U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has begun assembling a White House team in advance of the presidential transition January 20. After the excitement over the historic election dies down, the next president will face some serious domestic and international issues.
美国当选总统巴拉克.奥巴马将在1月20号就职。他已经开始组建自己的白宫班子。 在这次历史性选举的尘埃落定后，新一届总统将面临一些国内、国际方面的严肃问题。
Barack Obama outlined some of the challenges facing the nation in his victory speech in Chicago Tuesday night. They include the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, environmental issues and an economic crisis. He predicted setbacks and false starts, but said he is confident the problems can be tackled.
奥巴马星期二晚间在芝加哥发表的胜选演说中描述了一些美国所面对的挑战，包括伊拉克和阿富汗战争，环境问题和经济危机。他预言会有一些挫折，还有开头不顺的问题，但是他说，他相信这些问题能够解决。
"There's new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build and threats to meet, alliances to repair. The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there," he said.
“要开发利用新能源，创造就业机会，建造更多学校，应对新的威胁，修补盟友关系。 前路漫长，坡路陡峭。我们可能在一年时间甚至一个任期内都难完成这些任务，但是，我要告诉美国人民，我从来没有像今晚这样有信心达到我们的目标。”
Exit polls taken during the election show that more than six in ten Americans view the flagging economy as the most important issue facing the nation. One in ten voters cited other key concerns, such as the war in Iraq, health care and terrorism.
选举的出口民调显示，每10个美国选民就有6人将萎靡的经济看作是美国面临的最重要的问题。十分之一的选民则表示他们关注其他一些关键问题，如伊拉克战争、医疗保险以及恐怖主义等。
Who will be chosen as Treasury Secretary?
Mr. Obama has just 2 1/2 months to prepare for his transition, and there is speculation over the makeup of his new administration. Some wonder if his campaign advisers may have a formal role, perhaps in the key job of treasury secretary. Speculation surrounding that important job has focused on Paul Volcker, who was federal reserve chairman under President Ronald Reagan, and Robert Rubin, a former treasury secretary under President Bill Clinton. Some wonder if there may even be a role for another Obama supporter, the billionaire investor Warren Buffett.
奥巴马只有两个半月的时间来准备过渡，各界在猜测他领导的新的行政当局将任用什么人。有人想知道，他的竞选顾问是否可以得到正式的职位，也许是关键的财政部长的职位。围绕这个重要职位的猜测已经集中到保尔.沃尔克，他是里根总统任内的联邦储备委员会主席，还有罗伯特.鲁宾，他是克林顿总统手下的财政部长。甚至有人猜测奥巴马的另一位支持者亿万富翁投资家巴菲特是否会出山。
Chief of Staff Position could go to former Clinton adviser
Senator Obama is starting to assemble his White House staff. News reports say he has offered the job of chief of staff to Rahm Emanuel, a Democratic member of congress who was once a senior adviser to former president Clinton.
奥巴马参议员已经开始着手组建他在白宫班子。新闻报道说，他已经提出让拉姆.伊曼纽尔这位民主党国会议员担任白宫办公厅主任，他曾经是前总统克林顿的高级顾问。
The next president should have a sympathetic Congress when he takes the oath of office in January. It will be the first time since the early years of the Clinton presidency when Democrats have held the White House and a majority of seats in the House of Representatives and the Senate. They will still need cooperation from Republicans, especially in the Senate, where Democrats failed to get the 60 seats that would have protected them from procedural blocks known as filibusters. Some newly elected Democrats from conservative states, such as Virginia and North Carolina, may also want to embrace a moderate agenda.
新的美国总统明年1月宣誓就职的时候，国会将是一个总统所属的政党控制的。这是过去克林顿总统就任前期以来民主党人头一次同时执掌白宫和国会参议院众议院。不过他们仍然需要共和党的合作，特别是在参议院，民主党人没有得到60个席位，无法避免共和党人用不停的发言的拖延战术阻碍立法。来自一些保守州的新当选的民主党国会议员，例如来自维吉尼亚和北卡罗来纳的议员，可能会希望国会走温和的路线。
President-elect urged to govern from center
In Washington Wednesday, the Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, urged the next president to govern from the center.
星期三在华盛顿，国会众议院议长民主党人南希.佩洛西敦促新一届政府从中间做好管理。
"At a time of this economic crisis, our priority should be very clear about what we need to do. Each side of the spectrum can hope to influence the decision. But the fact is that a new president coming in, in my view, must take the country down the middle to solve the problems, to gain the confidence, to take us more strongly in a new direction," he said.
在发生这种经济危机的时候，我们的首要任务应当是非常清楚地表明我们要做什么。政界各方都可以希望能影响决策。但是，我认为，一个新总统上任，必须率领国家走中间路线以便解决问题，获得公众的信任，让我们走上一个新方向，变得更加强大。”
Analysts credit the Obama win to a highly effective campaign, an exceptional ability at fundraising, and a message that resonated with voters across demographic lines. In his victory speech, Senator Obama said he will be president for all Americans, even those who voted against him.
分析人士把奥巴马的胜选规结于有效的竞选、筹集资金的超常能力，以及对各种选民产生共鸣的信息。在他的胜选演讲中，奥巴马参议员说，他将是所有美国人的总统，包括那些投票反对他的人们。
DNC chairman says Obama's message resonates with voters
Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean says the message of the election is clear.
民主党全国委员会主席霍华德. 迪安说，选举的信息十分明确。
"Americans have given all of us - Democrats, Republicans and Independents - a simple mandate to work together to find big solutions to the big challenges that face our country," he said.
“我认为这次选举结果所表达的信息很明显。美国人就是要我们，要民主党人，共和党人，无党派人士携手合作，为我们国家所面临的各种大挑战提出大手笔的解决方案。”
As the president-elect turns his attention to the business of governing, the euphoria over his historic election has not subsided. Senator Obama is the first African American to be elected U.S. president. Another African American leader, Georgia Representative John Lewis, says the Obama victory will inspire future generations. Lewis spoke on NBC Television's Today show about the message of the Obama win.
就在当选总统转而关注执政问题的时候，他的历史性选举带来的欢欣仍没有消退。奥巴马参议员是第一位非洲裔美国人被选为美国总统。另一位非洲裔美国人领袖，乔治亚州推选的国会议员约翰.刘易斯说，奥巴马的胜利将激励未来的几代人。他在全国广播公司的“今日”电视节目谈到了奥巴马胜选所传达的信息。
"It doesn't matter whether you are black or white or Latino or Asian American or Native American, you can grow up in America and be anything that you want to be. People will be saying for years to come, 'If Barack Obama can do it, you can do it too,'" he said.
“不论你是黑人白人，是拉丁裔还是亚太裔，或是美国原住民，你都可以在美国成长，并成就你的任何目标。人们今后多年都会说，如果奥巴马能行，你也行。”
The man Senator Obama will replace in the White House, President George W. Bush, said this election is uplifting for a generation of Americans who watched the struggle for civil rights unfold, and are seeing the dream fulfilled four decades later.
奥巴马参议员将取代的白宫的主人布什总统星期三说，这次选举让观察民权斗争的整整一代美国人感到振奋，让他们看到40年奋斗争取的梦想终于实现。 |