PBS高端访谈:拜登宣布竞选总统

JUDY WOODRUFF: Will he or won't he? Months of anticipation¹ and hesitation² ended today, with latest Democrat³ to enter the race for the White House.

JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We are in the battle for the soul of this nation.

JUDY WOODRUFF: Setting up a direct clash with President Trump⁴ over American ideals and values, former Vice⁵ President Joe Biden officially entered the 2020 presidential race this morning in a video announcement, Biden lambasted President Trump for his response to the 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where a counter-protester was killed.

JOE BIDEN: He said there were, quote, some very fine people on both sides. Very fine people on both sides?

JUDY WOODRUFF: The 76-year-old Delaware Democrat laid out the choice American voters face.

JOE BIDEN: If we give Donald Trump eight years in the White House, he will forever and fundamentally alter the character of this nation.

JUDY WOODRUFF: With a long political career marked by highs and lows, Biden became one of the youngest-ever U.S. senators, elected at the age of 29 in 1972. But tragedy hit just weeks later when his wife and one-year-old daughter were killed in a car accident. Biden went on to serve 36 years in the Senate, forming fast friendships with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle⁶, including former Arizona Senator John McCain.

JOE BIDEN: My name is Joe Biden. I'm a Democrat. And I love John McCain.

JUDY WOODRUFF: But now, Biden finds himself in a Democratic Party that has lately shifted left, favoring policies that counter many of Biden's past positions, positions like his integral role in the federal government's war on drugs in the 1980s and '90s that led to mass incarcerations, and his support for expanding gun sales in the 1980s.

JOE BIDEN: I haven't always been right. I know we haven't always gotten things right. But I’ve always tried.

JUDY WOODRUFF: The long-time centrist has since taken more progressive positions. But, Biden is also guaranteed to face criticism by liberals for his role as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1991, when Attorney Anita Hill testified that then-Supreme Court nominee⁷ Clarence Thomas had sexually harassed⁸ her. Lawmakers from both parties then eviscerated⁹ Hill's testimony¹⁰. Recently, Biden has also faced allegations of inappropriately touching¹¹ women and not respecting their personal space. Biden didn't apologize, but said he would do better. At times, gaffe-prone, this is Biden's third attempt at the presidency¹². His 1988 bid was marked by allegations of plagiarism¹³. After a short 2008 presidential bid, Biden agreed to run as Barack Obama's vice presidential nominee. And, while Biden helped to win over the Obama coalition¹⁴ of black and Northern white voters that helped win the White House in 2008 and again in 2012, he faces now a serious challenge from Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and a host of rising, younger progressive Democrats¹⁵. President Trump took note of Biden's announcement today and the bruising¹⁶ primary that awaits him. Mr. Trump tweeted "Welcome to the race, Sleepy Joe".

REPORTER: What are you feeling today?

JOE BIDEN: I feel great!

JUDY WOODRUFF: Today, Biden appeared ready for the fight. Leaving a pizza shop, a reporter asked Biden if he had a message for the rest of the world.

JOE BIDEN: America is coming back like it used to be, ethical¹⁷, straight, telling the truth, moving in a way, supporting our allies, all those good things.

朱迪·伍德拉夫：他会还是不会，这是个问题。几个月的期盼与纠结终于在今天落幕——最后一位参加竞选的民主党出现。

乔·拜登，总统候选人：我们正在为美国的灵魂究竟是什么而争。

朱迪·伍德拉夫：他与特朗普总统正面交锋，就美国理想和价值观叫板，今早，曾经担任副总统的乔·拜登通过视频正式宣布参加2020年总统大选。他在视频中炮轰特朗普对2017年弗吉尼亚州夏洛茨维尔白人民族主义者集会所做出的响应。在这次集会中，一名反抗议者死亡。

乔·拜登：特朗普总统原话说两边都是非常好的人。可是事实是这样吗？

朱迪·伍德拉夫：76岁的拜登是特拉华州的民主党议员。他在视频中指出了美国选民所面临的选择。

乔·拜登：如果让特朗普连任的话，他就会担任为期8年的美国总统，他就永远都不会改变美国的特质。

朱迪·伍德拉夫：拜登在漫长的政治生涯中曾大起大落，他曾是美国最年轻的参议员之一。1972年就当选为参议员，那时候他只有29岁。当选几周后，悲剧发生了——他的妻子和年仅1岁的女儿在车祸中丧生。拜登担任了36年的参议员，与两个政党的许多议员成为了朋友，包括前亚利桑那州参议员约翰·麦凯恩。

乔·拜登：我是乔·拜登，我是一名民主党人，我很喜欢约翰·麦凯恩。

朱迪·伍德拉夫：而现在，拜登却发现他所在的民主党已经开始左倾，他们所支持的政策与拜登过往的大部分从业生涯相违背。比如，他从业生涯中的上世纪八九十年代，联邦政府就毒品一事起了激烈的意见分歧，而他在其中扮演了正直的角色。这次分歧导致许多人被关了禁闭；再比如上世纪80年代，他支持的是加大枪支出售。

乔·拜登：我也曾犯错，如今我也意识到自己曾经做过的错事，但我的初衷是好的。

朱迪·伍德拉夫：曾长期保持中立的他自那以后就采取了更为先进的立场。不过，乔·拜登有一段经历是一定会受到自由主义者诟病的，那就是他1991年担任参议院司法委员会主席期间所扮演的角色。当时，律师安妮塔·希尔证明了时任最高法院提名者克拉伦斯·托马斯曾性侵自己。两党的多位议员随后都探究了希尔证词的真实性。最近，拜登还面临着以不当方式触碰女性肢体的指控，以及不尊重女性个人空间的指控。拜登没有道歉，但是他说自己会做得更好。有时候会说错话，这是拜登想要竞选总统的第三个原因。他1988年竞选总统的时候，面临着抄袭的罪名。在2008年总统竞选初选淘汰时，他决定竞选奥巴马的副总统。拜登曾助力赢得了黑人选民和北部白人选民的支持，并因此在2008年和2012年帮助奥巴马赢得总统职位。虽然如此，他还是没能敌得过佛蒙特州参议员伯尼·桑德斯的挑战。后者是后起之秀，比他更年轻，是进步派的民主党。特朗普总统得知了拜登今天宣布竞选的消息，也得知了拜登对他的言语攻击。特朗普发了推文写道，欢迎参加竞选啊，蔫蔫的乔。

记者：您今天感觉怎样?

乔·拜登：感觉很好！

朱迪·伍德拉夫：今天，拜登准备好参加这场战斗了。在离开披萨店的时候，一名记者问拜登自己是否有想对外界说的话。

乔·拜登：美国回来了，就像以前一样既有道德又直接，又能讲真话，美国现在能支持自己的盟友了，这些都是好的现象。

1 anticipation   

n.预期，预料，期望

参考例句：

• We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着，期待她的到来。
• The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安，像是感到了地震即将发生。

2 hesitation   

n.犹豫，踌躇

参考例句：

• After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。
• There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。

3 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。

4 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。

5 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。

6 aisle   

n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道

参考例句：

• The aisle was crammed with people.过道上挤满了人。
• The girl ushered me along the aisle to my seat.引座小姐带领我沿着通道到我的座位上去。

7 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

8 harassed   

adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He has complained of being harassed by the police. 他投诉受到警方侵扰。
• harassed mothers with their children 带着孩子的疲惫不堪的母亲们

9 eviscerated   

v.切除…的内脏( eviscerate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The censors eviscerated the book to make it inoffensive to the President. 审查员删去了该书的精华以取悦于总统。 来自辞典例句
• By the expulsion of surgery from the liberal arts medicine herself was eviscerated. 把外科排除于丰富的艺术之外，就使得医学本身去掉了内脏一样。 来自辞典例句

10 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

11 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

12 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。

13 plagiarism   

n.剽窃，抄袭

参考例句：

• Teachers in America fight to control cheating and plagiarism.美国老师们努力对付欺骗和剽窃的问题。
• Now he's in real trouble.He's accused of plagiarism.现在他是真遇到麻烦了。他被指控剽窃。

14 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

15 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》

16 bruising   

adj.殊死的；十分激烈的v.擦伤(bruise的现在分词形式)

参考例句：

• He suffered cracked ribs and bruising. 他断了肋骨还有挫伤。
• He slipped and fell, badly bruising an elbow. 他滑倒了，一只胳膊肘严重擦伤。 来自辞典例句

17 ethical   

adj.伦理的，道德的，合乎道德的

参考例句：

• It is necessary to get the youth to have a high ethical concept.必须使青年具有高度的道德观念。
• It was a debate which aroused fervent ethical arguments.那是一场引发强烈的伦理道德争论的辩论。