including his fight with teachers, but he still supports him - in part because of his views on abortion.

MARK RANDLE: I'm the son of a public school teacher. Don't mess with teachers - of all things, don't do that. I mean, we got to fix the budget, but don't mess with teachers.

MCCAMMON: But you're still voting for him.

RANDLE: Yeah, I'm going to vote for him.

MCCAMMON: What do you agree with him on?

RANDLE: Certainly the abortion issue, without question.

MCCAMMON: Meanwhile, the abortion rights group NARAL has announced its own five-figure digital ad campaign telling Kentucky voters that Bevin supports, quote, "punishing women by criminalizing abortion." Sam Newton, with Democrat¹⁵ Andy Beshear's campaign, says focusing on abortion is a last-ditch effort for Bevin and his supporters.

SAM NEWTON: Matt Bevin is going to try to bring this up a hundred different ways because after four years, he's failed. He's failed Kentucky, and he knows he's extremely unpopular

MCCAMMON: In Virginia, a similar fight is playing out in another off-year election for control of the state legislature. Republicans narrowly outnumber Democrats¹⁸ in a state that's trending increasingly blue. SBA List has sent out mailers and released digital ads attacking half a dozen Democrats for supporting a failed proposal earlier this year to remove some restrictions on third trimester abortion. And abortion rights advocates are fighting back, like in this digital ad from Planned Parenthood's PAC on behalf of a Democratic candidate for Virginia state Senate.

(SOUNDBITE OF POLITICAL AD)

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: She'll stand up to extreme politicians in Virginia who have attacked access to reproductive health care, including safe legal abortion.

MCCAMMON: Planned Parenthood is investing more than a million dollars in Virginia legislative¹⁹ races this year. Emily's List, another group that backs candidates who support abortion rights, is spending about 2 million. Marjorie Dannenfelser with the anti-abortion SBA List says as the battle over abortion rights intensifies²⁰ in the states, advocates on both sides will have to pay more attention to these kinds of races.

DANNENFELSER: We're hoping and planning that there's going to be a shift where governors have more say with their legislatures over what abortion law is. So the left knows that, we know that. Everyone's focusing who cares about this issue on governorships and state legislatures for exactly the same reason.

MCCAMMON: Abortion rights will be among the key issues at stake as voters in a handful of states head to the polls tomorrow - and in many more races in 2020. Sarah McCammon, NPR News.

1 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

3 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。

4 roe   

n.鱼卵；獐鹿

参考例句：

• We will serve smoked cod's roe at the dinner.宴会上我们将上一道熏鳕鱼子。
• I'll scramble some eggs with roe?我用鱼籽炒几个鸡蛋好吗？

5 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

6 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

7 mansion   

n.大厦，大楼；宅第

参考例句：

• The old mansion was built in 1850.这座古宅建于1850年。
• The mansion has extensive grounds.这大厦四周的庭园广阔。

8 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

9 nominees   

n.被提名者，被任命者( nominee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She's one of the nominees. 她是被提名者之一。 来自超越目标英语 第2册
• A startling number of his nominees for senior positions have imploded. 他所提名的高级官员被否决的数目令人震惊。 来自互联网

10 endorse   

vt.(支票、汇票等)背书，背署；批注；同意

参考例句：

• No one is foolish enough to endorse it.没有哪个人会傻得赞成它。
• I fully endorse your opinions on this subject.我完全拥护你对此课题的主张。

11 verge   

n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。

12 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

13 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

14 abrasive   

adj.使表面磨损的；粗糙的；恼人的

参考例句：

• His abrasive manner has won him an unenviable notoriety.他生硬粗暴的态度让他声名狼藉。
• She had abrasions to her wrists where the abrasive rope had scraped her.她的手腕有多出磨伤，那是被粗糙的绳子擦伤的。

15 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。

16 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》

17 pastor   

n.牧师，牧人

参考例句：

• He was the son of a poor pastor.他是一个穷牧师的儿子。
• We have no pastor at present:the church is run by five deacons.我们目前没有牧师：教会的事是由五位执事管理的。

18 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》

19 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。

20 intensifies   

n.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的名词复数 )v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• A clear atmosphere intensifies the blue of the sky. 纯净的空气使天空变得更蓝。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Blowing on fire intensifies the heat. 吹火使热度加强。 来自《简明英汉词典》