2007年VOA标准英语-US Presidential Contenders Romney, Huckabee Get

By Jim Malone
Washington
13 August 2007

Republican presidential contenders Mitt¹ Romney and Mike Huckabee are hoping for a political boost after finishing first and second in a straw poll or test vote on Saturday in Iowa. But as national correspondent Jim Malone reports from Washington, the battle for the Republican Party's presidential nomination² remains³ wide open.

Mitt Romney speaks at Great Basin College Theater in Elko, Nevada, 13 Aug 2007

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney was the big winner at the Iowa straw poll, capturing 31 percent of the vote and what he hopes will be political momentum⁴ for the next phase of the 2008 presidential campaign.

"Well, there is no question that it sends a message that America is ready for a change, and that change began in Iowa," he said on NBC's Today program. "I was delighted to do so well. I know everybody else is wishing they could be in my spot, but I am glad I have got it."

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee emerged from a crowded pack of Republican contenders to take second place in the Iowa event with 18 percent of the vote.

Mike Huckabee is interviewed in Little Rock, Arkansas, after appearing on CBS-TV's 'Face the Nation' program, 12 Aug 2007

Huckabee told MSNBC television that his strong second place finish puts him in the top group of Republican candidates for the White House next year.

"You cannot win without middle America, which means that the Republicans have to keep shopping," he said. "And that is why I think that my place [showing] there was such a significant one because it showed that there is really not only a hunger for a different candidate, but I think I am fitting the bill for those looking for an alternative."

Romney and Huckabee benefited from the fact that some of their top rivals did not take part in the Iowa straw poll including former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Arizona Senator John McCain and former Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee. Thompson is expected to formally join the race in September.

At the moment, Giuliani continues to lead among Republicans in most national polls, but Romney is doing well in Iowa and New Hampshire, the two states that begin the presidential nomination selection process for both major political parties in January.

National surveys have also indicated that many Republican voters are not satisfied with the current group of candidates, and that social conservative voters in particular are looking for a true conservative in the tradition of former President Ronald Reagan.

Political experts say both Romney and Huckabee may have won some converts with their strong showings in Iowa.

"Mitt Romney has been a conservative at times in his career, and not a conservative at other times," said John Fortier, an expert on presidential politics at the American Enterprise Institute and a guest on VOA's Encounter program. "That is the great charge against him. He is trying to be that conservative candidate."

But another Encounter guest, political analyst⁵ Stuart Rothenberg, says it may be a while before a clear frontrunner emerges in the battle for the Republican Party's presidential nomination.

"The Republican race is one that is looking for a frontrunner and no one can seem to find one," he said. "The Republicans have a problem because they just do not have someone who can energize⁶ conservatives, appeal to Democrats⁷ and swing [independent] voters, and who has a campaign that is put together now in a way to win the nomination."

The results of the Iowa straw poll have no official bearing on the 2008 presidential selection process, but they were definitive⁸ for at least one contender.

Former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson pulled out of the Republican race shortly after his poor showing in the Iowa contest.

1 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。

2 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。

3 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

4 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。

5 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

6 energize   

vt.给予(某人或某物)精力、能量

参考例句：

• It is used to energize the city.它的作用是为城市供给能量。
• This is a great way to energize yourself and give yourself more power!这种方法非常棒，可以激活你的能量，让你有更多的活力！

7 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》

8 definitive   

adj.确切的，权威性的；最后的，决定性的

参考例句：

• This book is the definitive guide to world cuisine.这本书是世界美食的权威指南。
• No one has come up with a definitive answer as to why this should be so.至于为什么该这样，还没有人给出明确的答复。