VOA标准英语10月-US Vice Presidential Candidates Spar on Foreign P

Republican Sarah Palin and Democrat¹ Joe Biden debated foreign policy and the economy Thursday night in the only vice² presidential debate of the campaign. Alaskan Governor Palin, a newcomer to the national stage, stood her ground during her exchanges with the veteran U.S. Senator Biden in the highly anticipated event. VOA's Deborah Tate reports from the site of the debate at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
　

Senator Joe Biden (left) and Governor Sarah Palin during debate, 2 Oct 2008

For most of the 90-minute debate, Governor Palin and Senator Biden took aim at their opponents at the top of the ticket.

Palin criticized Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's stance on the Iraq war, particularly his pledge to withdraw all combat troops from Iraq within the first 16 months of his presidency³, in consultation⁴ with commanders on the ground.

"Your plan is a white flag of surrender in Iraq, and that is not what our troops need to hear today, that's for sure," she said.

Biden said Obama is committed to ending the unpopular war, unlike Republican presidential candidate John McCain.

"For John McCain, there is no end in sight to end this war. Fundamental difference: we will end this war," he said.

The war in Iraq has touched both vice presidential candidates personally. Governor Palin's son, Track, deployed⁵ to Iraq with the Army last month, and Senator Biden's son, Beau, is to leave Friday for Iraq as a member of the National Guard.
　

Governor Sarah Palin speaks at vice presidential debate, 2 Oct 2008

Palin accused Obama of wanting to meet with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad without preconditions.

"An issue like that taken up by a presidential candidate goes beyond naiveté and goes beyond poor judgment⁶. A statement that he made like that is downright dangerous," she said.

Biden responded that, "He [Obama] did not say he would sit down with Ahmedinejad. It surprises me John McCain does not know Ahmadinejad does not control the security apparatus⁷ in Iran. The theocracy⁸ controls the security."

Palin and Biden both pledged to change current U.S. economic policy to benefit the middle class. Biden suggested McCain was out of touch with average Americans because he had said the fundamentals of the economy were strong just as the financial crisis broke out. Palin said her running mate was referring to a strong American workforce⁹. She said Obama would raise taxes on Americans and small business owners. Obama has said he would cut taxes on the middle class and raise them only for those making more than $250,000.
　

Senator Joe Biden at vice presidential debate, 2 Oct. 2008

Biden said the financial bailout package that was approved by the Senate this week, which he, Obama and McCain all approved, could force Obama to scale back his pledge to double foreign aid.

Following several recent interviews in which she appeared hesitant and shaky, Palin appeared confident and even folksy - as she did in response to Biden's efforts to tie McCain to the unpopular President Bush.

"So Joe, there you go again, pointing backwards¹⁰ again. You prefaced your whole comment with the Bush administration. Now doggone it, let's look ahead and tell Americans what we have planned to do for them in the future," she said.

Palin said McCain is the candidate most suited to bring change because of his record as a maverick¹¹, taking on his own party when the time was right.

Biden responded that McCain has not been a maverick on any issue that Americans care about.

1 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

2 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

3 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

4 consultation   

n.咨询；商量；商议；会议

参考例句：

• The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
• The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。

5 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

6 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。

7 apparatus   

n.装置，器械；器具，设备

参考例句：

• The school's audio apparatus includes films and records.学校的视听设备包括放映机和录音机。
• They had a very refined apparatus.他们有一套非常精良的设备。

8 theocracy   

n.神权政治；僧侣政治

参考例句：

• Shangzhou was an important period for the formation and development of theocracy.商周时期是神权政治形成与发展的重要阶段。
• The Muslim brothers look as if they will opt for civil society rather than theocracy.穆斯林兄弟看起来好像更适合文明的社会，而非神权统治。

9 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

10 backwards   

adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地

参考例句：

• He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。
• All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。

11 maverick   

adj.特立独行的；不遵守传统的；n.持异议者，自行其是者

参考例句：

• He's a maverick.He has his own way of thinking about things.他是个特异独行的人。对事情有自己的看法。
• You're a maverick and you'll try anything.你是个爱自行其是的人，样样事情都要尝试一下。