Democratic presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama sparred over health care, immigration and the war in Iraq in a debate in Los Angeles Thursday. The last two major contenders for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination also found common ground as they head into party preference polls on Tuesday.
民主党总统候选人提名竞争者希拉里.克林顿与巴拉克.奥巴马星期四就医疗保健、移民以及伊拉克战争问题在洛杉矶进行了辩论。在面临下星期二民主党初选“超级星期二”的时刻，这两位民主党总统候选人提名的竞争者表现出相当类似的立场。
In front of an audience studded with Hollywood celebrities, Obama and Clinton highlighted their differences, as both promised a change from the Bush administration.
辩论会会场当中，有许多好莱坞明星在座。奥巴马和希拉里强调了彼此之间的分歧。两位民主党总统候选人提名竞争者都表示要改变布什行政当局的做法。
The discussion was cordial in contrast to a tense exchange last week in South Carolina, where Obama won Saturday's primary. In the debate broadcast on the Cable News Network, Clinton and Obama compared health care plans and highlighted their differences on illegal immigration. Clinton says on this issue, despite their differences, they share some of the same values.
与上个星期在南卡罗来纳州紧张的辩论相比，奥巴马和希拉里的这次辩论气氛友好。奥巴马赢得了在南卡罗来纳州的初选。在这次有线电视新闻网实况转播的辩论会上，希拉里和奥巴马比较了他们的医疗保健制度改革方案，并突出强调他们在非法移民问题上的分歧。克林顿说，在这个问题上，虽然他们之间有分歧，但是他们也有一些共同的价值观。
"We want to be fair to people. We want to respect the dignity of every human being, every person who is here, but we are trying to work our way through to get to where we need to be. And that is to have a united Democratic Party with fair-mined Republicans who will join us to fix this broken immigration system," she said.
“我们希望对人要公平，我们希望尊重每一个人的尊严，尊重这里的每一个人。但是，我们希望努力达到我们希望达到的目标，这就是把民主党人跟那些希望公平待人的共和党人团结起来，让他们跟我们一道解决现行移民制度中的明显流弊。”
The candidates criticized Republican presidential frontrunner John McCain for his comment that U.S. troops could remain in Iraq for 100 years, and for supporting an extension of President Bush's tax cuts after twice voting against them.
两位民主党总统候选人提名竞争者都对共和党总统候选人提名竞争者麦凯恩所说的美国可能在伊拉克驻军100年的说法提出了批评。他们也批评麦凯恩先前两次投票反对、现在又表示支持布什总统的减税政策。
Clinton was asked how she can bring change to the White House when just two families, the Bushes and Clintons, have held the office of president for decades. She says she is running on her own merits, not those of her husband -- former president Bill Clinton -- who defeated President George H. W. Bush in 1992.
有人问希拉里，如果她当选总统，那就是在20年里，白宫只是有布什和克林顿两个家族当家，在这种情况下，她如何会把改革带入白宫。希拉里回答说，她是以自己、而不是以她的丈夫、前总统克林顿的资历和政纲竞选总统。前总统克林顿在1992年击败老布什担任总统。
"And you know, it did take a Clinton to clean (up) after the first Bush, and I think it might take another one to clean up after the second Bush," she said.
希拉里说：“大家知道，当年是克林顿出面收拾老布什的残局，我认为收拾第二个布什的残局可能需要另一个克林顿。”
Clinton says her record of public service as an attorney, First Lady and U.S. senator from New York makes her the candidate best prepared to take on the duties of president on her first day in the White House. Obama responded:
希拉里说，她作为律师、第一夫人和来自纽约州的参议员的公职生涯纪录使她成为一个最适合从一开始担任总统就能应对总统职责的人。对此，奥巴马反驳说：
"I respect Senator Clinton's record. I think it's a terrific record. But I also believe that the skills that I have are the ones that are needed right now to move the country forward, otherwise I wouldn't be running for president of the United States," he said.
“我尊重克林顿参议员的纪录。我认为她的纪录是优秀的。但是我也相信，我所拥有的技能是我们国家目前急需来取得进步的技能。否则，我也不会出来竞选美国总统一职。”
California is one of 22 states that will hold Democratic Party contests Tuesday, which is known as Super Tuesday. Twenty-one states will hold Republican contests. Among Democrats, Clinton leads in opinion polls in California and several other key states, including New York and New Jersey.
加利福尼亚州是下个星期二、也就是“超级星期二”举行民主党总统候选人提名初选的22个州之一。另外，有21个州要举行共和党的初选。在民主党人当中，克林顿在加利福尼亚以及纽约、新泽西州等几个关键州目前处于民意测验的优势。
However, Obama received important endorsements this week from Massachusetts senator Edward Kennedy and his niece, Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg, the daughter of the late president John F. Kennedy. She said Obama, like her father, can inspire the country.
但是，奥巴马本星期获得了来自马萨诸塞州的肯尼迪参议员和他的侄女、前总统肯尼迪的女儿的支持。前总统肯尼迪的女儿说，奥巴马和她的父亲一样，能够让全国人民感到一种理想。
Senator Clinton also boasts some members of the Kennedy family among her supporters, and says both her candidacy, and Obama's, have created enthusiasm.
但是克林顿参议员说她也得到肯尼迪家族一些成员的支持。她说，她和奥巴马出来竞选总统都给美国人带来振奋。
The two had words of praise for former North Carolina senator John Edwards, who ended his campaign this week, leaving the race for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination a two-person contest.
他们两位对本星期退出竞选的来自北卡罗来纳州的前参议员爱德华兹表示了赞扬。爱德华兹退出竞选使民主党总统候选人提名的竞争成为希拉里与奥巴马的竞争。 |