VOA常速英语2007年-Presidential Candidates Gear Up for Iowa Caucus

By Paula Wolfson
Washington
30 December 2007

The first contest of the U.S. presidential election campaign comes this week in the midwestern state of Iowa, where Democrats¹ and Republicans will hold caucuses³ Thursday night. VOA correspondent Paula Wolfson reports, candidates from both major parties are hoping for an early victory.

Iowa marks the beginning of the state-by-state process the two leading political parties in the United States use to choose their presidential nominees⁴.

A win in Iowa could provide crucial momentum⁵ in an election year when many states are holding primaries and caucuses earlier than ever.

There is no clear favorite on either the Democratic or Republican side in Iowa. And in the days leading up to the caucuses - town meetings where voters declare their preferences - the campaigning has become intense.

Candidates are traveling across the snowy highways of Iowa seeking support. They are also making their case in local television ads, and in nationally broadcast interviews.

During an appearance Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press, Republican Mike Huckabee took on rival Mitt⁶ Romney. The two are locked in a tight race in Iowa, and, in recent days, Romney has been attacking Huckabee's record as governor of the state of Arkansas.

"I don't know what kind of effect it [attacks] has," said Huckabee. "People in Iowa, I think, like a positive campaign. But the relentless⁷ attacks - and they have been relentless - when you are outspent 20 to one, as I have been here in Iowa, you know, I think it is pretty amazing that I am where I am."

Romney, a former governor of Massachusetts, is hoping to do well five days later when voters in the northeastern state of New Hampshire hold their primary elections.

There, his strongest challenge is from Arizona Senator John McCain. During an appearance on ABC's This Week program, McCain acknowledged he needs a good performance in New Hampshire to keep his hopes of winning the nomination⁸ alive.

"I think we are going to do fine," said McCain. "And it is a great honor and a great experience. We are having great turnouts at town hall meetings, we are talking about the issues; Pakistan is on a lot of peoples' minds, the economy, health care. But most of all people want somebody who has the experience and the judgment⁹ to lead this country."

There is also no clear front runner in Iowa and New Hampshire on the Democratic Party side.

New York Senator Hillary Clinton leads in nationwide polls of potential Democratic voters. But in the early primary and caucus² states, she is involved in a close three-way race for votes with Illinois Senator Barack Obama and former North Carolina Senator John Edwards.

Both Obama and Edwards are focusing on the need for change in Washington.

Senator Clinton told ABC's This Week that despite her years of experience in Washington, she can provide the fresh perspective many voters appear to be seeking.

"I don't think there is this distinction between change and experience," said Hillary Clinton. "I know that is what they have tried to make this campaign about. It is not an either-or choice. That is a false choice for the people of America."

Senator Clinton downplayed the notion that her husband, former President Bill Clinton, would take a leading role in policy matters. Her comments produced laughter from John Edwards during an interview on the CBS program, Face the Nation.

"Well, I think it is a complete fantasy," said Edwards. "If you watch President Clinton - and I like him very much - if you watch him out on the campaign trail, he spends an awful lot of time talking about his views and not so much talking about Senator Clinton's, which is understandable, given his history and his leadership."

While the candidates were appearing on national television, the Reuters News Agency released the results of its latest pre-caucus poll of Iowa voters. It shows Hillary Clinton with a narrow lead on the Democratic side, with Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney in a virtual tie among Republicans.

1 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》

2 caucus   

n.秘密会议；干部会议；v.（参加）干部开会议

参考例句：

• This multi-staged caucus takes several months.这个多级会议常常历时好几个月。
• It kept the Democratic caucus from fragmenting.它也使得民主党的核心小组避免了土崩瓦解的危险。

3 caucuses   

n.（政党决定政策或推举竞选人的）核心成员( caucus的名词复数 )；决策干部；决策委员会；秘密会议

参考例句：

• Republican caucuses will happen in about 410 towns across Maine. 共和党团会议选举将在缅因州的约410个城镇进行。 来自互联网

4 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

5 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

6 mitt   

n.棒球手套，拳击手套，无指手套；vt.铐住，握手

参考例句：

• I gave him a baseball mitt for his birthday.为祝贺他的生日，我送给他一只棒球手套。
• Tom squeezed a mitt and a glove into the bag.汤姆把棒球手套和手套都塞进袋子里。

7 relentless   

adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的

参考例句：

• The traffic noise is relentless.交通车辆的噪音一刻也不停止。
• Their training has to be relentless.他们的训练必须是无情的。

8 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

9 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。