VOA标准英语2008年-US Presidential Candidates Push for Last Minute

By Jim Malone
Nashua, New Hampshire
07 January 2008

The U.S. presidential candidates are making a furious last minute push for votes the day before the New Hampshire primary. The latest polls show Barack Obama leading the Democratic field of contenders and John McCain leading among Republicans. VOA national correspondent Jim Malone is on the campaign trail in Nashua, New Hampshire.

Obama supporters are confident after two new polls showed their candidate with a double-digit lead over Senator Hillary Clinton.

"Twenty-four hours from now, the people of New Hampshire can stand up and say, it is our turn, it is our turn to bring the change that America so desperately¹ wants, in one day's time," he said.

Clinton supporters are apprehensive² about Tuesday's primary vote, but their candidate has vowed³ to continue her campaign no matter what happens Tuesday.

Clinton is also trying to counter Obama's main argument that he is the one who can bring change to Washington.

"If we are going to be talking about change, then let us talk about change," she said. "Let us talk about who has produced change and let us talk about who is more likely to bring about change."

Obama defeated Clinton in last week's Iowa caucuses⁴, and a victory in New Hampshire would establish the Illinois senator as the clear Democratic frontrunner in the race to be the party's presidential candidate.

Former Senator John Edwards is waging a vigorous campaign in New Hampshire as well after his second place showing in Iowa. But Edwards is lagging behind Obama and Clinton in the polls.

In the race for the Republican presidential nomination⁵, the polls suggest Arizona Senator John McCain may be in the driver's seat in New Hampshire.

With the primary vote less than 24 hours away, McCain began a long, final day of campaigning in New Hampshire with a morning rally in Nashua.

"I am optimistic about the future of this country. I believe I can lead it," he said. "I think it is still a shining city on a hill. And my dear friends, tomorrow is the day when we will tell the world that the state of New Hampshire has again chosen the next President of the United States."

McCain has a narrow lead over former Massachusetts Governor Mitt⁶ Romney.

A McCain victory on Tuesday would cap a remarkable⁷ political comeback for the Arizona Republican. Six months ago, McCain was dropping in the polls, running out of money, firing campaign staff, and all but written off by the political experts.

McCain's comeback in New Hampshire has been fueled in part by the affection of voters here who supported him in 2000 when he won the Republican primary but lost the party nomination to Texas Governor George Bush.

Some of those voters turned out at the McCain rally Monday.

"Because he is honest, he is sincere and probably the best choice we have had in the Republican Party in years," one woman said.

"I just think he is the most conscientious⁸, honest guy I have ever known," another voter said. "Great guy, and America needs him."

Mitt Romney is hoping for a comeback in New Hampshire after a disappointing second place finish in Iowa.

Romney argues that McCain has been in Washington too long to be an effective agent of change.

"Washington is fundamentally broken, and one of the reasons I am running for president is that I believe my lifetime of work in the private sector⁹, then the voluntary sector and as governor, has taught me how to bring about fundamental change," he said.

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee trails McCain and Romney in New Hampshire. Huckabee won the Iowa caucuses last week, but is trailing in the polls along with former Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee, Texas Congressman¹⁰ Ron Paul and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

1 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

2 apprehensive   

adj.担心的，恐惧的，善于领会的

参考例句：

• She was deeply apprehensive about her future.她对未来感到非常担心。
• He was rather apprehensive of failure.他相当害怕失败。

3 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

4 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

5 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。

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 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

8 conscientious   

adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的

参考例句：

• He is a conscientious man and knows his job.他很认真负责，也很懂行。
• He is very conscientious in the performance of his duties.他非常认真地履行职责。

9 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

10 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。